Nutty Crackers, and other gluten-free things for hors d’oeuvres and snacking

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Lately I have been asked to come up with decent-tasting crunchy things to have with cheese and dips. Commercially available gluten-free crackers are not very tasty—and require an excellent set of molars to break them down. I was looking for something a bit more delicate. Enter Ottolengi's chickpea flour crackers. They're an excellent jumping-off point, but too high in carbs for my client, so I started experimenting.

First, I will post the original recipe then share you three variations. Plus, a great seed and nut biscotti! It's a little sweet, and great with some Pernod cream cheese! And finally, a great super easy recipe for gluten free buckwheat Blini. Dont let the name fool you, Buckwheat is not actually wheat.

 

Ottolenghi’s chickpea cracker

Ingredients
100 g chickpea flour
50 g corn starch
150 ml water
50 ml olive oil
Flaky sea salt and black pepper
50 g grated parmesan, divided into 30 g and 20 g
1 1/4 teaspoon anise seeds and crushed fennel seeds

Procedure
Heat the oven to 300F. Put the chickpea flour, corn starch and oil in a medium bowl, add 150ml water and three-quarters of a teaspoon of flaked salt. Mix to a smooth slurry, then grate in 30g parmesan and mix until smooth. Spoon on to a sheet pan lined with a silat or parchment that’s big enough to cover the whole baking tray, and use an offset spatula to spread it out as thinly as you can. The paper may acquire a wet look and wrinkle, but don’t worry about that.

Sprinkle with the anise seeds and generously grind some black pepper on top, then scatter over the remaining 20g parmesan and a half-teaspoon of salt and bake for 55 minutes, until lightly golden and crisp. Remove and leave to cool, then store in an airtight container.

So that's the original recipe, and then these happened ...

Variation 1

Substitute chickpea flour with hazelnut flour, which is just toasted and skinned hazelnuts ground fine in the food processor with the cornstarch.

Variation 2

Substitute chickpea flour with pecan flour, which is just pecans ground fine in the food processor with the cornstarch. Add 1 tablespoon rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, salt and pepper, and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika. Batter comes out very thin so pour onto a Silpat-lined sheet pan. Make sure pan is flat!

Variation 3

Substitute chickpea flour with pistachio flour, which is just shelled pistachios ground fine in the food processor with an extra 20 g cornstarch. Add 2 tablespoons flax seed, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds, and 3 tablespoons shredded Italian mixed cheese. This batter is even thinner.

Gluten-Free Biscotti

Ingredients
1 cup Bob's Red Mill Paleo flour
2 cups well-chopped nut and seed mixture (I used sesame seeds, poppy seeds, caraway seeds, pecans, walnuts, almonds, and pistachios)
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 teaspoon Fleur de Sel
3 eggs
2/3 cup brown sugar
extra virgin olive oil for brushing

Procedure
Preheat oven to 300. Combine nut and seed mix with flours. In separate bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Mix together and pat into a parchment-lined loaf pan which has also been oiled. Bake until firm, about 55 minutes. Let cool and then slice as thin as possible. Turn oven up to 425. Lay biscotti slices on a parchment-lined sheet pan and brush with olive oil. Bake 5 minutes, or until brown and toasty. Turn over, brush with oil and toast the other side. Careful — it likes to burn, so watch them closely!

Buckwheat Blini

Ingredients
2 1/2 ounces (1/2 cup) buckwheat flour
2 1/2 ounces (1/2 cup) gluten-free all-purpose flour (I like Bob's Red Mill paleo flour)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 cup buttermilk, or 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar mixed with 1 cup whole milk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

Procedure
Place dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk to thoroughly blend. Crack an egg into a bowl and whisk. Add buttermilk and melted butter and whisk. Add dry ingredients and whisk just until smooth. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow liquids to absorb into dry ingredients.

Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly oil pan with oil or butter and make small pancakes. These are great cold with caviar if you are bougie, smoked salmon if you are slightly less bougie, or with peanut butter of you have the munchies!

