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Socca

socca round

Socca, too me, has always had an exotic aura about it.   From time to time I’d imagine what it might be like to eat it while lingering on vacation in the south of France, enjoying this chickpea crepe on a lazy afternoon in sea-salted air.

I wondered if it needed special ingredients that you could only get abroad.  Well, the answer is… no.  Turns out it’s simple, unpretentious food, made with only a handful of ingredients. My favorite!

I was inspired most recently to make socca after going through the little bags of flours in my pantry, and putting some of them in glass jars that I bought on the weekend. I had the majority of a bag of chickpea flour sitting on the shelf, left over from making baked sweet potato falafel a while back.  The flour didn’t all fit in my glass jar, so I thought why not use some of it up. Socca came to mind immediately.

socca batter in the pan

socca slice new

I first checked for the recipe in one of my favorite cookbooks, but turns out that particular recipe called for an addition of a cup of white flour, something I wasn’t too keen on. So, I turned to the interwebs for guidance. I came across David Lebowitz’s recipe, which was simple and straightforward in its ingredients, and was exactly what I was looking for (and no white flour).

It was delicious!  Very easy to make, consisting of five ingredients that come together effortlessly.  It was well-received in my household, so much so that I plan to make it regularly.  This summer I’ll be eating it with an ice cold glass of rosé.

Socca
from David Lebowitz’s The Sweet Life in Paris

I found it to be easier to heat up the initial pan of olive oil on top of the stove instead of in the oven with the broiler. This also means there is one less scary grab of a hot hot hot pan handle.  Socca is also naturally gluten free.

1 cup (130g) chickpea flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (280ml) water
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
freshly-ground black pepper, plus additional sea salt and olive oil for serving

Mix together the flour, water, salt, cumin, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Let batter rest at least 2 hours, covered, at room temperature.

To cook, heat the broiler in your oven. Oil a 9- or 10-inch (23cm) pan (I use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet) with the remaining olive oil and heat the pan on top of the stove (you can heat it in your oven if you prefer).

Once the pan and the oven are blazing-hot, pour enough batter into the pan to cover the bottom, swirl it around, then pop it back in the oven.

Bake until the socca is firm and beginning to blister and burn. The exact time will depend on your broiler.

Slide the socca out of the pan onto a cutting board, slice into pieces, then shower it with coarse salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Cook the remaining socca batter the same way, adding a touch more oil to the pan between each one.

Makes about three 9 10-inch (23cm) pancakes

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Raw Carrot Apple Salad

Have you ever made a dish that crazy exceeded your expectations?  I have, and it comes in the form of a raw carrot apple salad.  These two simple ingredients, when mixed together with some citrus juices and a few spoonfuls of currants, are transformed into a wonderful salad that is refreshing and delicious.

carrot apple salad smiling

Mixing carrots and apples together is a classic approach.  I can remember numerous potlucks from my youth that featured a carrot apple salad, more often than not laced with jello or mayonnaise (or possibly even Miracle Whip), sometimes with pineapple or pecans added.

The jello ones were never finished.

carrots and apples

lemon zest

This salad has none of those creamy, fruity, or nutty extras in it.  Its beauty is in its simplicity.

According to the cookbook Sundays at the Moosewood, this salad is Czech in origin.  In that book, the dish is called apple and carrot confetti.  No matter what you call it, it’s delicious.

carrot apple salad

So, I’m fond of taking this carrot apple salad to potlucks, especially in the summertime.  It’s naturally vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, raw, and sugar-free, so it caters to almost any dietary restriction you might encounter.  It’s also light and refreshing, and goes well with light summer fare. It even is suitable for brunch!

Raw Carrot Apple Salad

I have left out the sugar that was indicated in the original recipe; I find that this salad really doesn’t need it. If you wish it to be sweeter, best to use a sweeter apple.

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 cups grated apples (about 4)
2 cups grated carrots
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons currants
1/4 teaspoon salt, to taste

Combine lemon and orange juice in a large bowl.  Grate the apples directly into the citrus juices to avoid oxidation of the apples.  Toss the apples with the rest of the ingredients and serve immediately.

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Quick Steel Cut Oats

steel cut oats nom nom nom

Usually, the words “quick” and “steel cut oats” do not go together when you’re talking about preparation of this delicious grain.  Usually one must cook the oats for a minimum of 30 minutes or so before they are edible, which is a lot longer than the more attractive five minutes it takes to whip up a bowl of rolled oats.

For years I wanted to try steel cut oats – a minimally processed grain, with a nutty flavor, and lower glycemic index than its rolled sibling – but was really put off by the cooking time.  30 minutes spent over a hot stove in the morning before going to work?  No way.  And I’ve preferred something like pancakes, eggs, and/or bacon on the weekends, when I had the time I could devote to cooking the oats.

