Prairie Kitchens - Chickpeas and Spinach

Imagine surviving the winter in a sod hut with no electricity, no hot running water (well, any running water) and no fresh vegetables. By early May, you would be anxious to get gardening.

Many of the pioneers who settled Saskatchewan brought their favourite seeds with them from the Old Country. Tomatoes and melons from Russia, chickpeas and lentils from Syria, sweet corn from the United States. Some of their seeds did not fare well in our short northern growing season, however, those that did prosper were saved and shared with neighbours.

For instance, gardeners would note the first tomato to ripen and save its seeds for the following year. By attentive selection, new heritage varieties were created such as the Russian Saskatchewan Tomato and the Cream of Saskatchewan Watermelon.

However, it would be a mistake to think gardening started with the pioneers. During the fur trade era, the Hudson Bay Company distributed wheat, barley, oats, potatoes and garden seeds for planting at fur trade posts such as Cumberland House and Fort Carlton. These early gardens were often tended by Métis, who were the "green thumbs" of the Northwest Territories.

Perhaps the strangest seeds grown in pioneer times were those of settlers from the Middle East such as chickpeas and coriander, which were used in recipes like this one.

Chickpeas and Spinach
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3–4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups finely chopped spinach
1/2 cup finely chopped coriander leaves
2 cups cooked chickpeas
2 cups stewed tomatoes and their juice
Salt and pepper

Heat oil in a deep skillet. Cook onion and garlic until soft. Stir in spinach and cook for a few minutes. Add remaining ingredients, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

Do you have a prairie recipe with at story? Tell me! Follow me at twitter.com/prairiefeast.

(This article first appeared in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix.)

The Pulse of Food Day Canada

Pulse : the edible seeds of various crops (as peas, beans or lentils) of the legume family; Middle English puls, probably from Anglo-French puuiz gruel, from Latin pult-, puls, probably from Greek poltos.
First known use: 13th century. -- Miriam Webster online

Best known use: Food Day Canada dinner at Boffins Club on Thursday evening!

Steelhead trout with chickpea crust and a dill & lentil cracker

Rosehip seared breast of duck with mustard lentil pickle and a stook of romaine with a camelina birch balsamic vinaigrette

Calico baked beans with cherry-honey braised pork belly and a crostini with Herschel Hills Cendres de Prairie cheese

Rhubarb crème brulée, truffle mousse on a black bean brownie (wrapped in chocolate), fried vanilla bannock and

seabuckthorn compote 

 

Thanks to Saskatchewan Pulse Growers for inviting me to this lovely dinner to celebrate Food Day Canada and two food celebrities, Anita Stewart (founder of Food Day Canada) and Al Slinkard, university plant scientist and indefatigable promoter of pulse crops in Saskatchewan. It was a memorable and inspiring event!

Madly Truly Spinach

The spinach and cilantro in my garden are growing like mad so I'm madly looking for sympathetic recipes. Add to that my recent visit to Buffalo, NY, where I purchased a jar of Maharajah curry powder at the Penzeys store. Throw in an eggplant from the farmers' market and some Saskatchewan-grown chickpeas and this is what you get...













Madly Truly Chickpea Spinach Curry
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more if needed
1 eggplant
1/2 red onion
3 cups cooked chickpeas
2-3 tsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
2 cups finely chopped spinach
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

Cut the eggplant into a small dice, roughly 1 cm square. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil on medium high in a big skillet. Cook the eggplant, turning frequently, until it's nicely brown on two sides. The eggplant may absorb the oil so add more as needed.

Cut the onion into thin wedges. Toss into the eggplant. Continue cooking and stirring occasionally until the eggplant is nicely browned and the onion is soft.

Add the chickpeas, curry powder, salt and water. Stir well. Mix in the spinach. Turn the heat down, cover and cook until the spinach is done. Check once or twice if it's sticking to the pan and add a bit more water if needed. Stir in the cilantro and serve.

The oil and eggplant create a creamy combination that takes this dish from supper to succulent!

Sources: spinach and cilantro from my garden; eggplant from the farmers' market; Penzeys curry powder; locally-grown chickpeas from Diefenbaker Seed Processors.

