poppy seed wafers (and my startling lack of self-restraint)

Dear Chef Kim Boyce,

Hi.  Um.  Gee, I've never written fan mail before.  It's just that I wanted to tell you that your new cookbook, "Good to the Grain," is about the coolest cookbook I've ever seen.  Really, it's the tops.  It's almost as though you wrote it just for me.  Did you?  And how did you know exactly what I would want in a cookbook?  Can you read minds?  I wouldn't be surprised, because you seem pretty darned smart.  Anyhow, I just wanted to say the following:  "wow!", "thanks!", and "may I please have your autograph?"

Admiringly yours,

Adriana


Did I tell you that I got a new cook book last week?

I'm not going to tell you how.  Let's just say that it will hit the shelves next month, and that it pays to have a really awesome friend who works in food journalism.  But this cookbook…wow…let's get back to the cookbook.  It's pages are filled to the brim with wholly unique, hearty, and usual whole grain-based creations.  Notice how I said "whole grain" and not "whole wheat."   Each chapter features a different grain as well as recipes that celebrate and accentuate its unique flavors and properties.  As many of you may know by now, I have a mild (okay, moderately severe) obsession with amaranth, teff, buckwheat, kamut, and all the other ancient grains that have been unjustly neglected in modern american cuisine and in baking books the world over.

But, folks, this is not your average baking book.

Chef Boyce features such tantalizing creations as Honey Amaranth Waffles (yes please!), Apricot Boysenberry Tarts (goodness me!), Chocolate Babka (don't mind if I do), and one of my new all-time favorite recipes Poppy Seed Wafers.  The wafers were one of the first recipes to catch my eye for two reasons, 1) though I've been inundated with recipes for chocolate chip, oatmeal, and shortbread cookies, I had never before heard of a cookie called a poppy seed wafer, and 2) the recipe calls for buckwheat flour.  I am to buckwheat what a fly is to…no, I am to buckwheat what a bee is to honey.  Yes, let's stick with that honey bee analogy.

I whipped up a batch of these crunchy, delicate, and satisfying wafers to give to a friend who had kindly lent me a book.  Unfortunately, the wafers didn't stand a chance.  At one point, (after munching my way through half the recipe) I even wrapped up the remaining cookies with pretty paper and a bow, and set them aside to be delivered to their intended audience.  I am not proud to say that I actually unwrapped them and ate them all.  Yes, I unwrapped someone else's package of cookies.  No, it was not my finest moment.  Yes, these cookies are actually just that good.

If you bake yourself a tray of these wafers, I guarantee that next month you will be first in line at the book store waiting for your copy of "Good to the Grain."

Poppy Seed Wafers
Makes about 6 dozen

Ingredients
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
2 egg yolks (save whites)
1.5 cups buckwheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
1.5 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature

2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
egg whites

Step one:  Put egg yolks and cream into a bowl and set aside

Step two:  Sift dry ingredients into a bowl and add back any bits that don't go through.

Step three:  Use your hands to squeeze the butter into the dry ingredients until crumbly.  Add cream and egg yolks and continue squeezing with your hands until the texture comes together.

Step four:  Divide the dough in half and roll each piece into a log that is 8-in long and 3/4-in wide, flouring the dough and work surface as necessary.  Wrap each in plastic and chill for two hours.  You can reshape the dough after 15 min of chilling if your having trouble with the shape.

Step five:  Mix sugar and poppy seeds for topping and spread out on a plate.  Brush one log with egg whites and roll in the poppy seed mixture until evenly coated.  Repeat process with other log, wrap gently in plastic, and put them back in the refrigerator to chill while the oven is heating up.

Step six:  Place two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.  Preheat to 350F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment and slice logs into 1/8-in thin wafers.  You'll need the sharpest knife you have to made this easier.

Step seven:  Bake for 15-17 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through.  The wafers are done when they are a dark golden-brown with a darker ring around the edge.  They should smell quite nutty.  Cool on a rack, and do you best to share them with your friends.

Book Information:
Good to the Grain: Baking with Whole-Grain Flours
By Kim Boyce
Photographs by Quentin Bacon
Steward, Tabori and Chang / March 2010
$29.95 U.S / $38.95 CAN; ISBN 978-1-58479-839-9

Day Seven: Anjal's Buttermilk Soup with Zest

Kylie and I are very good at sharing.  We share recipes, we share secrets, and lately we've been sharing friends.  As it just so happens, Kylie now lives one neighborhood away from my college roommate in New York, and I live just down the street from her college roommate in Chicago.  Such a strange, small world.  Lucky for us, we seem to have similar taste in friends.  Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd very much like you to meet Kylie's roommate from college and one of my new but very much cherished friends, Anjal.  Anjal has more creative bones in her body than most people have hairs on their head.  She spends the bulk of her time running her own traditional Indian dance studio right here in Chicago. But when she's not leaping in the air or correcting the posture of her students, she's in her kitchen making food for the soul.  Today, she's sharing with us her recipe for Buttermilk Soup with Zest, called Kadi.

What is your soup called?

Kadi (pronounced: kuh`-dee) - Buttermilk Soup with Zest

What inspires you about this soup?

