‘I love the idea of combining something so simple and rustic — like this big chickpea pancake — with this elegant, luxurious ingredient,’ says Jess Damuck
Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.
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Our cookbook of the week is Salad Freak by Jess Damuck. Tomorrow, we’ll feature an interview with the author.
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To try another recipe from the book, check out: Martha’s mango and mozzarella with young lettuces; and Snoop Dogg’s BBQ chicken Cobb salad with all the good stuff.
Jess Damuck‘s saffron appreciation runs deep. So much so, she steeps the prized spice like tea and drinks it sweetened with a bit of honey.
“I’m obsessed with saffron. It is just such an amazing and unique flavour. And it’s something that feels really, really special,” says the food and prop stylist, producer and writer. “I love the idea of combining something so simple and rustic — like this big chickpea pancake — with this elegant, luxurious ingredient.”
A little bit of saffron goes a long way, Damuck adds. Here, she blooms just a pinch and adds the saffron water to socca batter.
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Damuck sees the chickpea pancake, which hails from southeastern France, as an easy alternative to pizza. For a vegan meal, she notes, you can forgo the feta cheese and yogurt. With a root-to-stem salad of carrot ribbons and herbaceous carrot-top pesto, there’s plenty to enjoy with or without the dairy.
-
Cook this: Martha’s mango and mozzarella with young lettuces from Salad Freak
-
Cook this: Snoop Dogg’s BBQ chicken Cobb salad ‘with all the good stuff’ from Salad Freak
-
‘There are no shortcuts’: Jess Damuck takes her love of salads to new heights
“I love the idea of using all parts of a vegetable whenever possible. And there are so many of these sorts of built-in herbs with vegetables. I feel like celery leaves are this other incredible built-in herb,” says Damuck.
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“And I love this tangle of carrots and pesto and salty feta cheese, all on top of this savoury, gluten-free pancake.”
CARROT AND SAFFRON SOCCA
Produce:
1 bunch carrots with tops
2 lemons
3 radishes
3 scallions
1 handful fresh dill
Dairy:
1/3 cup (50 g) crumbled feta cheese
Yogurt, for serving
Pantry (for the socca):
Big pinch saffron
1 cup (240 mL) lukewarm water
1 cup (90 g) chickpea flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup (60 mL) plus 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Pantry (for the pesto and the salad):
Kosher salt
1/3 cup (75 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (50 g) sliced almonds, toasted (see note)
Crushed red pepper flakes
Preheat the oven to 450°F (220°C) with a 12-inch (30.5 cm) cast-iron skillet or round griddle inside.
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PREPARE THE SOCCA BATTER:
Add a big pinch of saffron to 1 cup (240 mL) lukewarm water and let steep for a few moments. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup (90 g) chickpea flour and 1 teaspoon salt, then add the saffron water and 1/4 cup (60 mL) oil. Whisk until smooth and set aside while you prepare your pesto.
MAKE THE PESTO:
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and prepare an ice bath. Remove the tops from 1 bunch carrots, pinching off any tough or stiff stems. Rinse the tops well in a bowl of water—these tend to be quite dirty; you might have to do this a couple of times. Once clean, add to the boiling water and cook for about 30 seconds, until they are bright green. Transfer to the ice bath.
Once cool, remove the tops from the ice bath, squeeze out excess moisture, and then spread onto a clean towel or paper towels to dry completely. Finely chop and put in a small bowl. Stir in 1/3 cup (75 mL) oil, the zest and juice of 1 lemon, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and season with salt.
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PREP:
Using a Y-peeler (see note) or a mandoline, create thin ribbons from the carrots. Thinly slice the radishes. Add both veggies to the ice bath to crisp up while you cook the socca. Slice the scallions.
MAKE THE SOCCA:
Carefully remove the preheated pan from the oven and place on top of the stove. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the scallions and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully pour in the batter and return the pan to the oven. Bake until golden brown and completely set, 10 to 12 minutes. Broil for about 2 minutes for additional colour.
ASSEMBLE AND SERVE:
Drain and pat the carrots and radishes dry and add to a medium bowl. Toss with a few spoonfuls of the pesto, 1/2 cup (50 g) almonds, 1/3 cup (50 g) cheese and the dill. Scatter this mixture on top of the socca and serve with some red pepper flakes, lemon wedges and yogurt on the side.
Serves: 4 as a light meal
Notes: To toast the sliced almonds, set your oven to 425°F (220°C) and toast until golden and fragrant, 6 to 10 minutes.
Damuck uses her Kuhn Rikon Swiss Y-peelers “every single day.” Find them online (e.g., cookstore.ca) or at kitchen supply stores.
Recipe and image excerpted from Salad Freak: Recipes to Feed a Healthy Obsession by Jess Damuck. Text copyright © 2022 Jess Damuck. Photograph copyright © 2022 Linda Pugliese. Used by permission of Abrams, an imprint of ABRAMS.
