IDP, once your taste buds are awakened by using zest, it's hard to stop using it, it's so addictive, like I said. As I also mentioned, zest is all flavor, no fat, which is a great combo. Looking forward to those recipes; I'm always in the mood to try new recipes using zest.
I knew about citrus peel from the time I was a kid, specifically the lemon variety in desserts; my Mom used the dried lemon peel found in the spice rack at the store. But once you have fresh, there's nothing like it thanks to the pungent oils. I don't make a lot of desserts anymore, so most of my zests go into savory food. Fresh squeezed orange juice/peanut butter marinated pork or chicken, stir fried with orange juice/zest/plum sauce or hoi sin sauce. Cilantro flavored beef or pork burritos/refried beans/pepper jack cheese with lime juice/zest. A Mexican rice with crumbled Cotija cheese and lemon juice/zest. I use lemon zest in a lot of warm no sauce pasta salads, for want of a better description (John Florida can help me out here). (Pancetta 'croutons' with sauteed broccoli, sweet red peppers, hot peppers, shallots, carrots, pine nuts, penne, lemon juice and zest topped with whatever grating cheese you have. Or any combo you like, but definitely starting with pancetta and using that fat to do the sauteeing.)
I made this no sauce warm pasta salad from a cookbook. I really liked it.
Fusilli With Braised Fennel, Sweet Sausage, And Pecorino
5 TBS extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
4 leeks, white part only, thinly sliced
2 fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored, and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground to a powder
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed and crumbled
Splash of sherry vinegar
1 pound fusilli lunghi or regular fusilli
Leaves from 6 large fresh tarragon sprigs, coarsely chopped
Handful of fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, coarsely chopped
1 cup grated pecorino toscano or pecorino romano cheese
zest of two lemons
In a Dutch oven or large, heavy flameproof casserole dish over medium heat, warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the leeks, sliced fennel, ground fennel seeds, and salt and pepper to taste and sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the chicken stock, cover, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy frying pan over high heat. Add the sausage, breaking it with a spoon. Cook until well browned, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour off most of the fat (keep a little to add flavor) and add a tiny splash of sherry vinegar.
Generously salt the boiling water, add the pasta, and cook until al-dente, about 8-11 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the sausage to the pot with the fennel and simmer for 1-2 minutes to blend the flavors. You should have some liquid left in the pot to form a sauce. If not, add a little warm pasta water or more chicken stock. Taste and adjust the seasoning and add a drizzle of olive oil.
Drain the pasta and put in a warmed large, shallow bowl. Add a drizzle of olive oil, the tarragon, parsley and lemon zest, and about 3 tablespoons of the cheese. Toss. Add the fennel mixture, toss again, and serve immediately. Pass the remaining cheese at the table.
(I substituted balsamic for the sherry vinegar as my store did not carry sherry vinegar. Also, I used fresh sage as I couldn't find fresh tarragon at the time. Still tasted yummy.)