What is a finger lime?
Finger limes are a micro citrus discovered in the Australian bush by the aborigines and domesticated about 30 years ago. The first tree came to California as a donation to UC Riverside, and the trees were released to California nurseries about eight years ago. Mollie Stone’s finger limes come from Shanley Farms, which has nurseries in Morro Bay and Visalia, California.
Available August/September through January, finger limes are not techincally part of the lemon or lime family. Finger limes with pink/red interiors are very rare and are more likely in fruits with the darkest rinds.
Keep reading to find out how to use them and for recipe ideas!
How do I use them?
Slice the finger lime in half horizontally and squeeze out the pulp. Store in refrigeration.
What do I do with them?
Finger limes are prized by chefs because the interior pulp has a caviar-like appearance and a delightful lemony-lime taste with a pop rock texture. The natural pairings for finger limes are with seafood dishes, but inventive chefs have found a wide variety of creative uses for them:
- Use anytime you would use a lemon or a lime.
- Sprinkle over your fresh grilled, baked or pan-fried fish.
- Combine into any seafood dish, such as scallops.
- Mix into very rich soups that need something to lighten up the flavors.
- Sprinkle over your salad, a nice combination is with sweet salad dressing.
- Squeeze pearls directly onto oysters.
- Add to your fish tacos, chicken tacos and beef tacos.
- Mix into a sweet berry salad.
- Combine with a rich and sweet dessert, such as cream puffs with whipped cream spooned on top and sprinkled with finger lime pearls.
- Experiment using them in different cocktails. Try them in vodka tonics, rim the glass of a Bloody Mary, eat them as you sip on tequila.
- Add to a glass of sparkling water or champagne and watch the citrus pearls float up and down with the bubbles.
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