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Recipes
In the
Kitchen
Like many herbs, lavender is wonderful to cook with. When your recipe
calls for rosemary, try lavender instead. Tasty in cookies, breads and
cakes; in preserves, dressings and sauces and is a great grilling herb for
chicken, fish and pork. The stems make wonderful skewers! At Farmers' Markets and community events, our lavender lemonade is a hit.
Warmed Brie with Lavender Cranberry Orange Relish
A simple appetizer. Add your own twist to it! Might be nice with apricot preserves rather than the orange or whatever you may find at your local farmers' market! Just add lavender, warm and enjoy!
1 wheel of Brie, cut off the top.
12-16 oz. of fresh cranberries, rinse and remove stems. Put just enough water in a quart pot to just cover the bottom. Add cranberries and cook berries down until they pop.
Stir in 1 jar of pure fruit orange marmalade.
Add one teaspoon of crushed culinary lavender florets (or to taste). Mix well.
Place the brie in the microwave for 1 minute. Top with the Lavender Cranberry Orange Relish. Serve with whole grain crackers for dipping and enjoy!
Lavender Spiced Walnuts
2 cups walnut halves
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender florets, crushed with a mortar and pestle*
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a baking pan and spread the walnuts. Bake for 5 minutes, stirring once, until lightly browned and fragrant. Set aside. In medium saucepan, combine the sugar, water, cinnamon, and salt. Over medium heat, boil without stirring until the mixture reads 238 degrees F (soft ball stage) on a candy thermometer. The sugar syrup is very hot, so take caution. Remove from the heat and stir in the lavender, rosemary, and walnuts. Work quickly and stir gently until all of the nuts are coated. Transfer the nuts to the buttered baking sheet and spread them in an even layer, separating them with two buttered forks. Cool. Stir in an airtight container at room temperature or in a heavy plastic bag in the freezer. *By crushing the lavender with a mortar and pestle instead of a spice grinder, you can release the essential oils and still keep the buds partially intact. This gives the nuts more visual appeal, because you can see the bits of lavender florets in the sugar coating. From Sharon Shipley's Lavender Cookbook.
Lemon Lavender Posset
2 cups heavy cream
1 Tablespoon culinary lavender
3/4 cup sugar
Juice of 2 lemons
Twist of sliced lemon with a fresh lavender sprig for garnish.
Place the culinary lavender into a tea ball and bring the cream, lavender and sugar to a boil in a medium, heavy non-reactive saucepan, stirring constantly. (You may also add the culinary lavender without use of a tea ball and strain it out after the boil step.)
Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir vigorously for 2-3 minutes, or until thickened. Off the heat, whisk in the lemon juice. Pour the cream into small glasses, let cool slightly, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours. Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature and garnish before serving. You may also wish to add in-season fresh fruit, like raspberries or strawberries, dusted with confectioners' sugar. (Adapted from an A la Carte with Lee White recipe.) Serves 6. Wonderful dinner party dessert -- so easy!
Soaked Cherries with Lavender
1/2 cup cranberry juice
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon finely snipped fresh lavender buds or 1/4 teaspoon dried lavender buds, crushed
1 1/2 lb. fresh dark and/or light sweet cherries, pitted; or 1 1/4 lb. (20 oz.) frozen pitted dark sweet cherries
4 thick slices country bread
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
Lavender blossoms (optional)
Almonds or pecans, toasted (optional)
In a medium saucepan combine cranberry juice, brown sugar, and lavender. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add cherries; stir. Bring to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.*
Lightly grill or toast the bread; spread with butter. Place the bread in 4 dessert bowls. Spoon cherries and juices over the bread. Sprinkle with lavender blossoms and nuts if desired. Serve warm. Makes 4 servings.
*For thicker syrup, remove the cherries with a slotted spoon. Boil gently, uncovered, to the consistency you wish. Return cherries to syrup. From Better Homes & Gardens, May 2006.
Lavender Dijon Dressing
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons dried culinary 'Provence' lavender buds, finely ground in a spice grinder (sunshine lavender farm culinary is Provence!)
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
In a jar with a well-fitting lid, combine all ingredients. Shake well. From Sharon Shipley's The Lavender Cookbook.
Vanilla Lavender Ice Cream
2 cups milk
1 ¾ cups sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups half and half
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
4 cups whipping cream
1 tablespoon, or one small tea ball packed with lavender florets, fresh or
dried culinary.
Place tea ball in a pot on the stove with milk. Scald milk until bubbles
form around edge of pan. Add sugar and salt. Stir until dissolved. Stir in
half and half, vanilla extract and whipping cream. (You may remove the tea
ball of lavender from the liquid during the cooling process for a lighter
lavender taste, or leave it in for more flavor.) Refrigerate 30 minutes. Freeze as directed. Makes 4 quarts.
Old Fashioned Chocolate Lavender Ice Cream
2 2/3 cups sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
6 cups milk
4 eggs, beaten
6 squares semisweet chocolate, melted
1 1/3 cup half and half
2 cups whipping cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon, or one small tea ball packed with lavender florets, fresh or
dried culinary.
Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan. With tea ball suspended on
edge of saucepan, gradually stir in milk. Cover and cook over medium heat
until mixture comes to a simmer, stirring constantly. Gradually stir about 1
cup of the hot mixture into the beaten eggs. Add to remaining hot mixture,
stirring constantly. Cook and stir over low heat until slightly thickened
(about 2 minutes). Stir in melted chocolate. Beat with a whisk until mixture
is smooth. Stir in half and half, whipping cream and vanilla. (You may
remove the tea ball now for a lighter lavender taste, or leave in during the
cooling process for more flavor.) Cover and refrigerate 2 hours. Freeze as
directed. Makes 4 quarts.
