FOOLPROOF Regular Home Baker SOURDOUGH Bread + Starter

Easy Wholewheat Sourdough Bread

I base my starter on Alton Brown's but I have a full time job so his full recipe would have been unreasonable for a real person.  If you want to original recipe, which will obviously work now that we're all trapped at home and it might be entertaining to baby your starter.  To start you will need a kitchen scale. 

Sourdough Starter (bread recipe afterwards)

100 g Flour
100 g Water

Day 1:  Mix the ingredients in a bowl, either Glass or Metal.  Cover with a damp tea towel.  It doesn't need to be wet.  I just wash my hands then wipe them on a clean tea towel.  Leave out on the counter.  I'm firm about the glass or metal bowl.  I'm not fond of food staying next plastic for too long.  I've seen videos using tupperware, probably because of the ease of the lid.  Blech

Day 2-5: Check but don't touch.  A dried out 'scab' might form on top.  That's fine.  Make sure the towel is someone moist but it's not a big deal.  When you see some bubbling (bubbling looks like the way the top of a pancake on the pan appears when it starts to rise and cooks) , you can start feeding.  It might start earlier than Day 5.  If you're hermetically sealing yourself into your house and not opening any of your windows or doors, it might take longer.

Feedings: This is where I veer from Alton Brown. He goes into Daily Feeding and 'Discarding'.  I think that is TERRIBLY wasteful, particularly in this time but generally I'm very frugal and hate wasting food.  Also, because you are not a baker or professional, you don't need to feed daily nor leave on the counter. It's just too much.  This will mean that your flavour will take longer to develop because the aging is slowed down in the fridge. 

Peel off the 'scab' and add 100g of Flour and 100 g of Water.  You need to weigh not measure.  The moisture level in Flour varies from place to place.  Mix thoroughly and leave out another day.  I then transfer the starter into your long-term container.  I use a large sealable Mason Jar.  I leave it on the counter for a few more days until it looks like you need to use it before it overflows or put it in the fridge to slow it down.  Now, every time you use it, let it come to room temperature for an hour.  And feed it after you've taken some out for the bread and return it to the fridge. 

This is where lots of home bakers go wrong.  They forget that they are working with a cold starter so some recipes assume you have 'warm' starter and 'warm' ingredients.  I keep my wholewheat flour in the fridge too.  You should keep it in the freezer to keep it from going rancid but I use it enough to use the fridge instead.  So the overnight rise in the fridge doesn't work well, if your starter and flour are cold.  Trust.  If your starter takes too long to become active, and bubbly, then you might want to leave it on the counter and feed daily (take out 75% of the starter and feed with equal amounts flour and water.  You can either throw away the 'discard' or use it in pancakes or cracker recipes.  In normal life, I couldn't be bothered.)

FOOLPROOF Wholewheat Sourdough Bread

500 g Wholewheat Flour (less 2 tsp)
2 tsp Vital Wheat Gluten (you can leave this out but then don't cut back the flour)
150 g Starter
250 g Water
10 g Salt
15 g Oil

In the evening, mix the dough in a stand mixer or by hand.  I like to knead in the stand mixer at least 15 minutes but it may be excessive since it will rise overnight.  I cover with a lightly oiled plastic wrap and set aside on the counter overnight.

First thing in the morning, push down and form into loaves.  If you like light sandwichy loaves, cut in half and form into 2 loaves and let rise 6-8 hours.  If you like one dense, chewy loaf, form into a loaf.  I use a well floured Banneton so it rises up more than out. Cover with the same piece of oiled plastic wrap for 3-4 hours. 

Preheat the oven to 400F convect or 425F normal OR if you did the fluffy loaves, heat to 375F.  Put a rack in the middle and one at the bottom.

On a non-stick silicon mat, turn out the Banneton.  Slice as you like to help rise more. 

On the lower rack put a sturdy pan.  I use the roasting pan that comes with stove.  You can also use a foil pan.  Don't use your 'good' baking sheets.  They'll warp. 

As you're about to put the bread into the oven, pour 1 cup of water into the sturdy pan on the lower level and quickly put in the loaf.

Bake the single dense loaf for 27 minutes in the middle.  You may want to move the loaf for an additional 2 minutes to the side of the oven in case the water pan didn't allow the bottom to brown sufficiently.  The 2 airy loves bake for 23-25 minutes. 

Let cool COMPLETELY until you want to slice.  It will be difficult.  If you think you want to keep around as your daily bread do not cut it while warm.  If you think you'll eat it all in a go, then go ahead.  Then bag in a clear produce bag or container.  It will last a week until you bake again, typically. 

For the banneton, you will need a 14 inch oblong or round.  Or 2 7 inch round bannetons.  OR 1 regular loaf pan. 

Wholewheat Sourdough Banneton Bread Loaf

#sourdough #sourdoughbread #bread

Vegan "Buttery" Hamburger Buns

We normally use those flatter, wholewheat hamburger buns because the store bought ones are too 'heavy'.  Stuck in the house and wanting what they want, they asked for 'real' buns.  Well, this is a new world for whismical asks during #COVID isolation.  I'm not about to pop out to the shops for hamburger buns, am I?  Here is a very easy recipe that can be done with the kids in between calls and online classes.

Vegan Hamburger Buns Eggless

VEGAN 'Buttery' Hamburger Buns

Stage 1
1/4 c warm Soy Milk (or just Water)
1/2 c warm Water
1 T Sugar
2 t Yeast (alot of recipes show upto a T but that's just crazy talk during these times)

Stage 2
2 c Bread Flour (or 2 c All Purpose Flour, less 2 t and add 2 t Vital Wheat Gluten)
2 T Vegan Butter or Margarine (e.g., Melt or Olive Oil), at room temperature
1 t Salt

As needed
1t Oil for lubrication
1 T Cornmeal, for dusting
1/2 T Sesame Seeds, raw preferably
1 T Soy Milk or other plant Milk

In your stand mixer bowl or large mixing bowl, add the Water, Milk, Sugar and dissolve the Sugar briefly.  Sprinkle the Yeast over and let sit for 10 minutes.  Longer doesn't hurt.

Add the dough hook to your stand mixer.  Add the 'Butter', Flour and Salt and mix on lowest speed until all the flour is moistened before turning up faster or you'll have a flour explosion.  Knead on 2-4 for upto 15-20 minutes.  Add a teaspoon of water at a time if after 10 minutes, the mixture still looks raggedy and isn't coming together in a ball.  The moisture level of this recipe is lower than my Sourdough and is alot stiffer.  And let it run for a good 3 minutes before adding more water.  Depending on how 'dry' your flour is, you may have to add more.  But try not to add more than a couple of tablespoons (8 teaspoons), just be patient.  It will come together. 