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‘I love the idea of combining something so simple and rustic — like this big chickpea pancake — with this elegant, luxurious ingredient,’ says Jess Damuck
Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.
Article content
Our cookbook of the week is Salad Freak by Jess Damuck. Tomorrow, we’ll feature an interview with the author.
Advertisement 2
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
To try another recipe from the book, check out: Martha’s mango and mozzarella with young lettuces; and Snoop Dogg’s BBQ chicken Cobb salad with all the good stuff.
Jess Damuck‘s saffron appreciation runs deep. So much so, she steeps the prized spice like tea and drinks it sweetened with a bit of honey.
“I’m obsessed with saffron. It is just such an amazing and unique flavour. And it’s something that feels really, really special,” says the food and prop stylist, producer and writer. “I love the idea of combining something so simple and rustic — like this big chickpea pancake — with this elegant, luxurious ingredient.”
A little bit of saffron goes a long way, Damuck adds. Here, she blooms just a pinch and adds the saffron water to socca batter.
Advertisement 3
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Damuck sees the chickpea pancake, which hails from southeastern France, as an easy alternative to pizza. For a vegan meal, she notes, you can forgo the feta cheese and yogurt. With a root-to-stem salad of carrot ribbons and herbaceous carrot-top pesto, there’s plenty to enjoy with or without the dairy.
-
Cook this: Martha’s mango and mozzarella with young lettuces from Salad Freak
-
Cook this: Snoop Dogg’s BBQ chicken Cobb salad ‘with all the good stuff’ from Salad Freak
-
‘There are no shortcuts’: Jess Damuck takes her love of salads to new heights
“I love the idea of using all parts of a vegetable whenever possible. And there are so many of these sorts of built-in herbs with vegetables. I feel like celery leaves are this other incredible built-in herb,” says Damuck.
Advertisement 4
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
“And I love this tangle of carrots and pesto and salty feta cheese, all on top of this savoury, gluten-free pancake.”
CARROT AND SAFFRON SOCCA
Produce:
1 bunch carrots with tops
2 lemons
3 radishes
3 scallions
1 handful fresh dill
Dairy:
1/3 cup (50 g) crumbled feta cheese
Yogurt, for serving
Pantry (for the socca):
Big pinch saffron
1 cup (240 mL) lukewarm water
1 cup (90 g) chickpea flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup (60 mL) plus 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Pantry (for the pesto and the salad):
Kosher salt
1/3 cup (75 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (50 g) sliced almonds, toasted (see note)
Crushed red pepper flakes
Preheat the oven to 450°F (220°C) with a 12-inch (30.5 cm) cast-iron skillet or round griddle inside.
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Article content
PREPARE THE SOCCA BATTER:
Add a big pinch of saffron to 1 cup (240 mL) lukewarm water and let steep for a few moments. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup (90 g) chickpea flour and 1 teaspoon salt, then add the saffron water and 1/4 cup (60 mL) oil. Whisk until smooth and set aside while you prepare your pesto.
MAKE THE PESTO:
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and prepare an ice bath. Remove the tops from 1 bunch carrots, pinching off any tough or stiff stems. Rinse the tops well in a bowl of water—these tend to be quite dirty; you might have to do this a couple of times. Once clean, add to the boiling water and cook for about 30 seconds, until they are bright green. Transfer to the ice bath.
Once cool, remove the tops from the ice bath, squeeze out excess moisture, and then spread onto a clean towel or paper towels to dry completely. Finely chop and put in a small bowl. Stir in 1/3 cup (75 mL) oil, the zest and juice of 1 lemon, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and season with salt.
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PREP:
Using a Y-peeler (see note) or a mandoline, create thin ribbons from the carrots. Thinly slice the radishes. Add both veggies to the ice bath to crisp up while you cook the socca. Slice the scallions.
MAKE THE SOCCA:
Carefully remove the preheated pan from the oven and place on top of the stove. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the scallions and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully pour in the batter and return the pan to the oven. Bake until golden brown and completely set, 10 to 12 minutes. Broil for about 2 minutes for additional colour.
ASSEMBLE AND SERVE:
Drain and pat the carrots and radishes dry and add to a medium bowl. Toss with a few spoonfuls of the pesto, 1/2 cup (50 g) almonds, 1/3 cup (50 g) cheese and the dill. Scatter this mixture on top of the socca and serve with some red pepper flakes, lemon wedges and yogurt on the side.
Serves: 4 as a light meal
Notes: To toast the sliced almonds, set your oven to 425°F (220°C) and toast until golden and fragrant, 6 to 10 minutes.
Damuck uses her Kuhn Rikon Swiss Y-peelers “every single day.” Find them online (e.g., cookstore.ca) or at kitchen supply stores.
Recipe and image excerpted from Salad Freak: Recipes to Feed a Healthy Obsession by Jess Damuck. Text copyright © 2022 Jess Damuck. Photograph copyright © 2022 Linda Pugliese. Used by permission of Abrams, an imprint of ABRAMS.
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