Socca

1 1/2 cups garbanzo flour
1 1/2 cups water
2 Tbls olive oil, plus some
3/4 tsp salt
black pepper

Stir together garbanzo flour, water, 2 Tbls olive oil, and salt. Let the batter rest for 30 or more minutes.

Put a cast iron skillet in the oven, close to the top, and preheat to 450 F. When it hits temperature, set the oven to high broil. Remove skillet from oven, pour in a small amount of olive oil to coat the bottom, and pour in the batter. Broil the socca for 5-8 minutes, until the top is browned and crispy.

Remove from oven, drizzle olive oil on top, salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

Lambswool Wassail

Roasted apples.

A sort-of medieval recipe, I haven't found a good primary source, only other people saying that it is medieval. A small verse:

Next crowne the bowle full of
With gentle lambs wooll,
Adde sugar, nutmeg, and ginger,
With a store of ale too,
And thus ye must doe
To make the Wassaile a swinger.

No reference was listed, and it sounds fake; but I haven't had time to investigate further. Anyway the recipe is unusual and delicous regardless of provenance.

3 liters of apple juice or cider (I did part unfiltered apple juice, part carbonated apple juice)
6 large apples
2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
1 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375 F. Remove wax from apples and cut out the cores. Place them in a cake pan and add about 1/2" of water. Roast the apples for 35-45 minutes, until they are mushy and the skin is peeling off.

Meanwhile, put the sugar in a pan and add enough juice to cover it. Heat over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Stir in the nutmeg and ginger. Keep it over low heat.

Remove and discard the skin from the roasted apples. I found that different varieties of apple peeled differently, and some apple flesh needed to be scraped off the back of the pulled-off skin, but it wasn't difficult.

Puree the apple flesh in a food processor or blender until it is totally smooth like thick apple sauce. If using a blender, add enough juice to get it to blend, but not enough to really liquefy it. It needs to be thick and drier than usual applesauce.

Set a crock pot on high heat. Pour in the apple juice/cider and the sugar mix. Stir together. Then pour in the pureed apple and whisk it. It should float to the top and resemble a wool fleece soaking in cider. Let it heat up to desired temperature, then set the crock pot to low or warm to maintain temperature for the duration of your winter feast.

How to Remove Wax from Fruit Skins

I don't know about the supposed health problems people say are caused by wax on fruit, but I like to remove the wax so that it doesn't cause texture changes in my recipes, especially in baked fruit or fresh juice.

Heat a pot of water on the stove until it reaches boiling, then turn heat to medium to maintain steaming temperature. Place the fruit (apples, pears, oranges, lemons, etc) in the pot for 1-3 minutes, turning them with tongs to get even coverage. Take each one out one at a time and scrub with a rough cloth to remove the wax. Sometimes the wax is visible, but you can feel the difference on the skin of the fruit, the waxed areas will feel tacky.

It will change the color of the skin over the course of a few minutes, but it does not cook the fruit, or change the taste or texture.

Gluten-Free Nutty Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups nut flour blend (needs to be part almond, part coconut, and can have other nuts as well)
1 1/2 large eggs or 2 small-medium eggs
3 Tbls. butter or coconut oil

Stir all ingredients together into a soft dough/thick paste. Press into the pie tin.

To bake alone, bake at 350 F for 15 minutes. Otherwise, follow instructions in the pie recipe.

Old-Fashioned Peanut Brittle

3 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 cup corn syrup
3 Tbls. butter
1-1 1/2 lbs raw peanuts, shelled
1 Tbls. vanilla extract
1 Tbls. + 1 tsp. baking soda

Set the oven to 200 F. Thoroughly butter 2 baking sheets and place in the oven to keep warm.

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup. Prepare a bowl of ice water to test the syrup. Stir over medium-high heat until it reaches soft ball stage, about 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir together the vanilla extract and baking soda.

