Lavender Picking, Culinary Uses for Lavender and Lavender Roasted Onions

Posted on July 13, 2009 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

After a little blogging hiatus, I’m back with a new blog design, lots of new posts, recipes, and pictures!

We went lavender picking at the Seven Oaks Lavender farm in Catlett, VA. I spent two hours snipping grosso (French) lavender and taking lots and lots of pictures. Before I give you suggestions and culinary uses for lavender, here are some photos from our lavender picking trip..

The farm had baskets lined up for lavender picking

Summer workers from Pennsylvania were staying at the farm and helping to harvest lavender

Lavender attracts bees, butterflies and bugs

How to Dry Fresh Lavender
If you’ve picked fresh lavender stems like I did, you may want to dry them first. To dry fresh lavender, tie the stems in bunches using a rubber band and hang them in a dark place to dry. (If lavender is exposed to too much light while drying, it will lose color). You will have perfectly dried lavender in about 7 days. Once the lavender is dry, gently strip the buds from the stems and store in an air tight container. You are now ready to use lavender in cooking.

Some Culinary Uses for Lavender
- Lavender sugar – simply place some dried lavender with white sugar and let it sit for two weeks before using. Recipe on the herb gardner.
- Lavender syrup – cook sugar, water and dried lavender together to form a fragrant syrup that will be great on cakes and other dessert. Recipe on 5 star foodie.
- Lavender roasted potatoes – combine potatoes, olive oil, dried lavender, salt and pepper and roast in the oven. Recipe on school of the seasons.
- Lavender crème brulee – recipe on whats cooking America.
- Lavender focaccia – add a unique twist to focaccia by adding lavender to it. Recipe on whats cooking America.
- Goat cheese with lavender – marinate goat cheese with garlic, lavender, fresh herbs and olive oil. Recipe on lavender lovers.
- Lavender butter – simply mix softened butter, dried lavender and any other herbs/seasonings. Recipe on joys of lavender.
- Lavender cornbread – recipe on joys of lavender.

The possibilities for cooking with lavender are endless. You can make lavender cheese cakes, salad dressing, vinaigrette, herbs de province, lavender lemonade, scones, lavender ice cream or even lavender sparkling wine. And here is something else you can do with lavender..

Lavender Roasted Onions

lavender and onions

You only need a few ingredients to make this delicious lavender scented side dish - onions, olive oil, thyme, lavender

onion peel

cutting onions

Chop the onions into wedges, keeping the root end intact.

onions and oliveoil

Then sprinkle thyme, lavender, salt, pepper and drizzle the onions with olive oil. Toss everything and bake in the oven till browned. Its that easy!

lavender roasted onions with thyme

Lavender and thyme go so well together with these roasted onions.

lavender roasted onions2

Don’t have lavender?

Use herbs de provence instead -

an easily available dried herb mixture that contains both thyme and lavender.

lavender-roasted-onions1

Lavender Roasted Onions Recipe
about 2 servings

2 medium onions
A pinch of dried lavender
½ tbsp fresh chopped thyme
¾ tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

Peel and then cut each onion into wedges, keeping the root end intact. Place the onion wedges on a baking sheet. Sprinkle lavender, thyme, salt and pepper over the onions. Drizzle olive oil and toss everything to coat.

Roast in the oven for about 10 minutes or till the onions are brown and crisp on the edges.

Peruvian Causa – Layered Potato Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

Posted on May 9, 2009 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

causa3
When my friends B and R, who lived in Peru for a few years told me about this salad, I just had to make it. A causa, they explained is anything layered with mashed potatoes. In Peru, they use seafood, avocados, tomatoes, olives and sometimes eggs in the salad. Traditional causa also has aji amarillo – Peru’s signature yellow pepper.

I used three different colored potatoes to make the salad look vibrant and festive. I used Peru’s own purple potatoes, white fleshed potatoes, and red skinned potatoes colored orange with food coloring (or saffron).

The possibilities are endless with this salad, you can layer the potatoes anyway you like, with anything you like! You dont need a special mold to assemble this salad. Read on to see how you can use common household items to stack up these colorful layers.

Coincidentally, two other friends, also called B and R (how weird is that!), just returned from Peru. They got me the gorgeous orange sun-and-moon plate you see in the first, last and below pictures.

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Edamame and Walnut Ravioli with Spinach Mushroom Saute

Posted on May 7, 2009 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

edamame walnut ravioli

When we eat edamame, S and I usually have a contest. We see who does a neater job sucking the edamame out of their pods. I win. Always. Eating edamame in its shell is fun, but for making this amazing ravioli, shelled edamame is very convenient. All you have to do is open a bag and thaw. God bless whoever invented shelled edamame!

This ravioli is delicate in flavor. The chives and the white wine work wonders in the silky edamame filling. There is no cheese in this, so its healthy too. And if you can find or make vegan wonton wrappers, this dish is totally vegan! Once you fill the ravioli with the walnut-edamame filling, you can freeze the ravioli for later use. Make plenty, because these are delicious!

