Lemonverbenaandcalendulavinegar Recipes

Steps:

• Fill a clean quart jar with the flowers and herbs and cover them with vinegar.
• Place the jar in a cool, dark place.
• Taste your vinegar in about 10 days to 2 weeks time and see if you are happy with the flavor; taste every few days or once a week thereafter until you have achieved the flavor that you are happy with. At that time the flowers and herbs will need to be removed from the vinegar. Open the jar, and pour the vinegar through a strainer to remove the herbs. Using a funnel, pour the vinegar into smaller bottles and label.
• Add a fresh sprig of verbena, store the vinegar in a cool, dark place and use within a year.

Steps:

• In a glass or stainless steel sauce pan heat white wine vinegar on the stove to where it is warm, but not boiling.
• Bruise lemon verbena and mint and loosely fill clean glass jars.
• Pour the warmed vinegar to fill each glass jar and cap with an acid-proof lid. Store in a cool, dark place and shake daily for 2 weeks.
• After two weeks have passed test for flavor; if a stronger taste is desired, strain the vinegar and repeat using fresh herbs.
• Store as it is or strain through cheesecloth and rebottle.
• Add a few fresh sprigs of lemon verbena and mint to the bottle for identification purposes and visual appeal.

Steps:

• In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine first 3 ingredients in medium saucepan. Boil until mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 4 minutes. Add sugar; simmer until mixture is reduced to 1/3 cup, about 3 minutes. Stir in cream. Whisk yolks to blend in medium bowl. Gradually whisk in hot cream mixture. Whisk in lemon juice.
• Strain custard through sieve into 4-cup measuring cup. Divide among six 2-cup ramekins or soufflé dishes. Cover ramekins with foil. Place ramekins in 13 x 9 x 2-inch metal baking pan. Add enough hot water to pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins.
• Bake custards until just set, about 45 minutes. Remove pan from oven; let custards cool in water in pan. Transfer ramekins to refrigerator. Chill at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve chilled.

Steps:

• Rub verbena sprigs in your hands to bruise leaves and stems, then combine sprigs with wine and 3/4 cup sugar in a heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, 1 hour.
• While verbena mixture steeps, finely grind verbena leaves with remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor or an electric coffee/spice grinder. Gently toss fruit with verbena sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a bowl. Let stand while verbena syrup finishes steeping.
• Sprinkle gelatin over water and let soften 1 minute. Meanwhile, reheat verbena syrup until hot, then stir in gelatin mixture until dissolved. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Stir in macerated fruit with juices and remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Chill in an ice bath, stirring occasionally, until cool and thickened (the texture of raw egg whites) but not set, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Very lightly oil baking pan with vegetable oil (not necessary if pan is nonstick or if using individual glasses).
• Pour gelée into baking pan and chill in refrigerator until set, at least 3 hours.
• To unmold, dip pan in a larger pan of hot water 5 to 10 seconds to loosen. Invert onto a serving plate (do not unmold if using individual glasses). Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.