Multigrain Bread

This recipe has been tested and tweaked over time. Most of the modifications (so far) are to simplify the process. For each rise, the dough should be kept in a warm area, covered with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. If a suitably warm place is not available (cold season, air conditioned house, etc), use a conventional gas oven: turn on the oven; as soon as the element fires up, turn off the oven. This will provide a suitably warm environment for the dough to properly rise. ...

February 20, 2018

Special Chicken

This is a recipe that I made up. Equipment 14-inch cast-iron skillet Ingredients Olive oil, as needed 16 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered 2 medium onions 2 shallots ¼ cup capers, rinsed 2 red bell peppers Juice of one lemon 3 chicken breasts; sliced into cutlets 16 ounces fresh spinach leaves; washed 1 ¼ cups chicken broth 3/4 cup white wine All-purpose flour (to dredge chicken) Preparation Prep Chicken Working with 1 breast at a time, starting on thick side, cut breasts in half horizontally. Pat cutlets dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge in flour. Set aside. Cook Vegetables Heat olive oil in 14-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add mushrooms- cook until soft. Add onions and shallots- cook until soft. Add bell pepper ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until liquid has evaporated and vegetables begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add capers and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth and wine and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Cook until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes. Set aside. Cook Chicken Heat 2 tablespoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add 3 cutlets and cook until golden and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to platter and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Repeat with remaining 3 cutlets and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Finish Discard any oil remaining in skillet. De-glaze skillet with additional wine and/or broth. Add spinach; cook until wilted. Lay chicken atop spinach. Pour vegetables over chicken. Simmer until ready to serve. Serve.

January 31, 2018

Sausage Balls

A great sausage ball recipe. Meat substitutes can be in place of pork sausage meat. Source https://www.cookscountry.com/recipes/7168-sausage-balls Change Log Increased sausage from 227 grams to 310 grams Increased cheese from 113 grams to 130 grams Equipment Parchment paper Baking sheet Preheat Oven Preheat oven to 400°F Adjust oven rack to middle position Ingredients 213 all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 28 grams unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 310 grams bulk breakfast sausage or veggie sausage 130 grams sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup) ¾ cup buttermilk Preparation Combine Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a food processor, pulse together just until combined (about three pulses): flour baking powder salt pepper cayenne Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 12 pulses. Add sausage and cheddar and pulse until combined, about 8 pulses. Transfer mixture to bowl and stir in buttermilk until combined. Form into Balls Working with wet hands, roll 1 tablespoon dough at a time into 1%frac14;-inch balls and place, evenly spaced, on baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack and let balls cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm. Combine all, roll into balls and bake. ...

December 31, 2017

French Apple Cake

Source Milk Street Special Equipment 9" springform or round cake pan 12" non-stick skillet Small heat-proof bowl A second small bowl Large mixing bowl Large plate on which to cool cooked appless Preheat Oven Preheat to 375°F Ingredients 113 grams unsalted butter 7 grams of salt, divided into 3 grams and 4 grams ¼ teaspoon ground allspice 680 grams (1 ½ pounds) Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼-inch slices 454 grams (1 pound) Braeburn or Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼-inch slices 149 grams (12 tablespoons) white sugar, divided into: 25 grams (2 tablespoons) 113 grams (9 tablespoons) 12 grams (1 tablespoon) 2 tablespoons brandy or Calvados 95 grams all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Preparation Prep Pan Butter and flour the 9" springform or cake pan. Melt Butter Add butter and 4 grams salt to a 12" non-stick skillet Cook on medium-high heat, swirling the skilled frequently until the milk solids are golden brown; about 5 to 7 minutes. Pour butter into a small heat-proof bowl, without scraping the skillet; leaving excess butter for the next step. Add allspice to butter and stir. Set aside. Apples Add all of the apples to the still-hot skillet. Add the 25 grams (2 tbsp) sugar and 3 grams of salt. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until apples are starting to brown and liquid has evaporated; about 15 minutes. Add brandy and cook till evaporated; about 30 seconds. Transfer cooked apples to a large plate, spread into a single layer, and refrigerate till cool; about 30 minutes. Cake Batter Once the apples are cool… ...

December 26, 2017

Basic Tajine

A Tajine is a versatile clay pot with a conical lid which lends itself to slow cooked, flavor infused foods. The process in preping and cooking a dish is typically the same across most recipes: Brown meats in a skillet (or in the tajine if it’s compatible with your stove top) Cook root and other hearty vegetables. Add spices (like, Moroccan Seasoning). Layer the meats and spiced veggies into the tajine. Add cooking liquid. Cover and place into a cold oven. Cool at about 350°F for about 1.5 to 2 hours. Server with couscous, rice, quinoa, or other similar grain. Pre-soak To make the best use of a tajine pot, pre-soak the base and lid, submerged in water, for at least one hour before use. ...

