Back from break and back at it. Yesterday was the first day of essentially our last course. These next 28 days will wrap up my classroom time at Cordon Bleu- no more tedious commute, no more stupid uniform, no more wretchedly early mornings. Hallelujah- the countdown to liberation begins. Now, I wont be quite through with my schooling just yet (in August, Ill begin my externship) but at least Ill be done with the more formal parts of my education. 

So this last class-Cuisine Across Cultures…this is good times. The next month will be a figurative globe trot across the continents using exotic spices and foreign ingredients as our vehicle. Along the way, points of interest including unusual technique and cuisine history/country of origin will inevitably warrant some dawdling. Im looking forward to every little bit of the unfamiliar food territory that lies ahead- every extraordinarily unique bite. A taste tour of the world…sounds lovely eh? 

First stop, todays stop: the Middle East. To start, Chef Herman chatted about the smorgasbord of spices that region has to offer-we sniffed, we tasted and we watched intently as she toasted up numerous fragrant combinations. I would think it impossible for me to crave Middle Eastern food at such an early hour but apparently not…all it took was a whiff of what Chef was cookin’ up to get my belly growling.

Lamb Tagine, Vegetable Tagine, Carrot Salad, Chermoula & Prawns, Dukkah and Flat bread- that is what we produced. A perfect little feast of tasty food.

Have you ever tried Dukkah? Good God…believe you me, a description couldn’t even begin to do its deliciousness justice. Dukkah is this killer dip made up of toasted nuts and spices that is served with warm pita and alongside olive oil. Word is that you dip your warm bread into a spot of oil then drag it through the Dukkah. The thing is, it doesn’t matter what you do- hell, you can probably coat dog shit with the stuff and you know what would happen? That dog shit would be delicious. So anyway, it sits front & center in the picture that is posted. Making Dukkah involves toasting pistachios, almonds, fennel & cumin seeds before combining those ingredients with roasted sesame seeds, crushed pepper flakes, salt & peppercorns. Finally you process the whole lot together with mortar & pestle + food processor. What you get is a flavor that, to quote my Chef- “makes you want to slap your neighbor”. Heres the recipe. Make it, love it and thank me (or more appropriately, Chef Herman) later. 

1 cup shelled roasted pistachio nuts*

1 cup shelled roasted almonds

1 TBSP whole coriander seeds

1 TBSP whole fennel seeds

1 TBSP whole cumin seeds

1/4 cup roasted sesame seeds

1 TBSP crushed red pepper flakes

1 TBSP coarse salt or sea salt

1-2 tsp coarsely crushed black peppercorns

*Hazelnuts, pine nuts, macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds and/or peanuts may be substituted. Toast the nuts in a hot oven for approximately 10 minutes (watch closely so they dont burn), stirring frequently.

1. Toast coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, sesame seed in a hot oven for approximately 5 to 8 minutes (also watch carefully so they dont burn). Remove from oven and let cool.

2. In you food processor, grind your toasted nuts until the texture resembles small breadcrumbs. The mixture should be very dry and crumbly, not a paste. Be careful as over processing can release the oils in the nuts and turn the mixture into a nut spread such as peanut butter.

3. In a mortar & pestle, grind the coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, sesame seeds and red pepper flakes slightly. You can try using your food processor for this but I find the seeds are too small for using it. In a bowl, combine the crushed nuts, crushed seeds, salt and pepper. Taste & adjust seasonings if necessary. Store mixture in a covered container in the refrigerator.