Lemon Grass Lychee Martini Recipe

Quest for Authentic Asian Cuisine Blends Lemon Grass with Lychee

Jan 11, 2008 Michele Meehl

The fragrant pairing of delicate floral and citrus is showcased in these recipes for a Lemon Grass Lychee Martini and Lemon Grass Panna Cotta with Tropical Lychee Salsa.

Lemon Grass with Lychee. The very essence of this simple phrase evokes images of far-away places. Places that practically flaunt their extraordinary sights and sounds smack-dab in the face of our sometimes pedestrian life. Places where things are done a bit differently. Places with markets and eateries that showcase seemingly exotic foods as every day fare. Such striking images are to be expected. After all, lemon grass and lychee, each an Asian culinary delight, are fairly new arrivals to the Western world’s palate.

Lemon grass, with its fresh-mown-hay-with-lemons fragrance and flavor, has long been an essential ingredient in Southeast Asian cooking. With the increasing demand for authentic Vietnamese, Malaysian and, especially, Thai cuisines, this tropical perennial grass is steadily gaining popularity on today’s menus. So popular in fact, that fresh lemon grass is readily available in the produce department of most grocery stores, now giving consumers an opportunity to use this herb at home.

Lychees, on the other hand, are just starting to show their red, bumpy faces to the Western world. What the Chinese have known for over 2,000 years is that the heart of the lychee is what really matters. Peel away the rough exterior of the lychee and its true beauty is revealed; a floral scented, citrusy sweet, heart-shaped fruit with a grape-like texture. So desired was this delicacy that, as early as the first century AD, northern Chinese imperial courts would send swift horse teams to import lychees from their native southern China. It’s also said that the downfall of the Chinese emperor, Hsuan Tsung (756 AD), can be attributed to the lychee. It seems Hsuan Tsung was in love with Lady Yang, who in turn had a passion for the lychee. The expense of the lychee-fetching courier service necessary to satisfy his lover’s fervor became too much for the empire; ultimately causing its ruin. Where the emperor may have failed, the lychee went on to become a symbol of love and devotion.

It seems the time has finally come for the rest of us to personally experience the allure of the lychee. Paired with lemon grass, this lovely twosome has made this year’s top ten list on the McCormick Flavor Forecast. Chefs love this refreshing, yet delicately fragrant, blending of floral and citrus, which is especially exquisite in desserts and beverages. However, you can expect to find the exotic pairing in savory dishes, too. This pairing works best when combined with other subtle ingredients, such as with seafood, chicken and salads.

Speaking of which, the chefs at McCormick® have been working hard to bring these flavors home to you. Experience lemon grass and lychee for yourself, try these recipes today!

Lemon Grass Lychee Martini

Lemon Grass Simple Syrup

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 4 stalks McCormick® Gourmet Collection® Lemon Grass , cut into thirds

For each Lemon Grass Lychee Martini:

• 2 ounces vodka
• 1 ounce Lemon Grass Simple Syrup
• 1 ounce lychee juice (from canned lychees)
• 1 lemon wedge
• 1 lemon twist

For the Simple Syrup, mix sugar, water and lemon grass pieces in small saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes or until sugar is completely dissolved. Refrigerate 2 hours. Strain. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. (This makes enough simple syrup for 8 martinis.)

1. For each Martini, fill cocktail shaker half full with cracked ice. Add vodka, simple syrup and lychee juice; shake until well mixed and chilled. Strain into martini glass. Squeeze juice from lemon wedge into martini. Rub lemon twist around rim of glass, then drop into martini.

Panna Cotta, an Italian cooked cream, is a perfect dessert to showcase the delicate pairing of lemon grass with lychee.

Lemon Grass Panna Cotta with Tropical Lychee Salsa

Lemon Grass Panna Cotta:

• 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 bottle McCormick® Gourmet Collection® Lemon Grass , stalks cut into thirds
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup cold water

Lychee Salsa:

• 1/2 cup drained canned lychees, quartered
• 1/2 cup finely chopped peeled ripe mango
• 1/4 cup finely chopped peeled kiwi
• 1/4 cup flaked coconut, toasted
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint

1. For the Panna Cotta, mix cream, milk, sugar and lemon grass in medium saucepan. Bring just to boil on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Let stand 1 hour. Sprinkle gelatin evenly over water in small bowl. Let stand 5 minutes or until gelatin is softened.
2. Strain cream mixture, discarding stalks. Return cream mixture to the saucepan. Heat on low heat 2 to 3 minutes. Add softened gelatin; stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. Pour mixture into medium bowl set in a larger bowl of ice water. Stir frequently with rubber spatula about 10 minutes or until mixture is cooled. Pour into 6 dessert dishes. Cover with plastic wrap.
3. Refrigerate 4 hours or until set.
4. Meanwhile, for the Lychee Salsa, mix lychees, mango, kiwi, coconut and mint in small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Spoon Lychee Salsa on top of each panna cotta before serving.

When shopping for fresh lemon grass, choose the full, green stalks exhibiting an aroma of clean fresh-cut hay mixed with lemons. Do not buy stalks with a brown base.

To store fresh lemon grass, wrap each stalk in foil and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Lemon grass may also be frozen when wrapped tightly in foil.

Many recipes require “bruising” the outer leaves first. Pounding, “bruising”, the stalks and leaves with a mallet releases the fragrant oils, especially if the stalks are to be added to a hot liquid. Lemon grass stalks are inedible unless peeled; however, the inner pale stalks are edible if finely sliced.

Tips on Using Dried Lemon Grass:

To extract the maximum flavor from dried lemon grass, steep the dried stalks in a hot liquid for about an hour. Depending on your recipe, choose hot water, cream, chicken stock or coconut water.

Tips on Buying Lychees:

Fresh lychees are typically available year-round as they are now cultivated in many tropical and sub-tropical parts of the world. US domestic lychee varieties, the Brewster and Mauritius, are grown in southern Florida and Hawaii and are at their peak in May though July.

When buying fresh lychees, choose the fruits with the reddest, or purplish, skin and the smoothest bumps. Lychees that have been picked too early have coarse bumps and should be avoided as ripening will not continue after picking this fruit.

Lychees are also available canned and are found in specialty food stores or on the Asian food aisle of your local grocer. Canned lychees lose some of their perfume and texture, but make a fine substitute if fresh is not available.

The copyright of the article Lemon Grass Lychee Martini Recipe in Food Trends is owned by Michele Meehl. Permission to republish Lemon Grass Lychee Martini Recipe in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Lemon Grass and Lychees