Chive Cheese Bread

 Chive Cheese Bread

I continue to experiment with the No Knead recipes in Jim Lahey's book --- mostly making variations with whole wheat, rye and buckwheat.  But our chives in the garden are going crazy this Spring, so I decided to add them to his basic cheese bread.  

This bread is quite good --- the mild onion flavor of the chives goes well with the Fontina cheese. Black pepper adds a spicy element. 

 You can make the recipe without the chives and it would be excellent, too.

Chive Cheese Bread
(adapted from Jim Lahey's No Knead Bread cookbook)

400 grams bread flour
200 grams 1/2 inch cubed Fontina cheese
1 t. salt (taste your cheese and if it is salty use a little less)
3/4 t. yeast
1 1/3 cup of 55-65 degree cool water
lots of chopped chives --- 1/2 cup
lots of black pepper, at least 1/2 t.
extra flour, cornmeal or oat bran for dusting

20 hours before you want to bake the bread, mix together the flour, cheese, chives, salt and yeast in a large bowl.  Add the water, and mix to form a wet dough.  Add more water if needed, if you have low humidity. I added about 2-3 T.  more. 

Cover it with plastic wrap, so it doesn't dry out, and place in a warm room overnight to develop grow and develop flavor.  It will get bubbly. 

Generously flour a surface, and turn it out, and grab the edges into the center until you have a ball and can turn it over.  Use a flat scraper if needed. 

Place the dough on a very generously coated cotton kitchen towel --- use lots of  flour, or cornmeal, or oat bran --- otherwise, your dough will stick to the towel. 

Cover it loosely and place it in a warm place to rise.  I put it in a gently warmed oven (i.e., I turn it on for a minute, then turn it off) and place a tray of water in the bottom of the oven, to create a moist atmosphere. 

It will take at least an hour and maybe two to double and keep an impression when you touch it.  Remove it about a half hour before you think it will be ready so you can preheat the oven to 475 degrees.

Half an hour before the end of the last rise, place a clean dry covered dutch oven in to preheat. 

Carefully remove the hot pot, carefully remove the cover, and carefully place the dough into the pot. 

Cover it again and return to the hot oven.  Bake for 1/2 hours.

Remove the cover and bake again for 10 -15 minutes until dark golden brown.

Remove from oven and remove cover and let it cool enough so you can get the bread out with a spatula.  (My stuck to the bottom -- due to the cheese --- but after it cooled down a little it popped out.)

Let it cool on a rack for at least hour before slicing.

The inside will be loaded with cheese and have the mild taste of onions --- similar to a onion bagel but not quite as strong.  It will be chewy and moist. 

Tom loved it. It's on the make-again list.

B

Chocolate Cream Pie by Colleen

Colleen's Chocolate Cream Pie

Hi Barb ---

Here is a link to a chocolate cream pie that I've made a few times the past two weeks. A friend made it for me for my birthday once and Charlotte, William and Buddy just LOVE it.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chocolate-Cream-Pie-109139

I do change the crust recipe to use a whole box of Nabisco chocolate wafer cookies with 1 stick of butter but leave the sugar amount the same.

I also use more whipped cream for the topping: 2 cups whipping cream with 1/2 cup powdered sugar plus a teaspoon vanilla, whipped stiff.

It is not very hard to make, but there is considerable chilling time involved, so it is defiinitely a "make ahead" dessert or make in the morning if you want it for dinner.

It is an old-fashioned dessert.  But sometimes that is nice.  Kind of like whoopie cake.  All I know is the kids will fight each other to get the last piece!

  --- Colleen

Beef-Broccoli Lo Mein by Tom

Beef-Broccoli Lo Mein

Monday is often my time to cook as Barbara is usually off painting.  This Monday was no exception, except Barbara was at the lake house and I was waiting for David to go play golf.  While waiting, though, I thumbed through our very well worn cookbook "The Best of Cooking Light Everyday Favorites", and came across this beef-broccoli lo mein recipe that caught my eye.  What made it interesting to me was the fact that it used pasta instead of lo mein noodles.  A different kind of twist.  The rest of the ingredients were pretty standard, but all sounded good.  I actually prepped everything except the pasta prior to playing golf, and then threw them all together when I returned.  This made for an easy meal to make.

This dish has all of the taste characteristics of the authentic version of beef with broccoli without the crunch of lo mein noodles or the fattiness of the sauce.  Since it came from "Cooking Light" you can bet it is nutritious and low in fat and caloric content.  Barbara had seconds, so I know it was good!  David stayed for dinner and enjoyed it as well.

