How do I zest and juice efficiently?

The zest holds most of the aromatic oil and the juice holds the acid, and they do different jobs in a dish. Most people use one and bin the other, usually keeping the less interesting half.

What you'll need

• Citrus
• Fine grater or zester
• Juicer or reamer (optional)
• Sieve (optional)

Step by step

1. Zest first, always.A squeezed, collapsed half cannot be zested. This one habit is the whole guide.
2. Take only the coloured layer.The white pith beneath is bitter. Move the fruit against the grater rather than scrubbing one spot.
3. Roll the fruit before juicing.Firm pressure under your palm on the counter, or ten seconds in the microwave. Both break the segments and increase yield noticeably.
4. Cut across the segments, not along.Halving through the equator rather than pole to pole exposes more segment ends, which release juice more readily.
5. Squeeze cut-side up in a reamer or your hand.Cut side up over a bowl catches the pips in your fingers. A wooden reamer or a squeezer gets more out than hands alone.
6. Strain if it matters.Through a sieve for dressings and drinks. Not necessary for most cooking.
7. Freeze what you do not use.Zest in a small tub, juice in an ice cube tray. Both keep for months and both are things you will want at short notice.

Tips

• A microplane-style grater is dramatically better than a box grater for zest, and it is useful for garlic, ginger and parmesan too.
• Bottled lemon juice tastes flat because it has no zest oil and has been heat-treated. For anything where the citrus is the point, use fresh.
• Wash waxed fruit in warm water and scrub before zesting.

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