Lavender Recipes
While most of us know about the beauty and fragrance of Lavender, somehow we have forgotten that it is indeed an herb. An herb that may not be common place in American spice cabinets, it has been in use as a culinary herb for centuries. Most of us know of 'herbs de Provence' or have seen it in finer stores and herb shops, but did you know that lavender is what sets it apart from other spice blends? One's imagination is the only limit when cooking with this varable herb.
Lavender varies in taste just as it varies in appearance and aroma. The English Lavenders (angustifolia) are the prefered lavenders to use as culinary as they are milder, sweeter, and do not over-power the dish. Within these varieties there is still more variation when used as a culinary herb. Provence lavender, a hybrid known as a lavandin, is an exception to the rule. Because of it's milder flavor it is often used when English Lavender is not available, and some cooks even prefer it above angustifolia.
Our personal favorite is a pink-flowered English lavender known as Melissa. It has a sweet, yet floral note, and enhances dishes from soups, to meat, and even drinks and deserts.
All culinary lavender blends very well with citrus, mint, rosemary, sage, berries, fruit, meats, drinks, and one should use some caution to not use too much. Lavender should be a background flavor, not in the forefront, and when used in proportion enhances foods with a distinctive and mysterious flavor, while adding a lovely color to your dish.
Experiment with some of the recipes below, and see why lavender is finding it's way back into the spice rack. It's a welcome return!
Lavender Cream Scones
2 c Pastry Flour
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
4 Tbsp Lavender Sugar
6 Tbsp Butter
1/3 c Cream or Milk
1 Tbsp Lavender Buds
2 Eggs, beaten
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and Lavender Sugar(see recipe garnish above). With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Meanwhile, bring the cream and Culinary Lavender just to a boil. Remove from heat and allow Lavender flavor to infuse for 20 minutes. Then strain out lavender flowers and discard them.
Now in a separate bowl, combine eggs and Lavender cream until well blended. Stir cream mixture into dry ingredients until they are moistened. Divide the dough into two 8-inch rounds on a greased baking sheet. Cut the dough with a sharp knife into 8 wedges. Brush the top with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400°F for 10 to 15 minutes or until the scones are a golden brown. Over baking will result in dry scones. Oven temperatures DO vary so remember to check your scones at least five minutes before your baking time is up. Shop Organic Lavender
Lavender Pear/Apple Scones
2 cups all-purpose flour (pastry flour is best)
¼ cup sugar ( I use baker’s sugar)
1 TBL baking powder
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp Lavender (English lavender or Provence)
1/3 cup cold butter, cut into pieces (5 ½ TBL)
1 cup whipping cream ( I use heavy whipping cream)
1 tsp (heaping) Lemon Juice
1 ½ cups Bosc Pears (peeled & cubed) apples can be substitued
Preheat oven to 375. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt & lavender. Use a pastry blender and add the cold butter until the consistency is course & crumbly. Add 1 cup whipping cream, 1 tsp lemon juice, and 1 ½ cup cubed pears. Stir with a fork just until moistened (DO NOT OVER MIX). Add a drop or 2 more of cream if its too dry. Knead the dough 4 or 5 times in the same bowl, or on a floured surface. Roll out ¾ inch thick & cut with round biscuit cutter (or any cookie cutter). Place each scone about 2 inches apart on parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Brush tops of the scone with a little cream or egg whites. Sprinkle with sugar/cinnamon mixture (and a few lavender-flowers-optional). Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Serve warm with Devonshire cream, jam and hot tea. Enjoy! Shop Organic Lavender
Yield 1 dozen scones
Lavender Current Scones
2 cups Pastry flour
1/4 cup baker's sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt (coarse kosher salt)
1/3 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. dried lavender or 2 tsp. fresh lavender
1/2 cup currants
2 Tbsp. whipping cream or 1 egg white (beaten)
Preheat oven to 375. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder & salt together (sift). Use a pastry blender and add the cold butter until the consistency is coarse and crumbly. Add 1 cup whipping cream, stirring just until moistened. Now add the half cup of currants, lavender, and orange zest. Turn out on lightly floured surface, and knead 4 or 5 times (don't overwork your dough). Chill for 30 min. Roll out 3/4 inch thick and cut with round biscuit cutter. Place each scone about 2 inches apart on a nonstick baking sheet that has been covered with parchment paper. Brush the tops of the scones with the remaining 2 Tbsp. of whipping cream or egg white. Sprinkle with sugar and few lavender flowers. Bake at 375 for 15 min. or until golden brown. Serve warm with Devonshire cream and jam. Yields: 1 dozen. Shop Organic Lavender
Lavender
Grilled Salmon
(or Steelhead)
3 pounds of Salmon Filet
4 Tbsp Honey
6 Tbsp Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Lavender, crushed or run through coffee grinder
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.
