Flax Seed Crackers

Last Year's Post: Venetian Shrimp and Scallops
Two Years Ago:  Chicken Salad with Fruits and Peppadews

I have to smile.  Whenever I make something readily available in a store, I always see my mother giving me that concerned "where-did-I-go-wrong" look and asking me "Why would you ever make something you can simply buy at the store?"  Because it's more interesting and much cheaper than buying a box of crackers at the store.  Because I will customize the recipe and make it mine. And because it's a fun project for a rainy or snowy day to do with someone else, maybe even a child.  The more children get involved in cooking, the more foods they're willing to try.

Have you ever thought of making crackers?  It's really easy and they keep fresh in a zip top bag for weeks.  This particular version has flax seeds which we all know are really good for you, but you could use literally any seeds you want. The flax seeds have a nutty taste and crunchy texture.

Sesame and poppy seeds are also a great combination.  Besides varying the seeds, you can add a topping of coarse salt or not.  You can also create big, dramatic broken crackers like a restaurant, or you can score the dough to make smaller rectangles or squares - I made one batch of each to show you the difference.  Choices, choices.

The key is to roll the dough as thin and as evenly as possible to make the crispiest crackers.  Although you could bake both batches in the oven at once and rotate them between the upper and lower thirds of the oven halfway through, I've found that never works very well in practice which is why I prefer baking each batch separately in the middle of the oven.

unscored batch

unscored batch after baking

scored into squares

after baking

However you decide to make your crackers, it's a fun and delicious little project.

printable recipe

Flax Seed Crackers

Makes approximately 40 – 60 crackers depending on size

Note: flax seeds are available in health food stores and some grocery store bulk aisles

½ cup flax seeds

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons butter, softened

½ cup low-fat milk

Coarse kosher or sea salt for garnish, optional

Preheat oven to 350d with the rack in the middle of the oven.

Put flax seeds, flour, baking powder, salt and butter into a large bowl.  Using a hand or stand mixer, mix on low until the butter resembles coarse meal.  (Alternately, mix by hand.)  Add the milk and mix until dough comes together.  Set the mixer aside and use your (clean!) hands  to completely incorporate all the flour and seeds (this just takes a few seconds, you’re not kneading the dough) and form into a ball.  Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 10 minutes.

Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator.  On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the piece of dough to a rough rectangle as thin as possible without tearing, about 1/16-in thick.  (If you own a pasta machine you can use it to roll the dough.  Lightly flour the pasta roller and flatten the dough until it will pass through the first setting.  Go to the highest number your roller will allow without tearing the dough.  Cut in half to fit your baking sheet if necessary.)

Optional:  sprinkle the dough lightly with coarse salt and roll over lightly with the rolling pin to adhere the salt to the dough.  Transfer to a large baking sheet.  If desired, score the dough into square or rectangular cracker shapes.    Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until crisp and golden.  Remove and let cool before breaking apart.

Repeat with the other portion of dough.

Lavash Chips, Za'atar, Hummus and Green Harissa

Last Year's Post:  Apple, Bacon and Fontina Stuffed Acorn Squash
Two Years Ago:   The Best Way to Cook Bacon

Middle Eastern food is delicious and tastes exotic with all those complex spice combinations, plus it's really healthy.  (OK, I know falafel is fried, but at least it's vegetarian which somehow makes it healthy anyway.)  Most people are familiar with pita bread and hummus, but the recipes in this post are an opportunity to broaden your horizons a little more and impress your friends by making your own chips, hummus, and condiments.

There are four different recipes:  lavash chips, za'atar, hummus and green harissa.  You can make each alone or all in combination.  I'll talk a little about each in turn.

Lavash is a soft, thin Middle Eastern flatbread.  Lucky for us, you can find packaged lavash in the deli aisle of most grocery stores.

This particular lavash is marketed primarily as a sandwich wrap, but it makes the best chips ever. Thin and crisp, they're perfect sprinkled with any type of seasoning and served with any type of dip.  They have just 3 calories per chip and are good for you with flax, oat bran and whole wheat.

