SLOW COOKING, FAST

 

Potaje is a slow-cooked Spanish dish, not exactly a soup nor a stew, containing legumes and vegetables, often with sausage or other cured meats. Potaje is different from cocido, another one-pot meal with legumes, because with potaje the broth is not separated to serve as a first course. This version of potaje, using canned chickpeas, is quick to prepare.

Icy winds from snowy northern Spain are whipping across the south. Winter is here, ahead of schedule (ski stations are open). I’ve pulled out the woolen sweaters and I want, right now, a big pot of soup, a potaje, the Andalusian comida de cuchara—spoon food—chock full of vegetables, legumes, and sausage. 

But with high electricity costs, I balk at slow-cooking the soup pot for a couple of hours! My alternative, a shortcut to potaje, is every bit as heart-warming as the original.  

Chickpeas and other dried legumes take one to two hours to cook from scratch. Using a jar or can of cooked chickpeas and thinly sliced cutlets of pork in place of chunks of pork or beef shin that need long cooking, I have my potaje ready to eat in 35 minutes. 

While I’ll make no excuses for cutting corners—I wanted hot soup now—in actuality I didn’t save money with the potaje-express. 

• The jar of chickpeas (570 grams/2 cups) cost €1.27. The electricity for 30 minutes using 2000- watt induction cooking (lowest afternoon rate* was €0.13/kWh) cost €0.065. Total for chickpeas and energy: €1.33. The soup was ready for lunch.

• 250 grams dried chickpeas to make 2 cups cooked cost €0.55. The electricity for 2 hours (€0.13/kWh) cost €0.26. Total chickpeas and energy for slow-cooked potaje €0.81. The soup was ready for the next day's lunch. (If I cook  a large quantity of chickpeas at the same time and freeze them in 2-cup portions, I save on the next potaje.) 

Thinly sliced pork cutlets cook quickly. Pork chops could be used instead of cutlets; after cooking, cut the meat off the bones. Spareribs cut into 2-inch chunks, a turkey leg or two, chicken thighs are other possibilities. For a vegetarian potaje—even faster—omit meat and sausages and increase olive oil to ¼ cup. 

Likewise with vegetables, swap out the ones you have available. If made with chard stems and chunks of pumpkin, the potaje is known as berza. The nomenclature has always confused me because “berza” actually means “cabbage” but it doesn’t contain cabbage. The soup that has cabbage isn’t berza but potaje de coles. Which, by the way, is excellent with kale instead of cabbage. Beans or lentils can be substituted for chickpeas. 

If you want a thicker, creamier soup, shortly before serving, puree some of the chickpeas and potatoes in a blender and stir the slurry back into the pot. Some versions of potaje include a whole onion, green pepper, and tomato. At the end of cooking time, they are skimmed out, pureed, and returned to the pot. Sometimes a sofrito of onion, garlic, and tomato fried in olive oil is added.

A heart-warming meal-in-a-pot, chock full of legumes, vegetables, pieces of meat, and sausage.

Andalusian Vegetable Soup with Chickpeas and Sausage

Potaje Andaluz 

Potaje is done when cabbage and carrots are cooked.

Serves 6.

8-10 cups water

1 tablespoon salt + more if needed

8 ounces pork shoulder cutlets

1 ½ ounce tocino (salt pork), pancetta, or bacon

4-5 whole, peeled carrots

1 small onion

2 cloves

1 stalk celery

1 bay leaf

8 ounces chorizo sausage

2 cups cooked and drained chickpeas (1-pound jar)

2 potatoes (14 ounces), peeled and quartered

18-24 ounces chopped cabbage (about ¼ of head)

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon sweet pimentón de la Vera (smoked paprika)

8 ounces morcilla sausage

Sprigs of mint to serve

Bring pot of water with 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Add the pork cutlets, tocino, carrots, onion stuck with cloves, celery, and bay leaf to the pot. Lower heat to medium and cook 10 minutes. 