Easter Lamb has Risen (from the freezer)

Efforts to eat my way to the bottom of the freezer revealed a lost and lonely package of lamb shanks. Good timing, as lamb has long been associated with Easter. Shanks are a tough and lean cut of meat, perfect for a long, slow braise. Read my food column in the Star Phoenix.

This lamb was raised on a farm at Langham, a breed called Katahdin, which has mild tasting meat. The farmer sells her lambs in the spring by the half or whole, cut and wrapped. For those who don't have the desire or space to purchase lamb in bulk, you can also buy Katahdin lamb from Pine View Farms. My husband loved this dish:

Braised Lamb Shanks
3 tbsp canola oil

4 lamb shanks

2 large onions, chopped

5 large carrots, chopped

2 large cloves of garlic, chopped

2 big potatoes, diced

2 cups cooked chickpeas

1/4 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

1 tsp crushed dry oregano

1/2 cup red wine (opt)

2 cups crushed tomatoes

2 cups water

Note about chopping vegetables: cut the carrots and potatoes into pieces about the same size as the chickpeas. There will be approximately two cups of each vegetable.

In an ovenproof pot with a lid, heat 2 tbsp of canola oil on the stove on medium high. Salt and pepper the lamb. Brown the lamb on all sides and remove from the pot. Turn down the heat and warm the remaining tbsp of oil. Stir in the onions and carrots, cooking until they soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, potatoes, chickpeas, rosemary and oregano. Sprinkle the vegetables generously with salt and pepper. Cook another few minutes.

Turn up the heat to medium high. Pour in the red wine and bubble until the liquid is almost gone. Nestle the lamb shanks into the vegetables. Pour on the crushed tomatoes and water. Cover the pot and bake in the oven at 325F for 2 1/2 hours. Taste the broth, adding more salt or pepper if needed.

To serve, two options: place a lamb shank on each plate and scoop on the vegetables or remove the meat from the bone, break into small pieces and stir back into the pot. If using this latter serving suggestion, you can economize and make this recipe with just two lamb shanks.

Eating Myself out of House 'n' Home

New Year's Resolution: to eat all the canned, frozen, preserved, dried and otherwise amassed Saskatchewan foods in my larder.

Last year, I asked a spice farmer if he would sell me some cumin. Yes, Saskatchewan grown cumin. He offered to mail some to me. Imagine my surprise to receive a package containing several pounds of cumin seeds. I'll have a hard time using it up one teaspoon at a time, but here goes...

From my local larder: dried chickpeas, frozen tomatoes and cumin.

Cooking the chickpeas in a slow cooker.

Chole Palak - a dish of chickpeas and spinach flavoured with cumin. Get the recipe here.

Sorry, I can't divuge the farmer's name, as he doesn't usually direct sell to the public. However, if you'd like to cook with Saskatchewan grown cumin, I'd be pleased to share some with you. (This offer expires when the cumin is gone!)

Chickpea Fruit Salad

Curt and Sarah visited from Regina. I didn't have time for grocery shopping so I made this salad with things we had on hand. The leftovers a few days later were still good.

1 clove garlic, peeled

½ inch piece of ginger, peeled

½ tsp salt

1 tsp each cumin and chilli powder

2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive or canola oil
2 peaches
2 apples
2 cups cooked chickpeas
5 green onions, thinly sliced
½ cup fresh coriander, finely chopped

Smash together the garlic and ginger with the salt, cumin and chilli powder until it forms a fragrant pulp. Stir in the lemon juice and white wine vinegar. Drizzle in the oil, whisking until emulsified.

Peel and pit the peaches and apples. Dice them to the size of a chickpea. Mix the fruit in a bowl together with the chickpeas and green onion. Gently blend in the dressing. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 1-2 hours. Just before serving, stir in the fresh coriander.

Brad Wall likes chickpeas

Brad Wall has publically divulged his passion for chickpeas. And so he should, seeing as he hails from prime chickpea growing country. In the latest issue of PulsePoint magazine, the premier of Saskatchewan divulges his family's favourite chickpea recipe: Mediterranean Chickpea Salad. I made it and it's delicious (although, given the season, I substituted fresh herbs for dried). Read all about it here.

"Saskatchewan chickpeas are Number 1," declared the Premier (at least, that's what I think he was saying at the moment this image was shot).

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The same issue of PulsePoint included an article about my love affair with pulses, including sample menues. You can read it here.

