Moroccan Lamb Shanks with Lavender Prunes & Almond Sauce

The mixture of flavors in this dish are simply intoxicating! Don’t let the long list of ingredients scare you, most are spices. This recipe is easy to put together and well worth it!
I like to cook it in a casserole dish and serve it in a decorative tagine.

4 lamb shanks, lightly salted and peppered

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium coarsely chopped white onion

4 minced garlic cloves

2 tablespoons fresh minced ginger

1/2 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped spice mix (combine spices below before cooking)

1 teaspoon ras el hanout*

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon Keys Creek culinary lavender

2 teaspoon salt and fresh ground pepper

1 cup white wine or champagne

3 cups water

1/2 cup Keys Creek lavender honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a large ovenproof casserole dish with nonstick spray, and brown the lamb shank in olive oil. Transfer lamb to a plate. In the same pan, add onions, garlic, ginger, and cilantro and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in spice mixture and continue cooking for 1 minute. Add white wine, water, and lavender honey and stir well. Return the lamb shanks to the casserole. If needed, add water to bring the liquid level up to cover half of the shanks. Cover the casserole dish with foil
and a lid. Bake for 2 1/2 hours. While the lamb is cooking, prepare the lavender prune and almond sauce. Check the casserole hourly to maintain the liquid level. Turn the lamb shanks to keep moist. Remove from the oven and transfer to a tagine or platter. Spoon the lavender prune and almond sauce over the lamb and sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Serve with quinoa or pilaf with mint, lavender, and currants.

*ras el hanout can be found at middle eastern stores or online.

Fresh Fruit Tarts with Filo Crust

These delicious and beautiful fruit tarts are so fresh you
can taste “Spring” in every bite. I have made them with many different seasonal fruits and berries and they have been a delight every time! I also adore them with fresh figs.
Experiment to find your favorite combinations and they
will become a staple in your dessert repertoire

Filo Pastry Shells

1 box filo (in the freezer section of most grocery stores)

1 stick melted butter

Bring filo pastry to room temperature. Cover counter top or cutting board with waxed paper. Lay out one sheet of filo dough. (cover remaining filo with a moist paper towel so they do not dry out). Brush with melted butter. Carefully fold the filo into a 5-inch square. Repeat this process to make 6 tart shells. Spray a standard size muffin tin with nonstick spray. Line every other muffin mold with the filo squares. This does not have to be perfect! Press the filo down to form tart shells. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes (or until the edges are golden). Remove from oven and cool before filling the tart shell. You can use store-bought tart shells to save time.

Lavender Cream Cheese Filling

1 pound cream cheese (softened to room temperature)

1/2 cup sugar

4 tablespoon Keys Creek lavender honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon Keys Creek culinary lavender

Whipped cream (sweetened with 1 tablespoon of lavender honey)

Fresh mint and lavender sprigs for garnish (dried lavender sprigs are also lovely)

In a bowl, mix all ingredients together well. Keep filling refrigerated until ready for use.

To assemble tarts, fill each tart with cream cheese filling. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until set. Top filling with seasonal fruits or berries. Serve with lavender honey whipped cream, a sprig of fresh mint, and a sprinkle of lavender buds.

Chef Kate’s Lavender Blondies

I like to use organic ingredients whenever possible, because it is healthier and just makes things taste better! These Blondies were featured on Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle website www.goop.com and are one of her all-time favorite treats. I have added lavender to the recipe, giving it a delightful healing herbal twist that I am sure you will love.

2 cups butter (room temperature)

1 1/2 cups organic sugar

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

4 organic eggs

4 teaspoons vanilla

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon dried culinary lavender flowers

(available at www.kclfarm.com)

2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups small marshmallows

With an electric mixer, blend butter, organic sugar, and brown sugar until creamy.
Add eggs one at a time and stir in vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, sea salt, baking soda, and lavender flowers. Slowly add the flour mixture into the batter and
mix well. Fold in the shredded coconut, white chocolate chips, and marshmallows.
Pour the mixture in a medium baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Cover the Blondies loosely with foil to
prevent the top from burning. Continue baking for 15 minutes until the insides are
a slightly firm. They should be soft and chewy inside when done.

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