Edamame Walnut Ravioli with Spinach Mushroom Saute
serves about 3

For the filling

1/4 scant cup walnuts
1 cup Edamame, shelled and frozen
1 small garlic clove
1 tbsp white wine
Salt and Pepper
2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped

18-20 wonton wrappers

Place the walnuts in a large pan. Toast the walnuts on medium heat until they are lightly browned. To the pan, add frozen, shelled edamame, garlic clove, white wine, salt and pepper. (Make sure you season the mixture well, it makes a big difference in the final result!)

Let the wine bubble away on medium heat, about 1 minute. When the wine has evaporated, transfer the walnut-edamame mixture to a food processor. Blend into a smooth paste.

Place about 18 to 20 wonton wrappers on a clean work surface. Place a teaspoon full of the walnut-edamame mixture in the center of the wonton wrapper. Then sprinkle some chopped chives on top of the mixture.

Dip your finger in water and coat all four sides of the wonton wrapper with water. This will help the edges to stick. Fold the wonton over to make a triangle. Make sure none of filling is leaking out. Press the edges together to seal. Repeat for all wonton wrappers.

In a large pot, bring plenty of water to a gentle boil. Place the ravioli a few at a time into the water. Boil them gently for about 1 minute. (A rapid boil may break apart the ravioli). Ravioli are done when they rise to the top. Remove the ravioli from the water and place on a towel and gently pat dry. You could spray them with a little olive oil to keep them from sticking.

For the Spinach Mushroom Saute

8 oz box of mushrooms
1 small garlic clove
3 tbsp white wine
4 cups fresh baby spinach tightly packed
2 tbsp fresh chives chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Chop the mushrooms. Rise spinach leaves, and finely mince the garlic clove. Heat olive oil in a pan. Add the chopped mushrooms in a single layer. Cook the mushrooms on medium high heat, moving them as little as possible, until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes.

Then add the minced garlic, salt, pepper and white wine. Let the wine bubble and evaporate a little. Then add the spinach leaves and sauté till they are just wilted.

To serve the ravioli – place the spinach mushroom sauté in a serving dish. Place the ravioli on top. Garnish with chives.

Please Herbs, Stay Alive for Me.

Posted on May 1, 2009 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

thyme plant in my deck

Is there such a thing as a black thumb? Like, opposite if green thumb? Thats what I am. I just cant keep any plant or green thing alive. I’ve even killed grass. Twice. (Over fertilized and under watered, in case you are wondering).

So this year, Ive challenged myself to planting something and nurturing it. So I planted some herbs on the deck. I figured herbs would be a great place to start. The prospect of cooking with freshly harvested herbs from my planter, hopefully, is motivation enough to take care of them.

I’m already dreaming of what I will cook when the herbs are ready to pluck! Iced tea with that incredibly lemony smelling lemon balm….green pea and mint soup….lavender infused frosting on cupcakes…sandwiches with fresh homemade basil pesto…

…please herbs, stay alive for me…puhllleeeeezzzzeeee..

This is the end result of the afternoons labor…

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Yerba Mate – a South American Herbal Drink

Posted on April 7, 2009 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

yerba mate and gourd

We discovered this hot, green tea-like South American drink when we visited Argentina. Yerba mate was everywhere Argentina. In the evenings, families flocked to Buenos Aires’ parks with mate gourd and a flask of hot water in hand. Shopkeepers stood by their stalls sipping yerba mate from its bombilla or straw. People socialized over yerba mate. At a house party, when I asked for tea, I was given yerba mate…by a very handsome Argentinean.

This being Argentina’s national drink, I had to bring back some yerba mate and a couple of mate gourds from my trip. I didnt realize till now that I hadnt shared pictures of my yerba mate and mate gourds with you. So here is my yerba mate post!

Spot the mate gourd picture that has a reflection of me!

A mate maker carving gourds & an olive vendor enjoying yerba mate in Mendoza, Argentina.

‘Yerba’ means herb and ‘mate’ is the gourd used to drink yerba mate. So the drink literally means ‘herb in a cup’. True to its name, Yerba mate tastes like strong, earthy, somewhat bitter green tea.

Research shows that yerba mate has cancer fighting, antidepressant and energy boosting properties. If you’ve ever used Biofreeze – a topical muscle and joint pain reliever – you have experienced yet another medicinal property of yerba mate. Biofreeze, by the way, works like magic for aches and sprains; I HIGHLY recommend it. Biofreeze is so incredibly effective only because it is made from yerba mate! It contains Ilex, which is the botanical name for yerba mate!

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Green Mango Pickle

Posted on April 1, 2009 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

green mango pickle

Somebody pry me away from this pickle! It’s becoming a dangerous addiction! All I’ve been eating is curd rice and mango pickle! Its that yummy. But then, what’s not to like about my grandmother’s recipes? Like all her recipes, this one is full of tasty, south Indian goodness. The secret ingredient in this pickle is roasted, ground fenugreek. I always have some on hand to add a rich, nutty, slightly bitter punch to recipes. Unlike pickled cucumber which is sweet and vinegary, this Indian pickle is spicy, salty and pickled in oil. It packs a lot of flavor, so a little goes a long way!

