Chickpea Flatbreads ☺

This bread is very easy to prepare and quite delicious. You need to prepare the batter at least two hours before you intend to bake it.

Yields 10-inch flatbread or two 8-inch rounds, 12 servings.

1 c chickpea flour
1 c cool water
3 1/2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper

Combine the chickpea flour, water, 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil, the salt and the rosemary, if using, stirring until smooth. Cover and let the mixture rest for at least 2 hours, or refrigerate it overnight.

When the batter is ready, position an oven rack 4 to 6 inches from the broiler element. Place a medium cast-iron skillet or two 8-inch round cake pans on the rack; preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Remove the hot skillet or pans from the oven. Pour in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and swirl to coat (or do the same using 1 tablespoon for each cake pan).

Return the skillet or pans to the oven for a few minutes to heat up, then pull them out just long enough to pour in the batter, spreading it in the skillet or dividing it between the pans and spreading it in an even layer. Bake for 5 minutes; the flatbread will look set and will pull away from the pan's edges a bit.

Turn on the broiler (leaving the flatbread in the oven); once it's going, broil the flatbread for 3 or 4 minutes, until slightly charred. For even browning, you may want to turn the skillet or pans.

Immediately sprinkle with the pepper to taste. Carefully dislodge, letting the flatbread slide onto a cutting board. Cut into wedges and serve right away.

Sprinkle on some of the following additions:
Taco seasoning
Chopped garlic
Parmesan cheese
Finely chopped onion
Minced jalapeño

Adapted from a recipe by cookbook author Dorie Greenspan, taken from the Washington Post Food Section.

Nutrition
Serving size: Per piece
Calories: 60
Total Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 125mg
Total Carbohydrates: 4g
Dietary Fiber: 0g
Sugar: 0g
Protein: 2g

Tempeh Sloppy Joe Sauce ☺

Before I fixed this dish, I had never cooked with tempeh. I've always been curious about it, ever since I was introduced to it while attending a men's gathering at the Twin Oaks Community in Louisa, Virginia. One of the community's industries is making tempeh and tofu. After eating it there, I filed that information in the back of my head, and it stayed there until I was at MOMs, and lo and behold in the refrigerator case, I spied a package of tempeh that wanted to go home with me.

Tempeh has a firm texture, but little taste. I consulted a few recipes and decided I need to give it a quick marinade before I used it in anything. Tempeh can either be fried, baked, grilled, or roasted. In this recipe, I fry it for the sloppy joe sauce.

4 servings, Duration: Preparation time: 10 minutes, Cooking time: 20 minutes.

For the tempeh and marinade:
1 8-oz package tempeh
1 tbsp fish sauce (or soy or worcestershire)
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp mirin (optional)
1 tsp sugar

Veggies and sauce:
2 tbsp cooking oil (olive is okay)
1/2 large onion, sliced
4 oz mushrooms, sliced
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 large olives, coarsely chopped
1/2 jalapeno pepper (fresh or canned), minced
2 tsp taco seasoning
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 tsp sugar
1 - 2 tbsp soy sauce

Slice the tempeh into 1/2-inch cubes (or coarsely crumble it), and place in a small mixing bowl. Mix together the fish sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, and sugar, and pour over the tempeh. Stir together and set aside.

Turn a stove burner to medium, and heat a medium- or large-sized skillet. Add 1 tbsp of the cooking oil to the skillet, and heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and brown for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, celery, and garlic, and continue frying until the celery is bright green and the mushrooms begin to give up their moisture (about 2 minutes).

Remove the vegetables to a plate or bowl, and set aside. Return the skillet to the burner, and add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil to the skillet. When the oil shimmers, add the tempeh to the skillet. Give the tempeh a quick stir to coat it with the oil, and let it cook for 3 - 4 minutes. With a metal spatula, turn and stir the tempeh until it is browned to your liking.

Add the vegetables to the tempeh in the skillet. Stir in the olives, jalapeno pepper, and taco seasoning. Cook for a minute or so. Turn the burner heat to medium low. Stir in the tomato sauce. Add the sugar, then stir in 1 tbsp of the soy sauce. Add additional soy sauce to taste. When the sauce bubbles, it's ready to eat.

