culinary flights of fancy

Home Cooking Adventures in Berkeley Heights

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French Boule- a great rustic country bread recipe

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French Country Bread

I’ve been experimenting with bread for a few months now, making a loaf or two each week. Generally speaking, we haven’t bought store bread in a while now. I’ve tried different recipes and have used different types of flours. I’ve used bread flour, unbleached all-purpose flour, whole wheat, dark rye, semolina, and the list goes on. I’ve used instant yeast and the more traditional active dry yeast. I’ve tried growing my own sourdough yeast (and have failed…twice). However, I feel like I’m finally getting the hang and feel for the art of bread making. I’m not completely there yet. The more I do, the more I realize that I don’t know lots of stuff, but I do feel like I’m making progress.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I plan to try the sourdough starter again soon and will blog about my progress. Fingers crossed, it will work better now that we are in the warmer months. Who knows? At any rate, the only bread books I own come from Tartine Bakery, possibly the best bakery in the country and certainly the best bread I’ve ever had, came from Tartine. I hope to get into the ‘Tartine’ method of bread making and that all begins with the sourdough starter. So, more on that to follow in the coming weeks. However, one thing I have adopted from the Tartine books stems from the cooking vessel for the bread: the use of a cast iron dutch oven. If you are going to get into bread baking, I highly suggest investing in one. They are inexpensive, last forever, and they can be used in a myriad of ways beyond simple bread baking. In other words, cast iron is your friend in the kitchen!

So, as the title of this post suggests, I have a recipe for a great loaf of bread. It’s not original from me. I am simply not a strong enough baker to come up with an original bread recipe yet…and I may never get there. This recipe comes from a French show on the food network: French Food at Home. You can find the original recipe and other interesting French inspired recipes if you google the show or just go to foodtv.com and look at recipes from there. Anyway, after trying to make a great loaf of French country bread (and I have tried a good number and there are other great ones out there), I came across this super simple and simply great bread recipe last week.

I tried it and then tried it again. I may never look for another French bread recipe again. It’s that easy and THAT GOOD. Like most great breads, it contains very few ingredients. This one, like most classic French bread recipes, has four ingredients: AP flour, water, yeast, and salt. There’s no kneading. There’s no need for a Kitchenaid (though I never use one anyway). The only thing you really need beyond the ingredients is the cast iron Dutch oven for baking the bread. I included a picture of mine so that you can know what to look for if you choose to make the investment. I bought mine from amazon and it cost just south of twenty-five dollars…not bad for essentially two pans that can be used separately or together.  Recipe follows after the jump! Continue reading →


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Mac ‘n Cheese with Peas and Mushrooms

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One of the more popular things that I make is a mac ‘n cheese dish with a mix of vegetables, usually with the veggies listed above, though you can use a different mix or omit them altogether. Michele, one of our friends from college, asked for an easy mac ‘n cheese recipe the other day. I responded that I had a good recipe though it’s a bit more complicated than a traditional mac ‘n cheese. I think the results, however, are worth the bit of extra work. Frankly, adding the vegetables enhances the flavor and presentation. It also adds some health benefits to an otherwise rather unhealthy dish. As an extra bonus, kids usually really like this dish, so it provides a compromise for something kids love with a way to sneak in some veggies.

I start by sautéing some sliced mushrooms with onions and add chopped garlic at the end. After that, I make Mornay sauce which is basically Bechamel sauce with cheese added and melted at the end. It’s easy…promise. It just sounds complicated. Otherwise, you just unthaw some frozen peas, mix everything together and place in a casserole dish with bread crumbs and some parmesan over the top and finish it all in the oven for 20 minutes or so. I garnish with Italian parsley for color. You don’t have to if you don’t wish.

