Lucid Food_ Cooking for an Eco-Conscious Life - Louisa Shafia [19]
Amaranth Porridge with Fruit and Nuts
Amaranth Porridge with Fruit and Nuts
Try making a soothing bowl of cooked amaranth for breakfast. Enhance it with classic oatmeal toppings, from milk and fresh fruit to a pat of butter and a pinch of salt. Soak the amaranth in water overnight to cut the cooking time in half.
Serves 4 to 6
1 cup amaranth grains
TOPPINGS
Milk
Maple syrup
Seasonal fruit
Chopped nuts
Vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon
Ground nutmeg
Soak the amaranth grains overnight in 2 cups water.
Place the amaranth grains and their soaking water in a small saucepan (use 3 cups water if the grains weren’t soaked overnight). Turn the heat on high and stir until it comes to a boil. Decrease the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until the porridge thickens, about 12 minutes. (If the grains weren’t soaked, the cooking time will be about 20 minutes.) Serve the porridge in a bowl with your choice of the toppings.
Tortilla Española
Tortilla Española is an indispensable dish: It makes a great breakfast, goes well in a sandwich, and makes a hearty hors d’oeuvre when cut into small squares. The only challenge is removing the tortilla from the pan intact, but you can cheat by waiting until it’s cold. Embellish the tortilla with Stinging Nettle Pesto, Cilantro-Jalapeño Sauce, or plain ketchup. For a light meal, serve the tortilla alongside the Puntarelles with Anchovy Dressing and fresh bread.
Serves 6
1½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
5 tablespoons olive oil
4 scallions, green and white parts thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ pound Havarti or other mild cheese, finely diced
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Peel and quarter the potatoes. Cut the quarters into slices ¼ inch thick. Heat a large ovenproof sauté pan over high heat and add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the potato slices and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until a fork sinks into the potato slices easily. Remove the potato from the pan and set aside.
Return the pan to medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the scallions and sauté until tender and lightly caramelized. Decrease the heat and add the potatoes. Season with salt. Spread all the vegetables evenly across the pan and pour the eggs over the vegetables.
Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the eggs and bake for 15 minutes. The surface should be firm and springy. Loosen the edges from the pan with a knife and flip the tortilla onto a plate to serve, or flip it after it has cooled.
The tortilla may be served hot or at room temperature. Slice into wedges and sprinkle with pepper before serving.
Chickpea Cakes
Chickpea Cakes
Serve these fragrant Indian-spiced cakes with sweet and tangy Cilantro-Jalapeño Sauce to set off their flavor, and Cucumber Yogurt for a creamy contrast. For a hearty lunch, perch a few cakes on top of a green salad, or pack them into a pita pocket along with shredded vegetables.
Makes approximately 10 cakes
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for frying
1 yellow onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons dried mint
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups cooked chickpeas
2 teaspoons salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup bread crumbs
Heat a large skillet and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, followed by the onion. Saute for 5 minutes, until soft, then add the garlic, jalapeño, coriander, cumin, mint, turmeric, and cayenne, and sauté for 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the chickpeas. Let cool.
Put the mixture in a food processor and pulse until the chickpeas are broken down, but the mixture still has texture. Fold in the salt, egg, and ½ cup of the bread crumbs. Refrigerate the mixture for 20 minutes