Dame Prue Leith has shared an unlikely solution to a common setback faced by home chefs and bakers. Whether you're whipping up a batch of margarita to welcome the spring sunshine or fancy a sweet treat with a citrus twist, a juice-less lime is guaranteed to frustrate the process.
Especially out of peak season, cutting into the supermarket staple to see dry fruit inside can be disappointing. However, if you're struggling to squeeze out your money's worth, Prue has a suggestion.
The Great British Bake Off judge shared the tip on her ITV cooking show Prue Leith's Cotswolds Kitchen, which aired today (Saturday, April 20). During a segment dedicated to handy culinary hacks, she first acknowledged a more well-known method.
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Rolling the lime between her palm and the counter top, Prue explained that this motion can soften the flesh and produce more juice. If that fails, though, she offered a little-known alternative.
According to Prue, flashing the lime in the microwave "just for 30 seconds or so" can make all the difference. Removing it from the microwave, she explained: "My lime is definitely hot, so I'm hoping it will be very juicy.
"Because it's soft I can squash it to see if I can get any more out." After squeezing as much as possible into a glass, she then tried doing the same with a cold lime to show the difference, with the warm one producing about double the juice with far less effort.
Elsewhere in the episode, the cookery writer shared her recipe for a classic coq au vin, and chatted to award-winning musician and restaurateur YolanDa Brown. Prue was also joined during the show by her husband John, who took viewers into the garden to inspect their bird boxes and also helped to make a boozy trifle.
