Herb Profile & Recipes: Using and Growing Lemon Verbena

[Guest guest]

I have far too much lemon balm in my garden and at last I have some

recipes I can use it for! :-)

 

A very happy

Laurie

 

The following

> recipes can also be used with fresh and dried lemon verbena or if

> it's not available try substituting lemon grass or lemon balm.

>

> Lemon Verbena Potpourri

> You will need:

> dried peel of one lemon

> 2 cups dried lemon verbena leaves

> 1 cup dried chamomile flowers

> 6 inch cinnamon stick, crushed

> 1 cup dried calendula petals

> 1 tsp. orris root powder

> 2-3 drops lemon verbena essential oil (optional)

> Dry the lemon peel by scraping it off the lemon with a vegetable

> peeler, spread on paper and dry in a warm place for about 2 weeks,

> until crisp. Mix all the ingredients together. Seal in a tin and

put

> in a warm place for about 2-3 weeks, shaking occasionally. Use to

> scent a room, or for sachets. Add more essential oil as the smell

> fades. Adapted from Kitchen and Herb Gardener by Richard Bird and

> Jessica Houdret

>

> Lemon Verbena Syrup

> Ingredients:

> 1 cup lemon verbena leaves

> 1/2 cup sugar

> 1/2 cup water

> Blanch the lemon verbena leaves in boiling water briefly to

brighten

> the color, then immediately plunge into ice water to stop cooking.

> Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer,

> then remove from the heat and cool. Place the lemon verbena and

> cooled syrup in a blender and purée on high for 2 minutes. Chill

> overnight, then strain through a fine mesh strainer. Keep leftovers

> refrigerated. Use with ice cream, pound cake or other light

> desserts, as well as fruit.

>

> Lemon Rose Tea

> Ingredients:

> 1/2 cup torn lemon verbena leaves

> 1/4 cup rose hips

> Honey

> Place 4 cups of water in a teakettle or medium saucepan and bring

to

> a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the lemon verbena and

> rose hips. Remove from the heat and steep for about 15 minutes.

> Return to the heat and simmer for 1 minute. Pour into individual

tea

> cups or mugs, sweeten with honey and serve.

>

> Lemon Verbena Cake

> Ingredients:

> 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

> 1/8 tsp. salt

> 1 cup butter flavored shortening

> 2 drops lemon extract

> 2 cups cake flour or regular flour sifted several times

> 1/4 cup fresh chopped Lemon Verbena leaves

> 5 eggs

> Cream together the sugar and shortening until well mixed. Add the

> eggs 1 at a time, mixing for one minute after each addition. Add

dry

> ingredients gradually, scraping down the sides. Add the extract and

> the verbena leaves. Pour into a Bundt or tube pan, which is well

> coated with the shortening and floured. Bake at 325 degrees for 1

> hour and 15 minutes or until golden brown (testing with a

> toothpick). Remove to a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Remove from

pan

> onto a serving plate. Drizzle with glaze or dust with

confectioners'

> sugar.

>

> Lemon Verbena Scones

> Ingredients:

> 2 cups all purpose flour

> 1 1/2 cups rolled oats

> 2 tsp. baking powder

> 1/2 tsp. baking soda

> 1/2 tsp. salt

> 1/4 cup brown sugar

> 1/4 cup cold butter

> 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh lemon verbena leaves

> 1 egg, beaten

> 1/2 cup plain yogurt

> 1/4 cup milk

> Preheat oven to 425º F. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats,

baking

> powder, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar. Cut in the butter with

> your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse

> crumbs. Add the lemon verbena leaves; mix until combined just

> combined. Make a well in the center of flour mixture. Add the egg,

> yogurt, and milk, stirring well. Mix in with the flour mixture to

> form a soft dough. Coat a12-inch cast iron skillet with a non-stick

> cooking spray. With floured hands, pat the dough into skillet. Cut

> with a sharp, serrated knife into eight wedges. (You can also pat

> the dough into a circle this same size on a baking sheet, and then

> cut into wedges.) Bake at 425º F for 15 minutes, or until lightly

> browned. Serve warm. Makes 8 servings.

>

> Raspberry-Lemon Verbena Butter

> From The Herb Companion

> Ingredients:

> 1/2 pound unsalted butter

> 1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste

> 4 ounces fresh or frozen raspberries (not in syrup)

> 1 small handful young, tender lemon verbena leaves

> Thaw the raspberries if frozen, and pour off any excess liquid.

With

> all ingredients at room temperature, blend butter, sugar, and

> raspberries until smooth (about 3 minutes). Strip out any large

> veins in the lemon verbena leaves, then add the leaves (chopped if

> you're mixing by hand) and blend until the texture is pleasing.

>

> Lemon Butter

> Ingredients:

> 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

> 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

> 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

> Grated peel of 1 lemon

> 4 to 6 fresh very finely minced lemon verbena leaves

> Combine all ingredients in a food processor and purée until smooth.

> Refrigerate covered about 2 hours until firm.

>

> Lemon Verbena Hair Rinse

> Ingredients:

> 3 tablespoons lemon verbena leaves

> 1 cup boiling water

> Pour the boiling water over the lemon verbena leaves. Steep for

> about an hour. Strain the mixture, discarding herb. Use as a rinse

> after shampoo and conditioning your hair.

>

> Salt-Free Herb Seasoning

> Ingredients:

> 1/2 cup dried dill weed

> 1 tbsp. dried lemon verbena

> 1/2 cup dried minced onion

> 1 tbsp. dried lovage, or celery seeds

> 2 tsp. garlic powder

> 2 tbsp. dried thyme

> 1 tsp. paprika

> 1 tbsp. dried marjoram

> In batches, grind all ingredients together. Store in an airtight

> container out of the sunlight and away from heat.