Add the chorizo, chickpeas, potatoes, and cabbage. In a small bowl combine the oil with the pepper, cumin, and pimentón. Stir in some of the water from the pot to mix. Stir the spices into the pot. Cook 10 minutes longer. Pierce the morcillas in several places with a skewer (to prevent steam from building up and causing the sausages to burst) and add them to the pot.  Raise the heat to a boil, then lower heat and cook until cabbage and potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes more. Skim the meat, tocino, sausages, carrots, and potatoes out of the potaje. Use kitchen scissors to cut them into bite-size chunks. Return them to the pot. Discard bay leaf, onion and cloves, and celery. Let the soup settle 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with sprigs of mint.

*More about saving on the electric bill  What to Cook When the Electric Bill Soars . Interestingly, since I wrote that in 2021, the most economical rates in Spain now are usually from 2 to 3 in the afternoon, instead of in the middle of the night. That's because more and more of Spain's power is generated by solar.

More versions of potaje, both slow and fast.

Andalusian Vegetable Pot (Berza)

"Gypsy Pot" (Murcia Potaje)

Canary Islands Vegetable Pot 

Lenten Stew with Salt Cod and Chickpeas 

Pottage with Kale and Beans 

Cuttlefish and Chickpea Stew

Shrimp with Chickpeas and Seafood Sausage

FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS 

The Culinary Legacy of Spain

Here's the ideal gift for the cooks in your life--FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS, The Culinary Legacy of Spain. This is a fresh angle on the traditional cooking of Spain, with 120 recipes that can trace their roots to Moorish Spain. See below for where to order. 

This cookbook explores the fascinating story of the deep and lasting influences that Islamic culture has left on modern Spanish cooking. 

Author and Spanish cooking expert Janet Mendel tells the story of the Moorish influence on Spanish cooking through 120 recipes and photographs for modern-day dishes, from salads and vegetables to fish, poultry and meat to sweets and pastries, that trace their heritage to foods served in medieval times. Dishes from this era include exotic spices such as saffron, the use of fruits and almonds with savory dishes, and honeyed sweets and pastries. The flavors of al-Andalus live on in modern Spanish cooking and are what makes Spain’s cuisine distinctive from the rest of Europe. (Hippocrene Books)    

 Order on IndiePubs (USA) 

Use PROMO CODE HIPPOCRENE40 for 40% off on all Hippocrene titles at IndiePubs online bookstore.

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Q&A ABOUT THE FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS

Page spread from All About History magazine.

FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS, The Culinary Legacy of Spain is a book with 120 recipes whose roots are in Moorish Spain—the Muslim era of al-Andalus (711-1492). Chapter One sets the scene and provides the historical background for traditional recipes of modern-day Spain.

When All About History, a magazine published in the UK, asked to interview me about “how the region’s ‘flavours’ (British spelling) have influenced Spanish cuisine,” I had the answers ready. The Q&A appears as part of a special feature, “All About al-Andalus,” in the magazine’s November issue.

Here is an excerpt from the interview. The Qs are by Callum McKelvie, Features Writer of All About History. 

Q: What were some innovations (in terms of ingredients, spices, and techniques) that were brought to Spain during the Moorish rule?

Saffron flowers

A. The Arab colonizers were famed as gardeners and horticulturists. Some crops were introduced by the Arabs, others were improved with advanced techniques of cultivation, irrigation, and propagation. Durum wheat was an innovation that led to leavened bread, pasta, and couscous where before there was only flour gruel. Although saffron existed in earlier Roman times, the Arabs popularized its use as early as the 9th century. Saffron of La Mancha to this day is an esteemed product, used in many popular dishes such as paella.  

Eggplant/Aubergine

Many new vegetables and fruits came from the Muslims. A 9th century “influencer” named Ziryab popularized asparagus dishes at the caliphal court in Córdoba. But it was aubergines that became the signature vegetable of both Muslim and Sephardic communities of al-Andalus. One 13th century Andalusí cookbook lists dozens of ways to prepare them, most of which have come down to present times. 

