LEMON VERBENA BREAD
1 c. sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
¼ c. lemon verbena leaves, chopped
1-½ c. sifted flour
1 t. baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 large eggs
½ c. milk
Grated rind of 1 lemon
¾ c. chopped nuts (optional)
Cream butter with verbena leaves in mixer or food processor. Add sugar and beat well, then eggs, salt and remaining ingredients. Grease loaf pans: 1 large, 2 small or 4 mini, and pour in batter. Bake at 350° F. for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on pan size, until bread tests done with a toothpick or cake tester. I usually use a regular size loaf pan and it bakes for 1 hour. Meanwhile, prepare glaze (recipe below). Leave loaf in pan. While it is still hot, pour glaze over it and let sit several hours. Remove loaf from pan. Wrap in foil to ripen over night before serving, or freeze immediately.
Glaze
½ c. sugar
2 T. verbena leaves, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Courtesy of The Herb Companion Magazine.
LEMON VERBENA LADY’S JELLY
Makes four 8 oz. jars
1-1/2 c. lemon verbena leaves, torn
2 cups water
2 T. apple cider vinegar
3-1/2 c. sugar
3 oz. Certo liquid pectin
If making multiple recipes of jelly, it is best to harvest and process all of the herbs before you start your recipe(s). It makes the jelly making much easier. (Boil jars for 10 minutes and pour hot water over lids separate from jars.) Put torn verbena leaves and water into a saucepan. Bring to a boil for 10 seconds, remove from heat and let stand covered for 15 minutes. Measure 1-1/2 cups of liquid, add vinegar and sugar to a 3-1/2 quart saucepan. Mix well and bring to a boil that cannot be stirred down on high heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat briefly and add pectin. Bring back to a rolling boil and boil for exactly 1 minute stirring constantly. Do not leave the pan or the stove unattended. Remove from heat, skim foam with spoon and pour into sterilized jars. Can the jars in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes.
Serving ideas: You can use jelly in the center of thumbprint cookies after baking. You can put jelly over block of cream cheese to spread over crackers as appetizer You can use a teaspoon or two on a boneless, skinless chicken breast in the last 15 minutes of baking to form a glaze. You can also use a tablespoon or two on a pork roast during the last 15 minutes of roasting.
© 2010 Nancy Heraud
