Melissa has gained popularity in cooking due to its refreshing lemon aroma and is widely used by chefs from European and Arab countries. The leaves of this plant perfectly complement meat dishes and bakery products, they are used for preservation and pickles.
In summer, fresh lemon balm is used in cooking, in winter - in dried form. It is irreplaceable in the preparation of some meat, mushroom and fish dishes; it is added to salads and salad dressings. The leaves of this plant are an excellent flavoring agent for rice, eggs and cottage cheese, and they will add a pleasant sourness to sweet dishes (fruit and berry jellies, cereals, jelly).
Melissa can be found in many drinks: teas, kvass, wines, compotes, liqueurs, liqueurs, lemonades, etc. Herbal teas are prepared with it, adding jasmine, St. John's wort or thyme to fresh or dried leaves. The spice is also used for preserving cucumbers and tomatoes, for pickling cabbage. And in Moldova, meat is salted with it.
The main rule of using lemon balm in cooking is to know when to stop, otherwise too much of this plant can impair the taste of the dish. The spice has a pleasant smell and taste, but during heat treatment these qualities disappear, therefore lemon balm is added only at the end of cooking or in a finished dish.
For culinary use, only young leaves of the plant, harvested before the flowering of the plant, are suitable.
To make a simple and light salad with lemon balm, you will need 1 turkey fillet (you can replace chicken fillet), 2 kiwis, some white cabbage, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Boil the meat and disassemble into fibers, cut the rest of the ingredients. Mix everything, sprinkle with vinegar and season with olive oil. Melissa can also be added to salads from vegetables, herring and mushrooms.
With the help of lemon balm, you can prepare a refreshing drink that will be indispensable in the summer. For example, lemon lemonade with lemon balm. To do this, you need a bunch of young lemon balm leaves, 2 liters of water, 2 lemons, sugar and cinnamon to taste.
The water is boiled, lemon, sugar and cinnamon cut along with the peel are added to it, heated for a few more minutes, lemon balm is added and the liquid is immediately removed from the heat. Then let the drink brew and cool. Instead of lemon, you can put other fruits and berries in this drink: orange, strawberry, currant, etc.