Chicken, Chorizo and Chickpea Stew

Seasonal Recipe of the Pandemic
Shopping is not what it used to be. The mandatory mask makes my glasses fog up and I now know I have bad breath, or maybe I need to wash my camouflage mask. So why not make something new that doesn't require too many difficult-to-find ingredients (like flour)? This can be made spicy if you like by your choice of Chorizo, which seems in good supply at our local Lidl market. A bit of chopping, open a couple of cans, and let the simmer do its thing. This recipe serves 2 but doubles easily. Don't know about you, but I can't stop eating!

Ingredients
6 ounces Spanish chorizo
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into cubes
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 bell pepper, any color, diced large
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 15-ounce can chickpeas
1 glass white wine or dry sherry
1/2 bunch parsley or cilantro (or both!), chopped
1/4 cup chopped olives

Procedure
Cut the chorizo into slices and cook gently in a medium-size pan until it renders its oil, in which you now cook the chicken cubes till they get nicely brown. Then add the onion and pepper and cook until soft. Add the garlic and paprika and stir for a minute or two, followed by the tomatoes, tomato paste, chickpeas, and wine or sherry. Simmer for 20-30 minutes then season well with salt and pepper and garnish with the parsley and/or cilantro. Serve over whatever grain you prefer/can find — we had ours over saffron rice!

Heidi Swanson's Chickpea Stew with Saffron, Yogurt, and Garlic from Food52

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Chickpeas, yogurt, and saffron — a great combo of flavors. Here is the soup recipe you need to try! Serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
Fine-grain sea salt
1 1/2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads (2 modest pinches)
3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 cup plain yogurt (Greek or regular)
Sweet paprika
Small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Procedure
In a medium-large pot over medium-high heat, combine the olive oil, onion, and a couple of big pinches of salt. Cook until the onions soften up a bit, a few minutes. Stir in the chickpeas, and then add the vegetable broth and garlic. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat. In a medium bowl, whisk the saffron and egg yolks, then whisk in the yogurt. Slowly add a big ladle-full, at least 1 cup, of the hot broth to the yogurt mixture, stirring constantly. Very slowly whisk this mixture back into the pot of soup. Return the pot to medium heat and cook, stirring continuously for another 5 minutes or so, until the broth thickens to the consistency of heavy cream, never quite allowing broth to simmer. Ladle into individual bowls and serve sprinkled with a touch of paprika and plenty of chopped cilantro. This soup can also be topped with some roast chick peas and a pinch of Spanish smoked paprika. Yum!

Middle Eastern Lamb Stew

Low-Cal But Still Lovely
I found this delicious Middle Eastern Lamb Stew on the Weight Watchers website. They specify a crock-pot, but I don’t have or want a slow cooker. So I've adapted the recipe to make on the stovetop. I chose this recipe because lots of folks who watch their weight eat so much chicken they get crazy and think that's their only option, but everything in moderation works. And lamb is a great choice. If you can afford it, try the local organic lamb available at the farmers' market and high-end stores in town, it is just delicious. This recipe is 7 points a 1 1/2 cup serving for those who care.

Ingredients
1 pound lean leg of lamb, stew meat, cut into 1-inch chunks
15 oz canned chickpeas
14 1/2 oz canned diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup canned beef broth
2 medium onions, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp ginger root, freshly grated
1 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Procedure
Spray a thick-bottomed, heavy casserole with olive oil and sauté the onions until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Now add lamb cubes and brown an all sides. Add tomato juice, beef broth, spices, and ginger and simmer covered on low for 2 hours, until the lamb is tender. Add the chickpeas and simmer 10 minutes more. Add the lemon juice. Adjust seasonings and serve. You could also add carrots, peppers, and some heat if you would like. Serve over spaghetti squash or pasta or rice, if you have the points. Like most stews, this is best made the day before and reheated.

