Summertime is a time for enjoying the sun, the beach and all things outdoorsy. Longer days, shorter nights, it's what Australia is famous for - the classic Aussie Summer!
There are so many things to do in our beautiful country, like exploring sand dunes, taking a cruise on the Yarra River, or enjoying a lunch at one of our magnificent eateries, in cities or country towns. There are vistas and beautiful views to take in, wherever you are, and our laid back lifestyle and zest for life (particularly the outdoors life) ensures we make the most of our warmer months, getting out and about.
SUMMER (and spring!) is also a great time to get back into cooking!
In a previous blog post, we talked about the different ways to use lemon myrtle in cooking - we can use it in baking, in rubs and marinades, in oils and even in drinks!
Now we’d like to share some recipes that you can enjoy making and share with your family this summer!
But first, what is lemon myrtle?
Lemon myrtle is a herb native to Australia which has long been used by our indigenous first nations people in bush medicine and cooking. It has a fresh, citrus aroma that makes it perfect for adding to your summer recipes. It's also known for its anti-inflammatory properties, which can help ease aches and pains caused by overexertion or stress. Lemon myrtle is a natural flavour enhancer and can be used to add a citrusy twist to your favourite recipes. It works well with fish, chicken and other meats. You can also use it in place of lemon juice for a fruity twist on cocktails!
Here are some recipes that incorporate lemon myrtle:
Lemon Myrtle Pavlova
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbs corn flour, sifted
- 1 1/2 cups (330g) caster sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground lemon myrtle
- 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
- 6 egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 300ml thickened cream, whisked to soft peaks
- Thinly sliced mango, roasted chopped macadamias and finger limes, to serve
METHOD
-
Preheat oven to 150°C. Grease and line a large baking tray with baking paper. Lightly dust prepared tray with 1 tbs cornflour.
-
Place sugar, lemon myrtle and vanilla seeds in a food processor and whiz until fine. Sift through a fine sieve into a bowl. Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk to soft peaks.
-
With the motor running, add 1 tbs sugar mixture every 30 seconds, whisking until well incorporated. Continue to whisk for a further 5 minutes or until thick and glossy. Gently fold through the vinegar and the remaining 1 tbs corn flour, then spread meringue onto prepared tray into a 22cm-diameter round. Using a palette knife, spread the sides upwards to make a slightly higher edge and a lower centre to create a well for the topping.
-
Place pavlova in oven, then immediately reduce oven temperature to 100°C. Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until dry and crisp. Turn off oven and cool with the door ajar for at least 2 hours.
-
Dollop over the whipped cream and top with the mango slices and macadamias. Squeeze over finger lime pearls to serve.
NEXT ... for a main idea!
Lemon Myrtle Roasted Chicken with Lime Stuffing
- Serves 4-6
- Time 1.5 hours
Ingredients
Rub
1 medium-sized chicken, trimmed
2 tbsp ground lemon myrtle
1 tbsp Marjoram, chopped
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Stuffing
3 slices multigrain bread
1 garlic clove, grated and cooked
1 small Spanish onion, chopped and cooked
1 egg, optional
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp seeded mustard
2 tsp salt
½ bunch flat leaf parsley, washed, chopped
2 limes, quartered
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- In a small bowl mix together all of the rub ingredients, then rub evenly over the chicken.
- In a food processor add all of the stuffing ingredients, except limes, and blend to a rough consistency.
- Stuff this mix inside of the the chicken, then squeeze over the juice of 1 lime and stuff the juiced lime into the chicken.
- Place the chicken on a wire rack in the baking tray and pour ½ -1 cup water in the tray as this will increase the juiciness of the chicken. Place the remaining lime quarters in the roasting pan underneath the chicken.
- Place the chicken in the oven for about 35 minutes or so. To test if it is cooked, stick a skewer into the chicken and the juice should run clear.
Thanks to Good Chef/ Bad Chef for this recipe!
