This week's French Garden recipe

People who know me would tell you that it's hard to tell which I like more: gardening or cooking. I'd say it depends on which I'm doing at the moment. Anyway, French cooking and French gardening go hand in hand. For me, cooking is an on-going adventure. Join me here on my culinary explorations, where I share with you both my old favorites as well as new inspirations. It's my fondest wish that these recipes serve as a springboard for your own new creations.

07/23/2004
Apricot-lavender preserves Confiture d'abricots a la lavande

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ripe, flavorful fresh apricots
1 3/4 lbs. sugar
1/4-1/2 c. organic lavender flowers, fresh or dried

Pit the apricots, reserving the stones, and roughly slice the fruit into a preserving kettle or jam basin. Crack the pits and remove the kernels inside. Make layers of fruit, sugar, and kernels in your kettle. Cover lightly and allow to macerate overnight or up to 24 hours.

Bring to a boil and skim off the foam that rises. Put a saucer in the freezer, and put on a large pot of water to boil in which you have upended 4-6 preserving jars of half-pint size. Add a splash of vinegar to the water around the jars to prevent a mineral buildup on them. Cover and boil them at least ten minutes. Drop the lids in the boiling water just before using.

Cook the preserves, stirring regularly, until a drop on the cold saucer has a pleasingly thick consistency when touched with your finger after a couple of minutes of cooling. Pay attention, because apricots contain a lot of natural pectin and the jam will thicken quickly. Stir in the lavender flowers and reduce the heat, cooking another 5 minutes. Fill the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top, wipe the rims clean, and screw down the lids. Allow to cool and label.

If you use good apricots, this jam will knock your socks off. The pairing of apricots and lavender is spectacular. The inclusion of the apricot kernels accentuates the flavor.

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Try some of our past French garden recipes:

Appetizers and small dishes

Basics

Beef, pork, lamb, and veal