Guest Lexie Shabel: Laddu

The Altitude Adjustment Section
Lexie says this is a holy food item, I say it is a delicious dough ball. Either way, it's yummy and it contains one of my favorite ingredients — chick pea flour.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups water
3 cups sugar
a few saffron threads
4 whole cardamom, powdered
2 1/2 cups Chickpea flour
water as required
oil for deep frying
10 cashew nuts chopped
10 raisins
2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)

Procedure
In a heavy sauce pan, combine the sugar and 1 1/2 cups water and bring to the boil. Boil the sugar and water until it gets to thread consistency (110-112C or 230-234F). Remove from the heat and add the saffron and powdered cardamom. Set aside.

Sift the Bengal gram flour into a bowl and add enough water to make a thick batter of dropping consistency. Heat the oil in a deep pan. Drop a ladleful of the batter through a slotted spoon with pea sized holes into the oil. Fry until golden brown. Continue til you use all the batter. Then, add to the aromatic sugar syrup. Saute the cashews and raisins in the ghee and add to the Laddu. Mix throughly and allow to cool. Shape the ladus into small balls and serve.

Spicy Oven-Roasted Chickpeas

Low-Cal But Still Lovely
Sometimes we need a crunchy snack and crunchy things like chips, nuts, and crackers are high in calories. They also tend not to be that nutritious, and before you know it, you've eaten 12 cups worth. So there are problems. Here is a healthy alternative made with chickpeas, which are really good for you. Need I say, like everything else, in moderation.

Ingredients
1 15 ounce can organic chickpeas
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons smoked sweet Spanish paprika

Procedure
Heat the oven 400°F. Pour the chickpeas into a colander and drain and rinse very well under running water. Pat dry. Toss the chickpeas with the olive oil and spread out on a large cookie sheet. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until brown and crispy. Turn and stir every ten minutes so they don't burn. Take out and toss to taste with salt and paprika.

Persian Wishing Well Soup

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
This is a wonderful soup called Persian Wishing Well Soup, which can be made with or without these lovely lamb meatballs.

Ingredients
1/2 pound ground lamb
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup rice
1/4 pound dried apricots, cut into slivers
1/2 cup chopped parsley
8 cups water
1 cup cooked chickpeas
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

Procedure
To make the lamb meatballs, combine the first 6 ingredients and mix till well blended. Form into walnut-sized balls and set aside. Now make the soup. In a large pot, heat the oil and cook the onion until tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in turmeric, cinnamon and rice. Cook rice until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add apricots, parsley and stock. Bring to the boil and add lamb meatballs. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Now add cooked chickpeas and cook 5 minutes more. Taste for salt and pepper. Right before serving, add fresh chopped mint leaves.

Chickpea Crepes with Herbed Goat Cheese Filling

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
This recipe is from the Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant Cookbook. Chickpea crepes have a much more interesting flavor than plain old crepes and lend themselves to all kinds of experimentation. Crepes are so easy and yet so elegant — all you need is a good batter, which has time to rest, and a good crepe pan. You can fill these savory morsels with anything from grilled vegetables to Tapenade, or how about some herbed goat cheese spread?

Ingredients for crepes
1/2 teaspoon dried Rosemary
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 cup A.P. flour
1 cup chickpea flour
oil for frying

Procedure
Gently heat the rosemary in a sauté pan with the olive oil for 2 minutes on low heat to infuse the herb flavor into the oil. Let cool and then strain out the rosemary and discard. Combine the flours and the salt and pepper. Add the warm water and whisk until smooth. Beat in the Rosemary oil and let the batter sit for 20 minutes. Now heat an oiled crepe pan on medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the pan and tip the pan and circle it to create a quick even coverage of the crepe batter. Let cook for 30 seconds and then flip over and cook the other side for 15 seconds, or until golden brown. Cover with a cloth till ready to use.

Ingredients for herbed goat cheese spread
4 ounces softened goat cheese
4 ounces cream cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Marjoram
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
Fresh ground pepper and salt to taste

Procedure
Mix all the ingredients together. To assemble crepes, spread a thin line of goat cheese in center of crepe and roll up, or do the quarter fold. Great as an appetizer with a nice glass of wine, and some olives. Talk with a cheap French accent if it gets you in the mood!