   ---Tom

Beef-Broccoli Lo Mein
(Cooking Light)
Serves 6

8 ounces of uncooked spaghetti (I used buccatini instead)
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves minced
3 cups chopped broccoli florets
1 1/2 cup sliced onions
1 pound flank steak cut across the grain into thin strips
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon chili garlic paste or sauce

Heat the peanut oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add the ginger and the garlic and saute approximately 30 seconds.  Next add the broccoli and the onions and saute for at least three more minutes.  The onion should just be starting to soften.

Cook the pasta per the directions on the box without salt or oil in the cooking water until the pasta is al dente.  Drain the pasta in a colander and then put into a large bowl that has the dark sesame oil in it.  Thoroughly mix the pasta with the sesame oil and then set aside.

Next add the flank steak strips and saute for another five minutes or so, or until it is well browned and cooked to your liking.

Dump the pasta into the saute pan.  Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, oyster sauce and chili-garlic sauce.  Stir the mixture constantly to both reheat the pasta as well as to get the remaining ingredients thoroughly infused with the vegetables and flank steak.  This will take another couple of minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat, and plate it up...and enjoy!  Barbara made a nice green salad to go along with this, which was a perfect complement to this dish.

   ---Tom

Chicken Marbella from Silver Palette

I made a big batch of Chicken Marbella (from the popular Silver Palette cookbook from the 80's) to have on hand while our household was turned upside down during the last 3 months with contractors here working on our master bathroom. 

Chicken Marbella has many fans, and probably just as many people who don't understand why people like it.  It has olives, capers, prunes, lots of garlic and oregano, tangy vinegar and fruity olive oil, white wine, bay leaves, brown sugar. 

We are fans! But think it is even better if you add some heat to counteract all of the sweetness -- we use hot cherry peppers or red pepper flakes.

We do batches of legs and thighs, with the bone in (versus chicken quarters) but you could do whatever chicken part you like. 

The first time, while it is still hot from the oven, we serve it with grilled asparagus.  Then cool it down and freeze it in 4 cup containers we can pull out to make quick additional meals.

Next, we make the leftovers into a pasta dish, using penne and the pan juices, and the meat removed from the bone. It is good either warm or cold.

But, our new favorite version uses Tom's Graduate School Chicken technique:  We put basmati rice in the bottom of a casserole with the appropriate amount of chicken stock to cook the rice, add sliced hot cherry peppers, then layer the leftover Chicken Marbella with pan juices on top, cover it and bake it for an hour until the edges of the rice get brown and crispy like paella. 

Note:  Chicken Marbella must be marinated over night to keep it moist, so plan ahead.

Chicken Marbella
(Silver Palette, page 86)

Serves a lot! Good for a party dish.

4 Chickens, 2.5 pounds each, quartered
1 head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed
1/4 cup dried oregano
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup pitted prunes
1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives
1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice (we used the whole jar)
6 bay leaves
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white wine (be generous)
1/4 Italian parsley, finely chopped

Our addition -- Optional:  sliced hot cherry peppers or dried red pepper flakes, to taste

In a large bowl combine chicken quarters, garlic, oregano, pepper and coarse salt to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and juice, and bay leaves.  Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Arrange the chicken in a single layer in one or two large shallow baking pans and spoon marinade over it evenly.  Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them. 

Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices.  Chicken is done when thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest, yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juices.

With a slotted spoon, transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter.  Moisten with a few spoonfuls of pan juices, and sprinkle generously with parsley.  Pour remaining pan juices into a sauce boat and serve along with chicken.

To serve Chicken Marbella cold, cool to room temperature in cooking juices before transferring to a serving platter.  If chicken has been covered and refrigerated, allow it to return to room temperature before serving.  Spoon some of the reserved juice over chicken.

B

Semi-Traditional Ossobuco

Ossobuco

 

Our winter has been extra long this year. Over the weekend, there were still snow flakes in the air and it was in the 20's overnight.  So, for Sunday dinner, it did not seem odd to be making a hearty meal like ossobuco (veal shanks).

This is a traditional recipe for Ossobuco, researched by Giuliano Bugialli, in his book Classic Techniques of Italian Cooking.

Ossobuco is a dish using sliced veal shanks, braised in a white wine and tomato sauce, where the center piece of bone with its marrow is considered the pearl in the oyster. 

