SOCCA

A savory pancake made from chickpea flour - from "O" magazine

Combine 2 cups garbanzo bean flour, 2 cups warm water, 2 T. olive oil, and 1 - 2 tsp. of salt. Let batter rest for 2 hours.

Slice one zucchini thinly, chop 1 large red onion, add a sprinkling of herbs, and saute until soft and just beginning to brown.

Turn on broiler. Oil jelly roll pan or oven-safe skillet and put in heated oven for 3 minutes. Remove from oven, and pour in batter to about 1/4" thick (this recipe fills one jelly roll pan). Top the batter with zucchini and onion, and a few twigs of fresh rosemary (optional: a few pine nuts). Place socca under broiler until edges are brown, batter is set and toppings are beginning to crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Slide out of pan and cut into slices.

Butternut Squash, Apple and Hazelnut Muffins

makes 15 muffins

1/2 small butternut squash puree, peeled, seeded and diced
3 eggs
1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar
1/4 cup (50 g) natural cane sugar
1/3 cup (80 ml) unsweetened coconut milk
1/3 cup (80 ml) coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (70 g) superfine brown rice flour
1/2 cup (70 g) quinoa flour
1/3 cup (45 g) hazelnut meal
3 tablespoons (20 g) tapioca starch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 Gala apple, peeled and diced into 1/8-inch pieces
1 ounce (30 g) chopped hazelnuts

Preheat oven to 350F (180C).

Steam the diced squash until tender, about 10 minutes. Puree it in the food processor and measure 1/2 cup (115 g). Reserve the rest for another use.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the butternut squash puree, eggs, light brown sugar, natural cane sugar, coconut milk, coconut oil and vanilla extract.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the superfine brown rice flour, quinoa flour, hazelnut meal, tapioca starch, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and whisk to combine. Fold in the diced apples and hazelnuts.

Pour the batter into the muffin molds or baking cups and bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Let them cool for a few minutes before serving. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Butternut Squash Risotto with Pistachios and Lemon

from Melissa Clark's "Cook This Now: 120 Easy and Delectable Dishes You Can't Wait to Make"

1/2 pound peeled butternut squash
about 6 cups vegetable stock
3 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
1 medium leek, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 cups arborio rice
2 rosemary branches
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/3 cup dry white wine
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped salted pistachios
grated Parmesan cheese

In a food processor fitted with a fine grating attachment, shred the squash.

In a small saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer. Melt the butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring them occasionally, until they are soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook it until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rice, squash, rosermary, and salt. Stir until most of the grains of rice appear semi-translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. This means they have absorbed some of he fat from the pan, which will help keep the grains separate from each other as they form their creamy sauce.

Pour the wine into the pan and let it cook off for about 2 minutes. Add a ladleful of stock (about 1/2 cup) and cook, stirring it constantly and making sure to scrape around the sides, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Continue adding stock, a ladleful at a time, and stirring almost constantly, until the risotto has turned creamy and thick, and the grains of rice are tender with a bit of bite, about 25 to 30 minutes. Pluck out the rosemary branch and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and black pepper. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice if needed. Garnish with the pistachios and optional cheese before serving.

Cauliflower Bread Soup

From: A Tuscan In the Kitchen
This is considered one of the great soups from the Montalcino area of Italy. It has very little broth, looking almost like a sloppy bread pudding. Serve right away.

-salt
-olive oil
-black pepper
-garlic
-parmesan cheese
-cauliflower
-Italian bread

Remove the outside leaves from the head of the cauliflower and boil them in a large quantity of salted water for about 10 minutes. Coarsely chop the cauliflower into florets and add them to the pot. Cook at a low boil until completely tender.

Drain the leaves and florets and keep the water they were cooked in.

Slice the bread, toast it, and rub both sides with garlic. Soak the bread in the cauliflower water.

Now start to build the soup. In a large bowl, or individual bowls, make a layer of bread. Sprinkle it with olive oil, salt, papper, and Parmesan. The spread a layer of cauliflower florets and leaves over the bread. Make another bread layer an dkeep building until you run out, working quickly so the soup stays hot. Serve it right away when it's hot.

VEGETARIAN CHILI with Corn and Avocado

• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 1 cup chopped red bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 to 3 serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and minced, depending upon taste
• 1 medium zucchini, stem ends trimmed and cut into small dice
• 2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespooon ground cumin
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 3 cups cooked black beans, or canned beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup vegetable stock, or water
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Cooked brown rice, accompaniment
• Sour cream or strained plain yogurt, garnish
• Diced avocado, garnish
• Chopped green onions, garnish
• Creole seasoning mix, below:
  

Directions

In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and serrano peppers, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, corn, and mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until soft and the vegetables give off their liquid and start to brown around the edges, about 6 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Add the beans, tomato sauce, and vegetable stock, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Adjust the seasoning, to taste.

To serve, place 1/4 cup of brown rice in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle the chili into the bowls over the rice. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream and spoonful of avocado. Sprinkle with Seasoning Mix and green onions and serve.

Serves 6-8

Creole Seasoning Mix:

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

TOMATO SOUP

From The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters:

Warm a heavy-bottomed pan. Add:
-3 T. olive oil
-1 medium onion, thinly sliced
-1 leek, white and light green parts, sliced
-pinch of salt

Cover and cook until soft but not brown. Add water to keep from browning if necessary.

Add:
-2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced or crushed

Cook for about two minutes, then add:
-2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, washed, cored and sliced.. or two cans of good quality diced tomatoes.
-1 scant T. white rice
-large pinch of salt
-1/2 bay leaf
-1 small sprig of savory, thyme or basil

Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes fall apart. Add:
-1 cup water or broth
-1 T. olive oil or butter

Continue cooking for another ten minutes, until the rice is tender. Remove the herb sprig. Blend until smooth. Taste for salt. Add more water if the soup is too thick.

-Garnish with mint or croutons, or with torn basil or finely cut chives and olive oil

Vegan Sweet and Russet Potatoes Anna

Makes 8-10 servings

If making up to one day ahead, let cool, cover airtight and chill. Reheat, covered, in a 425 degree oven until hot in the center, 25 to 30 minutes

One-and-a-half pound of yams or sweet potatoes

One-and-a-half pound russet potatoes

olive oil

2 large leeks

1 red onion

1 sweet onion

Several tsp dried rosemary or finely chopped fresh rosemary

Salt and pepper

1/2 - 1 cup plain, unsweetened hemp milk

1/2 - 1 cup vegetable broth

Slice leeks and onions thinly, then saute in olive oil until soft and lightly browned. Add salt, pepper, and rosemary.

Peel yams and russet potatoes. Cut yams and potatoes into uniformly thick 1/16" slices. As cut, immerse russets into water to prevent browning.

Generously grease a 12" pan with olive oil.

Overlap potato slices in layers, alternating with layers of leek/onion mixture. Repeat layers, alternating russets and sweet potatoes.

Mix together vegetable broth and hemp milk. Pour over the potatoes - you may use only part of this mixture, you just want enough to moisten the potatoes well. Drizzle top with olive oil.

Cover pan tightly with foil.

Bake on the lowest rack in a 425 degree oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until potatoes are tender when pierced and edges are brown and crisp, about 35-45 minutes longer. Let stand 5-10 minutes.