Although olives were grown in the Iberian peninsula long before Moorish times, the Muslims greatly extended the plantations and production of oil. Almonds were another legacy, an important ingredient in both sweets and savoury foods today in Spanish cuisine. The Arabs also introduced sugarcane to Iberia and the method for extracting the cane juice and producing sugar. Although largely displaced by resorts, sugar cane still grows on the Malaga and Granada coasts. 

Q: What do you think is the greatest legacy of Moorish Spain on Spanish cuisine?

A. Cooking in olive oil may be one of the greatest legacies of Muslim culture in Spain and one which distinguishes the cooking from other European cuisines. Because Muslims did not use pig fat, cooking in oil was prevalent in medieval Iberia.  

Fried in olive oil

Even sweets were confected with olive oil. Frying in olive oil is part of the legacy. An example is buñuelos, fritters, sold in the souks of al-Andalus that in present times are sold at stalls at village ferias and are special for saints’ day festivities. 

Following the Reconquest and the establishment of the Inquisition, systematic suppression of Islamic and Sephardic culture and foodways took place as a way to consolidate the power of the Catholic monarchs of the newly unified Spanish kingdom. Lard emerged as the principal fat for cooking and for pastry confection. The Inquisition snitches could sniff out an errant stewpot by the smell of olive oil. In subsequent centuries olive oil was relegated to the poorest households. In the last century extra virgin olive oil from Spain has made a comeback in popular cuisine. Growers have improved harvest and processing methods, producing superb oil in this day and age.

Q: Do you have a favorite dish that has Moorish heritage?

A. I was hoping you would ask!

A dish with Moorish heritage: Meatballs with Saffron-Almond Sauce. The meatballs appear on the cover of Flavors of al-Andalus. The recipe is here along with a short video of a tapas party with meatballs and other dishes with the Flavors of al-Andalus.

Other articles about al-Andalus in the same issue of All About History are “Key Events,” an illustrated timeline of Moorish history; “Inside History,” a pictorial feature of the Aljafería Palace in 1065 Zaragoza; “Al-Andalus Civilian in the 9th Century,” describing styles in footwear, headwear, haircuts and beards; historical treasures, the “Pyxis (a small ivory box) of al-Mughira;” “Intellectuals of al-Andalus,” a guide to the leading thinkers of Moorish Spain, including Ibn Rushd, also known as Averroes, a philosopher known as the “prince of science,” and "Al-Andalus Mosques." (Attila the Hun, pictured on the magazine cover, rampaged about 300 years before the existence of al-Andalus.)

***   ***   ***   ***

FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS 

The Culinary Legacy of Spain

 Ask for Flavors of al-Andalus from your favorite bookseller or click below to order from IndiePubs (USA only). 

This cookbook explores the fascinating story of the deep and lasting influences that Islamic culture has left on modern Spanish cooking. 

Author and Spanish cooking expert Janet Mendel tells the story of the Moorish influence on Spanish cooking through 120 recipes and photographs for modern-day dishes, from salads and vegetables to fish, poultry and meat to sweets and pastries, that trace their heritage to foods served in medieval times. Dishes from this era include exotic spices such as saffron, the use of fruits and almonds with savory dishes, and honeyed sweets and pastries. The flavors of al-Andalus live on in modern Spanish cooking and are what makes Spain’s cuisine distinctive from the rest of Europe. (Hippocrene Books)    

 Order on IndiePubs

Use PROMO CODE HIPPOCRENE40 for 40% off on all Hippocrene titles at IndiePubs online bookstore.

IN SEARCH OF THE FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS

 

(See below for where to order.)

My new cookbook, Flavors of al-Andalus, traces the roots of many traditional dishes of Spanish cuisine back to al-Andalus, medieval Spain. They are dishes that people still cook and eat today, the food you might find in a tapas bar in Sevilla, at a village fiesta, or on the dinner table in a pueblo home.

