Lavender in the kitchen: 3 fresh, gourmet recipes for summer!

Summer’s finally here, and with it the desire for fresh, tasty recipes that will immediately transport you to the lavender fields of Provence! Discover 3 fresh, gourmet recipes to delight your taste buds!
Cucumber gazpacho with lavender
Ingrédients:
- 2 cucumber
- 1 plain yoghurt
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dried lavender flowers
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- A few sprigs of chives for garnish
Preparation:
- Peel and chop the cucumbers.
- Peel and crush the garlic clove.
- In a blender, combine the cucumbers, yoghurt, garlic, cider vinegar, olive oil and dried lavender flowers.
- Blend until smooth and homogeneous.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
- Serve chilled, garnished with a few sprigs of snipped chives.
Tip:
For an even cooler effect, add a few ice cubes to the blender before serving.

Roasted apricots with almonds & lavender
Ingrédients:
- 8 ripe apricots
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon dried lavender flowers
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- A few sprigs of fresh lavender for decoration (optional)
Preparation:
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (gas mark 6).
- Wash the apricots, cut them in half and remove the stones. Place apricot halves in an ovenproof dish, cut side up.
- In a small bowl, combine the honey, melted butter and vanilla extract. Add the dried lavender flowers and mix well.
- Spoon the honey-lavender mixture over each apricot half. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the apricots are tender and lightly caramelized.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
- Serve the roasted apricots warm or at room temperature, garnished with a few sprigs of fresh lavender for decoration if you like.
- Accompany these roasted apricots with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of crème fraîche for an even more delicious dessert. You can also serve them on a bed of Greek yoghurt and sprinkle them with granola for a refined breakfast or brunch.
Tip:
For a touch of crunch, add a few toasted flaked almonds before serving.

Lavender and honey ice cream
Ingrédients:
- 500 ml full-fat cream
- 250 ml milk
- 150 g honey
- 2 tablespoons dried lavender flowers
- 4 egg yolks
Preparation:
- In a saucepan, heat the cream, milk and lavender flowers until boiling.
- Remove from heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.
- Strain the mixture to remove the lavender flowers.
- In a bowl, beat the egg yolks with the honey until the mixture whitens.
- Return the saucepan to a low heat and stir in the egg-honey mixture, stirring constantly until thickened (do not allow to boil).
- Leave to cool completely, then pour into an ice-cream maker.
- Turbinate according to your machine’s instructions, then place in the freezer until the ice cream is firm.
Tip:
Serve with fresh fruit or a red fruit coulis for an even more gourmet dessert.
