Bitter Lime Mayo

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PUBLISHED June 11, 2025

For this recipe, you want to overzest the lime, getting all the bitter pith along with the skin. The bitterness of the pith creates a condiment that perfectly rounds out sweeter seafoods like crab and shrimp. Try it in Five-Layer Crab Dip. – Ari Kolender

 

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Bitter Lime Mayo

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Makes just over 1/2 cup 1x

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (120 g) Kewpie mayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • Finely grated zest and pith of 1 lime (see Note)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Instructions

In a medium bowl, stir together the mayo, soy sauce, lime zest, and lime juice until well mixed. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Note: Zest the lime all the way down into the pith, until you have exposed the flesh.

– Excerpted from How to Cook the Finest Things in the Sea by Ari Kolender (Artisan Books)

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