Pick up the dough and form in to a rough ball.  I do this in the air so I don't have to mess up a surface unnecessarily and just keep turning the ball in on itself from underneath so the top looks like a smooth ball.  While holding the ball, put a few drops of oil in the stand mixer bowl.  Take the dough ball and swirl the ball around, then flip it over so the top oily face is up.  Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let stand for 3-5 hours.

Deflate the dough but resist the temptation to start kneading.  If you wake up the dough too fast, forming the Buns will be difficult and very difficult for the kids.    If you're an engineer like me, you'll want to be precise.  Weigh the dough balls and divide by 4, 5 or 6.  We did 5 because I wanted medium sized buns.  If you don't have a scale, get a scale.  Baking is alot easier with a scale :D.  But if you don't want a scale, just roughly divide with a pastry cutter or knife.  Again, resist the urge to try to form just yet. 

This is where the kids can really get involved.  They did help me measure all the stuff at the beginning too but he got bored watching the dough being kneaded ;D.  We did 3 options. 

1.  Form in to simple balls.  Push out the ball with the heel of your hand then fold toward you.  Turn and repeat a few times with the folds always on the same plane so the side on the board remains 'smooth'.  Pick up and pinch in your hand like you're doing an "okay" sign and squeezing the head of the bun out.  Pinch the bottom and set on your baking mat with a bit of sprinking of Cornmeal.
2. Simple knot.  Push out the ball with the heel of your hand but elongating as you do to about 6 inches and then starting rolling like a rolling pin/cigar.  Form into a simple loose knot and form in your hands into a round almost rose shape. 
3. Kaiser 'flower', which I love for texture.  Start as the same as the knot but longer, maybe 8 inches.  Knot put pull closed this time.  You will have a knot with two long arms.  Tuck one arm into the centre of the top and the other into the centre of the bottom.  I followed a video just for the knot. 
4. Bagel, no, bun, no Bao, ... my daughter just played with her roll for a while which made working it super hard later :D  she then decided she wanted a bagel, which looked good but then she closed it thinking a Bao would be cuter... and on and on...

Place them all on a puddle of Cornmeal.  Take a mere teaspoon of oil in a small bowl and let the kids dip their fingers in and gently cover the buns with Oil to keep from drying and sticking to the cover.  Cover very loosely with plastic/cling wrap and set aside.  I put it in the oven with no heat.  Let rise for 2-3 hours.  Keep the bowl with the remaining oil because I hate to waste.

Take the buns out.  Preheat the oven to 425F.  A convect will adjust to 400F.  Put a rack in the middle and another rack on the bottom with a heavy duty sheet pan on the bottom.  This is for steaming water.  I would therefore not use a flimsy aluminum one or a teflon one if it will sit empty in a hot oven.  Use the roasting pans that ovens often come with. 

Meanwhile, in the bowl with the leftover oil, add the Soy Milk.  Use a brush or your fingers and liberally brush the buns VERY GENTLY so as not to deflate the buns.  Sprinkle Sesame Seeds over the top.  Use raw because roasted may burn.  Also generally speaking, you should keep your Sesame Seeds raw until you need to use them.  My mom, Korean, bulk roasts them but she uses them in bulk.  Also after roasting, keep them in the fridge. 

Open the heated oven and pour 2 cups of water in the pan on the bottom.  Slide in the buns. Bake for 20-25 minutes but mid way, rotate if you want. 

The result was suprisingly buttery and dense without being too heavy.  Not too crusty so as to cut up your mouth. 

Vegan Triple Decker with Homemade Hamburger Buns

#Isolationbaking #Bakingwithkids #bread #bakingbread

Wholewheat Herbes de Provence Pull Apart Rolls - Toasty Savoury Goodness

Wholewheat Herbes de Provence Pull Apart Rolls

I get cravings for making bread like pregnant women might crave a boiled potato.... What? Just me? There is a dearth of GOOD bakeries in the Fairview area apart from Wholefoods and that includes the bland batons of air from Baguettes et Echalottes on Granville island. But if you don't want to pay the price of a large bag of flour for one (albeit tasty) loaf at WF, then you have to bake.

The dangerous thing about these scrumptious Pull Apart Rolls is that, as you slather butter on each steamy little ball of baked joy, you don't realise you've eaten nearly an entire loaf of bread. The Herbes de Provence give the otherwise run of the mill rolls a savouriness and subtle sophistication, particularly because of the Lavender. Mmmmmmm

Wholewheat Herbes de Provence Pull Apart Rolls

1 1/2 c Water, luke warm, it so hot you cannot comfortably dunk your finger
1 T Honey
2 t Yeast (or 1 envelope)
1 t Salt
2 t dry Herbes de Provence
1 c Bread Flour
3 c Wholewheat Flour (+/- 1/2 c depending on humidity)
1-2 T Olive Oil

In your stand mixer bowl, add the Water and Honey. Stir to dissolve. Sprinkle over the yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes until frothy.

Add the Salt, 1T Olive Oil and the Herbes de Provence. Mix on low/stir for a minute.

Leave on low/stir and add the first 2c of Flour a 1/2c at a time. Then turn it up to medium until all the flour is incorporated. Scrape down the sides and add another 1/2c of Flour. Turn on low until Flour is I corporated and youre safe from a face full of Flour. Continue to do this adding 1/4 cups of Flour until the dough pulls away cleanly from the sides and is slightly tacky to the touch. I like it stickier than normal. Or at least I do in Vancouver. For some reason, out east, I could bring the dough to a easy to handle consistency and it would turn out great. When I moved here and made dough to that consistency, it came out too dense and dry. Test test test...for your area.

Knead on medium for 10 minutes.

Grease a large bowl lightly. Lift the dough out and pull and roll it in your hands to form a ball. Place in greased bowl then turn over for oily side up. Set aside covered in plastic wrap or moist towel to rise for 1 hour.

Brush a bundt pan lightly with Olive Oil. Have a small bowl Oil at hand. Oil your hands. Pull bits of dough about 3/4 the size of tennis balls. Roll and drop into bundt pan. Continue and tightly pack the Rolls. Cover and let rise for 1 hour. Check though because the Rolls may rise over the lip of the pan and you don't want the dough to touch it. Uncover then.

Preheat oven to 375F

Brush with oil and bake for 25-30 minutes. It should be golden brown and risen.

Serve with a generous pat of Butta.....mmmmmm

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Monday, September 26th - When it rains I bake.... Bread. - Dark Rye Country Loaf

Dark Country Rye Loaf

You know the more traditional saying of what happens when it rains.  Well, when it chucks it down like it did yesterday, and you are happy to resign yourself to 'having' to stay in rather than fighting inertia, I get a burst of energy to bake. Yesterday, was exacerbated by the fact that the Sunday night toon line up on the PVR was horrible.  Ceelo on a musical episode of American Dad?  What were they thinking?

