Shortcut Bread - Make a Loaf and Share the Love

The staff of life:  Universally, bread is regarded as sustenance, but just as importantly, it is an ancient cultural food that unites us, symbolizes religious beliefs and nourishes the soul. And really, is there anything more comforting than the smell of bread baking on a cold November night? This is the second awesome recipe I found in the November issue of Food and Wine --  a straight up score. I love to bake bread, and have tried many different recipes and techniques, but this one was completely new to me, so naturally, I had to give it a go.

Acclaimed San Francisco baker and owner of the Tartine Bakery, Chad Robertson has just written a new cookbook, Tartine Bread, from which the following recipe comes. Unlike many breads that require starters, this recipe calls for a pre-ferment, in which a small portion of flour, water and yeast is mixed together to ferment overnight. The following morning, more flour and salt water are added to make the dough. Lastly, the bread is cooked in cast iron skillets at a very high temperature to yield simultaneously crusty and chewy golden brown loaves of bread that will make you look like a rock star in the kitchen.

A quick word about this bread and the process....unless you have the luxury of working from home as I do, save this recipe for a relaxed day or weekend when you have time to devote to this most worthwhile endeavor. I promise, you'll be glad you did.

 Mix the yeast, flour and water...
 Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let proof overnight

 Use your hands to mix the dough...no bread machines, stand mixers or food processors needed - note the consistency of the dough - that's exactly the way you should expect it to look.

 

 

I used cast iron skillets to bake the bread. Once out of the oven, let it cool. My son couldn't wait and cut into the first loaf as soon as it came out of the oven. He slathered it up with butter and called it supper.

Crusty White Bread (from Chad Robertson's Tartine Bread cookbook)

Active 1 hour - Total 9 hrs plus: overnight rising - Makes 2 VERY large loaves

PRE-FERMENT

250 grams warm water- (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
1/4 teaspoon dry granulated yeast
300 grams organic all-purpose flour- (2 1/2 cups)

BREAD DOUGH

1.25 kilograms warm water - (5 1/2 cups)
1.8 kilograms organic all-purpose flour - (13 1/2 cups)
200 grams organic whole wheat flour - (1 1/2 cups)
5 tablespoons kosher salt dissolved in 1/2 cup of warm water
White rice flour or all purpose flour, for dusting

1. PREPARE THE PRE-FERMENT
 In a medium bowl,  mix the water with the yeast and stir until the yeast is dissolved. Stir in the flour. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 10-14 hours.
2.PREPARE THE BREAD DOUGH
In a bowl, combine the warm water wit the pre-ferment: Using your hands, break up the pre-ferment until dissolved. In a very large bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour with the whole wheat flour. Using your hands, mix the dissolved pre-ferment into the flours, until a smooth dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes.
3. Uncover the dough and add the salt water. Gently fold the dough over onto itself until the salt water is thoroughly incorporated. Loosely cover the dough and let rest for 1 hour; every 20 minutes, gently fold the dough up and over onto itself 4 times. cover and the dough and let stand for 3-4 hours.
4. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and cut in half. Using a bench scraper and floured hands, gently shape the dough into rounds, folding the dough under itself as necessary. Let the loaves stand on the work surface for 20 minutes and then gently fold the sides under again.
5. Line 2 large bowls with kitchen towels and generously dust the towels with the rice flour. Transfer the loaves to the bowls, rounded sides down. Cover the loaves with clean towels and let rise for 4-5 hours. Alternatively, let the dough rise for 1 hour at room temperature, refrigerate the loaves overnight. Let the dough come to room temperature before baking.
6. Preheat the over to 490F. Heat 2 large enameled cast-iron casseroles or cast-iron skillets with lids for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and dust the bottoms with rice flour. Turn the loaves into the casseroles, rounded side up, and score the tops with a sharp, thin knife. Cover the casseroles and bake the bread for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 470F and bake for 20 minutes or until the bread is richly browned. Transfer to racks and let cool before slicing.

