Herb Profile & Recipes: Using and Growing Lemon Verbena

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Using and Growing Lemon Verbena

By Brenda Hyde

If you've never rubbed a leaf of lemon verbena it's impossible to

explain it's lovely scent. Yes, it's lemon, but yet it's also a

captivating fragrance that almost instantly relaxes you. To me, it's

the ultimate in aromatherapy. If you grow just one lemon scented

herb it should be lemon verbena. Although to grow just one lemon

herb would be a shame, since they are all so wonderful.

Lemon verbena, aloysia triphylla (formally Lippia citriodora), is a

native of Chile and Peru, where it grows ten to fifteen foot tall.

I've read it can grow 5 foot or more in one season, but mine is only

about a foot and a half tall at this point. We have had some cool

nights this summer, plus I can't resist harvesting it often, which

I'm sure keeps it from growing to it's full potential. Lemon verbena

needs at least 6 hours of sun, and I found it did better in a

traditional herb soil that was on the dry side as well. Mine started

out in a bed of good soil with compost and organic fertilizer, but

did not branch out or start growing until I moved it to my kitchen

herb bed where it was slightly drier and had no added compost.

 

Lemon Verbena will not survive frost, but in cold climates it may be

brought inside. Be prepared, because it will loose it's leaves, but

keep it in a sunny window and water once a week to keep it from

drying out. By spring it will have leaves again, and after the

danger of frost has passed you can place the pot outside, burying it

to the rim in your garden. It's only hardy in Zones 9 and 10, and

won't withstand temperatures below 40 degrees.

 

Unlike some herbs, lemon verbena will retain it's scent for years

when dried, which is why it's not only a popular culinary herb, but

also a potpourri ingredient. I dried mine in the oven on the lowest

setting by placing it on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. I

was very pleased with the results and it only took 2-3 hours to dry.

I combined it with pineapple and apple mint, which made a nice tea.

 

I have also used it in herb vinegars this year combined with other

lemon herbs as well as in mixtures with rosemary and thyme.

 

You can use lemon verbena in place of lemon zest in recipes.

Virtually any fruit salad can be enhanced with it's finely chopped

leaves. Bury 6 lemon verbena leaves in a cup of sugar that has been

placed in a covered jar or container. Use this sugar to top muffins,

fruit, or sprinkle on the top of muffin batter before baking.

Because the leaf is rather tough you'll need to mince it very fine

if you plan on leaving it in a dish, or add it whole and remove

before serving. Dried, it should be crumbed before adding to

recipes.

 

Process 10-15 lemon verbena leaves in a food processor with the

sugar from your favorite sugar cookie recipe. Continue with the

recipe as directed after processing the two together. 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.