Short Bread Lemon Lavender Cookies

We served these at Matanzas Creek Winery's Lavender Festival

8oz                    Butter, salted

1 lbs                  Sugar, white

1                        Lemon, zested

2 Tbl                 Lavender

1½ lbs               Flour, all purpose

Combine all ingredients except flour in mixing bowl. Beat until creamy. Add flour, mix until combined.  Roll into logs. Wrap and refrigerate.

Slice approximately ¼” and bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 12 minutes depending on thickness.

Ancho Chili Grilled Prawns

 1                        dried ancho chile, stemmed, seeded, coarsely torn

2 Tbsp               vegetable oil

1 cup                 chopped onion

1 Tbsp               tomato paste

3                        garlic cloves, minced

½ cup                dry red wine

½ cup                ketchup

1 Tbsp               apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp               dark brown sugar

2 tsp                  Worcestershire sauce

¼ tsp                 ground cumin

Place chile in medium bowl and cover with boiling water, soak until soft, about 30 minutes. Drain (save water). Heat oil in heavy saucepan. Add the onions and sauté until soft, stirring often.  Add tomato paste; stir 2 minutes. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add wine and softened chile, then simmer 2 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons saved chile soaking water, ketchup, and all remaining ingredients. Simmer 3 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Puree sauce in blender, adding more reserved soaking liquid by tablespoonfuls if too thick. Cover and chill.

Toss your prawns with 3 parts sauce and 1 part mayo.  Grill and serve immediately.

Guava Passionfruit Quince Jam

Our Guava Passion Fruit Quince Jam was a great pairing with Chevre.   And goes very well with light Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.  This recipe makes about 6 pints

2 lbs                  quince, rinsed, cored, grated with leave peel

½ cup                guava puree

½ cup                passion fruit puree

4¼ cups            water

¼ cup                lemon juice

1 Tbsp               lemon zest

4 cups               sugar

Working around the core, grate the quince (including the peel), for about 6 cups.

Bring the water to a boil in a think bottomed sauce pan.  Add the quince, lemon juice and lemon zest. Reduce heat and simmer until the quince is soft, about 10 minutes.

Add the sugar and bring to a boil again. Stir to dissolve all of the sugar. Lower the heat to medium. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally until quince jam turns pink and thickens to desired consistency, about 30-50 minutes.

Add the guava and passion fruit purees.  Stir well and reduce for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.  Freezes well

The purees we like are from Napa Perfect Puree.

Chocolate Bouchon

Our Chocolate Bouchons are a little bit of heaven and pair very will with port.  This recipe makes about 20 pieces.

100 gram           Butter, salted

100 gram           Sugar, white

1                        Eggs

1 gram               Vanilla

35 gram             Cocoa, baking

30 gram             Flour, all purpose, Gluten Free

2 gram               Salt

50 gram             Chocolate Chips, Dark, Mini

Melt the butter.  Whip the sugar and eggs together until fluffy. Add vanilla to the sugar/eggs.  Combine the cocoa powder, flour, and salt. Alternate adding Flour mixture and melted butter to the egg mixture 1/3 at a time.  Add chocolate chips.

Spray 1oz silicon molds, and fill.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes with the fan on.