Teff Flatbreads
Injera is an omnipresent spongy and tangy flatbread in Ethiopia that is traditionally prepared in a large ceramic cooking pan. It acts as a communal plate and utensil to be torn into pieces and used to scoop up fragrant stews such as misir wot (Ethiopian lentil stew). You can do the same with this crepe-sized version.
As teff flour ferments, it gives rise to Lactobacillus, beneficial bacteria that may improve digestive health. As they cook, keep the flatbreads warm in a 200 F (100 C) oven, preferably in a single layer. Ethiopian cooks prefer to use ivory teff flour for making injera, but any hue of flour can be used based on what is available in health food stores near you.
1 tsp (5 mL) active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups (350 mL) teff flour
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Place yeast in large bowl. Heat 1 3/4 cups (435 mL) water in saucepan over low heat until warm to the touch, about 110 F (45 C). Pour water over yeast and stir together. Add teff flour and salt; stir again. Cover bowl with kitchen towel and let sit at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours. When ready to make flatbreads, add lemon juice and whisk contents of bowl until smooth.
Heat a 10 in (25 cm) skillet or well-seasoned cast iron pan over medium-high heat. When a drop of water dances around on skillet surface, reduce heat to medium. Add 1/3 cup (80 mL) batter to centre of skillet and rotate pan in circular motion to spread batter outward into large, thin circle. Heat until surface is covered in small holes and edges begin to brown. Cover pan with lid and heat for additional 2 minutes, or until batter is set and edges begin to curl up. Repeat with remaining batter.
Serves 4.
Each serving contains: 226 calories; 8 g protein; 2 g total fat (0 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 44 g total carbohydrates (0 g sugars, 8 g fibre); 298 mg sodium
Ethiopian Lentil Stew (Misir Wot)
A central ingredient in Ethiopian stews such as misir wot is berbere, a fiery blend of spices including chili, fenugreek, coriander, cinnamon, and ginger. Find it at well-stocked spice shops or make your own using one of the many online recipes available. You can also simply add a few of its key spices to this stew and you’ll surely get a wonderful accompaniment to a platter of teff flatbread.
2 Tbsp (30 mL) unsalted butter
1 medium-sized yellow onion, diced
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup (250 mL) rinsed red lentils
19 oz (540 mL) can diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp (15 mL) berbere spice mix
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Heat a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Melt butter in pan and then add onion and salt. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring often. Add lentils, tomatoes, berbere, and 2 cups (500 mL) water to pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer covered, stirring occasionally, until thickened and lentils are tender, about 35 minutes. Taste and add additional berbere if desired. Serve garnished with green onion.
Serves 6.
Each serving contains: 186 calories; 9 g protein; 5 g total fat (3 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 29 g total carbohydrates (6 g sugars, 5 g fibre); 292 mg sodium
source: "Teff Love", alive #378, April 2014
Tourtière is, for me, the dish that best represents Québec. It can be traced back to the 1600s, and there’s no master recipe; every family has their own twist. Originally, it was made with game birds or game meat, like rabbit, pheasant, or moose; that’s one of the reasons why I prefer it with venison instead of beef or pork. Variation: If you prefer to make single servings, follow our lead at the restaurant, where we make individual tourtières in the form of a dome (pithivier) and fill them with 5 ounces (160 g) of the ground venison mixture. Variation: You can also use a food processor to make the dough. Place the flour, salt, and butter in the food processor and pulse about ten times, until the butter is incorporated—don’t overmix. It should look like wet sand, and a few little pieces of butter here and there is okay. With the motor running, through the feed tube, slowly add ice water until the dough forms a ball—again don’t overmix. Wrap, chill, and roll out as directed above.
My love of artichokes continues with this classic recipe, one of the best ways to eat this interesting, underrated, and strange vegetable. Frozen artichoke hearts are a time-saving substitute, though the flavour and texture of fresh artichokes are, by far, much superior and definitely preferred.
Cervelle de canut is basically the Boursin of France, an herbed fresh farmer’s cheese spread that’s a speciality of Lyon. The name is kind of weird, as it literally means “silk worker’s brain,” named after nineteenth-century Lyonnaise silk workers, who were called canuts. Sadly, the name reflects the low opinion of the people towards these workers. Happily for us, though, it’s delicious—creamy, fragrant, and fresh at the same time. Cervelle de canut is one of my family’s favourite dishes. It’s a great make-ahead appetizer that you can pop out of the fridge once your guests arrive. Use a full-fat cream cheese for the dish, or it will be too runny and less delicious.