D was complaining the other day that I have too many Flours in the house.  What kind of comment is that?  It's like pointing out that someone has too many Spices or Shoes in the house.  He requested I do something with either my Dark Rye Flour or my Chick Pea Flour.  Well, since D is planning on doing a Bread Salad in a couple of days, I thought I'd bake some bread for it.  As it turns out, I'll have to bake another one, since D says that Rye bread is not neutral enough for the Salad.  Oh well,  more for me with Maple Butter..mmmmmm.  Dark, chewy goodness.  There are not alot of places to get good Rye Bread in Vancouver.  For the most part, you'll find White Bread with Caraway Seeds on top.  Cop out if you ask me.  Although, I miss the Caraway seeds on mine, but the texture and the depth were there. Mine will not rise as high since I use more Rye to AP than other recipes call for.  Still, Yummo!

Dark Rye Country Loaf

1 c warm Water. 
1 1/2 t Yeast
2 t Salt
1/4 c Dark Molasses
1 T Honey
1 1/2 c Rye flour
1 c All Purpose Flour
1 T Olive oil
1 T Caraway Seeds (Optional)

In a small bowl, mix half the Warm Water with the Honey.  Sprinkle over the Yeast and let stand for at least 5 minutes.

In your mixing bowl, mix the other half of the Warm Water with the Molasses.  It will take some coaxing to melt the Molasses off your measuring cup/spoon.  Add the Salt, Oil and stir on low briefly.  Add the Rye Flour (and the Caraway seeds if you have them).  Mix on 2 (on stand mixer) until mostly combined.

Add the Yeast mixture to your mixing bowl.  It is important you do this now and not before.  The Molasses does not play well with the Yeast and you'll just end up with Yeast corpses floating around doing nothing.  Trust me.  Stir briefly.

Add the All Purpose or Bread Flour in half cups and mix in between until mostly combined and the potential for a Flour explosion on full mix are quelled.  Then turn up the mixer to 4-6 for 6-8 minutes.  The dough will come cleanly away from the walls of the bowl and form a ball.

Lift the Dough out and lightly grease the mixing bowl.  Place the Dough back and swirl around to Oil one side and then turn over so oily side is up.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and set aside.  Let rise for 1 hour.

It will rise but not that much.  It will have the texture of childrens' modelling clay.  Fold over a few times and form a loaf.

Place in a lightly greased loaf pan and cover.  Set aside to rise for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375F.  Bake for 35 minutes.

Let cool on a rack for 5-10 before cutting if you can.  Sooooo goooood!


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Saturday, June 10th - "Quicker" Lemon Olive Tapenade Fougasse

Lemon Olive Tapenade Fougasse

I love love to bake bread.  I say it everytime I do a bread post.  I love the long process and the extended manipulation.  I feel more involved in the food.  Bread is truly at the heart of 'slow-food' for me.  Lately though, because of a very recent new arrival in our house, bread is almost impossible to spare time for, because there is no such thing as spare time.  So to allay my craving to bake, I needed to be sure that I had the activities lined up and planned.  I went for a single rise so as not to fuss in the kitchen away from louder demands.  I will try the double rise if I ever see spare time again but I didn't miss it. It turned out fantastic!

Lemon Olive Tapenade Fougasse Bread

1 2/3 c warm Water
1 t Honey
2 t Dry Active Yeast
1 t Salt
3 T Olive Oil (or Anchovy Oil)
2 c Whole Wheat Flour
2-3 c Bread Flour (All Purpose Flour)

1 T fresh Rosemary, minced
1 t fresh Sage (totally optional, just had some on the balcony)
12-14 Salt Cured Olives, pitted and diced
1 Lemon's Zest
2 Oil Cured Anchovy Filets, diced

1/4 c Cornmeal
1 T Olive Oil

In a mixing bowl with the kneading hook on, add the Warm Water and dissolve the Honey.  Sprinkle the Yeast over and let stand for 5-10 minutes until frothy.

Meanwhile, on a cutting board, mince the Rosemary and the Sage.  Lump the pitted Olives and the Anchovy Filets on top and continue chopping until roughly cut up.  Add the Zest to the heap.   Set aside.

Add the Salt and Olive Oil to the Yeast mixture and stir.  Add 1 cup of the Wholewheat Flour and Stir until moistened.  Add the Olive Mixture.  Mix on Low.  Add the rest of the Wholewheat Flour.  On a Kitchenaid mixture, turn up to "2" that is the second to lowest setting.
Add the Bread Flour in 1/2 c increments until you have a dough that is sticky but pulls away from the bowl.  Typically, it will be 2-2 1/2 c but it depends on your local humidity.  Turn up to "4" when most of the flour is in and let knead for 5-8 minutes.

When the dough is at the texture you like, remove from the bowl and form into a ball on a dusted cutting board.  Cut in half.  Form each half into a flat oval about 10-12 inches long.  Cut slits like a rib cage on the bias going both ways on each oval.  You will need a very sharp knife and maneouvre your fingers through sometimes.

Dust two baking sheets with Cornmeal. Not too much because the loose stuff will scorch.  Place the Fougasse on each baking sheet stretching it out to open up the slits.  Lightly brush with Olive Oil and cover loosely with Plastic Wrap and let sit in a warm place for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

If you have more time.  Let the dough ball rise, whole, in an oiled bowl for 1-2 hours before making the loaves.


Preheat the Oven to 450F with two racks at the 1/3 and 2/3 positions. Oil the loaves with a brush or with your fingers.

Just before placing the bread in, throw a 1/4 c water into the oven.  This will help form a good crust.

Bake for 12 minutes.  Then switch positions and turn the loaves back to front.  Bake for another 10 minutes. 

Now the holes may close up because of the single rise but it tastes spectacular!  Serve warm with Butter or Olive Oil.  We have some Oil Cured White Anchovies in the fridge and they were awesome on the bread!!  The lemon comes in on the end and adds character.


Yummo!  Will make again and again!

Saturday, May 21st - pre Rapture Leaven Cornbread - Dare I say, heavenly, mmmmmm!

pre Rapture Leaven Cornbread

I have been meaning to bake bread for a few weeks now but really not found the window. But there is something irreplaceable about homemade fresh bread that cannot be replaced. It nagged and nagged and here I was today trying to make bread with one hand. I did, seriously make this with one hand. Thankfully, I have conceded that using the old Mixer is a heaven send instead of hand mixing and kneading. I knead to form by hand but that's it. This is great bread. It's oddly surprising and pleasant because of the Corn Flour's nuttiness and texture. Corn does not have gluten so the bread does have a tenderness you don't have to try for. Yet the Bread Flour I used to ensure enough chewiness, get it the classic bubbly look and mouth feel. MMMMMM

pre Rature Leaven Cornbread

1 c warm Water
1/2 c Milk
1 1/2 T Honey
2 t Yeast (or 1 envelope)
2 t Salt
2 c Bread Flour (+/- 1/4 c)
1 1/2 c Corn Flour
1 t Spanish Paprika (optional)
1 t ground Cumin (optional)
1/2 T Olive Oil
1/4 Cornmeal

In your mixer, add the Water and Milk. I like to add the cold Milk to Hot Water to have the appropriate tempurature. Dissolve the Honey into the liquid. Sprinkle the Yeast over and let stand for 10 minutes.