How did I choose which recipes to include? Going through my always expanding files of Spanish recipes, I started with those that, in my opinion, are delicious, that I wanted to cook and eat. Then I narrowed them down, choosing, first, dishes with names derived from Arabic, the lingua franca in al-Andalus (for example,  albóndigas, meatballs, pictured on the book's cover). I eliminated those with tomatoes, potatoes, or peppers (vegetables unknown in medieval Spain) or pork (not eaten by the Muslim population of al-Andalus). 

Lastly, I selected recipes that resemble those mentioned in Andalusí cookbooks dating from the 10th to the 15th centuries.

My most important reference in searching for old recipes was Best of Delectable Foods and Dishes from al-Andalus and al-Maghrib: A Cookbook by Thirteenth-Century Andalusi Scholar Ibn Razīn al-Tujībī (1227–1293); translated by Nawal Nasrallah (Brill; 2021).

In Flavors of al-Andalus I frequently cite Nawal’s translation of the 13th century author, al-Tujībī, in describing the era’s influence on modern-day cooking. One example is the recipe for Baked Rice with Lamb and Egg Topping, a dish detailed in the al-Tujībī cookbook that is still made today in the Alicante region. 

Nawal Nasrallah, food historian

Nawal Nasrullah, who is Iraqi, currently resides in New Hampshire. She is a food writer and historian, literary scholar, and translator of Arabic into English. She is known for her cookbook of Iraqi cuisines, Delights from the Garden of Eden, and for translations from Arabic to English of medieval Arabic cookbooks such as the previously mentioned al-Tujībī manuscript and, her newest work, another 13th century Andalusí cookbook by an anonymous author, Smorgasbords of Andalusi and Mahgribi Dishes. 

I am so honored that Nawal gave my book, Flavors of al-Andalus, a wonderful advance review. An excerpt from what she wrote appears on the back cover of my book. 

                                                    (Alhambra, Granada, by Julio Sevillano)

Here is the more of the review from Nawal:

“With a half-dozen cookbooks on regional Spanish food already under her belt, Janet Mendel, an-award winning food writer, embarks on a journey to explore the culinary legacy of Spain by tracing its roots to medieval al-Andalus.

“With her insider’s knowledge of the region, she expertly guides us through the vibrant food markets and traditional kitchen pantries, providing a comprehensive glossary. She clearly articulates the significance of al-Andalus and traces the historical evolution of contemporary cooking techniques. This includes an exploration of how certain food names, ingredients, and even place names have been transformed from their medieval Arabic origins. These insights are tastefully interwoven throughout our journey. For example, we discover how the city of Almagro derived its name and sample its renowned eggplant pickles. We learn about the bitter oranges that flourish on trees lining the streets of Andalusia and how, historically, their juices were used to enhance many dishes with their intense and aromatic flavor.

"[Flavors of al-Andalus] is an exciting journey of discovery that invites you to explore the rich tapestry of Spanish cuisine, steeped in history, and inspired by the unique flavors of medieval al-Andalus.” 

Thanks, Nawal!

*** *** ***

Nawal has a recipe on her blog page, Recipes from al-Andalus – The Andalusi Kitchen, for "Candy Bracelets." They are charming rings made of almond marzipan and taffy, confected for children. The recipe, which comes from the anonymous 13th century cookbook, is somewhat similar to a present-day sweet from Toledo. Here is the recipe for "Toledo Marzipan Rings" as it appears in Flavors of al-Andalus. 

Toledo Marzipan Rings      

Melindres de Toledo   

Marzipan (mazapán in Spanish) is a paste made by grinding and kneading sweet almonds with sugar. It is shaped into charming figures, glazed and decorated. The center of production of marzipan is the medieval city of Toledo, southwest of Madrid. Marzipan evolved from an Arabic sweetmeat that was introduced to Spain by the Moors and was confected by the Sephardic community of Toledo. 

