Posts Tagged "locally grown lavender"

January 17, 2021

Chicken Provençal Recipe with Herbes de Provence

We’ve been longing to travel… but that won’t be happening soon   So,  if we can’t travel to Provence at least we can bring that idyllic wine and lavender oasis of France to our dinner table.  And what is more reminiscent of the beautiful region in France than herbes de Provence.

Obviously travelling vicariously is not quite the real thing but, it’ll have to do and what better way to travel than through food.

This week it’s a simple meal:  chicken,  dusted in flour and roasted with shallots, lemons, tomatoes, olives and garlic in a douse of dry red wine (I use the Pinot Noir from our sister company North 42 Degrees Estate Winery https://north42degrees.com/product/pinot-noir-2018-vqa/ ) and a sprinkle of  our own blend of herbes de Provence. https://serenitylavender.com/product/herbs-de-provence/   The chicken pieces crisp up on top, while the shallots and garlic melt into sweetness below. You could serve with rice, mashed potatoes or a simple green salad and a crispy fresh baguette to mop up the sauce.

Chicken Provencal with Herbes de Provence

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and/or drumsticks 
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ to ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Serenity Lavender herbes de Provence
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled
• 6 medium-size shallots, peeled and halved
• 1 pint/2 cups of  cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup pitted green olives
• ⅓ cup dry red Wine
• 4 sprigs of thyme, for serving

Method

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Rinse the chicken and pat dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture; this will ensure the skin gets nice and crispy
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Put the flour in a shallow pan or plate, and lightly dredge the chicken in it, shaking the pieces to remove excess flour.
• On the stove top in an oven proof skillet heat the olive oil and place the floured dredged chicken skin side down until crispy and golden brown about 6-7 minutes.  Turn the chicken over and cook the other side for about 6-7 minutes.  Sprinkle the chicken with the herbes de Provence.
• Arrange the lemon, garlic cloves, tomatoes and shallots around the chicken, then add the dry red wine to the pan.
• Put the pan in the oven, and roast for 10-12 minutes, then baste it with the pan juices (do not skip this step). Continue roasting for another 20minu tes, or until the chicken is very crisp and the meat cooked through.
• Serve in the pan or on a warmed platter, garnished with fresh thyme sprigs.

Serve with mashed potatoes, rice or crisp baguette.

Bon Appetit!

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November 19, 2019

Lavender Rubbed Lamb Chops with Arugula Salad

This time of year there is a lot of entertaining going on in our neighbourhood with house parties abound.  The food is just as diverse are our friends who are hosting these little soirees from wine and cheese  minglers to  the causal elegance of a sit down dinner.

If you are hosting a party this season we have a perfect recipe that gives a tender juicy lamb loin or rib chop a bit of zing in the flavour department using locally grown lavender. The aromatic rub of lavender and orange zest is an ideal flavour combination to make any cut of lamb a herbal fragrant note that is reminiscent of the southern coast of France.

Served with a lovely fall salad of arugula or other bitter greens and tossed with roasted hazelnuts and pomegranate seeds.  The pomegranate seeds are delightfully sweet and crunchy. The bright red colour and burst of flavour is one of our favourite additions to any salad this time of year, not just this one.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon minced shallot

1 Tablespoon finely grated orange zest

1 teaspoon Serenity Lavender’s dried culinary lavender buds

Pinch of sea salt

Pinch of freshly ground black peppercorns

8 double cut lamb chops (about 450 grams each)

Method

In a bowl, blend the olive oil with the shallot orange zest, lavender, salt and pepper.  Rub the mixture all over the lamb chops ad transfer them onto a broiling pan or metal rack set on a baking sheet.  Let the chops rest in the fridge for  2 -3 hours

Preheat the broiler and position a rack 8-10 inches from the heat. Broil the chops for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally until the temperature reads 140 degrees F.

Salad

Ingredients

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 a large lemon)

1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest

400 grams of arugula

1/2 cup of roasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup of pomegranate seeds

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

Place the arugula in a large bowl.  Add the remainder of the ingredients into a small round covered plastic container.  Shake well until the oil and lemon juice are blended.  Pour over the lettuce, toss and serve with the lamb chops.

Enjoy!

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