Creamy Locke’s Mill Polenta
4 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
1 Cup Locke’s Mill Polenta or Cornmeal
½ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon White Pepper
2 Teaspoons Fresh Thyme Leaves (Optional)
2 Tablespoons Butter
¼ Cup Grated or Shredded Cheese
Add stock to a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil along with fresh thyme, salt and pepper. (If using a salty cheese like Parmesan, omit or reduce the salt.)
Slowly add polenta or cornmeal to boiling stock while whisking vigorously to avoid lumps. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring continuously.
Cover pot, turn off heat, and let steep for 40 to 45 minutes.
Add butter and cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
Locke’s Mill Grits Recipe
1 ½ cups Water
½ cup Milk
4 oz. Unsalted Butter
1 tablespoon Salt
3 tablespoons Sugar (optional; for sweet grits)
1 cup Locke’s Mill Grits
Directions:
Place all ingredients (except the grits) in a pot and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, whisk in grits and reduce heat to low.
Keep stirring (preferably with a wooden spoon) for about 30 minutes. If the grains aren’t fully cooked through by the time they’ve thickened, add a bit of water.
Once grits are tender, serve with additional toppings — like cheese, bacon, scallions, syrup, honey, or more butter — or enjoy as is.
Old-Fashioned Cornbread
2 Cups Locke's Mill Cornmeal
1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Soda
1 ½ Teaspoons Diamond Krystal Kosher Salt
2 Large Eggs
2 Cups Buttermilk
6 Tablespoons Neutral Oil, Divided
¼ cup Honey
Directions:
Place a 9-10" cast-iron skillet in the oven and preheat to 375° F
Mix together cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix together eggs, buttermilk, 3 tablespoons of oil and honey. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and add wet ingredients, mixing until well-combined.
Let batter rest 5-10 minutes to allow the cornmeal to absorb some of the liquid, but stir well before putting it in the pre-heated pan.
Remove hot skillet and add remaining 3 tablespoons of oil. (You can also substitute bacon fat, coconut oil or another oil with a high smoke point.) Return the skillet to the oven for 3-4 minutes or until just starting to smoke a bit.
Remove skillet and carefully pour cornbread batter into hot greased skillet; the cornbread will start to set up a bit around the edges almost immediately.
Return the skillet to the oven and bake for 27-35 minutes, or until cornbread has set in the center and springs back. (Use a longer baking time for red and blue cornmeal and a shorter baking time for yellow and white cornmeal.)
Cool 5 minutes before eating. Serve with salted butter and honey or molasses.
Cranberry Walnut Sourdough Rye Bread
Makes 2 Loaves
283 Grams Dried Cranberries
416 Grams Water
2 Grams Active Dry Yeast
465 Grams Bread Flour
154 Grams Locke’s Mill Rye Flour
16 Grams Salt
172 Grams Ripe Sourdough Starter
140 Grams Walnuts, Toasted
Directions:
Soak the cranberries in warm water, using just enough water to cover them, while you mix the dough. After about 10 minutes, drain well and squeeze out the excess liquid.
Mix together the water, yeast, flours, salt, and sourdough starter in a stand mixer with a dough hook. Mix on low speed for 3 minutes. Add in the walnuts and soaked cranberries and mix on low for 2 minutes to combine. Put dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.
The next day, turn out the dough onto a floured surface and cut in half. Form dough into 2 torpedo-shaped loaves or rounds, tucking the edges under. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, place dough on top, and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Set in a warm spot to rise for about 90 minutes.
Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 420° F. Slash the tops of the bread and bake for 10 minutes. Lower the oven to 375° F and bake another 25 minutes until the loaves sound hollow when you tap the bottom. Cool completely before slicing.