Next is za'atar (zah-tahr), which is a very common Middle Eastern spice blend typically served with olive oil as a dipping sauce for soft pita or naan bread.  There are numerous variations of za'atar in different regions of the Middle East and families often have their own blend, but it typically includes several herbs mixed with toasted sesame seeds and salt.  In addition to using it in a dipping sauce, za'atar would be excellent sprinkled on roast chicken or anything grilled.  Stored in a tightly covered container, leftover spice mix will keep for at least a month or two. You can occasionally find a za'atar spice blend in a world market, but making your own allows you to customize and it's fresher.

You'll need several spices to make za'atar, the most unusual of which is sumac.  Since sumac is important to the flavor I urge you not to skip it.  You could either make an adventure out of finding your local Middle Eastern market (one of my favorite things is checking out ethnic markets) or you could buy it and every other spice you need at your local Penzeys store.  If you don't live near a Penzeys store, you can buy spices here.

The third recipe is for hummus.  Why make hummus when it's easier to peel the plastic off a tub from the store?  Freshness, the ability to customize, cost, curiosity, and pride.  It's easy with a food processor.  In addition to using hummus as a dip, it makes a great sandwich spread or breakfast spread on an English Muffin.

The final recipe is for green harissa.  You may be familiar with red harissa, a fiery hot condiment that's very trendy right now, but green harissa is entirely different.  Bright with fresh herbs, cumin and lemon, green harissa has big flavor but is not hot despite the addition of two jalapenos. You can certainly make it hotter by leaving in the seeds or adding more jalapeno if you want.

The main herbs in the harissa recipe are flat-leaf parsley and cilantro.  If you're one of those people who dislike cilantro you can substitute fresh spinach instead.  Although it's often served with couscous, I thought of using it on salmon, chicken, or lamb as a sauce when I first tasted it.  We had the leftover sauce on grilled salmon the next night and it was great.  It's kind of like a Middle Eastern version of pesto.

So, here's the way I put them all together.  First, I made lavash chips and sprinkled them with za'atar prior to baking.  The only hard part is figuring out how to cut the rectangular lavash into 32 triangular chips.  First you brush the lavash with olive oil and sprinkle with za'atar.

Next, you cut the lavash in half vertically, then cut each half vertically again to form four long strips.  Stack the strips, then cut them in half horizontally.  Cut each stack in half horizontally again so you have four stacks.  Finally, cut each stack diagonally to form 32 triangular chips.  

I would suggest serving the baked chips with separate bowls of hummus and harissa so people can decide whether they want one or both condiments.  I personally like to eat them together.  All those different herbs, spices and textures go very well together and taste very exotic.

These recipes would be great as an appetizer for your next get-together, football game, or book club meeting.  They're much more sophisticated than plain old chips and dip.  "What's that?", people will say.  "Oh", you'll reply airily, "Just some harissa, hummus and lavash chips with za'atar that I made this morning."  They'll look at you with that impressed look.

printable recipes

Lavash Chips

Makes 64 chips

Two 9-by-12-inch whole wheat lavash breads

2 tablespoons olive oil

Za’atar spice blend (below), grated Parmesan, or other spice blend of your choice

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350d.  Brush the breads with olive oil and sprinkle with the seasoning of your choice.  With the long side nearest you, cut each bread in half vertically and then cut each half vertically again to make 4 rectangular strips.  Stack the strips on top of each other, then cut the stack in half horizontally.  Cut each stack in half horizontally again to make four square-ish stacks.  Cut each stack in half diagonally to make 32 triangular chips.  Place the chips on two baking sheets in a single layer and bake until light golden, 10 to 12 minutes.  Cool.

  

Za’atar

Note:  Za’atar spice blend is traditionally served with olive oil as a dipping sauce for pita or naan bread; it’s also excellent on grilled or roasted meats, on lavash chips, or sprinkled on hummus.

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds                    1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons ground sumac                                ½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried thyme                                       1 teaspoon coarse black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin                                    1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Combine all ingredients well, rubbing the dried thyme and oregano between your fingers as you add them.

