Count this cook in.
Our food stories come from a place deep inside- from a heritage we might have heard only from our grandmother's stories, memories of unforgettable meal or an epic fail you knew you'd look back on and laugh. The richness of our past shapes our culinary identity. The tales and wisdoms accumulated are at the heart of every chef, and hearing them in a class creates a connection with the food, the technique and preparation of your dishes. I relish these stories and imagine these chefs at their kitchen table, making cream puffs (and a mess), creating those connections with family and futures.
There are some culinary stories that can't be replicated. We recently added Roxana Jullapat, Pastry Chef and part owner of Cook's County, to our schedule. Her Costa Rican and Thai roots show up in so many ways, but the heritage she'll pass on is deeply rooted in the years she's spent working with heirloom grains and flours. We're beyond excited that she'll be tapping into her mama's side with two Thai classes, teaching classes in spanish and throwing in some wickedly delicious Whole Grain baking this Spring. We asked her to send in a signature dish- and it is so, so good.
From Roxana:
I love this recipe because it is a collaboration between my partner Chef Daniel Mattern and I. He wanted to come up with a vegetarian option that was super tasty and satisfying. At restaurants, vegetarians are often asking for more interesting alternatives; something beyond the lazy pasta tossed with whatever vegetables are around. As a former vegetarian, I sympathized. We decided I should develop the recipe for a pancake batter, and Daniel would incorporate the rest of the elements to make it a complete dish. And since I'm constantly thinking of new ways to include multiple grains into our recipes, this savory pancake gave me a perfect excuse. Chickpeas, which are actually a legume and not a grain, were an obvious choice because they make a protein and nutrient rich flour. Then I added some coarse corn meal to add fibe (its sweetness also counterbalances the natural bitterness of chickpea flour). The pancake comes to life with sautéed shallots, squash (zucchini in the summer, butternut squash in the winter) and a few whole chick peas. Serve with a spoonful of cumin yogurt and garnish with a small salad of bitter greens.
SAVORY CHICK PEA PANCAKES WITH CUMIN YOGURT
Makes six 6-inch pancakes
½ cup olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 cup diced summer squash (zucchini or patty pan work great)
½ cup chickpeas, cooked
¼ cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1½ cups chickpea flour
¾ cup all purpose
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
5 eggs
2¼ cups buttermilk
½ cup Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
1. Heat up a large skillet over a medium to high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sautéed the shallots for one minute. Add the summer squash and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, add the chickpeas and the cilantro. Transfer to a separate dish and let it cool completely.
2. Combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center.
3. In a separate bowl whisk together the buttermilk, eggs and ¼ cup of the olive oil. Pour liquids in the well of dry ingredients. Using a wire whisk, slowly mix from the center out to draw the dry ingredients into the liquid ingredients. Whisk well to work any lumps. Add the sautéed vegetable mixture and stir to combine.
4.. To prepare the cumin yogurt, quickly toast the cumin seeds in a skillet over low to medium until they start to release their aroma; this will happen fast. Make sure to swirl the pan non-stop to prevent them from burning. Pound the toasted seeds with a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. Combine with the Greek yogurt and set aside till pancakes are ready to be served.
5. To pan-fry the pancakes, preheat a 6-inch skillet or non-stick pan over a medium to high flame. Add about 1 teaspoon of the remaining olive oil to the skillet and swirl to coat it. Pour about 3/4 cup of batter and use the back of a spoon to gently spread it over the entire hot surface. Cook over medium heat until you can see little bubbles forming on the top of the pancake and flip with a spatula. Cook for another minute. Make 5 more pancakes with the remaining batter. Alternately, you may use a larger skillet and cook a few smaller pancakes in one swoop. Serve immediately with cumin yogurt.
Wishing you a delicious day,
Clémence and Hadley
| 
No comments:
Post a Comment