D made the best bread last week. Better than the bread I had been attempting several months ago before I was derailed by a broken oven, school, and moving. That said I am one lucky lady. We were both sick or at least I was at that point. It was a sickness that robbed us of our sense of smell and taste. But the fresh baked bread really hit the spot. This recipe is from D’s mom.
Bread Recipe
2 tbl yeast (two packets)
Pinch sugar
1 c warm water
1 c warm milk
1/2 c honey
3 tbs butter
2 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 egg (slightly beaten)
1 tbs salt
3 1/2 to 4 c white flour
Combine 2 tbls yeast, the warm water and a pinch of sugar. Mix and let sit for about five minutes. Yeast should start to foam and bubble.
Warm the milk in a microwave or on the stovetop. Add the butter and honey and stir until the butter melts and the honey begins to dissolve. When your yeast mixture is ready, add it to the milk along with the whole wheat flour and the egg and mix with a wooden spoon. Now add the salt and some white flour and continue mixing. Add white flour one cup at a time. Continue to add flour until dough is sticky but able to be kneaded. Knead for ten to fifteen minutes by hand. A mixer, such as a kitchen aid can be used, but watch closely to ensure that you do not over knead the bread (hard to do by hand). More flour can be added during the kneading process if it becomes too sticky. Be sure to keep the dough slightly sticky. (It will rise better).
Butter a bowl and put dough inside. Flip the dough around in the bowl so the outside is lightly coated with butter. Place dry towel over the top to prevent drafts. Allow to rise for around 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. Punch down the dough and split into 2 large or 3 or 4 smaller loaves. Knead each loaf for a little while and place it in its pan. Cover with towel and allow to rise for around 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Tap the bottom of the loaves to see if they sound hollow to make sure they are done.
Notes: D used Hodgson Mill Active Dry Yeast. which has worked really well for me in the past. For some reason, I have found that it is also the cheapest yeast.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Worms, Part I
After discovering that the local municipality was out of compost bins, I decided to use worms to compost my garbage after getting this advice from J:
The advantage is that you can keep them inside (you would have to b/c they would die in the winter), they are relatively hassle free, they can compost anything (I had one friend that would feed them meat scraps) and you can make the best compost in the world with them. Plus they are fun pets!
The fun pets really got me, and although I probably won't feed them meat, I am excited to feed them other cooked food. After looking into various options, I chose to use this set-up. I bought two grey plastic bins. V is letting me stop by his work to use the power drill.
I ordered, and D wrote the check for, a pound of worms from Down to Earth Worm Farm. The woman who helped me on the phone was very friendly and excited I was not from the area. They are supposed to arrive next week.
I really wanted these lily-scented worms, but they are hard to come by and I suspect mythical.
I have started collecting garbage and newspaper for the worms. D ordered a book so we don’t kill them, at least initially. I set up a plan to get kitchen scraps from E and S every three to four days since I am not sure I will generate enough food scraps to sustain them.
IC expressed concern that I may hear them slithering around, but hopefully they will be quiet and realitively scentless like all the blog postings say. To be continued…
The advantage is that you can keep them inside (you would have to b/c they would die in the winter), they are relatively hassle free, they can compost anything (I had one friend that would feed them meat scraps) and you can make the best compost in the world with them. Plus they are fun pets!
The fun pets really got me, and although I probably won't feed them meat, I am excited to feed them other cooked food. After looking into various options, I chose to use this set-up. I bought two grey plastic bins. V is letting me stop by his work to use the power drill.
I ordered, and D wrote the check for, a pound of worms from Down to Earth Worm Farm. The woman who helped me on the phone was very friendly and excited I was not from the area. They are supposed to arrive next week.
I really wanted these lily-scented worms, but they are hard to come by and I suspect mythical.
I have started collecting garbage and newspaper for the worms. D ordered a book so we don’t kill them, at least initially. I set up a plan to get kitchen scraps from E and S every three to four days since I am not sure I will generate enough food scraps to sustain them.
