Tuesday, December 19, 2023

Stir Fry Sesame Noodles with Chickpeas & Basil (Vegan, 30 minutes)

 Source: Lisa found on the internets, December 2023

Time: 1 hour (c'mon, none of these are really 30 minutes)
Serves: 4


INGREDIENTS:

For the sauce:
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
1/3 cup water
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar (or sub 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup)
1 tablespoon sesame oil (preferably toasted sesame oil)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1 tablespoon sesame seeds (or sub 1 tablespoon tahini)
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ tablespoon arrowroot starch (or sub cornstarch)

For the veggies & chickpeas:
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil (preferably toasted sesame oil)
½ white onion, cut into large chunks
2 large carrots, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 large head of broccoli, chopped into florets
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
For the noodles:
10 ounces stir fry rice noodles (or feel free to sub ramen noodles or soba noodles)


For serving:
½ cup basil leaves, ribboned/julienned
1/2 cup roasted cashews, chopped
Scallions (green part of the onion only)
Extra sesame seeds


INSTRUCTIONS:
01. Make your stir fry sauce: in a medium bowl, whisk together:
- soy sauce
- water, garlic
- coconut sugar
- sesame oil
- rice vinegar
- fresh ginger
- sesame seeds
- red pepper flakes
- arrowroot starch (or cornstarch)
Set aside.


02. Add 1 tablespoon sesame oil to a large pot then add in:
- chopped onion and sliced carrots
Cook for 2-4 minutes until onions begin to soften.
Next add in broccoli and bell pepper and cook.
Stirring frequently, for an additional 6-8 minutes
or until broccoli is slightly tender but still have a bite.


03. While the veggies are cooking, make your stir fry rice noodles according to the directions on the package. Then drain and set aside.


04. Add the drained chickpeas to the pot with the cooked veggies.
Immediately turn the heat to low and add in the sauce.
Cook for an additional 2 minutes over low heat until the sauce begins to thicken a bit.
(It should be nice and saucy.)
Stir in rice noodles, fresh basil ribbons and cashews.
Toss again to combine.
Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.

Ba-BAM! (so goooood)

Sunday, November 5, 2023

Butternut Squash, Kale, and White Bean Soup

Source:


Time: 60 minutes
20 minutes - Prep time
40 minutes - Cook time

Gear
1 5 to 7-qt Dutch oven, cocotte, or stock pot
Optional - immersion blender

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp. chili flakes
1 lb. peeled and cubed butternut squash
8 thyme sprigs
1 (15-oz.) can Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained (or chickpeas)
4 cups stemmed and roughly chopped lacinato kale
4 cups lower-sodium vegetable broth
2 cups water
¾ tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. black pepper
1 to 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage leaves
Toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish (optional)


Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium.
2. Add onions and celery; cook 8 minutes, until soft.
3. Stir in garlic, chili flakes, butternut squash, and thyme sprigs.
- cook 4 to 5 minutes, until aromatic.
4. Add white beans, kale, broth, water, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- increase heat to bring soup to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes, or until squash is tender.
6. Remove thyme sprigs, and stir in sage.
7. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.


Notes:
To serve:
Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds and Parmesan cheese, if desired.
To Store:
Refrigerate leftover soup in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days. 
To Reheat:
Gently reheat soup in a pot on the stovetop over medium heat.
You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave, stopping to stir every 30 seconds for more even heating.
To Freeze:
Soup can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Freeze soup in an airtight freezer-safe storage container.
Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Friday, October 20, 2023

Lime Rice with Cilantro

Source:
Simply Recipes:


Time: 1 hour (5 mins 30 mins 35 mins)
(6 servings)


Ingredients
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups rice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 1/4 cups water
1 tsp salt
Finely grated zest of one lime
3 Tbsp lime juice
1 cup lightly packed chopped cilantro


Directions:
1. Brown the rice:
Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan on medium high heat.
Add the raw rice and stir to coat with the olive oil.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice has started to brown.
* Add the garlic and cook a minute more.

2. Add water, salt, zest, then simmer:
Add water, salt, and lime zest to the rice.
- Bring to a rolling boil, then cover and lower heat to simmer.
- Cook undisturbed for 15 minutes (check your rice package instructions).

3. Then remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
Fluff the rice with a fork.

4. Stir in lime juice and cilantro:
Transfer the rice to a serving bowl.
Pour lime juice over the rice and toss with chopped cilantro.
Serve with chicken, steak, shrimp, Mexican or Asian food.
 

