Dinner Saturday December 10, 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

photo Kate Headley

We hosted a Home Restaurant last Saturday filled with old and brand new friends...

Passing

Scallop on Potato with Sorrel

Jowl Bacon and Eggs on Toast with Chives

Pickled Beet with Chestnut

Flat Iron Steak on Kohlrabi with Caramelized Onions

Guinea Hen Confit on Sweet Potato

Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Broccoli

Bay Leaf Vodka Martini, (Domaine Brazillier) Coteaux du Vendomois Rose 2010

Seated

Lamb Shoulder with Kale Salad, Pumpkin Seeds and Watermelon Radish– 48 hour Bread

(Roger Perrin) Chateauneuf du Pape 2008

Delicata Squash, Black Walnut, Garlic, Chard, Oregon Truffle– Sorgum Syrup Bread

(Chateau de Roquefort) Provence BLANC "Genets" 2010

Rockfish with Corn Grits, Turnip, Celery Root and Carrot– Olive Oil Spelt Bread

(Chateau de Vaux) Pinot Noir "Les Hautes Bassieres" 2009

Gabietou Cheese and Cracker

Black Rice Pudding and Persimmon

Gingerbread, Frozen Chestnut and Chocolate

(Caves Jean Bourdy) Cremant du Jura Brut NV

Bites: Coconut Pistachio, Chocolate Mint, Salty Sweet Rosemary Biscotti

To Go: Chocolate Fig Bread

Today's Bread Class

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

bread making photo by Erik Johnson from a sunny day...today, it was dark and rainy– perfect bread making weather!

An enthusiastic group came to 1508 this morning for a bread class–  it was fun.

We all kneaded bread, talked about gluten, different types of flours and grains, how to comfortably fit bread making into everyday life...and we made a whole lot of bread.

The recipes–

48 Hour Farm Bread

1 tablespoon fresh compressed yeast

1 ½ cup water at room temperature

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 cups all purpose unbleached flour

2 teaspoon salt

1.Combine yeast and water in a large bowl.

2.Add additional ingredients and mix until incorporated.

3.Cover with plastic and let sit in a warm spot for 48 hours.

4.Lay a dish towel out on a flat surface and dust generously with flour.

5.Dump dough onto the towel and make into 10 inch square.

6.Fold square into thirds, dust top with flour, cover and let rest for 15 minutes.

7.Fold in thirds using short end.

8.Brush off excess flour and gently stretch top layer over the seams visible on 2 sides of the dough.

9.Cover ½ of a clean dish towel generously with flour and top with several tablespoons of wheat bran.

10.Place bread on part of towel covered with flour and sprinkle top with more flour and bran.

11.Cover with the remaining half of the towel and let rise for 2 hours.

12.After 1 hour of rising place a 2 quart casserole (I use a Le Cruset, enamel covered cast iron pan) with a cover in a 500 degree oven.

13.After an hour remove cover, place dough in the casserole and cover and bake for 30 minutes, uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes.

14.Remove bread from the casserole and let cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Cracked Wheat Bread

*¼ cup cracked wheat, soaked for 24 hours in 1 cup water

1 ½ cups warm water

3 tablespoons fresh compressed yeast

¼ cup good quality olive oil

¼ cup molasses, maple syrup, honey or sorgum syrup

¼ cup sunflower seeds

¼ cup flax seeds roughly chopped

¼ cup chopped walnuts

4 cups plus stone ground whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

1.In a large bowl combine yeast and water.

2.Add oil, molasses (or other), sunflower seeds, cracked wheat, 2 cups flour and salt.

3.Mix until thoroughly combined.

4.Add remaining flour and knead until smooth, add a little more flour if sticky.

5.Lightly coat a clean bowl with olive oil, place dough in bowl and cover with a damp cloth.

6.Let dough sit in a warm spot until doubled, about 40 minutes.

7.Divide into two, shape into loaves and place in oiled loaf pan.

8.Put in a warm place, cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

9.Bake in a 375 degree oven until top is browned and loaves sound hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes.

Foccacia

1 ½ tablespoon fresh compressed yeast

1 ½ cup stone ground whole wheat flour

1 ½ cup all purpose unbleached flour

2 heaping teaspoons of salt

about 2 tablesoons olive oil

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano, rosemary or thyme

¼ cup roughly chopped olives (optional)

1 teaspoon medium coarse sea salt

1.Combine 1 ½ cups of water and the yeast, mix until smooth.