In 1085 Christian armies under King Alfonso VI took Toledo from the reigning Arabs. After the Reconquest, the art of confecting marzipan was kept alive in convents in Toledo. Cloistered nuns prepared the sweets as gifts to their benefactors. 

Variations on marzipan are popular in many Muslim countries for Eid al-Fitr, the joyous celebration at the end of Ramadan fasting. Sephardic Jewish communities in many parts of the world serve marzipan delicacies for wedding feasts and other festive occasions. In Spain, the sweet is especially beloved at Christmas.  

Most marzipan is professionally made in the Toldedo’s obradores, confectioners, which create beautiful figures and sculptures molded from the almond-sugar paste. But it is simple enough to make at home. These tiny rings are a good starting point. 

The melindres make delightful Christmas cookies. If you start with whole almonds, after blanching and skinning them, toast them briefly in the oven before grinding. You can substitute unsweetened almond meal. Add only enough water to make a mixture that sticks together—very little in the case of fresh almonds, more for floury almond meal.

Makes 35 (2-inch) rings    

2 ½ cups unsweetened ground almonds

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

8 to10 teaspoons water

1 egg white

1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Combine the ground almonds and granulated sugar in a blender or food processor and grind until very smooth. Add water, one teaspoon at a time, processing until the almond mixture forms a smooth mass that sticks together. The almond dough should be soft enough to mold. Turn it out onto a marble slab and knead briefly. 

Preheat oven to 300ºF.

Divide the almond mixture into balls about the size of a pecan. Roll each one into a cord, 4 ½ inches long and about 3/8 inch in diameter. Bend the cord to make a circle, pinching the ends together. (If the almond dough breaks just pinch together the broken bits.) Place the rings on a baking sheet lined with parchment.

Bake the rings 10 minutes. Cool them on a rack.

Combine the egg white and sifted confectioners’ sugar. Beat at high speed for 3 minutes. Add the lemon juice and beat 2 minutes longer.

Dip the rings into the egg white glaze. Use a skewer to drag the rings through the egg white. Lift the rings out and let excess drip off. Place them on a baking sheet and return to the oven for 8 minutes. Remove and cool the rings on a rack.

*** *** ***

FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS 

The Culinary Legacy of Spain

 Ask for Flavors of al-Andalus from your favorite bookseller or click below to order. 

This cookbook explores the fascinating story of the deep and lasting influences that Islamic culture has left on modern Spanish cooking. 

Author and Spanish cooking expert Janet Mendel tells the story of the Moorish influence on Spanish cooking through 120 recipes and photographs for modern-day dishes, from salads and vegetables to fish, poultry and meat to sweets and pastries, that trace their heritage to foods served in medieval times. Dishes from this era include exotic spices such as saffron, the use of fruits and almonds with savory dishes, and honeyed sweets and pastries. The flavors of al-Andalus live on in modern Spanish cooking and are what makes Spain’s cuisine distinctive from the rest of Europe. (Hippocrene Books)    

 Order on IndiePubs

Use PROMO CODE HIPPOCRENE40 for 40% off on all Hippocrene titles at IndiePubs online bookstore.

***

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***   ***   *** 

LETTUCE HEARTS ARE A THING

 

Wedges of lettuce hearts are dressed with fried asparagus, garlic, and ham. 

I was putting the finishing touches on dinner when Ben, returning from a sunset hike up the mountain, presented me with a bunch of freshly-picked wild asparagus. Autumn rains have brought forth this forager’s delight. 

I sat down to watch the news headlines before dinner. From the kitchen I heard some sizzling and sniffed the mouth-watering smell of frying garlic. In minutes Ben had turned the spindly stalks of asparagus into a gourmet delight, frying them with garlic and ham and spooning it over lettuce hearts. What a terrific starter.

Cogollos are lettuce hearts.

Lettuce hearts with fried garlic are a thing, appearing on restaurant menus everywhere. The most famous variety, from Tudela, Navarra, is a dwarf romaine lettuce that forms a compact head. Other varieties of lettuce such as Little Gem, a miniature Cos, are also sold as cogollos, hearts. (Cogollo actually means “core.” The beating heart of a living being is a “corazon,” not cogollo.)

