Lemon Verbena Peach And Raspberry Soup Recipes

NECTARINE AND PEACH JAM WITH LEMON VERBENA

Steps:

• Grate zest from half the lemon and place zest in a large saucepan. Juice lemon and add the juice to the zest. Toss in fruit, sugar, salt and lemon verbena and bring to a simmer. Turn mixture into a large bowl and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, if you plan to can the jam, prepare the jars according to the instructions here.
• Strain the liquid from the mixture into a wide, shallow pot or large skillet, reserving the fruit. Bring liquid to a simmer and cook until it thickens enough to wrinkle on the surface when you push it with a spoon (a candy thermometer should read 220 degrees).
• Remove lemon verbena from fruit and add fruit to the pot with the syrup. Simmer fruit gently until mixture looks very thick and jamlike. You can test the jam to see if it's ready by freezing a small plate. Drop a bit of the jam on the plate, let it cool for a minute and then push it with your finger. The top should wrinkle. If syrup is thin and runny, keep cooking and test again in a few minutes (return plate to freezer in the meantime).
• If canning, spoon into hot sterilized jars and process as directed. Otherwise, let jam cool, then store in refrigerator or freezer.

PEACH AND LEMON VERBENA SORBET

Steps:

• Put sugar and 1 1/2 cups water into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Add zest. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat; add lemon verbena. Cover; let stand 20 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Let syrup cool completely.
• Meanwhile, coarsely chop peaches, and place in a large bowl. Crush with your hands or a potato masher, then pass through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl; discard solids (you should have at least 1 1/2 cups puree). Add cooled syrup and vodka or grappa to peach puree; stir to combine. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours (up to 4 hours).
• Freeze peach mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a chilled airtight container; freeze at least 2 hours (up to 2 weeks). Let sorbet stand at room temperature 10 minutes before serving.

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-BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups, or line pan with paper muffin liners. Whisk together the egg, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth; set aside.
• Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon verbena into a food processor. Pulse until the lemon verbena has been finely chopped. Add the butter, and pulse quickly until finely chopped. Pour the flour mixture into a mixing bowl, and stir in the blueberries. Pour in the milk mixture, and stir until just moistened. Fill the prepared muffin cups 3/4 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

LEMON-VERBENA-PEACH-AND-RASPBERRY SOUP

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil and add the sugar. Boil 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add all the lemon-verbena sprigs and submerge them completely in the sugar syrup. Cover and let cool down to room temperature. Add the lime juice and strain into a large bowl.
• In a saucepan of boiling water, heat the peaches for 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl of ice water and remove the skins. Working with one peach at a time, hold the peach in your hand and make thin slices to the stone all around the fruit. Gently flick off the slices into the sugar syrup with the knife.
• Add the raspberries, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

LEMONGRASS DRESSING

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until sugar dissolves.