A Lavender and Lemon: Mother’s Day Lunch
March lion, you were particularly tough on us this year, but there’s nothing like a trio of March nor’easters to make the long-awaited sights, sounds and smells of spring infinitely sweeter. So, this long-awaited spring has sprung super sweet, and I’ve been more than ready to sweep away the last vestiges of winter 2018 and pretty up the party space for the outdoor-entertaining season ahead. I’ll begin this year with a Mother’s Day lunch for the special mothers in my life – all worthy of a very special spring celebration.
My winter research this past season has produced some new and interesting ideas. One in particular first struck me as a bit unusual, until I gave it a try; now I have become quite the fan of culinary lavender. Sounds funny, right? You’ve probably used it in your diffuser for a peaceful night’s sleep. But not only is the scent wonderful for relaxation, the flavor is also spectacular paired with lemon. It’s really my first try at incorporating edible flowers into my recipes, and I like it. So why not delight the moms in our lives by pairing lemon and lavender. What a wonderful springtime way of flowering the mothers with love!
I’ll share a little “cooking with lavender” tutorial later, but let’s set the stage for our luncheon first. I love a party where the ingredients serve as décor, and this one is as easy as it is pretty. Gather lots of citrus – lemons and limes – and of course, lavender. Remember when shopping, we’ll use the lemons and lavender for cooking, baking and décor, so stock up. You’ll want to pile lemons and limes on pretty dishes, bowls or cake plates, and tuck in sprigs of lavender for a pretty centerpiece. Some forsythia or other green foliage make really pretty additions, too, if you use a long table for a really pretty effect. You’ll probably find dried lavender bunches in several sizes. The larger ones alone make pretty table décor, and the smaller ones can adorn centerpieces, place settings and can be tied to pretty cloth napkins. You can even use bunches to tie to the backs of dining chairs – you’d be surprised how this one touch can showcase your party theme in a clean and groomed yard or deck. Use your best china, too, or those favorite pieces you keep for special occasions – nothing could be more special than the moms.
Now, let’s prepare to cook with the lavender. We’ll be using it in two recipes, lemon-lavender mojitos and lemon-lavender scones. If you’re using lavender for the first time, here’s what you need to know: Farmers markets are the best place to find fresh and dried lavender, but this early in the season you’ll likely only find dried; it’s often with the herbs, like marjoram, rosemary, thyme and oregano. If you find lavender someplace else or buy it online, make sure it is culinary and not ornamental. Culinary lavender is made for consumption, ornamental is not. Eating ornamental lavender won’t make you sick, but the experience will not be pleasant. Be sure to either buy your culinary lavender finely ground or grind it yourself. The dried flowers grind pretty easily, just make it as fine as you can. It’s no fun biting into a mouthful of leaves. Also, although it is a really nice addition to your culinary cupboard, keep in mind that using too much can create an experience like eating perfume; go light rather than heavy. Although we are using it with sweets, it can be used for savory dishes, too. But pairing it with strong flavors like lemon zest and sugar is a safe way to start.
Now for the menu. Let’s begin with our signature drink to welcome guests and introduce our theme. It’s a twist on an original. Now, it takes a lot for me to mess with my favorite warm-weather drink since I’ve always considered the traditional mojito, as Mary Poppins would say, practically perfect in every way, but this variation did not disappoint. Clearly, mojitos really aren’t just for limes. Actually, lemons and lavender paired with mint create a light, refreshing mojito that turns out to be a delicious spring treat. For the biggest visual impact, be sure to garnish it with mint, lavender and a small lemon slice.
On to the food. Because our entrée will be a rather light salad, we’d better have an appetizer now that we’ve planned to fill our moms with rum. I like the idea of smoked salmon deviled eggs. They are just enough out of the ordinary to impress. The smoked salmon pulls together the cream cheese and dill nicely, and finger foods like this allow for easy mingling before sitting down to the main course.
For lunch, we’ll prepare one of my favorite warm weather recipes, asparagus-crabmeat salad. If you’re a mom, consider this a gift to yourself because it’s so easy to make and so delicious. You’ll make it all summer long. Do your best to find the thin asparagus because it is so tender, and please do not take a shortcut by sprinkling the parmesan rather than shaving it. The shavings are the crowning glory of this dish. Trust me. Of course, the fresher the crabmeat, the better this salad will be, too. We’re carrying the lemon theme through here, but not so much as to overwhelm the taste buds; rather, just enough to remind the guests and prepare them for dessert!