This soup is commonly ladled over rice or kichadi (rice-lentil pilaf), but it is so magnificently complex that you may want to devour it on its own. It has a real kick with the layers of spice and an ability to cleanse, comfort, and rejuvenate. I associate this soup with my grandmother who has consumed so much kadi and kichadi in her long life. She loves the magic touch of lemon and sugar in most of her cooking, and this recipe is codified according to her taste preferences. Indian cooking is all about personalization and improvisation, though, so all of the flavoring proportions are subject to your liking and discretion. 




Ingredients

6 Tbsp yogurt (preferably homemade)
2 Tbsp graham flour (chick pea flour)
2 cups water

1.5 Tbsp oil
0.5 tsp cumin seed (jeera)
0.5 tsp fenugreek seed (methi)
1 hot green chili pepper, thinly sliced 
8 fresh curry leaves (kari patta)
0.5 tsp turmeric powder (halthi)
0.5 tsp asafoetida powder (hing)
4 cloves

4 cups water
1 tsp ginger, freshly grated
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp salt
4-5 Tbsp sugar

Combine yogurt, graham flour, 2 cups water, and churn mixture until flour has dissolved.

Heat oil on high in a saucepan. Once oil is very hot, lower the temperature to medium. Add cumin, fenugreek, chili pepper, and curry leaves. Immediately cover with lid and be careful of popping oil. Avoid burning spices; consider lifting pan away from heat for a bit. Add turmeric, asafoetida, and cloves. Tilt pan to steep all the flavors into the oil.  Add yogurt-flour mixture, 4 cups water, ginger, lemon juice, salt, and sugar. Stir frequently and do not let liquid come to a full boil as it will break the flour suspension. Taste and adjust. Ladle generously and enjoy the aromas. 

Day Six: Kylie's Red Lentil Soup with Lime

Well, goodness gracious.  Where does the time go?  It's already day six of our fabulous week of soups.  Have you enjoyed meeting some of my friends?  I hope so.  They're all pretty awesome folks, and I've been meaning to introduce you for some time.  Today, I have for you a very special (and comfortably familiar) treat: a recipe by our very own Ms. Kylie "Thin Crust."  Kylie's been busting out uncannily incredible soups for as long as I can remember.  It's almost as though she's a soup-whisperer.  I'm on to you, Kylie.  Today, she's brought us a colorful and unusual number to brighten up the dreariest of February afternoons.

What’s the name of your soup? 

 Red Lentil Soup with Lime

Were you inspired by someone else’s recipe?  If so, which one?  

This recipe is straight out of Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. This cookbook is one of Adriana's mom's favorites, and Adriana gave it to me for my birthday back in my senior year of college. Since then, it's become my vegetable bible, the place I go anytime I have a bunch of ingredients but can't figure out how to combine them into a dish. Deborah always helps me out.

When was the first, or most memorable, time you ate this soup? 

Can I be honest here? The first time I made this soup was a couple weeks ago, because I was trying to save on groceries for the week and happened to have a whole lot of lentils in the cupboard. But I'll be making it again. It's really special, especially with the addition of the lime.

Does this soup have a story? 

I think this soup will always hold a special place in my heart, because I thought my fiancee, Mary, was going to hate it. But she didn't! She loved it! You see, since I've known her, Mary has sworn that she doesn't like hot liquids. Hot chocolate? Don't get it near her. Chicken noodle? Not a chance. However, about a month ago, she tasted a kale lentil soup that I had ordered at our favorite restaurant, and she couldn't get enough. I resolved to start making more soups then and there, because I love them but almost never used to make them because didn't want to eat them alone. When Mary tasted this soup and liked it, I was shocked. It's a puree of lentils that's really heavy on the turmeric and punctuated with silky bites of sauteed spinach and onion. I'm glad I tried making it, because it's always fun to find out that someone likes a dish you thought they'd hate.

Should this soup be eaten with alongside anything in particular?  Or at a certain time of day?  Or in a certain kind of weather? 

Hm. Well, I think this is an awesome soup to take to work for lunch. Usually when I eat soup, I want bread to dip in it, but this has rice in it, which I think provides plenty of grainy texture. It would probably be really delicious if you dipped naan or a fluffy pita in it, though.

Ingredients:

2 cups split red lentils, picked over and rinsed several times

1 scant Tb. turmeric

4 Tb. butter

Salt

1 large onion, finely diced (about 2 cups)

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds or 1 tsp. ground mustard

1 bunch chopped cilantro, about 1 cup

Juice of 3 limes or to taste

1 large bunch spinach leaves, chopped into small pieces

1 cup cooked rice (I used brown basmati)

4 to 6 Tbs. yogurt

Put the lentils in a soup pot with 2 1/2 quarts water, the turmeric, 1 tablespoon of the butter, and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the lentils are soft and falling apart, about 20 minutes. Puree if you feel like it for a smoother soup (that's what I did).

