Lemon peel, raw

Lemon peel, or zest, is the thin, fragrant yellow outer layer of the fruit, grated or peeled off in strips to flavor baked goods, pasta, marinades, dressings, and cocktails without adding the sourness of the juice. Cooks avoid grating into the white pith beneath the yellow layer, since the pith tastes distinctly bitter, and a fine microplane grater produces the cleanest zest with the least pith attached. Long strips of peel, cut with a vegetable peeler, are also candied for garnishes or simmered in syrups and infused oils to carry lemon flavor without added liquid.

Buy well-scrubbed, unwaxed lemons when the peel itself will be eaten, since wax and pesticide residue concentrate on the skin, and store whole lemons in the refrigerator to keep the peel firm enough to zest cleanly. A tablespoon of lemon peel is only 6 grams and 47 calories per 100 grams overall, yet it is rich in vitamin C at 143% DV and fiber at 38% DV per 100 grams, so a spoonful grated over a finished dish adds a disproportionate amount of vitamin C and fiber relative to its size. It also carries a trace of calcium at 10% DV per 100 grams, a detail that reflects how nutrient-dense the outer skin of citrus fruit is compared to the juicy flesh most people eat.