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Lavender and Pears--A Fab Fall Combination
In This Issue:
A Spectacular Lavender Pear Crisp
Fragrant Lavender Chai-Tea Latte
Roasted Pears with Honey-Lavender Glaze
If you grow lavender, cook with culinary lavender, or just want to learn more about this amazing herb, here's a secret you may not know: Culinary lavender and pears are a perfect pair.
Add lavender (plus perhaps a little fresh gingerroot and ground allspice), to any pear recipe you can think of and those pears are going to taste wonderful. Maybe the best you ever ate!
Why? It's probably due to an aromatic lavender element called linalyl acetate. It has sweet, citrusy, pear-like notes that bring out the fruit's rich "peary" flavor.
For a bonus pear recipe see my favorite pear preserves: https://nancyslavenderplace.com/2892-2/
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Lavender-Spice Pear Crisp
Pears are often overlooked in our annual autumn love affair with apples. But I promise that this pear crisp is as memorable as any good apple version--maybe better! The secret is the flavorful lavender-ginger-allspice and pear combo. Plus, the buttery, super-crispy topping is yummy! (See a quick video of me adding the topping at https://www.instagram.com/p/CirDkDejEXq/?hl=en )
Tip: This crisp is best when still warm from the oven. (It gradually loses its crispness during storage.) But you can ready the crumb mixture and pears ahead and assemble and bake the crisp about an hour before serving time.
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons peeled and finely grated fresh gingerroot
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons, or 3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
1 3/4 cups all-purpose unbleached white flour
Generous 1/2 cup each packed light brown sugar and granulated sugar
2 teaspoons finely chopped dried culinary lavender buds
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons orange juice
6 or 7 large, ripe but firm Bartlett pears (enough for 4 1/2 cups slices, about 3 1/2 pounds)
For the topping: Stir the grated gingerroot into the butter and set aside. In a large bowl very thoroughly stir together the flour, sugars, lavender, allspice, and salt. Stir the butter mixture, then stir it into the dry mixture until thoroughly incorporated and a clumpy mixture forms. Set aside.
For the pears: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put the orange juice in a lightly-greased 9- by 13-inch flat heatproof glass dish or baking pan. Peel, then cut the pears in quarters lengthwise. Cut away the cores, and slice each quarter lengthwise into 3 or 4 slices. As you work, stir the slices into the juice to keep them from discoloring. When all pears are readied, sprinkle over and gently stir in 3/4 cup of the clumpy mixture, breaking it up with your hands. Sprinkle all the remaining mixture evenly over the top.
For baking: Bake the crisp on the middle oven rack for 40 to 50 minutes or until well browned on top. The browner the top, the crisper it will be. Let the crisp cool for 15 minutes, then serve with scoops of ice cream or dollops of whipped cream. Leftovers can be refrigerated and rewarmed if necessary. Makes 5 or 6 generous servings. |
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Lavender-Chai Tea Latte
There’s a good reason Starbucks and similar beverage shops sell lots of chai tea lattes this time of year. Featuring black tea mingled with aromatic spices, frothy, steaming hot milk and a touch of honey, they are warming, comforting and have a lush, enveloping flavor.
Surprisingly, most commercially available chai tea drinks don’t incorporate lavender. But they should! It lends a subtle yet exceptionally enticing and seductive note to the spice blend. Plus, it adds a soothing dimension from several calming elements in lavender called terpenes.
I am hooked on this tea latte and wind down with a large mug of it nearly every evening. Sometimes I froth it with a whisk as shown in the pic, but it's optional and often I don’t bother. It's a good accompaniment to a dish of pear crisp, too.
Tip: You need tea bags or loose tea featuring chai-spiced black tea; this is not an herbal tea latte. Easy-to-find brands include Twinings, Stash, and Bigelow; they offer regular, decaf and extra-spicy versions and all options will work fine.
2 chia-spiced black tea bags or 2 teaspoons chai-spiced black tea, regular or decaf
1/2 teaspoon dried culinary lavender buds
1 cup boiling water
1 cup whole or 2-percent milk or unsweetened almond milk
1 to 2 tablespoons mild honey or lavender syrup for sweetening, or add to taste
Ground allspice or cinnamon and a sprig of lavender for garnish, optional
Brew the tea: If using tea bags, place in a 2-cup or larger heat-proof mug or cup. If using loose tea, place in a large tea-infuser ball or infuser basket and set in the mug. Put the lavender in the infuser basket or in an infuser ball and place in the mug. Pour the water over top. Let steep for 5 to 7 minutes or longer for a stronger tea, then remove the bags and infuser(s).
Heat the milk: In a 1-quart or other small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the milk to steaming hot, stirring once or twice and watching carefully. Remove from the heat. If desired, froth the milk with a whisk for 30 to 40 seconds, then pour it into the mug. Gently stir in sweetener, then add spice and lavender garnish if desired. Serve immediately. Makes 1 large mug.
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Roasted Pears and Pecans with Lavender-Honey Glaze
If you are looking for a fall side dish with fruit, this is a delectable change of pace from baked apples. It is excellent with roast pork, turkey or duck, or any kind of smoked meat. Note that I happened to have a few late-flowering lavenders, so sprinkled a few little bloomlets (called corollas) over the dish. Pretty but optional, of course!
Tip: It’s best not to peel the pears for this recipe, as peeled pears tend to lose their shape, slump down and become saucy. (Of course, if you like them slumped and saucy then peel away!)
3 tablespoons clover honey or other mild honey
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon dried culinary lavender buds
4 or 5 thin, nickel-sized peeled slices fresh gingerroot
Pinch of sea salt, plus more for garnish, if desired
4 or 5 large slightly under-ripe Bartlett pears (7 to 8 ounces each), peeled or unpeeled
1/3 cup raw pecan halves (or substitute large pieces)
Fresh culinary lavender "bloomlets," optional garnish
Set the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a 10- by 15-inch rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Ready the glaze: In a 2-cup or larger microwave-safe measure stir together the honey, orange juice, butter, lavender, gingerroot and salt. Microwave on high power for 30 to 40 seconds, watching carefully until the mixture just starts to bubble; immediately turn off the microwave. For safety, let the glaze stand and cool in the microwave for 5 minutes. Then strain it through a fine sieve into a large bowl; press down to extract as much glaze as possible. (If it is too stiff to sieve easily, microwave for 5 to 10 seconds until fluid first.)
Ready the pears: Quarter lengthwise, then cut or scoop out their cores; put the quarters into the large bowl. Stir until all are coated with glaze, then spoon them out onto the foil-lined baking sheet. Spoon over more glaze, but leave about 2 tablespoons in the bowl. Roast the pears in the upper third of the oven for 10 minutes. Stir the pecans into the bowl of glaze, then spread them out around the pears.
Continue roasting, gently stirring once or twice, for 7 to 10 minutes longer, or until the pecans are lightly toasted and the pears are tender. Put the pears and pecans in a serving bowl. Drizzle any remaining glaze over top. If desired, garnish with pinch or two of sea salt. Top with a few lavender "bloomlets," if desired. Serve immediately. Alternatively, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, and reheat until hot before serving; the pecans will lose some crispness during storage.
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Don't forget! The Art of Cooking with Lavender has over 70 beautiful photos as well as 80 well-tested recipes. Still available at www.nancyslavenderplace.com.
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My Let's Cook with Lavender recipe sampler is also still on sale on my site. Perfect for bundling with a package of culinary lavender.
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