Zest is the coloured outer layer of citrus peel. It adds aroma without the juice’s extra liquid. The white layer beneath it can taste bitter, so remove the colour with light strokes rather than grating deeply into the fruit.
Step by step
Wash and dry the fruit
Rinse the whole lemon, lime or orange under running water and rub the surface clean. Dry it so your grip stays secure. Zest before cutting or juicing while the fruit is still firm.
Use light strokes
Hold a fine grater securely over a bowl. Draw the peel across the teeth gently, or move the grater over the fruit if that gives you better control. Stop working on an area as soon as the coloured surface has gone.
Turn to fresh peel
Rotate the fruit after each short pass. Leave the white pith on the fruit and keep fingers away from the teeth. Do not press harder simply to collect more zest.
Collect and measure the zest
Tap the grater over the bowl. Use a spoon to dislodge zest from its underside while staying clear of the sharp face. Measure the collected zest as the recipe directs and use it promptly.
Without a fine grater
Use a vegetable peeler to remove thin strips of coloured peel, then finely chop them if the dish needs small pieces. Trim away attached white pith first. A broad strip works for infusing a sauce but will not spread through cake batter like finely grated zest.