Tuesday, October 10, 2023

Conchas (Mexican sweet bread) pan dulce

Source: 
Was in an email blast from King Arthur, but it was good!

Time:
4 hours

Ingredients:
Starter
170g (3/4 cup) water (86º)
2 teaspoons instant yeast
120g (1 cup) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour

Dough
8g (1 1/4 teaspoons) salt
330g (2 3/4 cups) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
66g (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
43g (3 tablespoons) butter, softened
2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, white reserved
2 teaspoons Mexican vanilla extract, or your favorite vanilla extract

Topping
99g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Mexican vanilla extract, or your favorite vanilla extract
71g (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, soft
80g (2/3 cup) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
1 large egg white, reserved from above
food coloring, optional






Directions:

Starter:
In the same bowl you'll be mixing the dough in.
- Add all starter ingredients.
- Cover the bowl, and let the starter rest for 1 hour, until it's bubbly.

----
While starter is rising, measure out all of the dough ingredients.
Putting all dry ingredients in one bowl
Putting all wet ingredients in one bowl - letting them all come to room temp.
----


Dough:
01. Add dough ingredients into starter bowl.
02. Start mixer slow and as it get's mixed up, speed up to fully knead the dough.
It will take a while, 8-14 minutes to form a sticky, elastic dough.
Resist the urge to add more flour; it won't clean the sides of the bowl.
It will be sticky.
Just make sure gluten is formed by using the "window pane test".

03. Let the dough rise, covered, in the mixing bowl for 60 to 90 minutes, or until it's doubled in size.
It may be a bit slow, so allow it plenty of time.

----
While dough is rising, make the topping
----


Topping:
(Do not use the egg white, you'll use it later for finishign the dough)
01. Mix together the sugar, salt, vanilla, and softened butter until smooth.
Stir in the flour in two additions, mixing to make a thick paste.
Cover the bowl and set the topping aside.

02. *Here is where you can add food coloring.
- we divide the dough in half, one half pink & one half green
- other ideas: 1/2 cinnamon, 1/2 chocolate, 1/2 other colors?

03. Divide the topping into 10, 14, or 20 portions
(see below - how many rolls are you making?)

04. Flatten each portion into a 3" to 4" disk.
Place portions between two pieces of parchment or wax paper.
Use bottom of small pot and plate to flatten it
Or a tortilla press
Or a rolling pin
Or flattening with your fingers

05. Set the disks aside in prep for the dough.
Putting it on parchment paper on a baking sheet in the fridge keeps is well.
It keeps it cool and easy to handle.


Shaping Dough:
01. Divide it into:
(3 versions)
A. 10 pieces (about 89g each - very big) (tried this first time and they were huge)
B. 14 pieces (about 61g each - large) (tried this on 10-08, was great, but could be smaller)
C. 20 pieces (about 44g each - medium) (tried at Jack's football game 10-29 and it was a great size!)

02. Roll each into a ball.
Place the balls of dough onto a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
Leaving some space between them. 

03. Brush the balls with Egg White

04. Place the topping disks on each Concha dough ball.
Use a sharp knife or lame to cut designs into the topping.
DO NOT cut into the dough below, just the topping.
OR, you can buy a "Concha Cutter" so you just stamp each topping with a sea shell design.

05. Let the dough rise out on the counter for about 45 minutes.
They should be nice and puffy.
The "cut outs" in the topping should be separating as the dough ball beneath it rises.


Baking
01. Preheat oven to 350º
02. Bake the conchas for 18 to 24 minutes, until they're golden brown. (200º internal temp)
03. Remove them from the oven.
Let them rest on the pan until they're cool enough to handle.
Enjoy conchas warm or at room temperature. 

Store any leftover conchas (ha, ha, ha!), well wrapped, for three days at room temperature.
Or, freeze for up to a month.





Saturday, September 30, 2023

30 minute Chocolate Chip Cookies

Brian Lagerstrom again - he gets it.

Time: 40 minutes (counting cleanup)

Ingredients: 

230g (2 sticks) unsalted butter
100g (1/2 cup) light brown sugar
100g (1/2 cup) granulated white sugar
30g (1 1/2 Tbsp) corn syrup
1 large egg yolk
10g (2 tsp) vanilla extract
30g (2 Tbsp) milk
270g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
10g (2 tsp) salt
8g (1/2 Tbsp) baking soda
165g (6 oz) chopped chocolate (70% cacao) plus extra for topping 
100g (1 cup) chopped toasted walnuts (sub macadamia nuts) 
Flaky salt, for sprinkling on top

Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan over VERY LOW heat, melt the butter, being careful not to make it too hot.  