Grill or bake salmon until flaky (don't overcook), about 10 minutes, basting
with sauce. Set some aside to pour on salmon before serving. Shop Organic Lavender
Pan-Seared Halibut Steaks
Serves 2
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons herbes de Provence spice blend (or Hood River Spice Blend)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 wild Pacific halibut steaks, 1/2 pound each
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Zest of 1/2 lemon (for garnish)
1. Mix flour, dried herbs, salt, and pepper in a small dish. Rub over all sides of the fish.
2. Heat oil over medium heat in large sauté pan. When pan is hot but not smoking, place the fish into the pan. Cook four minutes, flip and cook another three to four minutes on the other side, until the fish flakes open.
3. Remove fish from pan and quickly add garlic, cooking 30 seconds. Add lemon juice and sugar, whisking to bring up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer one to two minutes to reduce the sauce. Drizzle over fish and garnish with lemon zest.
Nutrition info per serving: 481 calories; 20.6 g fat; 2.9 g saturated fat; 92.9 mg cholesterol; 61.7 g protein; 10 g carbohydrates; 1.7 g fiber; 1,321 mg sodium Shop Organic Lavender
LAVENDER INFUSION
Measure 2 Tbsp Lavender buds for each cup boiling liquid (usually water
or milk). Steep for 30 min. Strain liquid.
Lavender Infusion can be used to flavor lavender lemonade, ice tea, cakes, cookies and sorbets.
A Lavendermilk or cream infusion can be used to make Lavender Crème Brûlée, Lavender Ice Cream, Lavender Cheese Cake, Lavender Scones and more.
Lavender Tea
Steep 1 tsp. lavender for 1 cup of water for 3-5 min.
A good recipe for insomnia, or when relaxation is the goal.
Lavender Drop Cookies
makes: 36 cookies
12 sprigs fresh lavender
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
grated rind of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
hazelnuts to decorate
Preheat oven at 350°F. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Peel off lavender florets. Cream butter and sugar. Add lemon zest, juice and vanilla. Beat in egg. Blend in dry ingredients. Dough will be sticky. Drop by teaspoon onto the cookie sheet. Top with hazelnuts. Bake 15 minutes until light gold. Shop Organic Lavender
This is a specialty recipe from the Avonlea West Island Retreat
Mayne Island , British Columbia
Raspberry/Lavender Vinaigrette
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons late-harvest sauvignon blanc (basalmic vinegar may be substituted)
2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh lavender
2 tablespoons lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
To prepare the vinaigrette, combine all of the ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, and shake until blended. Taste and adjust seasonings. Allow flavors some time to mingle. Shop Organic Lavender
Lavender Lemonade
1 quart fresh squeezed or pre-made lemonade
1 tsp. to 1 Tbsp. culinary lavender
1 cup boiling water
Pour boiling water over the lavender and allow to steep for 10 min. Strain out lavender and add to the lemonade. Serve well chilled. Shop Organic Lavender
Lavender Ginger Apple Cider
From Hood River Lavender.com
Prep Time: 20 min. Makes 16 cups
1 gal.organic apple cider
6 TBS Organic Culinary Lavender "Signature Blend"
2 tsp. fresh grated ginger
1 med. culinary muslin bag or cheese cloth
Bring apple cider to a simmer, and then turn heat to low. Add muslin bag filled with culinary lavender and ginger. Cover, and simmer 15 minutes to infuse. Remove muslin bag. Serve warm.
Enjoy this wonderfully warming and unique, crisp apple cider on cool Autumn’s daze.
Great as a cold drink too! Shop Organic Lavender
Lavender Honey Custard Ice Cream
(Makes about 4 cups)
¾ cup milk
1/3 cup honey
1 Tbsp dried culinary lavender
1 ½ cups heavy cream
½ vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise
10 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk, honey, lavender, and ¾ cup of the cream. Add the vanilla bean. Heat, stirring often, until small bubbles start to form around the edge; do not boil. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks and sugar. Beat with an electric mixer for 5 minutes, or the mixture is a light lemony yellow and forms a slowly dissolving ribbon when the beater is lifted.
Slowly beat in the milk mixture. Pour back into the saucepan. Use a paring knife to scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add them to the pan. Cook over med. heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and reaches 175*F on an instant-read thermometer (don’t go above 180*F or the eggs will curdle).
Strain into a medium bowl. Place over a larger bowl containing ice cubes and cold water. Stir often until cool. Stir in the vanilla extract and the remaining ¾ cup cream. Transfer to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Lavender, Rosemary, Garlic and Olive Focaccia
Prep time: 20 min.
Cooking time: 12-15 min.