Add the peanuts and butter to the syrup. Stir constantly until it reaches brittle crack stage, about 20 minutes. Signs to look for: syrup spins a thin thread when dripping off the spoon, peanuts get roasted and brown, syrup turns amber colored, syrup audibly cracks when it hits the ice water. Taste test peanut flavor and candy texture after dropping into ice water.

When it reaches brittle crack stage, take out the baking sheets and place them on cooling racks on the counter or table. Quickly stir the vanilla and baking soda into the candy. It will foam up quite a bit. Stir it in thoroughly, but not too much, to preserve the bubbles. Immediately pour the candy onto the cookie sheets. Use a rubber spatula to spread it thinner, if desired (I like it thicker).

Let it cool completely. To check the hardness, try lifting it with a spatula. If it bends, it is still too soft.

Once it is totally brittle, break it into pieces with your hands.

Calico Bread from Fablehaven

4 cups flour (white or whole wheat)
1 3/4 cups warm water or milk
1 Tbs. salt
2 tsp. dry yeast or .6-.7 oz fresh yeast
2 tsp. sugar

Fillings/flavors:
peanut butter
jam/jelly
cheese
marinara sauce, with or without cheese, minced pepperoni, etc
poppy seeds and lemon zest
dill weed and grated carrot
any kind of herbs, edible flowers
tiny bits of caramel
cheese with minced vegetables like peppers, garlic, etc
honey
cinnamon and sugar
dried fruit
Use your imagination!


Combine the yeast with the sugar in warm water/milk. Stir in the flour one cup at a timbre, adding in the salt at some point. Knead so that it's smooth and elastic with some resistance.

Coat bowl and dough in oil or water. Place dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap sealed around the edges, but large and loose over the top so it doesn't smash the risen dough. Let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled, in a warm place.

Divide dough into a lot of small portions. Add a different filling into each piece, adding flour if necessary to anything that is too wet. Some filings can be kneaded into the dough. For some fillings, roll the piece of dough flat, put on the filling, and roll it into a log with the filling spiraled inside. Others can be made into little filled dumplings. Who the outside of the pieces with water so they will adhere together. Put the pieces of dough all together in a greased bread pan, coat the top with oil, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise again for another 30 minutes or so, until it is about an inch over the top of the pan.

Spray water into the oven or place a small pan with water inside. Put the bread pan into the oven, then start pre-heating to 350° F. Bake for 60-70 minutes until it's a dark golden brown on top and the interior measures to 190°-200° F.

Autumn Spice Hot Cocoa

For 8 servings:

1 cup cocoa powder
2 cups cold water
1 cup sugar
6 cups milk or plant-based milk
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. allspice
1 1/2 Tbls. vanilla extract

For 1 serving:

2 tsp. cocoa powder
1/4 cup cold water
2 tsp. sugar
3/4 cup milk or plant-based milk
dash of cinnamon (approx. 1/8 tsp or less)
dash of nutmeg
dash of allspice
1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a pot over medium heat, whisk together the cocoa powder and water until smooth. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until it heats to steaming. Do not let it boil. It can be served as is, or with toppings such as marshmallows, whipped cream, ice cream, etc.

Non-Dairy Hot Chocolate

Makes one large serving.

1 1/2 cups oat milk or nut milk
2 Tbls. cocoa powder
2 Tbls. semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
1 Tbls. sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients except vanilla in a small pot over medium heat. Whisk the mixture as it heats. Keep heating and stirring until it is smooth and the chocolate chips are completely melted. Don't let it get hot enough to boil. Add the vanilla extract at the very end.

Fancy Ants on a Log

Celery sticks filled with mixed nut butter, sprinkled with cocoa powder, topped with mixed raisins.

Mixed Nut Butter

2 cups of raw nuts and seeds

1 Tbls oil

optional: 1 tsp salt
optional: 2 Tbls sugar

Preheat oven to 325 F. Spread nuts onto a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes.

Let cool enough to handle. Place in a food processor with the oil and optional salt and sugar. Grind until it becomes a thick paste.

