Cumin: A Savory Cooking Spice
By Brenda Hyde
Cumin is a spice that most of us associate with spicy Latin
American food, but it's also used in Dutch, Belgian and even
Austrian cooking. Ground cumin can be added to pot roast
recipes, as well as potato dumplings. It's a spice well worth
keeping on your shelves for a variety of dishes.
Cumin is a member of the carrot family and a relative of caraway.
Most of us use ground cumin that we purchase. It does
require hot summers with at least three months of high temperatures
to ripen the seeds. If you wish to try growing cumin, start seeds indoors
and set your plants out after the danger of frost has passed. Plant
in full sun in a light textured soil. Make sure you give it plenty
of room, at least 18 inches for each plant. The entire plant
should be uprooted just before the seeds completely ripen
and it can be hung to dry upside down in a paper sack to
keep from losing the seeds. The whole or crushed seeds
can be kept in airtight containers.
Savory Potato Casserole
Ingredients:
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons wine or herb vinegar
2-3 tablespoons oil
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick
3 large red, green or yellow bell peppers, mixed
2 stalks celery, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 pound tomatoes, each cut into 8 wedges
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Seed and cut the peppers into
1 1/2 inch pieces. Combine garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, paprika,
cumin, and cayenne in a food processor bowl. Process until
mixture forms a paste. Add herbs,
and blend. Add lemon juice, vinegar, and 2 to 3 tablespoons
oil; blend. Season to taste with salt. In a large bowl, combine
potatoes, peppers, and celery. Season with salt, and toss with
herb sauce. Transfer to a large shallow baking dish. Scatter
tomatoes among the potato mixture. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons
oil over top, and cover with foil. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil.
Continue baking until vegetables are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
Serve warm. Makes 6 servings
Mexican Smoked Chili Marinade
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 canned chipotle chilies, minced
4 cloves garlic,minced
1 tsp freshly grated orange rind
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. cumin seeds
2 tablespoons wine vinegar, or more to thin
1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper
Combine the orange juice and lime juice in a small saucepan and boil
until reduced to 1/2 cup. Place reduced juice and remaining ingredients
in a blender and puree to a smooth paste. I strongly recommend that you
Spread paste on the meat to be marinated. Marinate seafood for 2 hours,
poultry, beef and pork for 4 to 6 hours.Turn once or twice. Makes 1 cup,
enough to marinade about 2 pounds of meat or seafood. Note: the Chipotle
Chilies are VERY HOT, so if you need to, try cutting back the chilies
in half the first time you make this. Remember, you aren't eating the
marinade itself, but just adding the taste to the meat. Grill the meat
as usual, and discard the marinade.
Cheese Enchiladas with Chili Sauce
Sauce:
11/2 pounds ground chuck
½ cup diced onions
1 clove finely minced garlic
11/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
8 cups beef broth
2 cans (14 ½ oz each) whole peeled tomatoes
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon plus 1 ½ tsp paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup water
Enchiladas:
16 corn tortillas (6 inch)
Vegetable oil
6 cups (24oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 oz) shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
For sauce, in large saucepan or Dutch oven brown ground beef with onions,
garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Drain. Add broth, tomatoes, chili powder,
paprika, and cumin. Mix well, breaking up tomatoes with large spoon. (if
you don't like chunks of tomato, throw them in blender to puree slightly)
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 1 hour.In small
bowl mix cornstarch and water until cornstarch is completely
dissolved. Gradually add to chili sauce, stirring constantly.
Continue cooking 5 minutes.
For enchiladas, heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat about ½ inch oil in
small skillet until hot but not smoking. Quickly fry each tortilla in
oil to soften, about 2 seconds on each side. Drain on paper towels.
Spoon 1/3 cup cheese down center of each tortilla. Roll up and
place seam side down in two 11 X 7 baking dishes. Top with chili
sauce. Cover with foil. Bake 10 minutes or until hot. Remove foil.
Sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese, and continue baking 2 minutes
or until cheese melts.
Note: I also make these with 1/2 a cup or so of ground beef in
addition to the cheese in each enchilada that has been browned
and seasoned with chili powder and salsa.
Tortilla Stew
Ingredients:
1 package corn tortillas, any size
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 whole, boned, skinned chicken breasts,
cut into bite sized pieces
4 carrots, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 large green bell peppers, diced
1 16 ounce bag of frozen corn kernels
1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1 small can of diced green chilies
12 cups of chicken broth, fresh or canned
Juice of three limes
3 tablespoons Ground Cumin
3 tablespoons Chili Powder
Cut the tortillas into 1/2 wide strips and fry them in the hot
vegetable oil in a large pot until they are very crisp and brown.
Set aside to drain on paper towels. Place the remaining ingredients
into the pot. Bring to the boil, then lower heat and simmer about
20 minutes. Taste for seasonings and add more if needed.
Place handful of the fried tortilla strips in the bottom of a soup bowl,
then ladle some of the stew over them. Serve hot. You can
serve extras such as sour cream, salsa and shredded cheese if you
wish.