Final Assessment: Worth every single step. A better bread I've NEVER had.

Tea at the Laurel Court

There are three things I feel are necessary when it comes to afternoon tea and the beautiful Laurel Court restaurant at the Fairmont Hotel San Francisco atop Nob Hill excels at each. The first is the tea itself. It should be very high quality. It should be loose leaf, not served from tea bags! The service should be attentive and never rushed because tea is meant to be leisurely and relaxed. Finally there should be abundant food. It's funny how the meal is named after a beverage but it often features three separate courses of food. Generally served on tiered trays, there are finger sandwiches, scones with cream and finally pastries, often petit fours.

The Laurel Court is a posh room under three domes, decorated with painted murals, columns, and surrounded by cozy loveseats. The room was restored in 2000, and it's a treat just to spend time there, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Because afternoon tea is a bit of a luxury (at the Laurel Court it is $36) the food should be a lavish spread and at the Laurel Court it certainly is. In addition to tea of your choice, you will enjoy a little rolled smoked salmon and chive cream cheese pinwheel on rye bread, Dungeness crab and mango salad on a corn muffin, open-faced cucumber and goat cheese sandwich with sundried tomato tapenade on black walnut bread and perhaps my favorite, Five-spice beef tenderloin and lady apple slaw on black olive baguette. All the sandwiches are fresh and delicious.

A scone with currants is served with cream, lemon curd and a quince pear compote. If you need a smidgen more of anything the waiters are there in an instant to oblige. By the time you get to the petit fours you might only be able to nibble on one or two and need to take the rest home. The chocolate and hazelnut French macaron is particularly good. The little cheesecake and chocolate cup of coffee mousse, are each a bit rich, and the madeleines perfect for dunking in tea. I also recommend the mini fruit tarts which are as tasty as they are pretty. My advice? Go with someone you want to catch up with and enjoy!

Day 74! India...Fish Curry and Pindi Chole - Rockin' Lunch! Up Next, Indonesia

In my experience, you either love Indian food, or you just can't take the heat. Personally, I love, Love, LOVE the heat (pretty good for a white girl, right?!) and the exotic Indian spices filling my house with the hint of this distant and beautiful country is truly trans-formative.  Today's Sunday lunch features, Indian Fish Curry, Pindi Chole (Chick Peas) and Tandori Naan.

But,  it's not just the smell of the spices that sends me into sensory nirvana. The colors of cumin, coriander, turmeric and garam masala are so deeply beautiful. Let me clarify - I don't mean "deep" in a groovy, 'that's really deep, man' kind of way - I mean the richness and depth of the spices are breathtaking.

Like so many countries, India's long and complex history could fill 15 blogs, so you'll be getting the abbreviated version today and I apologize in advance if anyone feels cheated. Located in South Asia, India is the 7th largest and most populated democracy (1.18 billion people) in the world. India's neighbors include Pakistan, Bhutan, China, Nepal, Bangladesh and Burma.

India's cooking traditions date back about 5,000 years and vary widely from region to region. Vegetarianism is widely practiced through out the country and reflects a long history of spice trade as well religious, spiritual and cultural beliefs. Staples, ingredients and spices typical to India include but are not limited to: rice, red lentils, pigeon peas, chick peas, tomatoes, potatoes, chilli pepper, cumin, turmeric, ginger, coriander, cloves, cardamom and nutmeg.

I used Basmati rice for this meal-it's got a wonderful taste and texture that off-sets the heat of the accompanying dishes

 HOT peppers - I used a whole pepper in the pindi chole, but my friend Sangeeta would have used 2 - go for it if you like really, really, hot!

 Garlic, ginger and hot peppers give the pindi chole zip and a kick - two things I enjoy and seek in both food and life.

