I’ve always loved cooking with Lemon Myrtle, the beautiful lemon scented tree native to southern and central Queensland. Wherever I live I like to have a tree growing in my garden to use in cakes, biscuits and tarts, to add to vinaigrettes to go with seafood salads, to throw a handful of leaves in with steamed mussels or baked fish, or even just to make a pot of refreshing  Lemon Myrtle tea.

So this month it was great to have the opportunity to visit Geoff and Zelda Campisi at their certified organic Lemon Myrtle farm in Goomboorian, to see their 4500 strong orchard of trees, as well as their steam distillery which they use to extract the precious essential oil from the leaves.

Geoff and Zelda moved to their certified organic farm in Goomboorian 10 years ago and established Purity Essential Oils, producing Lemon Myrtle, Anisata and Tea Tree oils for sale direct to the public, as well as supplying bulk quantities to companies around Australia to be used in the manufacture of various beauty and food products.

Zelda also uses her knowledge and experience in beauty therapy to create her own range of all natural skin and body care products, including soaps, cleansers and moisturisers. All are available online through their website.

The process of producing 3 litres of pure Lemon Myrtle oil takes Geoff and Zelda up to 2 days; around 700kg of plant matter is gathered from the top of the trees(the trees are then allowed to regenerate), chopped, and packed into a huge hopper. The leaves are then steamed for about 2 hours to extract the pure essential oil.

As well as producing oil from their trees, Geoff and Zelda dry and crush the leaves to be used as a spice and as a tea.

Purity Essential Oils is another great example of the diversity that the Gympie region has to offer, and once again it’s the commitment  of the individual producers to create a product that they love which adds to the wealth of our area.

I’ve come up with a couple of recipes; one savoury and one sweet, using fresh leaves, dried leaves and Lemon Myrtle oil.

Enjoy!

Purity Essential Oils

(07)54865774

Email: purityeo@bigpond.com

www.purityessentialoils.com.au

Tin Can Bay Prawn, Avocado and Fennel Salad with Lemon Myrtle and Finger Lime Vinaigrette

Serves 4 as an entree

Ingredients:

 12 large whole green Tin Can Bay prawns, peeled and deveined

1 clove garlic, crushed

zest of 1 lemon

1 tbs chopped fennel tops

2 tbs olive oil

2 avocadoes, peeled and diced

1 fennel bulb, finely shaved

1 golden shallot, peeled and finely sliced

1 tbs preserved lemon, finely diced

50gm rocket

60ml extra virgin olive oil

60ml lemon juice

6 drops Purity Essential Oils Lemon Myrtle oil

4 fresh lemon myrtle leaves, finely chopped

pulp of 1 finger lime

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground black pepper

Method:

Mix together the garlic, lemon zest, fennel tops and olive oil and marinate the prawns, refrigerated, for 1-2 hours.

Mix together the avocado, fennel, shallot, and rocket.

Whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, lemon myrtle oil, lemon myrtle leaf, finger lime, salt and pepper.

Grill the prawns until just cooked through.

Dress the salad with half of the dressing and divide between four plates.

Serve 3 prawns on top of each salad, and spoon over more of the vinaigrette.

 

Lemon Myrtle Tart

Serves 8

Ingredients:

250gm plain flour

125gm unsalted butter, diced

50ml cold water

juice and zest of 3 lemons

2 tbs lemon myrtle powder

250gm sugar

200ml cream

6 eggs

 Method:

Put the flour and butter into the bowl of a food processor and blend until it resemble fine breadcrumbs.

With the motor running add the cold water and mix until the dough just comes together.

Wrap in plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes.

Roll the pastry 5mm thick and line the base of a 22cm flan tin. Prick with a fork and chill.

Line the pastry with baking paper and blind bake until cooked through.

Mix together the zest, juice, sugar and lemon myrtle, cover and infuse for 30 minutes.

Whisk together the eggs and cream and add to the lemon mixture.

Strain through a fine strainer.

While the pastry case is still hot (put it back in the oven for 5 minutes to heat it back up if necessary), pour in the lemon mixture.

Bake at 160°C for 30 minutes or until just set. Allow to cool to room temperature before cutting into portions.