Lavender Sea Salt Popcorn Salt

Lavender Sea Salt, yes it might sound odd but it is absolutely wonderful.  The first time I remember eating lavender was when was in the south of France.  I had a roasted chicken seasoned with herbs de provence and it was a life changing culinary experience.  I was 18 at the time and backpacking through Europe with a girlfriend.  We splurged on a meal at a fancy cafe on the water.  I had no clue that a roasted chicken could taste so delicious.  I was so impressed with the taste I purchased the spices that the restaurant served.  Later I read the ingredients and it listed lavender as one of the flavorings.  I was immediately intrigued.  The next day we toured a chocolate factory and one of the samples was sprinkled with Lavender salt and that is when my obsession with lavender began.  I cooked with the herbs de provence when returning home and I was certain the lavender was the key to the wonderful flavor.  I have since come up with my own version of herbs de provence and will share that in another post.  I also experimented with using lavender salt and came up with my own recipe.  I have heard that french chefs refer to lavender salt as a flavored finishing salt.  Call it what you want, I call it delicious.

The next question you might have is how to use the Lavender Sea Salt:

 

• Popcorn – Sprinkle a bit on freshly poped kernels for a gourmet delight.
• Chocolate- Finish off any dark/milk/white chocolate dessert and prepare to be amazed.
• Scallops- Mild shellfish like tender scallops go very well with florals. Finishing a lemony, buttery scallop dish with lavender salt is a spectacular finishing touch.
• Lamb chops- There is something magical about the combination of lavender and lamb. Of all the red meats, lamb carries the flowery flavor best of all. A little bit on your lamb chops is all you need.
• Fresh fruit- Sprinkle on berries, pineapples, and watermelon. Watermelon has never tasted so good.
• Caramel or toffee- Add a sprinkling of lavender salt for decoration and flavor.
• Margaritas- Give your margarita a twist by rimming the glass in lavender salt instead of plain salt.
• Lemon – Run Lavender salt around the rim of a lemonade and WOW!
• Vegetables – vegetables, especially asparagus.
• Potatoes – Potatoes of any kind tossed in butter and lavender salt.
• Eggs– scrambled, soft boiled or deviled.
• Fish and Fowl – Sprinkle lavender salt on cod fillets cooked in olive oil with garlic. Season duck breasts with it after grilling them or rub a bit under the skin of a whole chicken with some butter before roasting.

Recipe Ingredients for Lavender Sea Salt:

• 2 teaspoons lavender buds (you can use fresh or dried)
• 1/2 cup course or course sea salt

Remove the lavender buds from their stems before measuring and try not to include any leaf bits. Next, pulse the salt and lavender mixture once or twice in a food processor to release the flavour.

In a clean jar, combine the salt and lavender and decorate how ever you would like.

 

I hope you enjoy the lavender sea salt as much as I do.