If I’m making ice cream from scratch, I splurge and go the rich and creamy
route. It goes without saying that some folks need a lighter, lower fat
version, so here ya go!
For Lower-Fat Recipes, substitute 1% milk for whole milk, whole milk for
half and half, and evaporated skim milk for whipping cream. Higher fat dairy
products - such as whipping cream - create a smooth, rich and creamy
dessert. Lower fat dairy products create a lighter dessert with a slightly
different, less smooth texture.
Avocado Dip
2 ripe avocados
lemon juice
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 T culinary lavender, finely ground
1/2 cup plain yogurt or low-fat sour cream
1/2 cup of your favorite salsa
Mash avocados with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add the lavender, yogurt or sour cream, and salsa; mix well. Serve with tortilla chips.
Lavender and Honey Marinade for Fish, Poultry or Pork
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste
juice of two lemons
1 T culinary lavender
1/4 cup honey
pinch of cloves and fennel
Mix all marinade ingredients together and pour over the fish, poultry or pork of choice, covering both sides. Refrigerate overnight. Grill the next day, basting often, until golden brown. For 4 servings.
Creamy Lavender Vinaigrette
¾ cup sour cream (low fat or fat free)
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup olive or grape seed oil
1 tsp lime or lemon juice
1 tsp Herbs de Provence (Make your own blend – 1 Tablespoon of Basil,
Rosemary, Thyme
and Parsley to 1 teaspoon of Marjoram and Garlic to ½ teaspoon of
Tarragon and Lavender.)
1 ½ tsp dried culinary lavender (ground to fine power in coffee mill)
Combine all ingredients in a pint jar and shake well. Tasty over garden
fresh or local salad greens or vegetables. Stores well in frig for 2-3
days.
Grilled
Lavender and Fresh Basil Salmon
4 fresh salmon
steaks or fillets
Marinade:
1 teaspoon dried
lavender florets
5 large fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
Salmon cooks
fast! 3-5 minutes per ½ inch of thickness. Combine ingredients for baste
when grilling. Place salmon on a hot, lightly oiled grill, skin side down.
Baste frequently. When salmon is done, pour remaining marinade over fish.
Nice served over wild rice. Garnish with fresh lavender.
sunshine
lavender farm
Lavender Lemonade
This signature
beverage is offered at events. Like it? Make it at home! Fill a tea ball
with loose lavender florets, fresh or dried. Place tea ball in a quart pot
of water to boil. Turn off heat and let steep 20 minutes. Use the
"lavender tea" instead of water as you make your favorite
lemonade recipe, either homemade or from a mix.
Chocolate
Lavender Truffles
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon dried lavender florets
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 cup unsweetened cocoa
Grate chocolate.
Bring cream and lavender to a simmer for one minute, then strain. Add
cream to chocolate and stir to melt. Mix well. Chill at least 3 hours.
Roll into 1 inch balls, then roll in cocoa. Makes 25 truffles. Lovely as
an after dinner treat with coffee!
Lemon Lavender Butter Cookies
1 Tablespoon lavender florets
1-3/4 cups sugar, divided
1 lb. butter, softened
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 large egg
6 cups all-purpose flour
Garnish: fresh lavender sprigs
Process lavender florets and 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor until
blended.
Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy;
gradually add remaining 1-1/2 cups sugar, beating well. Add lemon juice
and egg, beating until blended. Gradually add flour and lavender
mixture, beating until blended.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls, and place 2 inches apart on lightly
greased baking sheets. Flatten slightly with bottom of a glass dipped in
sugar.
Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool
on wire racks. Garnish if desired. Yield: 6-1/2 dozen.
Prep. 20 minutes; Bake 10 minutes.
Lavender Margaritas
Notes: Whirl in batches, pouring each batch into a pitcher. Stir the
coconut milk before measuring it. You can use plain sugar or coarse salt
to garnish glass rims. (Don’t have all of the ingredients handy and want
easy Lavender Margaritas? With a can of frozen margarita mix, follow the
recipe on the can and add lavender!)
Makes: About 7 ½ cups or 10 servings
1 cup tequila (To taste, which could mean not at all.)
½ cup blue curacao or other orange-flavored liqueur
1 cup canned coconut milk
1/3 cup lime juice
2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries
2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries
4 cups ice cubes
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon fresh or dried culinary lavender blossoms*
Lime wedge
Lavender sprigs to make it pretty
In blender, combine tequila, curacao, coconut milk, and lime juice.
Cover and turn to high speed, then gradually add raspberries,
blueberries, and ice. Whirl until margarita mixture is smooth and
slushy.
Put sugar and lavender blossoms in a small bowl. Rub with your fingers
or mash with a spoon to release some of the lavender flavor. Rub glass
rims with lime wedge to moisten. Dip rims in lavender sugar (or coarse
salt), coating evenly.
Pour margaritas into sugar (or salt) -rimmed glasses. Garnish with
lavender sprigs.
*If you REALLY like the lavender flavor, take a teaspoon (or more, or
less, to taste) of culinary lavender florets and place in a tea ball to
infuse the coconut milk – overnight or a few hours before preparing.
Prep Time: 12 minutes
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