by Amy Chaplin
Martha's Circle

Spring millet salad with tangy seeded flax dressing

May 11th, 2013 by

spring salad

Millet is a quirky grain: with a sunny yellow color and perfect round shape, it fluffs up perfectly when cooked, but quickly becomes dry as it cools. Raw, it smells slightly sweet, milky and almost musky.  It’s the kind of smell that makes me want to bake breakfast-y things like my mother’s milk pudding.  To provide depth and a bit more body to the pudding, she used to fold in ground raw millet before baking it. We ate the milk pudding warm for breakfast in winter. I posted the recipe and some photos here awhile back and in case you’re curious, I have tried to make an almond milk version but it just isn’t the same.

Anyway, today I decided to try something different (for me) and make a salad; served slightly warm it was the perfect dish for a rainy day.

As I tossed the ingredients together I really wished I was sharing it with my mother and that the distance between us wasn’t so great.

Happy Mother’s Day Pamela xoxo

 

For other recipes and info about ramps (wild leeks) go here and here

Oh, and thanks so much to everyone at vogue.com for featuring my Pantry stocking/cooking classes as one of the 10 best Mother’s day gifts!

Check out the link here.

]

lunch

 

Spring millet salad with tangy seeded flax dressing

If you prepare the full amount of millet you will be left with about 2 cups cooked. It can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days and stirred into pancakes, bread or baked goods. Millet gets dry once it cools, so reheat it before eating plain. Alternately, you could halve the millet and not have anything left over.

In this salad, I stopped the millet from becoming dry by tossing it with the salad dressing while still warm. Allow any left over salad to come to room temperature…but it is best the day it’s made.

A medium leek will work in place of ramps (wild leeks). It could also be topped with a crumble of goat cheese instead of avocado, or both.

Serves 2 to 4

 

Millet

1 cup millet, washed and soaked over night in 2 cups water

2 cups filtered water

Sea salt

 

Dressing

4 tablespoons flax oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons unpasteurized apple cider vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons tamari

1 tablespoon toasted sunflower seeds, chopped

1 tablespoon toasted pumpkin seeds, chopped

1 tablespoons hempseeds

 

For the salad

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 bunch ramps, bulbs and leaves thinly sliced and kept separate

1 cup frozen peas

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and shaved lengthways with a vegetable peeler

Sea salt

 

To serve

1 avocado, diced

Chopped chives

Radish sprouts

 

Cook the millet: drain and rinse millet and place it in a small pot, add filtered water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover pot, lower heat and simmer 20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes.

salad dressing

Make the dressing: whisk together all the salad ingredients and set aside. Remove half of the cooked millet (about 2 cups), place in a bowl and fluff with a fork. Pour ¾ of the dressing over cooked millet and mix well, breaking up any lumps. Set aside while you cook the vegetables.

 

shaving asparagus

raw shaved asparagus

Make the salad: warm olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add ramp bulbs and sauté for a couple of minutes or until softened, stir in ramp leaves and sauté until wilted, about a minute. Add peas and cook until heated through and bright green. Stir in shaved asparagus and sauté until softened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat immediately, add to dressed millet and toss to combine.

To serve: spoon salad into bowls and top each portion with avocado and drizzle with remaining dressing. Garnish with chives and radish sprouts.

 

topped with avocado

 

my mother and sister in Victoria, Australia 1977

Me in wheel barrow

Print recipe here.

Tags: , , , ,


Posted in Gluten free, Grains, Salads | 8 Comments »

Roasted cauliflower tart with walnut crust and creamy lemon filling

Apr 24th, 2013 by

roasted cauliflower tart

A couple of weeks ago I was asked to contribute a cauliflower recipe for the Guardian‘s Life and Style section.

This is what I made. It was part of the 10 best cauliflower recipes, you can see more recipes here.

I love roasting large trays of cauliflower florets until deeply golden and crisp. They make a great snack eaten on their own and add lovely texture and taste when served alongside salads and whole grains. This tart turns my favorite simple roasted cauliflower into a complete meal; the addition of lemon in the filling gives it a nice lift and compliments the buttery flavor of toasted walnuts too. Serve it slightly warm or room temperature with a salad for a perfect light meal.

tart

Roasted cauliflower tart with walnut crust and creamy lemon filling

Roasted cauliflower;

1 medium-large (2 pounds; 907 g)) cauliflower

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or extra virgin coconut oil

½ teaspoon sea salt

 

Crust:

