Australia's answer to the lemon!
Lemon Myrtle has an amazing earthy lemon flavour and a strong lemon aroma which intensifies when heated. It can be found mostly in warm humid climates and these trees are most common along the East coast. They have a superb lemon fragrance which can be even more noticeable during rainfall.
Typically the leaf is used, although flowers and seeds can be as well, and it has a similar appearance to a small bay leaf. Compared to many other native Australian ingredients, Lemon Myrtle is one of the easier ones to source and they’re available in several forms such as crushed, whole, ground, dried, and fresh.
One of the most common is a ground ready-to-eat form available in bulk or in small retail-sized jars and packets. This is probably the most versatile form and is a good introduction for anyone that’s unfamiliar with the product or using it for the first time. It goes particularly well with white meats such as fish and chicken and can be simply sprinkled over the entire meat before cooking, or infused into liquids and marinades, folded through sweet and savoury dishes such as a risotto or cheesecake, and is amazing stirred into steamed rice just before serving. It can be incorporated in many other ways and is a good addition to anything that would benefit from lemon-type flavours.
To prepare the leaves straight from the tree the best way is to take a branch and hang it up in a cupboard away from direct sunlight and leave to air dry. Once dried, they will keep in an airtight container for around six months.
The following are really simple recipes using minimal ingredients that simply highlight the lemon myrtle flavour. There are no specific rules to follow and they can be easily adjusted to suit your own preferences.
Grilled Lemon Myrtle Calamari
Grilled calamari is tasty, really quick to prepare and cook, it creates little mess, and ideal for entertaining guests. It can be served alone as a finger food option or as an entrée, or it can be incorporated into other dishes as a main meal. It can be served straight off the grill or chilled and added to a salad. It works really well on the barbeque and can be quickly cooked before other meats to start everyone off.
Preparing the Calamari
Trim 2mm from the end with the larger opening and enough off the other end to square it off. This will help create an even curl when cooked and it’ll help with keeping the pieces uniform in shape. Now cut lengthways down one side of the tube so that it can be opened up into one flat piece.
With the inside facing upwards score the calamari by lightly running the tip of a sharp knife several times across the tube leaving about a 5mm gap between cuts. Let the weight of the knife do the work and pull towards you. Apply minimal pressure if required but not so much that it cuts all the way through. Turn the tube 180 degrees and do the same in the opposite direction to create a small diamond pattern.
This scoring technique serves several important functions.
▹Presentation - the end result will look more interesting and lot more appealing.
▹Flavour – it provides more surface area to allow flavours to penetrate into the squid. If served in a pasta sauce or risotto, for example, it will capture other components of the dish when eating.
▹Tenderness – it essentially tenderises the calamari as it breaks most of it down into smaller connected pieces. There are several marinades that will help tenderise it further but it shouldn’t be required.
At this stage you can add any flavours you wish and it goes especially well with soy or lemon based combinations.
To Cook
Finely sprinkle with lemon myrtle then lay flat with the cut side down onto a hot pan or hot barbeque plate for 10 – 15 seconds. Using a spatula, flip it over and hold it down flat for another 10 seconds. Release the spatula and the calamari will instantly curl up. Remove and serve immediately otherwise put it straight in the fridge to cool down for later use. Don’t leave it on the grill too long otherwise it will over-cook and become quite tough.
Note: If cooked on the barbeque make sure the grill is scraped down really well when finished otherwise the calamari flavour can linger on the plate and will be noticeable on other meats.
Lemon Myrtle Smoked Chicken or Fish Fillet
This recipe is a great way to impress your friends and family on the weekend over some cold beverages. The smoky flavour will also work with beef but will be less noticeable.
Smoking meats usually requires specific equipment or a dedicated setup and isn’t always a convenient option for home cooking. However, this is a simple method that’s safe for indoors without the mess or a house full of smoke.
BBQ Method - The easiest way to smoke the meat is on a hot barbeque plate. All you need is something that can sit comfortably over the meat during cooking, such as a metal bowl or lid. If you have nothing available you can make one out of foil by moulding a few sheets over a large bowl. It will be delicate to move around but it’ll serve its purpose well, and can also be thrown out when finished.
Simply run a line of ground lemon myrtle on the barbeque plate about the same length as the meat being cooked. Place the meat next to it and cover with the bowl. The Lemon Myrtle will start to smoke within about 30 seconds and will fill the area under the bowl incorporating itself into the meat. Be mindful that the bowl will retain the heat meaning that the meat will cook a little bit quicker.
