Quick and Easy Baked Chicken Thighs

I've posted variations of this recipe before because it's pretty much my go to method for cooking chicken when I don't have the time or energy to get fancy. I've been in the habit of adding olive oil before the seasoning but for some reason I decided not to and I liked the way the skin crisped up without it. So that's the main difference between this recipe and the previous ones.

With this recipe you can buy the chicken on your way home, have it in the oven about 30 minutes after you arrive, prepare your sides while it is cooking, and have dinner on the table with minimal effort.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Meat Fish and Eggs QUICK AND EASY BAKED CHICKEN THIGHS 4 bone in chicken thighs with skin
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp dried thyme leaves

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Arrange chicken thighs in a single layer in a baking dish. Season to taste with the salt and pepper, followed by the garlic powder, paprika and thyme.

Cover and cook for 45 minutes, then uncover and cook for another 30 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and the internal temperature registers 165° F.

Remove from the oven and let sit at least ten minutes before serving.

4 April 2021

Exported from Home Cookin v9.81

Spiced Tomato and Red Lentil Soup

I first posted this recipe in 2009, over ten years ago. I have been making it regularly ever since then and it has remained one of my favorite soups. It is easy to make and comes together in less than an hour. It is hearty and warm in the winter months but light enough for warmer weather as well. It goes great with whole wheat bread and a salad for a satisfying lunch or dinner. The creme fraiche and cilantro are completely optional; I used the because I had both on hand, but is just as delicious without any garnishes. I have made this for many people over the years and everyone has loved it.

Home Cookin Chapter 9.81 Chapter: Soups and Stews SPICED TOMATO AND RED LENTIL SOUP 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or ghee
1 medium onion, chopped
salt to taste
1 tsp Madras curry powder (or to taste) or 1 Tbsp sweet curry powder
1 qt chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes with liquid
1-1/3 cups red lentils, sorted, rinsed and drained
3 medium celery ribs, cut into small dice
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into small dice
4 cloves garlic, minced
creme fraiche (optional) for garnish
chopped fresh cilantro (optinal) for garnish

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and salt and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the curry powder and stir for about a minute to release the fragrance and toast the spices.

Add the broth, tomatoes, lentils, celery, carrot, garlic, water and add more salt to taste in necessary. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring often. Remove any scum that forms on top. Lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the lentils and the vegetables are tender. Add salt if necessary.
Garnish with creme fraiche and chopped cilantro before serving, if using.

Adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine, December 2008/January 2009

Exported from Home Cookin v9.81

Kale Pesto

I wanted to make pesto to go with some pasta I made but I didn’t have basil or any other herb on hand. What I did have was a big bunch of kale. Guess what? Kale pesto is a thing.

I found a simple recipe online—so simple that it did not have any garlic, something I immediately rectified. Toasted walnuts, garlic, salt, kale, Parmigiano Reggiano and olive oil in the food processor et voila! A fresh, delicious addition to any dish. And unlike basil pesto, it stays a bright fresh green.

I won’t lie, if you don’t like kale you probably won’t like this. I would not have gone anywhere near it ten years ago but now I eat kale all the time and I love it. And this is another great way to get in my daily serving of leafy greens.

This is delicious with pasta and so much more! It made a tasty egg scramble and a most excellent base for avocado toast. I had no trouble finding ways to use it, but it also freezes well.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Appetizers Spreads Dips Sauces KALE PESTO 2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup walnuts
3 cups chopped kale
Kosher salt
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp dried basil (optional)
Preheat oven to 350° F. Toast the walnuts until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Let cool. Place in the food processor and pulse until finely ground.

Add the kale, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and pulse until finely chopped, then add the parmesan and process to combine.

With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil and keep it running until you have a uniform paste. Add more oil if necessary to reach desired consistency. Taste and add more salt to taste.Remove from the processor and stir in the dried basil, if using.