November 13, 2017

BBQ Salmon

Recipe modified from source: http://www.cookscountry.com/recipes/4374-bbq-wood-grilled-salmon Description Quick and easy salmon dish; nice smokey flavor with delightful BBQ notes. Serve with a crisp, fruity white wine. Equipment Gas or wood burning grill Wood Chips; preferably cedar Heavy-duty aluminum foil Pre-Prep Soak 2 cups of wood chips for 15 minutes. Pat salmon dry with paper towels- remove bones. Using heavy-duty aluminum foil, make four 7x5" trays. Using tip of knife, perforate bottom of each tray. Divide wood chips among trays. Pre-heat Grill Pre-heat grill on high heat; clean, and prepare for searing meats. Ingredients 1 ½ teaspoons sugar 3/4 teaspoon chili powder ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 4 skin-on salmon fillets (each 6 to 8 ounces and 1 1/4 inches thick) 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon maple syrup Preparation In a small bowl, combine: ...

October 19, 2017

Pumpkin Bread With Brown Butter and Bourbon

This recipe is modified from the source to cut out extra fat and boost flavor. Source https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017797-pumpkin-bread-with-brown-butter-and-bourbon Change Log Swapped unsweetened applesauce for oil Swapped extra bourbon for water Swapped dark brown sugar for light Increased cinnamon and ginger slightly Chose 4 cardamon pods instead of measured amount Special Equipment 2 9" loaf pans Parchment Paper Pre-heat Oven Pre-heat over to 350°F Move rack to center position Ingredients 113 grams (1 stick) unsalted butter ¼ cup bourbon (plus extra; see notes below) 1 tablespoon vanilla 1 ¾ cups pumpkin purée (Roast Pumpkin) 4 eggs ½ cup unsweetened applesauce 256 grams all-purpose flour 120 grams whole wheat flour 350 grams dark brown sugar 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda 5 grams fine sea salt 10 grams ground cinnamon 2 grams ground ginger 4 cardamom pods; seeds ground Preparation Prep Pans Grease the insides of two 8-inch loaf pans with butter Line with parchment paper; butter the paper Dust with flour Brown Butter In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the frothy white milk solids sink to the bottom of the pan and turn a fragrant, nutty brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Brown butter can burn quickly, so watch it carefully. Brown butter is almost ready when the frantic sound of bubbling begins to die down. Wets In a glass liquid measuring cup, combine bourbon and vanilla. Add additional bourbon until you reach the 2/3 cup mark. In a large bowl, whisk together bourbon mixture, pumpkin purée, eggs and applesauce. With a spatula, scrape all the brown butter from the skillet into the pumpkin mixture and stir to combine. Drys In another large bowl, whisk together: all-purpose flour whole wheat flour brown sugar baking soda salt cinnamon ginger cardamom Combine Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and stir to combine. Bake Divide batter between the two greased loaf pans. Use a scale to ensure equal amounts are in both pans. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet and transfer to oven. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a tester or toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow bread to cool completely before removing from pan.

October 11, 2017

Brownies

Preheat Oven Preheat oven to 350℉ Equipment 8-inch square baking pan Parchment paper Ingredients 85 grams (3 ounces) unsweetened chocolate 113 grams (8 tablespoons / 1 stick) unsalted butter, more for greasing pan 100 grams (½ cup) granulated sugar 100 grams (½ cup, packed) dark brown sugar 2 eggs 64 grams (½ cup) all-purpose flour Pinch salt ½ teaspoon vanilla bourbon Preparation Prepare pan Grease or line with parchment paper an 8-inch-square baking pan. Melt Chocolate Combine chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over very low heat, stirring occasionally. When chocolate is just about melted, remove from heat, and continue to stir until mixture is smooth. Combine Transfer chocolate mixture to a bowl, and stir in sugars. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add flour, salt, and vanilla; stir just to incorporate. Do not overmix. Bake Pour into pan, and bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until set and barely firm in the middle. Cool on a rack before cutting.

June 19, 2017

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

The go-to recipe for chocolate chip cookies. Browning (rather than simply melting) the butter adds an extra dimension and is completely optional. Special Equipment Stand mixer (optional, a strong arm will suffice) Two cookie sheets (one will suffice) Parchment paper Add-In’s ½ tart dried cherries (reduce chocolate chips a bit…) Pre-heat Oven Preheat oven to 325℉ Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper Ingredients 170 grams (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted (or browned) and cooled 270 grams (2 ¼ cups) All-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon cornstarch ½ teaspoon salt 170 grams (1 cups) semisweet chocolate chips 128 grams (¾ cup packed) dark brown sugar 100 grams (½ cup) granulated sugar 2 tablespoons honey or golden syrup 1 large egg plus 1 large yolk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Preparation Combine dry ingredients Combine and set aside: ...

June 9, 2017

Rice Pudding

Source http://allrecipes.com/recipe/24059/creamy-rice-pudding/ Change Log Added lavender Dropped butter In place of vanilla, use vanilla infused bourbon Increased vanilla Added cardamon pods Added cinnamon sticks Added preference for short-grain rice Ingredients 1 ½ cups water ¾ cup uncooked short-grain white rice ¼ teaspoon dried lavender (optional) 3 cinnamon sticks 2 cups oat milk, divided (preferably whole) 1/3 cup white sugar ¼ teaspoon salt 1 egg, beaten 2/3 cup golden raisins 4 cardamon pods; seeds ground 2 teaspoon vanilla extract (and/or bourbon) Preparation Cook Rice Bring 1 ½ cups water to a boil in a saucepan Stir rice into boiling water Add lavender Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes Add Milk Add to rice: ...

March 13, 2017