You can use any combination of nuts that you like. For this batch I used peanuts, walnuts, almonds, candied almonds, chia seeds, and a pinch of fennel seeds.

Garlic White Bean Hummus

1/4 cup thinly sliced onion
1/4 cup minced garlic, raw or roasted
1 tsp. fennel seed
1 Tbls. paprika (regular, smoked, or spicy if you like)
1 tsp. cumin
3 Tbls. olive oil + some for sauteing
3 Tbls. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups cannelini beans or other white beans, cooked & rinsed

Saute onion with a small amount of olive oil, in a covered skillet over medium heat. Assemble the other ingredients in a food processor. When the onion is limp and translucent, add it to the food processor. Puree everything until it is as smooth as possible. Add a bit more lemon juice if necessary to make it smooth.

Carrot Dill Rolls

3/4 cup grated carrot
1 cup hot water
2 Tbls brown sugar
2 Tbls olive oil
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp dry yeast or .6 oz fresh yeast
1 Tbls dried dill weed
3-3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Stir together the carrot, water, brown sugar, olive oil, and salt until the  sugar is dissolved. If the water gets cold (from using cold carrots), pour some out and reheat it.

Stir in the yeast, dill, and one cup of flour. Stir completely before adding another cup of flour, then stir that in completely before adding the third. At this point you will have to knead the dough, adding more flour if necessary. Knead until the dough is smooth around the bits of carrot. Then coat the inside of a large bowl and the dough in a small amount of oil. Place dough in bowl, cover the top, and let rise until it is doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Knead the dough lightly, then divide it into 12 even balls. Place them on parchment paper on a baking sheet. Brush olive oil and sprinkle coarse salt onto the tops of each roll. Cover them and let them rise until doubled again, about 40 minutes.

Place the pan in the oven along with a small dish of water. Set the oven to 375 F and bake, including preheat time, for 25-30 minutes, until they are golden brown on top and bottom.

Salsa Verde

1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
3 cups diced green tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1/4 cup diced onion
2 Tbls. lime juice or lemon juice
2 Tbls. olive oil
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. cumin
4 garlic cloves, minced (2 tsp.)
1/2 tsp. - 1 tsp. red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, hot sauce, minced peppers, or whatever source of heat you want.

Blend all ingredients together until liquefied. Makes 1 quart.

White Bean Tomato Hummus

1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes in oil (include some oil in this measurement)
2 tsp minced garlic [roasted garlic]
1/4 cup cold water
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp chili powder [chipotle powder]
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt [smoked salt]
1 Tbls tomato powder
3 cups cooked white beans (2 15 oz cans, rinsed and drained)

I like to mix it up and use various types of white beans, including white/navy beans, cannellini beans, butter beans, broad/fava beans, etc. And extra-flavor versions of ingredients are in brackets.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor, and puree until smooth.

Tortillas/Basic Flatbread

3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
2 Tbls soft butter or oil
1 cup warm water

Stir the dry ingredients together. Stir in the butter/oil. Add the warm water. Knead it until it's cohesive. Add more flour or water if necessary.

Preheat a skillet over high heat, then turn to medium once the surface is hot.

Take a small handful, like a little larger than a golf ball. Roll it into a sphere. Place between 2 sheets of thick, soft plastic (I use a large food storage zip bag with 3 sides cut off). Flatten the dough into a circle, then roll into a thin circle of dough with a rolling pin. For tortillas, the dough should be thin enough to be almost translucent. Or if you want a thicker flatbread, roll or press the dough to a thicker piece.

 

Cook each piece one at a time on the hot skillet. The tortilla will become more opaque and form bubbles. Turn it over and let the other side brown. It will cook very quickly with a properly hot skillet.

Place them in a large food storage zip bag while they are still hot, so that they stay soft, but keep the bag open while they are still letting off steam. They will keep for a few days at room temperature.

