Mozzarella & cheddar cheeses, garlic, rosemary, and thyme inside.
Outside brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with parmesan and chives before baking.
6/7 high gluten flour and 1/7 spelt flour for texture, buttermilk, sourdough starter.
Baked in 5 quart cast iron dutch oven turned upside down (lid is off for the photo.) Aluminum pan underneath prevents scorching/hardening of crust on the bottom.
Rich, looks great! However, I am not "tracking" the baking in an upside down Dutch oven, and the lid thing, and pic. Could help this ol dude with all this. Thanks, and welcome to the brotherhood of bakers here. Brad
Ok, now I know what naan bread is, even eaten some. But, my gut insists I avoid Indian food. Too much spicing I guess. A shame, because we have several good Indian restaurants here in wichita, I am told by my kids. Brad
Brad, a lot or real Indian food (rather than the standard restaurant fayre) could be described as fragrant rather than spicy. You should see if you can get an old classic cook book by Madhur Jaffrey - I'm sure you'd see lots in them you'd like
Many moons ago I dated an Indian girl, who had been taught how to cook by her mom. It was light-years away from and orders of magnitude better than anything I've had even in high-end Indian restaurants.
Rich, looks great! However, I am not "tracking" the baking in an upside down Dutch oven, and the lid thing, and pic. Could help this ol dude with all this. Thanks, and welcome to the brotherhood of bakers here. Brad
Hi Brad,
I can see how my earlier post could be confusing because I referred to the pot piece as the "lid."
These are the 5 quart cast iron dutch ovens I use for baking bread. These are designed so the lid can also be used as a skillet, however that also means the whole thing can be used upside down. I lift the dough onto the preheated lid with parchment paper (with 8 slits cut every 45 degrees to prevent crumpling,) and then cover with the preheated pot piece. In the 2nd photo the cast iron lid piece is on the aluminum pan under the parchment paper.
Rich, thanks. Got it. The lid becomes the pot, and the pot becomes the lid. Brad I like the extra care to fit the parchment paper onto the baking surface.
Indian for us last night. Tea steeped chickpeas, lentil daal and some slightly burned salmon tikka. All scooped up with chapatis. The chickpeas were really, really good. Unusual spicing with cinnamon and cloves along with the usual spices - I was dubious and thought it might taste like mouthwash m]but it was delicious.
Indian for us last night. Tea steeped chickpeas, lentil daal and some slightly burned salmon tikka. All scooped up with chapatis. The chickpeas were really, really good. Unusual spicing with cinnamon and cloves along with the usual spices - I was dubious and thought it might taste like mouthwash m]but it was delicious.
Recipe for the chickpeas? Pretty please?
I had a hankering for meatballs yesterday, but made with Fake Meat™*. Worked out pretty well, especially after putting them in the sauce, but they were far more trouble to deal with because they wouldn't hold their shape and ended up looking more like pucks than balls. Also made a focaccia with tomatoes to go with. Savoy cabbage for color.
*The hankering was for meatballs, not Fake Meat™. The latter was so my daughter would eat it. It's a much looser product than beef or lamb.
Indian for us last night. Tea steeped chickpeas, lentil daal and some slightly burned salmon tikka. All scooped up with chapatis. The chickpeas were really, really good. Unusual spicing with cinnamon and cloves along with the usual spices - I was dubious and thought it might taste like mouthwash m]but it was delicious.
Recipe for the chickpeas? Pretty please?
I had a hankering for meatballs yesterday, but made with Fake Meat™*. Worked out pretty well, especially after putting them in the sauce, but they were far more trouble to deal with because they wouldn't hold their shape and ended up looking more like pucks than balls. Also made a focaccia with tomatoes to go with. Savoy cabbage for color.
*The hankering was for meatballs, not Fake Meat™. The latter was so my daughter would eat it. It's a much looser product than beef or lamb.
Gladly mate, give me two minutes and I'll get a pic - they were very good, I'm planning on having the leftovers for lunch tomorrow. We also try and do a good few veggie meals we can all eat the same thing as a family meal.
All of a sudden, I feel a crushing need for curry. Chicken or prawn? Prawn at least, I'd give Rumpuss a couple for a treat. Chicken (and lots of it) would fit into a fried rice tomorrow.
Sheenjack, I had to Google Fatayer. I’m a little disappointed you didn’t make a pile of those and mail them to all the BHO foodies!!! Those look amazing and look like they could be made ahead of time and reheated on da heater/cooker in my ice shack and washed down with my favorite beverage!!! I’m assuming the filling options are endless in those, but your combo sounds best to me !!! Where have those been all my life??? Slammer!!!
Sheenjack, I had to Google Fatayer. I’m a little disappointed you didn’t make a pile of those and mail them to all the BHO foodies!!! Those look amazing and look like they could be made ahead of time and reheated on da heater/cooker in my ice shack and washed down with my favorite beverage!!! I’m assuming the filling options are endless in those, but your combo sounds best to me !!! Where have those been all my life???
Slammer!!!
Slammer,
I love Spinach. For decades I have been buying Amys spinach pockets. They are incredible. Used to buy them by the case of 12. Have not been able to find them in stores since the start of THE GREAT SCOURGE so the only sensible thing to do was to make them myself. Found a recipe on Youtube for the dough using milk for the liquid. First time I have tried making bread dough using milk. They turned out really well. Light, soft, and airy. The only ingredient I omitted was Sumac. Did not have any. No reason they should not end up on the stove of your ice shack. Right next to the pasties.
