Austalian lemon leaf, anyone baking with it?
I just picked up an overgrown Australian lemon leaf plant on clearance sale: Plectranthus from Mt. Carbine.
After rubbing a leaf, I was sold! At home, I cut back the plant so it could stand up in it's pot and started a few cuttings to propagate more plants. The cut off leaves are as big as my hand and very fuzzy on both sides. It has a coleus shaped leaf and is very sililar to lemon balm. I like the taste & aroma more than lemon balm (the latter reminds me more of floor soap.) I have washed the leaves, drained and chilled a whole stack of them. :)
My big question is..... Has anyone cooked or baked with this plant yet?
What have you tried and how did you like it?
I've been trying to find warnings, uses etc. but being a rather "new discovery" not sure how well this plant has been investigated.
The info tag on the plant (translating) says that the "complex kaleidoscopic aroma" works very well with desserts, in joghurt and fruit salads. It is suggested the leaves be cut fine, small with a sharp knife. A tasty iced tea can be made with the freash leaves. Leaves are tender and not fibrous.
Thank you in advance,
Mini
It seems that Plectranthus,"Lemon leaf", is related to other plants that have long standing history used as both food and medicine, according to the quick research I did this am. It is in the Lamiacaea (?sp?) and has counterparts in many different geographic locations- US has Cuban oregano,Timo Jamaica,Timo Tansania and all are listed as flavorants in "pies,syrups,teas and drinks".
Have fun! Post your results!
I'll be watching to see what you create, as I have a pineapple sage that sounds very similar. Not sure what to do with it, I love the aroma and the taste with poultry - that could work for your lemon leaf too, but I haven't been brave enough to bake with it. Maybe I'll give it a whirl - it's raining here, so great baking weather.
I put a large leaf (10cm x 10cm, refrigerated overnight) into a large mug and poured boiling water over it. First the water started to turn yellow then greenish and ev. Darker tea green. Lots of lemon aroma and hints of mint. I removed the leaf after 10 minutes and gently wrung it out. Leaf was like a wet piece of velvet with just a tiny bit of stretch and to chew a tiny tear off indicated that it holds itself together after blanching. Taste was lemony minty and has a little chew to it but still tender enough to eat and not ball up like chewing gum.
I sipped on the tea all day long waiting for a fainting spell or stomach ache which never came. No ring in the mug or residue. I laid the wet leaf on a plate and a fresh refrigerated leaf next to it to compare. After 24 hrs, the blanched leave dried out completely and the fresh leaf still looked freshly picked with exception to where the knife cut the stem. Dried to green but slightly darker than fresh. Slight aroma on dried leaf still.
I had cut up one fresh leaf separately and placed in an open dish to scent the bathroom. That was a bit dissappointing as the aroma faided quickly unless the leaves were disturbed. Some darkening on the cut edges. On the second day, threw the partly dry soft shreds into the garden bed.
Made a tea for hubby with a refridgerated fresh leaf. He wasn't to ecstatic about it. Said it reminded him of floor soap. OK. Maybe it was too strong. Smaller leaf next time. He had tasted the first mug of tea earlier and thought it was nice. Na, ya. What about cold water tea? I got a lot of leaves....
I cut up a leaf into threads and again into little pieces that resembled snipped chives. I mixed them with chives and topped a sourcream garlic dip served with breaded deep fried shrimp. That was very tasty, no comments on any dominant flavours in the dip. Garlic was the dominant flavour. Everyone of my tasters loves garlic. I wonder if the leaf would flavour the oil used for frying? Or vinegar for salads? Wonder what a deep fried leaf (battered?) would taste like?
Blanched leaves are milder and i can see stuffing/wrapping them with fish or ground meat. Adding to a salad or cold plate. Would they hold out to frying? Steaming? Lemon rice? Can I set the colour in the leaf so it doesn't colour the food? Can I wrap dough balls and steam them? Bake up a lemon leaf swirl bread? What does the leaf do to yeast? Lemon leaf tea as recipe water?
Lemon leaf cinnamon rolls.