I have been working on this recipe for sourdough discard cheese crackers for a while now and have finally gotten it to where I want it to be. They are flaky and crispy and cheesy, and reminiscent of the cheese crackers you get at the store.
This is the best way I have found to use up my sourdough discard. They don't take too much time, they are easy to make, and I almost always have all of the ingredients on hand.
One note - you may be tempted to substitute oil for the butter. Don't. They taste just as good but they do not stay crispy. I learned that the hard way.
Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Baked Goods (Sweet/Savory)
SOURDOUGH DISCARD CHEESE CRACKERS
200 g sourdough discard (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup salted or unsalted butter
60-120g (1/2-1 cup) all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp salt (1/2 tsp if using unsalted butter)
dash of paprika
56 g (1/2 cup) shredded cheddar cheese
Add the colled melted butter to the starter and mix well. Add the baking soda and 60g (half a cup) of the flour, adding enough to make a stiff dough. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
Place in a bowl, cover loosely with plastic warp, and let sit for anywhere from an hour to eight hours.
When ready to make the craciers, preheat the oven to 350° F and grease two baking sheets.
Knead the rest of the seasonings into the dough until well incorporated, then add the shredded cheese and continue kneating until everything is evenly distributed.
Divide the dough in half, then roll each half out into a rectangle about 10" x 12" and 1/8" thick. Transfer the dough to the greased baking sheets and cut into rectangles with a pastry cutter.
Bake for 15 minutes, then turn off the oven with the crackers still inside. Leave them in the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes, until they are crispy.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container.
adapted from this recipe found at Curious Cuisiniere
exported from Home Cookin v9.81
This is another meal created from Project Freezer-burn, where I am woking to clean out my freezer. The pork came from one of my favorite local butchers, grocers and purveyors of beer and wine Gene's Sausage Shop & Delicatessen and the recipe was adapted from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook 1996 edition by Marion Cunningham.
I coated the pork in seasoned flour and seared it in my cast iron skillet on all sides, then poured in about half a can (eyeballed) of beer, lowered the heat, covered it and let it cook until it reached an internal temp of 145 deg F.
When the chop was done I took it out of the pan and let the sauce cook down and thicken. The Brussels sprouts also came from the freezer and I basically just let them thaw, seasoned them and poured a little lemon-infused olive oil over the top which is all they needed. Some Yukon Gold potatoes baked with lots of garlic rounded out the meal.
The country style chop was big enough for me to make three meals out of it.
Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: My Recipes
COUNTRY STYLE PORK CHOP BRAISED IN BEER
1 Country Pork Chop, about 1-1/2" thick
2 Tbsp grapeseed oil
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp salt or to taste
1/2 tsp pepper or to taste
1/4 tsp granulated garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1 cup of beer
Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and oregano to the flour and mix well. Spread it out onto butcher or parchment paper to the size of the pork chop. I usually use the butcher paper the chop was wrapped in by the butcher.
Heat the oil in a ten-inch skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium high heat.
Lay the chop over the flour mixture and pat it down, then lift it and shake off any extra mixture. Turn and lay the other side down and pat it as well so that both sides are covered in the seasoned flour.
Place the chop in the hot skillet. Sear on both sides until well browned, about three minutes per side.
Pour the beer into the skillet, lower the heat to medium, cover, and cook until the internal temperature has reached 145° F at the thickest part, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from pan and let sit for a few minutes. Meanwhile, raise the heat over the liquid in the pan and let it cook for another five minutes or so until it thickens. Serve the chop with the gravy.
adapted from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook edited by Marion Cunningham (Alfred A. Knopf, 1996)
exported from Home Cookin v9.81
I am reviving something from my earlier blogging days that I called “Project Freezer Burn.” Now that I have a better idea of what’s in my freezer I am determined to start using it. First up was a packet of ethically caught salmon that had been in there for months, along with a packet of frozen organic Brussels sprouts and another packet of frozen organic carrots. I’ve never made anything en papillote before and this seemed like the perfect time to try it.I cut four big pieces of parchment paper into giant hearts and layered the carrots, then the sprouts (both still mostly frozen), and finally the salmon over one half, seasoning after each layer.
I poured a bit of olive oil over the top and then finished it up with granulated garlic, paprika and dill.
I folded the other half of the heart over and crimped the edges to seal the packets. I was just able to get all four of them on the one half baking sheet.
I baked them in a 375° F. oven for ten minutes. The sprouts and carrots had partly thawed and that was just long enough to cook them without turning them to mush and the salmon was not too well done for me. If you like your salmon well done you should probably cook them closer to twelve minutes. This comes together quickly for a weeknight dinner and also offers a wow moment for entertaining.
You can use other fish and other vegetables - whatever you have at hand. Just bear in mind how long each item needs to cook and adjust accordingly.
Home Cooking v9.81 Chapter: Meat Fish and Eggs
SALMON EN PAPILLOTE WITH BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND CARROTS
4 Salmon fillets
2 Tbsp olive oil (approximately)
1 10-oz package frozen brussels sprouts, thawed enough to slice in
half lengthwise
1 10-oz package frozen sliced carrots
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp of granulated garlic powder
2 tsp of dill
2 tsp of paprika
Additional items:
4 large sheets parchment paper
Fold the parchment paper in half widthwise and cut out half a heart shape. Combine the spices into a small bowl and mix well.
Preheat the oven to 375° F.
Lay one-fourth of the carrot slices over the bottom of one half of the heart, followed by one-fourth of the Brussels sprouts halves. Season with salt and pepper. Lay one salmon fillet over the center and season with the salt and pepper. Sprinkle a generous teaspoon of the spices over the fish and what vegetables are exposed.
Close the heart and crimp the edges together, making sure the packet is tightly sealed. Carefully place the packet on a half-sheet size baking pan.
Repeat with the remaining three fillets, laying them evenly on the baking sheet without overlapping.
Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove form the oven and place each pouch on a plate. Serve immediately, slitting the pouch open carefully.
adapted from this recipe: https://www.jessicagavin.com/salmon-en-papillote-vegetables/
exported from Home Cookin v9.81
