Preparing food with special ingredients is the ultimate Indulgence.  Treat yourself to some unique flavors by trying a few of these recipes.

Lavender Sugar

This perfumed sugar lends an exotic aromatic flavor to any sweet recipe.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp dried culinary lavender

4 ½ cups superfine sugar

Mix the lavender and sugar together well and store in an airtight container for at least a month.  Shake well regularly.  Use in cakes, puddings and summer drinks, sifting the lavender flowers out before use.  Don't want to wait for it to season?  Purchase aged Lavender Sugar here.

Lavender Cookies

In folklore, lavender has always been linked with love, so make these cookies in a heart shape to serve on any romantic occasion.

Ingredients:

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

¼ cup superfine sugar

1 ½ cups all purpose flower

2 tbsp fresh lavender florets, or 1 tbsp dried culinary lavender, roughly chopped

2 tbsp superfine sugar for sprinkling, or Lavender Sugar

Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.  Stir in the flour and lavender and bring the mixture together in a soft ball.  Cover and chill for 15 minutes.  Heat the oven to 400˚F.  Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut out cookies in desired shape  Place on a heavy baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, or until golden.  Leave the cookies standing for 5 minutes to set up before removing from cookie sheet.  Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.  You can store these cookies in an airtight container for up to one week.

Lavender Cake

Bake a summer scented cake that is reminiscent of those times when lavender was extremely popular for its fragrance and flavor.

Ingredients:

¾ cup unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup superfine sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 ½ cups self-rising flour, sifted

1 tbsp dried culinary lavender, roughly chopped

½ tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp milk

½ cup confectioners sugar, sifted

½ tsp water

Heat the oven to 350˚F.  Lightly grease and flour a ring pan or a deep 8” round loose-bottomed cake pan.  Cream the butter and sugar together thoroughly until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition until the mixture becomes thick and glossy.  Fold in the flour, lavender, vanilla extract and milk.  Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour.  Let sit 5 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool.  Mix the confectioners sugar with water until smooth.  Pour over the cake after it is completely cooled.

Garnish with fresh lavender florets or Lavender Sugar if desired.

Lavender Scones

Lend an unusual, but delicious lavender perfume to your scones and make an elegant, romantic treat.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 tbsp baking powder

4 tbsp butter

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp dried culinary lavender, roughly chopped

about 2/3 cup milk

Heat the oven to 425˚F.  Sift together the flour and baking powder.  Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Stir in the sugar and lavender, reserving a pinch of lavender to sprinkle on top of the scones before baking them.  Add enough milk to make a soft, sticky dough.  Form the mixture together and turn it onto a well-floured work surface.  Shape the dough into a circle, gently patting the top to give it a 1” depth.  Using a floured cutter, cut out 12 scones.  Place on a baking sheet.  Brush the tops with a little milk and sprinkle with the reserved lavender.  Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden.  Serve warm, with any topping desired.  Plum jam and clotted cream are especially delightful.

Lavender Broiled Fish

This succulent dish is an aromatic treat on hot summer days.

Ingredients:

¼ cup butter

1 tbsp lemon juice

½ teaspoon dried dillweed, or 1 tsp snipped fresh dill

1 tsp dried culinary lavender, chopped

(As an alternative, substitute 2 tsp roughly chopped Herbs de Provence for the dill and lavender.)

½ tsp salt

dash pepper

2 pounds fresh or frozen fish fillets (thawed)

In a small saucepan, melt butter.  Stir in lemon juice, salt and herbs.  Use while still melted.  Preheat broiler.  Cut fillets into 6 portions.  Place fish in a single layer on a greased, unheated rack in a broiler pan or in a greased baking pan.  Tuck under any thin edges.  Brush half the melted butter mixture over fish.  Season buttered fish lightly with salt and pepper.  Broil fish 4” from heat until it flakes easily when tested with a fork.  Brush fish with remaining butter mixture during cooking.  Allow about 10 minutes for 1” steaks or fillets, less for smaller pieces.

Herbed Potatoes

These delightful potatoes make a nice complement to roasted lamb, beef, pork and chicken.

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds of tiny new potatoes, or medium potatoes peeled and quartered

¼ cup butter or margarine

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp Herbs de Provence

Scrub potatoes and boil until tender.  Drain.  Place in a large baking dish.  Meanwhile, melt butter, stir in lemon juice and herbs.  Pour over potatoes and toss to coat.   Preheat broiler and place potatoes 6” from heat.  Broil 5 minutes or until lightly browned.  Toss again and broil another 5 minutes.  Serve hot.  Garnish with freshly snipped parsley if desired.

Lavender Leg of Lamb

What a nice twist to an already elegant dish.

Ingredients:

3-4# leg of lamb

2 garlic cloves, cut in slices

salt and pepper

1 tbsp culinary lavender or Herbs de Provence, roughly chopped

Insert garlic slices into meat by cutting a thin hole just under the surface scattered all over the roast.  Sprinkle the salt, pepper and lavender over all surfaces of the roast.  Place the meat, fat side up, on an unheated rack in a shallow roasting pan.  Insert a meat thermometer.  Do not add water or other liquid.  Do not cover the roasting pan.  Roast the meat in a preheated 325˚F oven until the meat thermometer registers 160˚F for a medium roast.  Approximately 1 ½ to 1 ¾ hours.  For easier carving, let the meat stand about 15 minutes.