A Stack of Dishes

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Gail Watson

Amaranth Breakfast Bowl with Seeds and Warm Maple Apples

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It’s another gray stormy weekend here in the Northeast. It’s an insular overcast morning of warm breakfasts and lingering coffee. A porridge morning.

Bored with the idea of oatmeal, I decided to make my morning cereal bowl with a lesser known whole grain, Amaranth. To add some depth and character, I found on my fruit plate an apple, which had reached its peak and did not promise good out of hand eating. A fine dice and a quick sautee in some butter and maple syrup added the sweetness and richness that rounded out my porridge. A sprinkle of Chia seeds and pepitas provided some crunch, and a quick toss of some dried cranberries provided more color. At the last some warm milk floated around the edges and coddled it all together.

You don’t hear about Amaranth very often. It is a seed, indigenous to Central and South America. Like quinoa, it is high in protein and fiber and quite good for you. For those who are refraining from gluten, this is another great alternative. Amaranth seeds are much tinier than quinoa, I would say at least half the size, which makes these babies quite petite. They cook up the same, and have a much milder flavor, sort of mellow and neutral. If you find quinoa too crunchy and grainy for you, I invite you to try this.

Because the seeds are so teeny, the texture similar to that of farina, which to me is very satisfying and comforting. It’s less stick-to-your-ribs hearty as compared to steel cut oats. It’s not nearly as gummy and chewy, but rather a silkier  mush with a refined character.

Amaranth Porridge with Warm Maple Apples
As with any hot cereal the possibilities are endless. Pears, dried apricots or fresh berries would be divine, and feel free to let any spare nuts tumble into your bowl too.
 
serves 2
 
.66c Amaranth seeds
2c water
pinch of salt
1 small apple cut into small dice
1T unsalted butter
2T maple syrup
4T warmed milk
A few tablespoons of assorted nuts and seeds
 
In a medium sized saucepan over medium/low heat, combine seeds, water and salt. Bring to the boil and gently simmer until the water is absorbed and the seeds are tender. About 20 minutes.
 
Meanwhile, in a small sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter and then toss in the apples. Saute gently for 2-3 minutes, then stir in the syrup and cook together for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and slightly thickened.
 
When the porridge is cooked, divide between two bowls. Spoon the warm apples and sauce over each and sprinkle with nuts and seeds of your choosing.
 
 
Stay warm and cozy!

A Simple Supper: Wheat Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Mushrooms

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I sit in the morning light of the day after hearts and flowers day, thinking about love. It tickled me to no end yesterday to see fellow passengers on the subway bearing red boxes, heart shaped balloons, bouquets of flowers and enticing parcels obviously bearing chocolates. What a life affirming thing to see love in action, and the outpouring of it.

I imagined the stories that went along with all those sweet gestures, and more than once I stopped myself during the hustle of my day to think: I wonder if anyone is getting engaged right now? Hearing “I Love You” for the first time? Is someone at this moment experiencing that warm heart coddled feeling of love, safety and belonging that is so delicious?

I believe in love. I believe in the mystical and magical thrill of it all, and I believe in divinity in the most sublime sense. I also believe, and know, that I am so fortunate and blessed to be so loved and to have the ability to love so defenselessly in return. No matter what transpires, or how much time goes by, that feeling never grows old for me.

I read somewhere recently that cooking is the ongoing love note that gets written at every meal. I know this to be true for myself. Affection and caring is sprinkled into the pot of every dish I prepare. Though not everything I make is a grand gesture or ultimate expression,  every plate bears a small offering of love and nourishment that my heart and my hands have created for you. And when you lift the bites to your lips, and I can see that you seem to like it (maybe even just a little), it touches my heart right back.

I remember a story from years ago when I was working with a bride on choosing her wedding cake. She started explaining to me in exasperation that she was frustrated with her caterer, a friend of mine,  and that they were butting heads. They were pushing and pulling on a senseless issue, and I could clearly see what was happening. Finally I took her hand and leaned toward her and said, “Allow her cook for you. She wants to indulge you and delight you. Let that flow out of her and resist trying to reign her in. You’ll get what you want ten-fold, I promise.” After looking back at me with blinking eyes she understood and relaxed. And indeed, it came to pass to be the truth. They had an abundant and delightful wedding, and the food was filled with joy.

Like I said earlier, not every meal I create is a masterpiece, nor do the angel’s voices rise with the steam from the plate, but I can assure you, there is always a hum in my heart- there to be shared with you.

Wheat Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Mushrooms
 
This dish is an example of how a few simple ingredients are greater than the sum of their parts. The spicy sausage is a lovely foil to the earthy mushrooms and the pungent cheese, and the texture of slippery noodles and toothsome chunks of meat and mushrooms is lovely.  I used some pasta water to make a slick sauce, which pulls all the flavors together without a need for added fats. I used Barilla Plus (w protein), it’s a good whole wheat pasta that has great texture.
 
Serves 6
 
1# Whole wheat spaghetti, dried
1t salt for boiling water
6 links of best quality chicken sausage
2 cloves garlic
1 small, or half a medium yellow onion
1# cremini mushrooms
2 medium sized leeks, white and tender green parts, washed
1c grated Parmigiana Reggiano 
12 thin slices Parmigiana Reggiano to serve (optional)
S&P to taste
 
 
In a large pot add 8 c water and 1t of salt and bring to the boil. Add the pasta and return to the boil.
 
Continue to cook for approximately 8 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked but still retains a toothsome bite.
 