Make sure you buy raw (not ripe), green, rock hard mangoes for this recipe. The pickle will keep up to 3 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge. It tastes the best after the second day, when all the flavors have soaked into the mango pieces.

Green Mango Pickle
makes about 2 cups

1 large firm, green mango
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
2 pinches asafoetida
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chili/cayenne powder. Use paprika for less heat.
¼ tsp fenugreek powder, see below for method
¾ tbsp salt

How to make fenugreek powder: toast fenugreek seeds in a skillet on a low flame. Once they are fragrant, about 2 minutes, turn off heat and let the fenugreek cool. Then grind in a food processor to a fine powder. Store in an air tight container.

Using a sharp knife, cut the mango and discard the core. Chop the mango into very tiny pieces. Or you could zip it through a food chopper.

Place the chopped mango in a bowl. Place the turmeric, chili powder and fenugreek powder in a little mound on top of the chopped mango.

Heat the oil in a small skillet and add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add the asafoetida and turn off the heat. Pour the hot oil with the mustard seeds and asafoetida over the mound of turmeric, chili powder and fenugreek. Add the salt. Stir till everything is well combined.

When the pickle is cool, put it in an airtight container and refrigerate.

This pickle is great as a condiment with Indian food. I also enjoy it with pita bread and hummus or stirred into pasta or couscous.

Fettucine pasta with Asparagus and Tahini Sumac Sauce

Posted on March 21, 2009 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

pasta with asparagus and tahini

Pasta is one of those foods that you can easily internationalize. Saute pasta with curry powder for an Indian touch. Mix it with coconut milk and green curry paste for a thai pasta. Today I made a middle eastern style pasta. Tahini makes a creamy base for the sauce. I added some sumac for a savory punch of flavor. Sumac, also spelled sumak, sumag or sumach is a dark red middle eastern spice. It tastes tangy and slightly cumin like and goes really well with pasta.

The inspiration for this tahini-sumac sauce comes from Lebanese za’atar. Za’atar is made with sesame seeds, sumac and thyme or oregano. I used tahini instead of sesame seeds to turn this into a creamy, addictively delicious sauce. And its vegan to boot! You can use any vegetable you like in this dish. Green beans or peas will be delicious.

Fettuccine pasta with Asparagus and Tahini-Sumac Sauce
Serves about 3

½ pound fettuccine pasta or any other flat pasta
3 tbsp tahini
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp sumac
1-2 cloves garlic minced
½ tsp dried oregano. You could also use dried thyme or Italian seasoning
1/3 cup olives, any kind will do
1 bunch asparagus
Salt and pepper

Bring plenty of water to a boil in a large pot. Salt the water generously. Add pasta to the boiling water.

Trim and discard the tough ends of the asparagus. Cut the rest of the asparagus into thirds and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, make the tahini-sumac sauce. Combine the tahini, vinegar, sumac, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add 6 tbsp of the boiling pasta water. Whisk the sauce with a fork till everything is well combined.

If you prefer not to use raw garlic, saute it for 30 seconds in olive oil and then add the garlic and oil to the sauce.

In the last one minute of cooking, add the chopped asparagus to the pasta pot. Boil for a minute. Drain the pasta and asparagus. The pasta must be al dente and the asparagus crisp and bright green.

Return the pasta and asparagus to the pot; add the sauce and toss the pasta till it is coated evenly is sauce.

Sprinkle chopped olives all over.

Garnish with chopped tomatoes or parsley.

Almond Milk Hot Chocolate with Chili

Posted on March 17, 2009 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

almond milk hot chocolate

Two bloggers came together to make this post possible. A while ago, the lovely Trupti from The Spice Who Loved Me blog blogged about a chili infused chocolate. As a lover of all things chili, I wrote to her asking where I can find this chocolate. ‘Local grocery store’, she said. A few weeks later, Trupti so thoughtfully wrote to ask me if I had found the chili chocolate. I told her I had looked and looked, but couldnt find it

The next thing I know, I receive an “Air mail Par avion” packet (“pacquet“, this case) from Canada! With a slab of Lindt excellence chili infused chocolate and a Lindt cherry and chili bar from Trupti!

ThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyou, Trupti!

The chili infused chocolate is my favorite. It tastes like Lindt dark chocolate at first, but it finishes with a hint of red chili in the back of your throat – just sensational! I knew just the perfect recipe to use this chocolate in. Yasmeen’s, almond milk hot chocolate. Yasmeen’s Healthnut blog is full of healthy recipes and great nutritional information. Ever since she posted her almond milk cocoa recipe, Ive been wanting to try it.

So here’s what I did – make Yasmeen’s almond milk recipe and melt in the chili chocolate sent by Trupti.

Almond Milk Hot Chocolate with Chili
makes 2 cups

2 cups Yasmeen’s Almond milk (its easy – soak almonds overnight, grind them with water in a blender and then squeeze out the milk)
4 squares Lindt excellence chili bar substitute with chocolate chips or cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
a pinch cayenne pepper

Place the almond milk and chocolate squares in a pan on low heat. Heat the almond milk whisking constantly, till the chocolate melts. Once the chocolate is completely incorporated in the almond milk. Turn off heat, whisk in vanilla and cayenne.