Flower and Herb Ice Cream

Ice cream is one of my most favorite desserts. I think one of the reasons is that ice cream reminds me of summertime. Now, I know we are still a few weeks away from summer, but I just couldn't wait any longer! That is why I created this lovely ice cream. The flavors are reminiscent of early spring - they are light and lively, with an earthy density that reminds me of sodden springtime soil. Serve it with a bourbon chocolate sauce, raspberry syrup or all on its own!

What You'll Need:

3 cups of whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

¾ cup white sugar

8 egg yolks (save the whites for an omelet or something…)

2 tablespoons dried lavender flowers

2 tablespoons dried fennel seed

Red and blue food coloring (optional)

Ice Cream Maker or Kitchen Aid Ice Cream Attachment

1.   In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and yolks until light and creamy, about 3 minutes.

2.   Combine the milk, cream, lavender and fennel in a medium sized sauce pot over medium heat. Continue to stir the mixture until the milk is just below a boil.

3.   Pour the milk mixture through a sieve into a bowl to strain out the flowers and seeds. Be sure to work quickly so the mixture stays hot.

4.   Next, slowly add the milk mixture to the eggs and sugar, being sure to constantly stir the egg mixture as you pour in the milk. If you do not stir the eggs, the heat from the milk can cause the eggs to cook and curdle… not fun for anyone. Once everything is incorporated, return the mixture back to the sauce pot on medium heat and continue to stir.

5.   If you would like to color your ice cream, now would be the time. Add the red and blue until the color reaches a shade you like. Remember that once your ice cream is churned, it will appear lighter in color.

6.   Once the cream is thick enough to coat your spoon, remove it from the heat. Pour the mixture into a container with a lid and let it sit overnight or 8 hours in the refrigerator. This will give the cream a chance to rest and the flavors a chance to mellow and meld together. This is a very important step.

7.   Once the cream has sat long enough, it is time to churn it. Pour the cream into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions to churn your cream.

8.   When the cream is churned, return it to the container and freeze for at least 6 hours.

And there you have it - a delicious springtime ice cream.

Yield: About 1 quart

Grilled Steak with Roasted Fennel and Leeks

My husband and I recently stayed at a quaint guest house in central New Hampshire. On the evening of our first night there, we headed to the dining room for a nice, relaxed dinner. After poring over the menu, I decided to splurge and order the steak. It was cooked to medium-rare perfection and graced with a delicious butter and cream sauce. Now, I am usually a purist when it comes to grilled steak - a dash of pepper and salt and I'm a happy girl, but all throughout dinner I could not get over this sauce on my plate. I was tasting it, little by little, trying to pull out the subtle flavors. As soon as we got home from our vacation, I hit the kitchen and developed this rustic dish as an homage to one of the best steak dishes I have ever had.

What You'll Need:

- Your favorite cut of steak (I like ribeye)

- 1 medium sized leek

- 1 fennel bulb

- 2 tablespoons olive oil

- 2 teaspoons salt

- 1 ½ teaspoons ground pepper

- 1 cup wild rice

- 2 ½ cups water

For the Sauce

- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

- ¼ cup heavy cream

- ½ teaspoon orange zest

- 1 teaspoon fresh orange juice

- Pinch of saffron

- Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Begin to boil the 2 ½ cups of water on medium high heat.
3. Wash the leeks and fennel bulb. Starting at the root and ending just as the leaves start to split apart, chop the leeks into rounds about ¼" thick. Place these in a bowl. Finely chop the fennel bulb into cubes like you would an onion. Be sure to remove the top sprigs. These sprigs can be hung upside down and dried to be used in the future. Place the fennel in the bowl with the leeks. Add the oil, salt and pepper to the leek and fennel and toss with your hands to make sure all vegetables are coated.
4. By now, your water should be boiling. Add the rice and bring back to a rolling boil. Once the rice is boiling, reduce heat to low and cover. Let simmer for about 35 to 40 minutes depending on the type of wild rice you purchased.
5. Now that the rice is cooking, this gives us time to prepare the rest of the dish. Layer the leeks and fennel into a casserole dish, baking pan, or even a cake pan (this is what I use) and place in the oven for about 30 minutes or until fennel is mostly tender, but still a little crisp.
6. Now we can prepare the sauce. Place a sauté pan over medium low heat. Add the butter and melt. Pour in the cream, zest, juice and saffron. Stir to combine. The great thing about this sauce is that it can pretty well be left alone while you prepare the other parts of the dish. Just make sure you stir it occasionally so it does not develop a film from the cream. Also, make sure it does not come to a boil. If it begins to boil, turn down the heat.
7. Time to season the meat. Brush a little bit of oil on each side of the steak. Then seasons with salt and pepper. It is best to use either sea salt or kosher salt. Rub the seasoning into the meat to make sure all surface areas are covered. Let the meat sit about 5 minutes to let the salt and pepper do their magic.
8. Place the steak on the hottest part of the grill or griddle for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. If you are unsure about the length of time, when you purchase your cut, ask your butcher how long to cook the steak on each side for your preference of doneness. I prefer medium rare, as this is the best way to coax out those wonderful beefy flavors. Let the meat stand for 5 minutes before serving. This is IMPERATIVE! This ensures the juices will stay in your steak and not leak out all over your plate when you cut into it for the first time.
9. Time to plate! Spoon out about a ½ cup of rice into the center of the plate. Place the roasted fennel and leek mix on top of the rice. Place the steak on top of the roasted veggies. Now for the pièce de résistance - pour some of the sauce over the steak and garnish with shredded carrot.

Enjoy!