Australian Lemon Myrtle Sauce

Name: Australian Lemon Myrtle Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Australian
Ingredients: Unsalted butter — 100 g (7 tbsp); Dried ground lemon myrtle leaf — 5 g (1.5 tsp); White wine — 60 ml (1/4 cup); Fresh lemon juice — 15 ml (1 tbsp); Honey — 10 g (2 tsp); Salt and white pepper — to taste

The Quirky Foodster Team

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5 min

Prep

10 min

Cook

Ingredients

Unsalted butter — 100 g (7 tbsp)
Dried ground lemon myrtle leaf — 5 g (1.5 tsp)
White wine — 60 ml (1/4 cup)
Fresh lemon juice — 15 ml (1 tbsp)
Honey — 10 g (2 tsp)
Salt and white pepper — to taste

Method

Combine white wine and lemon myrtle in a small saucepan; simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to low; whisk in cold butter a few pieces at a time, whisking constantly to form an emulsion.
Stir in lemon juice and honey.
Season with salt and white pepper.
Serve warm, immediately after preparing, over grilled fish or chicken.

Cultural Background: A fragrant butter sauce built on native Australian lemon myrtle, a bush food ingredient used by Aboriginal Australians for millennia, now embraced in modern Australian cuisine for its intense citrus aroma, stronger than lemon itself.

Tips: • Ground lemon myrtle leaf is intensely aromatic — a little goes a long way, so start with the stated amount before adding more. • Keep the heat low when incorporating butter, as with any beurre blanc-style sauce, to prevent it from splitting.

Variations: • Add a touch of cream for a more stable, richer version. • Use fresh lemon myrtle leaves if available, finely chopped, for an even brighter flavour.

Storage: Best made fresh; does not hold or reheat well due to the butter emulsion.

Reheating: Not recommended; serve immediately after making. Nutrition (per serving) Approx. 90 kcal, 0.1 g protein, 10 g fat, 1 g carbohydrate per 15 ml serving.

FAQs: What is lemon myrtle sauce traditionally served with? Grilled fish, chicken, and other dishes in contemporary Australian bush food-influenced cuisine. What is lemon myrtle? A native Australian plant with leaves containing an intensely citrusy aroma, traditionally used by Aboriginal Australians and now popular in modern Australian cooking.