 Lavender
Different varieties have different flavors. Melissa has a very delicate flavor. English lavender is a favorite for cooking because it has the least amount of camphor while the French and Spanish lavenders are very piney and camphoric and should only be used in heartier dishes.
Lavender is beautiful and easy to grow, planted directly in the ground or containers or as a houseplant in cold climes. Lavender grows as a shrub reaching up to three feet in height and does best in full sun. To enjoy the scent, plant it in a place where it will be brushed against frequently.
The potency of the flowers increases with drying and it’s easy to dry them for cooking. Pick the spikes when the first few buds have opened and hang the bunch upside down in a cool, dry spot. You can rub the buds off the stems as soon as they’re dry, and store them in an airtight container. (If you buy dried lavender, make sure it’s labeled as food grade or culinary to make sure it hasn’t been sprayed with pesticides.) For cooking, use 1/3 the quantity of dried flowers to fresh. The key to cooking with lavender is to start out with a small amount. A little goes a long way.
Glazed Carrots (Serves 4)
1 pound carrots
2 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons dried lavender flowers
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon coarsely crushed cardamom seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons orange juice
2/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon lime juice
Place the carrots in a single layer in a skillet. Add 2 tablespoons of ghee, the maple syrup, lavender flowers, turmeric, cardamom, coriander, orange juice, water and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer the young carrots for as little as 20 minutes.
When almost all the water has evaporated, uncover and rapidly boil off the remainder of the water. Shake the pan to keep the carrots from sticking until the carrots are coated with a shiny glaze. Remove from pan from heat, then add the pepper and fresh lime juice.
Lavender-Plum Chutney
3 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter
1/2 tablespoon peeled fresh ginger root, minced
1 three inch strip of orange zest, slivered
1-1/2 pounds firm ripe plums, halved, pitted and quartered
1/4 teaspoon each ground mace, cloves, cinnamon, coriander and turmeric
1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender
Heat the ghee or butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. When hot, stir in the ginger and orange zest, cook for a minute to release the oils. Add the remaining ingredients, raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Reduce the heat to low and cook until the chutney is fairly thick and glazed, about 1/2 hour. Serve at room temperature, or refrigerate
for up to four days. (You can use peaches, nectarines, apricots or mangoes.)
Lavender Shortbread
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon dried lavender
Sift the flour. Beat the butter and sugar in a mixer until creamy. Add the flour and beat until combined. Add the lavender and beat just to distribute through the dough.
Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill until firm, at least an hour.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Roll out the dough to about 1/4” thickness and cut desired shapes. Place on parchment lined baking sheets and bake until just golden, about 18 minutes.
Festive Lavender
For family-friendly fun with lavender, visit the month-long lavender festival in Cherry Valley, California. The Highland Springs Resort
hosts the celebration of lavender dishes, fields and fragrance. For more information visit: www.123farm.com.
Ayurvedic chef Patti Garland lives in Palm Desert where she teaches, cooks and gardens. She is the Ayurvedic food consultant for the 2005 and 2008 National Ayurvedic Medical Association conferences and the 2008 International Association of Yoga Therapists conference. www.Blisskitchen.com
Photo: Chris Garland, www.xenodesign.com |