Adapted from recipe found at https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/kale-pesto-with-walnut-and-par mesan-2269222

exported from Home Cookin v9.81

Scarlet Carrot Soup

I had been wanting to make this Scarlet Carrot Soup ever since I ran across the recipe in Gourmet Magazine (RIP) several years ago. I don’t know why I waited, it’s delicious! The soup turns a bright scarlet when the beets are added to the orange of the carrots. Ground coriander provides a subtle sweet, slightly smoky flavor in the background that lets the beets and the carrots shine. Such a pretty, cheerful lunch on a grey winter day.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Soups and Stews SCARLET CARROT SOUP 1 Tbsp coriander seeds, toasted and ground
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup sliced shallots
1 tsp thyme
2 Turkish bay leaves
1 lb cooked carrots, thinly sliced
3/4 lb cooked beets, peeled and chopped
4 cups water or vegetable broth, plus additional if needed
1 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar

Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium-sized pot. Add the shallots, thyme, and bay leaves and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots, beets, coriander, salt and pepper to taste, and enough water to cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, until the beets and carrots are fall-apart tender, about ten minutes.

Remove the bay leaves. Puree the soup in a blender or with a stick blender until smooth. Stir in the additional water or broth, then the vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add additional water if the soup is too thick.

from Gourmet Magazine November 2009
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/scarlet-carrot-sou p-50065649

exported from Home Cookin v9.81

REPOST: Savory Cauliflower Cake

I'm reposting this recipe because it is such an unusual dish and people have asked me for the recipe. The caraway seeds and coriander give this savory cake an unusual flavor profile that is delicious. The cauliflower can be steamed ahead and once that is done it comes together quite quickly. It is perfect for vegetarians but hearty enough for non-vegetarians to enjoy as well.

Home Cookin v9.76 Chapter: Beans and Vegetables
SAVORY CAULIFLOWER CAKE Servings: 6

1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), trimmed and broken into small florets
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp caraway seed, ground or crushed
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper, or to taste
3/4 tsp salt, divided
3/4 cup gram/chickpea/garbanzo bean flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
6 large eggs
1 jarred roasted red pepper, rinsed and chopped (about 1/2 cup)
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 Tbsps chopped fresh dill, divided

Break the cauliflower into large florets and place in a microwave-safe casserole dish. Add a couple of tablespoons of water, cover, and cook on high for about four minutes, until the cauliflower is tender. (This can be done the day before the casserole is assembled and baked).

Once the cauliflower has cooled or just before putting together the rest of the dish, cut the florets into small pieces about the size of chickpeas.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch cake pan.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until it is tender and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the caraway seed, coriander, crushed red pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about one minute. Add the cauliflower and stir gently until it is well coated with the onion and spice mix. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes to combine all of the flavors.

Combine the garbanzo bean flour, all purpose flour, baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl and whisk together. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk together until they are well mixed. Add the dry ingredients and continue to whisk to combine and to elimiate any lumps. Stir in the roasted red pepper, feta and 2 tablespoons of the dill. Add the cauliflower mixture and comine. Spread the mixture evenly into the cake pan.

Bake until the top is golden and the cake is set, 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool to warm and remove from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with the remaining 1 tablespoon dill.

adapted from this recipe from Eating Well Magazine
exported from Home Cookin v9.76 (http://www.mountainsoftware.com/homecook.php)

Chickpeas with Cumin

These delicious Indian-style cumin and cinnamon-coated chickpeas are quick and easy to make and can be used in veggie bowls, salads, or served over rice.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Baked Goods (Sweet/Savory) CHICKPEAS WITH CUMIN 2 Tbsp grape seed oil
1/2 small red onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch knob of ginger, minced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
dill for garnich (optional)

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a 3-quart saucepan. Add the onion and cook for a minute or two, then add the garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and stir constantly for about two minutes, then add the turmeric, cumin, salt and pepper and cook for another minute, still stirring constantly.

Add the chickpeas and stir to coat well with the spice mixture. Cook for another ten minutes, lowering the heat if necessary, until the chickpeas are heated through.

12/22/2020

exported from Home Cookin v9.81

Baking Class: Mexican Wine Cookies

I first posted this recipe back in December of 2008. My father found it in the Dallas Morning News when I was in high school and suggested we make them together. If you want to read a funny story about that experience you can find it here.

These cookies don't look like much, but they are delicious. They have a delicate texture and the sherry adds a nutty warmth that permeates throughout every bite. Whenever I take them somewhere new they languish on the table while people are busy devouring the brownies, toll house cookies, gingerbread, and other more traditional Christmas goodies. But once the chocolate and cheesecake is gone and people start to nibble on them they discover just how good they are. And by the next year, they are asking for them.