IC expressed concern that I may hear them slithering around, but hopefully they will be quiet and realitively scentless like all the blog postings say. To be continued…
Cabbage Soup
I got this recipe from IC whom I work with. I was sick and needed something to cure my stuffy nose. This soup is very flavorful and was done largely on intuition. It can be adjusted to your individual palate or style of cooking. It is also a great fall farmer’s market recipe…Enjoy!
Cabbage Soup
1 med onion
1-2 tbls butter
1/2 head of cabbage
2 tsp. salt
1 tbls of dry thyme
Fresh dill (to taste, a little less than 1/4 c appx)
Diced tomatoes, 28 ounce can or fresh (see directions below**)
1 to 2 med carrots, sliced (IC’s addition. Adds a sweetness, but is optional)
Pepper, to taste (my addition)
Topping: Sour Crème, Cream Fraiche or Cottage Cheese
Chop onion and place in gallon-sized dutch oven with butter on medium/medium-high heat. Stir onions occasionally so they do not burn. Cook until transparent.
Add water until pot is half full. Add thyme. While waiting for the water to boil, cut the cabbage into thin strips and massage with salt. When water boils, add cabbage and carrots. Simmer until cabbage is soft, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes. Continue simmering another 5 minutes or so. Add dill and simmer five additional minutes. Add pepper to taste and salt if you feel you need more. Serve hot.
**You may use fresh tomatoes, two or three. You may want to seed and peel them first. Mollie K recommends boiling them for 10 seconds, then peeling them and squeezing out the juice and seeds. Chop and add to soup. You may need to cook the soup a bit longer if you use this method.
Thoughts and Feelings: I had to use dry dill because for some reason my local Whole Foods does not carry dill and my dill plant is very tiny and delicate. I look forward to making it with fresh dill.
I also added cottage cheese to the soup, which IC does not endorse. I had it without too and it was delicious. Ricotta might be a little less adventurous if you want to add a simple dairy product to it. IC usually adds sour cream but thought creme fraiche sounded good, too.
I also would like to try it without carrots.
Cabbage Soup
1 med onion
1-2 tbls butter
1/2 head of cabbage
2 tsp. salt
1 tbls of dry thyme
Fresh dill (to taste, a little less than 1/4 c appx)
Diced tomatoes, 28 ounce can or fresh (see directions below**)
1 to 2 med carrots, sliced (IC’s addition. Adds a sweetness, but is optional)
Pepper, to taste (my addition)
Topping: Sour Crème, Cream Fraiche or Cottage Cheese
Chop onion and place in gallon-sized dutch oven with butter on medium/medium-high heat. Stir onions occasionally so they do not burn. Cook until transparent.
Add water until pot is half full. Add thyme. While waiting for the water to boil, cut the cabbage into thin strips and massage with salt. When water boils, add cabbage and carrots. Simmer until cabbage is soft, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes. Continue simmering another 5 minutes or so. Add dill and simmer five additional minutes. Add pepper to taste and salt if you feel you need more. Serve hot.
**You may use fresh tomatoes, two or three. You may want to seed and peel them first. Mollie K recommends boiling them for 10 seconds, then peeling them and squeezing out the juice and seeds. Chop and add to soup. You may need to cook the soup a bit longer if you use this method.
Thoughts and Feelings: I had to use dry dill because for some reason my local Whole Foods does not carry dill and my dill plant is very tiny and delicate. I look forward to making it with fresh dill.
I also added cottage cheese to the soup, which IC does not endorse. I had it without too and it was delicious. Ricotta might be a little less adventurous if you want to add a simple dairy product to it. IC usually adds sour cream but thought creme fraiche sounded good, too.
I also would like to try it without carrots.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Best Dal Ever...
Or real close. Classic Indian Cooking by Julie Sahni is an amazing cookbook. It is one of the best I have ever owned. Sometimes, I cut down on the oil a bit, but other than that it is perfection. The dishes highlight one or two ingredients. I have been in Boston pining for the cookbook and D emailed me one of my favorite recipes today. So here it is...
