I've mentioned our favorite crusty bread. The really funny thing is that it is a loaf that I've seen people pay lots of money for, but it's got to be about the easiest thing ever. I could make it fresh for dinner every night and not spend any more hands-on time or energy than if I bought a loaf and warmed it up in the oven. Sneaky, huh?
Rustic Dinner Loaf
To make a biga: whisk together until smooth: 1c. flour, 1c. warm water, 1 rounded tsp. yeast. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for at least 30 minutes, but I've left it for 24 hours or more with no ill effect.
When you're ready, uncover the biga, sprinkle the surface with 1/2 tsp. sea (or kosher) salt, and drizzle over 1 tbsp. olive oil. Add 1 cup flour and stir just until combined into a soft dough, adding more flour as necessary, just to move from a batter consistency to a wet dough. Remove to a floured surface and shape a loaf with floured hands. It will feel lumpy and inconsistent in texture. Place on parchment, silpat or cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick spray and sprinkled with cornmeal. With a sharp knife, cut several slashes across the surface of the loaf. Brush surface with an egg white beaten with one tsp. water. Let rise on cookie sheet for 1/2-45 min, then bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Brush again with egg white, and bake 20 minutes more.
This bread is a perfect compliment to soups, stews, pasta dishes, and just about anything else. Ecce panis!
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Currying Favor
It's soup season 'round here. Tuesday night we had this wonderful soup with our favorite crusty bread. The bread might bear some explanation, but the soup just speaks for itself. It was a hit, and I'll be trying it again soon with vegetable stock as a Friday option.
Sweet Potato Curry Soup
2 tbsp. butter
1 shallot, diced
1 onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp. ground cumin
pinch of red pepper flakes
pinch of chipotle powder
1 tsp. curry powder
salt and pepper to taste
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1-1/2 qt. chicken stock
1-1/2 c. plain yogurt
2 tbsp. chopped parsley or cilantro
Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and shallot. Cook for 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften, then add garlic. Cook 1-2 minutes more, until garlic is fragrant. Add dry spices, sweet potatoes, and stock. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, until potatoes are soft. Remove from heat. Puree soup with yogurt and cilantro (or parsley) and serve.
Sweet Potato Curry Soup
2 tbsp. butter
1 shallot, diced
1 onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp. ground cumin
pinch of red pepper flakes
pinch of chipotle powder
1 tsp. curry powder
salt and pepper to taste
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1-1/2 qt. chicken stock
1-1/2 c. plain yogurt
2 tbsp. chopped parsley or cilantro
Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and shallot. Cook for 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften, then add garlic. Cook 1-2 minutes more, until garlic is fragrant. Add dry spices, sweet potatoes, and stock. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, until potatoes are soft. Remove from heat. Puree soup with yogurt and cilantro (or parsley) and serve.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Tales from the Fast
I know...delicious irony, right? (Maybe that should be the title....) But it's true! I was fasting yesterday for religious reasons, and as we are entering Lent soon, there are more fast days ahead. I made some fasting bread for yesterday from a recipe that is used in Medjugorje by pilgrims and locals, as fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays is common practice. The bread is made completely by hand, and if used for a fast, the tradition is to pray for the grace to fast well as you work the dough. Just for fun, I used a traditional Challah shape (braided) for the loaves, but you could use any shape that suits your purpose.
Fasting Bread (*adapted)
^In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine 1/2 c. warm water and 1 rounded tbsp. (or 2 pkts) of yeast. Let dissolve for 5-10 minutes, until foamy.
^In a separate container, combine 2c. hot water, 1 beaten egg, 1tbsp. salt, 2 tbsp.sugar, 2 tbsp olive oil, and 1 tsp. butter, and 1 c. of fruit...raisins, craisins, chopped apple, or some combination. Set aside.
**Also, 1 c. chopped walnuts or sliced almonds can be added to the dough.
^In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 c. WW flour and 3c. AP flour. Form a well in the center, and pour in yeast mixture. Using your hands, bring flour in from the sides of the bowl over the liquid until it has distributed evenly. Pour the other ingredients over the flour, and continue working the dough with your hands in the bowl until it cleans the sides of the bowl.
