Finger food, entrees and main courses are easy to plan around seafood, but how do you best cap off the meal? Think about how often you see fish and seafood dishes accompanied by a wedge of lemon. That’s because seafood and citrus complement each other so well and a fabulous citrus-y dessert is an ideal way to go. We believe this delicious-but-easy Lemon Meringue Pie is the perfect end to the meal. Serve with this Orange Sorbet on the side for a palate-cleansing and colourful accompaniment. Serves 6-8. Allow 3 hours refrigeration time for the Lemon filling.
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Lemon meringue pie

INGREDIENTS:    ​
Pastry

• 225g (1 ½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 2 tbsp pure icing sugar
• 125g (½ cup) butter, chilled, coarsely chopped
• 2 ½ tbsp iced water

Lemon Filling

• 50 g (1/3 cup) cornflour
• 125ml (½ cup) water
• 250 ml (1 cup) fresh lemon juice
• 430g (2 cups) caster sugar
• 60g (1/4 cup) butter, coarsely chopped
• 4 eggs, separated

​METHOD:

1. Sift the flour and icing sugar into a large bowl. Using fingertips, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Add the water and use a round-bladed knife to stir until dough forms. Using hands, bring the dough together in the bowl. Turn onto a sheet of non-stick baking paper and roll out to a 5mm (1/4 inch) thick disc.
3. Line a 23cm (9 ½”) pie dish with the pastry. Trim excess, then cover with baking paper. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
4. Preheat the oven to 180˚C (356˚F). Fill the lined dish with pastry weights or rice. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
5. Remove the paper and pastry weights or rice and return to the oven for another 15-20 minutes or until crisp and golden. Set aside to cool completely.
6. Meanwhile, make the lemon filling. Combine the cornflour, water, lemon juice and half the sugar in a saucepan. Use a balloon whisk to stir over a medium heat for 4 minutes or until the mixture boils and thickens. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for a further 1 minute. Remove from heat.
7. Whisk in butter and egg yolks. Transfer to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 3 hours or until cooled completely.
8. Preheat oven to 190˚C (374˚F). Use an electric beater to beat the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining sugar,1 tablespoonful at a time, until the mixture is thick and glossy.
9. Spread the filling over the base of the pastry case. Spoon over the meringue mixture and spread to the edge of the pastry. Use the back of a spoon to create peaks. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes or until the meringue peaks are light golden. Set aside to cool completely. Serve with Orange Sorbet in quenelles or in small dishes.

Orange sorbet

INGREDIENTS:

• 300ml (1 ½) cups orange juice
• 2 Star Anise100g
• (1/2) caster sugar

METHOD:

1. Put the orange juice, star anise and sugar into a pan. Bring to the boil, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the star anise.
2. Cool, then pour into an ice-cream machine and churn until smooth and frozen.

NOTE:  If you don’t have an ice-cream machine, cool the mixture, then tip in a freezer-proof container and freeze until firm, whisking every hour with a fork to break up the ice crystals.