may spice rack challenge: coriander

Coriander.  Something I use quite often, but normally in a great mix of spices.  I considered putting up my indian spiced scrambled eggs with spinach, care of, wait for it 'trooper coopers indian cook book'.  The title of that still brings a grin to my face, and I've had the book for a year or three now.  Don't get me wrong, its got some good recipes in it, but still I grin.  Anyway said eggs have a great long list of spices in which coriander is only one, and I kinda wanted a recipe in which coriander was the star.  Or at least one of the stars, not the cast.

So, my friend Mr Google it was.  What a surprise ae?  Anyway, I went looking for a pairing with fruit, since its Autumn here now, and apart from soup I find I'm wanting to cook desserts.  Thought with its citrus scent there would be plenty of inspiration to choose from.  Umm, nope.  But I did find a recipe for coriander butterscotch shortbread.  Not something that I wanted to try, I'll admit. I'm a cook, not a baker for the most part.  But butterscotch, that I could work with. 

Still in the mood for dessert, I went for obvious and relatively simple; mousse.  Knew that I could play with flavours with minimal effort.  Found a recipe for butterscotch mousse (or three) and then looked at infusing butter with coriander flavour.

I read screeds on ghee, and clarified butter; may have found a few answers to how to stop sauces from splitting on the way, maybe.  Will have to go back and investigate a little further on that one.  Decided that on my first attempt I wasn't go to go the whole hog and clarify the butter, just infuse it, since I figured that this was likely to be a rich enough dessert as is was. 

Coriander infused butterscotch mousse
4 T whole coriander seeds
100g butter
1/2 c brown sugar
2 egg whites
2 t caster sugar
300 ml cream

Roughly crush the coriander and add to melted butter.  Leave to cool and sit for at least 24 hours.  The longer it sits and the fresher the spice the stronger the flavour.  I left it for 24 hours and there was a hint of coriander but not overpowering.  However my coriander was not fresh by any stretch.

Remelt the butter and remove the crushed coriander using some muslin cloth.  You are aiming to have 75 g of butter for the mousse, so if you are short at this point ( I was) add some fresh butter to make up the short fall.

Add the brown sugar and 100ml of the cream to the butter in a saucepan and heat.  Stir until the sugar has dissolved.  Set aside to cool.

In  a separate bowl whisk the egg whites and caster sugar to soft peaks.

In a third bowl whisk the cream until it also forms soft peaks.

Fold the cooled butterscotch mix into the cream.

Fold the egg white mix into the flavoured cream.

Spoon into glasses and chill.

Enjoy, I know our family did.  This makes enough for 6