Lemon Verbena And Calendula Vinegar Recipes

LEMON CUSTARDS WITH LEMON VERBENA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine first 3 ingredients in medium saucepan. Boil until mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 4 minutes. Add sugar; simmer until mixture is reduced to 1/3 cup, about 3 minutes. Stir in cream. Whisk yolks to blend in medium bowl. Gradually whisk in hot cream mixture. Whisk in lemon juice.
• Strain custard through sieve into 4-cup measuring cup. Divide among six 2-cup ramekins or soufflé dishes. Cover ramekins with foil. Place ramekins in 13 x 9 x 2-inch metal baking pan. Add enough hot water to pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins.
• Bake custards until just set, about 45 minutes. Remove pan from oven; let custards cool in water in pan. Transfer ramekins to refrigerator. Chill at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve chilled.

LEMON VERBENA SIMPLE SYRUP

Steps:

• Combine water, sugar, and lemon verbena leaves in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let syrup steep, about 30 minutes.
• Pour syrup into a sterilized glass jar through a mesh strainer to remove lemon verbena leaves; let cool.

LEMON VERBENA AND CALENDULA VINEGAR

Steps:

• Fill a clean quart jar with the flowers and herbs and cover them with vinegar.
• Place the jar in a cool, dark place.
• Taste your vinegar in about 10 days to 2 weeks time and see if you are happy with the flavor; taste every few days or once a week thereafter until you have achieved the flavor that you are happy with. At that time the flowers and herbs will need to be removed from the vinegar. Open the jar, and pour the vinegar through a strainer to remove the herbs. Using a funnel, pour the vinegar into smaller bottles and label.
• Add a fresh sprig of verbena, store the vinegar in a cool, dark place and use within a year.

LEMON VERBENA GRANITA

Steps:

• Place a small metal tray into the freezer to chill. Put the lemon verbena, lemon zest, and sugar into the boiling water and allow to infuse for 10 minutes. Add your ice cubes to bring the temperature down and then sieve the liquid into the cold metal tray (keep the lemon zest and verbena for later) and place in the freezer for about 2 hours. Mash with a fork, scratching up the ice, then freeze for a further 2 hours.
• To prepare the apple compote, put 2 tablespoons of sugar into a small pan and heat on a medium heat until it is syrupy and light caramel color. Finely chop the reserved lemon zest and lemon verbena and add to the caramel with the apple and lemon juice. Mix and cook for a couple of minutes.
• To serve, spoon a little compote into 4 small shot glasses, then a spoonful of creme fraiche, and finally top with the granita and a small sprig of lemon verbena.

LEMON VERBENA LEMONADE

Steps:

• Bring sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat, and add lemon verbena. Cover, and steep for 15 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, and let cool completely.
• Combine lemon juice and lemon verbena syrup in a pitcher. Fill glasses with lemon verbena ice, and divide lemonade among glasses.