Turmeric Chicken Maryland with Lemon Myrtle and Macadamia
- Prep Time 20 minutes
- Cook Time 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Servings 2-4
Ingredients
2 chicken Marylands, roughly 340g each
60g table salt
60g caster sugar
5g turmeric powder
For the stock
2L water
125g white soy sauce
80g fish sauce
125g golden rock sugar
10g brown onion, finely sliced
60g ginger, finely sliced
50g garlic cloves, finely sliced
50g lemongrass, finely sliced
50g coriander with stalks, leaves and root, roughly chopped
10g dried lemon myrtle leaf
5g cassia bark, toasted
5g star anise, toasted
5g liquorice root, toasted
5g black peppercorn, toasted
4g Szechuan pepper, toasted
4g coriander seeds, toasted
4g Chinese black cardamom, toasted
3g cloves, toasted
3g mandarin peel, toasted
3g fennel seeds, toasted
5pc dried bay leaf
3g turmeric powder
For the lemon myrtle chicken fat
150g chicken fat
10g lemon myrtle
For the dressing
100g chicken stock
20g fish sauce
50g caster sugar
50g lime juice
50g lemon myrtle chicken fat
25g rice vinegar
25g white soy sauce
5g chives, finely sliced
For the salad
1 cup bean shoots
¼ head cabbage, shredded
4 tbsp macadamia nuts, lightly crushed
50g chicken fat
Method
Combine salt, sugar and turmeric powder in a bowl. Rub the chicken all over with the mix, remembering to wear gloves to avoid staining your hands with turmeric.
Set the chicken aside and allow the salt to cure and marinate for at least 30 minutes or for best results, overnight in the fridge. After 30 minutes (or the following day), rinse the chicken under cold running water thoroughly scrubbing off the excess salt cure.
To make the stock, combine all the ingredients in a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and allow to simmer for 15 minutes for the flavours to infuse.
To cook chicken, allow the chicken to come to room temperature by taking it out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
Bring the stock to a boil then drop in the chicken Marylands. Bring back to the boil then turn down to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, turn off the heat but do not remove the lid. Allow the chicken to steep for at least 50 minutes to continue the cooking process.
Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside. Strain the stock to make the dressing.
For the Lemon myrtle chicken fat, combine ingredients in a pot and cook on low heat for 20 minutes for the lemon myrtle to infuse into the chicken fat.
Once the timer is up, strain the fat by passing it through a muslin cloth or a fine sieve and discard the solids.
For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until the sugar has dissolved.
For the salad, combine all ingredients in a pan and cook on high heat until the bean shoots and cabbage have wilted but still retain a crunch. To assemble, spread the salad onto a plate. Chop chicken Marylands into smaller pieces then top the salad with the chicken. Bring the dressing to a boil then pour over the chicken. Serve immediately.
Thanks to Everyday Gourmet and Khanh Nguyen for this recipe!
Lemon Myrtle Mayo Sandwich With Prawns - Tom Walton
Ingredients
Mayonnaise:
1 cup whole-egg mayonnaise
2 tsp 1.6mm cut dried lemon myrtle
1 clove garlic, crushed
Juice of half a lemon
Flake sea salt, black pepper
2 cooked chicken breasts (from a roast chicken)
½ cup combined flat leaf parsley and dill, roughly chopped
4 sliced sourdough
1 head cos lettuce, leaves washed and trimmed
12 cooked tiger prawns, peeled
2 tsp 1.6mm cut dried lemon myrtle
2 tbsp flake sea salt
1 lemon cut into wedges to serve
Method
-
For the mayonnaise, mix all the ingredients together and lightly season to taste.
- Slice the chicken breast, place into a bowl, add the parsley, half the mayonnaise and adjust the seasoning to taste.
- Grill or toast the sourdough then spread a little mayonnaise on each slice. Top with some of the cos leaves and then spoon the chicken on top.
- Place the remaining mayonnaise into a small bowl to serve with the prawns and lemon wedges.
- Combine the lemon myrtle and salt and sprinkle a pinch over the sandwiches and prawns.
Thanks to Australian Native Products, and Tom Walton for this recipe!
Lemon Myrtle Honey Collins Cocktail
Ingredients
45ml 666 Lemon Myrtle Honey vodka
20ml Adelaide Hills Distillery Dry Vermouth
30ml fresh lemon juice
20ml Honey water
60ml Fever Tree soda water
Method
Use a ProFlow pourer and ProMegJig jigger to accurately measure the vodka, vermouth, lemon juice and honey water into a tall glass. Add ice, top with soda water and stir well with a ProTrident.
Garnish
Use a Long Tweezer to garnish with lemon slices and a sprig of mint.
Thanks to Uber Bar Tools for this recipe!
...
It’s not just the sunsets, and the longer days, but also the FOOD that makes this time of year so special.
We hope you enjoyed these delicious recipes and will try them out yourself!
Buy high-quality lemon myrtle online today
At Lemon Myrtle Fragrances, we supply high-quality lemon myrtle products grown and prepared in Australia. Browse our online lemon myrtle shop and find all the ingredients you need to prepare delicious home cooking that showcases the joy and flavours of natural lemon myrtle in all of its forms.