Home accessories: Foodie Friday Plus the Mystery Ingredient Club # 1

So glad you stopped by this week's Foodie Friday. It's a special day at our house, and I hope it is at yours, too. The recipes are always enticing, and yet so different, you can plan weekly menus. Appetizers, soups, entrees, desserts, and in between, many joyful things and ideas.

This week, in addition to our regular FF, we're hosting a little game--think of it as CHOPPED meets "Where's Waldo." Last month, I posted about the idea and several bloggers left encouraging comments.

So, how does the game work?

I selected an ingredient--as it turned out, I selected three--and shipped them to ten bloggers. And they could cook whatever they liked for the August 1st Foodie Friday.

The items aren't sponsored, in case you might be wondering, so there's no product placement at all and no links to the products. I wish I could have shipped everyone the goodies, but I had to be mindful of my coffers! We just hope you have a great time figuring out the mystery ingredient and seeing the different ways that bloggers cooked it!

The 2nd Mystery Club will return this Fall, and I am already thinking of ideas for this very mysterious, seasonal ingredient--or ingredients. The Club will be seasonal, and I'll give notice ahead of time for each event. Let me know if you'd like to play in one of the upcoming games.

Playing the game is easy. Just do what you always do at Foodie Friday. Have fun! This week, while you are browsing the icons this week, see if you can find blogs that are featuring the mystery ingredient/s.

Can you guess what it is?

Okay, I didn't ship lemons to ten bloggers. Nope.

The items are: Whole preserved Meyer farmhouse lemons, lemon sea salt, and Meyer lemon bits in olive oil. The bloggers could use one item, two items, or all three. It was totally up to them! I cannot wait to see what they've come up with!

I won't say who they are--that would spoil the fun. If you're super busy today and can't play, you can find out who the mystery bloggers are on Monday night, during a special, lemony post, along with the most popular recipes from the past 2 Foodie Fridays.

I've got to say, Meyer lemons are so much better than the lemons at my local grocery. I just couldn't decide what to cook--something exotic? A dessert? What about focaccia?

My husband saw me digging through a Moroccan cookbook, and he blanched a little. Then he requested that I make something "Southern" and deep fried:

The recipe:
Prepare your tilapia fillets by soaking them in lemony brine. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
Season each fillet with sea salt, lemon sea salt, bits of preserved Meyer lemons, freshly ground pepper--and anything else you like.
Set aside.

Meanwhile, put canola oil in a deep, deep pan and heat it to 350 degrees. Prepare a "frying" station.
I used rectangular 8 x 10 storage containers (lids removed). In the first container, add about 1" of flour and season with salt, pepper, lemon salt. In the second container, add 2 cups buttermilk and 1 cup flour. Whisk (do this in a separate bowl and pour into the container).

You'll need a station near the stove. Find a large cookie sheet, which you will line with paper towels, and set it near the frying pan, where your oil has hopefully reached the correct temperature.

Dredge each fillet in flour, then in the batter. Fry fillets on both sides and remove to paper-towel lined tray.

Build a po'boy.

Split a fresh French bread loaf and layer with Meyer Lemon Tartar Sauce (see below for recipe), lettuce, thinly sliced tomatoes, pickles, and a fried fillet.

One bite delivers layers of flavor and texture. Meyer lemons add

a gentle citrus tang and chopped bread-and-butter pickles bring

a touch of sweetness.

Meyer Lemon Tartar Sauce

Mayonnaise (I use Duke's)
fresh lemon juice
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
honey
minced onion
bread and butter pickles, chopped
preserved Meyer lemons, chopped

If you are participating in Foodie Friday,

please take a moment to read the guidelines.

To participate in Foodie Friday, locate the blue Inlinkz icon and follow the directions. The red "x"
will allow you to delete your link if you made an error; the "x" is visible to you only.

For a complete guide to this linky party, click HERE. If you have still have questions, click HERE
for a detailed Foodie Friday tutorial.

** By adding your link to Foodie Friday, you are granting us permission to include a photo of your FF recipe in a feature story.

** Would you like to add your recipes to the "Consuming Passions" group board at Pinterest?
It can be found HERE. We're a small, sociable group; Foodie Friday folks are always welcome to "pin" with us and chat about food. Just leave a comment on one of my recent"pins," so I'll be sure to see it, and I will send you an invitation. Or you can email me.

**I would like to ask pretty please if Pinners will visit the host blogs to pin photographs.

Thanks for visiting us today, and I hope to see you at the next Mystery Ingredient Club.