Flavor Matching Cardamom

When I worked in retail food service, cardamom wasn't a spice carried by our primary vendor. I had to buy it at the grocery store and was surprised that the price was more than most other spices. I learned that a little can go a long way.

Cardamom is widely used in Scandinavian and Indian Cooking. It can be purchased in the pod or ground seed form.  Once ground, the seeds loose their essential oils and full flavor. The warm and sweet flavor pairs with desserts, rice and seafood. My meal tonight features two recipes with cardamom.

Steelhead Trout with Cardamom Drizzle

(Serves 3-4)

Place trout on a baking dish greased with olive oil spray.
12 ounce steelhead trout
Mix the liquids and cardamom. Pour over seafood. Bake at 350 F. for 20 minutes. 
2 tablespoon coffee
2 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

For this recipe, I used the pod form of the spice. I broke the pod, peeling it from the seeds and ground the seeds in my seed grinder. There are about 15 seeds in every pod.

Hot Cross Buns

(20 Servings)

Raisin, date and spice mixture

Grind raisins and dates in mini food processor. Soak in hot water and rum for 20 minutes.

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup dates

1/4 cup hot water

2 tablespoon rum

Drain raisins and dates. Mix in orange zest, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves.  Set aside.

2 teaspoon orange zest

3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cloves
 

Dough

Combine whole wheat flour, dry yeast (active dry or bread machine) and sugar in bowl of electric mixer with dough hook in place.

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon yeast

2 teaspoon sugar

Slowly add warm milk to the bowl and beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.

1 cup skim milk, heated to 125F.

Add  raisin, date and spice mixture, flour, oil, egg and salt to bowl.  Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl down.

Dried fruit and spice mixture 

½ cup whole wheat flour

½ cup olive oil

1 egg (warmed to room temperature)

1 teaspoon salt

Gradually add additional flour to the mix, beating on low speed after each addition until the dough forms a ball and leaves the side of the mixer.  Scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula throughout the process to combine the flour.

1 cup whole wheat flour

Mist a large bowl (twice the size of the dough ball) with an olive oil spray.  Turn the dough ball so that all sides are greased.  Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Grease a 13 X 9 inch baking dish with olive oil spray. Punch dough down. Using a 2 tablespoon scoop, portion dough balls and place in pan, 4 wide X 5 deep. Cover and let rise until double.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix egg and water. Brush tops of rolls with egg wash using pastry brush.

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon water

Bake 20 minutes.

Cool on wire rack.

Icing

Mix sugar, vanilla and juice.  Pipe icing cross on each roll.

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 teaspoon orange juice

The above meal was served with corn pudding.