 Cilantro and ginger flavor the vegetable dish - a fine vegetarian main course served up with rice

 Once in a while you get lucky when taking a picture. My kitchen is flooded with natural sunlight most of the day. The light filtering through the windows back-lit the papery onion skin and shown the texture of the ginger in a way that artificial lighting never could have captured.

 I chose Talapia for this dish because it holds up well, and - yeah, it's pretty cheap and sometimes you just gotta work with what you've got - or don't got - in your wallet.

 Ground Turmeric - such a beautiful spice

Tandori Naan, a lovely Indian bread accompanied the meal. I have made it from scratch before, but it hasn't been nearly as good as the store-bought brand I like best: Fabulous Flats, which is available in most supermarkets

And there you have it. A beautiful and spicy Sunday lunch!

Pindi Chole (Chick Peas) -(Recipe's original source unknown)

• 1 can chick peas
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 1/2 inch piece of ginger, 3/4 shredded finely for garnish
• 2-3 Tbsp. oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 tsp. garlic, freshly crushed
• 2 green chilies, sliced (I used 1)
• 3 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1//2 tsp. red chili powder (or to taste)
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala
• finely chopped coriander leaves

1. Finely chop ginger. Heat oil and saute onions until golden, then add garlic and chopped ginger and green chilies. Saute for 5 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes, coriander, cumin, turmeric and chili powder and saute over low heat until the oil separates.
3. Add chick peas, about a cup of water, salt and half the coriander leaves. Simmer, uncovered until the liquid has been absorbed (but do not dry out)
4. Add a pinch of garam masala and serve pindi chole sprinkled with remaining coriander leaves and shredded ginger.

Indian Fish Curry

• 1 1/2 lbs. white fish (I used Talapia)
• 2 medium onions
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. ginger, minced
• 4 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 2/3 cup of water
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp. white cumin seeds or powder (I used powder)
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder

1. Cut the fish into medium sized pieces.
2. Heat the ghee (clarified butter) in a frying pan and fry the fish pieces gently for 5 minutes. Drain the fish on kitchen paper towels and set aside.
3. Chop one onion finely and grate the other one.
4. Add the chopped onion to the ghee in the pan and fry until golden.
5. Add all spices and cook stirring for 10 minutes
6. Now add the grated onion, garlic, ginger and tomato puree. Fry the mixture until the ghee starts to separate.
7. Add the water and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add friend fish pieces. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
8. Serve over hot rice or roti.

Final Assessment:  We all loved this meal!  It was hot, spicy, light and beautiful to look at. A perfect Sunday lunch that I'll definitely make again.

Potluck Posts 10/28

I'm getting ready to hit the road again, with a couple of trips in November. First I'll be in Napa for the Worlds of Flavor: Japan conference then I'll be going on my first cruise and adding on a couple of days in Miami. The photo above is from my most recent trip to Wisconsin.

If you enjoyed my post here on Switzerland, check out my longer Frommer's report on Appenzell, a lovely region not far from Zurich. I've shared a few culinary highlights of the region, it's definitely worth a visit.

On Epicurious, my most recent posts are about sweet piquante peppers, you might know them as peppadews. There's another post with an updated list of my favorite foodie newsletters, all are free and good reads. I explored the flavor combination of zucchini, thyme and lemon. The comments on my post were great. I loved the suggestion to make a lemon pound cake with lemon and thyme sugar glaze.

Next week on Cooking with Amy you'll find another post in the series "Why do YOU cook?" as well as a review of afternoon tea at a fancy hotel on Nob Hill.

Day 73! Iceland...A New Twist on Tradition: Pönnukökur - Icelandic Pancakes - Up Next, India

Check out the awesome back-story on Skyr, the ingredient that rocked today's recipe...