Cook for about five minutes (depending on thickness, and fish may need less) then quickly remove the bowl, flip the meat, then cover again until cooked. The bowl will be very hot so one way to do this is to have a spatula ready in your dominant hand then tilt the bowl up using another spatula or tongs with your other hand. If there’s minimal smoke, or you wish to intensify the flavour, you can add more lemon myrtle to the plate.
Alternately, the meat can be placed on a small cake rack then onto the grill which will smoke the meat from both sides at once. The meat will take a little longer to cook and have a more natural smoke flavour as there’ll be no contact with the grill.
Indoor Method – First, turn on your exhaust fan. Follow the same cooking process as above but instead of the barbeque plate you can use a large frypan or an old cake tin. Heat the frypan then add the lemon myrtle. Foil can be placed under the lemon myrtle to make cleaning easier if you wish. Place the meat directly on the pan or use a small cake rack to smoke the meat without the searing. Cover with a bowl or lid. Once enough smoke has been created then the whole thing can even be placed in a preheated oven to finish it off (providing the equipment is oven safe). This is helpful if the meat is considerably thick.
If using a cake tin you may want to use an old spare one and retire it for this purpose only, and you will need a rack to suspend the meat from the bottom. The tin can sit directly on a grill plate to heat up and then the lemon myrtle sprinkled over the bottom with foil in between. If the pan is deep enough then the top can just be covered with foil.
Be mindful that the tin may be a lot thinner than a standard frypan and may only require a low heat to get the smoke moving. If exposed to high direct heat for too long it may also warp and can even burn through. In this case, once the tin has filled with smoke it may be better to transfer the whole thing to the oven to finish off the cooking.
Lemon Myrtle Hot Toddy
This is an interesting twist on an old Scotland favourite. The Hot Toddy is great drink to sip on colder nights and many people claim that it makes them feel more relaxed and less anxious. It’s also believed, but not proven, that it’ll help fight off the flu.
For the recipe, don’t get too committed with the quantities and ingredients and make adjustments based on your own preferences. You may want to add some sugar for sweetness or some fresh ginger or star anise for extra spice. Try a few different things out until you find your own special blend.
500ml water
2 Tablespoons of ground lemon myrtle
1 ½ Tablespoons honey
4 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
90ml brandy/rum/whisky
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Place the water and lemon myrtle in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for about two minutes then remove from heat. Add the remaining ingredients and allow to infuse for about three minutes before straining into a serving glass.
If desired, the cinnamon stick can be added back to the glass for presentation and some fresh sliced lemon on the side.
Lemon Myrtle and Pepperberry Dukkah
Can be served with a good quality olive oil and fresh bread or even used as a coating on meats.
1 cup of sliced almonds
1 Tablespoon ground lemon myrtle
1 teaspoon ground pepperberry
3 Tablespoons sesame seeds
1 Tablespoon mustard seeds
1 Tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon of good sea salt flakes
1. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
2. Spread almonds evenly on a large baking tray and roast for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Stir occasionally to assist in even cooking. Blitz in a food processor until coarsely chopped then transfer to a large mixing bowl.
3. Cook the sesame seeds in a dry frypan for 1-2 minutes tossing regularly until golden brown. Don’t allow them to go too dark as this will make them bitter. Add to the mixing bowl with the almonds.
4. Separately cook the coriander, mustard, and fennel seeds in a dry frypan for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Pound in a mortar and pestle or quickly run through a food processor to crush the seeds then add to the mixing bowl.
5. Add in the lemon myrtle, pepperberry and sea salt and mix well.
The dukkah can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature once the ingredients have cooled down completely.
Lemon Myrtle Crusted Crocodile
Crocodile and Lemon Myrtle go great together. The bushy lemon flavour matches well with the light sweet flavour of the crocodile. By grilling the lemon myrtle it will add a very slight smokey flavour to the dish as well.
The daikon radish and cucumber salad makes a perfect addition providing a great dimension on the dish by adding a salty alternative with a slight Asian flavour.
For the full recipe see our Food in a Snap – Cooking Crocodile post. Also, head over to The Ultimate Aussie Pizza Guide for our Crocodile and Lemon Myrtle Pizza recipe.