Add the Salt and stir briefly.

Add 1 1/2 c of the Bread Flour and all the Corn Flour (NOT CORN MEAL) and the spices. Mix on very low so as not to have a face full of Flour from mixing too fast. Add more of the Bread Flour by Tablespoon until the dough mostly pulls away from the sides of the bowl cleanly. It will be a VERY sticky dough. Mix on 4 on a Kitchenaid for 8-10 minutes.

Lightly Oil a large mixing bowl with the Olive Oil. Slather with one hand and do not wipe that hand. You'll need the lubrication in the next step.

Turn the dough out into the bowl with your Oiled hand. It will be very sticky and on the softer side.

Cover and let stand at room temperature for 2-3 hours.

Deflate gently with your hand by pulling the very foamy soft dough away from the sides of the bowl and forming into a ball.

Sprinkle the cornmeal into a baking sheet. Turn the ball on to the baking sheet. Slice with a sharp knife three times. Let rise cover with a bowl or something the ball will not touch for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 450F.

Just before placing the loaf into the oven, throw a 1/4 c Water into the oven to help build a nice crust. Quickly pace the sheet into the oven and close the door. Reset the oven to 400F.

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes.

Let cool for 15 - 20 minutes.

Serve warm with Butter.... MMMMMM rapturey goodness.


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Saturday, Oct 23rd - Blueberry Banana Lemon Nut Bread - So Yummo!

Blueberry Banana Lemon Nut Bread

I had a craving and D had a freezer capacity issue so this was a very symbiotic baking session.  We still have at least 30% our freezer occupied by our blueberry freezing bonanza and we were reaching critical mass on brown bananas in there as well.  D generally doesn't do the baking, I do but when it comes to quick breads, well, he claims the title in the house.

Admittedly, he messed up slightly on the flour by using Bread flour instead of Cake flour as an experiment.  He meant to try the lighter more tender flour and had the mental burp in his head on the naming.  In the recipe, I just specify All Purpose but you could try what he had meant to, and use cake.  D did figure out  that bread was a mistake before he added too much.  It was delicious nonetheless.

Blueberry Banana Lemon Nut Bread

1 c Vanilla Sugar (regular sugar with vanilla beans)
1/2 c Unsalted Butter at room temperature
2 Eggs
1/2 Lemon,  juiced and zested
3 - 4 Ripe Bananas, mashed
1/2 c Walnuts (Almonds or Pecans)
1 c All Purpose flour
1 c Wholewheat flour
1 c Blueberries
1 t Baking Soda
1 t Vanilla extract or 1 Vanilla bean, scraped
1/2 t Baking Powder
1/2 t Salt, fine (don't want hunks of salt zones)

Preheat the oven to 350F. (or What I do because of the temperature drop when you open the door, I like to preheat the oven to 375F then when I put the loaf in, I turn the oven down to 350F)

In a mixer with the paddle attachement, cream Sugar and Butter well combined and fluffy in appearance.

Add the Eggs one at a time as each get's absorbed. Add the Lemon stuffs and Vanilla.

Lower the spead to stir and add the Bananas (already mashed).

On the side in a bowl, toss Blueberries in 1 T Flour until lightly coated. In that same bowl, add the  Nuts, Flours, Salt, Baking Powder and Baking Soda and mix gently so as not to pierce or smush the berries.

Take the mixing bowl off the mixer and with a nice big wooden spoon or big spatula, gently mix in the Blueberry and Flour mixture.  Nothing worse to me than blue streaks in blueberry baking, like those purple muffins in the Magic Bullet infomercials.  Do not over mix or your bread will be tough.

Pour into Buttered non-stick loaf pan.  You can flour the pan if you must.  I do not.

Bake for 55-60 minutes.  Test the centre with a wooden toothpick or skewer for doness.  Crumbs are good, goo is not done.

DELICIOUS!

Monday, Sep 20th - (catch up Sunday part deux) Browned Butter and Pepper Wholewheat Irish Soda Bread

Browned Butter and Pepper Wholewheat Irish Soda Bread

On my list of favourite breads, Irish Brown Bread holds a pretty high perch.  It is not easily comeby in Vancouver.  I used to be able to buy it in most bakeries and Tesco's in England.  The only two times I have had it here were at St. Patrick's Day Market on Granville and mean little slice on a breakfast plate at a pub near Macdonald in Kits.

I have never made it because the ingredient list and process seemed so onerous.  Truth be told, I have thought to give it a go in a while.  D asked I make a soda bread for breakfast once.  I made some adjustments to accomodate Wholewheat bread instead and tad fluffier.  I was very surprised to find the end product tasted alot like my belived Irish Brown Bread without all the rising and waiting.  From end to end, we had warm bread within an hour.  Well, it was more like an hour and a half if you were good about waiting the recommended half hour cooling time :^)

Browned Butter Wholewheat Irish Soda Bread

(makes one 9 inch round)

1/4 c + 1 T Butter
3/4 c Milk
1/2 Lemon, juiced
1 3/4 c Wholewheat Flour
1/3 c Rolled Oats
1/2 t Baking Soda
1 t Baking Powder
1/2 t Salt
1/2 T Honey
1/2 T fresh Rosemary, chopped fine
1/2 t Fresh Cracked Pepper + extra for the top
1 T Milk for brushing

Preheat the oven to 375 F with a rack in the middle.

In a non stick pan or small sauce pan, melt the Butter on Medium Low heat. You want to brown the butter but not scorch it.  It will take about 5 - 7 minutes.  Take off heat and let cool slightly. 

Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients together.  In a measuring cup mix the Milk and Lemon Juice.  Pour the Milk and Browned Butter into the dry ingredients and then drizzle the honey round in circles so it won't clump. Mix to combine.  Add the Rosemary.  Stir to combine and keep stirring until you see the Rosemary has been spread out.  Some people don't like to over mix but I like gluteny, chewy bread and even then, this bread stays super tender. 

It will be super sticky.  That's okay.  Try to stir and shape into a ball in the bowl.  On a cutting board or clean countertop, sprinkle some flour.  Dump the ball out.  You're not here to over knead, just form.  So fold and push out with the heel of your palm, turn a quarter and repeat.  Just do this a couple of times. Place the loaf on a baking sheet and score with a very sharp knife.  Brush lightly with Milk and then Grind Fresh Pepper on top. 

Bake for 45 minutes.  Let cool on a rack for 20-30 minutes.  MMMMM soooo good and so fast!