After spending several days combing the web for Icelandic recipes with no inspiration, I randomly picked up the November issue of  Food and Wine magazine while sitting in the dentist's office. Shaz'am, as if by divine intervention, the first article I turned to featured  Siggi Hilmarsson, an Icelandic entrepreneur who single handedly brought Siggi's Skyr, the traditional yogurt of Iceland, to the United States. Transplanted to New York City and feeling homesick for his native land, he began experimenting in his kitchen, gradually perfecting the ancient recipe, testing it first on friends, then with the public. Talk about a sign!

Check out the flavor varieties!

So I got to thinking...I'd seen a recipe for Pönnukökur, Icelandic Pancakes, that called for sour cream. Why couldn't Skyr be substituted for the sour cream? Why not??!!  Now, when inspiration strikes, I'm all over it - so I hit up Whole Foods, my go-to store for all ingredients hard to find. And...wait for it... there it was - elegant in non-fussy packaging AND on sale. How cool is that?! The Nordic gods were watching over me.

The beautiful island country of Iceland was settled in 874 AD, reportedly by a Norweigian Cheiftan, Ingolfur Arnarson. Located in the North Atlantic Ocean, Iceland is volcanically and geologically active. Despite being just outside of the Arctic Circle, Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and so enjoys a temperate climate.

Some of the foods commonly eaten in Iceland include lamb, dairy, fish and bread. Pickling, fermenting, brining, drying and smoking are frequently used techniques to cure meat and fish.

 This was my first time trying Siggi's yogurt, and I am FOREVER a fan. I like it better than Greek yogurt (which I also like), because it's lighter and not as chalky. Also, it's got the perfect balance of tart and sweet.

 Cinnamon adds a lovely taste and smell to the batter

 Beautiful strawberries bring forth the last taste of summer as fall sets in (I'm so in denial)

Once again, I prefer to use one of my old, simple machine tools. This was my grandmother's hand beater and I love it - don't get me wrong - I use my KitchenAid for most big jobs, but when I want to whip up a batch of heavy cream, this is the tool I prefer.

 I used turbano sugar and confectioners sugar for dusting

 Is there anything lovelier than fresh whipped cream? No - I thought not.

The batter sits up for 20 minutes to rest before cooking

For an interesting twist on a traditional recipe, I used blueberry skyr in place of sour cream - Unbelievably good!

 Pönnukökur - Icelandic Pancakes (Adapted from a recipe by Connie Magnusson)

• 1/2 cup Skyr
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda, dissolved in hot water
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• Brown and confectioners sugar for dusting

1. Combine yogurt, eggs, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, milk and vanilla. Add to flour, baking powder, mixing to a smooth batter. 
2. Let rest 20-30 minutes.
3. Heat and rub bottom of a fairly heavy griddle or crepe pan with butter.
4. Lift off heat and pour on a small amount of batter, tipping pan until entire bottom is covered.
5. Replace on heat.
6. When bottom is cooked (bubbles appear on top), turn and brown the other side.
7. Place on a plate and sugar each with equal parts of brown and white sugar.
8. Roll each pancake up and serve warm, topped with whipped cream and strawberries or jam.

Final Assessment: This was a wonderful twist on a traditional recipe. The fresh whipped cream and strawberries were the perfect accompaniment to the meal. And, the skyr...I could go on and on!

Creating A Meal You'll Love: Book Review

It seems fitting that food writers and chefs, who focus on the pleasures of eating, also help out those who don't get enough to eat. That is the idea behind Creating A Meal You'll Love: Notable Chefs and Food Writers on Their Unforgettable Dining Experiences. It's a book of essays from chefs and food writers and all of the contributors provided their essays "pro bono" with the royalties from the sale of the book going to Share Our Strength, the leading non-profit organization ending childhood hunger in America.