Lucknow Sour Lentils
Khatti Dal, a classic from the city of Lucknow in the state of Uttar Pradesh, is indeed a superbly flavored lentil dish. It is fragrant with garlic and fresh ginger root and laced with black cumin-seed-flavored oil. The characteristic feature of this dal is the tamarind jice added to perk up the flavors and provide a tang.
For 6 persons:
1 1/2 cups pink lentils
1 tablespoon finely choppped fresh ginger root
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 one-inch ball tamarind pulp, or 1 teaspoon mango powder, or 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons Kosher salt (but I highly recommend starting with less and working up)
For tadka:
5 tablespoons Indian vegetable shortening, or light vegetable oil
1 teaspoon black cumin seeeds, or 1/2 teaspoon white cumin seeds
1 tablespoon mashed or minced garlic
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1. Pick clean and wash lentils following directions on page 327
2. Put the lentils in a deep saucepan along with the turmeric, ginger, and 5 cups water, and bring to the boil, stirring often, as the lentils have a tendency to settle at the bottom of the pan. Reduce ehat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes, stirring now and then.
3. While the lentils are cooking, put the tamarind pulp in a small bowl, add 1 cup of boiling water, and let soak for 15 minutes. Mash the pulp wiht the back of a spoon or using your fingers. Strain the liquid into another bowl, squeezing out as much juice as possible from the pulp. Discard the stringy fibrous residue.
4. Add the tamarind juice to the cooked lentils, and continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes (if you are using mango powder or lemon juice in place of tamarind, do not add yet). Turn off the heat, and beat the lentils with a wire whisk or wooden spoon for 1 minute to smooth the puree. Measure the puree and if necessary add enough water to make 6 cups. If you are using mango powder or lemon juice, stir it in now with the salt. (The lentil puree may be prepared ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days. It also freezes well. Defrost thoroughly before proceeding with recipe).
5. When ready to serve, simmer the puree over low heat until piping hot. The lentil puree thickens with keeping, so check the consistency again. You may need to add 1/2 cup water to bring the puree to the right consistency. Check for salt and transfer to a serving bowl while you make the spice-perfumed butter (tadka).
6. Heat the shortening over medium-high heat in a small frying pan. When it is very hot, add cumin seeds, and fry for a moment or two (white cumin seeds will take about 10 seconds). Remove the pan from the heat, add red pepper and the mashed garlic, and stir rapidly for 10 seconds or until the garlic loses its raw smell and begins to color--do not let it brown. Pour the butter with its seasonings over the lentil puree. Stir once or twice--just enough to lace the puree with ribbons of perfumed butter. Serve immediately in small bowls.
Thoughts and feelings: I rarely pick the lentils. I think I wash them occassionally. That may be me just trying to make myself look better.
I have only used lemon and it still turns out delicious.
I usually halve the oil.
If you burn the seeds or garlic in the oil, it is really easy to redo them. It is not easy to redo the lentils. One time I ruined it, because I burned the cumin seeds and for some reason didn't realize how easy it was to just make another batch.
CORRECTION of MY CORRECTION: The original post said 2 teaspoons salt and I was pretty sure that it is supposed to be 1/2 teaspoon...but upon double checking it is 2 teaspoons (see comments).
Lucknow Sour Lentils
Khatti Dal, a classic from the city of Lucknow in the state of Uttar Pradesh, is indeed a superbly flavored lentil dish. It is fragrant with garlic and fresh ginger root and laced with black cumin-seed-flavored oil. The characteristic feature of this dal is the tamarind jice added to perk up the flavors and provide a tang.
