Lavender Recipes

Cooking with Lavender | Drying your own Lavender

We have dried the culinary lavender and used it to make our sugar, dressing, herbs de provence and Lavender Lemon Pepper. Cooking with lavender is one of the ways to bring the sparkle of summer back into eating. The pepper is fabulous on fish, steaks, and popcorn. For other ideas for cooking with this fragrant herb, We've listed our favorites below, and would like to link you to a site that has the best from our farm and other farms across America...What's Cooking America

The Purple Haze collection includes: Herbed Chevre with Crostini from our friend Hope Borsato, the recipe for Lavender Honey Bunches from our RECIPE FOLDER, and our recipe for Lavender Honey Ice Cream. If you enjoy them and have a favorite lavender recipe of your own, We would love to hear from you.


Herbed Chevre with Crostini
8 oz. mild chevre, crumbled
2 tbsp. Herbs de Provence
8 cloves garlic, peeled and thinkly sliced
1 tsp. pepper flakes
1 tbsp. cracked peppercorns
3/4-1 cup extra virgin ollive oil

Prepare in a glass bowl or serving dish to accent the colors and layering.
Begin layering one third of crumbled chevre, then one third each: Herbs de Provence, garlic slices, pepper flakes and cracked peppercorns. Continue with three layers or until all ingredients are utilized. Pour oil to just below surface level.
Though delicious even made while guests await, it is best prepared ahead of time so flavors can blend. Refrigerate. Bring to room temp one hour before serving.
For Crostini: Slice French bread thinly, brush with olive oil. toast in 350 degree oven until light brown and crisp.

Lavender Honey Bunches
3 cups quick oats
2 cups flaked coconut
1 cup unbleached flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon dried lavender

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine oats, coconut, and flour in a large mixing bowl. In a heavy sauce pan bring butter, honey, sugar and lavender to a boil. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well. Drop dough by the spoonful into muffin tins, making each one about 1-2 inches high. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden, being careful NOT to overbake. Cool in the tins for 15 minutes before removing. These cookies store well and are excellent for care packages.

Lavender Ice Cream
3/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon dried lavender placed in a tea ball or gause
1 cup half and half
2 cups heavy cream
7 egg yolks

Pour the half and half and the cream into a heavy sauce pan. Add the lavender to this mixture and warm for about 5 minutes. Remove the lavender flowers. Wisk the egg yolks in a bowl until they are frothy. Slowly pour the about half of the warm cream into the mixture of egg yolks as you wisk continuously. Combine the remainder of the yolk and cream mixture into the saucepan and continue to heat on low (stiring constantly) for about 5 minutes. Strain the mixture into a bowl and wisk in the honey. Chill the mixture and then freeze according to the instructions on your ice cream maker.

Lavender Pistachio Lamb Chops
Ingredients:
8 lamb chops (or a rack of lamb)
2/3 cup pistachios, toasted
1/2 cup honey
2 Tbsp culinary lavender
olive oil

Serve with parsnips or any root vegetable accompanied by a green salad.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor pulse the pistachios and lavender until all nuts are broken up but not powdered. Season lamb with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy gauge or cast iron pan to medium high. Add enough oil to coat pan well. Add chops and sear well, turning once.

Set aside. In a small saucepan heat honey just to warm. Dredge each chop in honey then in lavender/pistachio mixture. Place on sheet pan and finish cooking in oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes for chops or 10 minutes for rack before carving.
Serves 4

Pear and Lavender Clafoutis
Ingredients:
6 eggs
1 1/4 cup whole milk (or half & half)
6 Tbsp sugar
2 cups Bartlett or Comice pears, peeled and sliced
3/4 cup unbleached white flour plus 1 Tbsp for dusting fruit
1 tsp culinary lavender
1 Tbsp brandy
1/2 tsp salt
confectioners' sugar for dusting

A batter-type cake from south central France that is served as a delicious dessert or an elegant breakfast. Try using other fruits like black cherries.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 9-inch round baking dish. Combine eggs, milk, sugar, lavender, brandy and salt in a food processor. Add flour and blend until combined. Toss fruit in a separate bowl with 1 Tbsp flour. Distribute fruit into baking dish. Pour the egg mixture over and bake 30 minutes or until skewer comes out clean. Cool slightly and then dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm.
Serves 8

Slow Roasted Tomatoes
Ingredients:
6 plum tomatoes, halved or quartered
11/2 tsp herbs de provence
1 Tbsp olive oil
pinch of sugar (optional)

This slow roasting process produces tomatoes that are oven-candied and splendid as antipasto, tossed with pasta or added to a Mediterranean sandwich.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. In a bowl, toss tomatoes lightly with herbs, oil, pinch of sugar and salt and pepper. Line a sheet pan with parchment and place tomatoes cut side up. Roast for 1 1/2 to 3 hours. (Timing depends on use and ripeness of tomatoes) Serve at room temperature or store airtight in refrigerator.

Lavender Margaritas
Ingredients:
3/4 - 1 cup tequila
1/3 - 1/2 cup blue curacao or other orange flavor liqueur
3/4 - 1 cup canned coconut milk
1/4 - 1/3 cup lime juice
1 1/2 - 2 cups frozen unsweetened raspberries
1 1/2 - 2 cups frozen unsweetened blueberries
3-4 ice cubes
1 t. lavender

In a blender, combine the tequila, curacao, coconut milk and lime juice. Cover and turn to high speed, then gradually add berries and ice. Whirl until smooth and slushy. Pour into glasses. You can rub glass rims with lime and dip the rim in lavender sugar or salt. Add a lavender sprig for garnish!