Ground cardamom (Recipe: grilled fruit with cardamom yogurt)

If it weren't for Artist Open Studios, I might never have had the "Wow, cardamom!" experience.

At the studio of local stone carver Karin Sprague, people were trying their hand at carving under the watchful eye of an apprentice, exploring the barn that houses Karin's workshop, learning more about the incredible gravestones she carves and how she came to this work. And then Karin brought out a platter of chunks of bread, sweet and scented with cardamom. It was the first time I'd really tasted cardamom as the dominant flavoring in a dish. Wow, cardamom!

The fruit of a large bush that grows wild in the Cardamom Hills in southern India, cardamom is cultivated in Tanzania, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea and Guatemala. In Herbs & Spices, Jill Norman explains that cardamom came to Europe from India via the caravan routes, and the Vikings took it from Constantinople to Scandinavia, where it's still a popular flavoring for baked goods.

An essential ingredient in the spice blends of many cuisines (berbere, curry powder and garam masala, for example), cardamom enhances the flavor of apples, oranges, pears, legumes, sweet potatoes and root vegetables, coffee, roast duck or poached chicken — and spiced wine. In Arab cultures, cardamom coffee is a symbol of hospitality.

Cardamom also is reputed to be an effective antidote for scorpion venom. Just thought you'd want to know.

GRILLED FRUIT WITH CARDAMOM YOGURT
This dessert comes together quickly and packs a huge, healthy flavor punch. If peaches and nectarines are out of season, use pears or plums. Serves 8.

1/2 tsp ground cardamom
2 cups vanilla yogurt, low-fat or no-fat (or use plain yogurt with pure vanilla extract to taste)
8 ripe peaches or nectarines, cut in half lengthwise, pits removed
Juice of two lemons
1 Tbsp honey

Mix the cardamom into the yogurt and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

Preheat grill. Toss the fruit with the lemon juice so they won't oxidize. Paint cut side lightly with honey. Place cut side up on a hot grill for 2 minutes, then turn and place cut side down for 3-4 minutes, until fruit has nice grill marks. Serve cut side up, with a dollop of cardamom yogurt.

Comments

[Pauline]

Oh, dear! Another item to add to my Penzey order. I've never tried it in yogurt but it sounds refreshing for addition to summer fruit. I've only had cardomom is spiced tea and a cookie recipe.

[candy]

My Swedish Mother-in-Law used a pinch of cardomom in her coffee. I often do the same...try it! I also use cardomom in place of nutmeg or clove in baking for more subtelty. It has depth and drama!

[Cindy]

Cardamon is my favorite spice to use in "icecream" If you'd like to make it follow any vanilla icecream recipe, add coffee extract or instant espresso for the coffee flavor and ground cardamon for the spice. YUM

[lydia]

Thanks, Cindy. Love to get tips from pastry chefs!