For 6 persons:
1 1/2 cups pink lentils
1 tablespoon finely choppped fresh ginger root
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 one-inch ball tamarind pulp, or 1 teaspoon mango powder, or 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons Kosher salt (but I highly recommend starting with less and working up)
For tadka:
5 tablespoons Indian vegetable shortening, or light vegetable oil
1 teaspoon black cumin seeeds, or 1/2 teaspoon white cumin seeds
1 tablespoon mashed or minced garlic
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1. Pick clean and wash lentils following directions on page 327
2. Put the lentils in a deep saucepan along with the turmeric, ginger, and 5 cups water, and bring to the boil, stirring often, as the lentils have a tendency to settle at the bottom of the pan. Reduce ehat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes, stirring now and then.
3. While the lentils are cooking, put the tamarind pulp in a small bowl, add 1 cup of boiling water, and let soak for 15 minutes. Mash the pulp wiht the back of a spoon or using your fingers. Strain the liquid into another bowl, squeezing out as much juice as possible from the pulp. Discard the stringy fibrous residue.
4. Add the tamarind juice to the cooked lentils, and continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes (if you are using mango powder or lemon juice in place of tamarind, do not add yet). Turn off the heat, and beat the lentils with a wire whisk or wooden spoon for 1 minute to smooth the puree. Measure the puree and if necessary add enough water to make 6 cups. If you are using mango powder or lemon juice, stir it in now with the salt. (The lentil puree may be prepared ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days. It also freezes well. Defrost thoroughly before proceeding with recipe).
5. When ready to serve, simmer the puree over low heat until piping hot. The lentil puree thickens with keeping, so check the consistency again. You may need to add 1/2 cup water to bring the puree to the right consistency. Check for salt and transfer to a serving bowl while you make the spice-perfumed butter (tadka).
6. Heat the shortening over medium-high heat in a small frying pan. When it is very hot, add cumin seeds, and fry for a moment or two (white cumin seeds will take about 10 seconds). Remove the pan from the heat, add red pepper and the mashed garlic, and stir rapidly for 10 seconds or until the garlic loses its raw smell and begins to color--do not let it brown. Pour the butter with its seasonings over the lentil puree. Stir once or twice--just enough to lace the puree with ribbons of perfumed butter. Serve immediately in small bowls.
Thoughts and feelings: I rarely pick the lentils. I think I wash them occassionally. That may be me just trying to make myself look better.
I have only used lemon and it still turns out delicious.
I usually halve the oil.
If you burn the seeds or garlic in the oil, it is really easy to redo them. It is not easy to redo the lentils. One time I ruined it, because I burned the cumin seeds and for some reason didn't realize how easy it was to just make another batch.
CORRECTION of MY CORRECTION: The original post said 2 teaspoons salt and I was pretty sure that it is supposed to be 1/2 teaspoon...but upon double checking it is 2 teaspoons (see comments).
Friday, July 25, 2008
Boston
I moved to Boston several weeks ago. I got a job writing SPSS syntax for the feds. I planned to get a CSA and find a local dairy but have been extremely lazy. Any suggestions are welcome on where to find either. Also, if you are in the area and have furniture, I only have a bed at the moment. Recipes to follow...
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Yogurt
I have been on a yogurt making kick. L orders from a local dairy and I have started making a weekly batch of yogurt to go along with my granola (recipe coming eventually). Yogurt is suprisingly easy. This recipe comes from Nourishing Traditions. I like a couple of the recipes in the cookbook but her research methodology is a little shady and a lot of the ingredients are bizarre. I think there are better cookbooks out there, but the yogurt is good...
Yogurt
1/2 cup good yogurt with live cultures
1 quart milk
Gently heat the milk to 180 degrees (I found that going just below this at 175 degrees or so). Let it cool to 11o degrees. Stir in yogurt and place in shallow glass or stainless steal container. Cover and place in a warm oven with the pilot light on or pre-heated to warm. If you live somewhere, where it does not get cold at night (DC in the summer for example), I would just leave it out at night. In the morning, transfer to the refridgerator. If there is extra whey, just spoon it out.
