Lemon Myrtle

Ingredients

The leaf

• 200 gfresh lemon myrtle leaves (Backhousia citriodora), picked from new growth
• the tree is a subtropical Queensland rainforest species and the leaf is up to 95 per cent citral, more concentrated than lemon peel itself

Lemon myrtle tea

• 1 tspdried crushed leaf per 250 ml water at 90°C (195°F)
• honey to taste

Lemon myrtle salt

• 3 tbspground dried leaf
• 100 gflaky sea salt

Lemon myrtle shortbread

• 200 gplain flour
• 60 grice flour
• 180 gbutter, softened
• 80 gcaster sugar
• 2 tspfinely ground lemon myrtle

Directions

1. Pick young glossy leaves in the morning, avoiding old, leathery or spotted growth, and do not wash them unless they are dusty; water on the leaf slows the drying and dulls the oil.
2. Spread the leaves in a single layer on a rack or tray and dry them in a warm shaded place with moving air for 3 to 5 days, or in a dehydrator at 40°C (105°F) for 6 to 8 hours. Never dry them in the sun or above 45°C (115°F), which volatilises the citral and leaves you with a hay-scented leaf.
3. They are dry when the leaf snaps cleanly between your fingers rather than folding, and the aroma when you crush one is sharply lemon-sherbet rather than green.
4. Grind the dried leaves to a fine powder in a spice grinder in short bursts, keeping the machine cool, then sieve out the tough midribs, which stay woody however long you grind.
5. Store the powder in a small airtight jar in the dark. It holds its aroma for about six months and then fades noticeably, so make small batches.
6. For tea, steep 1 tsp of crushed leaf in 250 ml of water at 90°C (195°F) for 4 to 5 minutes, covered, so the aromatic oils condense back into the cup rather than escaping as steam. Boiling water makes it bitter.
7. For the salt, pulse the ground leaf with the flaky salt just enough to combine without crushing the flakes, and let it sit a day so the oil perfumes the crystals.
8. For the shortbread, cream the butter and sugar, fold in both flours and the ground leaf, press into a tin, chill 30 minutes, and bake at 150°C (300°F) for 35 to 40 minutes until pale straw-coloured and firm at the edges.

Technique

• Lemon myrtle contains the highest natural concentration of citral known, typically 90 to 98 per cent of its essential oil, which is why it reads as more lemony than lemon and why a very small quantity goes a long way.
• Heat is the enemy. The citral is volatile, so add ground leaf late in cooking, infuse rather than boil, and dry the leaf gently. Overheated lemon myrtle tastes of eucalyptus and soap.
• It is a genuine Australian bush food, used for food and medicine by Aboriginal people of the Queensland rainforest, and it is now grown commercially in northern New South Wales.
• Use roughly a quarter of what you would use of dried herbs generally. A teaspoon flavours a whole batch of biscuits, and a tablespoon will make a dish taste of detergent.

Substitutions

• No fresh leaf: dried lemon myrtle is widely sold and is what most cooks use; buy it whole and grind it yourself, since pre-ground loses aroma fast.
• As a flavour substitute, lemon verbena is the closest, followed by lemongrass with a little lemon zest, though neither has the same intensity.

Variations

• Lemon myrtle and macadamia crumb is a standard native-Australian coating for vegetables and cheese.
• Lemon myrtle panna cotta and lemon myrtle curd are common restaurant desserts.
• A lemon myrtle and pepperberry rub is the usual native seasoning blend.

History

A Queensland rainforest tree long used by Aboriginal people; it holds the highest natural citral concentration known and became a commercial crop in the 1990s.

Frequently asked questions

What is Lemon Myrtle?

Lemon Myrtle is a sauce & condiment from Australia: native rainforest leaf, ground or infused, more lemony than lemon itself. A Queensland rainforest tree long used by Aboriginal people; it holds the highest natural citral concentration known and became a commercial crop in the 1990s.

How long does Lemon Myrtle take to make?

Lemon Myrtle takes 15 min of preparation and 3 to 5 days drying of cooking. The recipe makes about 60 g ground leaf, plus serving uses. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Lemon Myrtle?

Yes, within limits. No fresh leaf: dried lemon myrtle is widely sold and is what most cooks use; buy it whole and grind it yourself, since pre-ground loses aroma fast. As a flavour substitute, lemon verbena is the closest, followed by lemongrass with a little lemon zest, though neither has the same intensity.

What is the most important thing to get right in Lemon Myrtle?

Pick young glossy leaves in the morning, avoiding old, leathery or spotted growth, and do not wash them unless they are dusty; water on the leaf slows the drying and dulls the oil.