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Savory lavender chicken By Kady Guyton
Lavender and food have had a long association. Usually in desserts and for good reason, lavender that has been steeped in milk or juice has an intensely floral flavor that pairs very well with sugar. On the other hand, lavender can also work in savory dish too. The trick is to throw it in at the end so a slight lavender flavor is released. Lavender works well with sauteed onions, white wine, lemon and mild flavored meats like chicken and white fish. Lavender is also local to the area and pungent, spicy lavender can be found in the herb section of many grocery stores right now. In honor of Eating Local Month, I decided to pair some lavender with local Meyer lemons and local wine - another product we are blessed to have in abundance within the county border. Lavender has been used in French cuisine for centuries and it's a key ingredient in herbs de Provence - a blend of dried savory, fennel, basil, thyme, and lavender among other things. The nectar produces extremely high-quality honey and the flowers can also be brewed in tea. The French have the wonderful word "terroir", which means "of the land". Usually applied to wine, terrior is the idea that the same product will taste different depending on where it's grown. For instance, a jalapeno pepper from Brownsville, TX will taste very different from a jalapeno grown in Vermont. Grapes grown on a mountainside will produce different wines from grapes grown in a valley. Lavender grown in our Mediterranean climate will be a much more flavorful product than lavender shipped in from elsewhere. Plus, it will be much fresher due to the reduced travel time. Eating close the land you live on is better for everyone: you, the environment, local farmers and business, the gift keeps on giving. This dish was my attempt at incorporating as many local ingredients as possible. Unfortunately, we are not a large wheat producing area, so my pasta had to be imported. C'est la vie. Lavender in savory dishes is an unexpected flavor that tastes fresh and heightens the other ingredients in the dish. This dish also uses the deglazing technique. Deglazing is the process of pouring wine, broth or another liquid into the same pan the meat was seared in. Pour in the liquid, then use a spatula to scrape up all the tasty brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the liquid reduce and you have a flavorful pan sauce to pour over your meat. Do not attempt this in a non-stick pan, there will be no brown bits stuck to the bottom and you'll end up with a pan of reduced liquid - which is something else entirely. Two rules are invoked here that apply to all other area of cooking. Rule 1: Dry the meat before putting it into the hot pan. Either dust with flour or pat dry with a paper towel. Putting dry meat into hot oil gives it the lovely golden brown color that we all love. Putting wet meat into hot oil creates steam and pale looking meat. Rule 2: Add dry herbs at the beginning and fresh at the end. Dry herbs need to be reconstituted so their flavor can release, it takes time and liquid to do this. Fresh herbs are as flavorful as they're ever going to get, putting them in early means that all the flavor will be cooked out by service. Keep these two guidelines in mind and all your meals will be beautiful and well-seasoned. Lavender is a member of the mint family, which means that if you decided to grow your own, it will take over your yard. On the other hand, you'll have the best smelling yard on the block. Lavender Lemon Pan Chicken 2 chicken breasts, trimmed of fat and patted dry In a sautee pan, heat two tablespoons olive oil. When hot, add the chicken. Cook until done and set aside. Add the onion and garlic, sautee until tender and golden, about two minutes. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, reduce over heat until reduced by half. Add the lemon zest and lavender. Stir and return chicken to pan. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice or pasta. |
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