2.Add the flour and salt.

3.Knead this dough until thoroughly combined and then an additional 2 minutes.

4.Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

5.Cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise for 30 minutes.

6.Take a large baking tray, and lightly cover it in olive oil. Spread the dough on the tray, and create little indents with your fingers for the oil to soak in.

7.Coat top with a thin layer of oil and top with oregano, sea salt, and olives (if using).

8.Cook for 8-10 minutes in the oven.

9.Cut as soon as you take the focaccia out of the oven.

Pizza Dough

1 cup all purpose unbleached flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cup 00 flour

2 tablespoons fresh compressed yeast

1 ½ cup lukewarm water

2 slightly heaping teaspoon of salt

1.Mix the flour and salt.

2.Dissolve yeast in the water and add to the flour mixture.

3.Knead this dough by hand until thoroughly incorporated and then continue kneading for 2-3 more minutes.

4.Cover with plastic and leave to sit at least 45 minutes or up to 24 hours.

5.Pat out dough by hand to desired thickness and cook in pizza oven or conventional oven at 450 on a stone.

No Recipe Bread (this is a rough recipe, start with this experiment and make it your own)

3 cups water

2 tablespoons fresh compressed yeast

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons finely ground sea salt

4 cups spelt flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

3 1/2 cups organic all purpose unbleached flour (exact amount determined when making)

Olive oil or olive oil spray for pan

1.In a large bowl combine water, yeast, sugar, and salt . Mix until smooth. Gradually add flour, about 2 cups at a time, switching back and forth between the spelt, whole wheat and the all purpose unbleached. Knead in flour after each addition.

2.When the dough can stick together as a ball take the dough out of the bowl and place on a clean surface. Knead the dough adding more flower until it stops sticking to your hands. Knead dough vigorously for about 2 minutes.

3.Place bread in a clean bowl and let rise at room temperature or place in refrigerator to use later.

4.When ready to bake you can bake in a loaf, in a boule shape, as a flatbread...in a 375 degree oven until the bread sounds hollow when tapped.

5.Possible additions are wheatberries, rosemary, nuts, seeds, olives...

Fried Chicken Mushroom!

Last week fried chicken mushrooms were available through the wild mushroom forager in Oregon that I often rely on when wild mushrooms are not available locally or I do not have the time to hunt for my own.  I had never heard of them before... They were delicious, fairly mild flavored with a slightly sweet and woodsy flavor and a meaty texture.  We served them roasted with spaghetti squash, celery root sauce, chickweed and a little bit of pickled beets.  I will order them again...and am wondering if I might be able to find them in the woods locally.

Local Huckleberries

When I saw huckleberries were available from the Amish cooperative Path Valley I immediately added them to my list despite the fact that I had no specific plan about what I was going to do with them.  Some became part of a pudding (recipe below) for a tiny first dessert course that I served with a salty rosemary walnut biscotti.  The remainder got cooked and sweetened with local honey, put in little jars and given away as to-go gifts for guests at last Friday nights Home Restaurant. I am now a fan of huckleberries!

Huckleberry Almond Pudding

1 cup huckleberries, cooked, pureed and passed through a fine sieve

2 cups almond milk

1/4 cup sugar or more if you want a sweeter pudding

pinch of salt

3 tablespoons cornstarch

In a small saucepan combine huckleberries, almond milk, sugar and salt.

Heat over medium heat stirring often until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat.

In a small bowl combine cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water and mix until smooth.

Slowly add the cornstarch to the huckleberry mixture and combine thoroughly.

Heat over medium heat until thick, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.

Pour into individual serving cups or 1 large bowl and chill until set, about 12 hours.

Woodend, 11/5

November 5th was a big day for me...I did flowers for a few fabulous couples.  I have seen glimpses of photos from the other weddings I did that day but these are the first complete set I have gotten back.  As always it was a pleasure to work with Alexandra Kovach.  Thank you to Michelle Frankfurter for the photos– her unique point of view is clear through the images that she captures...below are a few of the more flower-centric ones.

Congratulations on the Book Maria and Kelly!

My friends and colleagues Maria and Kelly of Ritzy Bee recently finished a new wedding book for Southern Living.  Rumor has it there is one advance copy floating around The Hive and it is gorgeous but I have not seen it yet!  The Southern Living Wedding Planner and Keepsake: What to do before saying "I do" will be available to all of us on January 3 next year at bookstores and through Amazon.  With their radiance and knowing that all of the photos were taken by Kate Headley I cannot wait to see it!!  In the meantime you can sneak a peek on a recent Ritzy Bee blog post. Congratulations!!

xos

Home Restaurant, November 18, 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Kate Headley

Very much enjoyed our lively guests at Friday night Home Restaurant!