Aug 2nd - Sourcream Marinated Curried Jumbo Prawn and BBQ Naan



Sourcream Marinated Tumeric and Curry Jumbo Prawn Skewers

 I made Pappadum for fun to go with our Indian inspired dinner.  I found them in the grocery section of the Shopper's Drugmart.  Okay.  So I bought them.  They looked like the real thing as other than some keep translation on storage, all the writing was not in English.  There were not instructions so I had to search for some on the internet.  D said I should pan fry them.  I said no.  I said that restaurants do that for efficiency but real housewives roast them over flames so I wanted to BBQ them.  I once heard that a good wife does not burn her pappadum.  Well, then, I am only a pretty good wife then because I burned the first one while learning.  I got the hang of it really fast though.

You have to watch them.  Place the disc on the Grill.  The lid never goes down.  The Pappadum will go from a dark, semi-tranlucent to an opaque, beige colour.  Move it around a bit like you're nudging it until it is all beige.  Flip and let it brown for a few seconds.  In total, it will take less than a minute.  Yummo!  We only made 2 for fun but we had way to much other food.

Cucumber and Mint Raita

1 c Cucumber, julienned or grated
2 T fresh Mint, chiffonade
1 c Plain Yogurt
Salt and Pepper
1 clove Garlic, minced (optional) (yes I know, this is Greek)

Place ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.  Season to taste.  Refridgerate and serve cold as a condiment.MMMMM

Roasted Bell Peppers

4-5 Red Bell Peppers, washed but whole!
3 cloves Garlic
2 T - 1/4 c fresh Basil, chiffonade
1/4 c Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

This was over kill but D thought since we had the BBQ on anyway and all these peppers from the Farmer's Market, why not.

Place the Peppers on the Hot Grill.  Close the lid.  Turn occasionally.  You want to char them.  This will take about 5 minutes.  Take them off and place them in a large bowl as they finish. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or any firm cover. Let sit for 10-15 minutes.

Over a sink, peel off the skin and clean out the seeds and stems. 

Slice and place on a serving plate.  Sprinkle the Garlic and Basil over evenly.

Drizzle Olive Oil over and serve.  This is alot of Roasted Peppers.  You can keep them in the fridge for a week.  D likes to add them to the jar of store bought Marinaded ones and the marinade in the jar does prolong their life a bit.  They really only lasted a couple of days.  They work well as a side or in sandwiches.  Very easy and very delicious!

BBQ Naan Dough

BBQ Naan (this is a link)
Now there is another Naan recipe with the original Prawn post below but I prefer this one.  On the BBQ, spread the hand stretched dough out and place directly on the grill. Close the lid. Check after 1-2 minutes and turn, similar to the pizza from a few days earlier.  Cover and let finish.  Unlike the pizza you can fit 3 on the grill at the same time.  Brush with butter and cover with foil and set aside to eat.

BBQ Naan

BBQ Sourcream Tumeric and Curry Jumbo Prawn (this is a link)
This will take two days of marinating in the fridge if you leave the shells on.  So when D started the marinade we were out of Tumeric so he substituted the Tumeric on the recipe on this link with a good Curry Powder he bought in Zanzibar.  Then he added some of the Tumeric the next day after we bought it at the market.

Sourcream Marinaded Tumeric Curry Jumbo Prawn Skewers ready to go

We had an Isabel Sauvignon Blanc. The NZ whites are known for their pronounced minerality. This one was quite subtle. Full of Grapefruit and light summer aromas. Great!

Jun 19th - Crusty Chardonnay Loaf - BBQ Burgers and Corn on the Cob

D was not impressed when I woke up this Saturday wanting to bake bread.  No, I should ammend that to say that he wasn't impressed that it would take a minimum of 2-3 hours, therefore too late for his eggs and bacon.  It has been a while since I did a straight up white loaf.  I have been doing Sour, Rye, and Wholewheat.  D bought a new bag of White AP flour so I would do that and so I did.  I got out one of my long time favourite recipies but it was for 2 loaves of French Bread and it called for less than a glass of beer for the two.  I was not about to crack a whole beer for that.  Plus, I only wanted to make 1 loaf.  I was feeling bad enough making white bread as it was.  I made some adjustments and added a Dry Chardonnay instead of the Beer.  It would have added some acidity that beer would not have, and in retrospect, I should have offset that with some Baking Soda but I did not.  The result was an even textured aromatic loaf.  I really enjoyed it.  I think I might have gotten more big uneven bubbles as you might expect, if I let it rise as long is it should but we did not have time.

Crusty Chardonnay Loaf

1/3 c Warm Water
1 t Honey
1 t Dry Active Yeast
1/3 c Chardonnay
1/2 Salt
1 1/2 c - 2 c All Purpose Flour

1 t Olive Oil
1 t Salt
1/2 c Water
2 T Cornmeal

In your mixing bowl, add the Warm water and the Honey.  Stir.  Sprinkle over the Yeast.  Let stand for 5 minutes.

Attache the dough hook to the mixer.  Add the Wine and Salt to the mixture.   Then start to add the flour 1/2 cup at a time.  You want the dough soft and slightly sticky to the touch but you do not want it mushy or too dry.  This will depend alot on your location's humidity as well as the moisture of your flour.  So watch as you mix.  when you think you are close, stop adding flour and the let the mixer knead on medium low for a minute to see if it combines.  You can add a Tablespoon of water at a time if you think you have added too much flour.

Let it knead on a 2-4 (on Kitchenaid) for 8 minutes.  When the dough pulls away from the bowl cleanly, and it will. Pull from the bowl.  Lightly oil with 1 t or less of oil.  Swirl the dough around the bowl to oil the bowl then turn over oiled side up.  Cover with a damp cloth and set aside somewhere warm.  Since I wanted to rush things abit, I put it in our oven in a 'Rapid Proof' setting.  It was basically a 80F (30C) oven.  45 minutes.

I do not condone the violence of punching down.  Simply lift it out of the bowl and as you start to form it, large cavernous bubbles will deflate.  As I mentioned I was in a rush and did not want to fuss with dusting a counter top.  I simply formed the loaf between my two as if holding a squirming baby.  When you have a baguette shapped loaf about 16-18" long, place on a baking sheet dusted with Corn Meal. 

Let rise in a warm place again, or on 'Rapid Proof' for another 45 minutes.

Take out of the oven you were proofing and heat the oven to 450F with the rack at the lowest level.

Take a razor your sharpest knife and make 3 or 4 slanted gashes in the loaf.  I had to go at it from both sides since I used a knife instead of a razor.  Brush with Salt Water.

When the oven is preheated.  Place the loaf in and have some unsalted water (1-2 Tablespoons) at hand and splash the bottom of the oven with it.  The steam will help the crust form.

Cool on a rack and eat!

We BBQd for dinner.  D made a few sauces to snack on as we prepared dinner.  He made Guacamole and Fresh Tomato Salsa too. 