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the light brown sugar, white sugar, and corn syrup.
Use the paddle attachment and mix on medium speed.
Gradually stream in the melted butter and mix for about 3-4 minutes until well combined.

3. Add the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and milk to the mixture.
Mix on low speed for just 30-45 seconds until everything is combined.

4. Into the mixer bowl with the wet ingredients, measure in the flour, salt, and baking soda.

5. Mix on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.
Being careful not to over mix to avoid gluten formation.

6. Add the chopped chocolate and chopped toasted walnuts to the dough.
Mix on low until just incorporated (about 30 seconds)

7. Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

8. Scoop out chunks of cookie dough, slightly smaller than a golf ball.
Place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
The dough will spread during baking, so no need to shape them perfectly.

9. Place 1-2 chunks of chocolate on top of each cookie dough so each one looks special.
Then sprinkle a pinch of flaky salt on top.

10. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 14-16 minutes.
Until they are lightly golden around the edges and set in the center.

11. After baking, allow the cookies to sit on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes for carryover cooking.

12. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely and set their crisp.



Times we made it and how it fared:
01. 09-24-23 - After a KRFK show, came home late, but wanted fresh cookies!
Started at 10pm, and we were all eating cookies by 10:35! 
They were delicious!! (family database worthy, for sure)

Monday, September 18, 2023

Brisket (Nach Waxman's Brisket of Beef)

(Available lots of places online too)

From The Brisket Book: A Love Story with Recipes by Stephanie Pierson. Copyright © 2011 by Stephanie Pierson. Published by Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC.



Have done this for years, but finally added it here this year.
Made with much success September 2023
(I missed it because I was heading East for a fishing day with Victor, but leftovers tasted great.)


Note:
Slice the meat midway through cooking.
If you serve this the day after you make it, reheat, covered, for about 1 hour in a 325°F oven.
You should serve it the next day - it tastes so much better! ;)


Ingredients:
Serves 10-12
1 (6-7 pound) first-cut beef brisket, trimmed so that a thin layer of fat remains
All-purpose flour, for dusting
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons corn oil
8 medium onions, peeled and thickly sliced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
Kosher salt
2 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
1 carrot, peeled and trimmed
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375°F.



Directions:

Step 1
Lightly dust the brisket with flour, then sprinkle with pepper to taste.
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large ovenproof enameled cast-iron pot or other heavy pot with a lid just large enough to hold the brisket snugly.

Add the brisket to the pot and brown on both sides until crusty brown areas appear on the surface here and there, 5 to 7 minutes per side.

Transfer the brisket to a platter, turn up the heat a bit, then add the onions to the pot and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.

Cook until the onions have softened and developed a rich brown color but aren't yet caramelized, 10 to 15 minutes.


Step 2
Turn off the heat and place the brisket and any accumulated juices on top of the onions.


Step 3
Spread the tomato paste over the brisket as if you were icing a cake.
Sprinkle with salt and more pepper to taste, then add the garlic and carrot to the pot.
Cover the pot, transfer to the oven, and cook the brisket for 1 1/2 hours.


Step 4
Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and, using a very sharp knife, slice the meat across the grain into approximately 1/8-inch-thick slices.
Return the slices to the pot, overlapping them at an angle so that you can see a bit of the top edge of each slice.
The end result should resemble the original unsliced brisket leaning slightly backward.
Check the seasonings and, if absolutely necessary, add 2 to 3 teaspoons of water to the pot.


Step 5
Cover the pot and return to the oven. Lower the heat to 325°F and cook the brisket until it is fork-tender, about 2 hours.
Check once or twice during cooking to make sure that the liquid is not bubbling away.
If it is, add a few more teaspoons of water-but not more.
Also, each time you check, spoon some of the liquid on top of the roast so that it drips down between the slices.


Step 6
It is ready to serve with its juices, but, in fact, it's even better the second day.