This is my oldest tradition. I may not always do much for the holidays from one year to the next, but I always make a batch of these cookies.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Baked Goods (Sweet/Savory) MEXICAN WINE COOKIES 1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp salt
4 cup sifted flour
1/4 cup sweet sherry

Cream butter with sugar. Add egg and beat until light and fluffy. Blend in salt and 2 cups flour. Stir in the sherry and mix well.

Add the remaining two cups of flour and mix well. Cover and chill the dough for at least one hour.

Roll the dough into balls and use flatten them with the bottom of a glass or cookie stamps.

Bake at 350° F for eight to ten minutes, until the bottoms have just started to brown. Check after eight minutes.

Makes 8-10 dozen cookies.

from the food section of the Dallas Morning News ca 1972

exported from Home Cookin v9.81

Baking Class: Sourdough Discard Cheese Crackers

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

Country Style Pork Chop Braised in Beer

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

Salmon en Papillote with Brussels Sprouts and Carrots

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

Tunisian Soup with Chard and Egg Noodles

This Tunisian Soup with Chard and Egg Noodles is why I made harissa the other day. The first time I made the soup I did not have any harissa so I just used cayenne powder instead. It was delicious, but it made me wonder how it would taste with the harissa. And when I made the harissa for that potluck I remembered this soup and made it again and it made all the difference in the world. There aren’t a lot of other spices, so it really needs the complexity of the harissa to bring out a lovely depth of flavor.

As a side note, the recipe calls for you to use the chard stems as well as the leaves. This is where I learned to save the stems for most greens and cook them with the aromatics or save them for another dish rather than discarding them. I love it when I learn something that helps me waste less.

[This is part of an ongoing Repost Series where I create new posts with recipes from the past that I have highlighted on Instagram and want to highlight again.]

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Soups and Stews TUNISIAN SOUP WITH CHARD AND EGG NOODLES 1 tsp cumin seeds (or ground cumin)
1 lb Swiss chard, stems and center ribs chopped and leaves coarsely chopped (reserve separately)
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
1-2 Tbsp harissa or other hot sauce, or to taste
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 cups cooked chickpeas (or 2 15-oz cans, drained and rinsed)
4 oz fine egg noodles (about 1-1/2 cups)
Salt and pepper to taste

Toast cumin in a very small heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat, stirring, until deeply fragrant and dark brown (be careful not to burn). Cool, then grind to a powder in grinder.

Cook chard stems, onion, garlic cumin, salt and pepper in oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 2 more minutes.

Add stock, harissa, and lemon juice and simmer, covered, 30 minutes.

Add chard leaves, chickpeas, and noodles with more salt to taste and simmer, covered, until tender, about 7 minutes.

adapted from Gourmet Magazine (RIP), February 2009

exported from Home Cookin 9.81

DIY Condiments: Harissa

I first posted this recipe back in 2016.  Nothing has changed about it since then but it is so delicious I decided to post it again, since I featured it on Instagram.

Homemade is so much more fresh than what you can buy and tastes so much better.  And it’s so easy to make. I was hankering after a Tunisian soup recipe that calls for it so I decided it was time to make another batch. This will now go into pretty much everything I eat until it’s gone, at which time I will have to make it again.

As I suspect you will, too, if you decide to make it.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Spices Spreads Dips Sauces HARISSA 8 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded (about 2 oz)
16 to 20 chilies japones, or other small hot chilies (about 1 oz)
1 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp dried mint leaves (optional)
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1-1/2 tsp kosher salt
5 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lemon

Put chilies in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Cover and let sit until softened, at least 20 minutes. Heat the caraway, coriander and cumin in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about four minutes. Keep the seeds moving in the skillet the whole time. Remove from the heat and let cool. Place the spices in a grinder with the mint and grind to a fine powder.