Stone-Ground Rye Pancake Mix
1 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons Water or Milk
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil or Melted Butter
¾ Cup Locke's Mill Whole Wheat Flour
¾ Cup Locke's Mill Rye Flour
1 Tablespoon Coconut Sugar or Raw Sugar
1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
Optional: Add one egg and omit 2 Tablespoons water/milk
Directions:
In a small bowl, mix together water/milk, egg (if using), and oil/butter. In a large bowl, mix together flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the dry ingredients, then add wet ingredients, stirring just enough to combine. Heat a skillet on medium-high heat. When skillet is hot, spray it with cooking oil and ladle on batter: ¼ Cup for large pancakes or 2 Tablespoons for “dollar-size.” Flip when bubbly and edges appear dry and continue cooking until second side is golden. Do not overcook.
FOR WAFFLES: Increase oil to 4 Tablespoons For best results, coat iron with cooking spray before adding batter.
Gluten-Free* Stone-Ground Buckwheat Pancakes
1 Cup Locke's Mill Buckwheat Flour
½ Tablespoon Raw Sugar
½ Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Cup Milk
2 Eggs
Directions:
Mix together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Whisk together milk and eggs in a smaller bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and add wet ingredients, stirring just enough to combine.
Let batter sit 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
When skillet is hot, spray it with cooking oil or coat lightly with butter. Ladle on batter: ¼ Cup for large pancakes or 2 Tablespoons for “dollar-size.” Flip when bubbly and edges appear dry and continue cooking until second side is golden. Do not overcook.
Keep cooked pancakes warm on a rack in a 200° F oven until ready to serve.
*If using Locke’s Mill flour, please be aware that grains containing gluten are ground on the same stones as the buckwheat. We thoroughly clean the stones after every grind, but traces of gluten remain on the stones.
Chocolate Rye Cookies
Adapted from Tartine No.3 by Chad Robertson
1 Pound Bittersweet Chocolate
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
¾ Cup Locke’s Mill Rye Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon salt
4 Eggs
1 ½ Cups Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
Sea Salt
Directions:
Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Once melted, remove from heat.
In a small bowl, whisk together rye flour, baking powder, and salt.
Place eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a bowl with a handheld mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium high, adding the sugar a little at a time until all the sugar is incorporated. Turn the mixer to high and whip until the eggs have tripled in volume and turn light yellow and fluffy, about 6 minutes.
Reduce the mixer to low and add the melted chocolate, followed by the vanilla. Mix to combine, scraping down bowl as needed, then add in the flour mixture until just combined. The dough will be very soft.
Refrigerate dough until just firm, about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350° F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the fridge and scoop with a rounded tablespoon, spacing them 2 inches apart. Top each mound of dough with a few flakes of sea salt. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the cookies have padded up and have a smooth bottom and a rounded, crackled top. Cool completely. They will keep up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Sweet & Savory Cornmeal and Rosemary Cookies
1 Stick (4 oz.) Room-Temperature Unsalted Butter
¼ Cup Brown Sugar
¹⁄3 Cup Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Salt
Zest of 1 Lemon
1 Egg Yolk
½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 ¼ Cups All Purpose Flour
¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda
½ Cup Locke’s Mill Cornmeal
1 ½ Teaspoons Chopped Rosemary
Directions:
In a bowl with a handheld mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugars, salt, and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk and vanilla and continue mixing until smooth, about 2 minutes. On low speed, add in flour, baking soda, cornmeal, and rosemary, and mix until combined, about 2 minutes.
Roll into a log, about 1 inch thick and 12 inches long; wrap in parchment paper and refrigerate several hours until firm.
Preheat oven to 375° F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Slice into 24 rounds, about half an inch thick, and place on prepared sheets. Bake until edges are golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.
Ancient Grain Recipes
recipes are from Roxana jullapat’s cookbook, mother of grains, featured in bon appetit magazine, feb. 2021
Blueberry Spelt Muffins
Makes 8-10 muffins
Streusel
Nonstick vegetable oil spray (optional)
3 Tbsp. spelt flour
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tsp. dark brown sugar
Pinch of cinnamon
2 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2” pieces
Muffins
1 1/2 spelt flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 large egg
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup buttermilk
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Directions:
Streusel: Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a standard 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with paper liners. Whisk spelt flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add butter and toss to coat. Working quickly, smash in butter with your fingers until pieces are about pea-size. Chill streusel until ready to use.
