How to use caraway seeds to flavour bread, cakes and sauerkraut

Caraway is a spice that, in my mind, is inextricably linked to many cuisines of northern and eastern Europe and the Baltic states, where it is used in breads, charcuterie, pickles, savoury dishes and even desserts, cheese and liqueurs. The plant is prized primarily for its small, ridged and curved fruits (although they are usually referred to as seeds), which are strong, distinctive and aromatic. The seeds are generally used whole. When ground, the flavour fades quickly, so it is best to grind the spice just before you need it. Caraway can be used straight from the spice jar, but the flavour becomes stronger when the seeds are toasted by shaking them constantly in a small, unoiled skillet set over a medium flame until they darken slightly and the fragrance becomes more pronounced. Caraway is one of the essential ingredients in old-fashioned seed cake; is almost always added to rye bread; and frequently among the spices used to flavour gravlax. The seeds are delicious with vegetables, especially potatoes and cabbage. Here are two recipes that use caraway seeds. Sauerkraut Sauerkraut is essentially cabbage pickled by lacto-fermentation, the same process used in kimchi, yogurt and kombucha. 500 grams (17.5 oz) green head cabbage 15 grams salt ½-1 tsp caraway seeds 4 or 5 dried juniper berries Shred some green head cabbage and weigh it. Mix in 15 grams of salt for every 500 grams of the vegetable. Add some whole caraway seeds and a few lightly cracked juniper berries and pack the ingredients into a sterilised glass jar that is taller than it is wide. The salted cabbage will start to give off some liquid after a few hours. Pour some water into a thin plastic bag (the type used to pack fruit and vegetables in supermarkets), squeeze out the air then tightly knot the bag. Put that bag inside another bag (in case the first one leaks), squeeze out the air and tie it. Place the bag directly on the surface of the sauerkraut – this will help keep the solid ingredients submerged in the brine. Leave the sauerkraut in a cool, dark place for about a week before using. Squeeze out most of the moisture, then heat it with whole black peppercorns and serve it with grilled sausages or roast pork. Choucroute garnie Choucroute garnie, originally from Alsace, in France, combines sauerkraut, potatoes, sausages and salted meats. For the petit salé, use good-quality pork belly. Iberico is ideal; Kurobuta pork belly is too fatty. For the cooked bone-in pork knuckle, buy a smoked or black pepper version, but not honey-roasted. For the petit salé A 450-gram slab of pork belly 400 grams kosher salt or medium-flaked sea salt 100 grams granulated sugar The leaves of 2-3 thyme sprigs For the choucroute garnie About 30 grams duck fat or cooking oil, plus extra for browning the sausages 1 medium onion, diced 4 garlic cloves, sliced 300ml (10 fl oz) dry white wine 500ml unsalted chicken stock, preferably home-made 750 grams to 1kg sauerkraut 2 or 3 Granny Smith apples 6 juniper berries 12 whole black peppercorns 1½ tsp whole caraway seeds 2 bay leaves, torn into small pieces 1 cooked bone-in pork knuckle, about 750 grams About a kilo in total of three or four types of fresh sausages (I use Toulouse, garlic and chipolatas) 6-8 medium-sized new potatoes Make the sauerkraut at least a week in advance. Two or three days before making the choucroute, make the petit salé. Rinse the pork belly, pat it dry and cut it into two pieces. Rinse them with cold water and pat dry. Mix the salt, sugar and thyme leaves into a paste and spread some in a 5mm (0.2 inch) thick layer over the bottom of a container. Put the pieces of pork belly on top, placing them so they do not touch with about 1.5cm (0.6 inches) of headspace and about 2.5cm around the edges. Pack the remaining salt/sugar mixture on top, between and around the pork pieces so they are completely covered. Seal the container and refrigerate for two to three days. To make the choucroute, put the sauerkraut in a large colander, rinse thoroughly with cold water then drain. Squeeze handfuls of the sauerkraut to remove the excess liquid. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the pork knuckle, bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer for about five minutes before removing the knuckle. Scrape the salt from the pork belly and rinse with cold water. Put the pork belly back into the pan of boiling water used to blanch the pork knuckle and simmer for about five minutes. Drain the pork belly, rinse and drain again. Peel the apples and remove the cores. Cut each apple into eight wedges. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). Heat the duck fat or cooking oil in a very large, heavy pan, preferably enamelled cast iron. Add the onion and garlic and cook over a low flame until soft, stirring often. Add the wine and heat over a medium-high flame until simmering and cook for several minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer, then add the sauerkraut, apple, juniper berries, peppercorns, caraway seeds and bay leaf. Stir, then add the pork knuckle and petit salé, snuggling them into the pan so they are partly submerged in the sauerkraut. Bring to a simmer then cover the pan, place in the oven and cook for about an hour. Heat some oil in a skillet and brown the sausages, then put them into the pan of choucroute and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Put the potatoes in a pan of salted water, bring to a simmer and cook until they are just tender. When the choucroute is ready, use tongs to put some of the sauerkraut on a large serving platter. Slice the pork and petit sale and arrange them, the sausages and potatoes over the sauerkraut. Put the remaining sauerkraut into a bowl and serve hot. This content first appeared in PostMag in 2011 and 2014.

How to use caraway seeds to flavour bread, cakes and sauerkraut

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Widely used in northern and eastern Europe, Caraway adds flavour to stews, breads, gravlax and sauerkraut

Sauerkraut

Widely used in northern and eastern Europe, Caraway adds flavour to stews, breads, gravlax and sauerkraut