FARRO WITH CHICKPEAS AND SPINACH

Posted in Rice and Grains by sallybr

Lovers of farro, rejoice! This is a hearty side dish that might even be enough for a fully vegetarian meal and also perfect for entertaining. We enjoyed it with grilled pork tenderloin and it was a great midweek dinner.

FARRO WITH CHICKPEAS AND SPINACH
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

1.5 cups farro
2 celery sticks, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 shallot, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon table salt
2 tsp za’atar
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup water
4 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped
lemon juice to taste

Cook the farro in a large volume of salted water until it starts to get soft, about 20 minutes. Drain, and reserve.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add celery and shallots, cook until fragrant. Add a little salt, za’atar, sauté everything together for a couple of minutes, stirring often. Add the reserved cooked farro, chickpeas, vegetable broth and water, season with salt, bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and cook until farro is tender, about 15 minutes. If there is too much liquid left, allow it to simmer for a few more minutes. Add the spinach, adjust seasoning with more salt if needed, and right before serving, add the lemon juice. Fluff with a fork and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Farro takes a bit of time to cook and also I find that each new bag might behave differently. Also make sure that for this preparation you don’t buy a quick cooking version, although if might work if you simply skip the pre-cooking step. Keep in mind I have not tried it with the quick cooking kind. I normally cook farro as I cook pasta, plenty of water, then test a few grains and stop cooking when ready. In this case, I make sure it is still al dente as it will cook with everything else for 15 more minutes. If you are interested in the pork tenderloin, it is almost a non-recipe. I eye-ball a marinade whisking olive oil, soy sauce (I actually used tamari in this one), lemon juice, honey, a touch of mustard. Cut the pieces, marinade whole day in the fridge. Grill the pieces about 12 minutes total, seasoning with a little salt right before grilling. I do it all the time, sometimes with butterflied tenderloin.

ONE YEAR AGO: Bison a la Mode de Bourgogne

TWO YEARS AGO: Masala Mashed Potatoes

THREE YEARS AGO: Lessons from Tanya: Sugar Cookie Silhouettes

FOUR YEARS AGO: Cherry-Chipotle Chicken Thighs

FIVE YEARS AGO: White Chocolate Mini-Mousse with Sugared Cranberries

SIX YEARS AGO: You Say Ebelskiver, I say Falafel

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Happy Thanksgiving!

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Two Takes on Raspberries

NINE YEARS AGO: Spice Cake with Blackberry Puree & The Global Pastry Review

TEN YEARS AGO: Own Your Kitchen with Cappuccino Panna Cotta

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Chicken Parmigiana, the Thriller

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Wild Mushroom Risotto

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Tartine Bread: Basic Country Loaf

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Pugliese Bread

24Nov2023

BAKE IT BETTER WITH A FRIEND

Posted in Desserts, great american baking show by sallybr

Time flies. No other expression is more accurate. More than four long years passed since I met the contestants of the Great American Baking Show, Season 5, in the lobby of a hotel in London, not too far from Heathrow Airport. We were all exhausted, and not just for the long trip. For several weeks prior, we had been through the toughest baking marathon one could ever imagine, and even though we were aware that a few other people in the US were going through that exact same ordeal, only then we got to meet in person. Most of our group has kept in touch virtually over these years. But only now Tanya and I got to meet again in person. We spent a weekend together, the four of us, bakers and respective husbands. We baked, we talked, we laughed, and we baked some more. I screwed up a sourdough bread that turned out as one of the worst loaves I’ve made in the past couple of years… But Tanya and I were both in a certain tent, so we know too well that things can go wrong when we really hope them not to… Today I share our best adventure of the weekend, the making of a fantastic dessert from Matt Adlard’s book Bake it Better. Chocolate Souffles… To die for!

When Tanya and Jamie came to visit us, she brought her copy of Bake it Better, as I own the Kindle version and it is easier to use in the kitchen a real book, especially if you are cooking with friends. We had settled on the soufflés for our dessert after a meal of grilled salmon, quick tahdig rice and asparagus. The recipe is actually available online, and you can find it here. It makes a little more than 4 individual portions, I would say 6 or 7 using the ramekins he calls for.

We had no issues with the recipe, worked great, gave the exact lift that we expected and that Matt showed in his beautiful pictures in the book, which, by the way I highly recommend you get. Click here for the amazon link.

Main conclusion from the weekend?

BAKING IS BETTER WITH A FRIEND!

And the excitement was definitely shared by the pups, here is their recollection of the weekend….