Muffins: Whisk spelt flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl until there are no lumps. Make a well in the center with your hands. Whisk egg, brown sugar, oil, buttermilk, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Pour into well and whisk to combine. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in blueberries. Evenly divide batter among 8-10 muffin cups, filling each with about 1/4 cup batter. Top each muffin with about 1 Tbsp. streusel; bake, rotating pan halfway through, until golden brown and a tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 24-27 minutes. Let muffins cool in pan 20 minutes. Turn out onto wire rack; let cool completely.
Ricotta Cornmeal Pound Cake
Nonstick cooking oil spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup fine-ground white or yellow cornmeal
1 3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1/2 tsp. Morton Kosher salt
10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup whole-milk ricotta
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Lightly whipped cream and/or lemon curd (for serving)
Directions:
Place a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 325 degrees. Lightly coat an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2” loaf pan with nonstick spray, then line with parchment paper, leaving overhand on the sides. Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt into a small bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in a large bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs and egg yolk one at a time, mixing to fully incorporate before adding the next. Scrape down sides of bowl, add half of dry ingredients, and beat on low speed just to combine. Add sour cream and remaining dry ingredients and mix 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl, add ricotta and vanilla, and mix until well combined. Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth surface. Bake cake 40 minutes. Rotate pan and continue to bake cake until golden brown all over and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 20-30 minutes more. Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack, at least 1 hour. Carefully run offset spatula or pairing knife around sides of cake and use parchment paper to lift cake from pan; remove parchment. Cut cake into slices and serve topped with whipped cream and/or lemon curd.
Chocolate Buckwheat Cake
8-10 servings
Sponge
1 tsp. instant yeast
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1 Tbsp. honey (buckwheat honey if you have it!)
Cake
nonstick vegetable oil spray
4 large eggs
3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
pinch of kosher salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
You will need a 9”-diameter springform pan
Directions:
Sponge- Place 3/4 cup lukewarm water in a medium bowl and sprinkle yeast over. Whisk in buckwheat flour and honey. Cover with a kitchen towel or plate. Let sit at room temperature until surface of sponge looks frothy with big and small bubbles across the top, about 1 hour.
Cake- Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350. Coat pan with nonstick spray. Separate yolks from eggs over a large bowl to catch egg whites. Place yolks in another small bowl; set egg whites aside. Combine chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan of simmering water (do not let bowl touch water). Melt chocolate, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Add egg yolks one at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Stir in sponge.
Add remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar to bowl with reserved egg whites. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat until soft peaks form, about 4 minutes. Fold half of egg whites into batter until smooth, then fold in remaining egg whites until combined. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth surface.
Bake cake, rotating pan halfway through, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Let cake cool in pan. Run a paring knife around edges of cake, then unmold and place on a plate. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
Cake without powdered sugar dusting can be made 1 day ahead. store tightly wrapped at room temperature.
Macadamia and Brown Butter Blondies
Makes 12 in 9”-diameter round cake pan
nonstick vegetable oil spray
1/2 cup whole raw or toasted macadamia nuts
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
18 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
3/4 cup barley flour
1 3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup plus 7 Tbsp packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 pints of ice cream of your choice (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly coat a 9”-diameter cake pan with nonstick spray and line bottom with a parchment round. If using raw macadamia nuts, toast them on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden, 8-10 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
Scrape vanilla seeds into small saucepan; add pod and butter. Set over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until butter foams, then brown 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, scraping in all of the browned bits. Using tongs, remove and discard vanilla pod.
Whisk all-purpose and barley flours, baking powder, and salt in another medium bowl. Add brown sugar to brown butter and stir to combine. Add eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Stir in dry ingredients, then vanilla extract and nuts. Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top.
Bake blondies, rotating halfway through, until top is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Let cool.
Turn out blondies, remove parchment, and cut into 12 wedges. Serve each with a scoop of ice cream if desired.