Rosemary Shortbread and Meyer Lemon Cookies

By Florencia Palmaz | Pairing:  Florencia Muscat | At the Table and Around the Fire

Rosemary grows in the planters around the winery. We are literally surrounded by the aroma of rosemary all year long. In mid-February, the rosemary blooms little purple flowers and the Meyer lemons ripen when there is little color in the garden. I couldn’t resist the temptation to bring these two lovely flavors together.

MAKES 40 TO 50

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into -inch cubes,
at room temperature

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped

cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
Meyer Lemon Curd (page 248) Candied Meyer Lemons (page 246)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the butter into small pieces and set aside to warm to room temperature.
2. In a food processor, add the flour, rosemary, confectioners’ sugar and salt. Add the but- ter slowly and pulse until the dough comes together. Divide into 4 parts and place in the fridge to cool for 30 minutes.
3. On a well-floured surface, roll out the dough and cut into 1-inch rounds with a cookie cutter. Place the rounds on a baking sheet and return to the fridge to cool. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on a rack.
4. Transfer curd to a pastry bag or squeeze bottle with a small smooth tip. Arrange cookies on a platter. Dollop a bit of the curd on each cookie and place another cookie on top to form a sandwich. Top with a 1/4-slice of candied lemon.

Candied Meyer Lemons

MAKES 30

6 Meyer lemons, seeded and sliced into -inch rounds

3 cups Simple Syrup (page 247)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 150°F.
2. In a large-sided sauté pan, bring the simple syrup to a boil. Working in single-layer batches, simmer the lemon slices gently until the pith is translucent. Remove the slices and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Bake the lemon slices for 1 hour. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

Meyer Lemon Curd

MAKES 2 CUPS

3 large eggs

cup (about 3 to 4 lemons) Meyer lemon juice

2 teaspoons (about 3 lemons) lemon zest

cup granulated sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, at room temperature

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small saucepan, whisk together the eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest and sugar. Over low heat, continue whisking while adding 1 piece of butter at a time. Once the butter has melted and the curd is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove from heat. Set aside to cool. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.