We had THE BEST WEEKEND EVER! Imagine this, our Kingdom received the visit of two brand new Peasants, and we had a total blast teaching them how to properly play, and how to share their food and shoes. We were certain Zenless (aka our Mom) and The Dad would be proud of our way to make them feel welcome, but then here we are, getting our ears full. Apparently, Star did a big no-no by French kissing the man – repeatedly – and the fact that I got all excited and decided to hump her while she was all affectionate with our guest, only made matters worse. We were told we generated chaos and embarrassment. Squeaking the toy loudly at 5:50am on a Sunday was also a big no-no, and invading the privacy of the bathroom when the nice lady was trying to be there in peace goes into the list of capital doggie sins. Life can be very tricky at times. Can you put a good word for us and tell the New Peasants to come back? We miss them!

ONE YEAR AGO: Bison a la Mode de Bourgogne

TWO YEARS AGO: Masala Mashed Potatoes

THREE YEARS AGO: Lessons from Tanya: Sugar Cookie Silhouettes

FOUR YEARS AGO: Cherry-Chipotle Chicken Thighs

FIVE YEARS AGO: White Chocolate Mini-Mousse with Sugared Cranberries

SIX YEARS AGO: You Say Ebelskiver, I say Falafel

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Happy Thanksgiving!

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Two Takes on Raspberries

NINE YEARS AGO: Spice Cake with Blackberry Puree & The Global Pastry Review

TEN YEARS AGO: Own Your Kitchen with Cappuccino Panna Cotta

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Chicken Parmigiana, the Thriller

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Wild Mushroom Risotto

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Tartine Bread: Basic Country Loaf

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Pugliese Bread

20Nov2023

THAT TURKEY BREAD

Posted in Breads by sallybr

For the most part I am not wild about baking things that everyone is baking… You know, the pumpkin-shaped bread in the Fall, or other hot items of a particular moment. Pie on March 14th? No, not interested. But, how could I resist trying my sourdough with a little turkey? I could not. So if you are tired of seeing those around, apologies, but I have one more for you!

I used a basic sourdough recipe (500 g bread flour, 75 g sourdough at 100%, 345g water, 9g salt, 1/2 tsp paprika). Did my usual method that starts with a 4-minute ride in the KitchenAid at low speed, then folds every 45 minutes for 4 and half hours. Shaped, into the fridge it went for its beauty sleep. Next morning, the fun began, shaping it as a small bird. Most of the examples I’ve seen around turn out with the legs and wings away from the body and I thought it was a little awkward to slice and eat. I decided to contain it all in a more round shape. Maybe it did not end as “turkey-ish” as some, but I like it this way.

Start from a round proofed dough, dust with flour (I like to use tapioca flour).

Cut two small slits on top for the wings…

Then shape those twisting gently and tucking under the body. Next, cut the larger slits for the legs…

Shape them, tie them with a string, and do a little decorative slashing with small scissors and a razor blade…

Bake at 450F inside a Dutch oven, covered for 30 minutes, uncover and bake for 15 to 20 minutes more. Your turkey is DONE!

ONE YEAR AGO: Compressed Eggplant and Gruyere Slices

TWO YEARS AGO: Charcoal-Painted Spelt Sourdough

THREE YEARS AGO: Lime-Ganache Bonbons

FOUR YEARS AGO: The Dobos Torte

FIVE YEARS AGO: Coffee-Caramel Entremet Cake

SIX YEARS AGO: Fennel Soup with Almond-Mint Topping

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Eataly

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Spaghetti Squash Perfection

NINE YEARS AGO: Skinny Eggplant Parmigiana

TEN YEARS AGO: Supernova Meets Wok

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: 500 Posts and The Best Thing I ever made

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Back in Los Angeles

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: White House Macaroni and Cheese

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Korean-Style Pork with Asian Slaw

17Nov2023

THAI CARROT AND SWEET POTATO SOUP

Posted in Soups, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

It is not that common for me to rave about a soup, but this one leaves me no other option. Absolutely delicious, super simple to prepare, just a few ingredients give it a lift from the humble to extraordinary. I modified it quite a bit to accommodate food sensitivities, but whatever you do, do not change the almond topping. Tamari-Roasted Almonds. Superb!

THAI CARROT AND SWEET POTATO SOUP WITH TAMARI-ROASTED ALMONDS
(adapted from cookieandkate)

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 ribs celery, diced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon red curry paste
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
¼ cup raw almond butter
3 cups diced peeled carrots
3 cups diced peeled sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup raw almonds, finely chopped
1 heaping tablespoon tamari
Fresh lime juice

Make the roasted almonds. Heat oven to 325F. Mix almonds with tamari, spread over a small baking sheet covered with aluminum foil. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes, until fragrant and starting to get some color. Reserve.

To make the soup: In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the celery and ginger and sauté for a couple of minutes, until fragrant. Stir in the curry paste. In a small bowl, whisk together some of the broth with the almond butter until smooth. Add the mixture to the pot, along with the carrots, sweet potatoes, salt, and remaining vegetable broth. Stir until combined.

Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 20 to 30 minutes (depending on how small you cut your pieces), until the vegetables are fork-tender. Transfer the soup to a blender (a Vitamix would be awesome here), and blend in batches until super smooth. If too thick, add more vegetable broth or water. Transfer the soup back to the pot and reheat if necessary.