I took some short cuts (he cuts his own shanks!) and sized the recipe down to serve two.  His version for 6.  You could increase or decrease it depending on the number you are feeding.

It takes a couple of hours to make this dish, so give yourself plenty of time.  I didn't. :) 

Ossobuco
(from Giuliano Bugialli)

Serves 6

6 ossibuchi (veal shank cut into 1 1/2 inch slices, bone marrow in center, and tied with string)
1 medium sized red onion
1 medium size carrot
1 celery stalk
1 small piece of lemon peel
2 1/2 cups drained canned imported Italian tomatoes
3 T.  tomato paste
1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup olive oil
5 T. sweet butter
salt and freshly ground pepper
About 1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 clove garlic, peeled but left whole
About 20 sprigs Italian parsley, leaves only

Optional:
2 cups rice, preferably Italian Arborio
Coarse grained salt
Scant 1/2 t. saffron, ground

Pass the tomatoes through a food mill and mix with the tomato paste.  (I skipped this step and crushed my tomatoes with a whisk.)



Finely chop the onion, carrot, celery and lemon peel together. (I used a bag of grocery store mirepoix and grated in the lemon.) Heat 1/3 cup olive oil and 2 T. butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  When the butter is completely melted, add the chopped ingredients and saute lightly for about 10 minutes.

(This mixture smells great!!! The lemon peel becomes fragrant.)

Then add the tomato-tomato paste mixture.  (I stirred in the tomato paste first, and cooked it until all of the vegetables were coated, just as I would with a curry, to deepen the flavor. And then I stirred the tomatoes.)

Taste for salt and pepper and simmer 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, lightly flour the ossibuchi on both sides but not on the edges. (I used store-bought shanks and did not tie them.) Heat the remaining oil and butter in a flameproof casserole over medium heat.  When the butter is completely melted, add the meat and saute

until golden brown on both sides (about 3 minutes each side).

Add the wine (carefully!) and let it evaporate over very low heat for about 20 minutes.

Pass all of the ingredients of the saucepan through a food mill (I skipped this step) and pour over the meat.  (I also added some water because my sauce was too thick and not deep enough to come half-way up the sides of the meat for effective braising). 

Add the garlic. (I did this before adding the tomato sauce.)

Cover the casserole and simmer for 40 minutes.   Then turn the ossibuchi on the other side, discard the garlic, and taste for salt and pepper. 

Cover again and simmer for about 35 minutes longer.  Coarsely chop the parsley on a board.

If the ossobuco is to be served accompanied by rice, prepare the rice while the meat is cooking.  Twenty minutes before ossibuchi are ready, bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add coarse grained salt to taste and

add the rice

and saffron. 

Stir with a wooden spoon and let the rice cook until al dente (about 16 minutes).  Drain the rice and arrange it on a warm serving dish. 

Place the already cooked ossibuchi on top of the rice, then pour over the remaining sauce from the casserole.  Sprinkle with parsley (I used lots)  and serve immediately. 

Everyone should have a small fork (or spoon) in addition to the normal one in order to eat the marrow, which is considered the choicest  part of the ossobuco. 

We loved the abrorio rice cooked this way. It is lighter (than when made as a risotto) and absorbs the flavors of the sauce, as a pasta would. 

B

Hot Tamale Soup from Tom

As Barbara has dubbed this week "The Week From Hell", she asked me to offer a recipe for the blog.  But before I do, a little explanation.

Why the week from hell, you ask?  Well first of all I was gone for the first half of the week along with the past weekend as I went to Atlanta for the NCAA Final Four basketball tournament.  That left Barbara to fend with our contractors, who are remodeling our master bathroom along with performing some left over work on our last fall kitchen remodeling project.  Of course this was the week that lots of little details needed answers adding to the stress.  And on top of all of this, our dishwasher decided to end its life by leaking water all over the floor and our kitchen sink drain started doing the same thing.  Needless to say, Barbara's mind was drawn away from the blog.

The good news is that the new kitchen backsplash looks great.  It will show up in some future recipe pictures I am sure.  The water-destroyed flooring is being replaced, and a new Bosch dishwasher arrives next Wednesday.  Our kitchen will be back to normal after that and some real cooking will once again commence.

Fortuitously my mother sent me a recipe that she raved about.  She had earlier contributed the seafood chowder recipe, which we both thought was absolutely terrific.  So, trusting my mother's tastes, I am sharing this recipe with you as she made it.  I have yet to test it, but all of the ingredients are to my liking.  So I am quite confident that this soup is another winner.