  

Hummus

Makes approximately 2 cups

One 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed         ½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ cup fresh lemon juice, about 1 large lemon         ½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ cup tahini                                                           2 to 3 tablespoons water

1 small garlic clove, minced                                    Paprika for garnish

2 tablespoons olive oil

Combine the tahini and lemon juice in a food processor and process for 1 minute.  Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl then process 30 additional seconds to help whip the tahini.  Add the olive oil, garlic, cumin and salt and process for 30 seconds.  Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and process for another 30 seconds.  Add half of the chickpeas to the processor and process for 1 minute.  Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, add the remaining chickpeas and process for 1 minute until thick and smooth.  Most likely the hummus will be too thick at this point.  With the food processor running, slowly add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water until it reaches your desired consistency.  Garnish with a few dashes of paprika and some additional olive oil (if desired) when served.

Green Harissa

Makes approximately 1 ½ cups

Note:  Green harissa is excellent as a condiment with chicken, lamb, salmon, grilled vegetables, hummus, pita, or couscous.

2 tablespoons cumin seeds                                       ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon coriander seeds                                    ½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

2 jalapenos, seeded and sliced                                  ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves

2 green onions, sliced                                               ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 small garlic clove, smashed                                    ½ teaspoon salt

Lightly toast cumin and coriander seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring often until fragrant, 2-3 minutes; let cool.  Puree the seeds with all the remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. 

Harissa can be made a day or two ahead.  Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the harissa to prevent browning.  Cover and chill.

Spinach Salad with Spicy Orange Dressing

The Lawyer and I over-endulged a little last weekend so it was time to even the scales with a nice light healthy dinner.  Although this spinach salad is light in calories and fat, it's loaded with vitamins and anti-oxidants.  It has such big, bold flavors and crunchy textures that it's very satisfying as a vegetarian entree, but you can amp up the protein if you want by adding some cooked crumbled bacon, grilled chicken or shrimp, or whatever.  We chose to add a little bacon since we had some in the freezer.  With a piece of crusty bread on the side it was a filling dinner.

We happen to like spicy foods, but I was reminded that not everyone shares our tastes when I was at a bridal shower recently and one of the participants pronounced a small tea sandwich as "too spicy" because it had black olive tapenade and feta cheese.  She didn't even get as far as the peppadew garnish. ( I thought it was the best sandwich out of the lot.)  Oh well, everyone's tastes are different.  This salad is spicy but not overly so, and you can control the amount of heat by varying the amount of red pepper sauce (or leave it out entirely).  You can also leave out the red jalapeno - I liked the way it looked a a garnish but I would certainly fine slice or mince it if you intend to eat it.

There are two ingredients in this recipe that you might not be familiar with - daikon sprouts and jicama.  Daikon sprouts are like alfalfa sprouts except they're from Japanese daikon radishes, so they have a slightly spicy radish-y flavor.  I found them in the produce section next to the alfalfa sprouts.  They're worth searching out because they go so beautifully in this salad but if you can't find them you can substitute alfalfa sprouts or bean sprouts.

Jicama is the other interesting ingredient.  Pronounced hi-ka-ma, it's the tuberous root of a native Mexican vine also called the Mexican Turnip.  It's not going to win any beauty contests anytime soon.

Jicama is typically peeled, cut up and eaten raw.  It has a crisp white interior (better-looking than the exterior) and a slightly sweet and starchy flavor somewhat reminiscent of a potato or an apple.

Along with the carrots and almonds, it adds great crunch to the salad in addition to a subtle sweetness. It can be found in the produce section near parsnips and turnips.  (Just tell your kids it's a fruit.)

* * for a printable recipe version, click here * *

Spinach Salad with Spicy Orange Dressing

Serves 4

1 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon honey
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce (optional)
1 shallot, chopped
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
6 cups washed baby spinach
1/3 cup julienned carrot
1/3 cup julienned jicama
1/3 cup daikon sprouts
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons mixture of black sesame seeds and white sesame seeds
Half a red jalapeno for garnish (optional)


For the dressing, cook the orange juice in a saucepan over medium heat until syrupy and reduced to approximately 3 tablespoons, about 15 minutes. Combine with the honey, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, and hot sauce in a blender. Add the shallot and ginger and process until smooth. Store in the refrigerator.

For the salad, mix the spinach, daikon sprouts, carrot and jicama in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat well. Garnish with almonds, sesame seeds and red jalapeno (if using).