Serve the soup with some almonds on top and squeeze a little fresh lime.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This is a vegan soup, so if you need to entertain someone who follows this type of nutrition, this would be an excellent choice. Hearty, flavorful, satisfying, perfect in taste and texture. As the weather cools down, soup becomes more and more attractive. We enjoyed it with sourdough bread, a little ham and a fried egg, so let’s say it was not even close to vegan by the time we were done… I highly recommend that you incorporate the tamari-roasted almonds in your cooking, it would go well with many different soups, salads, and even pasta.

ONE YEAR AGO: Vanilla Mini-Cakes with Honey Pears

TWO YEARS AGO: Buttermilk Roast Chicken

THREE YEARS AGO: Cauliflower and Sweet Potatoes in Yogurt-Curry Sauce

FOUR YEARS AGO: Panettone, Wild-Yeast Version

FIVE YEARS AGO: Turkey Chili Under Pressure

SIX YEARS AGO: Tiramisu Macarons

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Cider Mini-Cheesecakes with Caramel Sauce

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Rustic Ciabatta and Mini-Meatloaves

NINE YEARS AGO: Green Rice

TEN YEARS AGO: Potato-Crusted Italian Mini-Quiches

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Beetroot Sourdough for the Holidays

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Cod Filet with Mustard Tarragon Crust

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Soba Noodles: Light and Healthy

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Potato-Rosemary Bread

12Nov2023

BAKING THROUGH THE BLOGOSPHERE

Posted in Breads, Cake, Cookies by sallybr

Today I share six recipes from blogs I follow and love. You can find the links to each recipe so you can visit the original source and get to know them too…

Here they are, in the chronological order they showed up in our kitchen…

HANIELA’S CHOCOLATE WHIRLS

Haniela is a cookie decorator, but her blog covers all kinds of cooking, including savory stuff. Definitely worth subscribing to her feed. This particular recipe can be found here. The chocolate variation is in the end of the post, I made no changes and used the highest amount of powdered sugar listed. I made them as sandwich cookies, and used a little caramel buttercream that I had leftover from another project. Recipe for the filling is here. I loved the contrast of the chocolate with the caramel buttercream, so keep that combination in mind.

MARTIN’S LEMON VERBENA SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Martin blogged on these cookies right after the Botanical Episode from Great British Bake Off aired in the US. He’s been very diligent about baking along with the show, and of course, he is the best person to do that, having won the last Great American Baking Show, with a totally stellar performance. I was lucky to meet him in person when we were in London taping season 5. The recipe for these super tasty cookies can be found here.

If you’ve never baked with lemon verbena, please do so, it has very unique flavor and works absolutely perfectly in a shortbread format. I made no changes whatsoever to his recipe, and it turned out wonderful!

KAREN’S SIGTEBOLLER

Sigteboller are Salted Rye Rolls, made with a little rye sourdough starter and some commercial yeast. Rye is a very tricky flour to work with, but I had no issues with this recipe. Both hubby and I absolutely LOVED these rolls. The salt on top is a touch of genius, but everything works with them. The taste and texture, spot on. I think Paul Hollywood should send a virtual handshake to Karen for these! Recipe available here.

HELEN’S HASELNUSSMAKRONEN

Also known as German Hazelnut Macaroons, these should go into the OMG files of Baking… Helen does it again, shares a recipe that is super simple to prepare but amazes the tastebuds once you try a bite. My only change was to use Nutella to fill them because I realized too late that I had no seedless raspberry jam in our pantry. You can find her recipe and super detailed tutorial here.

TANYA’S IRRESISTIBLE SPICE CAKE CUPCAKES

In case you don’t know, Tanya was my tent-baking friend in Season 5 of The Great American Baking Show and we have kept in touch ever since. Recently she and her husband visited us and we baked together, but that is a story to be told another time (SOON!). Tanya’s recipes always work, and if she says something is irresistible, I pay attention. I was forced to modify the buttercream icing, because her original post uses cream cheese frosting, but I never know for how long the cupcakes will sit at room temperature once I donate them. I felt it was safer to go the route of American buttercream, so I “spiced it up” to go along with the cake. They smell simply amazing, and although I did not get to try any, the reviews from the volunteers who served them made me super happy, and I am sure Tanya will be glad to hear that also! You can find her recipe here. For the buttercream, I used my default recipe adding 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp allspice.

CARO’S EASY PEASY SMOKIN’ CHEESE CRACKERS

Caro’s blog is one of my go-to sites when I want a recipe that will not disappoint. As I mentioned before, her posts are real tutorials, all the details that matter to make a recipe work. These cheese crackers are addictive – salty, hot to the right level, great texture. I used two types of hard cheese for them, so play with what you have in the fridge and have fun. Recipe can be found here.