Sesame Hummus

3 cups cooked garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed (2 15 oz cans, drained and rinsed)
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup tahini or olive oil
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup cold water
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne or chili powder

Optional additional ingredients:
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes
1/4 cup olives
1/4 cup roasted red peppers
1 Tbls tomato powder or tomato paste
1 Tbls kale flakes

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until as smooth as possible.

Honey Almond Tart

Crust:

1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small cubes
1 egg
1/4 cup cold water

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Mix flour and sugar. Cut in butter until there is no dry flour. Stir in the egg. Add half of the water, stir it in completely, then stir in the rest of the water. Chill the dough while making the glaze.

Glaze:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup honey
2 Tbls. water
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups sliced almonds

Stir all ingredients except almonds over medium heat, until butter is mostly melted and sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add almonds.

Divide the dough in half and press each half into a pie or tart tin (9"-10"), pressing it partially up the sides. Pour half of the glaze into each crust.

Bake for 25 minutes.

D&D Healing Potion

2 cups raspberries (fresh or frozen)
2 cups water
1 Tbls. floral tea* (dried rose petals, hibiscus, chamomile, etc)
2 cups sugar

Spices:
For regular healing potion: 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
For greater healing potion: 1/4 tsp. ground clove
For superior healing potion: 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
For supreme healing potion: 1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp. pearl dust**
For regular healing potion: pink pearl dust
For greater healing potion: white pearl dust
For superior healing potion: silver pearl dust
For supreme healing potion: gold pearl dust

2 liters carbonated water

*The floral tea I used in this batch was a combination of hibiscus petals, lemon peel, orange peel, rose hips, and rose petals.

**Pearl dust is a powdered food coloring, made with mica powder, used to decorate pastries. It is shimmery, and not to be confused with color dust, which is powdered food coloring that is not pearlescent. It is also called luster dust in different brands.


Combine raspberries, water, floral tea, and spice over high heat in a large pan. Bring to a boil, then lower to medium heat to maintain a boil for 25 minutes.

Put a fine mesh strainer, or a colander lined with cheesecloth, over a tall bowl or pitcher. Pour the mixture into the strainer and let it slowly strain through gravity, without pressing the mixture.

Eventually, after an hour or more, you should have about 1 1/2 cups of syrup.

Remove and reserve 2 cups of carbonated water from its bottle. Add the pearl dust into the bottle, then pour the raspberry syrup into the bottle. Top off any empty space with the reserved carbonated water. Screw on the lid and gently tilt the bottle back and forth to mix it.

Rich Pear Sorbet

Using whole pureed fruit lends this sorbet a thick, rich texture.

6 cups pears, cubed
3/4 cup water
2 Tbls. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom

Before chopping the pears, remove wax from the skin by dipping the pears in hot water for about 30 seconds and scrubbing them with a clean, rough cloth. The color of the skin may change, but it doesn't damage the texture or flavor.

Chop the pears into small pieces, removing the core, until you have 6 cups.

Bring to a boil over high heat the pear, water, and maple syrup. Reduce heat to medium and boil, covered, until pears are completely soft.

Add the cardamom. If most of the water has boiled off, add another 1/2 cup. Puree the mixture in a blender until completely smooth. Transfer to another container and chill out completely.

Once it is cold, process it in an ice cream machine according to the machine's instructions.

Rhubarb Crumble

1 1/2  lbs rhubarb, chopped into 1/2 in pieces
1/4 cup honey
1 Tbls. butter
1 Tbls. cornstarch

For the crumble topping:
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or white wheat flour
6 Tbls. butter, cold and diced
3 tablespoons brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 375°F

Heat the rhubarb in a pan on medium to medium low with the honey, 1 T butter, and cornstarch for about 5 minutes, until the rhubarb is glossy and everything has melted together. Transfer to an 8 1/2" pie tin or square baking dish.

To make the crumble topping, place the flour and brown sugar in a bowl and rub in the butter until it is thoroughly combined, with a texture like soft crumbs.

Spread evenly over the fruit. Bake 35-45 minutes.