½ cup (1 ¾ oz; 50 g) toasted walnuts

½ cup (1 ½ oz; 42 g) regular rolled oats

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon sea salt

Large pinch black pepper

1 cup (4 ¼ oz; 120 g) whole spelt flour

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more to oil the pan

2 tablespoons plain soymilk or unsweetened almond milk

 

Filling:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 medium onion, quartered and cut in ¼ inch slices

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ teaspoon sea salt

1/8th teaspoon turmeric powder

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup plain soymilk or plain almond milk

Freshly ground black pepper

To garnish;

Lemon zest

Chopped parsley

 

To roast the cauliflower:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  Add cauliflower, olive oil, and salt, and toss to combine. Arrange cauliflower florets evenly over tray and roast for 30 minutes. Turn each floret over and return to the oven for another 10 minutes or until florets are browning. Remove from oven and set aside to cool while you make the crust.

To make the crust:

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lightly oil a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom and set aside.

Place walnuts, oats, baking powder, salt and pepper in a food processor and blend until coarsely ground. Transfer to a bowl, add spelt flour and mix well. Drizzle in olive oil and mix until evenly distributed. Add soymilk and mix again. Mixture should hold together when squeezed but not stick to your hands. Add a little more soy milk if it’s too dry. Press evenly into prepared tart pan, trimming excess pastry from the edges. Prick with a fork and bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

 

To make the filling:

Warm olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes or until lightly browning. Add garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Lower heat to low, add salt and continue cooking for 10 minutes more or until caramelized. Stir in turmeric, remove from heat and transfer into a food processor. Add ¼ of the roasted cauliflower, lemon juice, soymilk and a large pinch of black pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides as necessary. Spread into pre-baked tart shell and arrange remaining cauliflower over the top.

assembling tart

Bake tart for 30 minutes, remove from oven and allow to cool 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon zest and parsley and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Print recipe here.

 

Tags:

Posted in Mains | 16 Comments »

White bean vegetable stew

Mar 29th, 2013 by

stew with olives and parsley

On the days when I either don’t know what I want to cook, have no idea what is left or needs to be used in the vegetable drawer in the fridge, or have no desire to venture to the shop, I plan on cooking a bean soup or a stew like this one. It’s the perfect way to use up any fresh herbs that are on their last legs and also any vegetables you have on hand. Since I also had Brussels sprouts, I decided to roast them and serve them alongside the stew. At the last minute I stirred in some wilting arugula that was beyond a salad. I also sprinkled chopped olives on top to give it a lift. This recipe makes a big pot and has been a blessing to come home to on these chilly, early spring nights.

roasted Brussels Sprouts

White bean vegetable stew

I like to cook the beans for this stew with lots of bay leaves and sage, and then use the cooking liquid as the base of the stew. Using a pressure cooker means that this dish can come together in under an hour (see note). You will need more time if you’re simmering the beans. In a pinch you could use 4 cups canned white beans, replace the bean cooking liquid with water and add the bay leaves to the stew as it cooks. Feel free to stir greens in at the end, spinach, kale. chard or arugula all work well.

Serves 6

For the beans:

2 cups dry cannellini or navy beans, soaked overnight in 8 cups filtered water

5 bay leaves

2 inch piece kombu

3 large sprigs fresh sage

 

For the stew:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion

½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped

2 medium carrots, cut in medium dice

2 stalks celery, cut in medium dice

2 medium red potatoes, skin left on and cut in medium dice

1 28oz can crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, plus more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

 

To serve:

Chopped Kalamata or black olives

Chopped parsley

Good grassy extra virgin olive oil

Roasted Brussels sprouts, optional, recipe below

Warm crusty bread, optional

vegetables for stew

 

Cook the beans:

Drain and rinse beans, place in a large pot and cover with 3 inches of filtered water. Add bay leaves, kombu and sage. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off any foam that rises to the top, cover pot and lower heat. Simmer for 50 to 60 minutes or until beans are soft and creamy inside. Remove and compost bay leaves, kombu and sage. Drain beans, reserving cooking liquid.

Make the stew:

Warm olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes or until beginning to brown. Add 1 teaspoon salt, garlic, thyme and oregano and continue cooking for another couple of minutes. Stir in carrots, celery and potatoes. Add 3 cups bean cooking liquid and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover pot, lower heat and simmer 15 minutes or until vegetables are cooked.

Add the tomatoes and cooked beans, raise heat again and simmer uncovered for another 10 minutes, or longer. Stir in balsamic vinegar and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve topped with olives, parsley, a drizzle of olive oil, a few roasted Brussels sprouts and crusty bread.

