Lemon Verbena & Mint Iced Tea recipe

This is a lovely refreshing tea to have on a hot summers day.

There are a couple of steps to making the tea and it is best prepared a day in advance.

Step One:

1/2 cup fresh lemon verbena leaves
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
6 cups boiling water

Boil the water and pour over the verbena and mint leaves. Leave to sit over night in the fridge, or a couple of hours. Or if you like a weak tea let sit for 10 minutes - before straining.  Chill in fridge.

Step Two:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan, bring to the boil and cook for 1 minute, until sugar fully dissolves.

Step Three: 

1 cup lemon verbena leaves

Blanch verbena leaves in boiling water for 1 minute then plunge into cold water. Drain.

Step Four:

When sugar syrup is completely cooled, pour into a blender.  Add 1 cup blanched verbena leaves and process until smooth.  Cover and chill over night.

Step Five:

If you've left your tea to soak over night (step one), strain your tea into a large pouring jug.  Strain the sugar syrup through a fine sieve into pouring jug - adding lemon sugar to the tea mixture.

To serve:

Grab a tray of ice cubes and process in a blender or food processor into crushed ice.  Fill high wall glasses  half way with crushed ice and pour in lemon verbena mint tea.

Enjoy your refreshing chilled ice tea.