Finally, herbs from the garden - CHICKPEA TOMATO SALAD

Supper was a mix of fresh and dried herbs. I picked the tiniest handful of mint, parsley and cilantro in my garden. However, I marinated the lamb with a blend of dried Greek herbs from Deb's of La Ronge. It's a flavourful mixture that comes in regular and law-salt. It was a gift, so I don't know where to buy it. If you're interested, you'll find Deb's contact info here.

Chickpea Tomato Salad

1 cup canned chickpeas, drained

3 green onions, sliced

1 garlic clove, chopped finely

2 tomatoes, chopped

8 slices of cucumber, quartered

2 tbsp herbs (parsley, mint, cilantro)

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbso fresh-squeezed lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Mix everything well before dinner so the flavours blend.

Local chickpeas and lentils

I've just discovered a neat little shop on Central Avenue in Sutherland which stocks a good supply of Saskatchewan-grown lentils and chickpeas under the label Kashmir Valley. The store is called Medina Foods and Halal Meats. (Halal food is prepared according to Islamic law). It's small but friendly and full of things you won't find in a regular grocery store. As for Kashmir Valley, it's packaged and sold by Diefenbaker Seed Processors of Elbow. Medina Foods is at 800 Central Avenue (the NW corner of Central and 108th).

Check your pulse - CHICKPEA CHOCOLATE COOKIES

This column appeared in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix on 20 Jan. 2008

The farmers of Saskatchewan want you to eat more lentils, beans, dried peas and chickpeas. Why? Because they want to grow more lentils, beans, dried peas and chickpeas. In the past 25 years, Saskatchewan has become one of the world’s largest producers of these foods, second only to India.

The problem is, the market is saturated. World consumption has actually dropped from nine kilograms per person in the 1960s to about six kilograms per person today. Just think, our farmers went from zero to 25% of the world market in 25 years, even as that market was shrinking. That says a lot about the hard work and superior product coming out of Saskatchewan. So what’s up for the next 25 years?

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That was the topic last week at the annual Pulse Days in Saskatoon. (Pulse is the name given to this class of edible seeds of the legume family.) The goal is to double production of pulse crops in Saskatchewan from about five million acres per year to 10 million acres or more. Once that mark is reached, one-quarter of all crops in the fields will be pulses.

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But if pulse farmers are going to increase production, they need to convince more people to eat their lentils, beans, dried peas and chickpeas. To aid their effort, I’ve compiled a list of reasons why we should do just that:

1) Pulses are good for you. They’re chock full of fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals such as iron. They have a low glycemic index, which makes them good for people with diabetes.

2) Pulses are good for the environment. Pulses take nitrogen from the air and put it into the soil. Nitrogen is a natural fertilizer which all plants need to grow. Most farmers use an artificial fertilizer created from natural gas. With concern over greenhouse gas emissions, growing more pulses is a natural way to cut the carbon footprint of farming and the food we eat.

3) It’s easy to sneak pulses into the diet. Pulses can be ground to a flour and used in baking and other processed foods, so you get the health benefits without a single “bean” in sight. With consumer demand for healthier foods, processing companies such as General Mills are looking at the possibility of including more pulses such as pea fibre. It’s easy to include pulses in home baking, too.

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4) Pulses are diet food. Low in fat and calories, high in nutrients and good carbs. Pulses make you feel fuller so you eat less.

5) Few people are allergic to pulses. People who cannot eat wheat flour do not suffer the same ill effects when eating pulse flour. Also, toasted chickpeas are a nice alternative to nuts. For instance, the University of Saskatchewan has created a fabulous chocolate full of crunchy bits of chickpea. You’d never know!

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Try the chickpea-chocolate combination in this recipe from Saskatchewan Pulse Growers. You'll find more desserts with pulses here and here.

Chocolate Chickpea Cookies
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup soft butter or margarine
2 large egg whites
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Beat the sugar and butter until smooth. Mix in the egg whites, vanilla, chickpeas and chocolate chips. Add the flour, oats, baking soda and salt, mixing on low speed to form a thick dough.
Line two baking sheet with parchment. Drop dough by the tablespoonful, spacing cookies 1 inch apart. Flatten slightly with fork. Bake at 350F for 11-13 minutes.

Pulse facts - with recipes

In case you were wondering...