Optional: add crumbled cooked bacon, cooked sliced chicken or pork, or cooked shrimp



Gingered Turkey and Spinach Salad

It's always been a mystery to me why more Americans don't eat turkey year-round.  It's a very lean protein, delicious and cheap at the store.  What more could you want?  I think one reason why people don't eat it more is because the traditional Thanksgiving whole roasted turkey thing can be so daunting.  Not to mention that if you have a small household you'll be eating turkey forever. Luckily, you can find smaller turkey cuts readily available in the stores these days.  This recipe uses a split boneless skinless turkey breast that makes just four servings.  When I bought it at the store it cost slightly more than $5.00 as a bone-in breast that I skinned and boned myself.  Not bad.

The following recipe has a definite Asian flavor but not at all like a teriyaki.  The turkey tastes primarily of ginger with light garlic and cinnamon notes.  It's much more complex than your regular heavy soy-sauce taste.  Although the salad is light and healthy it's surprisingly filling due to the crunch of the noodle/nut/seed combination.  Altogether it's a wonderful light dinner that I really encourage you to try.  (The turkey also makes an amazing sandwich on whole wheat with sliced cucumbers, lettuce and mayo.)


Note that this recipe requires some advance planning as the turkey needs to be marinated and roasted in advance.  Sometimes this can be an advantage -  this past weekend is a great example.  I knew we would be visiting an Alpaca farm on Sunday afternoon due to The Lawyer's highly developed sense of whimsy.  I marinated the turkey on Saturday and roasted it Sunday morning, then threw it in the refrigerator before heading off to Alpaca Land.  Note that the afore-mentioned sense of whimsy combined with a passion for photography can lead to some pretty interesting pictures.  The Lawyer recently created a photographic series of Domestic Animal Noses and Beaks.  What can I say?  You can't make this stuff up.

alpaca photos courtesy of The Lawyer

When we returned home from the Alpaca adventure, all we had left to do was mix a quick salad dressing, slice the turkey, toast some crunchies and toss the whole thing - 20 minutes tops.  Obviously this would be a great recipe for any busy night (including work nights) if you marinate and roast the turkey in advance.  Even if you aren't heading to an Alpaca farm.


** click here for a printable recipe version **

Gingered Turkey and Spinach Salad

Serves 4

Note:  plan ahead as the turkey needs to be marinated and roasted in advance.

For turkey

1 (2 lb.) turkey breast, skinned and boned (weight is before skinning and boning)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¾ tsp cinnamon
2 tablespoons peeled and grated fresh ginger root
¼ cup unsalted chicken stock
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

For salad

4 tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1-1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 3-oz bag Asian noodle soup mix (such as Top Ramen), noodles coarsely crushed
1/3 cup slivered or sliced almonds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 6-oz bag of baby spinach
6 green onions, white and green tops thinly sliced

To Make Marinade:

Combine garlic, cinnamon, ginger root, stock, sesame oil and soy sauce in a gallon zip top bag.

To Prepare the Turkey

Put the turkey in the bag and turn several times to make sure it is evenly coated.  Refrigerate, turning occasionally, for at least 8 hours and preferably overnight.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Remove the turkey from the marinade and scrape off any excess garlic and ginger.  Reserve the marinade and allow the turkey to come to room temperature while the oven preheats.  Heat the vegetable oil in an oven proof skillet over medium-high heat.  Saute the turkey until golden brown on the first side, then turn and continue cooking for one minute.  Put the turkey in the oven for 45 minutes.  While it bakes, bring the reserved marinade to a boil and remove from heat.  After 20 minutes, remove the turkey from the oven and baste with the reserved marinade, then return to the oven for the final 25 minutes.  The thickest part of the breast should read 165d on a meat thermometer when it comes out of the oven.  Let rest until cool, then place in a fresh zip top bag with any accumulated juices in the refrigerator for several hours.

To Make the Salad:

Whisk 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the sugar, vinegar and soy sauce together in a small bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.  Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add the noodles (reserve seasoning packet for another use), nuts and sesame seeds and stir until toasted and golden, about 5 minutes.  Pour contents of skillet into a large bowl and cool 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, slice the turkey into thin slices.  Add the spinach and onions to the large bowl and toss with enough dressing to coat.  Divide between plates and place turkey slices on top.  Drizzle turkey with any leftover dressing.

after browning, before roasting