While the soup is cooking, prepare the onion flavoring: In a medium skillet over low heat, cook the onion in 2 tablespoons of the remaining butter with the cumin and mustard, stirring occasionally. When soft, about the time the lentils are cooked or after 15 minutes, add the cilantro and cook for a minute more. Add the onion mixture to the soup, then add the juice of 2 limes. Taste, then add more if needed to bring up the flavors. The soup should be a tad sour.

Just before serving, add the last tablespoon of butter to a wide skillet. When foamy, add the spinach, sprinkle with salt, and cook just long enough to wilt. If the rice is warm, place a spoonful in each bowl. If it's leftover rice, add it to the soup and let it heat through for a minute. Serve the soup, divide the spinach among the bowls, and swirl in a spoonful of yogurt.

Day Five: Louise's Famed Bean, Squash and Corn Stew

Hello again.  I'm so glad to see you're still here on Day Five of our fabulous soup week.  And it's a good thing that you are, because I want you to meet one of my good friends from high school.

Louise was there the week that I "went bad" for the first time.  We had just graduated from high school and were ready to see the world.  So, naturally, Louise, Kylie and I packed up my parent's Saturn and took off for San Francisco. Due to an unfortunate miscalculation, by the time we got there, we only had about 20 hours before we had to turn around and go back.  But that didn't stop the three of us from making quite a trip of it.  (After all, we accidentally managed to get our hands on a whole six-pack of Mike's hard lemonade.)  Ah, to be 18 and rebellious again.  Since that week, we've all regressed to a more laughably wholesome state, knitting and baking our way through life.  But who knows, maybe one of these days the three of us will get back together for a reunion road trip, where we'll once again throw caution to the wind...and find ourselves another pack of Mike's.

Ladies, and Gentlemen, I am pleased to introduce...Louise!

What’s the name of your soup?
Beans, Squash and Corn stew

Were you inspired by someone else’s recipe?  If so, which one?
I was inspired by many different combinations of black beans and winter squash – then I found almost the exact soup I wanted to make in the cookbook Feeding the Whole Family, by Cynthia Lair.

If you invented the recipe yourself, what originally inspired you to throw these particular ingredients into a pot?
Well, I didn’t invent this all by myself, but I still want to answer this question. I have been really into winter squash this season. I got butternut squash enchiladas at a restaurant last month and they were amazing! There were black beans on the side and the earthy beans, spicy sauce and sweet squash were a great match. I had made spicy black bean soup before, and I knew I wanted to add some squash next time.  Then I got your email – so, Thin Crust Deep Dish inspired me to throw these ingredients into a pot. Thanks!

When was the first, or most memorable, time you ate this soup?
This winter.

Should this soup be eaten with alongside anything in particular?  Or at a certain time of day?  Or in a certain kind of weather?
I think this is best in cold weather. Its spicy and hearty. I ate it for breakfast this morning when I woke up chilled and with a sore throat and stuffy nose. I have been meaning to make it with corn bread but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

Ingredients
1 delicatta or butternut squash, peeled and chopped into ½  inch pieces.
3 cups of cooked beans (I used pinto, white and black)
OR 2 cans beans
1 onion
2 T olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 can tomatoes
1 cup corn (frozen works)
2 t oregano
1 t cumin
1 t chili powder
salt to taste
2-3 cups vegetable broth

Instructions
Heat olive oil in large stock pot. Saute onions until nearly soft. Add garlic and spices. Continue to cook for a few more minutes. Pour broth and tomatoes over onions and add squash.

Cook about 10 minutes or until squash is soft. Add more broth or water if necessary.

Add beans and corn and cook until hot. Add salt to taste.

Day Four: Mom's Zingy Carrot Soup

Hi, everyone. Welcome to Day Four of our week of soups! I'd like to introduce you to a very special chef. Perhaps the special-est chef I know: my mom. (Hi, Mom!) She's been making soup for as long as I can remember. Being the talented cook that she was, her dinner-time creations ranged from the homey and comforting (chicken with dumplings), to the exotic and unusual (spicy african peanut soup), to the just down-right inexplicably delicious (vegetarian green soup).

Today she's bringing us a special creation that's bound to brighten up even the dreariest of winter nights. Let's give a big round of applause for...

...my mom's Carrot Soup with Onion Relish!

Carrot Soup with Onion Relish

The blended spiced carrots are at once sweet, creamy and savory. The fresh lime and herbs in the onion relish brightens it up. In all, this soup is packed with flavor and is nothing but good for you!  I adapted this recipe from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

Soup:
2 tablespoons butter, olive oil, or a mixture
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 pound carrots, thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
3 tablespoons white rice
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
salt and freshly milled pepper to taste
7 cups water or vegetable stock

Onion Relish:
1/3 cup finely diced white onion
1 serrano chile, finely minced
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
a few leaves of fresh basil, chopped
Grated zest and juice of 2 limes

In a soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, bay leaf, parsley, and rice; cook to soften the onion, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add the spices, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and some pepper and cook 5 minutes longer. Add the water and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes.

While the soup is cooking, make the relish by mixing all the ingredients together. Remove the bay leaf from the soup. Puree 2 cups of the soup until smooth, then puree the rest, leaving a little texture and flecks of carrot. Taste for salt and serve each bowl with a spoonful of the relish.