Drain the chlies and place them in a food processor. Add the spices, salt, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil and puree until the mixture is smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. This will take 4 to 5 minutes, as you want to make sure there are no large flakes of the dried chilies in the mixture. Store the harissa in a glass jar covered with a layer of olive oil. Refrigerate, and replace the oil after every use. Makes approximately 1 cup.

adapted from recipe found at http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Harissa

exported from Home Cookin v9.81

Baking Class: Whole Wheat Artisan No Knead Bread

I have tweaked this whole wheat sourdough no knead bread recipe about as much as I can to get it where I want it to be.  I don't always have the time (or the patience, if I am being honest) to let it sit for hours before baking it so right off the bat I increased the percentage of starter to the rest of the ingredients.  This gives me the freedom to let it sit out for just a few hours if I am in a hurry to have it, or I can throw it in the fridge and let it do its thing for up to five days to let the flavors really develop.

And while I appreciate the beauty of a crumb that is filled with those beautiful large holes, I find that the bread goes stale much faster than I can use it so I started adding olive oil, which does give a longer life but softens the crumb so I don't get those lovely holes anymore. If you want the holes and are feeding enough people for leftovers not to be a problem, you can omit the oil.

I thought I would give a little pictorial of how the dough should look at various stages of the process. If you do not want to bother with that you can just scroll down to the where the recipe is at the bottom. I promise I won't be offended.

First I combine all of the ingredients and cover the bowl and let it sit anywhere from a few hours out on a counter up to five or six days in the refrigerator. If I refrigerated it, I take it out and let it sit for about an hour and a half, long enough for it to come to room temperature. I then transfer it to a floured surface and sprinkle both it and my hands with bread flour while I stretch and fold it a couple of times, adding more flour in small amounts as needed.  When I am ready to shape it I start at the top and grab both sides and pull them across each other over the dough and affix them to the opposite sides.  I do the same in the middle, and then the bottom, and then I carefully shape it into a ball.

I then set it on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, pick it up by the corners, and put it in a small aluminum bowl tand cover it with a towel and let it rise for another hour or so. After about 45 minutes I place my Dutch oven onto the middle rack of a cool oven with the lid on and preheat it to 500° F.  When the oven has come to temperature I pull out the rack with the Dutch oven on it, remove the lid, gently lift up the corners of the parchment paper and use it to carefully remove the dough from the bowl and gently place it in the Dutch oven as quickly as I safely can, then immediately put the cover back on and put it back in the oven.

I bake it covered for 30 minutes and then I lower the temperature to 450° F. and remove the cover and let it bake for another 15 minutes. I remove it from the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes and then I use the ends of the parchment paper to remove the loaf from the Dutch oven and set it on a cooling rack to let it cool completely.

As I stated up above, this does not have that lovely open-holed crumb of your typical Dutch Oven No-Knead bread. I believe that is mainly due to the fact that i add olive oil to my dough. It may not be open and airy and chewy as the original version, but it stays fresh longer and that is more important to me since I am usually the only one eating it. If you want that open, chewy crumb just leave out the olive oil.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: My Recipes ARTISAN SOURDOUGH WHOLE WHEAT NO KNEAD BREAD 3/4 cup (145g) active starter
1-1/4 cup (300g) water
1/2 cup (60g) bread flour
1/2 cup (60g) barley flour (optional)
2 cups (240g) whole wheat flour, or 2-1/2 cups (300g) if not using barley flour
2 tsp (12g) salt
2 Tbsp olive oil

Combine the flours in a medium bowl and whisk together.

Dissolve the starter into the water in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and salt and give it a stir, then add the flour mixture and stir to combine. The mixture will be fairly wet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerator for as little as overnight or as long as 5 days.

When ready to bake, take a piece of parchment paper and sprinkle flour lightly over the middle. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour to bring it to room temperature. Fold the dough 10 to 15 times in the bowl, then transfer to a floured surface. Sprinkle bread flour lightly over the top of the dough and over your hands, then take the top edges on each side of the dough and cross them over each other and press down into the base. Repeat with the middle edges and then the bottom, adding more flour a sprinkle at a time as necessary to keep the dough from sticking.

Gently bring the edges of the dough from the bottom up to make a ball, and then turn it over onto the floured parchment paper. Pat a little more flour onto the sides of the dough closest to the paper, then lift it up by the corners and place it into a medium-sized bowl. Cover with a twel and let rise until it has doubled, an hour to an hour and a half.

