What’s Cooking in Kelli’s Kitchen

September marks the first anniversary of the launch of Churchill County Library’s Spice Club. The spices offered at the library are a world apart from what is available in conventional grocery stores–they are fresh, single-origin, and source-identified. We share the stories of the individual farmers or communities that grow and process each ingredient. We have chosen some spices that are likely new to most of you and others that are familiar but different in their quality and production. The whole point of the Spice Club is to make trying new flavors as easy and unintimidating as possible.

Our flavor of the month in the Spice Club is Lucknow Fennel, sourced from Rajasthan, India, by Burlap & Barrel Spice Company. The northern state of Rajasthan is characterized by a hot and arid climate similar to what we experience here in northern Nevada. Lucknow Fennel is a sweet, grassy variety that produces bright green, ridged seeds with rich flavors of licorice and dried mint. This is a truly versatile spice that stands out in both sweet and savory dishes.

Fennel seeds are used in many world cuisines, including European, Middle Eastern, Indian, and Chinese dishes. We use fennel seeds on the regular in Kelli’s Kitchen, and the Lucknow fennel is the best that I have tried. Stop by the Churchill County Library in September for a sample of Lucknow Fennel in one of the following recipes.

Everything Bagel Dip 

Adapted from Ali Slagle

Ingredients:

2 T Dried minced onion

2 T Poppy seeds

2 T White sesame seeds

2 T Lucknow fennel seeds

1 t Garlic powder

1 t Flaky salt

8 oz Cream cheese, cut into small pieces at room temperature

1 ½ c Sour cream

Things for dipping (bagel chips, potato chips, pretzels, etc.)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix the dried onion, seeds, garlic powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, using a whisk or an electric mixer, blend the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth and fluffy. Stir in all but 1 T of the spice mix.
2. Eat at once or refrigerate for 15 minutes or up to 5 days for the dip to thicken and flavors to meld. Garnish with the remaining 1 T spice mixture and serve with crunchy things and fresh vegetables.

Crispy Salmon with Mixed Seeds

Adapted from Ali Slagle

Ingredients:

1 ½ c Soft herb leaves and tender stems (mint, dill, cilantro, parsley, or a combination)

1 Lemon

1 c Full-fat Greek Yogurt

1 T Sesame or sunflower seeds

½ T Fennel seeds

½ t Cumin seeds

½ t Coriander seeds

4 (6-oz) Skin-on salmon fillets

1 T Canola oil

Directions:

1. Finely chop 2 T of the herbs and set aside the rest. Finely grate the zest from the lemon. In a medium bowl, stir together the chopped herbs and lemon zest with the Greek yogurt. Season with salt. Combine 3 T of the yogurt mix in a small bowl with the sesame, fennel, cumin, and coriander seeds. Season to taste with black pepper and stir well to combine.
2. Pat the salmon dry. Season both sides lightly with salt. Spread the seeded yogurt evenly over the flesh side of the salmon. This will be a light layer. You will see pink salmon spots through the yogurt.
3. Coat the bottom of a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet with oil. Add the fish skin side down, then place the skillet over medium heat. Cook until the skin releases easily from the pan and the flesh is opaque ¾ of the way up the sides (about 10-12 minutes).
4. While the fish is cooking, mix the remaining yogurt with 1-2 T of water until it is saucy. Lightly dress the herbs with a squeeze of lemon, then cut the remaining lemon into wedges for serving.
5. Back to the fish. When the salmon is nearly cooked through, flip over, swirling the oil underneath. Cool until the seeds are fragrant and the fish releases easily from the pan (1-2 minutes). Transfer the fish to plates skin side up. Eat with the yogurt sauce, herb salad, and lemon wedges.

Ingredients:

2 T Dried minced onion

2 T Poppy seeds

2 T White sesame seeds

2 T Lucknow fennel seeds

1 t Garlic powder

1 t Flaky salt

8 oz Cream cheese, cut into small pieces at room temperature

1 ½ c Sour cream

Things for dipping (bagel chips, potato chips, pretzels, etc.)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix the dried onion, seeds, garlic powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, using a whisk or an electric mixer, blend the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth and fluffy. Stir in all but 1 T of the spice mix.
2. Eat at once or refrigerate for 15 minutes or up to 5 days for the dip to thicken and flavors to meld. Garnish with the remaining 1 T spice mixture and serve with crunchy things and fresh vegetables.