Lavender tastes very similar to rosemary, with a hint of citrus and can be substituted for rosemary in many recipes. The secret to cooking with lavender is: a little goes a long way. It has a strong flavor, so start with a small amount and add more to taste. Always use lavender that is labeled “For Culinary Use” in cooking.
There are two methods for introducing the flavor of lavender into your food: by adding the dried buds directly to your dish or by infusing liquids with the lavender before adding them to the other ingredients. A few guidelines are described below:
To infuse the flavor of lavender into your recipes, first steep the buds in water, milk, cream or sugar syrups before adding them to your food. Use one tablespoon of buds per cup of liquid. Steep about 15 minutes in hot liquids like water, or 3-4 hours in cold liquids, such as cream.
To add dried lavender directly to your dish, use it as you would any other dried herb in casseroles, soups or stews. It’s best to grind the dried flower buds first in a clean coffee grinder then stir them into the dish, but remember to use it sparingly.
For meat, fish or poultry, blend a mixture of 1 part ground, dried lavender and 2 parts garlic powder (or a mixture of garlic and onion powder), plus salt and pepper to taste. Rub on meat before roasting or grilling.
Add 2 teaspoons of ground, dried lavender to any bread, cake or cookie mix or recipe, including yeast breads, layer cakes, pound cakes and sugar cookies. Mix and bake as directed.
Note: Make sure the lavender you use for cooking has not been sprayed with pesticides. It should be labeled “for culinary use”. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not eat lavender.
Helpful Hint: Grind several tablespoons of dried lavender buds in a clean coffee grinder and store in an airtight container for use in recipes requiring ground lavender.
Try some of the recipes from A Taste of Lavender. You'll find a few in the link list on the right side of the screen.
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