Thursday, May 25, 2023

Beef (or Chicken) & Broccoli stir fry

 Source:
YouTube, Brian Lagerstrom, 'Weeknighting' (again)


Time:
30 minutes

Ingredients:
(makes 4 portions)
1lb/.5kg beef flank steak or sirloin
5g or 1t soy sauce 
5g or 1t shao-hsing chinese cooking wine (sub with dry sherry or white wine)
10g or 2 1/4t sesame oil 
2g or .5t sugar 
2g or 3/4t corn starch
2g or .5t baking soda
350g/12oz broccolini or broccoli cut into small pieces
¼ large white onion, sliced
10g/3-5 cloves garlic, grated
10g or 1-1.5Tbsp  ginger, grated 

Stir fry sauce (see recipe below)
Cornstarch slurry (3g/1teas corn starch mixed with 30-40g water/couple of Tbsp)
High smokepoint oil (canola, peanut, etc)


Stir Fry Sauce
10g or 2.5t  sugar
30g or 1.75Tbsp soy sauce 
45g or 2.5Tbsp oyster sauce (sub with hoisin)
30g or 1.75Tbsp shao-hsing cooking wine (sub with dry sherry or white wine)


Directions:
01. Cut steak with the grain into 3 2.5”/6-7cm wide strips. 
Turn each strip 90 degrees and slice thinly on a bias.
Pieces should be approx 1”x ⅛”x2” (2.5x.3x5cm).
Place meat in colander and rinse well with water. 
Place rinsed and drained meat in a bowl.
Add soy, cooking wine, sesame oil, sugar, corn starch, and baking soda.
Mix well to coat. 


02. In 12” wok with high heat of this recipe.
(or large cast iron or 12-14” nonstick) 
    A. Add 1-2 Tbsp of oil to wok and get hot.
Add half of the marinated beef.
Stir and toss to coat with the oil, moving it around/tossing often.
Do this for about 60-90 sec or until browned and cooked about 80-90% through.
Transfer beef to a bowl.
Return wok to high heat.

    B. Add another Tbsp of oil followed by second half of raw/marinated meat to wok.
Cook, stirring and tossing frequently for 60-90 sec.
Transfer to cooked beef bowl. 


03. Return wok to high heat.
(Add splash of water and wet towel with  tongs to remove any stuck-on beef gunk from pan.)
    A. Add 1 Tbsp of oil followed by half of broccolini and half of onions.
Stir and toss to cook for 60-90sec or until charred around the edges and are tender but still snappy.
Transfer to bowl with cooked beef.
Return wok to high heat 

    B. Add another Tbsp of oil and the rest of the broccolini and onions, cook for 60-90 sec.
Add garlic and ginger, moving/stirring constantly.


04. Add previously stir fried Meat and Veggies.
Toss to combine for about 15-20 sec.
Add Stir Fry Sauce around inside edges of wok.
Add 2-3 spoons of cornstarch mixture.
Toss and stir  together to combine.

Serve with rice. 

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Fast, but good Pizza dough (1/2 sheet jelly roll pan)

Source:
King Arthur Sesame Pizza
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/sesame-crusted-spicy-pizza-recipe
sdf
*Skipping the sesame seeds & using a difference sauce.
We LOVE our pizza sauce recipe from (see "Pizza Sauce" recipe)


Time:
3 hours
*Can make ahead of time.
Refrigerate stretched out dough in sheet pan hours or 1 day in advance.


Dough:
360g   King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour (3 cups)
8g       salt (1.5 tsp)
3g       yeast (1 tsp)
270g.  water, lukewarm (95°F) (1 cup + 3 Tbsp)
15g     olive oil (1 Tbsp)


Directions:
01. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast until well combined.
Add the water and olive oil.
Mix until thoroughly combined and homogenous. 
- Cover the dough and place it in a warm spot (about 70°F to 75°F) for 15 minutes.

02. Give it a bowl fold 01 (see "Bowl Fold" below).
- Cover the dough, set aside for another 15 minutes.

03. Perform bowl fold 02. 

04. After the second bowl fold, cover the dough and allow it to rest for about 60 to 90 minutes.
(Until it’s slightly puffy but not necessarily doubled in size.)


05. Shape the dough:
A. Coat the inside of the 9" x 13" pan (or 1/2 sheet) with 15g (1 Tbsp) of olive oil.
Being sure to oil up the sides of the pan.
Transfer the dough into the pan and turn once to coat in oil. 

B. Gently press and stretch the dough, using your fingertips to dimple the surface and encourage it to cover the entire pan.
If your dough resists, cover it, let it rest for 15 minutes, and try again.
You may have to do this several times... stretch & wait.
(you can try lifting the dough out of the pan and letting gravity help you stretch it evenly)
It will eventually cover the whole pan.
Do not overstretch it, be patient, or you may tear the dough and then you'll have a hole in your pizza.


06. Once dough is shaped, cover the dough and let it rest for an additional 45 to 60 minutes
(Until slightly puffed; there should be some bubbles on the surface and edges, but the dough will not have doubled.)

*In the last 45 minutes of the rise time, preheat the oven to 500°F with a baking stone or steel on the bottom rack.
**While the dough is rising and the oven is preheating, make the sauce.


