Delicious Lavender Recipes
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LUSCIOUS LAVENDER LIMEADE
6 - 8 Servings
Ingredients
- 10 cups of water
- Freshly squeezed juice of 6-8 fresh lime or one can of frozen lime concentrate (dilute as per instructions).
- 2 cups of sugar, corn syrup or (lavender) honey to taste. Sweetness is subjective so it’s always best to experiment. Syrup or (lavender) honey mixes easy if a greater sweetness is desired.
- ½ cup of lavender flower buds. Choose a variety which is camphor free, e.g. an Augustifolia lavender.
- 1-2 teaspoons of grated lime zest (optional)
Directions:
GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST PROVENÇAL
6 - 8 Servings
Ingredients:
- 8 boneless skin-on chicken breast halves.
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup lavender honey or any fluid honey
- ¼ cup lemon or lime zest or mixed 50/50
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup of white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons of finely chopped, culinary lavender buds.
- ½ teaspoon of freshly ground pepper or to taste
- Sea salt flakes to taste
- ½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce (optional)
Directions:
BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH HONEY, COFFEE AND LAVENDER CREAM SAUCE.
6 - 8 Servings
This outrageously delicious, Award Winning dish serves ‘fall-apart’ lamb shanks with a sauce reduction made with honey, coffee and lavender served on top of a magnificent mound of mashed potatoes.
Ingredients:
6-10 lamb shanks. Support your local butcher by buying Ontario or Quebec lamb.
I cup carrots, brushed or peeled and rinsed well, cut in ½ inch pieces, discarding the tops.
4-5 medium sized onions, peeled and cut into quarters or use about 12-15 peeled small shallots.
3-4 peeled cloves of garlic cut into halves.
3-4 celery stalks cut into ½ inch pieces.
1½ liters of vegetable or beef stock.
200 ml red wine (optional)substitute with water or stock.
½ liter whipping cream (14% or 35% for extra richness).
Lavender Honey – up to 1 tablespoon per shank.
Freshly ground pepper and salt to taste.
1 tablespoon of olive oil.
2 tablespoons of salted butter
1 teaspoon instant coffee or more to taste.
4 rosemary sprigs.
½ teaspoon of dried culinary lavender.
Directions:
Wipe loins dry with a paper towel and season well with salt and pepper. Sear in a hot pan using 1 tablespoon of olive oil and two tablespoons of salted butter until brown on all sides. Remove the shanks from the pan, drizzle with lavender honey – up to 1 tablespoon per shank depending on size, and let them rest for 10-15 minutes while preparing the vegetables.
(Save pan drippings from the lamb for making the sauce, remove excess oil/fat as desired but do not discard juice)
Place the browned lamb shanks in a large cast iron cooking pot with a tight fitting lid, e.g. a Dutch oven or seal well with foil – Slow Cookers are another option.
Sprinkle the carrots, onion, garlic and celery evenly over the lamb shanks. Add 200 ml red wine (optional) and 1½ liters of vegetable or beef stock. The wine can be replaced with the same quantity of water or stock if preferred.
Add 4 rosemary sprigs and a ½ teaspoon of dried culinary lavender – lightly chop the lavender to release the savory oils.
Cover the pot and bake at 350 C for 2 ½ - 3 hours. There is no need to stir the dish.
15 minutes before the lamb shanks are done, prepare the sauce. Reheat the pan used for browning the lamb shanks. Add ½ - 1 cup of the reserved broth from the shanks. Reduce to half and add ½ liter whipping cream.
Reduce to ½ and add a teaspoon of instant coffee or more to taste. The coffee will make the sauce darker. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Serve shanks and drained vegetables on top of mashed potatoes. Pour the sauce reduction over the shanks and mashed potatoes and decorate with a fresh twig of rosemary and if available with a sprig or two of dried or fresh lavender.
Serve with mixed green salad for added nutrition and color.
Pair with robust red wine such as Ontario Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon. Enjoy!
LAVENDER INFUSED CREAM DESSERT
Ingredients:
1/2 liter - 16 ounces of whipping cream
4 - 6 sprigs of fresh or dried lavender
or
1 teaspoon of lavender florets
Directions:
For an added extra, top with a pinch of lavender florets or a fresh sprig when in season.
FROZEN LAVENDER BLOSSOMS
Ingredients:
Enough sprigs of fresh lavender florets to fill your ice cube tray with at least one floret per cube.
Directions:
Snip off the stem and leaves (reserve for another use - see the recipe ideas titled "Uses for Lavender Stems and Leaves").
Place at least one whole floret in each cube of your ice cube tray - or - add as much as you like to your ice mold.
Cover with water.
Freeze solid - remove from tray and store in a plastic bag or container. Make plenty of extra cubes while the fresh florets are in season (usually July - September)
A beautiful and tasty addition to iced tea, lemonade, punch or other favorite cold beverages.
