The Culinary Fruits of America’s Next Top Model
Since I know she’s going to call me out, I’ll just say it up front: I absolutely stole this spice combination from Maids. In between our snarky commentary during an America’s Next Top Model marathon, Maids gave me the low-down on her recent okra dish. Intrigued by her usage of caraway seeds — rye bread is my favorite — plus coriander seeds and cumin, I quickly figured out how to incorporate it into my staple food combination: avocado and feta.
Back to ANTM, I also was totally into Kahlen – love the dimples and the blonde hair. Totally sucker for a skinny, tall blonde. But I also love a girl I can’t wrap my head around. Naima totally works it. She’s gorgeous, fierce, sick body, sweet, beautiful.
Anyway, back to food.
Caraway, Coriander and Cumin Sandwich (plus more than spices)
In a dry pan, toast caraway seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds (Maids used ground cumin), pine nuts, salt and pepper. Now, I have no idea if it mattered whether or not I added in the s&p, but I was just in a spicing mood and threw them in. When the pine nuts turned brown and the seeds were fragrant, I removed them from the pan and then added in chickpeas. While they were heating up and browning in spots, I smashed together half an avocado, feta and the spice mixture; cut a few slices of cucumber; warmed up a whole wheat pita. When the chickpeas were ready I mixed them in with the avocado mixture and filled the pita.
After thoughts: I think the coriander seed was a little much in that sandwich, not the flavor but the texture. I’m thinking next time after toasting, I’ll mortar and pestle that mixture to break down the seeds.
Not sure why, but there’s something about caraway and fennel seeds that just ruin rye bread and Italian sausage for me. I think it’s the jarring feeling of crunching down on one mid-bite.
I could take or leave the flavors.
hate fennel seeds. but not because of the texture – because of that anise flavor. same way i couldn’t stand my oma’s drink of choice: sambuca
I’m not so crazy about seeded bread either – they just seem to get in the way.
The caraway seeds are actually really good toasted, I’m not such a big fan of rye bread, but aI think in the flavor combo, with he coriander and cumin, the caraway takes on a subtler flavor and morphs a bit. I’m glad I inspired you Gans, but I am a little sad that you ruined the recipe by adding pine nuts. Yuck.
N-E-Way, I can see the texture of the coriander seeds not working in that circumstance…. I like it when it adds a little hiccup of crunch, but every now and then the coriander seed crunches in a surpsing and not altogether pleasant way.
I’ll get my delicious okra recipe up when the hemorrhaging stops at work!
yikes, spell check alert… obviously my brain is elsewhere, sorry ESers!
Oooh…sambucca.
Many a night at college (okay – a few for the two or three years immediately afterward, as well) ended with me and my roommates doing a round of flaming sambucca shots.
Good times.
your pine nut hatred is not welcome here!
Do you think this could be used as a dip?
hmmm. i find it difficult to scoop up chickpeas, but maybe if they were mashed a bit it could be turned into a dip, using the cucumbers as the vehicle for the mixture.
or everything pulsed in a food processor – tapenade style rather than dip
I think I’m gonna give this a go in dip format, I’ll report back my findings.