Lemon Verbena Ice Cubes Food

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 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 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 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.

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.

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.