Chocolate Roses

I recently read a post on Plant Journeys about making skin oil with coconut oil and roses; and the most interesting part of the post to me was using the strained rose leaves to make chocolate treats! You can read her process and recipe by following the link.

So I had to make it for myself. I don't have an actual recipe to share, as this was one of those moments that I was "in the zone" and not measuring, but I can describe my process. 

I put the strained, chopped rose petals and some chocolate in the top of a double boiler. ( I chopped the rose petals before steeping them in the coconut oil, and my double boiler is just two small pots, one on top of the other, with the simmering water on the bottom.) I added a splash more coconut oil. As the chocolate melted I added some chopped pecans, a few spoonfuls of pomegranate juice, and a pinch of cardamon. Once it was all mushy, I spread it out in a pan lined with waxed paper. Then I put the pan in the fridge so the mixture would harden, at which point I broke it into pieces and stored it in a sealed container back in the fridge. I'm down to the last two pieces, so I'm going to have to make some more!

Addendum: I found my original bit of paper where I wrote down quantities; so it was 1/2 cup chocolate to 2 cups strained rose mast (soaked in coconut oil), another 1/8 cup coconut oil, 1 tsp. of the juice. 

One of my goals for 2013 is to become more organized and keep all my recipes and formulations in one spot.

I discovered an interesting thing about  pomegranates. They will keep in the fridge a long time for use in summer recipes..... although it's a bit hit or miss which ones will keep and which ones will rot.

Rose Coconut Chicken

This chicken recipe was inspired by a hot chocolate I had in Asheville, NC. It actually doesn't taste like it at all, but that's where I got the idea for the ingredients. Don't be put off by the idea of roses in your chicken! The rose and coconut gives the chicken a sweet flavor without much of a rose taste, although I love the taste of roses, personally. For best results, use a free-range, organic chicken that is fresh, so that you can marinate it for a couple days in the sauce. When you're ready to cook the chicken, save the marinade sauce to make rice with, substituting it for the water. Delish.

Rose Coconut Chicken

1 cup chopped rose petals
1 whole free-range, organic chicken cut into parts
1 cup hot water
3 cardamom pods, crushed
1 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed
dash salt
1 can coconut milk
1/4 cup fresh whey or yoghurt
1/2 cup chopped pistachios

Soak the rose petals in the hot water for a few minutes to steep. Pour into baking dish or other container to marinate. Add chicken. I use either a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle to grind the spices, then add to dish. Add salt and coconut milk and whey or yoghurt. Mix all ingredients together well; I poke the chicken in several places with a knife, so that the marinade seeps in. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for a couple days. When you're ready to cook it, drain off the marinade, saving it to use to cook rice. Sprinkle chopped pistachios on top and cook chicken in 350* oven for about an hour, check that chicken has cooked through, or for more tender chicken, if you have the time, cook at 275* for 2 to 3 hours or until done.