Ancient Grains for Modern Meals - Maria Speck [33]
Apricot-Lemon Bars with Cherries
Whenever we traveled through Greece during my childhood, I marveled at the sight of fruit drying in the hot midday sun. Farmers would spread huge canvases on rooftops, covering every available spot with figs, plums, and apricots, thus preserving the bounty of their harvest. Their soft texture and supreme fruitiness explains my ongoing infatuation with the nutrient-rich bites to this day. To give these bars an extra boost of citrus, I like to plump the dried apricots in lemon juice for half an hour as I prep the ingredients, stirring once or twice. But you can use orange juice instead to mellow the tang, especially if you can find only tart Blenheim apricots. Look for 100 percent whole wheat honey graham crackers in health foods or specialty stores, or substitute with 1⅓ cups regular graham cracker crumbs (9 whole pieces). MAKES 8 BARS, OR 16 BITE‑SIZE SQUARES
CRUST
18 whole wheat graham crackers (5 ounces)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
TOPPING
¼ cup whole wheat pastry or whole wheat flour (1 ounce)
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
¾ cup chopped dried apricots, preferably Turkish
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
½ heaped cup sweet pitted cherries (about 20; thawed and drained if using frozen)
¼ cup toasted slivered almonds
1 Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour an 8-inch square baking pan, tapping out the excess, or coat with cooking spray.
2 To make the crust, break the graham crackers into the bowl of a food processor and process until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining crust ingredients and pulse until just combined, 5 to 7 pulses. Press the crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 8 minutes, or until set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for a few minutes. Leave the oven on.
3 Meanwhile, make the topping. Whisk the whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar and lemon zest until the mixture is frothy and the sugar has dissolved, about 1 minute. Briefly whisk in the flour mixture until just blended. Stir in the dried apricots and lemon juice. Pour the filling evenly over the crust. Distribute the cherries on top and sprinkle with the almonds.
4 Bake until the top turns golden and the edges are browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool. After about 30 minutes, loosen the edges and cut into bars or squares using a sharp knife. Leave to cool completely in the pan, about 1 hour total.
TO GET A HEAD START: The bars can be made 1 day ahead. Chill, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.
TO VARY IT: Replace the cherries with raspberries, or peaches cut into ½-inch pieces.
Saffron Waffles with Orange Cream
Becoming a reasonably mature adult has not diminished the intense pleasure I get from making crisp waffles on a lazy morning. After my Iranian friend Golnaz brought me what I soon declared to be the best saffron ever (see also “Precious Saffron”), I started adding a pinch of the strands to everything, including this waffle batter. Don’t pass up the scrumptious cream topping which will kiss awake any prince out of The Thousand and One Nights. Still, it is barely sweet—so everyone can add a drizzle of maple syrup. Double the amount of topping if you have very hungry royalty descending upon you.
These waffles have a gentle toothiness, which you can lighten if you like; for a smoother texture, use 1 cup (4½ ounces) white whole wheat and 1 cup (4 ounces) whole wheat pastry flour. You will need to adjust the preheating and cooking times as well as the amount of batter needed according to the manufacturer’s instructions for your waffle iron. MAKES ABOUT 4 (7‑INCH)