Moderation is the key!

Lavender is very versatile and should be used with caution. Experiment first with smaller amounts - too much will taste bitter and soapy. Other than that, jump right into your adventure of broadening your culinary expertise.

Lavender pairs beautifully with citrus. The French have known that for a long time, and the Romans even longer. History tells us about lavender-flavored honeys and jellies dating back to ancient times.

In these days, upscale gourmet restaurants feature gorgeous salad creations, beautifully garnished with lavender flowers. One can order delectable lavender-scented creme brulees, pots de cremes, and ice creams. Savory entrees such a lamb preparations are often enhanced with an herb coating that includes dried lavender buds.

A member of the mint family, lavender combines well with rosemary, thyme, sage, fennel and oregano.

Lavender is one of Mother Nature's greatest "inventions", as it works both ways: stimulating and sedating, according to your current needs.

For cooking, the most commonly used variety with the sweetest fragrance is the English Lavender (lat. angustifolia).

by Marcia White

 

2/3 cup pistachios, toasted

2 Tablespoons dried culinary lavender

8 lamb chops, preferably loin (or rack of lamb)

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

1/2 cup honey

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In food processor, pulse pistachios and lavender until nuts are broken but not powdered. Season lamb with salt and pepper. Heat a cast-iron pan to medium-high. Add enough oil to coat pan well. Add chops and sear well, turning once. Set aside. In small saucepan, heat honey just to warm. Dredge each chop in honey, then in lavender-pistachio mixture. Place on a sheet pan and finish cooking in preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes or to desired doneness. Let rest at least 5 minutes for chops, or 10 minutes for rack before carving. Pork chops can be substituted.

Source: McClatchy Newspapers

Lavender Cookies

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter or margarine, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, well beaten
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. dried lavender buds
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Cream the butter, sugar, and salt until light. Add the beaten eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add in the flour using low speed just until the dough is starting to form. Sprinkle in the lavender fold in gently. Divide the dough into two rounded sections. Wrap well in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Placed one of the chilled dough sections on a floured surface. Roll out the dough with a floured rolling pin, taking care not to overwork it. Cut the dough into desired shapes and place them 1/2 inch apart on a ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes until just golden brown. Cool on rack.

Lavender Tea Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain fat-free or lowfat yogurt
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh lavender leaves
Glaze:
1/3 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat granulated sugar, butter, and vanilla at medium speed until well-blended. Add egg and egg white, one at a time, beat well after each addition. Sift flour and carefully measure.Combine the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stir well. (I often sift again) Add flour the mixture to sugar mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in lavender. Pour the batter into an 8-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar and remaining ingredients. Spread on the warm cake. Cool in pan 20 minutes on a wire rack before removing from the pan. To serve slice thinly and present on a pretty platter.

Lavender and Honey Dressing

Ingredients:
6 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp. hearty mustard
2 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. dried lavender buds

Whisk together all ingredients. Allow to stand for 30 minutes. Mix again before serving.

Lavender Herb Bread

Ingredients:
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup lowfat cottage cheese
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp. butter or stick margarine
1 tsp. dried lavender buds
1 tsp. fresh lemon thyme, minced
1/2 tbsp. fresh basil, minced
1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water. In a larger bowl, mix together the cottage cheese, honey, butter, herbs, baking soda and eggs. Stir in the yeast mixture. Gradually add flour to form a stiff dough, beating well after each addition. Cover and let rise about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk. Stir the dough down with a large wooden spoon. Place in a well greased 1 1/2 or 2 qt. casserole. Allow to rise 30 to 40 minutes, or until doubled in bulk. Bake at 350 F. for one hour. When finished, remove and turn onto a cooling rack,. Brush top with butter while warm.

Lavender Sugar

1/3 cup fresh lavender flowers
1 cup white granulated sugar

Make layers of the lavender and the sugar into a glass jar. You can double this for a larger jar if you wish. Seal the jar and keep in a dark place for 2-3 weeks. You can combine the lavender and sugars after they are dried and continue to store in the covered jar. Use them in place of a portion of sugar in recipes for sugar cookies, plain scones, tea cakes or muffins.

Lavender Lemonade

Ingredients:
5 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
12 stems fresh lavender
2 1/4 cups fresh lemon juice

Mix the 2 1/2 cups of water with the sugar in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Remove the flowers from the stem (whole is okay) and add to the sugar/water mixture. Remove from the heat. Cover and allow to cool. When cool, add 2 1/2 cups cold water and the lemon juice. Strain out the lavender. Serve over crushed ice and garnish with lavender blossoms. Serves 8.

Lavender Tea Blend

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon fresh lavender flowers
2 tablespoon fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoon fresh lemon balm
2 cups boiling water

In a teapot, combine the herbs. Add boiling water to the pot and steep 5 minutes. Serve with honey. Makes two cups of tea. If you want to add a black tea bag or loose tea of your choice you can add another cup of boiling water and make 3 cups of a stronger tea.

Charming Lavender Tea Gift

You will need:
1/3 teaspoon dried lavender flowers
4 teaspoons orange pekoe tea
New or vintage tea cup and saucer
small plastic bag, or plastic wrap
Tea Ball
Ribbon

Mix the herbs and tea then place in a piece of plastic wrap or a small bag and tie tightly with a ribbon. Place in the clean dry tea cup, with the tea ball (they are very inexpensive and can be found in most store kitchen sections) Include a note that this should steep for five minutes in boiled water. Wrap in tissue paper and place in a gift bag for a great gift for teachers and co-workers.

