Edible Flower Recipes

LAVENDER- LEMON VERBENA CAKE

Makes 2 dozen muffins/cupcakes, one bundt cake or two 8” cake layers.

• 2½ cups cake flour
• 3½ tsp baking powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 TBSP fresh, finely chopped organic and unsprayed lemon verbena leaves, prepared according to instructions
• 2 TBSP fresh organic and unsprayed lavender flowers, prepared according to instructions
• 2/3 cup butter
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp lemon extract OR 1 TBSP real lemon juice
• zest of one lemon

Preheat oven to 350F. Choose your pans and prep with pan spray or use cupcake papers. Cream butter, sugar and herbs. Blend dry ingredients and add to sugar and butter. Whip juice, milk, eggs and extract and add to dry ingredients. Mix well until batter is really smooth. Bake 25 minutes for muffins, approximately 30 minutes for layer cake, 35 minutes for tube cake. Test cake center.

SUMMER SALAD

4 roasted red peppers

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, sliced

1 tsp coarse salt

freshly ground pepper

3 TBSP red wine vinegar

8 TBSP olive oil

choice of greens, including arugula, rocket, sorrel or chicory

3 tomatos, cut in bite-sized pieces

handful of blanched green beans

4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and quartered

Fresh organic and unsprayed herbs and herb flowers, including purslane, basil, chive    leaves and flowers, and nasturtium leaves and flowers

Peel and seed the peppers, slice them into strips, and place them with their juices in the bottom of a large salad bowl, along with the sliced onions.  Make the vinaigrette by mashing the garlic in a bowl with the salt and a few grinds of pepper.  The garlic should be completely pureed.  Add the vinegar and stir well, then stir in the oil.  Pour the dressing over the onions and peppers and let them marinate for 2-3 hours.  When ready to assemble the salad, add the washed and dried greens.  Arrange the tomatoes and eggs on top.  Then add basil leaves, the young leaves of purslane, finely chopped chive leaves, whole nasturtium leaves, and scatter the purple chive and orange nasturtium flowers on top.  Toss the salad at the table.

BERRIES WITH ROSE-SCENTED CRÈME ANGLAISE

2 highly fragrant organic unsprayed roses

1 cup heavy cream

3 large egg yolks

¼ cup sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 quart fresh berries

Prepare the flowers according to the directions above. Remove the white heel, which may add bitterness, from 24 rose petals with a pair of scissors.  Refrigerate the remaining petals.  In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, bring the cream and rose petals to a boil.  Remove from the heat and let steep for 10 minutes.  In another bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and salt.  Temper the egg mixture with a slow stream of the cream/rose mixture, then combine the remainder by pouring slowly through a strainer, whisking constantly.  Now return this mixture to a saucepan and cook over low heat until the mixture thickens and coats a spoon, 10-15 minutes.  Strain again to remove any lumps.  Cover and chill until ready to serve.  At serving time, pour some of the crème anglaise onto a dessert plate and scatter fresh berries over the cream.  Garnish with some of the remaining fresh rose petals, which are a beautiful, edible addition.