Lemon Zest

One of the prettiest table centerpieces is a bowl of lemons; there’s so much allure in their form, fragrance and bright color, not to mention their flavor. I also depend on lemons to enhance flavors in both savory and sweet dishes. They add great verve to my cooking.

These seared scallops are one of my best impromptu meals. Only the freshest, sweetest scallops will work in this dish; they’re the perfect foil for the tart lemon juice.

When time is at a minimum during the week, the capellini recipe has come to be my SOS dish, my fail-safe. I always have capellini, olive oil, garlic, lemons, Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes on hand. In 10 minutes flat, dinner is on the table.

Fredy Girardet’s lemon tart is still the best ever, spanning all the seasons, no matter what other fruit is available.

Mandel is a cookbook author.

Seared Scallops With Lemon, Garlic and Fresh Dill

Active Work Time: 10 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 15 minutes

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 large sea scallops, rinsed and blotted dry

Coarse salt

Freshly ground white pepper

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon finely minced garlic

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons butter, room temperature

2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill

Cooked white rice, for serving

* Heat oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When very hot, add scallops in single layer without overcrowding. Cook until well browned on 1 side, about 2 minutes. Shake pan to avoid sticking. Use tongs to turn, season with salt and pepper and continue to cook until browned and slightly firm to touch, about 2 minutes. Do not overcook. Use tongs to transfer scallops to warm dish.

* Remove skillet from heat to cool slightly. Combine zest, garlic and juice in small bowl. Add to slightly cooled skillet. Cook over medium heat until hot, about 5 seconds, scraping up bits from skillet. Stir in butter until melted. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over scallops. Garnish with dill. Serve hot over rice.

2 servings. Each serving, scallops only: 195 calories; 332 mg sodium; 43 mg cholesterol; 16 grams fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams protein; 0.01 gram fiber.

Capellini With Garlic, Lemon and Parmesan Cheese

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 15 minutes

A boiled artichoke with melted butter and a tossed green salad are perfect sides for the capellini.

8 ounces dried capellini

Salt

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3/4 to 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

4 lemon wedges

* Cook capellini in large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions until just barely tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not overcook, as it cooks further before serving. Reserve 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid, then drain capellini.

* Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add garlic, lemon juice, 3/4 teaspoon salt and red pepper flakes. Cook until garlic is fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add hot pasta. Toss together, adding reserved cooking liquid as needed to moisten mixture. Cook until heated through, about 3 to 5 minutes. Toss with cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning and lemon juice. Serve immediately on hot plates, garnished with lemon wedges. Pass cheese separately.

4 servings. Each serving: 339 calories; 224 mg sodium; 6 mg cholesterol; 13 grams fat; 44 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams protein; 0.28 gram fiber.

Fredy Girardet’s Lemon Tart

Active Work Time: 40 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour 15 minutes plus 2 hours 30 minutes chilling

This lemon tart is still the best; there’s no contest. The filling is intense but not harsh and the surface is nicely caramelized.

PASTRY SHELL

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, chilled and cut into small pieces, plus more for greasing

1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup ice water

1 1/2 cups flour, plus more for rolling

1/3 cup powdered sugar

Dried beans or rice

* Place butter, egg yolk, salt and water in bowl of food processor. Pulse until butter is slightly creamed, about 6 times. Add flour and powdered sugar. Process until just uniformly moist and starting to form clumps; do not let form ball. Transfer to plastic bag; working through bag, compress dough into ball, then flatten into 8-inch-diameter disk. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours or freeze about 20 minutes. (Can also be frozen up to 1 month; thaw in refrigerator before rolling.)

* Roll dough on lightly floured surface to circle about 1/8-inch thick. Center dough over greased 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom and press into place. Use kitchen shears to trim dough, leaving 1-inch overlap beyond pan’s edge. Fold overlap inside to form double thickness on sides. Press firmly into place, pushing overlap 1/4 inch above edge of pan (to allow for shrinkage in baking). Pinch crust to form decorative edge. Prick bottom and sides with fork. Refrigerate crust until firm, at least 30 minutes. Line crust with parchment paper and fill with uncooked beans or rice.

* Bake at 400 degrees until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. (If there are any cracks in crust, repair them with scraps of leftover raw dough.) Remove dried beans or rice and set pastry on cooling rack.

ASSEMBLY

4 eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Segments from 1 lemon, pith removed

* Beat eggs, sugar and zest until well mixed. Add orange and lemon juices and cream. Mix until smooth, 1 minute.

* Carefully ladle filling into Pastry Shell. Bake at 375 degrees 10 minutes, then decrease temperature to 350 degrees. Bake until filling jiggles only slightly when pan is shaken, about 12 to 14 minutes more. Remove from oven.

* Press powdered sugar through fine sieve over surface of tart. Blot lemon segments with paper towels and arrange in radial design around center.

* Broil tart about 5 inches from heat source, watching constantly, until sugar begins to caramelize, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Rotate tart to brown evenly. (Tart is best served same day at room temperature; do not refrigerate before serving.) Let cool, then cut into wedges and serve.

8 to 10 servings. Each of 10 servings: 343 calories; 241 mg sodium; 145 mg cholesterol; 14 grams fat; 50 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 0.06 gram fiber.