Simple roasted baby potatoes with whole garlic cloves are the perfect foil for a zesty lemon and olive oil emulsion. Ingalls Photography
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There’s no easier way to brighten the flavors of a dish than to add a squeeze of lemon juice or a dusting of finely grated zest. Here, our favorite savory uses for versatile citrus.

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See the Recipe Christopher Hirsheimer
"Roast

Roast Chicken with Saffron and Lemon

Roast chicken is a classic dish all over the world. In this beautiful version from Spain, the bird is rubbed with musky, floral saffron and stuffed with bright lemons and fresh rosemary before being popped in the oven. Get the recipe for Roast Chicken with Saffron and Lemon »
"Orange

Orange and Radish Salad

Fragrant orange flower water, called zhaar in Morocco and made from the blossoms of bergamot orange trees, perfumes this delicate salad, in which sweet citrus is offset by spicy radish.
Get the recipe for Orange and Radish Salad »
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See the Recipe Maura McEvoy

Lemon and Coriander Marinated Olives

Chunks of lemon and cracked coriander seeds lend a bright flavor to these earthy olives. See the recipe for Lemon and Coriander Marinated Olives »
In this straightforward white wine braise, chicken legs are brightened with tart kumquat and salty olives. Try serving it over couscous. See the Recipe for Braised Chicken with Kumquats and Green Olives»
"Vietnamese

Coupled with a Refreshing Dip

Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham)
"Beet

Beet and Goat Cheese Napoleons

These elegant appetizers come from Wolfgang Puck’s Los Angeles restaurant Spago. Laurie Ochoa wrote about the groundbreaking chef in “The King of LA,” part of our special Los Angeles issue (March 2010).

Kale and Avocado Salad

See the Recipe
"Lemon

Lemon and Rosemary Chicken (Pollo Arrosto)

Garlic, lemon, and rosemary enhance simple, juicy roast chicken.
"Duck
The recipe for this classic French dish is based on one in James Peterson’s Glorious French Food. Get the recipe for Duck a l’Orange »
"Mojo-Marinated

Mojo-Marinated Pork Shoulder Roast (Pernil Asado Con Mojo)

Pork shoulder is soaked overnight in a citrusy mojo marinade in this Cuban recipe. Get the recipe for Mojo-Marinated Pork Shoulder Roast (Pernil Asado Con Mojo) »
"Dry-Cured

Dry-Cured Olives with Rosemary and Orange

These olives are incredibly simple—all you have to do is mix them with orange zest and juice, rosemary, and pepper, then let them sit for an hour.

Salsa de Piña Picante

Pineapple’s firm texture and sweet-tart tang is perfect for salsa and an ideal foil for rich meats. Get the recipe for Salsa de Piña Picante »
"Chicken

Chicken and Onion Tagine (Djej Besla)

Onions stew until soft and sweet in this satisfying one-pot chicken dish flavored with saffron, turmeric, lemon, and olives. Get the recipe for Chicken and Onion Tagine (Djej Besla) »
"Peas

Peas with Orange and Mint

Fresh orange juice and plenty of mint enliven ordinary frozen peas. Get the recipe for Peas with Orange and Mint »
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See the Recipe Anna Stockwell

Pollo en Escabeche Oriental (Yucatan-Style Chicken and Onion Stew)

Delicately spiced, tangy escabeche, a preparation typical of the Yucatan, makes a vibrant marinade and sauce for stewed chicken. The grapefruit, orange, and lime juices called for in this recipe approximate the flavor of the Yucatan’s sour oranges, which are difficult to get here.

Pollo Pibil (Yucatan-Style Chicken with Achiote)

Marinated in a crimson achiote and citrus juice marinade and served with pickled onions, this chicken dish is eaten all over the Yucatan. It gets an additional layer of flavor from the banana leaves that line the inside of the pot, but should you opt not to use them, the result will still be delicious.
"Lime

Lime Soup (Sopa de Lima)

Similar to tortilla soup, this version is sour from lots of whole limes in the broth and garnish; roasted habañero chiles add smokey heat to this bright soup. Get the recipe for Lime Soup (Sopa de Lima) »
"Chicken,

Chicken, Olive, and Lemon Tagine (Djaj Mqualli)

Tagine, the Moroccan stew, shares its name with the terra-cotta pot it’s traditionally cooked in, whose neat conical lid promotes convection and even cooking. There are many versions; maybe the most classic is braised chicken, green olives, and lemons in a sauce fragrant with ginger and coriander.
"Lemon-and-Herb-Roasted

Lemon-and-Herb-Roasted Vegetables

Chopped whole lemon and spicy fresh ginger lend brightness to hearty roasted vegetables including sweet potatoes, acorn squash, and carrots.
"Avgolemono"

Avgolemono

Avgolemono, a simple Mediterranean soup of eggs, lemons, and chicken broth, is the Mediterranean equivalent of chicken noodle soup. Get the recipe for Avgolemono »
"Butter

Butter Lettuce Salad with Pistachios and Orange Crème Fraîche Dressing

Butter Lettuce Salad with Pistachios and Orange Crème Fraîche Dressing
"Lemon

Lemon Parmesan Dip

Creamy and bright-tasting, lemon parmesan dip makes for an excellent accompaniment to a chip or crudité platter.
"Roasted

Roasted Turkey with Achiote Citrus Marinade

Achiote paste gives the rub for this recipe a deep red hue, making for a visually striking roast holiday bird. Get the recipe for Roasted Turkey with Achiote Citrus Marinade »
"Roasted

Roasted Beets with Orange and Crème Fraîche

"Roast

Roast Duck with Mandarin Orange Sauce

This three-part technique starts with a stove-top sear to render fat followed by a stint in the oven for a steam in a flavorful broth. A final roast results in juicy meat and crisp skin. Get the recipe for Roast Duck with Mandarin Orange Sauce »
"Sautéed

Sautéed Crab with Avocado, Grapefruit and Herb Salad

Crabmeat is rubbed with a smoky chile paste, then sautéed and tossed in a refreshing salad of creamy avocado, tart grapefruit, and herbs. Get the recipe for Sautéed Crab with Avocado, Grapefruit and Herb Salad »

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