Problems you might encounter are explained here. My yogurt curdled slightly last time and was still good. I think it was because I heated it a bit too high, the milk was not as fresh as usual, and it was over 100 degrees in the kitchen for an extended period.
Yogurt
1/2 cup good yogurt with live cultures
1 quart milk
Gently heat the milk to 180 degrees (I found that going just below this at 175 degrees or so). Let it cool to 11o degrees. Stir in yogurt and place in shallow glass or stainless steal container. Cover and place in a warm oven with the pilot light on or pre-heated to warm. If you live somewhere, where it does not get cold at night (DC in the summer for example), I would just leave it out at night. In the morning, transfer to the refridgerator. If there is extra whey, just spoon it out.
Problems you might encounter are explained here. My yogurt curdled slightly last time and was still good. I think it was because I heated it a bit too high, the milk was not as fresh as usual, and it was over 100 degrees in the kitchen for an extended period.
Monday, June 9, 2008
New Trend Alert: Hipsters bathe at well pumps!
D and I went on our first bike camping excursion. It went fairly smoothly. We took it as a chance to test out our gear and wilderness survival skills.
Lessons Learned:
1. Hang your food even if you think there is no risk of bears eating it. I awoke to D saying, "Something is eating our food." As he pointed the flashlight towards the paneer, the animal tried to drag the paneer away with it. Neither of us ever saw the animal as we are both legally blind without contacts. We just saw the reflector slowly moving away from the other bags' reflectors. Only four peanut butter sandwiches were lost. However, all the next day, D lamented the four missing sandwiches.
2. Bring glasses if you are legally blind and need to see quickly in the middle of the night.
3. Bring a map. Like baking, even if you think it is simple and you have cooked the recipe a thousand times, it is easy to forget a step. We biked the C&O Canal, our destination Harper's Ferry. Supposedly some of my lady relatives founded it with their families. We missed it by 2 miles or so. Sounded simple, you just get on the trail and bike the whole way there. No detours. Nothing. What we didn't know was that there is a small town before Harper's Ferry, which we mistook for Harpers Ferry. This small town did have a nice ice cream shop which included kids running behind the counters and everyone chatted us up. Not getting to Harpers Ferry gives us something to look forward to next time...
4. Bathing in a water pump is amazing after a long day of biking.
5. If you are biking somewhere very humid, nothing dries at night so be prepared for moist biking clothes if you leave them out at night.
6. Items not included in the last list that should be: small bottle of contact solution; extra toilet paper; grocery sacks for dirty/wet clothes, shoes, etc; hand sanitizer.
Lessons Learned:
1. Hang your food even if you think there is no risk of bears eating it. I awoke to D saying, "Something is eating our food." As he pointed the flashlight towards the paneer, the animal tried to drag the paneer away with it. Neither of us ever saw the animal as we are both legally blind without contacts. We just saw the reflector slowly moving away from the other bags' reflectors. Only four peanut butter sandwiches were lost. However, all the next day, D lamented the four missing sandwiches.
2. Bring glasses if you are legally blind and need to see quickly in the middle of the night.
3. Bring a map. Like baking, even if you think it is simple and you have cooked the recipe a thousand times, it is easy to forget a step. We biked the C&O Canal, our destination Harper's Ferry. Supposedly some of my lady relatives founded it with their families. We missed it by 2 miles or so. Sounded simple, you just get on the trail and bike the whole way there. No detours. Nothing. What we didn't know was that there is a small town before Harper's Ferry, which we mistook for Harpers Ferry. This small town did have a nice ice cream shop which included kids running behind the counters and everyone chatted us up. Not getting to Harpers Ferry gives us something to look forward to next time...
4. Bathing in a water pump is amazing after a long day of biking.
5. If you are biking somewhere very humid, nothing dries at night so be prepared for moist biking clothes if you leave them out at night.
6. Items not included in the last list that should be: small bottle of contact solution; extra toilet paper; grocery sacks for dirty/wet clothes, shoes, etc; hand sanitizer.
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