Adding chopped wild asparagus with its subtle bitterness is inspired. If wild asparagus is not available, use regular green asparagus, cut lengthwise, then chopped. If Spanish ham is not available, substitute diced bacon or panceta. Ben used a balsamic-style vinegar with honey; Sherry vinegar is fine.

The following day I repeated Ben’s salad of lettuce hearts with sizzled garlic and asparagus and added to it a poached egg. Served with crusty bread, that was lunch.

Frying chopped asparagus, garlic, and ham crisps them slightly.

Lettuce hearts with fried asparagus and garlic dressing makes a terrific starter.

Served with a poached egg and crusty bread, the salad is lunch. Use a knife and fork to mix the egg with the lettuce and dressing.

Lettuce Hearts with Sizzled Garlic and Asparagus Dressing

Cogollos al Ajillo con Esparragos Trigueros

Cut small lettuce hearts in half, larger ones in quarters or thirds. If using full-size romaine hearts, instead of presenting in wedges, cut them into thick crosswise slices.

Serves 2.

2-4 lettuce hearts

1 avocado, sliced

Salt flakes

2 teaspoons vinegar, divided

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil + more for drizzling

2-3 ounces wild asparagus (approx. ½ cup chopped)

1-2 cloves garlic, sliced

Minced chile or red pepper flakes, to taste

½ ounce diced serrano or ibérico ham

½ teaspoon table salt

1 poached egg per person (optional)

Crusty bread to serve

Wash and dry the lettuce hearts. Cut them into wedges and divide between 2 salad plates. Arrange the sliced avocado around the hearts. Sprinkle each serving with flaky salt, ½ teaspoon vinegar, and drizzle with oil.

Dressing of fried asparagus.

Heat ¼ cup of oil in a skillet. Chop the asparagus into ½-inch pieces and fry in the oil 1 minute. Add the sliced garlic and chile and fry until the garlic begins to turn golden, 1 minute. Add the diced ham and fry 1 minute more. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the salt and 1 teaspoon of vinegar. 

Spoon the asparagus, garlic, ham, and oil dressing over the lettuce and avocados. Sprinkle with additional flaky salt and drizzle with more oil. 

If desired, place a poached egg in the center of each salad. Serve with crusty bread.

More recipes with wild asparagus;

Asparagus Casserole with Spring Vegetables 

Andalusian-Style Asparagus 

Eggs Scrambled with Wild Asparagus

***   ***   ***

FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS 

The Culinary Legacy of Spain

 Ask for Flavors of al-Andalus from your favorite bookseller or click below to order. 

This cookbook explores the fascinating story of the deep and lasting influences that Islamic culture has left on modern Spanish cooking. 

Author and Spanish cooking expert Janet Mendel tells the story of the Moorish influence on Spanish cooking through 120 recipes and photographs for modern-day dishes, from salads and vegetables to fish, poultry and meat to sweets and pastries, that trace their heritage to foods served in medieval times. Dishes from this era include exotic spices such as saffron, the use of fruits and almonds with savory dishes, and honeyed sweets and pastries. The flavors of al-Andalus live on in modern Spanish cooking and are what makes Spain’s cuisine distinctive from the rest of Europe. (Hippocrene Books)    

 Order on IndiePubs

Use PROMO CODE HIPPOCRENE40 for 40% off on all Hippocrene titles at IndiePubs online bookstore.

***

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***   ***   *** 

THESE CAROB BROWNIES ARE GLUTEN-FREE

 

Brownies with carob flour as well as chocolate are gluten-free.

