Lemon Verbena Simple Syrup Recipes

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Add the lemon verbena leaves and cover the pan. Steep for 15 minutes.
• Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer, discard the leaves, and let cool. Store the syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Cherry Verbena Soda
• For one drink, fill a tall glass with ice. Add 1 tablespoon of the Lemon Verbena Syrup, 2 tablespoons of Sour Cherry Syrup , and a few dashes of acid phosphate or lemon juice or citric acid solution. Top with seltzer and mix gently. Garnish with lemon verbena leaves and maraschino cherries, if desired.

Steps:

• Simple syrup: combine the water and sugar in a small pan and bring to the boil.
• Boil mixture until it is reduced by half.
• Stir in the lemon verbena leaves. Set aside to allow verbena leaves to infuse and the mixture to cool completely.
• Salad: Prep the fruit and arrange on a large shallow platter.
• Once the simple syrup is cool, use a fine mesh strainer and drizzle the syrup all over the fruit.
• *Garnish fruit with a few fresh lemon verbena leaves. Or cover and chill until ready to serve.
• *Tip: fresh lemon verbena leaves wilt quickly. Garnish the fruit platter with freshly cut lemon verbena leaves [just] before serving.
• Yield is estimated.

Steps:

• Put fruit in a large bowl and gently toss with 1/2 cup sugar, then let stand 20 minutes.
• Rub verbena sprigs in your hands to bruise leaves and stems, then combine with water and remaining 3/4 cup sugar in a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Simmer 1 minute, then remove from heat and let steep, covered, 5 minutes.
• Stir lemon juice into warm syrup and pour through a medium-mesh sieve over fruit. Discard verbena sprigs and gently stir fruit. Let macerate at room temperature 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Divide among 8 soup plates.

Steps:

• Make the syrup by heating together the water, lemon zest and the sugar. Bring to a boil, take off the heat and allow to infuse until cold. Bring back to a boil and immediately add the lemon verbena leaves. Take off the heat and allow to infuse until cold.
• Strain the syrup in to a bottle or jar in the fridge until needed. Discard the lemon verbena leaves.
• To make Lemonade: Pour some syrup into a glass and add water to taste. Serve with ice and garnish with a lemon verbena leaf and a lemon slice.

Steps:

• In large stainless-steel pot, combine the wine, water and sugar. Over medium heat, bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat to a low boil and cook about 10 minutes, until the syrup reduces by half, to 3 cups. Remove from heat, stir in the lemon verbena leaves, cover pan halfway and let steep until cool.
• Transfer to a capped bottle or covered bowl and refrigerate, for as long as a week. Strain lemon verbena leaves from the chilled syrup before using it as a sweetener for lemonade or ice tea, as a base for a spritzer or as a topping for cut fresh fruit.

Steps:

• In a saucepan combine water and sugar. Bring to boiling over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Add one of the infusions; boil gently, uncovered, for 2 minutes more.
• Remove from heat; cover and cool in saucepan for 1 hour. Remove and discard infusion ingredients.
• Transfer syrup to a clean covered storage container. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks, or may be frozen. Makes 2 cups syrup.
• VARIATIONS:.
• VANILLA INFUSION: Add one fresh vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, to the hot sugar-water mixture. If desired, after cooling, remove the vanilla bean and use the tip of a small knife to scrape the seeds from the beans into the syrup (flecks of dark seeds will color the crystal-clear syrup).
• FRESH HERB INFUSION: Add three 3-to-4-inch sprigs fresh rosemary; 3/4 cup lemon-verbena or mint leaves, slightly crushed; or 3/4 cup basil leaves, slightly crushed, to the hot sugar-water mixture.
• LEMON-GINGER INFUSION: Add three 1x3-inch strips of lemon peel and a 1-inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced, to the hot sugar-water mixture.

Steps:

• Place the sugar, lemon halves and water into a saucepan and heat until the sugar has completely dissolved.
• Add the lemon verbena and lemon balm leaves and boil for 2 minutes; leave to cool. Add the citric or tartaric acid if using at this stage. Allow to cool and then cover and allow to infuse for 24 to 48 hours, depending on what strength you require. (I have left this for 3 days sometimes too, for a real lemon zing.).
• Sieve through a fine mesh or colander, discarding the lemon halves and the herb leaves - then pour into clean and sterile bottle/s; seal tightly and store in a cool dark place for several months or in the fridge for several weeks.
• To use: 1 part syrup to 4 parts water or sparkling water, to taste - add more for a stronger lemon flavour or less for a more delicate flavour. Add ice, a slice of lemon and some lemon balm or lemon verbena leaves as a garnish.