Journal

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:

  1. Peel and chop the cucumbers.
  2. Peel and crush the garlic clove.
  3. In a blender, combine the cucumbers, yoghurt, garlic, cider vinegar, olive oil and dried lavender flowers.
  4. Blend until smooth and homogeneous.
  5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  6. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
  7. 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:

  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (gas mark 6).
  2. Wash the apricots, cut them in half and remove the stones. Place apricot halves in an ovenproof dish, cut side up.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the honey, melted butter and vanilla extract. Add the dried lavender flowers and mix well.
  4. 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.
  5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
  6. Serve the roasted apricots warm or at room temperature, garnished with a few sprigs of fresh lavender for decoration if you like.
  7. 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:

  1. In a saucepan, heat the cream, milk and lavender flowers until boiling.
  2. Remove from heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.
  3. Strain the mixture to remove the lavender flowers.
  4. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks with the honey until the mixture whitens.
  5. Return the saucepan to a low heat and stir in the egg-honey mixture, stirring constantly until thickened (do not allow to boil).
  6. Leave to cool completely, then pour into an ice-cream maker.
  7. 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.