If you soak them the night before, it accomplishes two things:  1) it breaks up the phytic acid and the oats, therefore increasing their nutritional value, and 2) it gets something delicious in your belly in about 5 minutes, and becomes a realistic weekday breakfast option.

The soaking has completely changed the way I eat steel cut oats forever.  I rarely make rolled oats for breakfast anymore.  Steel cut oats all the way!  Yummeh.

Quick Steel Cut Oats

These are great just with cold raw milk.  Other successful additions include cinnamon, dried fruits, nuts, and seeds.  Fresh fruit is another addition, but I have found that I prefer dried fruits.  Also, be sure to soak the oats in a non-reactive bowl – I prefer tempered glass to just about anything else.

1/2 cup dry steel cut oats
1/2 cup water
pinch of base (baking soda); or, a splash of vinegar, lemon juice, or kefir; or, a small bit of yogurt

At night, combine 1/2 c oats with 1/2 c water and the acid or base.  Let it sit out overnight, covered by a towel.

Then, in the morning, dump the oats (which have swelled up with water) into a pot, and add a half cup more of water. Heat it up until the rest of the water absorbs and the oats become a porridge consistency, 3-5 minutes.

Serve with cold, raw milk, and fruit/nut combinations if you like.

Eat it up!  Makes two portions.

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The Best Rice Pudding

rice pudding

Recently, I read this post by traditional food blogger Cheeseslave, entitled Paula of Guadalajara, Mexico: A Testament to Dr. Weston Price, and was struck by her exchange regarding dessert:

I asked her how many times a week her children got dessert. I thought maybe she’d say once a week. She said, “Usually every night.” …  She’d also make them “arroz con leche” or rice & milk custard, made with milk, butter, rice, raisins, cinnamon, and a tiny bit of sugar.

When I saw that, I was instantly inspired to make rice pudding.  I’ve been a fan of rice pudding since I was a little girl, and especially liked the recipe my grandmother uses.  She passed it down to me, and I’m so grateful to have it, because it’s wonderful!  In fact, I’ve made this rice pudding for people who say they hate the stuff, and after tasting it they become total converts.

I used to make it with conventional ingredients, but now I make it with my raw milk – and yes, the milk cooks in the process, but as it’s grass-fed, non-homogenized and did not go through the pasteurization process originally, it’s so much better for you.

I use raw milk, organic sugar, pastured eggs, grass-fed butter, and organic rice – I like to use sushi rice because it results in an even creamier pudding than with long grain white rice; arborio rice would work, too, I bet.  I do wonder if maple syrup would be a good replacement for the sugar; I’ll have to try that next time.

Rice Pudding

Dessert is something I love, and although I’m severely reducing my sugar intake, I’d be sad to completely abandon dessert.  I’m constantly looking for options that do not wreck havoc on my system, and that are relatively healthy while being delicious.  This pudding works for me – it’s made with top notch ingredients and is very rich, so a little goes a long way.  It’s also a wonderful dish to share with others – rice pudding is so comforting.

1/2 c. organic white rice (long grain or sushi, not instant)
1 c. water
1 qt. milk (4 cups)
1/2 stick unsalted butter (1/4 cup)
3 pastured eggs
1/2 c. evaporated cane juice or rapadura
1 c. raisins (optional)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
cinnamon

Pour rice slowly into rapidly boiling water in large pot. Don’t stir.

Cover tightly and cook exactly 7 minutes. Water should be absorbed for the most part.

Add milk and butter. Stir a little.

Bring mixture to a boil, cover and cook slowly over a low flame for 1 hour.

5 minutes before the hour is up, beat eggs, add sweetener and vanilla.

Temper egg mixture by mixing a little bit of the hot milk and rice in with the eggs. Pour mixture into rice, stirring slowly until rice starts to thicken. Add cinnamon to taste. Can be enjoyed either warm or cold.

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Leaf Lard is Coming

leaf lard has no substitutes

On February 9, I placed my first order ever for leaf lard, through my CSA.  This is a big step for me.

I have plans to render it.  I’ve never rendered leaf lard before, but I’m pretty excited about the prospect of doing so. As I’ve become more aware of the benefits of saturated fats, lard has come out on top as a good fat – it’s also a traditional fat, as people have been using it for years.  Centuries, probably.  This puts it in the real food category.

Like many people my age, I grew up fearing the lard – it always held negative connotations, and was considered “unclean” and bad for you.  Ironically, growing up we always had a big container of Crisco (trans-fats) in the pantry (mostly for use in chocolate chip cookies), and plenty of margarine (more trans-fats) in the refrigerator.  Nowadays neither of those things are in my kitchen, and I regard them as unusable.  And unhealthy.

Although I mentioned that lard is a saturated fat, it really is only partly-so.  It actually contains less saturated fat than butter. Lard consists of 39% saturated fat (butter is 50%), 45% monounsaturated fat and 11% polyunsaturated fat.  It’s a fat that I think more people would benefit from adding to their diet.