After about 45 minutes, place a Dutch oven with the lid on it into a cool oven and preheat it to 500° F. When the dough has risen and you are ready to bake, remove the pot from the oven and lift the dough out of the bowl by the parchment paper and carefully drop the whole thing into the hot pot. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid, lower the heat to 450° and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Let cool completely on rack.

adapted from http://breadtopia.com/sourdough-no-knead-bread/

Exported from Home Cookin v9.81

Baking Class: Upside Down Cobbler

Years ago I was visiting my brother in Houston and his girlfriend cooked dinner. I don’t remember much about the meal itself, but for dessert she served an upside down peach cobbler. I’m a fan of neither cobblers nor peaches but it blew me away. Enough for me to ask her for the recipe. She is long out of our lives but the cobbler has remained. You mix the dough and put it into the bottom of the dish and then you pour the fruit on top and the dough bakes up over the fruit. The original recipe uses canned pie filling but over the years I have adapted it for fresh or frozen fruit. It is easy to make and works with just about any fruit, especially blueberries and cherries and as you can see here, plums. A big bonus is that it’s not too sweet.

I originaly posted this recipe in July of 2009 but it is such a lovely dish that I decided to repost it again to give it a chance to get back into rotation. Give it a try. It's delicious!

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: My Recipes UPSIDE DOWN COBBLER 2/3 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp grape seed oil
1/2 cup milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, sliced strawberries, or chopped plums, rhubarb, peaches or apples
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 300° F

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Add grape seed oil and milk and whisk until smooth. Pour into a 1.5-quart or a 10 x 6-inch greased baking dish.

Place fruit, sugar and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a boil. Let the mixture  boil for about two minutes, then pour over the batter and place in the oven.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the cake is set and browned on the edges.

exported from Home Cookin v9.81

Baking Class: Sourdough Kaiser Rolls

I made these sourdough Kaiser rolls with my virtual bread baking partner (she made some lovely pretzel buns). I converted the recipe from conventional yeast and was quite pleased with the results. They don’t really look like Kaiser rolls to me but I think it’s mainly the shape and I can work on that. The slashing on top is uneven but I can also work on that.

They were crisp on the outside and soft on the inside and I am happy with the crumb. I will definitely make them again.

I remember eating kaiser rolls quite often when I was younger. When I first moved to Chicago I would eat at least once a week in a small diner around the corner from my apartment. I almost always ordered the tuna salad plate. It came with tuna salad, cole slaw, french fries and a kaiser roll. It made the perfect tuna salad sandwich.

I don't see them much anymore. I suppose they have fallen out of favor. I am happy to have discovered this recipe that comes close to what I remember so I can enjoy them again.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Breads and Muffins SOURDOUGH KAISER ROLLS 210g (about 1-1/4 cups) active starter
425g (about 1-3/4 cups) water
360g (3 cups) bread flour
240g (2 cups) bread flour, or more as needed
16g salt
24g sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 egg white
1 tsp water
Poppy seeds

Combine the starter and water and mix well. Stir in the salt, sugar and oil and then add the 360g of flour and mix well. Gradually add the rest of the flour, about a half a cup at a time, until a stiff dough forms.

Remove from the bowl and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, then place in a greased bowl, cover, and let stand until doubled, about an hour and a half.

Punch down the dough and divide into 16 even pieces. Shape each piece into a ball by pulling the sides down and pinching the dough together on the bottom. Place the balls two inches apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

With floured hands push down gently on the tops of the rolls to flatten them out to about 5 inches wide. Cover again and let rise until almost doubled, 30 to 40 minutes.

After the first 10 or 20 minutes, preheat the oven to 400° F.

Combine the egg white with the water and beat well. Brush the mixture on the tops of the rolls and then sprinkle the poppy seeds generously over the egg brushed egg whites. Make five slashes on the tops of each roll starting from the center out.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until well browned. Cool on wire racks.

adapted from The Wooden Spoon Bread Book: The Secrets of Successful Baking, by Marilyn M. Moore (The Atlantic Monthly Press 1987)

exported from Home Cookin v9.81

Baking Class: The Chocolate Cake

Desperate times call for desperate measures.  I got home from Wisconsin last weekend with very little food in the kitchen and was craving something sweet. I don’t really eat sweets these days and don’t keep many ingredients around.  What I did have was a container with extremely sour milk along with flour, sugar, butter and cocoa.  And an old family chocolate cake recipe that calls for sour milk (although we usually just make our own by adding vinegar to regular milk).