Sheenjack, I’m leaving for New York Thursday morning and while I’m out there relaxing in between chasing grandkids, I’ll be googling recipes . When I get back home next week, they are on my radar………they just look too damn good!!! I love spinach too especially as one of the fillings in main dishes , egg bakes and pasta dishes and spanakopita!!! Along with the “no knead bread recipes” in the earlier posts, I see a long comfort food winter ahead of me and can’t wait!!! My healthy eating wife will not condone my choices, but it is all to get the calories I need to stay warm in da nickname should be Pinocchio !!! Slammer!!!
After two meals with our Alton Brown Christmas-with beans, we decided to freeze the last meal's worth for another time. By then, I will have purchased a fresh bottle of "Beano." Brad
This is a real dumb question, but those are the kinds I'm best at. Do you brew the tea, and then add the brewed tea to the mix, or do you blend in the tea leaves? I presume the first.
Ok, now I know what naan bread is, even eaten some. But, my gut insists I avoid Indian food. Too much spicing I guess. A shame, because we have several good Indian restaurants here in wichita, I am told by my kids. Brad
Brad, a lot or real Indian food (rather than the standard restaurant fayre) could be described as fragrant rather than spicy. You should see if you can get an old classic cook book by Madhur Jaffrey - I'm sure you'd see lots in them you'd like
Many moons ago I dated an Indian girl, who had been taught how to cook by her mom. It was light-years away from and orders of magnitude better than anything I've had even in high-end Indian restaurants.
There was a real good Indian Restaurant in Worcester, Massachusetts that my wife took me to. I ordered Chicken Vindaloo, which is one of my favorites, and I asked for it to be hot. The waiter asked me if I had ever eaten there before and I said "no, but when I order this in other restaurants it is not hot enough". He then said he would make it medium, and that if I needed it hotter he could add more spice. I said fine, and when he brought it I took one fork full and thought my head was going to explode. Sweat started pouring from my brow and water from my eyes. It was very hot, but still quite flavorful. He came back a few minutes later and asked if I wanted more spice and I shook my head "no". He then laughed and said that most of their clientele was Indian, and that the level of heat in mine they could not even taste. I'm sorry that restaurant closed because it was the best Chicken Vindaloo I ever had.
I love to cook and consider myself pretty damn good at it, but I hate baking!!!
You bread guys always amaze me because I believe there is an art to baking a GOOD loaf and there are always so many variables. Warm crusty bread done well is on my to do list when I retire.
Rich and Pat, those breads look amazing and have me drooling!!!
This is a real dumb question, but those are the kinds I'm best at. Do you brew the tea, and then add the brewed tea to the mix, or do you blend in the tea leaves? I presume the first.
The former Dave. I just used 2 x teabags in half a mug of hot water
We had this about once a week before my son went off to college. Used my mother's recipe, with a few additions like green pepper and cut up tomatoes. Also used a beef substitute for my vegetarian wife. I've been having a craving for it lately, but you can't make a small batch. Don't know that it would freeze well. I don't mind left overs for a day or two, but beyond that . . .
We had this about once a week before my son went off to college. Used my mother's recipe, with a few additions like green pepper and cut up tomatoes. Also used a beef substitute for my vegetarian wife. I've been having a craving for it lately, but you can't make a small batch. Don't know that it would freeze well. I don't mind left overs for a day or two, but beyond that . . .
I don't see it why it wouldn't freeze. It's not like the pasta needs to stay al dente. But we rarely had more than one day's leftovers with two teenage boys in the house.
I've always been a big fan of stuffed pasta since Mom bought Chef Boy R Dee ravioli. I do my best to always keep a box of Duzo's tortellini in the freezer. Boil those, drain and add a cup of fine dice onion. Then bury that under a quart of Alfredo sauce. I have made the big 2" tortelli and the pasta from scratch but the store-bought is vey good.
Speaking of culinary throwbacks, it was Second Daughter’s last night here before heading back for her final semester of college. I gave her the choice of her two childhood favorites, mac & cheese or tuna noodle casserole. She chose casserole. It’d had been quite a while since I’d made it, probably because calories, and I’d forgotten how good it was.
We’re looking at an ice storm over night tonight with a likely multi-day blackout, so it’s good to ave leftovers.
Pasta in my house, too, Rem. I was gifted an Italian pasta book, great selection of really offbeat pasta sauces. I'll do spaghettini with Citrus Parmesan sauce. I need some fishy/meaty thing and discovered a bag of frozen scallops calling my name.
Had a half loaf of sourdough that was getting stale and a bunch of veg that needed eating. I went with bread pudding muffins: sauté the veg (leeks, mushrooms, and a lonely parsnip, herbs), cube up the bread and dry it in the oven, soak it all in a savory custard (eggs, cream, stock), then put it in a muffin pan and bake until done. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from the pan and serving. Pretty yummy.
A new one for me yesterday, Creton. An online friend mentioned it and I’d never heard of it so I had to give it a go. Apparently it’s a Québécois favourite - ground pork slow cooked with milk and spices, it has a pate like texture and is incredibly tasty. We were scoffing it on hot buttered bauguette.