Now the lard (aka manteca) that you often see piled up at the grocery store has been hydrogenated.  Why do they do this to lard, which is already stable (solid) at room temperature?  Perhaps to extend its life even more, I honestly don’t know.  What I do know is that you should stay far, far away from it.  Hydrogenation produces trans fats and they are seriously detrimental to your health.

I’ll post more when I receive the lard and after I render it.  I plan to make some pastry with it, and use if for frying eggs.  Awww, yeah!

Photo source: Wikimedia Commons, The Boston cooking-school cook book, Boston, Little, Brown, and Company, 1916.  Photo in the public domain.

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Jamie Oliver – 2010 TED Prize Winner

This year Jamie Oliver won the TED Prize, granted just this past week. The video of him making his plea has been flying around the internet, and for good reason. It’s excellent – an intelligent and impassioned plea to fix something that is pretty much preventable – obesity.

The TED Prize is a pretty extraordinary thing.  According to the organization:

The TED Prize is designed to leverage the TED community’s exceptional array of talent and resources. It is awarded annually to an exceptional individuals who receives $100,000 and, much more important, “One Wish to Change the World.” After several months of preparation, they unveil their wish at an award ceremony held during the TED Conference. These wishes have led to collaborative initiatives with far-reaching impact.

And Jamie’s wish is:

I wish for your help to create a strong, sustainable movement to educate every child about food, inspire families to cook again and empower people everywhere to fight obesity.

I think it’s a wonderful wish, and one worth granting.   Want to help work towards making it a reality?  You can start by signing his food revolution petition, if you are sympathetic to his cause. He plans to take it to the White House after his TV series airs, share with the President and First Lady, and show how many people across the country really care about this issue. Finally, he’ll ask for their support in return.

At the least, watch the video.  I think you’ll be happy you did.

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Soaked Whole Wheat Bread

gorgeous loaf of whole wheat bread

For over a year now I’ve been soaking my whole grains, and am very comfortable with the process and happy with the results.  So, I thought it would be a good idea to start soaking flours, too, when it comes to working with doughs and batters.  When I first heard about soaking flours, I thought what the heck?!?  I couldn’t imagine how that would work.

I came to understand that “soaking” just meant combining liquid(s) and flour into a ball.  Usually it sits overnight, allowing the phytic acid to break down and fermentation to start.  Truth be told, it can be a little unwieldy to work with the soaked dough ball at first.  However, I’ve absolutely loved the results, so it’s all worth it.

Over the weekend I baked this whole wheat bread, which turned out amazing!  I am in love with this bread.  It’s delicious, nutritious, great as toast and for sandwiches, and I notice that it doesn’t affect my blood sugar negatively – I don’t get a high and then a big low that I sometimes do with commercial bread.

raw dough collage - isn't it lovely?

I made it with this wonderful locally grown Cayuga Organics whole wheat flour that I get through my CSA, mixed with some Bob’s Red Mill unbleached all purpose flour.  I used the raw honey I get through my buying club, which is excellent stuff.

This recipe was originally published on Simply Real Food.

Whole Wheat Bread

I prefer to use honey over maple syrup, because I think honey and whole wheat are a classic combination. As far as using a dough hook, that is a convenience – you could absolutely knead this by hand.  Please don’t let the lack of equipment bar you from trying this wonderful bread!

1 1/2 tbsp. active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups tepid buttermilk
1/4 cup raw honey or maple syrup
1/4 cup melted butter, cooled slightly
1 tbsp. salt
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3-4 cups unbleached bread flour

Day One:
Mix 3 cups of wheat flour with 1 1/2 cups buttermilk. Cover with a towel. Leave out overnight.

Day Two:
In a bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the water and stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.

In a heavy duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the buttermilk/ flour mixture, sweetener, butter, and salt. Beat on medium low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Beat in the yeast mixture. Beat for 1 minute. Add the bread flour, 1/2 cup at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Switch to the dough hook. Knead on low speed, adding the bread flour 1 Tbsp at a time if the dough sticks, until smooth but slightly sticky when pressed, about 5 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and turn the dough once to coat it. Cover loosely and let rise until doubled in bulk, 1- 1/2 hours.

Lightly grease two 9-by-5 inch loaf pans. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. Divide in half and pat each half into a long rectangle. Fold one rectangle like a letter, overlapping the short sides in the middle; press to flatten. Beginning at the narrow end, tightly roll up the dough into a thick log. Roll the log back and forth with your palms until it is the same length as the pan. Pinch the ends and the long seam to seal. Place the loaf, seam side down, in prepared pan, tucking the ends under to make a neat, snug fit. Repeat with the second portion. Cover loosely and let rise until about 1 inch above the rim of each pan, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350. Bake until the loaves are golden brown and pull away from the pan sides, 35-40 minutes. Turn out onto racks and cool completely.