We bought some burgers at Whole Foods.  I got a Salmon Feta and Oregano Burger and D got a Angus Beef Burger and a Sausage.  They have an extensive selection of fresh Burgers and Sausages at the Deli counter at the Whole Foods.  As well, we bought some Corn on the Cob on Commercial.  Not quite in season but it was reasonably priced.  It was quite sweet as well!
We used the bread I baked earlier in the day for the buns.  It was a rather large loaf and really I could have used half the bun for the burger.  I toasted them on the upper level of the BBQ.

BBQ Corn on the Cob

I was on the grill.  Watch out neighbours! D likes to leave the Husks on the Corn.  I grew up either roasting them in foil or BBQing in the park with nothing.  So I did not know that with the husks on, you should not put them over the Direct burner.  The husks caught fire as you can see.  No panic.  It saved me from having to peel them away.  But for future reference, if you leave the husks on, BBQ on Indirect heat for about 12 minutes turning occaisionly.  They took about 10 on Direct and they had that Char and nice chewiness I like. 

The Salmon burger did not want to stay together.  I should have bought the plain salmon but I was lured by the feta.  I oiled the burgers and sausage lightly before grilling. 

Salmon Burger (fresh wild, chunk salmon, not processed) took 3 minutes a side.
D's Angus Beef Burger took about 4-5 minutes a side  and the Sausage about 6-7 minutes a side.  Do not poke or pierce the Sausage.

We had a Domaine de Cristia Cotes du Rhones 2008.  It was quite a bit different from the previous vintage.  A lot edgier and acidic.  Not as much vanilla either.  Nice but I`ll have to see how it developes.

April 9th - Homemade Naan and Butternut Squash and Cauliflower Vindaloo Prawn

Easy Oven Baked Naan Bread 

500-600 g All Purpose Flour
150 ml Plain Yogurt
150 ml Milk
2 t Honey
2 t Yeast
1/2 t Sea Salt
2 T Olive Oil
1 t Baking Powder
1 Egg

Warm the Milk in the microwave for 1 minute or steam it with a Milk steamer.  You want it warm to the touch but not hot.  Pour into your mixing bowl.  Add the Honey and stir.  Sprinkle the Yeast over.  Let stand for 10 minutes or longer until nice and frothy.

Add the Salt, Egg, Oil and Yogurt and turn the mixer on stir for 1-2 minutes.

Add the 1 c of the Flour then the Baking Powder with the mixer on low.  Continue to add the Flour in 1/2 c until completely incorporated.  You may need to add some more flour or use less.  I needed to add extra.  You want it soft and sticky but not unmanageable. The machine to knead it for a good 10 minutes until the dough pulls together cleanly away from the bowl.

Cover and let rise for 1 hr at least.

Preheat the oven to 500F with a rack on the lowest level.  Place a baking sheet upside down on the rack.  Use a regular stainless steel or other heavy baking sheet.  Do not use non-stick.  The Teflon will not do well at such high temperatures.  It is not safe to expose non-stick surfaces to such high temperatures, empty.

Press down. No need the for the violence of punching down. The dough should weigh about 950 g so to divide into 6 balls would be about 150 g.  I weighed them.  Otherwise, each ball is about the size of a baseball.  Knead briefly into a ball.  Cover the others to prevent drying out while you work one.

Stretch out between two hands, slapping back and forth. Pull and slap.  I had to place down on a wooden cutting board and pull, rest and pull in to various shapes but about 10-12 inches long and 5-6 inches wide. Do not worry about uniformity of thickness or shape.

Old the stretched dough in one hand.  Open the oven and pull out the bottom rack.  Slap the dough onto the tray.  Close the oven.  Bake for 5 minutes.  It will puff up.  Using tongs or oven mittens, open oven quickly and flip and back 3-5 minutes more.

It was interesting that since the oven was so hot, there was no sticking to the tray at all. You do not need to lubricate the baking pan or the stretch dough at all.  Obviously, if you have a pizza stone, this would be awesome.  Oddly enough ours is cracked! WTF!!

Take out and brush with butter.  This is optional.  Cover with a towel or tent in foil.  Proceed with the rest of the Naan.

 Underside of the Naan

IT was DELICIOUS!! The egg added a brioche quality to it. The egg is optional but it was nice.  It could have used more salt but since you are likely to be eating it with a curry, it is not necessary.  When we have our BBQ back, we will be trying it on the grill.  It will definitely go much faster.  MMMMMM

Butternut Squash, Cauliflower and Prawn Vindaloo Curry

1.5 lb Butternut Squash (small, kid sized football sized), peeled, seeded and cut in large cubes
1/3 (300g) Cauliflower head cut into florets
1/2 Onion, sliced
4 cloves Garlic
1 inch sliced Ginger (optional, I love Ginger)
3 Serrano Chilies, halved, seeded
1 large tin whole or chopped Tomatoes (not pureed)
1 tin Chick Peas (Garbanzos), drained
10-15 Prawn (uncooked, optional)
3 T Patak's Vindaloo Curry Paste
3 T Butter or Gee (Clarified Butter)

I use a good vegetable peeler to peel Butternut Squash.  D uses a sharp knife.  This is a pretty small squash so there was not too much inside stuff.  It was easy to scoop out what few seeds there were with a spoon and small knife.  Cut into 2 cm cubes.  Wash all the veg in preparation.  I also did the dough for the Naan and let rise while I started the Vindaloo.

In a large Pot or Skillet, heat 1/2-1 T Olive Oil or Vegetable Oil on medium high heat.  Sautee and stir occasionally for 10-12 minutes.  I did this while chopping the rest of the veg.

When the Squash starts to brown after 10 minutes, add the Onion and Cauliflower. Continue to sautee for another 3-5 minutes.  Add the Chilies, Garlic and Ginger.  Sautee for 2 minutes.  You do not want to burn the Garlic.  Add the Butter or Gee.  You would normally fry most of the veg in the Gee but if you are using butter just to enrich the flavour just add it now.

Add the paste and stir through.  Add the Tomatoes and Chick Peas.  Stir.  You may need to add 1/2 c water.  I swished the can of Tomatoes with water and added.  Let it bubble a bit.  Turn down the heat to medium and cover and continue to simmer for 20-25 minutes to allow all the flavours to marry.  This is not a stir fry and some flavours need to develop.  Season to taste.

Add the Prawn in the last 10 minutes.

Serve with Naan.  Yummo!  You can leave the Prawn out if you want it to be vegetarian.  I almost used Swiss Chard but the Caulflower worked out really well.  MMMMMM

We had a very nice La Frenz Muscat called Alexandria 2008 we bought when we were visiting the Okanagan last summer.  Great with spicy vibrant food.

Mar 2nd - Catch Up - Oct 17th Crusty Wholewheat Sour Dough Bread

I have had a facination with breadmaking since I was a kid. Really. I used to make it by hand on the weekends. My dad bought me a breadmaker when I was a 14. I loved it. I mainly used my Kitchenaid mixer to make it now. What I found even more facinating than breadmaking was sourdough bread. The idea of how bread was made before commercialised yeast and mass production was just magic to me.