07. Assemble pizza just before baking.
Whatever you like, but usually - Sauce, Mozzarella cheese, onions, parm cheese, etc.


08. Bake:
A. Lower the oven temperature to 450°F.
Bake the pizza for 20 to 25 minutes.
- until the cheese is bubbling and the bottom and edges of the crust are golden brown (use a spatula to check the bottom).
* If the bottom is brown but the top still seems pale, transfer the pizza to the top rack and bake for 2 to 4 minutes longer.
On the other hand, if the top seems fine but the bottom is not browned to your liking, leave the pizza on the stone/steel for another 2 to 4 minutes.

B. Remove the pizza from the oven and place the pan on a heatproof surface.
Let the pizza cool very briefly, then carefully slide it from the pan to a cooling rack or cutting surface. (This will prevent the crust from becoming soggy.)
Top pizza with basil or red pepper flakes.





Bowl Fold:
Use a wet hand to grab a section of dough from one side, lift it up, then press it down into the middle. Give the bowl a quarter-turn (90°) and repeat 3 to 6 times, until you’ve circled the dough and it has become resistant to stretching. 

Sunday, January 22, 2023

Pan de Cristal (Eli's favorite) (Spanish Glass Bread)

Source:
YouTube with King Arthur baker:

Time: 6 hours
(straight dough)

Start anytime and use this Google Sheet to figure out timings

My first 100% hydration dough!
It is fun to make and actually pretty easy.
Eli tried it and freaked out.
Then I brushed olive oil and some salt on it and he loved it more
Plus, Katie & Steve said it was a hit at their charcuterie board.


Ingredients:
500g water (80º to 100º depending on ambient temp - see below)
500g Bread Flour
2.5g instant yeast (3/4 tsp)
10g salt
15g olive oil, for the pan

Directions:

Dough Temp
Final mixed dough should end up being 74°F to 76°F.
If your kitchen temperature is 70°F to 75°F, water should be 80°F to 85°F.
If your kitchen temperature is 65°F, water should be 100°F to 105°F.

1. Mix dough with flexible spatula in bowl (no need for a mixer)
*Best to measure the yeast with teaspoon - too light to weigh accurately.

2. Let is sit in well oiled rectangular dish.
Follow all the steps in the timeline. (see "Step by step" below)

Baking
3a. Preheat the oven to 475°F with a baking stone or steel on a lower rack.
Allow the oven to preheat for 1 hour to ensure it’s thoroughly heated.

3b. Carefully slide two loaves (still resting on the parchment) into the oven onto the preheated stone or steel.
- Allow the other two loaves to continue to rest.

3c. Bake the loaves for 15 minutes.
Then transfer them, from the stone or steel, directly onto a rack in the upper third of the oven for an additional 13 to 15 minutes.
(Leave the stone in place.)
[Moving them to the rack allows the baking stone or steel to become hot again
 in preparation for the next two loaves.]
- After a total of 27 to 30 minutes of baking, remove the loaves from the oven and allow them to cool on a rack.

3d. Repeat the process with the two remaining loaves.
Cool the bread fully before slicing.



Note:
Bake first 2 for first 15 minutes on stone
Then move to rack above for next 12-15 minutes, so the stone has time to reheat
Then bake the second 2 loves on hot stone




NEXT:
Try an autolyse of 20 minutes before adding yeast & salt
??



Step by step by time
Best to use linked Google Sheet that calculates all the times, but here are some samples:

Sample Timeline morning:
7:15am Mix the dough
7:35am Bowl fold
7:55am Coil fold #1
8:15am Coil fold #2
8:35am Coil fold #3
8:55am Coil fold #4
(then let it sit in the rectangular dish for 80 minutes, untouched)
10:15am Divide and leave for final rise on parchment
12:15pm Bake, by sliding parchment onto pizza stone


Sample Timeline afternoon:
12:00 p.m. Mix the dough
12:20 p.m. Bowl fold
12:40 p.m. Coil fold #1
1:00 p.m. Coil fold #2
1:20 p.m. Coil fold #3
1:40 p.m. Coil fold #4
(then let it sit in the rectangular dish for 80 minutes, untouched)
3:00 p.m. Divide and leave for final rise on parchment
5:00 p.m. Bake, by sliding parchment onto pizza stone


When we baked it:
01-21-23
For family, was a hit

01-14-23
Gave to Katie & Steve, was a hit for their gathering

10-21-23
Just had to get it baked to get ready for more baking
Warming myself up for making Ellis's Challah