Lavender biscuits

These biscuits are great on their own and delicious served with vanilla ice cream or vanilla creme brulee.


INGREDIENTS
Makes 20 biscuits
50g caster sugar
130g butter
200g self raising flour
1tbsp lavender flowers


Cream the butter and sugar, add the flour and lavender flowers and work until it comes together. Wrap and chill for 20 minutes, then roll out to about 5mm thick. Stamp out with a cutter, bake for 7-8 minutes at 180C

Lavender creme brulee

This lavender scented creme brulee is delicious served with some chopped strawberries and if you are feeling particularly indulgent add a pieces of shortbread on the side.


INGREDIENTS

Serves 4

2 vanilla pods

300ml double cream

200ml whole milk

8 large free-range or organic egg yolks

75g sugar

a bunch of lavender, flowers picked

4 tablespoons caster sugar

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 140°C/275°F/gas 1. Score the vanilla pods lengthways and scrape out the vanilla seeds with a knife or a teaspoon.

2. Place the seeds into a saucepan, add the pods, cream and milk and slowly bring to the boil. Remove from the heat.

3. Meanwhile, get yourself a large bowl that will fit over your pan and beat together the egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy. Remove the vanilla pods from the pan and, little by little, add the milk and cream to the egg mixture in the bowl, whisking continuously. Add 2.5cm of hot water to your dirty pan, bring to a simmer and put the bowl on top of the pan. Cook the mixture for 5 minutes over the simmering water, stirring often, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Stir in a small handful of lavender flowers, but the trick is to be delicate – you only need a hint of its distinctive, strong flavour.

4. Remove any bubbles or froth from the mixture before dividing it between your ramekins. Stand these in a high-sided roasting tray, and fill the tray with water halfway up the ramekins. Place carefully in the preheated oven and cook for around 30 to 45 minutes or until the mixture has set but is still slightly wobbly in the centre. Allow to cool at room temperature then place in the fridge until ready.

6. To serve, sprinkle each crème brûlée with a tablespoon of caster sugar and some more of the lavender flowers and caramelize under a very hot grill or using the chef’s torch.

Lavender & Honey Lamb

Lamb is a meat that lavender (like rosemary) works so well with. This recipe is simple and can be adapted easily. The honey also works well, providing a balance to the flavours of lamb.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4-6

1kg lamb steaks –

1 heaped dessert spoon dried culinary lavender

1 dessert spoon fresh Rosemary leaves coarsely chopped

1 clove of garlic – chopped finely

1½ tablespoons runny honey

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

Sea Salt & Pepper

Place the steaks in a shallow dish, season with a good grind of salt and pepper, sprinkle over the lavender, rosemary, garlic, olive oil and honey. The messy bit that I love is to use your hands to mix everything up, ensuring that all the lamb is well covered in the herby, sweet mixture. Leave for a few hours (preferably more) covered in foil for the meat to absorb all the flavours.

The resulting steaks can be barbequed, baked or grilled. My preference is to lay them in a shallow roasting tray and put them into a hot (220°C) preheated oven until cooked to your liking, turning once halfway through.

Serve with new potatoes and fresh seasonal vegetables. 

Smoked haddock and spring onion tart

This tart is well worth baking. The tart tastes creamy and is wonderfully aromatic. It works well served with a range of salads. You can make your own shortcrust pastry, or if you are pushed for time buy some ready made pastry.

INGREDIENTS

       2500g shortcrust pastry and flour for rolling

       2 fillets smoked haddock with skin on (about 500g/1lb 2oz)

       1 tbsp butter

       2 bunches spring onions, finely sliced

       3 eggs

       300g crème fraîche (or a 300ml pot double cream)

       1 tsp Dijon mustard

handful chives , finely chopped 

85g mature cheddar or Gruyère, grated

METHOD

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Roll the pastry out on a floured surface to fit a 23cm fluted tart tin. Line the case with pastry, leaving plenty of overhang. Line the pastry with baking parchment, fill with baking beans and sit it on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 mins, until the pastry looks pale and feels a little sandy. Remove the paper and beans, then return to the oven for 10 mins more, until just golden.

2. Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to a simmer. Drop in the haddock, skin-side down, and poach for 5 mins or until the flesh turns white. Drain, then cool a little. Peel away and discard the skin, then flake the flesh into the pastry case. Look out for any bones as you go.

3. Melt the butter in a frying pan, then gently cook the spring onions for about 3 mins or until softened but still a vibrant green. Beat the eggs, crème fraîche or cream and mustard together in a jug, then add the chives and season with salt and pepper.

4. Turn oven down to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Scatter the cheese and spring onions over the fish, then pour the egg mix over. Bake for about 50 mins, or until pale golden and just set in the middle. Let the tart cool completely before trimming the pastry around the edges.  The tart is also very good hot or warm.

              

Autumn chillies

Now that it is starting to turn chilly (pardon the pun), we have decided to reap our harvest of chillies. From as little as a pack and a half of seeds we have had a crop of an amazing amount of hot peppers (approximately 1.5 kilos). Pickling chillies is a good way of preserving a crop of this size. They will keep for 18 months in a sealed jar. You can then add the chillies to anything you are making from spicy curries to a simple toasted cheese and chilly sandwich throughout your culinary year.

Another great way to use chillies is to make a chilly sauce or to make some chilly jam. Any of these recipes can be made in small or large batches. They are great to have as a cupboard store item and they also make wonderfully colourful gifts for friends and family.

Pickled chillies

INGREDIENTS

500g chillies


80g/3oz coarse salt


750ml cold water


750ml bottle white vinegar


Extra 1 tablespoon coarse salt


1 tablespoons black peppercorns



1. Wash chillies thoroughly. Use rubber gloves to protect hands from burns when cutting chillies. Cut away any bruised or marked parts of chillies, do not remove seeds. 



2. Place chillies, salt and water in a bowl, stir until salt is dissolved. Cover, stand 24 hours. Drain and rinse chillies. 



3. Pack chillies into hot sterilised jars.

4. Combine vinegar, extra salt and peppercorns in a pan. Simmer gently for five minutes. Remove from heat and stand for five minutes. Pour over chillies, seal while hot. Store in a cool, dark place for six weeks before using.

TIP: Pierce the chillies before you put them into the jar. This will help to stop them floating in the jar.

Now that it is starting to turn chilly (pardon the pun), we have decided to reap our harvest of chillies. From as little as a pack and a half of seeds we have had a crop of an amazing amount of hot peppers (approximately 1.5 kilos). Pickling chillies is a good way of preserving a crop of this size. You can then add the chillies to anything you are making from spicy curries to a toasted cheese and chilly sandwich.

Another great way to use chillies is in a chilly sauce or to make a chilly jam. Any of these recipes can be made in small or large batches. They are great to have as a cupboard store item and they also make wonderfully coloured gifts.

Chilli jam

Another great way to use chillies is in a chilly sauce or to make a chilly jam. Any of these recipes can be made in small or large batches. They are great to have as a cupboard store item and they also make wonderfully coloured gifts.


INGREDIENTS

150gms/5oz long fresh red chillies de seeded and cut into four pieces each (or you can leave the seeds in for a hotter version).

150gms/5oz sweet red peppers cored de seeded and cut into chunks

1kg/2.2lbs Jam sugar

600mls cider vinegar or white wine vinegar

6 x 8oz sterilized sealable jars

METHOD

1. Put the cut up chillies into the food processsor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the chunks of sweet pepper and pulse again until you have a vibrantly red-flecked processor bowl

2. Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar in a wide, medium-sized pan over a low heat without stirring.

3. Scrape the pepper mixture out of the bowl and add to the pan. Bring to the boil and leave it at a rollicking boil for 10 minutes

4. Take the pan off the heat and allow the mixture to cool. The liquid will become more syrupy, then from syrup to viscous and from viscous to jelly like as it cools.

5. After about 40 minutes, or once the red flecks are more or less evenly distributed in the jelly (as the liquid firms up, the bits of chilli and pepper start being suspended in it rather than floating in it), ladle it into your jars. Then seal tightly.

Make the jam up to one month before using or giving.

Store in a cool dark place for up to a year.

Once opened store in the fridge and use within a month