Seasonal Dill Seed Recipes

Some herbs are so plentiful in the fall you want to try to use them.  Dill is one of those herbs.  You can see it all over as the beautiful umbels begin to set seed.  You can use that seed to make dill pickles, but it is also good in these flavorful recipes:

Lime Dill Dressing

2 Tbls. Lime juice

1 Tbls. Vinegar

½ tsp. sugar

½ tsp. dry mustard

2 tsp. coarsely ground dill seed

1 Tbls. Mayonnaise

½ cup olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

Bland together all ingredients except olive oil, salt & pepper; add oil in a steady stream, blending until thoroughly combined.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes ½ cup.

Dilled Brittle Bread Crisps

A light crunchy herb cracker you can serve with wine or juice.

2 ¾ cups flour (plus more to roll dough in)

2 Tbls. Sugar

¾ tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking soda

2 Tbls. Coarsely ground dill seeds

1 stick butter

1 cup fresh plain yogurt

1 egg, beaten with a 1 tsp. water

whole dill seeds

course salt, optional

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  In a food processor or with pastry blender combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and dill seeds.  Add butter and process until mixture is like a course meal.  Add yogurt and mix until just combined.  Make into small balls the size of almonds.  Refrigerate until chilled.  On a lightly floured board roll each ball out as thin as possible.  Place on an ungreased baking sheet.  Brush with egg wash, sprinkle generously with whole dill seeds and course salt.

Bake 5 minutes or until golden brown in upper part of the oven.  Remove from pan to cool.  Store in tin box or sealed container. Makes 4 to 5 dozen.

Baked Flounder or Haddock

2 lbs. fresh or defrosted flounder or haddock

6 Tbls. butter or margarine

1 Tbls. Dill leaves or seeds

Parmesan cheese

Paprika

Heat butter or margarine in a low oven with dill.  Place fish in greased pan and brush both sides with the warm herb butter using a pastry brush.  Bake the fish in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, then sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and some paprika for color and broil for 3 to 5 minutes.  (May be covered with aluminum foil and kept warm in a low oven until everything else is ready.)