Lavender and Lemon Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
1/4 tsp. dried Lavender buds
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup soft butter
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 large egg
2 1/8 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp.lemon extract

In a food processor or blender, grind lavender with sugar. Cream sugar with butter and powdered sugar, and add egg. Stir in lemon extract, then flour, soda, tartar and salt; blending well. Place a tablespoon of dough on a greased cookie sheet. Flatten dough with the bottom of a glass that has been dipped in sugar, and sprinkle with additional sugar. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden.

About the Author:
Brenda Hyde is a mom, wife, freelance writer and editor. She owns Old Fashioned Living.com and lives in the Midwestern United States with her family where she is an avid herb gardener.

Goat Cheese Lavender Tartlets

Blend in food processor:

10 ounces soft mild goat cheese
3/4 cup cottage cheese
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup flour
1 stick softened butter
1 Tblsp chopped mixed herbs: thyme, rosemary, lavender
Save another 1 Tblsp for later.

Fill about a dozen or more individual frozen 3-inch tartlet shells and bake for about 20 min. or until just set, at 350F.
Sprinkle the reserved chopped herbs on the tartlets and bake a few minutes longer until golden brown.

Lavender Olive Crostini

Coarsely chop 1 cup mixed, pitted (!) olives (green, black) in mini food processor, together with 1 tsp dried lavender flowers and 1 tsp white truffle oil. Spread on warm toast points and serve immediately.

Citrus Lavender Vinaigrette

Combine in a blender:

2 Tblsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tblsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tblsp red wine
2 Tblsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tblsp grainy mustard
1 Tblsp Agasweet Lavender (see info below)
1 teasp fresh (or 1/2 tsp dried) lavender leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Avocado Grape and Lavender Dressing

1 shallot, peeled, quartered
2 cloves garlic
juice of 1 lemon or lime
1/3 cup champagne vinegar
flesh of 1 medium avocado
8-10 red or green grapes
1 tablespoon Agasweet Lavender
1/2 teaspoon dried lavender
1 jalapeño, seeded and quartered
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup oil or cream (rich, baby!)

Run all ingredients except for the oil in a blender until smooth;
with the blender running, add the oil or cream
in a steady stream until emulsified and finished.

Bacon Lavender Mustard Dressing

1 pound bacon
1 cup stone ground mustard
3/4 cup champagne vinegar
3/4 cup Agasweet Lavender

Cut bacon in small strips and fry until crisp.
Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve warm.

 Lavender Tomato Soup

The flavor and texture of this soup depends on three essentials: seasonally ripe tomatoes, good bread and the quality and strength of your personal Lavender Glaze. The recipe is simple.

1 1/2 pounds of vine ripened tomatoes, skins removed and quartered
3 cups chicken stock
Some open textured white bread, crusts removed
1/2 cup of YOUR Lavender Glaze
A few sprinkles of dried lavender buds

Put the tomatoes in a large pan, with the Lavender Glaze and stock. Bring to a simmer and allow flavors to mingle, 6 - 8 minutes. Stir in the bread and serve with a few lavender buds. Good white bread becomes silky smooth in a soup like this and brings much comfort.

Lavender Grilled Salmon

3 pounds of Salmon Filet
4 Tbsp Honey
6 Tbsp Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Lavender, crushed
1/4 c White Wine
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp Lime or Lemon Juice

Place all ingredients, except salmon, in saucepan over moderate heat, stirring with a wire whisk at all times until ingredients are reduced by one-third, to create a sauce. When sauce has cooled slightly, brush on salmon filet. Reserve some of the sauce for later (don't touch it with the basting brush!)

Grill or bake salmon until lightly flaky (don't overcook), about 10 minutes, basting with sauce. Pour more of the reserved sauce over the finished fish.

Lavender Ice Cream

2 cups raw milk (or pasteurized whole milk)
2 cups heavy cream
1 cups Agasweet Lavender agave syrup
1 teasp dried lavender
7 egg whites*
3/4 cup peach puree (optional)

1. Combine milk and heavy cream in medium sauce pot with dried lavender; bring to a boil, then allow to steep for 15 minutes. Strain and return milk and cream to sauce pot and bring back to a boil.

2. Whisk together egg whites with agave syrup, then pour one half in the milk/cream mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking all the while.

3. Combine egg mixture with milk/cream in sauce pot over low heat and continue whisking until the custard thickens - this will take a bit longer with the egg whites. If you have a thermometer, note that the custard will be sufficiently cooked and set at 85 degrees Celsius.

4. Remove custard from heat, strain into another bowl and cool down in an ice bath.

5. When the custard is cooled, it can be spun in the ice-cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions, but it's best to hold the custard overnight in the refrigerator before spinning so that the components can meld together.

6. Before storing the ice cream, fold in the peach puree to create a "ripple" effect, then eat immediately or allow to set up in the freezer for at least two hours.

7. This ice cream can be stored for up to a week, although it's best when eaten within two days of spinning.

* egg whites create a lighter-tasting product, with the same body as a custard-based ice cream