I would like to start off by saying "All my hard work payed off" but in reality, I was an absent and neglectful gardener this year.  Oh, I always have good intentions of tending to my garden, vowing not to let the weeds take over.  Then the Lavender takes over my life, and it's bye bye garden and hello weeds.  But as you can see My garden wasn't a total waste.  I'm actually harvesting some beautiful veggies.  All you have to do is wade through the weeds to get to them.  My next few blogs will be about all the vegetables from my garden.  The first recipe I got while living in France.  I took an Extensive cooking course from a lady Named "Anne Trager".  She was the personal chef to one of the "Rothchilds".  As I'm looking at my notes from that class.  That day we did several other recipes like... Omelette rubanee, coulie de tomatoes fraiches (egg terrine,with pureed tomatoes) Navarin d' agneau au gingermbre (lamb shoulder in ginger sauce} pommes Anna ( a wonderful potatoes and butter dish) and Crepes soufflees au citron (crepes filled with lemon souffle).  Then the very simple recipe Called "sweet and Tangy cucumber pickles" You can make this recipe all year round but nothing is better than using cucumbers right out of the garden.  Enjoy and Bon Appetite,  Peggy

Sweet and Tangy Cucumber chips

2 Medium cucumbers

salt

1 Tbs. olive oil

pinch of red chili flakes

1/2 tsp. crushed garlic

1/2 Tbs. soy sauce

1 Tbs. sugar

1/2 Tbs. cider vinegar

Peel cucumbers and cut in half length wise.  Degorge (scrape out the middle) cut into "batonnets" 

(slices).  Sprinkle with salt and let drain a few minutes.  In a skillet heat oil, saute garlic and chili flakes being carefaul not to burn.  Add cucumbers and sauté for 1 minutes over high heat.  Remove from heat add soy sauce, sugar and vinegar season to taste.  

 It's amazing the people I've run into lately who don't like shrimp...what!  Shrimp is food fit for the gods.  It absorbs flavors so well you can marinate them in almost anything.  I found this recipe on the web, and guess what I added to  make it even tastier, yep Lavender.  This recipe can be grilled on a skewer or sautéed in a skillet.  Either way I guarantee you'll love it.  Serve over Basmati rice or try the ginger rice in my older post.    Bon Appetite,   Peggy




LAVENDER PINEAPPLE SHRIMP 
Serves 4 as main course, or 6-8 as appetizer


2 lbs. Cleaned Shrimp ( I used the 26-30 )
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1 Tbs. lavender honey (or plain honey)
4 Tbs. cilantro ( can leave out if not fond of cilantro)
4 Tbs. chopped green onions
3 cloves garlic minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
11/2 tsp. culinary Lavender crushed in mortar and pestle
salt and pepper to taste


Clean shrimp and set aside.  Combine all the rest of the ingredients for marinade.  Marinate shrimp for at least 30 minutes.   If you are sautéing shrimp, heat 1 Tbs  olive oil and 2 Tbs. butter.  Drain shrimp , and reserve marinate.  Saute shrimp until  pink and cooked through.  In the meantime heat marinate in a small sauce pan and reduce by I/2.  For grilled shrimp, grill for 3-4  minutes per side.  If using bamboo skewers soak in  water a couple of hours before use.  Pour warm sauce over shrimp and serve.   

I love cherries. Every year in July I hoard them, and scarf them down. They can cause occasional intestinal upset, but they are well worth the discomfort. When I was a kid you got the occasional double cherry stem. My sister Bonnie and I would wear them as earrings. I loved watching my mother using a washed bobby pin as a cherry pitter (try it) Cherries and summer go together, and so does Lavender and cherries. I have a wonderful savory dish using cherries and lavender. Check out my older blog using Lavender and Cherries in a caramelized dessert dish. What ever you do go out and eat some cherries...they'll soon be gone.

Bon Appetite , Peggy

LAVENDER CHERRY CHICKEN

4 boneless/skinless chicken breast

salt/ pepper/ herb de provence

2 tsp. butter

1/2 cup chopped shallot or sweet onion

1 clove garlic minced

1/2 cup red wine

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 1/2 cups fresh pitted cherries chopped

1 tsp. dried Lavender or 2 tsp. fresh

1 Tbs. honey

1 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbs. unsalted butter cut into pieces

In a skillet add butter. Salt, pepper and season chicken breast. Saute chicken breast until nicely browned, and barley cooked through. (I like to pound my chicken thin to speed up cooking time) Remove chicken from the pan. Add a little more butter if needed. Add garlic and onions, saute for 1 minute. Add wine, stock, cherries, honey , lavender and thyme. Cook until cherries are soft and a nice thick sauce is formed. Stir in butter 1 Tablespoon at a time until incorporated. Return chicken back into the pan with any juices. Warm chicken in sauce for about 1 minutes or so. Adjust seasonings and serve. Serves 4

This is Goldie, one very lucky chicken. Being a novice farmer, watching movies like "Charlottes WEb" or "Babe" I thought or dreamed all farms animals got along. I had visions of my chickens roaming my garden eating all the bad bugs, dropping little fertilizers drops... enter DOGS ! I thought I could train my dogs to love chicken too. But after 5 dead, one missing I realized you can't train a bird dog not to kill birds. I was disappoints when the last chicken flew out of the coop in a freak accident and my gentle Zesus killed that one. So you see why Goldie is so lucky. Tomorrow I'm headed to buy 3 more chicken. You may ask, why is she getting more? simple I like chicken and Goldie is lonely. Keep your fingers crossed these survive.

I don't plan on eating these chicken, but keeping them for eggs. In the future I do hope to raise eating chickens. Here is a very tasty chicken recipe that is great for summer barbecues. Of course there is Lavender in it. I used "The Lavender Apples" house blend of Herbs de Provence. Herbs de Provence is a traditional blend of herbs used in Provence. Along with lavender this herb mixture has, fennel, basil, oregano, sage, savory and more. I hope you enjoy this recipe.

Bon Appetite, Peggy

HERB DE PROVENCE MARINADE FOR CHICKEN OR FISH

4 chicken breast

1 Tbs. Herb de provence

4 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

8 Tbs. olive oil

2 gloves garlic, crushed

1/2-1 tsp. teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1 tsp. sea salt

Combine all ingredients. Marinade chicken or fish for at least 2 hours. Grill chicken or fish until tender and cooked through, basting frequently with marinade. Or can be baked uncovered in the oven.