Note; if you are using a pressure cooker only fill water to the highest capacity mark (about 2/3 full). Bring up to full pressure, lower heat and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow pressure to come down naturally and continue as above.

 

Roasted Brussels sprouts

This recipe is approximate amounts, as I prepped enough to fit comfortably on the tray.

Serves 4 as a side

About ¾ pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Freshly ground back pepper

ready for the oven

roasted!

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Add Brussels sprouts, olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss well, turn each sprout cut side down and roast for 25 minutes or until brown.

Remove from oven and serve warm or room temperature (with or without the stew!)

Print recipe here.

 

Tags: , ,

Posted in Gluten free, Mains | 3 Comments »

Steamed vegetable salad with black sesame flax dressing

Mar 3rd, 2013 by

steamed vegetable salad

The end of winter is a challenging time to find fresh, good-looking veggies in New York.  The stored roots are getting old, and most of the produce that’s shipped from all across the continent understandably lacks the vital freshness that instantly inspires meals.

I find that steaming cheers up any selection of vegetables you have available, even if they’re weary from long distance travel.

And, this simple, colorful and tasty salad won’t cool you down in these chilly last weeks of winter. It’s delicious served with my favorite brown rice and, of course, tastes great with a few slices of avocado as well.

veggies

salad ready to be dressed

 Steamed vegetable salad with black sesame flax dressing

I don’t like to shock vegetables in iced water after steaming or blanching, as I think some of the flavor gets washed away. I prefer to cook vegetables until tender, and then spread them out over large plates to cool. They will continue to cook a little, so remove the vegetables from the steamer when they are just cooked.

This salad can be eaten warm or cooled and stored in the fridge for a couple of days, just store the vegetables and dressing separately.

Serves 6

 

For the salad:

1 medium daikon, cut in ¼ inch diagonal slices

2 medium carrots, cut in ¼ inch diagonal slices

8 radishes, trimmed and cut in ¼ slices

2 medium zucchini, cut in ¼ inch diagonal slices

2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved on a diagonal

1 bunch broccolini, trimmed, large heads halved

 

For the dressing:

¼ cup cold pressed flax oil

4 teaspoons tamari

4 teaspoons brown rice vinegar

1 tablespoon toasted black sesame seeds

2 scallions, thinly sliced

 

Make the salad:

Set up a steamer, add about 1-½ inches of filtered water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add daikon, carrots and radishes and steam for 2 minutes or until beginning to soften, remove from steamer, spread over a large plate and set aside to cool.

Add zucchini and sugar snaps to steamer and steam for 1 ½ to 2 minutes or until bright green and tender. Remove from heat, spread over a large plate and set aside to cool. Steam broccolini for 2 ½ to 3 minutes or until bright green and beginning to soften, remove from heat and spread over a plate to cool.

cooling vegetables

Lift vegetables off plates and add them to a large salad bowl — lifting them ensures that you don’t add water to your salad. Gently toss to combine.

Make the dressing:

Add all ingredients to a small jar, screw lid on tightly and shake to combine. Pour over vegetables, gently toss to combine and serve.

Print recipe here.

Tags: , ,

Posted in Gluten free, Salads | 6 Comments »

Kimchi, tempeh and avocado nori rolls-Fabulous Fermentation Week

Jan 22nd, 2013 by

Nori rolls and kimchi'

When Sarah Britton of My New Roots and Elenore Bendel Zahn of Earthsprout invited me to take part in their Fabulous Fermentation Week, I was delighted!

Last time they collaborated they created this gorgeous raw chocolate, so I think we’re in for a treat this week!

One of my favorite fermented foods is kimchi.  I posted a recipe for making your own kimchi along with many of its health benefits here.

I love combining kimchi with avocado, brown rice and tempeh, as simple as it is, I thought I’d share the recipe. With my mind full of the many raw fermented foods I love, including turnip kraut, fermented carrots, beets and the list goes on, I forgot that tempeh is also fermented! Even though it’s eaten cooked and we usually buy it pasteurized, we still benefit from what fermentation does — increases digestibility and nutritional value. There is one maker of fresh, unpasteurized tempeh here in New York, check out this site for where you can get it.

 

Kimchi, tempeh and avocado nori roll 

To cook the tempeh I used this recipe but cut it in 1/4 thick strips

(You can also read more about tempeh’s health benefits there)

Makes one roll

 

1 sheet toasted nori

Brown rice and sweet rice blend, recipe here

1 teaspoon umeboshi paste

2 teaspoons unhulled tahini

4 slices tempeh, cut in half lengthwise, see recipe here

1/4 avocado, cut in 3 slices

1/4 cup  kimchi, see recipe here

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

Toasted black sesame seeds

 

Dipping sauce

For 2 rolls

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon tamari

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon brown rice vinegar

 

Press brown rice evenly over the nori, leaving a 1-inch strip bare at the end furthest from you.