Instead of brownies, shall we call them “morenitos,” in honor of their Spanish ingredients? I made them with a new-to-me product, gluten-free carob flour. The carob, also known as locust bean or St. John’s bread—algarrobo in Spanish—is the seed-bearing pod or bean of a tree native to Mediterranean lands. Carob is used as a substitute for chocolate, which it somewhat resembles in flavor, and as a thickening agent (carob gum) in processed foods. Powdered carob makes a good substitute for flour in gluten-free cakes and cookies. 

Carob pods dangle from branches. 

The edible pod has a leathery husk enclosing a sweet pulp that surrounds the seeds. The pulp is dried and ground to powder. The seeds contain a substance useful for gelling foods. Historically, carobs were known as famine food, consumed by humans only when other food was scarce. They continue to be valued as animal fodder. 

Split pod shows pulp.

I first tasted carobs as a child at Sunday school at my synagogue (Illinois) when it was distributed on Tu Bishvat, Jewish arbor day, along with other fruits from Israel such as figs and dates. When I came to Spain I discovered the tree with its dangling pods growing on rough hillsides and on small farmsteads. The pods were harvested in the fall, brought to town on burros, and heaped at a collection point where they gave off a strong, not entirely pleasant smell before being trucked away to be used as animal feed. More recently, I went out to dump compost in a bin at the edge of my property and discovered a couple of Moroccan youths up in the algarrobo tree knocking off the pods and bagging them. Still valuable enough to “steal.” 

Powdered carob.

Although this recipe has hardly any of the ingredients of traditional brownies—carob  flour replaces wheat flour; cacao is reduced; sugar eliminated (the sweetness of carob plus dates makes sugar unnecessary), and olive oil takes the place of butter—the result is surprisingly similar. 

I bought the carob powder at a health-foods stall in my local market. It is organic and untoasted. Supposedly raw carob powder is more bitter than the toasted, but I did not find it bitter at all. I have not tested the recipe with toasted carob powder. The non-gluten flour I used was a mixture of rice, potato, and chickpea flours. These brownies are more cakey than fudgy. As with all brownies, they are exceptionally delicious served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, dollop of whipped cream, or, my choice, unsweetened Greek yogurt. 

Deep chocolaty flavor is even better with a dollop of yogurt.

Gluten-Free Carob Brownies

Morenitos sin Gluten de Algarrobo

Makes 16 (2-inch) brownies

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

¾ cup pitted and chopped dates

3 large or 4 medium eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup carob flour

¼ cup gluten-free flour

½ cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2-3 tablespoons water

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Prepare an 8X8-inch cake pan oiled and lined with parchment.

Combine the oil and dates in a blender and blend until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.

Batter is chocolaty.

Sift together the carob flour, gluten-free flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pour the oil-egg mixture into a mixing bowl. Stir in the dry ingredients until thoroughly mixed, adding enough water to lighten the batter. Fold in the walnuts.

Spread the batter in the baking pan. Bake until a skewer comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool the brownies completely before cutting into squares.

Carob pods (algarrobos).

More gluten-free baked goods:

Lemon-Scented Tea Cakes (Magdalenas)

Chocolate-Almond Cake

Sugar-Free Carrot Cake

***   ***   ***

FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS 

The Culinary Legacy of Spain

 Ask for Flavors of al-Andalus from your favorite bookseller or click below to order. 

This cookbook explores the fascinating story of the deep and lasting influences that Islamic culture has left on modern Spanish cooking. 

Author and Spanish cooking expert Janet Mendel tells the story of the Moorish influence on Spanish cooking through 120 recipes and photographs for modern-day dishes, from salads and vegetables to fish, poultry and meat to sweets and pastries, that trace their heritage to foods served in medieval times. Dishes from this era include exotic spices such as saffron, the use of fruits and almonds with savory dishes, and honeyed sweets and pastries. The flavors of al-Andalus live on in modern Spanish cooking and are what makes Spain’s cuisine distinctive from the rest of Europe. (Hippocrene Books)    

 Order on IndiePubs

Use PROMO CODE HIPPOCRENE40 for 40% off on all Hippocrene titles at IndiePubs online bookstore.

***

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***   ***   ***