Lemon Verbena

Lemon verbena has the strongest lemon taste and fragrance of all the lemony herbs. It grows best in full sun, likes a light soil that drains well and should be watered regularly. It is sensitive to cold and will lose its leaves in winter but can be cut back in spring to encourage it to sprout again. Try this refreshing recipe for your next dinner party:

Peach and lemon verbena sorbet

Fresh and delicious with a hint of lemon.

• 150g sugar
• 150ml water
• 2 handfuls lemon verbena leaves
• 700g ripe peaches, washed, cut into quarters with the pips removed

Place the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring it to the boil. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and add the verbena leaves. Leave off the heat for half an hour to infuse. Purée the peaches in a blender and then pass through a sieve to remove any bits. Remove the verbena leaves from the syrup and add to the puree. Pour into ice trays and freeze until hard. When frozen add the cubes to a food processor and process until smooth. Keep frozen until ready to serve, taking it out 5 minutes before serving to thaw a bit.