Serve on hamburger buns, rice, or potatoes.

Note: Here are some suggested substitutions and additions:
1 can condensed tomato soup for the tomato sauce and the 2 tsp of sugar
2 tbsp ketchup
2 tsp (or more) sriracha sauce
2 or 3 tsp prepared mustard
1/2 sweet green or red pepper, chopped

Chicken and Black Bean Casserole ☺

By AllRecipes.com

Published 09/23/2003

A spicy, wonderful Southwest casserole, adapted from an AllRecipes.com recipe.

2 Tbsps vegetable oil
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 green pepper, 1/2-inch dice
3/4 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast cut in 3/4-inch cubes
2 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 package (.75 oz) taco seasoning mix
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8.75 oz) can sweet corn, drained (reserve liquid)
1/2 c salsa
2 c (4 oz) shredded pepper jack (or cheddar) cheese
1-1/2 c crushed plain tortilla chips

In a large skillet over medium high heat, add 1 tbsp oil and brown the onion about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced green pepper, and fry for another 4-5 minutes, until the pepper is bright green. Remove the vegetables to a bowl or plate and set aside.

Return the skillet to the burner and increase the heat to medium high. Add another tbsp of oil to the skillet. Sauté the chicken in oil until cooked through and no longer pink inside. Add garlic, taco seasoning, beans corn, salsa, and some of the reserved liquid from the corn. Add the onion mixture to the skillet. Cover skillet and simmer over medium low heat for about 10 minutes. Add more liquid if the mixture thickens too much.

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Transfer chicken mixture to a 9 x 13-inch greased baking dish. Top with 1/2 of the cheese and the crushed tortilla chips. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Add the remaining cheese and bake until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Prep Time: 25

Cook time: 20

Calories: 306 kcal

Totalcarbs: 19.9 g

Fat: 16.3 g

Protein: 21.7 g

Dietary fiber: 1.6 g

Sodium: 21.7 g

Cholesterol: 59 mg

Tags: main dish, casserole, potlucks

Walnut Dacquoise ☺

Adapted from a recipe by Julia Child. Source: Julia Child, Simone Beck. Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 2, p. 497 ff.

Walnut meringue filled with butter cream.

This is a wonderful recipe. This cake really melts in your mouth. Butter, nuts, chocolate, sugar. The recipe is complicated, but not difficult. You can prepare the pralin before you make the rest of the cake. Stage everything! Have all the ingredients, pans, and necessary cooking tools out and ready to go. Read the recipe several times before you make this.

Ingredients

Pralin aux Noix (Walnut Praline)

4 ounces walnuts
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp water

The Meringue

3 ounces (3/4 cup) ground, toasted walnuts
3 ounces (3/4 cup) ground, blanched almonds
1 cup extra-fine granulated sugar
1-1/2 tbsp cornstarch
6 egg whites at room temperature
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
3 tbsp sugar
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Butter Cream

1 cup sugar
6 egg yolks
3/4 cup hot milk
12 - 14 ounces chilled, unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp kirsch, dark rum, or strong coffee

Walnut Praline Filling

3/4 butter cream recipe
1/2 walnut praline recipe

Chocolate Frosting

1/4 butter cream recipe
2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted

Instructions

1. Read this recipe through a couple of times before you begin.

Pralin aux Noix

2. Toast the walnuts at 350°F for 8 to 12 minutes. Remove them from the oven when they have browned and are fragrant. Nuts burn easily. Be vigilant. Set toasted nuts aside.
3. While the walnuts are toasting, lightly oil a flat bottom roasting pan or a rimmed cookie sheet. Set aside.
4. Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and set over moderately high heat. Swirl pan slowly by its handle, but do not stir sugar with a spoon while it is coming to a boil. Continue swirling while the liquid boils and changes from cloudy to clear.
5. Cover the pan and raise heat to high. Boil for several minutes until bubbles are thick and heavy. Uncover, and continue boiling, swirling gently until the syrup turns a nice caramel brown. Remove from the heat and stir in the toasted walnuts; immediately turn into oiled pan. When cold and hard, about 20 minutes, break into pieces, and coarsely grind up a half cupful at a time in an electric blender.