With the main course satisfied, get ready for some sweet joy. I first made these lemon-lavender scones with a healthy dash of skepticism, but now all I can say is “Wow!” If you follow this recipe closely, you’ll see what I mean. The recipe is not difficult but requires more than a few steps and a few mixing bowls. The beauty is that you can bake them the day before, and they will be perfect the next day. They’d be so pretty served with a few fresh lavender blooms, but it was just a bit early for me to find them, and they are delicious nonetheless. Your guests will be so impressed.
So we’ve successfully tackled something new. Don’t let it end here. If your interest in cooking with lavender has been piqued, consider a few more ideas – you’ve got an entire season of entertaining ahead! Use a little to flavor iced tea or lemonade, make some lavender sugar to use in butter-cookie recipes or even flavor some meringue for pies. Try it for flavoring chicken, lamb or maybe some brie or other soft cheeses.
As you wrap up a love-and-lavender-filled afternoon, be prepared to share your recipes with the moms you’ve honored with your efforts today. Maybe even prepare ahead with some pretty recipe cards ready for your guests to take along. Thanks, Mother Nature, for a glorious new outdoor-entertaining season, and, for all you do, cheers to all the sweet moms!
Lemon Lavender Mojitos
Makes 1
Ingredients:
5 fresh mint leaves
1 teaspoon confectioners sugar
Juice of half a lemon
½ teaspoon dried, ground culinary lavender
2 ounces light rum
Club soda to fill
Directions:
In a quart mason jar or a shaker, combine the mint leaves, confectioners sugar, lemon juice and lavender. Muddle completely. Strain into a Collins glass.
Fill the glass with ice.
Pour rum over the ice and fill with club soda. Garnish with lavender sprig, mint sprig and/or a lemon slice and serve.
Tip: Microwaving citrus fruit on high for 10 seconds before juicing will release more juice!
Salmon Deviled Eggs
Makes 24
Ingredients:
12 hard-boiled eggs, halved
¼ cup cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons red onion, minced
2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped salt and pepper, to taste
16-ounce smoked salmon, thinly sliced and cut into small strips
Directions:
Carefully remove the yolks from the eggs and put them in a medium mixing bowl. Use a fork to smash the yolks into a powder. Add the cream cheese and mayonnaise and mix together until smooth.
Add the red onion, dill and salt and pepper and stir together to combine. Use a spoon to fill the hollowed eggs with the yolk mixture, then roll up a piece of smoked salmon and place it decoratively in the yolk.
Asparagus Crabmeat Salad
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
Sea salt
1 pound thin asparagus, trimmed
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat
2 avocados cut in chunks or slices
1 lemon, with zest
¹/₃ cup olive oil
¹/₂ cup (2 ounces) loosely packed Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, in long, thin shavings (best done with a good vegetable peeler)
Directions:
Bring a large skillet of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook until just tender on the edges but still firm in the middle, about 4 minutes. Drain, and rinse under very cold water until cool. Dry on tea towels. Cut in 3-inch lengths.
In a large serving bowl, combine the asparagus, avocado and crabmeat. Sprinkle the lemon zest into the bowl. Season with salt and sprinkle with olive oil. Toss very gently to mix. Cover and chill for a few hours, stirring once or twice. Taste, and adjust salt.
Meanwhile, juice one lemon and reserve. Just before serving, add the juice and toss once more. Spread the cheese shavings over salad, and serve.
Lemon Lavender Scones
Makes 12
Ingredients:
½ cup lemon yogurt
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder
½ cup cold butter, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1½ teaspoons lavender flowers
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon butter, melted, or as needed
1 teaspoon white sugar, or as needed
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Stir baking soda and yogurt together in a bowl.
Sift flour, ¹/₃-cup sugar, and baking powder together in a bowl. Cut cold butter into flour mixture using a pastry cutter or two forks until mixture is crumbly.
Mix yogurt mixture, 2 tablespoons melted butter, egg, lavender, and lemon zest in a separate bowl. Stir yogurt-lavender mixture into flour mixture until just moistened.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead eight to 10 times, adding more flour if dough is too sticky.
Divide dough into two pieces and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Pat and shape each piece into a 6-inch circle. Score each circle into six wedges using a sharp floured knife. Brush tops with 1 tablespoon melted butter; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon white sugar.
Bake in the preheated oven until scones are just golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven, break into wedges, and cool on a wire rack.