While it was in the oven I realized I did not have any confectioners sugar or milk to make icing and if I was going to the trouble to make a chocolate cake I wanted something on it. So I whipped up a quick batch of chocolate syrup and poured it over the top like a mirror glaze. It tasted delicious but the sauce gradually seeped deeper into the cake, making it sticky and difficult to eat. But it was just what I needed.

This is what it looks like with the proper icing. The milk for this one was made sour with vinegar as opposed to using sour milk, and you can see the difference in the crumb. Both are delicious, but it is just a touch better with actual sour milk. Enough so that I always let the last bit of milk go sour in my refrigerator just so I have it on hand when I want to make this cake.

You may wonder why it is called The Chocolate Cake. That is how it was always referred to when friends would ask us to make it. You can see the story behind it in this post from 2010.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Baked Goods (Sweet/Savory) THE CHOCOLATE CAKE 1-1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup sour milk (add 1 Tbsp vinegar to make it sour)
1/3 cup melted butter
1 tsp vanilla

Icing:
1/2 stick softened butter
1/4 to 1/2 cup cocoa
1 to 2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla
milk, as needed

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add the milk, melted butter and vanilla and mix until just combined.

Pour into 9-inch round or 8-inch square cake pan. Bake on the middle rack for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

For the Icing:

Combine the butter, 1/4 cup of the cocoa, 1 cup of the confectioners sugar, the vanilla, and about two tablespoons of the milk in a medium size bowl and beat until well blended. Add more cocoa as needed for the flavor and more confectioner's sugar as needed to reach a spreadable consistency.

exported from Home Cookin v9.81

Ethiopian Style Carrot Ginger Soup

Carrot Soup Ethiopian Style. I usually make it with sweet curry powder and ginger but berbere spice makes for a nice change. The yogurt tames the heat just the right amount.

Home Cookin v9.75 Chapter: My Recipes ETHIOPIAN STYLE CARROT GINGER SOUP 2 10-oz packs frozen carrots, or 6 cups cooked sliced carrots
2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 large onion, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp berbere spice mixture
4 cups vegetable stock
juice of 2 large or 3 small blood oranges (approximately 1/4 cup)
salt and pepper to taste
yogurt for garnish

Saute ginger and onion in oil over medium heat. Add the berbere spice mix and cook for about a minute to let the spices bloom.

Add the carrots and stir everything together until the carrots are coated with the spices. Add 1-1/2 cups of the stock. Bring to a boil then lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the carrots and onions are tender.

Remove from the heat and puree either using a hand mixer or a blender. Return to the heat and add the rest of the vegetable stock and the blook orange juice. Add more water as necessary to reach the desired consistency.

Serve garnished with the yogurt.

9/10/2019
Adapted from Arielle's Recipe Archive from the rec.food.recipe newsgroup.

Exported from Home Cookin v9.76

Baking Class: Sourdough Bolillos

When I lived in Texas we would take regular trips down to Mexico, usually Nuevo Laredo but sometimes Monterey or Mexico City. My first stop in whichever city it was would always be to a panaderia for fresh bolillos and a market for avocados and that would be my breakfast pretty much the whole time we were there. Crispy crusty on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. So yummy!

Unfortunately, these are nothing like the bolillos I remember from those days. They are almost crispy crusty on the outside but although chewy on the inside, they are quite dense. If anyone has a recipe for bolillos like the ones they make in Tamaulipas I would be most grateful.

But in the meantime I can live with these.

I posted a recipe very similar to this back in 2017 but this updated recipe is the one that should be used.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: My Recipes SOURDOUGH BOLILLOS makes 10 rolls

240 g (2 cups) active starter
460 g (1-1/3 cups) water
720 g (6 cups) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled
2-3 tsp salt
1/4 cup cold water
1 tsp cornstarch

Add water to starter and mix well. Stir in the melted and cooled butter and the honey and then add about 300g of the flour and the salt. Mix together until a soft dough is formed, gradually adding in as much of the remaining flour as necessary to keep it from sticking.

