By Laura Coffee, Marketing & Owner Services Manager, Co-op Owner
This month’s herb is lavender, a wonderfully fragrant plant. While most people know that lavender can be used to brew a pleasant and calming tea, they may not be as familiar with its many culinary uses. To find out more about lavender you can check out this video. To sign up for future installments of the Herb/Spice of the Month program visit the CRDL website.
Lavender Balsamic Dressing
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp lavender flowers
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until well combined. (If you are feeling brave try just shaking everything up in a bottle or jar – but make sure the lid is on tight!) For a stronger flavor, mix everything up in advance and allow it to sit overnight before using. The dressing can be used on salads, as a marinade for grilling, or as a dipping blend for good crusty bread.
Lavender Simple Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp lavender flowers
Combine ingredients in a small sauce pan over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved and bubbles begin to form on the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and let it sit, covered, for 15 minutes. Strain out the lavender flowers and store in the refrigerator. This syrup can be used to flavor cocktails, mocktails, teas, or use it instead of sugar to make a delightfully aromatic batch of lemonade.
For my simple mocktail I combined 1 Tbsp of Lavender Simple Syrup with 8oz of sparkling water and a spritz of lemon, then garnished with a lemon wedge and a sprig of mint. Very refreshing!