— A lemon verbena and thyme olive oil recipe
Lemon verbena and thyme olive oil
Thyme and lemon is a classic pairing for fish or chicken marinades. It’s also great in salads and vinaigrettes. I substitute lemon verbena in this infusion for a really intense flavor.
Where have you verbena all my life
Lemon verbena comes from South America and was brought by the Spanish to Europe. Prized for medicinal properties, it promised to treat everything from asthma to sleep disorders. Victorian women loved it too and sewed leaves in their clothes in an effort to entice gentlemen who couldn’t resist the fresh, citrusy smell.
Infusing olive oil with lemon verbena and thyme
Lemon verbena has an assertive flavor on its own so it stands up to a hearty extra virgin olive oil. Thyme is more subtle so I use twice as much in this infusion.
Note
Oil infusions only last 4-6 weeks when refrigerated. I store them in small bottles of up to 12 oz so that I easily use them up in the timeframe. And I’m careful to sterilize the bottles and wash all herbs before starting the infusion.
