A heartfelt thanks to Susan R. for her comments on Anna Maria’s demonstration at this year’s Lavender Festival. Anna Maria put a lot of time into the preparation of the foods for the demonstration, and at the height of the busy summer season, blocking out hours to do yet one more task is always a challenge. This was definitely a labor of love for her, as she’s happiest when she’s in the kitchen instead of at the computer, and really enjoys sharing her knowledge with others.
For those who missed her presentation, here is one of the recipes she sampled that day.
Hazelnut Encrusted Lavender Chicken
Makes 6 Servings
1 ½ pounds Skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 ½ teaspoon Cardamom pods
1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
2 Tablespoon Organic culinary lavender, ground with mortar and pestle
1 cup Plain yogurt
Juice of ½ lemon
1 teaspoon Minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon Fresh grated ginger
Pinch of cayenne
½ cup Breadcrumbs
¼ cup Ground hazelnuts, lightly toasted
2 Tablespoons All-purpose flour
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil and butter for sautéing
- Cut the chicken breasts into 4 pieces.
- Pound lightly to form even cutlets 2 – 3 inches in diameter
- Pulse the cardamom and cumin seeds in specie grinder or in mortar and pestle until ground and uniform. Add the lavender.
- Combine the spice mix with yoghurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger and cayenne.
- Mix and toss chicken to coat. Marinate 1 hour or overnight.
- Mix breadcrumbs, hazelnuts and flour.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper and dredge with breadcrumbs mixture.
- Pan fry cutlets in a mixture of oil and butter over medium heat until golden brown, turning once to color both sides.
- Serve on a pillow of mashed sweet potatoes or with stone fruit chutney.