Spread umiboshi paste and tahini over the rice at the end closest to you. Top with tempeh, avocado, and  kimchi then sprinkle with parsley and sesame seeds.

See images below on how to roll:

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Step 8

Final result

Cutting the roll

Combine all the ingredients for the sauce and serve with rolls. Enjoy!

roll and dipping sauce

rolls and dipping sauce

All photos courtesy of Kate Davis, thank you again Kate!

 

Fabulous Fermentation Week Friends:

The Conscious Kitchen

Kale and Cardamom

My Wholefood Romance

Healthy & Hopeful

The Holy Kale

The First Mess

Mince & Type

Ola Domowa

Kyra’s Kitchen

Eat it

The Wooden Spoon

Two Blue Lemons

Whole Promise

My New Roots

Earthsprout

Green Kitchen Stories

Golubka

Tags: , ,

Posted in appetizer, Side Dishes | 13 Comments »

Baby Lima bean soup with butternut and sage

Jan 19th, 2013 by

Baby Lima beans awaiting their soak

From now until spring I find soups make up a large part of my meals. Once cooked, they make great fuss-free lunches or quick and easy dinners.

Baby Lima’s are the perfect bean for soups as they break apart and become creamy in much less time than other beans. Here they create a not-too-thick, velvety base that vegetables can float in without sinking.

These beans are best cooked without a pressure cooker, as their skins separate and can clog the valve.

I made some sizzled sage leaves to garnish but you don’t need them, the soup is well infused with the lovely flavor of sage as it cooks.

I hope 2013 has been a great for you all so far! I plan to be back to more regular postings soon.

Baby Lima bean soup

Baby Lima bean soup with sage and butternut

Serves 4-6

For the beans:

2 cups baby lima beans, soaked overnight in 6 cups filtered water

2 inches kombu

3 bay leaves

15 sage leaves, or a few of sprigs

7 cups water

 

For the soup:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, cut in medium dice

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

6 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup chopped fresh sage

2 medium carrots

2 stalks celery

¼ medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped in ½-inch pieces (about 2 ½ cups)

2 cups chopped Savoy or green cabbage

Freshly ground pepper

 

butternut squash

In a large pot, combine lima beans, kombu, bay leaves, sage, and water. Bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that rises to the top. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes. Check periodically to make sure the beans are still simmering. Remove from heat and take out the kombu, bay leaves, and sage. Drain the beans, reserving 4 cups cooking liquid.

Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot. Sauté onions with salt until translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic, cook for 1 minute. Add chopped sage, carrots, celery, squash, and cabbage, stirring to combine, and then pour in the bean cooking liquid. Bring up to a boil, lower heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cooked lima beans and simmer for another 20 minutes.

Sage leaf garnish:

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

12 whole sage leaves

Warm oil in a skillet over medium heat. Lay sage leaves flat in the oil and cook until they turn bright green, wait a few seconds longer, then remove and drain on a paper towel. Top each bowl of soup with a couple of leaves and serve.

Print recipe here

Photos of beans and squash by Kate Davis. Thank you Kate!

 

 

 

 

Posted in Gluten free, Soup | 1 Comment »

“Small Plates and Sweet Treats” Gluten-free chocolate hazelnut & buckwheat cake

Dec 21st, 2012 by

Aran Goyoaga's Chocolate hazelnut & buckwheat cake

For some time now I have wanted to cook and post a recipe from Aran Goyoaga’s lovely cookbook, Small Plates and Sweet Treats: My family’s journey to gluten-free cooking. When I spotted this cake in the winter section of “sweat treats,” I thought it sounded delicious; if some of you are still looking for the perfect ending to your holiday feast, this might be it!
The cake is light, moist, perfectly sweet and has a lovely silky texture from the combination of melted chocolate and yogurt. I love the subtle coconut flavor the coconut oil and coconut sugar imparts. I also should say that I made it with dark (70%) chocolate instead of bittersweet so it was even less sweet. I thought it was perfect and happily ate it plain, but it could be dressed up with whipped cream and raspberries if you want to serve it for dessert.

I wrapped a few slices to give away and just as Aran suggests, the rest improved overnight.  If you are looking for a gift for the gluten free person in your life, I think this would be great!

Wishing all you lovely readers a wonderful solstice, new year and the happiest of holidays!