Here are some facts about the recent travels of Canadian pulse crops, most of which were grown in Saskatchewan:

• Pulse crops include peas, dry beans, lentils and chickpeas. (Pictured: product from Diefenbaker Seeds)


• About 25% are used here at home. Brand names for processed beans, lentils and chickpeas include Primo, Unico, Clic and Heinz.


• The remaining 75% of pulse crops travel to more than 170 countires.


• 90% of split peas go to India. Top countires for the remaining 10% are China, Cuba, Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates, U.S., South Africa, Pakistan, Columbia and Belgium.


• 50% of dry beans go to the U.S. and U.K. The remaining top ten customers are Angola, Italy, Dominican Republic, Japan, Portugal, Greece, Chile and Mexico.


• 50% of chickpeas go to the U.S., U.K., Italy, Pakistan and Spain. The next top five are Jordan, India, Columbia, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Chickpeas go to about 60 countires.


• 45% of lentils go to Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Egypt and Columbia. The rest go to 92 other countires.


• In 2007, this export was valued at more than $1.3 billion.

These stats come from the January 2009 edition of Pulse Point, magazine of the Saskatchewan pulse industry. Read the full article here.

I also have an article in this edition of Pulse Point on the fabulous cherry chickpea chocolate. Read it here. There's also a page of recipes -- I'll definately be trying the mixed slaw with apples and lentils.

Flavours of India - BLUE POTATO PAKORAS

I get rather excited when I find an "exotic" recipe that can be made almost entirely with ingredients from Saskatchewan. Pakoras fit the bill. I used chickpea flour from Diefenbaker Seed Processors of Elbow, the cumin was given to me by a local farmer and the potatoes were grown by my nephew Even on the family farm at Craik. This recipe was adapted from TimeLife Foods of the World: The Cooking of India.

1/2 cup chickpea flour (also called besan)
1/4 tsp baking soda
5 tbsp cold water
1/4 cup grated onion
1 cup grated raw blue potato
3 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 hot chili (fresh or dried) finely chopped
1 tsp salt
canola oil for frying

Whisk the chickpea flour, baking soda and water to make a batter. Stir in the remaining ingredients except the canola oil.

Pour the canola oil into a saucepan to a depth of two inches. Heat on medium heat until a baking thermometer reaches 350F. The surface of the oil will shimmer and a drop of batter will sizzle and brown.

Scoop a level spoonful (a heaping tbsp) of batter and drop it into the hot oil. When the pakora is nicely brown, flip and cook the other side. This should take 5-6 minutes. (If the pakoras brown too quickly, there is a danger the batter at the centre will be uncooked. Adjust the heat if necessary.) Fry several pakoras at once but don’t crowd them in the pot. Remove cooked pakoras to a paper towel. Serve with chutney or yogurt dip.

Docs in the Kitchen - MOROCCAN CHICKEN STEW

Great event last night! U of S med students staged a fantastic dinner to raise money for CHEP (which provides food and nutrition for kids in Saskatoon). The initial tally puts the funds raised at more than $4000. I had a little hand in the dinner--providing the recipe for the delicious stew. Staff at the Western Development Museum did a great job transforming a stew for 8 into a meal for 300! Here's the original recipe. It's chock full of Saskatchewan ingredients (okay, not the apricots and prunes...)

Moroccan Chicken Tagine
This recipe is named for the type of ceramic dish in which it is cooked. Any covered pot will do, preferably one that can go from the stove to the oven.

1 chicken cut into pieces
1/4 cup olive or canola oil
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. fenugreek seeds
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 onion chopped
6-8 canned tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 carrots, sliced
1 can chickpeas
12 prunes and/or dried apricots
salt and pepper
preserved lemon rind (opt.)
black or green olives (opt.)

Grind the spices (coriander, cumin, fenugreek) in a spice grinder.

Heat the oil in an oven-proof pot. Lightly salt the chicken and sauté in the oil. Sprinkle with a bit of the spice blend. When the chicken is nicely browned, add the rest of the ingredients, except the optional items. Add four cups of water and bring to a boil.

Cover the pot and bake in a 325F oven for 2 hours. Check occasionally and add more liquid if necessary. During the last half an hour, stir in the preserved lemon rind and continue baking uncovered. Remove lemon rind before serving. Serve with olives on couscous or rice.