• 4 large lemons
• 1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup butter, divided
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups walnuts or pecans
• 1/2 cup whipping cream, optional

1. Cut lemons in half lengthwise, then put them cut-side down and slice as thinly as possible. Remove seeds. Put the lemon slices and any juice from them into a bowl or non-reactive (non-metal) pan.
2. Mix in one cup of the sugar and allow to stand overnight.
3. CRUST: pulse the nuts, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup butter in a food processor until the nuts are ground to coarse cornmeal texture.
4. Press this mixture into a buttered 9 inch pie dish. Cover the bottom and sides as evenly as possible.
5. Bake in a pre-heated 375° oven for 15 minutes, or until just brown.
6. Cool completely before filling.
7. FILLING: Cook lemon-sugar mix over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the rind is soft about 4 minutes.
8. Remove from the heat, stir in 1/4 cup butter and allow to cool.
9. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl until frothy and light yellow. Add 1/2 cup of the cooked lemon mix and stir in. Add another 1/2 cup of the lemon mix and stir in. (You are trying NOT to cook the eggs. Should the lemon-sugar mix be too hot, there will be eggy lumps!)
10. Return the mixture to a saucepan and stir gently over a medium heat until mixture thickens.
11. Cool, then pour into baked pie crust. Let set and cool before serving - store in refrigerator.
12. Try glazing with a confectioner's sugar-and-water whipped mix and baking just for a few moments to melt sugar completely.
13. Garnish with whipped cream and a decorative wheel of lemon or ribbons of lemon peel.
14. This recipe also works well with limes!

A sweet, refreshing tang to accompany the summer heat and sit beside grilled foods and cold salads!