Lemon verbena is a versatile herb that can be used in a variety of ways in cooking and baking. Here are some ideas for what to do with lemon verbena:
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Beverages: Make herbal tea, hot or iced, with lemon verbena on its own or mixed with other herbs, such as mint or sage. You can also prepare a simple syrup for cocktails, non-alcoholic spritzers, iced tea, or lemonade.
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Desserts: Infuse lemon verbena in the cream for panna cotta and other custard-style desserts, such as crème brûlée, and pots de crème. You can also make a simple syrup to moisten a sponge cake or a rum baba, drizzle onto crêpes and yogurt, or dunk in some ladyfingers for a strawberry charlotte or tiramisu. Additionally, lemon verbena goes well with summer fruits like watermelon and peaches, and can be added to strawberry jam or a strawberry or peach soup.
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Savory dishes: Add lemon verbena to white fish fillets cooked en papillote. It also pairs well with chicken and pork. You can even stuff it inside a roast chicken for a mystery flavor.
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Other ideas: Lemon verbena can be used to flavor compound butter, which can be served over roasted meats. You can also make lemon verbena sugar by whizzing fresh leaves with sugar in a blender, and use it to make simple butter cookies. Finally, you can infuse vinegar with lemon verbena for a tangy dressing.
Overall, lemon verbena is a versatile herb that can add a bright, citrusy flavor to a variety of dishes.