I am going to make a half recipe as a whole recipe feeds a ton of people and we don’t need a lot of leftovers at chez Tara and Craig. So, the picture I include of the whole dish is only half of the full recipe that follows. Other things of note: I tend to go easy on the cheese, so feel free to add more if you prefer a very cheesy sauce. I also make more sauce than what I anticipate needing because if I make it and don’t have enough, I don’t want to have to go back and make another batch of Béchamel, etc. If you have extra sauce at the end, you can google Béchamel recipes and surely find something delicious to make with it. Also, if including the mushrooms, it’s important to cook them prior to adding them at the end because if raw, the mushrooms will release liquid which will affect the taste and thickness of the sauce. Finally, if you don’t wish to add the bread crumbs and parmesan, you can simply stop at the point of mixing everything together and just serve the dish. I prefer to finish it in the oven per the recipe but it is really personal preference and, let’s face it, how much time you have.  Recipe and another picture after the jump! Continue reading →


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Are We There?

Last post of the day (promise). So somewhere on this blog I mentioned that I’d go off topic from time to time to discuss music. This is one of those times. One of my favorite singer/songwriters, Sharon Van Etten, released her new album this week and it’s very, very good. The songs feature a more fully realized band and tend to move away from her folky beginning (though not too much, in my opinion). At any rate, if you are reading this blog then you know that I am into music and I love this album. I whole-heartedly recommend it!


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Products Worth Mentioning: In the Charuterie by Boetticher and Miller

 

So, I’ve mentioned this before, but my wife and I travelled over the holiday weekend to Montreal.  We had a great time enjoying all the city has to offer from classic architecture to museums to water front bars to a vast array of culinary adventures.  Given all we ate and the various delicacies we tried, my personal favorite was the charcuterie platter at the restaurant Lawrence.  They make their own cured and smoked meats, pickle their own vegetables, and make their own bread.  As an aside, Lawrence was recommended by friends of ours who lived in Montreal and it did not disappoint.  In fact, we ate dinner there and enjoyed it so much we went back for brunch the next morning.  I think I can speak for my wife too in that we both highly recommend going if you are ever in Montreal.  Anyway…

The charcuterie in Montreal has fueled a renewed interest in making charcuterie at home, which is where the book In the Charcuterie comes into focus.  I own this book.  I’ve personally used this cookbook a good number of times and each time, it did not disappoint.  The downside of the book stems from the fact that a large number of recipes require some hard to find ingredients.  Overcome that barrier, and you will find an easy to follow guide to making great sausages, roasts, terrines, bound meats, and other meaty goodness.  So, if you, like me, are interested in and enjoy charcuterie and need either a place to start or a way to continue along the path, this book works great. 

I purchased my copy at William Sonoma and, it is at least available at the store near us (Short Hills Mall).  Amazon also carries it.  I’m sure it’s available elsewhere including at the restaurant The Fatted Calf, located in the San Francisco area.  The Fatted Calf is owned and operated by the authors of the cookbook.


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Braised Escarole with Onion, Garlic, and Lemon Zest

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As I’ve mentioned, my wife and I belong to a local farm delivery service that provides mainly organic produce at the height of a particular fruit or vegetable’s growing season. The service, for locals, is called Just Farmed and operates out of Westfield. This week, we received a head of escarole. I was excited as I don’t have a lot of experience with escarole. I knew it was a bitter green and that it is typically braised. So, since I lack some experience with the vegetable, I went with a traditional cooking preparation: simply braising it in a stock with thinly sliced garlic and onion and finished with a bit of lemon zest to perk everything up. I probably would have used a shallot instead of an onion but onion is what I had on hand and I didn’t feel that it warranted a special trip to the store. So, feel free to use either…you can’t go wrong with onion or shallot (unless you’re my dad, who dislikes both). The good news here is that this dish probably takes around 30 minutes, which is a relatively short amount of time for a traditional braise.

Full disclosure: I probably overcooked this. It tasted great but I waited until the already reduced stock, reduced to a small amount of liquid in the pan and as such, I believe the escarole became overdone. So, learn from my mistake and use a small amount of stock. You can always add more if needed! Either way, the finished dish tasted great and imparted a slight bitterness that was certainly mitigated by the sweetness of the onion and hint of lemon zest.  Recipe follows after the jump.  Enjoy! Continue reading →


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Pan Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Gremolata

This recipe can be found at the Alternative Press and was published today.  It’s simple and very tasty.  On top you can see the finished dish and on bottom, you can get a view of the gremolata midway through the chopping process.  Enjoy! http://thealternativepress.com/articles/pan-roasted-pork-tenderloin-with-gremolata

PS- I can’t figure out how to link to the recipe.  It has to be simple but I’ve been messing with it for a while now and can’t seem to get it to work.  So, for now…please copy the address above into your browser to view the recipe.  I’ll figure out the link situation and make the change to this post when I do.  Sorry for the hassle.