I had a starter jar in the fridge for years which my mom repeatedly threatened to throw out because it was freaking her out. When I left for University, she did, as well as filling in my backyard compost. Oh well, her house. I would just started a new one when I came home for the summers.

Still, with all that, I've never done a real real real starter. By that I mean harvesting the yeast from the air. There are a couple of ways to do that. One is to leave a red cabbage on a counter to gather that white sort of frost on the leaves. Take a leave and soak it in a slurry of flour and water for a day and then leave out to ferment. Another I found involved simply leaving a flour water slurry out covered in a breathable cloth for several weeks, stirring and watering occasionally.

I tried the latter this past summer. It did not work. We are having some construction on our house and there is no no no air flow. I imagine that was a major factor. Where is the yeast coming from? On top of that, really, I sort of grossed me out that what might be caught would be construction released mold. Blech.

I reverted to the version I used in highschool with a slight twist on the types of flour for a more tangy flavour.

Three Flour Sourdough Starter

1 clean mason jar with a tight fitting lid
1 envelope (2 1/4 t) Yeast
1 1/2 warm water
1/2 c all purpose flour, unbleached
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c rye flour

Mix in the jar, add more water if too think. It should have the consistency of cake batter.

Cover with a damp kitchen towel and leave out on your counter for 2 weeks. Stir daily and dampen the cloth regularly. It will bubble and subside repeatedly.

Store in your fridge but use and feed regularly. Bring to room temperature before use.

Feed with 1/2 c flour and 1/2 c water to replenish or grow.

Crusty Wholewheat Sourdough Loaf

This will take patience. This is what people do for real bread though. It isn't for the faint hearted.

1 c starter at room temperature (1/2-2/3 c cold)

1 t dry yeast (I was too nervous that the starter could do it on it's own for the first go)

1 c warm water

1 T honey

1/2 c rye flour

3-4 c all purpose unbleached flour

1 T salt (I used 1/2 T and it needed more)

1/2 - 1 T olive oil for bowl

2T cornmeal for baking

1 t coarse salt

In your mixer bowl, add the starter, water, 1/2 c flour. Mix with a spoon until combined. It should be soupy like pancake batter. Cover with towel or plastic wrap and keep in a warm place over night.

When the first proof is over, put the mixer bowl into the mixer stand with a dough hook. Add the honey and dry yeast and mix on low. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time on a low mix. When all the flour is combined, turn up to a 4-6 on Kitchen aid which is a medium. You want the dough sticky not too stiff It will pull away from the bowl but still want to stick to your fingers if you poke it. If it climbs the hook, stop the mixer and push down. Knead this way for 10 minutes.

Pull the dough off the hook and remove the bowl from the mixer. Try to form the dough into a ball. It will be sticky so it may help to rub some oil on one hand. Hold the dough in one hand and drop some olive oil into the bottom of the bowl. Hold the bowl with your clean hand while holding the dough with the other. Swirl the dough around to coat the mixer bowl and one side of the dough ball. Place the dough back in the bowl with the oil side up. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and keep in a warm place for 2-3 hours. 4 hours if you have it.

Gently push down. Lift out and press into an oblong or flat oval and then fold over and over until you get a football shape. Place on a baking stone or baking sheet with a sprinkle of cornmeal on the bottom. Slice the top diagonally with a very sharp knife. Don't worry if it doesn't open up like the picture. That happens during rise. Cover carefully with a clean kitchen towel. Let rise for 45 minutes - 1 hour. Brush water or egg white and sprinkle the coarse salt.

Preheat oven to 375.

Bake for 45 minutes - 50 minutes. The standard test for doneness is that a tap sounds hollow. I don't know what that means and I've probably baked over a hundred loaves since I started. It should be golden. If you cut it open and it looks doughy, return to oven. I generally go by time and I'm okay.

It was great! Super tangy and full of flavour. Commercial bread often has no flavour. It's like air. You'll find that alot with the white baguettes. You can use your starter for any number of types of bread. You just need to adjust the water or type of flour you're using.

Sunday, July 13th - Crusty Brown Bread Fast and Slooooooowwww

FAST (regular)SLOoooOOW

I am having breakfast with a friend and her two babies. Well, her second baby is a new arrival and we've not had a chance to catch up for a couple of months. Terrible, hey? But if we laid out all the craziness that this economy and year has dealt us, it's fairly understandable. Anyhoo... I'm bringing bread. She's allergic to fermented beverages or I would have made this bread with beer. MMMMM

I chose a simple enough whole wheat recipe but substituted the half half whole wheat and all purpose flour with all whole wheat. As a result, I had to use almost a cup more than the classic recipe required. This is normal in general with baking bread. I'm used to it. It is incredibly effected by environmental conditions. If it is humid, you will need to either cut back on the liquid or add flour. That's fine. You don't want a stiff dough but you want it to pull away from the bowl cleanly and four a managable ball of dough. If you add too much flour, it'll be too dense and stiff.

I split the dough and made one round 12" loaf for this morning (last night at midnight, I had insomnia) and the second I've let rise three times as an experiment.

Crusty Brown Bread

1 1/4 c water, warm but not too hot.
2 T honey
2 t active yeast or one packet
1/2 t ground ginger
4 c whole wheat flour & 1.5 t salt
2T olive oil
cornmeal and olive oil for lubrication and baking

Stand mixer method is the only variation I will give. Assume that when I get to the kneading stage you can put out on a floured surface and knead by hand.

In your warmed mixing bowl, with the dough hook on but out of the bowl, pour the water and add the honey. Stir to ensure it's dissolved. Add ginger and yeast. Leave alone for 10 minutes or until foamy. Now this might only take 5 minutes, but if it takes longer than 10 minutes to start to look like a cappucino then your yeast might be too old. Don't fret, I throw nothing away. You'll just need to add half an hour or more to rising. Or if really old, throw away.

Turn the mixer on Stir. Add the olive oil. Add the flour half cup at a time. When you've added half, turn the mixer upto 2. When you have 3 cups in turn up to 4 until all the flour is absorbed. If it is still sticking to the bowl at the bottom or if you poke it (with mixer on stop) and it's sticky, add another half cup of flour. I had to had a little over 4 in total. The bran in the whole wheat flour does not absorb liquid very fast if at all. So using all whole wheat instead of half all purpose requires more flour. Mix on four until you're satisfied it's pulling cleanly away. Turn down to 2 and leave to knead for 10 minutes or more.

Take the dough off the hook and form into a ball. Lift with one hand out of the bowl and put a small amount of oil into the bottom of the bowl. With the dough in one hand, swirl around the bowl to lube the bowl and the top of the ball. Turn the ball over so greased side is up and cover. Let rise for 1 hour.

Push down gently with finger tips. No need for violent pugialism (punching). Cut dough in half. Here is where we part ways.

