Thursday, September 30, 2010

Best Baguettes

These baguettes are delicious. They're light and chewy, and the crust is crunchy but not tough. They're great for sandwiches or just plain with a bit of butter. I made six but they are a little small, so I think I will go for four next time I make them - these ended up being about 10-12 inches long and 2-3 inches wide.

Pain a l’Ancienne

Yields 4-6 baguettes

6 cups (27 ounces) unbleached bread flour
2¼ teaspoons salt
1¾ teaspoons instant yeast
2¼ cups plus 2 tablespoon to 3 cups ice-cold water

1. Combine the flour, salt, yeast and the lesser amount of water in a large bowl and mix until it forms a ball. The dough should be sticky and soft but it should release from the sides of the bowl. If not, sprinkle in a small amount of flour until this occurs (or add more water if the dough seems too stiff). Lightly oil the bowl and roll the dough around until it is coated with oil, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel.

2. Immediately place the bowl in the refrigerator and chill overnight, to retard fermentation.

3. The next day, check the dough to see if it has risen in the refrigerator. It will probably be partially risen but not doubled in size. Leave the bowl of dough out at room temperature for about 2 to 3 hours (or longer if necessary) to allow the dough to wake up, lose its chill, and continue fermenting.

4. When the dough has doubled from its original prerefrigerated size, sprinkle the counter with flour. Gently transfer the dough to the floured counter, degassing as little as possible. If the dough is very wet, sprinkle more flour over the top as well as under it. Roll the dough gently in the sprinkled flour to coat it thoroughly, simultaneously stretching it into a long oblong. If it is too sticky to handle, continue sprinkling flour over it. Dip a metal pastry scraper into flour to keep it from sticking to the dough, and cut the dough into 4-6 strips with the pastry scraper by pressing it down through the dough until it severs it, then dipping it again in the flour and repeating this action until you have cut down the full length of the dough. (Do not use this blade as a saw; use it as a pincer, pinching the dough cleanly with each cut.) Let the dough relax for 5 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees, or 550 degrees if your oven goes this high. Place a steam pan on the bottom rack.

6. Place the baguettes on a floured sheet pan (or two) and score the dough with 3 diagonal cuts. Because the dough is sticky, you may have to dip the razor blade, serrated knife or scissors in water between each cut. You may also omit the cuts if the dough isn’t cooperating.

7. Put the pan in the oven on the middle rack. Pour 1 cup of hot water into the steam pan and close the door, then reduce the oven setting to 475 degrees and continue baking.

8. The bread should begin to turn golden brown within 8 or 9 minutes. If the loaves are baking unevenly at this point, rotate them 180 degrees. Continue baking 10 to 15 minutes more, or until the bread is a rich golden brown. (I baked mine for 9 minutes per side.)

9. Transfer the hot breads to a cooling rack. While these are cooling, you can bake the remaining loaves, remembering to turn the oven up to 500 degrees or higher before baking the second round.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Potato Bacon Cheddar Tart

OK I know what your thinking, Potato and cheese wrapped in a bacon crust is going to be like Grease Goulash, but you're wrong and so was I. This is actually quite good and not greasy inside at all. I watched Chef Michael Smith make the on his shoe Chef at Home and when I got his book I had to try it.

Yield: 8

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds or so of room temperature bacon
  • 1 minced onion
  • 3 minced garlic cloves
  • 4 cups of grated aged cheddar
  • Five or six large unpeeled baking potatoes
  • A sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Carefully arrange the bacon in a radial pattern from the center of the bottom of a ten-inch, non-stick pan to the lower edge of the rim and continuing up and over it. Let the ends hang over. The slices should overlap slightly around the sides of the pan. To reduce the thickness of the bacon in the center stagger every other piece starting it two inches from the center and extending it further than the adjacent slices. With the palm of your hand, flatten the center area, leaving no gaps in the bacon. Season the bacon with pepper then sprinkle on several tablespoons of the grated cheddar.
 Slice the potatoes as thinly and uniformly as you can, about a quarter inch thick. Arrange a circular pattern of overlapping slices around the inside bottom edge of the pan. Continue arranging overlapping layers of the potatoes until the bottom is evenly covered. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper. Mix the onions and garlic together and sprinkle some of the mixture onto the potatoes. Continue with a layer of the grated cheese. Cover with another layer of the potato pressing it down firmly before continuing with alternate layers of the potatoes, onion mixture and cheese until the pan is full.
Continue with several more layers insetting each a bit from the edge of the pan until the top is an inch or so higher than the pan’s rim. Fold the overhanging bacon neatly up and over the top of the potatoes. Trim a small piece of parchment paper and place it in between an ovenproof lid and the bacon. This will prevent the bacon’s ends from pulling back and shrinking during cooking.



Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for at least two and a half to three hours. You’ll know it’s done when a small thin bladed knife insert easily. Pour off as much of the fat around the edges as possible. Let the tart stand for fifteen minutes then invert it onto a cutting surface. Slice into wedges and serve immediately. You may refrigerate any leftovers and reheat them later it in a microwave

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

One Pot Wonder


This was delicious. It's flavourful, full of vegetables and spices and, most importantly, is made in a single pot.

