April Spice of the Month - Coriander Seed 

Each month, we’re blogging out original and delicious recipes featuring one of our Reluctant Trading spices. The recipes are formulated exclusively for us by the super-talented and super-friendly Sarah Marshall.

So what’s our spice of the month, you ask? Drumroll please - coriander seed!

If you’re not completely familiar with this beautiful spice with an amazing citrus aroma, no worries! Sarah’s going to show you the way.

 

Getting Ready for the Mother of all Holidays - Sarah Marshall

Happy April spice pals, I am so excited to get you cooking with coriander seed. When Scott put it on my list of recipes to write, my first thought was, most people have no idea what to do with coriander seeds. My next thought was to try things I had never done with coriander seeds.

This spice is one of my favorites, it is the seed that produces the cilantro plant, but it tastes nothing like it. Coriander seeds have the essence of citrus, with a slight floral quality. We use it in many of our sauces, and it is essential to pickling, but I am going to show you some new ways to utilize coriander seeds.

With Mother’s Day coming up next month, I am going tea cake crazy. Our family tradition is to have all the Moms in the family over for an afternoon of tea and cakes.

Rather than the typical frosted cakes, I make loose riffs on Italian style tea cakes with fresh fruit and whipped cream. The whipped cream in this recipe is a spin on a ghost chili infused hot chocolate I made years ago for a friend’s donut shop.

The fat in the whipped cream pulls out and holds on to whatever is soaked in it. You can make tea cream, coffee cream, whatever you are into. The great news is, you don’t have to wait until Mother’s Day to make this cake! It is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or in place of dessert. Enjoy!

– Sarah Marshall

Pear Tea Cake with Coriander Whipped Cream

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Ingredients

Coriander Whipped Cream

• 1 tablespoons Reluctant Trading whole coriander seeds
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup cane sugar

Pear Tea Cake

• Butter, for greasing the pan
• 1 ¾ cup super-fine cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Reluctant Trading coriander seeds, finely ground with a mortar and pestle
• 6 tablespoons salted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup cane sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup Greek yogurt
• 1 large pear, peeled, cored, ¼ inch cubes

Preparation

Step 1

In a small saucepan, over medium heat, toast the coriander seeds. Shake the pan every 15 seconds, for three minutes, until fragrant and you hear a pop. Immediately remove the seeds from the pan and place in a medium bowl. Once cooled, add the whipping cream. Set aside while the bread bakes.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Using your fingers and butter, grease an 8 x 4 non-stick loaf pan, coating well. Line the bottom of the pan with a rectangle of parchment paper and grease the top of the paper. Set aside.

Step 3

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and coriander. Set aside.

Step 4

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla and Greek yogurt, mixing until blended. Gradually stir in the flour mixture until combined. Fold in the chopped pears with a spatula.

Step 5

Bake for 50-60 minutes, until golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 6

After the bread has baked for 40 minutes, pour the cream through a fine mesh sieve into the bowl of a standing mixer. Add the sugar and whip the cream, on medium speed, until desired stiffness, about 1-3 minutes. Serve big slices, while still warm, topped with the coriander whipped cream.

 

My first thought was, most people have no idea what to do with coriander seeds. My next thought was to try things I had never done with coriander seeds.

About Sarah

Sarah is the owner of Marshall’s Haute Sauce. Her small batch sauce company grew from her love of gardening, and background in home preserving. Sarah is passionate about farmers, artisan producers, and canning seasonal ingredients. She spends her free time teaching canning classes, experimenting in the kitchen, and organizing a local canning club- Portland Preservation Society. Her love for canning and preserving all things local, inspired her to write Preservation Pantry: Modern Canning From Root To Top And Stem To Core. Be sure to check out Marshall’s Haute Sauce Variety Pack. Best hot sauce evah!

Reluctant Resources Used in this Recipe

• Coriander Seeds
• Milton Modern Mortar and Pestle
• Corky Modern Glass Spice Jars
• Put a Lid on it Stoneware Salt Cellar

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Also, be sure to check out Sarah’s other coriander seed recipe this month for Coriander Red Lentil Soup