LAVENDER SUGAR
Ingredients:
4 cups (1 liter) castor or fine sugar
4 teaspoons (20 ml) dried culinary lavender florets
Directions:
Place sugar and lavender in a food processor or use a mortar and pestle to evenly blend the mixture. Place in an airtight container, away from direct sunlight until required.
Sweeten up your favorite recipes according to your taste preferences.
LAVENDER SHORTBREAD COOKIES
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups softened salted butter
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup ground rice flour
2/3 cup lavender sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325F.
Combine butter and lavender sugar, cream until light and fluffy.
Combine all purpose flour and rice flour, sift into creamed butter mixture. Blend ingredients. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 15 minutes. On a floured surface, roll out dough to desired thickness and cut out in desired shapes and sizes.
Bake until golden brown, approximately 20 minutes, on trays lined with baking paper to prevent sticking.
Sprinkle hot cookies with more lavender sugar if desired, allow to cool before storing in an airtight container. These cookies freeze well.
LAVENDER FLOWER TEA
1 Cup Serving
Lavender flowers, either fresh or dried, make a soft, slightly pungent tea which is good for relaxation, headaches and insomnia.
Ingredients:
1 cup of boiling water
1 teaspoon dried lavender florets
or
2 teaspoons fresh lavender florets, with or without stems and leaves.
Directions:
Add fresh or dried lavender to your tea cup, cover with boiling water and put a saucer on top of the cup for 15 minutes.
Strain before drinking.
Add honey or lavender simple syrup to sweeten.
Double the recipe above and use the 'tea' as a cleansing and soothing skin tonic.
LAVENDER SIMPLE SYRUP
Ingredients:
1 cup castor or fine sugar
or
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons of dried culinary lavender florets
or
1 cup of fresh lavender florets
2 1/2 cups of water
Directions:
Place lavender and water in a pot, simmer for 20 - 30 minutes. Strain and return fragrant water to pot adding honey or sugar to warm liquid.
Continue to gently simmer until thickened to a syrup - it will lightly coat the back of a metal spoon.
Cool and pour syrup into a tightly sealed bottle or jar.
Store in a cool dark place or refrigerate.
Sweeten up your favorite recipes according to your taste preferences.
USES FOR LAVENDER STEMS AND LEAVES
At Lavender Sense, we waste no part of our precious plants. The florets are where most of the perfume and flavor reside, but the spikes / stems and leaves are also edible and fragrant.
Enjoy the experience of harvesting your own fresh lavender during our "pick your own" season (usually July - September) or purchase ready picked fresh lavender while in season or dried lavender throughout the year.
Use your lavender stems as skewers.
Savory Ideas:
Thread cherry tomatoes, and other "easy to skewer"
ingredients: basil leaves, cheese, cold cuts, cooked shrimp, cooked meatballs ..... to name a few, cover and let rest for 30 minutes or more to allow a fragrant lavender infusion to transfer from the spikes/stems into your savory ingredients. Sprinkle savory items with our fresh blend of herbs de provence for another taste treat.
Sweet Ideas:
Thread seasonal berries, melon balls, bananas, grapes and "easy to skewer" sweet ingredients: marsh mellows, mini brownies, cookie dough balls.....to name a few, cover and let rest for 30 minutes or more to allow a fragrant lavender infusion to transfer from the spikes/stems into your sweet ingredients.
For a beautiful presentation, leave the lavender flowers attached to the stem before threading as skewers.
Practical Ideas:
Lavender stems and leaves are great additions to any pot pourri blend. Break them up to release their fragrant perfume.
Fragrant Fire Starters - Naturally
Lavender stems make great fire starters - indoors or outdoors. Bundle a handful of stems, tie with cotton string and store them with your firewood until needed. Fire starter bundles are easy to carry to the beach side and campground locations.
Lavender BBQ smokers. Break up stems and leaves, starting with a few at a time or add to your favorite wood chip mix. Place on a punctured aluminum pie plate or inside a loosely opened foil packet - to allow the stems to burn. Close the BBQ lid and let the smoke fill your grill. Check the aroma when you lift the lid - before - adding your food. We believe that less is best with all new taste sensations. Experiment and let us know what works and what doesn't.
Lavender and Smudging - A Native Indian Tradition
Recommended for outdoor use only.
Smudging involves the burning of medicines and herbs. A smudge is burned primarily for purification and to help create a positive mind set.
Bundle lavender stems, tightly wrap and tie with cotton thread, light the bundle being mindful of safety - have water close by in order to extinguish the bundle.
Wave or blow out the flame so that smoke is created. Move the smoking bundle at an arm's length distance, around your body and personal space starting at your head moving to your feet.
If you don't have lavender spikes/stems to make bundles, place a tablespoon of dried florets in a fire proof container such as a ceramic dish (large sea shells are common in traditional smudge kits).
Lavender is known to restore balance and create a peaceful atmosphere. It will also attract loving energy. Carry dried florets in sachets or 'medicine pouches' - squeeze to release the restorative fragrance.
Share your discoveries for using lavender and we'll be happy to add them to our list.
