Refreshing recipes with lemon balm 0
Refreshing recipes with lemon balm

The lemon balm with its fresh, fruity and citrus-like taste is an excellent culinary herb. With the leaves of the Mediterranean herb, many refreshing and delicious drinks can be conjured up in summer. But it also cuts a fine figure as a seasoning herb for other desserts or hearty dishes. We present you the best recipes with lemon balm.

The lemon balm briefly introduced

Lemon balm, often also called balm for short, comes from the Mediterranean region and was brought to Western and Central Europe and cultivated at an early stage. The herb belonging to the mint family is relatively easy to plant in the herb garden or on the balcony. It is considered to be relatively easy to care for and usually multiplies by itself, so that often rich harvests can be reaped.

The lemon balm can be used in many ways and is used both as a medicinal herb and as an aromatic herb. Their fruity, lemon to lime-like and slightly bitter taste goes well with many cooked dishes, drinks and desserts. Contrary to many expectations, lemon balm is also suitable for hearty meals such as fish, potatoes or pestos.

Recipes and ideas with lemon balm

Lemon balm syrup

A syrup made from lemon balm is a good and quick way to process the often rich harvest of balm leaves. Such a syrup is good for making refreshing drinks such as lemonades or cocktails yourself.

Recipe

The following ingredients are required to make one liter of lemon balm syrup:

  • 1 liter of water
  • 1 kg sugar (granulated sugar or raw cane sugar)
  • 50 g citric acid
  • 1 cup (250 ml) with fresh lemon balm leaves (not dried)
  • 2 lemons or limes

The preparation works as follows:

  1. Wash and brush the lemon balm with cold water
  2. Put sugar, citric acid and water in a saucepan and boil
  3. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid turns clear
  4. Briefly add the lemon balm leaves to the hot liquid (about 1 minute)
  5. Remove pan from heat, cover and place in a cool place for about 2 to 3 times and stir 1 to 2 times
  6. Squeeze lemons or limes in a bowl
  7. Take the saucepan with the syrup, add lemon or lime juice and bring to the boil briefly (approx. 3 to 4 minutes)
  8. Pour lemon balm syrup into bottles and close tightly

Due to the high sugar content, the syrup has a shelf life of around one year.

Melissa punch

If you are looking for an ideal summer drink for mild evenings, you should definitely try a good lemon balm punch. The refreshing cold drink is easy to prepare and can be changed as you wish. The basic recipe consists of white wine and sparkling wine.

Recipe

The following ingredients are required to prepare a lemon balm punch (500 ml):

  • 2 handfuls of lemon balm leaves
  • 400 ml pineapple juice
  • Juice of half a lime
  • 2 limes (alternatively lemon)
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • Pineapple and mango slices
  • 60 cl white wine (semi-dry)
  • 40 cl sparkling wine

Only a few steps are necessary to complete the punch:

  1. Wash lemon balm under cold water and place in a punch bowl or bowl (preferably a glass bowl)
  2. Pour the pineapple juice, wine, sparkling wine, sugar and the lime juice into the container
  3. Dice the pineapple and mango and cut the limes into slices and add them to the bowl
  4. Place in the refrigerator for about 4 to 5 hours
  5. Garnish as desired

Jams and jams

Many fruit spreads such as raspberry or strawberry jam get an individual flavor when they are made with refreshing herbs. Often peppermint or other types of mint are used, but this is where lemon balm can show its full flavor. The slightly citrus-like taste harmonizes perfectly with many berries.

Cake

It's actually a shame that lemon balm is hardly known in baking. For simple cakes such as sponge cakes or muffins, you can either pulverize dried lemon balm or puree fresh lemon balm leaves and add to the batter. Interestingly, this not only gives the cake an extraordinary taste but also a beautiful green color.

Decorating cakes and tarts is another use for lemon balm. For this purpose, for example, whole leaves can be placed around a cake as a ring

Lemon balm with potatoes

Potatoes are often served with vegetable dishes, nut patties or white meat. Lemon balm can also be used as a potato spice for these dishes. The cabbage is very well suited for potato salads, baked potatoes or potato wedges. For the latter, prepare a herbal marinade made from lemon balm leaves.

Baked potatoes recipe

Only a few ingredients are required for delicious baked potatoes that should have a fine lemon balm taste:

  • 250 g potatoes
  • 1 cup (small teacup) lemon balm leaves
  • 50 ml oil (e.g. sunflower oil or rapeseed oil)
  • salt and pepper
  • Balsamic vinegar

Olive oil should be avoided here due to its strong taste. Before the potatoes are put in the oven for about 50 to 60 minutes at 200 ° C, the following steps are necessary:

  1. Wash and peel the potatoes
  2. Cut or chop the lemon balm leaves or crush them with a mortar
  3. Put the oil, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and crushed lemon balm leaves in a bowl
  4. Brush the potatoes with the marinade and wrap in aluminum foil

Herbs for fish

If you love fish dishes and want to experience a fine, tart citrus note, you should definitely try fish with lemon balm. The dried herb is also suitable for this, although fresh lemon balm leaves should be preferred. The spice comes into its own when it is wrapped in foil with the fish and cooked in the oven. The herb is not quite as suitable for frying as the leaves burn quickly and their aroma evaporates.

Lemon balm pesto

Not only the tangy relatives like basil or rosemary are suitable for a pesto. If you prepare a pesto from lemon balm, you get a delicious and fresh change for bread and pasta dishes. Our basic recipe for a herbal pesto can be used as a basis. Most of the recipes out there now also contain basil leaves. However, these are not really necessary if you really want to try something exotic and new.

One more tip: Be sure to add lemon juice to the pesto and be sure to use Pecorino as a hard cheese. This gives it an extra fine note with its slightly lemony note.

 

Post comments (0)

up
Shop is in view mode
View full version of the site
Sklep internetowy Shoper.pl