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Basil Aioli

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We are currently swimming in basil at our house.  We are growing some fresh basil and it’s ready to be pruned/harvested.  We also received a big bunch of basil from the farmer’s program we belong to called Just Farmed out of Westfield.  So, what do we do with it all?  Dry some?  I definitely will.  Pesto?  Tara, my wife, isn’t a big fan.  I already made some marinara with basil a couple weeks back and have it waiting for us in the freezer.  So, I decided to make basil aioli.  It will last in an airtight container for a week or so.  It’s super easy with a food processor and is so worth the effort.  In fact, if you are still buying mayonnaise, stop!  If you have a food processor, a fresh egg or two, a clove of garlic, and about a cup of the oil of your choice, you are set!  Recipe follows after the jump. Continue reading →


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Product Worth Mentioning

 

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On a recent trip to San Francisco, my wife and I made it a point to stop by several farmer’s markets in the area to sample the local fare.  This is by far the best product I came across there.  We purchased a bottle at the market after trying a sample and I plowed through that so I ordered a couple bottles directly from their website (I also believe it’s available via amazon.com).  Their website is:  www.barianioliveoil.com.  They sell a couple types of olive oil but I’ve only sampled the one pictured above, the Early Harvest.  This, in my opinion, isn’t a cooking oil.  Rather, we use this in salad dressings, for finishing a dish, or for anything that calls for a raw olive oil such as dipping in bread, etc.  It has a strong flavor, deep green/yellow color, and tastes grassy with a nice peppery finish.  I definitely recommend this product!

As an aside, I won’t be posting through the holiday as my wife and I are heading to the great white North to visit Montreal.  Hopefully I’ll have some pictures and foodie adventures to share…that’s certainly the plan.  I hope everyone has a great holiday weekend. 

A couple of things looking ahead to next week:  I plan to begin a bread project by making my own starter using the Tartine Bakery method and posting a couple of recipes (a mac n cheese recipe for my friend Michelle and a pork tenderloin recipe featuring a super easy and flavorful Italian condiment to pair with it.)  Those are definitely happening…but I might get to more, so stay tuned!

Until the next time…

 


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Roasted Chicken with Wilted Spinach, Corn Hash, and Ancho and Guajillo Chile Sauce/Salsa

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Every once in a while, I get a serious craving for Mexican or Tex-Mex food.  I spent a long time living in Texas and definitely developed a taste for that general cuisine.  Unfortunately, I have yet to come across a decent Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurant in Berkeley Heights or the surrounding areas.  So, sometimes my wife and I head into NYC and go to Toloache, our favorite Mexican restaurant in the area and my craving is curbed.  (Yes, google it and go immediately if you live in the area!)  At other times, I take matters into my own hands and attempt to create something unique and tasty.  This dish turned out very well.  I’m not sure just how unique it is, but it is certainly in the general ballpark of good Mexican and Tex-Mex.  It’s also a very versatile dish.  If you don’t have time to roast a chicken, try grilling a chicken breast.  If you don’t feel like chicken, try it with beef, pork, or even shrimp.  If you want to make it vegetarian…go for it.  Serve grilled eggplant or other grilled veggies with it.  At any rate, you get the idea…you can do what you want with it.

The sauce is interesting and turned out super tasty.  It utilizes common Mexican chile peppers and borrows some techniques from Spain (using the dried bread and not cooking it).  It gets better as it sits in the fridge as the flavors can mingle together better (it should last a couple weeks in the fridge in an airtight container).  It tastes sweet and jam-like with a mild heat that lingers.  You can definitely taste the garlic and the depth of flavor you get from the dried chiles and combination of other ingredients is pretty incredible for such a simple sauce/salsa to put together.  Hope you enjoy it!  Recipe and additional picture after the jump. Continue reading →