Thanks Mom!

     ---Tom

Hot Tamale Soup

6 servings

1 pound lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch of ground cinnamon
3 cups chicken broth or stock
1 14- to 16-ounce can chopped tomatoes with juices
12 purchased tamales, approximately 3 ounces each
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels
Shredded cheddar for serving

Heat a heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the ground beef, onion, green pepper and garlic and cook until the beef is browned, breaking up the beef with a spoon.  This should take about 4-5 minutes.

Add the chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and cinnamon and cook for an additional minute.  Add the chicken broth and tomatoes with juices.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the tamales according to the package instructions.

After the chili has simmered its requisite 30 minutes or so, stir in the pinto beans and the corn and heat through, which will take another 3 minutes or so.  Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.

Line the serving bowls with two tamales each.  Ladle the soup into the bowls and sprinkle with the cheddar cheese.

Serve and enjoy!

            ---Tom

Kale Smoothie Suggestion from Bridget

Kale Smoothie Suggestion from Bridget

 

When I mentioned that other day that I was working with my doctor to "de-tox" my system, Bridget recommended her Kale Smoothie.  Says it will make you feel good, and is good for you. 

So, I faithfully bought all of the ingredients, and made my first smoothie.  Now, this smoothie is not for everyone.  It is more for those who believe in the power of wheat grass and can tolerate the taste of raw greens. 

It is was very filling and rather sharp tasting.  Almost too much for me to handle, but the day after I had the smoothie I felt great and had lots of energy! 

Kale Smoothie

2 servings

Fresh Kale -- Bridget uses prewashed, chopped in bags
Freshly grated ginger
Pineapple juice, and crushed pineapple
A small ripe banana
Flax Seeds (I found them in the bulk aisle)
Soy milk or water (I used coconut milk)

So here's what I did.  Add the flax seeds first, per Bridget's directions.  About a tablespoon or two.  Then, she said to fill the blender about half way up with kale.  Add a banana for sweetness.  Fresh ginger because it is good for you.  So, I grated some into the blender.  Pineapple juice -  uses canned, unsweetened. I got worried about the kale being bitter so I put in plenty of crushed pineapple, too.   And then she recommends soy milk or water.  I am not supposed to drink soy milk due to thyroid issues, so I chose coconut milk.  Whirl it all together.  I made mine extra smooth by choosing the Liquefy button on the blender, but you can leave it chunky if preferred.

The sooner you drink it the better.  Bottoms up!

B

Pork Chop Milanese by Carl H.

Cotoletta di maiali (Pork Chop Milanese)

 

Note from B:  I am pleased to have Carl. H. as a guest blogger again.  He writes a very informative and entertaining recipe. We made this dish for our Sunday supper and it was delicious!

Hi Barb,
Here is another of my favorites  ---
     ----Carl 

 Cotoletta di maiali Milanese (Pork chop Milanese)

(serves 6)

Ingredients:
6 thickish pork chops
3 eggs
2 cups unflavored breadcrumbs
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
olive oil for browning
2 cloves garlic (more, if you prefer)
3 lemons
1 8 oz. jar whole pitted olives (w/ pimento)(and juice)
2 dredging dishes
1 large skillet or low sided Le Creuset (w/ cover)

Directions:

Pummel the pork chops. You can use wax paper if you want to lessen the collateral damage. The idea behind the pounding is to break down some of the connective tissue and to flatten them a bit. You went them to end up about half again as large as they began.

Break the eggs into one dredging dish. Beat them coarsely. Pour half the breadcrumbs and half the Parmesan into the other and mix them together with your hands.

In the skillet, brown the crushed garlic in the olive oil for 30 seconds and discard. Dredge the chops in the egg mixture, then the breadcrumb/cheese mixture. Brown the chops in the skillet and set aside. You will likely need more olive oil and breadcrumb/cheese mixture as you work your way through the browning process. That is why you hold half the breadcrumb/cheese mixture in reserve.

Now you have some lovely fond in the pan that you free up with a wooden spoon by pouring in the entire contents of the jar of olives. Return the browned chops to the pan. Cut the lemons in quarters and squeeze the juice over the top of the chops.

Cover tightly and cook over low heat for an hour or until the meat cuts with a fork. You can use a 300 degree oven, if you prefer. Put the chops on a platter and pour the pan juices and the olives over them. We usually serve with a simple spaghetti marinara and a tossed salad. Cotes-du-Rhone goes well.

Simple, fragrant and delicious.

Best,

Carl