There are some recipes in this book, but mostly there are just wonderfully written essays from a wide range of voices. I am proud to share the pages with people I know like Shauna James Ahern and Jaden Hair, writers I admire like Louisa Chu, Mimi Sheraton and David Sax and inspiring chefs like Marcus Samuelsson, Anna Thomas, Susur Lee and Skye Gyngell. In fact, the essay from Skye Gynegell about a memorable meal that she shared with her father in Tuscany is reason enough to buy this book. My essay is on The Most Important Meal of the Day. Perhaps you can guess which one that is? It's the meal I enjoyed with guests on my wedding day and one I cherish making on the weekends and sharing with my husband.

I write this blog because I love sharing with you, my readers. I ask nothing in return. I do not ask for donations, bore you with sponsored posts or even pester you to click on ads. But I do hope you will purchase a copy of this book either for yourself or to give as a gift. I'm sure you will enjoy it and the money goes to support an important organization and a cause near and dear to my heart. Like the Best Food Writing anthologies, this is a book that shares stories from writers you treasure and will enable you to discover new voices as well.

Day 72! Hungary - The Last of the "H" countries: Chicken Paprikash and Spaetzle - Up Next, Iceland

Way back in the day, I worked for a foster care agency. At the inexperienced and cocky age of 26, I had the dually awesome and terrifying responsibility of supervising kids placed in temporary foster homes. One of my favorite foster mothers was a Hungarian woman named Ava who welcomed me into her warm kitchen and showed me how to make Hungarian Chicken Paprikash and Spaetzle on one of my many visits. It's been a long time since I've seen Ava, but I have still have her recipe and I hope this does it justice!

Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia. Hungary's capital is Budapest.

Cuisine in this beautiful, ancient country is characterized by the traditions and customs of the Magyar, the primary ethnic group. Hungarians enjoy meats, seasonal fruits and vegetables, fresh bread, cheese and honey.

Hot paprika lends heat and spice to Hungarian food that most European countries do not share. Sweet paprika, garlic, black peppercorns and parsley are also commonly used to season soups, stews and many other dishes.

 Saute green peppers and onions

 Add chicken, lightly dusted with flour. The original recipes calls for bone in chicken pieces, but I didn't have any on hand, so I improvised with boneless chicken breast

 My love affair with sea salt continues...

 Ingredients for the spaetzle - flour, eggs, water, salt, melted butter

And I just really love this old bowl

 My in-house action-shot photographers were MIA, so it was virtually impossible to capture the technique used to form the spaetzle without dropping the knife on my foot or the camera in the pot - but you get the general idea...scrape about a spoonful of dough off the edge of the plate into boiling salted water. These are probably a little bigger than they should have been

The spaetzle are done when they rise to the surface of the boiling water, which they do very quickly and only the require a minute or two to cook through.

Hungarian Chicken Paprikash (Adapted from Ava's original recipe)

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 2 small peeled or canned tomatoes
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 2 Tbsp. Hungarian paprika
• 1 3 pound chicken, or about 2 lbs. boneless breasts or thighs
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• flour for dusting chicken
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Brown onions and add green peppers, pepper, paprika, salt and pepper. 
2. Lightly dust chicken with flour.
3. Add to onions and brown
4. Add tomatoes and simmer till cooked. 
5. Add sour cream, do not allow to boil as sour cream will curdle.
6. Serve atop spaetzle and be sure to ladle plenty of sauce ontop!

Hungarian Spaetzle

• 2-1/2 cups flour
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tsp. salt
• Dash of pepper

1. Add flour, salt and pepper to a large mixing bowl.
2. Add water, eggs and melted butter.
3. Mix ingredients together until lumps are gone and dough is elastic, but  not stiff.
4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
5. Spoon batter onto a flat plate.
6. Using a knife or spoon, cut about a spoonful of batter at a time from the edge of the plate into the boiling water. The spaetzle will rise quickly to the surface, and only need a few minutes to cook once they've popped to the surface.
7. Remove spaetzle to a colander, giving them a quick rinse and drain.

Final Assessments:  If my boys could eat this once a week, they would. I, on the other hand, would have an ass the size of Hungary, so this dish shall forever remain a delicious, special treat. A+