Recipe
15 Sep 2006

Buttermilk Pancakes with Maple Syrup Apples

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For pancakes

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
  • Butter for brushing griddle

Preheat oven to 200°F.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, egg, and buttermilk until smooth.

Heat a griddle or a large heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot enough to make drops of water scatter over its surface, then brush with butter. Working in batches and using a 1/4-cup measure filled halfway, pour batter onto griddle and cook, turning over once, until golden, about 2 minutes per batch. Transfer to a heatproof plate and keep warm, covered, in oven.

Cooks’ note:Batter keeps, chilled and covered, 3 days. Thin as necessary with additional buttermilk or water, 1 tablespoon at a time, before using.

Makes 14 (3-inch) pancakes.

For maple syrup apples

  • 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
  • 3 large Golden Delicious apples (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples and 1 tablespoon maple syrup; sauté until apples are tender, about 5 minutes. Mix in remaining 1/2 cup maple syrup and cinnamon.

Spoon apples over pancakes. Serve, passing additional maple syrup.

Makes 4 servings.

Adapted from Gourmet, May 2004 and Bon Appétit, October 2004

[For Printable Recipe Click Here]

Recipe
15 Sep 2006

Whole Wheat Gnocchi

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gnocchi4

  • 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled
  • 2 quarts water
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Put the potatoes in a pot with the water. Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes at a strong simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain the water and let the potatoes cool for only a few minutes before you begin to pull the skins off. Discard the potato skins and, while still hot, pass the potatoes through a ricer into a bowl.

Add the eggs, one at a time, to the riced potatoes and incorporate well. Add the flour in two stages, so you use just enough to bind the potato. Add the second half of the flour (and have some additional flour available, in case it’s necessary) and mix well to form a dough.

gnocchi4

Divide the dough in half, and on a floured work surface, roll the first half of dough into a 1-inch-thick log. Cut the log into 1/2-inch-thick round pieces. Lay the pieces out, and with the back of a fork or your thumb, make an indentation on one side.

Set aside and refrigerate until needed.

Cook them in several quarts of boiling, salted water for 10 to15 seconds. They cook very quickly and are done when they float to the surface.

Yields 4-6 portions.

Recipe adapted from Epicurious, 1997

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Substitutions: Instead of plain old all purpose flour, I used whole wheat flour. And due to the fact that I’m a minimalist in terms of kitchen supplies, instead of a potato ricer I used the combination of fork and diligent astronomer.

Recipe
15 Sep 2006

Vegan Pesto Pasta

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  • 3 cups fresh basil (or 2 cups basil and one cup spinach)
  • 3-4 large cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup walnuts, pine nuts, or raw cashews
  • 1/2 container silken tofu (about 6 ounces)
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
  • 1 lb. pasta, cooked according to package directions and rinsed with cool water
  • 1-2 large tomatoes, chopped
  • Additional nuts, to taste

In food processor, chop garlic and nuts until finely minced. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth.

Toss pasta with sauce and tomatoes, and sprinkle with nuts. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Recipe by: Susan Voisin

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Substitutions: I used sliced almonds in place of the other nut suggestions, used Parmesan cheese instead of nutritional yeast because I’m not vegan, and skipped out on the tomatoes because the Astronomer does not care for the fruit.