Lemon Verbena Ice Cubes Recipes

LEMON VERBENA ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, warm the lemon verbena leaves with the milk, 1/2 cup (125ml) of the cream, the sugar, and a pinch of salt.
• Once warm, remove from heat, cover, and let steep for one hour.
• To make the ice cream custard, pour the remaining cream into a large bowl set in a larger bowl of ice water, and put a mesh strainer on top.
• Use a strainer or slotted spoon to skim the lemon verbena from the cream & milk mixture and squeeze the leaves to extract as much liquid as possible back into the saucepan, then discard them. Rewarm the lemon verbena-infused cream & milk, then
• In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together in a small bowl and slowly pour in the warm infusion, whisking constantly.
• Scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan and cook, stirring continuously with a heatproof spatula, until the custard leaves a trail on the spatula when you drag your finger across it. (If using a thermometer, it should read about 175ºF, or 79ºC.)
• Immediately strain the custard into the bowl of cream. Stir until cool.
• Chill thoroughly, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. When done, crumble a dried verbena leaf in the ice cream, or finely-chop a fresh leaf and stir that in.

LEMON VERBENA ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In heavy stainless-steel pot, combine lemon verbena leaves, half-and-half and 1/4 cup sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring, and remove immediately from heat. Cover, and let steep for 30 minutes.
• In stainless-steel bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and remaining sugar. While continuously whisking, strain the half-and-half mixture through a fine-meshed sieve into the egg yolks.
• Return the mixture to the saucepan. Over medium-low heat, stir continuously with wooden spoon until custard thickens, about 2 minutes.
• Strain custard into a bowl that is sitting in a larger bowl filled with ice cubes and water. Add heavy cream. Cool and chill. Freeze in an ice-cream maker.

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.

HALF AND HALF WITH LEMONADE ICE CUBES

Steps:

• Pour water, lemon juice, and simple syrup into a large pitcher or pourable container and stir until combined. Reserve 1 quart of homemade lemonade for making the Half and Half. Pour some of the lemonade into an empty ice cube tray and freeze until frozen solid.
• Transfer lemonade ice cubes to a large pitcher or easily transportable and pourable container. Pour the iced tea and 1 quart of the homemade lemonade over the lemonade ice cubes and stir to blend.

LEMON VERBENA ICE FOR OYSTERS

Steps:

• Put all the ingredients in a blender (not a food processor); blend on high speed for several minutes. Strain mixture through a fine sieve, pressing any solids dry with the back of a spoon. Pour it into a small container and freeze until solid, about 6 hours.
• To serve, scrape the ice lightly with a soup spoon to create a flaky texture similar to that of a granite. Serve immediately alongside or atop 20 to 24 freshly shucked oysters on the half shell.

LEMON VERBENA ICE CUBES

Steps:

• Fill 2 ice trays halfway with water, and freeze. Top each cube with a lemon verbena leaf, cover with water, and freeze for up to 1 week.

LEMON VERBENA ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Bring verbena, milk, cream, and 1/8 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, then remove from heat and let steep, covered, 30 minutes.
• Whisk together eggs and sugar until combined, then whisk in verbena mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard thickens slightly and registers 175°F on an instant-read thermometer (do not let boil).
• Immediately strain thourough a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on and then discarding solids. Cool custard, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes, then chill, covered, until cold, at least 2 hours.
• Freeze custard in ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, about 1 hour.

LEMON VERBENA AND MINT TEA - FRENCH VERVEINE AND MINT TISANE

Steps:

• Put the fresh herbs (and lemon peel if using) in to a warm teapot. Add the boiling water.
• Allow to infuse for 5 minutes and serve warm, with sugar to taste and a slice of lemon.
• To serve chilled, remove the mint and lemon verbena sprigs and refrigerate before serving with ice cubes and fresh sprigs of lemon verbena and mint.

LEMON VERBENA LEMONADE

Steps:

• Bring sugar 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 thoroughly.
• Combine lemon juice and lemon verbena syrup in a pitcher. Fill glasses with lemon verbena ice, and divide lemonade among glasses (or cover and refrigerater for up to 3 days).
• LEMON VERBENA ICE CUBES:.
• Fill 2 ice trays halfway with water, and freeze. Top each cube with a lemon verbena leaf and cover with water, and freeze for up to a week.

LEMON VERBENA MARTINI

Steps:

• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add vodka and vermouth; shake. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with lemon verbena.

VERBENA SPRITZ

Steps:

• Start by making the lemon verbena cordial. Pour 350ml water into a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Add the lemon verbena and let steep for a few moments until the leaves have wilted a little, then add the caster sugar. Mix well until the sugar has dissolved. Turn the heat off and allow to cool. Once cool, transfer to a sealable container and place in the fridge for a minimum of 12hrs - or overnight. Then simply strain off and discard the leaves and bottle the cordial in a steralised bottle - it will keep for a week in the fridge.
• To make the cocktail fill a wine glass two-thirds full with ice. Pour in the sherry, 25ml of the lemon verbena cordial and bitters and a splash of prosecco.
• Stir to mix, adding a few more ice cubes and another dash of the prosecco. Finally, top with the remaining prosecco and give it a last mix before garnishing with a strip of lemon zest on a cocktail stick and a sprig of fresh mint.