Lavender & Lemon Chicken

I was determined to see the lavender fields in France.  My husband and I spent most of the day driving just so I could see the lovely sight, albeit, in the rain.  I've used herbs de Provence, which contains lavender in the mix, but never cooked with lavender as the primary herb in a dish. It's not easy to find a recipe using lavender, period, but I came across just the right vehicle in Rachel Khoo's new cook book, The Little Paris Kitchen (Poulet au Citron et Lavande).  It's simple and delightfully different.  Lavender for cooking is different from potpourri, so look for it in the herb section of specialty food stores.

 For the marinade:
 2 tbsp. dried lavender
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbls honey
2 sprigs thyme( or strip the springs and use 1 tsp. thyme leaves)
finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
pinch of salt

1 chicken, cut into 8-10 pieces
a generous pinch of salt

Crush the lavender using either a mortar and pestle or a rolling pin. Put the crushed lavender into a gallon size plastic bag with the other marindade ingredients.  Mix well and add the chicken pieces. Refrigerate for 30 mins to 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Put the chicken and marinade into a roasting pan and sprinkle with salt.  Roast for 45 mins..  Turning the chicken pieces halfway through.  Serve with the juices poured over or around.