Cristina Ferrare's Lavender-Apricot Chicken Drumsticks With a Lavender Lemonade Cocktail

Tips:

• You know lavender – a member of the mint family – for its use as a scent in teas, perfumes, bath products, for skin relief, and for fresh-scented laundry.
• But, it can also be used in cooking.
• It adds exotic, light fragrance to savory and sweet foods
• Upscale restaurants serve fresh edible lavender flowers for flavor enhancement, scent, and food appearance.
• Use it in tiny amounts – the same way you might use a small amount of rosemary.
• Always use culinary lavender flowers (food grade), not the garden-variety plants treated with pesticides in nurseries.
• Buy your edible, food-grade lavender at herb stores or gourmet kitchen shops that sell dried, edible flowers that have been grown for culinary uses.

LAVENDER-APRICOT CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds chicken drumsticks (about 10 drumsticks)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup apricot preserves
• 1 tablespoon boiling water
• Dried edible lavender blossoms

Procedures:

1. Preheat the oven to 450° F.
2. Toss the chicken with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. If you were using rosemary instead of lavender, I would chop it and toss it with the chicken at this point. Place a Silpat (or foil or parchment) over a baking sheet with a lip and lay the chicken out on the baking sheet, making sure it is well spread out. Roast for 30 minutes.
3. After 30 minutes, the chicken should be golden. If it needs help, broil the drumsticks for a few minutes to get the skin crisp and golden.
4. Meanwhile, in a mini food processor, whisk together the apricot preserves and the tablespoon of boiling water to loosen the glaze and break up any large bits of fruit in the preserves.
5. After 30 minutes, if you have not already turned on your broiler, do so. Brush the chicken with half the apricot glaze and place under the broiler for about 5 minutes, until the glaze starts to bubble and turn golden brown. Then, turn the chicken over, glaze the other side, and broil until that side is bubbly and golden.
6. Remove the chicken from the oven and pile the legs up on a platter. Sprinkle with lavender to taste.

LAVENDER LEMONADE COCKTAIL

Ingredients:

Glass:

• 1.5 oz Vodka (Ciroc seems appropriate, but we used a local Pennsylvania vodka)
• 1.5 oz Lillet Blanc
• 1 oz Lavender Syrup (recipe below)
• 1 oz Lemon Juice
• 2 oz Chilled Soda Water
• French Lavender Flower for Garnish

Pitcher (makes 4 glasses):

• ¾ Cups Vodka
• ¾ Cups Lillet Blanc
• ½ Cup Lavender Syrup
• ½ Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
• ¼ Cup Chilled Soda Water for each glass
• French Lavender Flower for Garnish

Methodology:

Lavender Syrup:

1. Add 3 cups agave syrup and 4 cups water to a medium saucepan and bring to boil.
2. Add fresh organic French lavender to taste (or ½ cup dried food grade lavender) and boil for one minute over medium/high heat.
3. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes – then strain.

Drink:

1. Rim glass with lemon juice; dip into purple sugar (recipe below).
2. Mix first four ingredients with spoon.
3. Pour over ice, add chilled soda water, and garnish with lavender flower (or lemon wedges if you can't find fresh organic lavender).

Purple Sugar Recipe:

1. Add a couple drops icing color of your choice (in this case purple).
2. Raw sugar as needed.
3. Mix both ingredients in a plastic bag, rubbing together to achieve even color distribution.
4. Add ½ tsp of cornstarch to prevent clumping.

Get more great recipes from Cristina at www.cristinaferrarecooks.com.

And, make sure you follow us on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/hallmarkchannel/