The dacquoise uses half of the walnut praline recipe. Use the remaining praline for another recipe, or freeze it for up to three months.

The Meringue

6. Preheat the oven to 250°F. Butter 2 large baking sheets, 14 x 16 inches. Sift flour all over the baking sheets, and knock off the excess flour. Make a template from cardboard for the cake shape (approximately an 8-inch circle or a 5 x 10-inch rectangle or equivalent measure. Use the template to mark the shape on the cookie sheets.
7. Measure the walnuts, almonds, and sugar into a shallow bowl or pie plate. Work the nuts with your fingers to smooth or remove any lumps. Sift the cornstarch over the nut mixture, and mix in with a rubber spatula. Set aside. Assemble the pastry bag.
8. Place the egg whites in a bowl and beat at a moderately low speed in an electric mixer for 1 to 2 minutes until they are foamy. Beat in the salt and the cream of tartar, and gradually increase the mixer speed to fast and beat until soft peaks form in about a minute. Gradually beat in the 3 tbsp sugar, and continue until the egg whites form stiff peaks. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.
9. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the nut and sugar mixture over the egg whites. Rapidly rotate the bowl while cutting, folding, and blending. When almost blended, sprinkle on more of the mixture, rapidly fold in, and continue until all is used; reach all over bottom and sides of bowl with the final addition. The whole blending process should take less than a minute. Scoop the meringue into the pastry bag.
10. Squeeze out a line of meringue the width of your thumb and 1/2 inch high all around the inner side of the line marked on yor baking sheets. Continue around until you have completely filled in the shape with meringue. Smooth the top of the meringue lightly with a spatula.
11. Bake the meringues for about 40 minutes at 250°F. Set the baking sheets in the upper middle and lower middle levels of the oven. They will not puff up or change shape, but will color lightly during baking. They are done in 30 to 40 minutes, as soon as you can push them gently from the baking surface. As soon as they are done slip them off of the baking sheets onto a cake rack. They bend slightly whe warm, but crisp when they are cool. The meringues are fragile, but if they break you can easily repair them when you fill and frost the cake.

The Butter Cream

12. Make a creme anglaise as follows: gradually beat sugar into egg yolks and continue beating for several minutes until mixture is thick and pale yellow. In a thin stream of droplets, beat in the hot milk, and set the mixture over moderate heat. Stir slowly with a wooden spoon, reaching all over bottom of pan, for 4 or 5 minutes or until sauce thickens enough to film spoon with a creamy layer.
13. Do not let the sauce come to a simmer. Cook only until sauce thickens. Immediately remove from heat and beat vigorously for 1 minute to cool slightly. Scrape the mixture into the bowl of your electric mixer.
14. Cut the three sticks of chilled butter into 1/4-inch slices. Add a piece or two at a time, beating until the butter is absorbed. When all of the butter is added, the cream should be cool, smooth, and glossy. Beat in the vanilla and kirsch.
15. If mixture turns grainy, soften rest of butter, and beat in successive tablespoons until butter cream smooths out.

The Frosting and Filling

16. Remove 1/4 of the butter cream to a small bowl. Stir the melted chocolate into it, and reserve for frosting the top of the cake.
17. Stir 1/2 the praline into the remaining butter cream. This is the cake filling.

Assembling the Cake

18. Place one of the meringues on a rack. Spread 1/3 of the butter cream on the meringue. Cover with the second layer, and spread with 1/2 of the remaining filling. Top with the last meringue. Spread the remaining filling on the sides of the cake. Spread the chocolate frosting over the top layer. Press chopped toasted walnuts on the edge of the cake.
19. Refrigerate the cake for at least two hours before serving.

Notes:

Meringues may be made ahead of time and frozen. The praline may also be made ahead of time and frozen.

Yield: 12 slices

Prep Time: 1:30

Cook time: 0:40