Sunday, July 10, 2011

How chickpea flour seduced my man


Over the past year or so, I've been reducing the meat intake in our diets. In the beginning, as one would expect, there was some grumpiness on behalf of my meat eatin', hockey watchin', tattoo wearin', tough guy husband, Marc. Replacing ground beef with tofu in a chili was disastrous. When I served a veggie burger, I was very diplomatically advised that it would be preferable if I didn't insult burgers everywhere by calling my creation a veggie BURGER - it would have to be called a "vegetarian grilled patty sandwich". LOL! That's when I realized that I couldn't just think like a meat-eater by simply replacing meat with tofu. I had to think like a vegetarian. Veggies would be my meat. Boy, did I think I was a genius for figuring that out. Doesn't take much...

So off I went and bought How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman - a no-fuss, fantastic reference book of one thousand meal ideas - and my life was changed forever. Why do you ask? Because of the socca: a chickpea-flour galette that looks and cooks like a frittata, but tastes like the soul-warming leftovers of French-Canadian pea soup that's been simmered into a heady, creamy beautifulness... Served with nothing more than a simple salad of mixed greens, this was the vegan dish (note: not vegetarian - VEGAN!) that finally seduced my man into enjoying something completely meat-free. I nearly wept the second time I made this dish and he came around the kitchen, peeked into the oven window and said "Are you making that chickpea flour thingie? Mmmmmmm!" *sob* It was one of the most triumphant moments of my life. Honest.

Bulk Barn for chickpea flour. Easy.

I really can't say enough about this dish. It's fantastic. It's made with a staple that can always be at the back of the pantry for those nights you didn't have time to go to the store, and when you combine it with some frozen corn, peas, broccoli or other veggies from the freezer (another staple! Try a corn, oregano, onion and chipotle socca), you've got yourself a meal. AAAND, it's easily whipped up when friends stay for dinner on a weeknight! : 1) make cocktails, 2) whip up the batter + let it rest, 3) chat and eat some peanuts while enjoying the cocktails, 4) bake the socca and make the salad, 5) serve, 6) enjoy the oohs and aaahs from all assembled. This recipe is so accommodating, you can even prepare the batter in the morning, let it rest all day and just stick it in the oven for the fifteen minute baking time as soon as you get home. Really. It's that awesome. I wouldn't be surprised if it achieved World peace one day.

So here's the recipe, directly from the Saviour Bittman's column at the NYTimes : http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E05E6D7153FF93AA25753C1A9639C8B63. The recipe is lovely on its own, but I'm including my observations and tips here from having made this recipe a few times now... Take 'em or leave 'em. You'll be happy either way.


I heat cold water in the microwave instead of using lukewarm water straight
from the tap. Just because I prefer not to use water that's been sitting in
the water heater for hours/days.

Pre-baking soupiness. I tried with a silicone pan, but I'm not sure I'd
use it again for this - there was no delicious browning on the bottom!

Served with a red cabbage and apple slaw. Yum.

A few more tips:
- Bittman's book provides a plethora of other flavour combinations instead of the onion/rosemary combo. Think of adding cheese (goat cheese just before broiling, anyone?), nuts or other herbs. Awesome!
- I always double the recipe; it takes the same time to cook as a single batch and it easily feeds four people as a main dish;
- the batter, pre-baking, will be ridiculously soupy to the point that you'll find it hard to believe it could ever firm up. But it will. And it will be beautiful. Just make sure it rests for at least 30 minutes before baking;
- I mix the water, oil, salt and pepper together and then just sift the flour in - this somehow makes the recipe feel less complicated. But that might just be me;
- remember to oil your baking vessel well;
- don't over bake the socca; it's not as good when it's too dry.

Voilà. Bon appétit everyone!

3 comments:

  1. Soooo what have you added to this socca? There are pretty bits in the pic, but no mention of them! Need.To.Know! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. To sparklypear: whoops! Sorry! The socca in the picture has tomatoes and fresh herbs, maybe green onion, if I remember correctly. As you observe, the tomatoes make a visually enticing dish, but I wouldn't recommend them - they're too watery and they wash out the overall flavour... You have to go for looks AND substance. Just like a chickpea flour Sophia Loren.

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