This recipe is halved from the original, and it makes a lot - probably enough for four people. The original recipe also called for fewer vegetables (I doubled the red pepper and probably the tomatoes as well - I'm not sure if the weight refers to before or after seeding. If before, then I doubled them), but I think it's even more healthy this way.

Also: one pot!

Arroz Con Pollo (Cuban Chicken with Rice)

Chicken

2 large garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
6 chicken thighs

Rice
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium-to-large onion, chopped (I used two smallish ones)
2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika, plus more to taste
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 lb. tomatoes, seeded and chopped (I estimated, and I suspect I had closer to 1 lb.)
3/4 cup (6 oz.) beer (not dark)
3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup long-grain white rice
1/4 cup drained rinsed bottled pimiento or roasted red pepper strips (optional - I left them out)

Marinate chicken: Mince and mash garlic to a paste with salt. Stir in vinegar and oregano. Toss chicken with marinade until coated and marinate, covered and chilled, at least 1 hour.

Cook chicken and rice: Cook onions, bell pepper, and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add cumin, oregano, paprika, cayenne, and bay leaf and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Add chicken with marinade to vegetable mixture and cook, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring frequently, 10 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes, beer, broth, and rice and bring to a boil, making sure rice is submerged. [Note: Use tongs to temporarily remove the chicken from the pot, mix the rice in with the other ingredients in the pot, and then replace the chicken, pressing it into the broth a bit before going onto the next step.]

Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover pot with a tight fitting lid. Cook, stirring once or twice, until rice is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

Remove from heat, bay leaf, scatter pimiento strips over rice, and serve.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Tart


This is possibly the best thing I have ever eaten. Make it. Make it now.

Yes, there is a lot of prep work, but trust me - it's so worth it.

Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Tart

For the pastry:
I used half of Dad's recipe.

For the filling:
1 small butternut squash (about one pound)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced in half-moons
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of sugar
1/8 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
3/4 cup fontina cheese, grated (I used a smoked Gouda)
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves (or 1/2 tsp ground)

1. Make pastry (I made mine ahead of time, you can do this step whenever you like).

2. Prepare squash: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Peel squash, then halve and scoop out seeds. Cut into a 1/2-inch dice. Toss pieces with olive oil and a half-teaspoon of the salt and roast on foil lined sheet for 30 minutes or until pieces are tender. Set aside to cool slightly.

3. Caramelize onions: While squash is roasting, melt butter in a heavy skillet and cook onion over low heat with the remaining half-teaspoon of salt and pinch of sugar, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes. Stir in cayenne.

4. Roll out pastry and fit into tart pan.

5. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Mix squash, caramelized onions, cheese and sage together and pour into tart shell. Bake until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Meatballs

I spent the morning making meatballs for the freezer I used 5 pounds of Hamburger and made 110 but will share the recipe using one pound.
110 meatballs ready for the frezer

1 pound Hamburger
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
1/2 tsp seasoning salt (I use Lawry's)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Using your hands mix all ingredients in a bowl.
take about a golf ball size bit of the mixture and form into a ball.
If using right away fry over med heat until all sides are browned and the internal temp is at least 160 or no longer pink and the jucies run clear.
If you are making a larger batch like I did bake at 350 for 10 to 15 minutes or until the internal temp is at least 160 or no longer pink and the juices run clear.
Should make around 20 balls depending on the size you make, try to make them all the same size to make the cooking more consistent.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Chickpea and Carrot Salad

Simple to make and a great healthy lunch.

2 large shallots, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
1 large carrot, coarsely grated
½ cup flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves, chopped (I just used a few tablespoons of dried)
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, combine the shallot, vinegar, garlic, and salt. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the shallots and garlic to mellow.

Add the carrot, parsley, and olive oil to the shallot mixture. Toss in the chickpeas, and season as needed with salt and pepper.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Liver Dog Treats (puppy crack)

I made these for my little helper now it is all he wants.

1 lb liver
1 1/2 cup unbleached flour
1 cup steel cut oats
1/2 cup water

Boil the liver in water until no longer pink about 10 minutes.
Grind the liver using the smallest plate you can.
add all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until combined. (I used my mixer for this.)
roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness
use cookie cutters to cut cookies.
Bake at 250 f for about one hour until bone dry (no pun intended)

Bran Muffins

This is one of the recipes that my daughters in university always ask me to make for them.

For 12 Muffins

1 1/4 cup All-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup Bran
3/4 cups brown sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt.
1 cup raisins (or other dried fruit) we like golden raisins
1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream (the sour cream makes a richer muffin)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients including the dried fruit.
In another bowl mix the wet ingredients together.
Stir together in the large bowl until just moistened.
Spoon into large paper lined muffin cups.
Bake in a preheated 375 f oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden and the tops are firm to the touch.

Spinach Pasta Fettuccine

I love the taste of fresh pasta one of our favorites is spinach Fettuccine.
1 3/4 cups Durum semolina  flour
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 tbsp Olive oil
8 oz. spinach blanched drained squeezed dry and chopped. (you can also use 5 1/2 oz of thawed frozen spinach)
put all ingredients on the bowl of the mixer and knead until thoroughly combined. let rest at least one hour.
Roll out the pasta until desired thickness #4 on my roller.
Cut and place on rack to dry separate noodles as drying before boiling.