^Let rise until about double, then move the dough to a floured surface and knead briefly, until dough forms a ball that isn't too sticky.
^Divide the dough into 3 equal parts. Divide each portion into 3 equal sections and roll into ropes about 12 in. long. Braid the sections, tucking the ends under. Repeat with other 2 loaves. Brush the loaves with egg beaten with a tsp. of water.
^Let rise for 1/2 hour - 45 minutes, then bake at 375 for about 35 minutes. Let cool before slicing.
*The Medjugorje site that posted this recipe lost something in the translation from European measurements to American, so I needed to improvise a bit.
Fasting brings with it grace and discipline, and breaking the fast brings fresh appreciation for the foods we enjoy. My son had friend over last night, and so I made them a favorite sweet treat: Salted Caramel Brownies. Yeah. AND...there was one waiting for me to go with my coffee this morning. It's gon' be a good day, Tater. :)
Salted Caramel Brownies
(recipe from allrecipes.com, then doctored up to perfect yumminess)
^Combine:
1 box Devil's food cake
1/3 c. evaporated milk
3/4 c. melted butter
Press half of dough into a greased 9x13 pan.
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
^Melt 1 14oz pkg. vanilla caramels with 1/3c. evaporated milk. Set aside.
^When bottom layer comes out of the oven, sprinkle with 1/2c mini chocolate chips and pour caramel over surface.
^Sprinkle the surface of the caramel with a healthy pinch of sea salt, then crumble the remaining dough over all.
^Bake for another 15 minutes. Cool and cut into squares. Collapse into blissful sugar-induced coma.
Fasting Bread (*adapted)
^In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine 1/2 c. warm water and 1 rounded tbsp. (or 2 pkts) of yeast. Let dissolve for 5-10 minutes, until foamy.
^In a separate container, combine 2c. hot water, 1 beaten egg, 1tbsp. salt, 2 tbsp.sugar, 2 tbsp olive oil, and 1 tsp. butter, and 1 c. of fruit...raisins, craisins, chopped apple, or some combination. Set aside.
**Also, 1 c. chopped walnuts or sliced almonds can be added to the dough.
^In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 c. WW flour and 3c. AP flour. Form a well in the center, and pour in yeast mixture. Using your hands, bring flour in from the sides of the bowl over the liquid until it has distributed evenly. Pour the other ingredients over the flour, and continue working the dough with your hands in the bowl until it cleans the sides of the bowl.
^Let rise until about double, then move the dough to a floured surface and knead briefly, until dough forms a ball that isn't too sticky.
^Divide the dough into 3 equal parts. Divide each portion into 3 equal sections and roll into ropes about 12 in. long. Braid the sections, tucking the ends under. Repeat with other 2 loaves. Brush the loaves with egg beaten with a tsp. of water.
^Let rise for 1/2 hour - 45 minutes, then bake at 375 for about 35 minutes. Let cool before slicing.
*The Medjugorje site that posted this recipe lost something in the translation from European measurements to American, so I needed to improvise a bit.
Fasting brings with it grace and discipline, and breaking the fast brings fresh appreciation for the foods we enjoy. My son had friend over last night, and so I made them a favorite sweet treat: Salted Caramel Brownies. Yeah. AND...there was one waiting for me to go with my coffee this morning. It's gon' be a good day, Tater. :)
Salted Caramel Brownies
(recipe from allrecipes.com, then doctored up to perfect yumminess)
^Combine:
1 box Devil's food cake
1/3 c. evaporated milk
3/4 c. melted butter
Press half of dough into a greased 9x13 pan.
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
^Melt 1 14oz pkg. vanilla caramels with 1/3c. evaporated milk. Set aside.
^When bottom layer comes out of the oven, sprinkle with 1/2c mini chocolate chips and pour caramel over surface.
^Sprinkle the surface of the caramel with a healthy pinch of sea salt, then crumble the remaining dough over all.
^Bake for another 15 minutes. Cool and cut into squares. Collapse into blissful sugar-induced coma.
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