FAST or Regular:

Knead the ball in your hand. No need for a floured surface. Oily ball and hands is enough. Just keep it folding it in on itself as if you're stuff itself into it's bottom to form a perfect ball. Place the ball on an oiled sheet. Slice the top with a razor or sharp knife three times. Cover with the mixing bowl and set aside to rise for another hour.

Set the oven to 415 with a pizza stone on the second from bottom rack. When the dough goes in, turn the oven down to 405.

When the dough is risen, open the oven and spread some cornmeal out on the stone. Shimmy the dough onto the stone. Bake for 30 minutes.

Let cool on rack until completely cool if not eating right away with MELTING BUTTER. MMMMM

SLOOOOOOOW:

After the dough splitting. Grease a large glass bowl and after forming into a ball and kneading it like a stressball a bit. Cover and let stand for the same as the one you baked the FAST way.

When you put the FAST one in the oven, put this one in the fridge.

If the dough rises to the top of the cover. Poke it down with your finger tips gently to prevent big bubbles.

In the morning or 12 hours later, poke down again. ... you can take out the oven if you're planning on baking soon.

Let rise on an oil sheet in ball form for an hour.

I topped this with olive oil, coarse salt and fresh rosemary.

Heat the oven to 415 and then turn down to 405 when the bread goes in. MMMMM.

I wante to see if the commercial yeast could stand up to long rising. It seems to have worked. Longer rising leads to better flavour and finer, more even texture.....

Monday, May 18th - Focaccia al Pomordorini, Eggs Benedict MY Way, Butternut Barley Risotto

Focaccia al Pomordorini

1 1/4 t yeast (1 envelope is normally 2 t, used the whole envelope....we'll see)
2 T sugar
2 c unbleached flour
1 1/2 - 2 c whole wheat flour
1 T and 1 t kosher or course salt
1/2 c olive oil
1 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
1/4 lb or 100 g pitted, black olives
sea salt

Now I originally got this recipe from Saveur May 2009 issue. I've altered it to make is easier for me to make. I just do not like having to knead in my place because I don't have the big marble table I had at mom's when I was a kid and the flour on the counters is just messy. Now remember, this can all be done by hand up to the point all the ingredients are put together you'd turn it out onto a floured surface and work by hand.

Put a bit of boiling water in your kitchen mixer with the dough hook on. I'm making breakfast, Eggs Benny my West Sayeed style with Lemon Aoli so I did this in stutter steps.... The water is just to warm the mixer bowl since it's big and steel and normally cold.

Measure out 1 1/4 c warm water. Warmer than room but cool enough to put your finger in with out an ow ow. Empty out mixer bowl. Put 1T of the sugar and add the water. Pour in the yeast. If you want you can measure out the right amount since the envelope is more. Set aside for 10 minutes until foamy.

On a flexy cutting board or bowl. Measure 2C unbleached flour and 1C of the whole wheat. Add the 1T + 1t salt and 1T of remaing sugar. Whisk a bit to combine.

In the bowl, add the 1/2 c of oil. Add the collar if you have one, that has the ingredient spout to prevent spillage. I spill. I can spill when trying to pour ingredients into a large wide pit. Fold up the flexy cutting board and with it still on stir, add the flour mix. When it's all in turn up to one notch up, 2 maybe 4 if it's not coming together for a few seconds. If it is still to soft and sticky, add more whole wheat flour by the heaping table spoon until it is a soft dough that pulls away from the side and leaves the bowl clean. Knead on 2 for at least 10 minutes or until you've finished serving your eggs benny my West Sayeed style (photos later) :-P.

Turn off the machine, pull the dough off the hook and fold the dough into a ball. Put a few t of oil in the bottom and with the dough in one hand swirl around the bowl to coat the bowl with oil. Then turn over so the oil side of the dough is up. Cover with plastic wrap or damp towel and put in a warm place. I put it in the oven to rise for 90 minutes.

Oil a cast iron skillet. 12" at least. Push down the dough a bit and form a ball. It is alot spongy and softer than your typical bread dough or pizza dough. No worries. Oil changes the texture alot!!! With your finger tips or with your palms press out the dough into the skillet. Cover with a damp towel or pot lid that overs the skillet and set a side to rise for an hour....

During this time... I have to go buy the cherry tomatoes and olives :-D I was going to settle for Leek and Anchovy focaccia but D wants me to follow the magazine as per instructed because the photo looks awesome..

Stay tuned.

Eggs benedict J's West Sayeed style

4 eggs
1 large saucepan full of salted water
2 T white vinegar
1 palm sized portion of smoked salmon
4 pieces of round multigrain rustic stick
a few T of Lemon Aoli (see recipe below)

Bring sauce pan to a bare simmer. The vinegar is ESSENTIAL. It keeps the eggs together. It's really cool. I first saw this on a Gary Rhodes UK food show. It works like a charm. I've been doing it this way ever since.

On the side, have a small skillet with a small amount of water on 'melt' or lowest setting.

Have the eggs out about 10 minutes before cooking so that they don't cool the water down when you add them. Always have one egg ready in a small prep bowl ready to go when the other one is cooking. ONLY cook ONE egg at a time. Ready?

Take a small whisk and stir the water medium speed along the edge until the water doesn't fight you and is moving like a merry go round. Take the whisk out and drop the egg slowly into the centre. The egg will close in on itself like a @#ershy's kiss. 4 minutes max. Play with the heat so it doesn't boil but keeps that bare simmer. Crack the next egg into the prep bowl. Take a slotted spoon and remove the egg carefully to the small skillet, cover. Repeat in the saucepan with the next egg. 4 min max for soft to runny. 5 for medium... any closer to 5 or if the water is too hot will cook the egg through.

Toast the toast rounds. Set on plate. Place the broken pieces of the smoked salmon or lox on the toast. Lift each egg out of the skillet with a slotted spoon and a paper towel under the spoon to sop up excess water. Top with the Aoli and fresh herbs.... SOOOOO good.

Lemon Aoli

1 egg yolk
2 clove garlic
few sprigs tarragon
1/2 lemon, juice
pinch of salt
dash of tobasco
splash of hot water
1 c of olive oil.

Blend in a small processer until looks like a loose mayo.

Summer Corn and Cherry Tomato Succotash
(Original version from San Jose Mercury)

4 ears corn, removed from cob while raw, canned corn not an option. Don't make this with canned. Eat something else. The point is SEASONAL. :-D
1T extra virgin Olive oil
1 clove garlic chopped
1 shallot or 3 green onions, white part only
1 basket of cherry tomatoes or fresh small tomatoes halved or quartered depending on size.
1 T balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Shuck fresh corn! Heat oil in a wok and sauté garlic until golden add corn and cook 4 min. Add tomatoes for 2 more minutes. Season with Salt and pepper. Add balsamic, cook 1 minute until sticky. Turn off heat and add the shallot. Serve as a side or with a salad. Parsley or fresh herb on top.

YUUUUUUMMMMO we make this often when corn is cheap and in season.