When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Or lemon meringue tart (yessss). Or lemon cake, lemon chicken, lemon and prawn risotto … really, lemons are pretty high up on our list of things we’d like life to give us.

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Australian-grown lemons are available almost all year round (February–October), so there is no excuse not to experiment and enjoy. Main varieties grown in Australia include Eureka, Lisbon and Meyer lemons.

 If you are using a lemon for its juice, look for a lemon that is heavy for its size.

If you want a tart, acidic, sharp flavour to your dish, Eureka or Lisbon lemons are your go-to varieties. You can tell them apart by their physical characteristics: Eurekas have a more textured skin, a small neck at one end and a few seeds, whereas the Lisbon has a smoother skin, no neck and are usually seedless. If you want a sweeter flavour, try a Meyer lemon.

Depending on the variety, a lemon is ripe when it is a bright, glossy yellow. It should be firm, but not overly hard or squishy, and it should smell lemony. If you are using a lemon for its juice, look for a lemon that is heavy for its size.

The ultimate lemon meringue tart

Hardie Grant

Fanny Zanotti shares her recipe for the ultimate lemon meringue tart recipe, with curd, shortbread and cake.

Italian lemon chicken

Helen Cathcart

This simple recipe is great as a quick supper dish.

Lemon curd

Mark Roper

Somehow luscious lemon curd manages to be rich and fruity at the same time.

Meyer lemon bars

Hardie Grant

These Meyer lemon bars are tart, sweet treats for the whole family.

Lemon syrup cake

Hardie Grant

This easy lemon syrup cake is a great way to use all those lemons.

Preserved lemons and limes

Hardie Grant

There is just no substitute for the distinctive flavour that preserved lemons add to Moroccan-influenced dishes.

Lemon and prawn risotto

Helen Cathcart

With fat juicy lemons in season, local chefs are going to use them in risotti.

Limonata lemonade

Hardie Grant

A jug of this lemonade syrup, ready to be diluted with cool water, is the perfect thing to have in the fridge.

Candied citrus peel 

Danielle Wood

This is a delicious way to use up the skins of expensive fruits, such as Amalfi lemons.

Pickled lemons with safflower

Jonathan Gregson

These lemons can be served as a condiment to any meal. 

All recipes courtesy of Cooked.com.au.