Smoked Paprika Chickpeas, Moroccan Olives, and Spicy Curried Cashews

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Its hot, I’m tired, and I need a drink. So maybe a nice little nibbly snack is in order. Here are a few great ideas which are easy, fast, tasty and not onion soup dip and cheap chips (which is not that bad sometimes)!

Smoked Paprika Chickpeas

Ingredients
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 drizzle olive oil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon Cumin

Procedure
Mix together, place on sheet pan roast in 350 oven for 20 minutes.

Moroccan Olives

Ingredients
1 pound Kalamata olives, pitted
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Harrisa (Moroccan hot sauce)

Procedure
Simply combine and let sit 1 hour in fridge before serving.

Spicy Curried Cashews

Ingredients
4 cups raw cashews
2 egg whites
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon allspice

Procedure
Spray a cookie sheet well with non-stick spray. Beat up the egg whites and water and add all spices. Taste and adjust. Toss nuts in spice mixture and spread out on sheet pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes in a preheated 350 oven, or until they are nicely browned — not burnt. Let cool on sheet pan and then with a flat spatula break them off and crumble large lumps with your hands. Store in airtight container. Make martini now.

Falafel with Tahini Sauce

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
I love falafel, and every time I go to NYC, I go to Mamoun’s on MacDougal Street for a great cheap lunch. Seems it's fallen out of favor, but I am trying to bring it back, so here is a simple recipe made with uncooked chickpeas, crazy?

Ingredients for Falafel
2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked in 2 quarts of water overnight
5 cloves garlic
1 1/3 cups chopped parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon baking powder

Procedure
Drain chickpeas and save liquid. In a food processor, combine chickpeas and 1 cup of soaking liquid. Pulse till finely chopped and add the rest of the ingredients. Taste for spice, I sometimes make it spicier with more Chile and pepper. The mixture should hold together when you squeeze it in your hand. If it’s too dry, add more of the soaking liquid. Heat a pot of oil to 350 degrees. Form mixture into small size balls — I use a small ice cream scoop — and drop into hot oil. They should fry for about 7-10 minutes till they float and are golden brown. You can also make ahead of time and warm in the oven. Serve Falafel in pita bread with lettuce, tomato, onion, and tahini sauce.

Ingredients for Tahini sauce
1 cup tahini
2/3 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Shot of Tabasco

Procedure
Just stir it all together!

Chickpea Fries with Mock Pomegranate Salsa

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
This is one of my new favorite hors d'oeuvres and it's so darn easy! I first tried it at Graze by Jennifer James in Nob Hill in Albuquerque. She serves it with a trio of salsas, but it can also go with plain old ketchup. You can prepare it ahead of time and fry them as needed. The salsa is a little clever cheat I came up with when I could not get pomegranate seeds, but it works.

Ingredients
2 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups chick pea flour
oil for deep frying
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pomegranate balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup anisette
2 cups any generic tomato-based salsa
1 pinch fennel pollen

Procedure
Prepare a baking sheet with a piece of parchment and lightly spray with non stick coating. Put the water, salt, pepper and olive oil in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Slowly whisk in the chick pea flour and stir till the mixture is smooth. With a spatula, spread mixture into a smooth, even layer on the sheet pan. Cover with parchment and smooth a little more — this makes it easier! Then refrigerate for 30 minutes. When cool, cut into any shape you would like. I like thin matchsticks. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a frying pan to 375 degrees. Fry a few at a time and serve warm with salsa. Sometimes if I want them to get a bit more of a crust, I lightly coat them in seasoned flour before frying.

To make the salsa, combine the cranberries, pomegranate balsamic vinegar, and anisette in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Then shut off flame and let sit for 15 minutes. Put that mixture into food processor and pulse a few times. Then add salsa and mix a bit more. If you have this great crazy ingredient called "Fennel Pollen," add a pinch at the end — if not, forget about it.