Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Part 107

WHOLE WHEAT SODA BREAD WITH MILLET AND CURRANTS.

MAKES 1 LARGE LOAF.

TIME: 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES.

Our whole-grain soda bread is a little like a giant scone-not too sweet, with a dense, chewy texture and slight crunch from a little cooked millet worked into the dough. The Zante currants plump up by being cooked along with the millet, in one amazing feat of culinary dexterity. This is not a traditional soda bread (even with the caraway seeds) in the slightest, but whatever! It's Terry's most favorite thing in whole world, sliced thinly and lightly toasted for breakfast or tea.

ZANTE currants are actually cute little seedless grapes, completely different from black currants. Zantes are still referred to as currants for some mysterious reason, are commonly used as such, and are a typically a lot cheaper. Look for them in your supermarket right next to the raisins. They have a zippy, intense flavor that can satisfy any yearning for "real" currants.

Millet: 1 teaspoon canola oil

cup millet, uncooked

1 cup boiling water

1 cups Zante currants

Dough: 2 cups whole wheat flour (white whole wheat flour is best)

1 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

teaspoon salt

cup sugar

1 heaping tablespoon caraway seeds

cup nonhydrogenated vegan margarine, cold

1 cups plain soy milk, plus additional soy milk for brus.h.i.+ng top of loaf

1 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

PREHEAT THE oven to 375F for at least 20 minutes. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan.

Prepare the millet: In a saucepan, heat the canola oil over medium heat and add the millet. Stir constantly to toast the millet for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Pour in the boiling water, stir in the currants, and cover. Cook for 18 to 20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the millet is plump. Remove from the heat and fluff with a fork. Partially cover the millet and allow to cool to about room temperature.

Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, sift together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the sugar and caraway seeds, then cut in the cold margarine with either a pastry cutter or two knives held together, until a crumbly mixture forms.

Combine 1 cups of the soy milk and the vinegar in a measuring cup, and allow it to sit for a minute or so to curdle. Stir the curdled soy milk and the cooled millet mixture into the flour mixture. When a dough starts to form, knead it a few times in the bowl to form a dense ball of dough (if it's too moist, knead in more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time). Don't overwork the dough.

This bread keeps fresh for days longer than the average quick bread. Even so, loosely wrap it in foil or store in a resealable plastic bag.

Bake this bread the old-fas.h.i.+oned way: Place a well-seasoned, 4-quart round cast-iron pot in the oven while it preheats and leave the pot there to get hot for about 30 minutes. Use oven mitts to lift the hot pot out of the oven and onto a burner on the stove. Dust the bottom of your loaf of dough with plenty of whole-grain flour, a little wheat bran, or even a touch of cornmeal. Very carefully, lower the shaped, scored, uncooked loaf into the pot (don't burn your fingers. If necessary, just let the loaf drop into the pot). Quickly return the pot, uncovered, to the oven and bake as directed. The dough will not stick to a hot, well-seasoned pot.

Pat the ball of dough into the prepared cake pan, allowing a -inch s.p.a.ce all around from the edge of the pan, to form a round loaf. With a thin, sharp knife, cut a cross into the top of the loaf. Brush the top of loaf with soy milk, and brush it a few more times during the baking process. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until it is well browned and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

FRESH ROSEMARY FOCACCIA.

MAKES 1 LARGE, FLAT LOAF.

TIME: 2 HOURS, INCLUDING RISING TIME.

This big, soft, yeasted flatbread goes well with just about any entree or soup.We make it when we want fresh bread without too much fuss. It's very basic, so try experimenting with different fresh herbs and chopped olives, and serving this with Hummus (page 67) or any spread in the Dips section (page 62-69). If you want to be the most annoying person at the pizza party, keep reminding people that the singular of focaccia is focacce.

SAMMICHES (a.k.a. sandwiches) loaded with lots of fresh or grilled veggies are even better if stuffed into sliced, fresh focaccia. Try toasting or even grilling them, maybe with a slap of Sweet Basil Pesto Tapenade (page 65) or Sun-dried Tomato Dip (page 64), used as a spread. Just sayin'.

1(-ounce) package active dry yeast

1 cups warm water

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, plus extra

whole leaves for garnish

3 cups all-purpose flour, or 1 cups each all-purpose and whole wheat

1 teaspoon salt

Olive oil for brus.h.i.+ng

Coa.r.s.e salt for garnish

Optional stuff to knead into the dough: chopped kalamata olives, sauteed shallots, cracked black pepper, chopped fresh sage, parsley, or oregano

COMBINE THE yeast and warm water in a large bowl. Stir in the olive oil, chopped rosemary, and flour, and knead to form a soft dough. If the dough is sticky, work in a little flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 to 6 minutes, until smooth. Pour a little olive oil in the original bowl, add the kneaded dough, and turn a few times to coat the dough with oil. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise 1 hour, or until a hole poked into the side of the risen dough fills up slowly.