Form the dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled anywhere form an hour to a couple of hours. Punch it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead it briefly and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces. Preshape them into balls and let them rest for 20 minutes, then shape into batards about 4 to 5 inches long. Place the rolls on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Slash the rolls and let rise until doubled in size.

Heat the oven to 375°F. Combine the cold water and the cornstarch in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Let it boil for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat.

Just before baking, brush the rolls with the warm cornstarch mixture. Bake until they are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and take the rolls off of the baking sheet and let cool on a wire rack.

adapted from a recipe found at Key IngredientExported from Home Cookin v9.81

Beet and Fennel Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

I made this beet and fennel salad from PrairiErth Farm beets and fennel and fresh locally grown onions and dressed it with a mustard seed vinaigrette.

I love the combination of beets and fennel. They are just one of those flavor combinations that seem made for each other to me. Just before serving I topped it with toasted walnuts and freshly chopped chives from Smits Farm.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: My Recipes BEET AND FENNEL SALAD WITH MUSTARD SEED VINAIGRETTE Mustard Seed Vinaigrette:
1 Tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp juice from the supremed orange 1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt and pepper to taste

For the salad:
1 bunch (3 large or 4 medium) beets, boiled or roasted and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 large fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
1/2 of one small onion, thinly sliced
1 mineola tangelo or orange, supremed with the juice reserved
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives, for garnish
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, for garnish

Combine the mustards and vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk until they are well incorporated. Add the olive oil gradually, whisking continuously, until you have an emulsion. Add the crushed garlic and salt and pepper to taste. If using right away, set aside. Can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.

Combine the beets, fennel, onion orange segments and dill in a large bowl and mix well. Add the vinaigrette and mix well.

Let sit for a couple of hours to let the flavors blend before serving. If refrigerated, take out an hour before serving.

Garnish with more dill and the toasted walnuts.

Created August 28, 2020

Exported from Home Cookin v9.81

Baking Class: Skillet Cornbread with Fresh Corn

There are two camps when it comes to cornbread. There is the soft, cake like version of the north that mixes flour with cornmeal and adds sugar, and there is the southern version with no flour and no sugar. One look at these photos should tell you into which camp I fall. While I have had some versions of the northern style that are quite delicious, none come close to this 100% cornmeal no sugar cast iron skillet cornbread.

I found this recipe in a cooking newsgroup that has been around since the early days of the worldwide web and it is a keeper. You put whatever fat you are using into a cast iron skillet and let it heat up in the pre-heating oven. When it is smoking hot you add the batter. That is the secret to getting a nice, crispy crust. And the lack of sugar gives it a more intense corn flavor. The texture is coarse but when done right it is soft and bursting with full corn flavor, especially with the additional fresh Smits Farm corn I added to the batter. You have to look hard to see the kernels in there but every single bite just pops with that sweet corn flavor. I’m enjoying just eating it for breakfast but it is spectacularly good for sopping up a mess of beans.

I use coarse cornmeal for this recipe. I am sure it would be quite lovely with the finer grind as well.

Home Cookin 9.81 Chapter: Breads and Muffins SKILLET CORNBREAD WITH FRESH CORN Makes 6 large or 8 small pieces
1 Tbsp lard, bacon grease or grapeseed oil
2 cups cornmeal (preferably yellow)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup fresh cut or frozen corn kernels
2 cups buttermilk
1 egg, well beaten

Put the fat in the skillet and place the skillet in the middle rack of the cool oven. Turn the oven on to 450° F and let the pan heat up while you mix the rest of the ingredients.

Combine the cornmeal, salt and baking soda in a large bowl and mix well. Beat the egg and add it to the buttermilk.

When the oven is up to temperature add the fresh corn and then the buttermilk and egg mixture to the dry ingredients and mix together quickly. Pull the skillet out of the oven just long enough to quickly pour the batter into it and return it to the middle shelf.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

adapted from a recipe found on the rec.food.cooking newsgroup (which has deteriorated into a bunch of old posters who constantly argue with and snipe at each other and rarely talk about cooking anymore)

Exported from Home Cookin v9.81