Xxx

P.S. the lovely cloth in the photos is from Transylavanian images.

Small Plates and Sweet Treats

cake interior

Chocolate hazelnut & buckwheat cake

From Small Plates and Sweet Treats by Aran Goyoaga

Creator of cannelle et vanille

 

Makes one 8-inch cake

½ cup (30g) hazelnuts

6 ounces (170g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (I used dark 70%)

½ cup (125ml) coconut oil

4 eggs, separated

½ cup (100g) coconut palm sugar, divided

½ cup (80ml) plain whole-milk yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup (75g) hazelnut flour

¼ cup (35g) buckwheat flour

½ teaspoon salt

recipe and ingredients

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast for 5 to 7 minutes, until fragrant. Using a dry kitchen towel, rub the hazelnuts together to remove their skins. Cool then coarsely chop them.

In a medium bowl, combine chocolate and coconut oil. Place bowl over a pot filled part way with simmering water and melt the contents over the water bath. Let it cool slightly.

In a large bowl whisk together egg yolks and half of the coconut sugar. Add the yogurt, vanilla, melted chocolate mixture, hazelnut flour, buckwheat flour and salt. Whisk to combine.

In a separate bowl whip the egg whites until they form semi stiff peaks. Sprinkle with remaining sugar while continuously whipping. Whip to stiff peaks. Fold one third of the egg whites into the yolk chocolate base to lighten it. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites, then fold in chopped hazelnuts.

folding in hazelnuts

Line the bottom of an 8-inch cake pan with a parchment circle. Brush with oil or butter. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the center is set and a toothpick comes out clean. Be careful not to over bake it as the chocolate will burn. Allow to cool slightly before inverting onto a cooling wrack.

 

cake and recipe

Printable recipe here

Tags: , , , , ,

Posted in Dessert, Gluten free | 14 Comments »

News!… and a root vegetable arugula salad with pomegranate dressing

Dec 10th, 2012 by

dressed salad

I’m so excited to tell you all what I have been up to. I started writing my first cookbook this past summer and have been busy testing and shooting recipes for the last 6 months. It has been, and continues to be a deeply inspiring and challenging experience that I’m over the moon to be doing!

The book will be published by Roost Books in spring 2014.  I am delighted to be working with Sara Bercholtz, my editor, who shares my vision for the book. I’m luckily enough to have Johnny Miller photographing it in his beautiful “bare bones” style and Stephen Johnson designing, prop styling and generally making magic happen on set.  I feel eternally grateful to be collaborating with this team and beyond excited for you to see it!

Here’s to a great festive season and below, you’ll find a delicious, healthy salad to add to your holiday table!

pomegranates

Continue Reading »

Tags: , , , , , ,

Posted in Salads | 8 Comments »

Thanksgiving ideas

Nov 21st, 2012 by

cranberries by the beach in Cape Cod

It’s Thanksgiving here in the United States, which means many people are planning a seasonal feast to share with family and friends. You may still be looking for that one dish to round out your menu, or just need some inspiration to spark an idea. I thought it might be helpful to share a few of my favorite healthy recipes that I’ve posted over the years…in case you have a vegan or vegetarian gap in your menu or need a gluten free dessert idea!

I’ve also got some exciting news to share with you soon.  Stay tuned!

roast squash, caramelised onion and goat cheese tart

Roast squash, caramelized onion and goat cheese tart (far left)

This salad  (above center) is perfect for a large gathering, but you can easily half or even quarter it for less people. Its a great salad if your looking for something without squash!

Kale and marinated red cabbage salad with chickpeas perfect if you’re looking for a heartier salad (far right)

Lovely brothy fragrant soup (far left)

A quick, simple and  light green salad (above center) with a nice kick from spiced pumpkin seeds.

Need something gluten free (and vegan) for dessert? Date almond praline tart (far left)
Switch out the plums in this crisp  (above center) and replace
with ripe pears and a cup of crandberries for a delicious vegan dessert!
Something to bake with all those left over squash and cranberries…
Wishing you all a happy and delicious Thanksgiving!

Tags: , ,

Posted in recipe lists/links | No Comments »

Autumn quinoa salad

Oct 14th, 2012 by

tossed and ready for lunch

October in New York is my absolute favorite time of year to cook. The green market is full of robust, dark leafy greens, sweet winter squash, sweet corn and peppers. It’s chilly enough outside to welcome the warmth from veggies roasting in the oven inside, yet not too cold for a room temperature salad like this one.

Continue Reading »

Posted in Gluten free, Grains, Salads | 8 Comments »

Older Posts »