Courtesy Ellie Lavender, chef and proprietor, Lavender Design + Cuisine in Santa Cruz
1 pound strawberries, washed and butterflied
1½ cups instant oats
1/3 cup toasted almonds, slivered
1/3 cup sweet butter, melted
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon Meyer lemon zest
½ tablespoon lavender petals, finely chopped
2 tablespoons lavender honey to brush on strawberries
1 tart shell
Few lavender flowers to sprinkle over strawberries
Preheat oven to 450° F. Process almond in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Add the oats and sugar and process for another 2–3 minutes. Then transfer to a bowl. Add sweet butter, lavender petals and lemon zest. Mix lightly.
Place the mixture in a tart shell and press it down firmly. Arrange the butterflied strawberries over the spread. Brush the strawberries with lavender honey. Bake 10–15 minutes.
Remove to cooling rack and let it cool for 1 hour. Put in fridge for another hour to set.
Sprinkle with a few lavender flowers. Enjoy with a glass of wine or with a scoop of vanilla gelato, or both.
About the author
At Edible Monterey Bay, our mission is to celebrate the local food culture of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties, season by season. We believe in sustainability, and we believe everyone has a right to healthful, clean and affordable food. We think knowing where our food comes from is powerful, and we hope our magazine, website and newsletters inspire readers to get to know and support our local growers, fishers, chefs, vintners and food artisans.
