Caraway Seeds

Have any of you ever used Caraway seeds in your cooking.  I have experimented one recipe  which I use  on a particularly regular basis is for baked potatoes with cheese and caraway seeds and it is very tasty.  I have already popped up the recipe for this.  It is relatively quick to use.

The Victorians were very fond of Seed Cake a staple of the Victorian tea table.  The seed in question being Caraway.

Caraway seeds (Carum carvi) are known as the steadfast herb/spice as supposedly it prevented lovers from straying and it kept a man's pigeons and poultry steadfast too.  It was also meant to ward off witches!  But moreover Caraway is known as a digestive herb/spice to quote:

"Chew seeds raw or infuse them to sharpen appetites before a meal as well as to aid digestion, sweeten the breath and relieve flatulence after a meal". 

Well that's the nice way of putting it.
 
The liqueur known as Kummel is also flavoured with Caraway 

I bought new Caraway seeds last week as I had depleted my previous stock and ended up paying through the nose for them and then found them on the market even cheaper
My new book Prepped by Vanessa Kimbell also  has a plethora of lovely recipes in for Caraway Seeds including:

Caraway crackers

Caraway and Parmesan Muffins

Caraway and Lemon Pumpkin Soup/Pumpkin Pie

Caraway and Lemon Potato cakes

Caraway and Lemon chicken Pasties

Caraway Biscotti

Caraway Soda Bread 

So it looks as though I am going to get some mileage and some new recipes to play with.  As I make houmous (hummus) on a regular basis (I have a stockpile of dried chick peas lurking in the pantry shouting use me use me) I though I might well start with the Caraway Crackers as they look rather rustic and dippable and then serve with some carrot cucumber spring onion crudites (carrot cucumber and onion sticks to the down to earth) and use them for a nibbles night this Saturday night.  Something that the OH can enjoy as no sugar and he is more into savoury than sweet.  It will be non-expensive with most of the ingredients to hand in my Pantry store. 

I might also make some cheese onion and yogurt dip basically you put half a pot of natural yogurt into a bowl add a pot of cottage cheese grate a load of cheddar cheese into the yogurt and cottage cheese mix together then grate half a raw onion or to taste into the mix sprinkle a little paprika on the top and chill.  It should thicken up slightly but is very very tasty and ideal for dunking.

There is always Victorian Seed cake for High Tea for the traditionalists.

Right am off to play

Catch you soon

Pattypan