Servings: 6
1 pound fast pizza dough or 1 pound frozen bread or pizza dough, thawed
2 Tbsp olive oil (extra-virgin)
¼ cup pitted & chopped imported black olives
2 tsp chopped lavender buds
1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp coarse salt
ground black pepper to taste
Lavender Vanilla Sugar
(Makes 2 cups)
2 cups granulated sugar
2 vanilla beans, cut in half
lengthwise and then into
small pieces
1 Tbsp dried culinary Lavender buds
In a spice grinder, pulse 2 Tbsp of the sugar with
the vanilla beans until very finely minced. Transfer
to a bowl. In the spice grinder, pulse the lavender
with 1 Tbsp of the remaining sugar until finely
ground. Transfer to the bowl and stir in the
remaining sugar. Transfer to a jar, cover tightly,
and let stand for at least 5 days before using.
CHARBAY LAVENDER MOJITO
1 oz. fresh lime
1 oz. fresh simple syrup
2-3 lavender sprigs and 5 mint leaves
2.5 oz. Charbay Rum or Charbay Tahitian Vanilla Bean Rum
2.5 oz. Club soda
In a mixing glass, muddle mint & lavender, lime and sugar with vigor; add ice, rum, club
soda and stir well. (Contributed by David Nepove, a.k.a. Mr. Mojito, of Enrico’s Sidewalk
Café, San Francisco) Shop Organic Lavender
Lavender Cranberry Orange Biscotti
Makes: 16 to 18 biscotti
Prep: 20 minutes Bake: 50 minutes
6 Tbsp butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp Pure Orange Extract
2 tsp Orange Zest
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp Culinary Lavender (½ Provence – ½ Angustifolia “Melissa”)
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup dried cranberries
(Recipe courtesy of Miss Diane, Hood River Lavender Farms, December 21, 2006)
Ginger Cake With Blackberries and Lavender Whipped Cream*
Lavender Whipped Cream
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon dried lavender
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Fruit
1 cup fresh blackberries, at room temperature
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Batter
6 tablespoons whole milk
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 ounces unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons full-flavored molasses
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
Whipped cream: Bring 1/4 cup of the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat and add the dried lavender and let steep for 20 to 30 minutes.
Pour the additional 1 cup heavy cream into a medium-size bowl. Set a sieve over the bowl and pour the lavender-infused cream through the sieve into the cold cream; discard the lavender. Stir in the sugar; cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. An hour or two before using, lightly whip the cream and return it to the refrigerator until serving time.
To prepare the fruit: An hour before making the cake, place the berries in a small bowl; sprinkle the sugar and vinegar over them, and gently toss. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour. Set a sieve over a medium bowl and pour the berries into it to drain. Reserve both the juice and the berries.
For the cake: Adjust rack to lower third of oven; preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 9 x 2-inch round layer cake pan and line it with a round of parchment or waxed paper. Blend berry juice (usually about 2 tablespoons) with the milk in a small bowl. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices onto a sheet of waxed paper; set aside.
Using a heavy-duty mixer, preferably with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with the brown sugar at medium speed until the mixture is light in color and fluffy-textured. Add the egg and beat until it is well blended. Beat in the molasses, oil and fresh ginger. On lowest speed, add half of the flour mixture, then the milk mixture, then the remaining flour mixture. Spread half of the batter in the prepared pan. Fold the berries and any remaining juices into the remaining batter. Spread it evenly over batter in the baking pan. (It's OK if some of the berries break up a bit.) Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cake tests done when a wooden toothpick inserted in cake comes out free of crumbs.
Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack, then turn right-side up on another wire rack or serving platter.
Serve cake warm or at room temperature, cut into pie-shaped wedges. Spoon a dollop of the lavender whipped cream on top of each serving. Serves 8
*Recipe Credit goes to Cooking With GALA
Lavender Butter
With its complement of honey and lavender, this butter makes a great partner to muffins, scones, and even sweet cornbread. You can form the butter into a log, as I suggest below, and slice off coins as needed. Or you can use a cookie press to extrude pretty shapes onto parchment or wax paper. Put in the freezer until solid, peel off the paper, and store the dabs in freezer bags. When company comes, take out a few pieces and let them come to room temperature. Frozen, the butter stays fresh-tasting for about a month. In the refrigerator, it keeps for about a week.
¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon honey or lavender honey
1 tablespoon dried organic culinary “Provence” lavender buds, finely ground in spice grinder or coffee grinder
Place the butter, honey, and lavender in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until just combined. Transfer to a sheet of parchment or wax paper. Roll into a 1” wide log. Refrigerate or freeze.
Credit for this recipe goes to: Sharon Shipley’s “The Lavender Cookbook”
Published by Running Press Book Publishers
(awesome cookbook, I highly recommend it!)
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