Passing

Brussel sprouts, pickled ginger

Lamb sausage, fig, carrot

Egg, jowl bacon, toast, sorrel

Rabbit, apple, corncake

Roasted tomato garlic soup

Chicken, sweet potatoes, grainy mustard

Lemon Thyme Vodka Martini

Seated

Flat iron steak, parsnip, broccoli greens

(Pierre Gauthier) Bourgeuil "Soif du Jour" 2010

Spaghetti squash, celeriac, chickweed, pickled beets, chanterelle and fried chicken mushrooms

(Thevenet) Macon Pierreclos 2009

Sablefish, stinging nettles, leeks, tiny potatoes, truffle salt, fennel

(Henri Jouan) Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grain 2009

Jasper Hill Harbison cheese with walnut cracker

Huckleberry custard with salty rosemary walnut biscotti

(Eudald) 'Familia' Brut Cava NV

Squash pecan pie chocolate sorbet and cocoa nibs

Cookies: Coconut cashew, chocolate mint, gingersnap

Take home

Seeded bread

Cooked Huckleberries

Personal Flowers from an October Wedding

Lovely bride, church ceremony followed by lunch at Longview Gallery, got to work with Teresa from Rex and Regina for the first time. Used lots of dahlias that are now done until next year from Bob Wollam, whites for personal flowers and bright oranges and reds for centerpieces at the lunch.

The bride picked up the different black and white ribbons at a favorite store of mine in NY M&J Trimming.

Photos: Chris Baltazar

Pili Nuts?

Until very recently I had never heard of pili nuts...found them online at One Lucky Duck.  They are very rich and kind of buttery tasting– great for eating on their own, baking with or making into a smooth sauce.  I learned they are native of the Phillipines and grow in volcanic soil. They are healthy like most nuts but in addition contain a large amount of magnesium and Vitamin E as well as omegas and all essential amino acids.

Jura Wine Dinner

Last night we hosted a dinner at 1508 with Tom Calder, a wine broker from Paris and Tom Kiska, a wine importer who regularly helps us with our wine pairings at dinners.

All 11 of the wines were from the Jura region in France, 2 from the 1950's!!

Tom and Tom's combined knowledge is astounding, a wonderful group attended– a memorable night.

Passing

Rabbit with Apple on Carrot

Kobacha Squash Puree

Brussel Sprout with Pickled Ginger

Celery Root with Lemon and Argon Oil

Eggs with Jowl Bacon

(Caves Jean Bourdy) Cremant du Jura Brut NV

(Tissot) Cremant du Jura Brut Rose NV

Foie Gras Terrine on Brioche

(Tissot) Vin de Paille 2004

Seated

Cornmeal Soup with Parsnip and  Sorrel

(Tissot) Arbois Chardonnay "Classique" 2009

Scallops with Cauliflower and Vanilla, Salty Oat Bread

(Caves Jean Bourdy) Cotes du Jura Blanc 1992

Sweetbreads and Figs, Farm Bread

(Caves Jean Bourdy) Cotes du Jura Blanc 1953

Guinea Hen with Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes and Burgundy Truffles and Collard Green Sprouts, Multi-Grain Roll

(Caves Jean Bourdy) Cotes du Jura Rouge 1959

Lamb Leg with Chanterelle Mushroom and Wilted Romaine, Spelt Olive Oil Focaccia

(Caves Jean Bourdy) Cotes du Jura Rouge 1990

Franche Comte Cheese and Cracker

(Caves Jean Bourdy) Arbois Vin Jaune 2001

Chocolate Pudding with Chocolate Cookie

(Tissot) Trousseau Arbois 2009

Roasted Pear and Almond Sorbet

(Tissot) Cremant du Jura Brut NV

Cardoons

Cardoons from Path Valley Cooperative in Pennsylvania. To cook– slice (some varieties have sharp edges so take care when handling raw), bring salted water to a boil, add cardoons, return to a boil, drain.  Repeat this process until the cardoons are tender but not mushy, this usually takes 5 or 6 times.

At our last Home restaurant we made a salad with the cooked cardoons, wild capers, golden raisins, picholine olives, fresh parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper– and served the salad passed on a warm corncake.