If planning to serve in a large bowl, place the colander over the serving bowl in the sink and drain the pasta, allowing the water to catch into the bowl. This will warm the bowl, and allow you to easily retrieve the pasta water easily. Alternatively, reserve 2 cups of the starchy pasta water, and drain the rest, reserving the pasta in the colander.
 
While the water is coming to temperature, and the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce.
 
Warm a large skillet over medium heat. Remove the sausage from their casings and add to the pan, breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon as they cook. I like to keep some good size chunks, so no need to break it down to a mince.
 
While the sausage is cooking, mince the garlic, slice mushrooms, dice the onion and slice the leeks.
 
When the sausage is just cooked and lightly browned, remove it from the pan and reserve on the side.
 
If there is a lot of grease in the pan you may remove some at this point. Otherwise, return the skillet to the heat and add the garlic and onions and allow them to slowly cook. When they are about halfway done add the mushrooms and the leeks.
 
Saute the vegetables until they are wilted and the mushrooms still have some structure.
 
Add the water to the pan and turn the heat up higher and bring to the boil.
 
Cook the sauce until some of the water evaporates and the sauce thickens. Add the sausage and cook for a minute to heat through. 
 
Then add the pasta directly into the pan (or into your serving bowl, now drained of hot water) along with the grated cheese and gently toss to coat.
 
Divide evenly into six plates and serve with 2 slices of cheese.
 
 
 

 

The {Famous} NY Times- No Knead Bread

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Outside the world is coated in snow, but I’ve been living in a flour dusted apartment for over a week now- and I think you’ll be glad that I did. What fun I have had making this ridiculously easy and wildly famous No Knead Bread.

The recipe made its debut in 2006 in Mark Bittman’s, The Minimalist column in the NY Times. I tore out the recipe from that printing, and it kicked around my office for years. From time to time I would look at it and think that I should give it a try, but never did. When I moved last year it got lost in the shuffle, but I never forgot the idea.

It has been a long standing tradition of mine to bake bread in the early part of the year. It’s hard to explain why, but it’s somewhere in the “monarch butterfly migration” part of my brain. Without thought or plan, I find myself reaching for yeast every January and February. There is no explaining it, it just seems to happen.

Over the years I’ve done quite a bit of perfecting and experimenting of different methods and recipes. My favorite method has always been to make a poolish first, which makes a gorgeous, chewy bread with a crispy crust. My only complaint is it’s a long project that requires a lot of tending. A great thing for a snow bound weekend, such as this one, but for practical reasons it’s tough to make as a regular habit. For some reason, the latent memory of this recipe came back to mind last week, and I went on a search for it. Happily it was not hard to find.

The only similarity between the two methods is that no knead recipe takes as many hours on the clock, but with so little hands on involvement, it’s almost comical. To make this bread all it takes is measuring out the ingredients, mixing them with a SPOON, letting the mess rest for 12-24 hours, shaping it, and baking it! The result is a bread that is so gorgeous and delicious which, after I stop laughing in delight, I found myself sniggering while looking the window of an artisanal bread bakery yesterday. “Pfft!”, I thought, “I can do that!” Shame on me for sure, but it’s hard not to get a little cocky!

This recipe is the brainchild of Jim Lahey, of Sullivan Street Bakery, who devised the recipe as a minimalist technique to bread baking, that anyone could make. The magic to this beauty is in the science. The recipe uses very little yeast, and the water content is very high. Another big difference is that the proofing time is extremely long and slow. Apparently the wetness of the dough, and the long rising time, allows the gluten molecules to align themselves into long strands, creating elasticity, thus eliminating the necessity to do laborious kneading to develop those strands. The high moisture content also creates a beautiful crackly, crust by providing steam from its own moisture during the baking process.

The other difference is the bread is baked in a preheated enamel pot within the oven, which creates an environment for the steam to circulate within, developing that crunchy crust. In professional bakeries they manage this step with built in steam jets, or some people have been known to spray the bread during the baking with water, (raising hand), which is a bit scary as the steam kicks back in your face, while quite a bit of heat dumps out of the oven and into the kitchen. I’ve never been a fan.

The pot I used is a 5 Quart oval Le Creuset Dutch Oven, like this one, which I highly recommend. The oval shape allows you to get your hands into the pot on the long ends of the oval when you drop the dough in. I’ve read of other folks that have used cast iron pots, and even glass casseroles, which apparently work fine. If you have a round pot and get antsy about slipping the dough into the raging hot pot, you can use some parchment paper, which functions as a handle when dropping into the pot (as I have demonstrated in the photo below). This step can save you some anxiety, and make moving the dough easier.

You can find the original recipe HERE, but I’ve made a few other tweaks that I will share with you.

Most everything remains the same with two notable exceptions. First off, I don’t use cornmeal on my board when I turn the dough out. I found that a reasonable dusting of flour is just fine. I’ve been making so much bread lately that I now have a pastry cloth that is dedicated to bread making. The cloth is saturated with flour so it is forever stick free. It does not need to be washed. I simply give it a good shake into the sink, and then store it in a plastic bag when not in use.

The second tweak, as I mentioned, is I have taken to making cuts in the top of my bread, which assists the rise and I think looks nice. Without the cuts I find that the bread will get great cracks, a beautiful rustic look that you might enjoy. Making the cuts assist in the “baking bump” or the rise during the baking, which also makes a rounder loaf. Without that lift, I found my dough a bit too dense and wet for my taste. A longer baking time will eliminate some of that wetness if you prefer to not make the cuts (another 10-15 mins).

I made quite a few loaves this week, testing and retesting my changes. Very early on, after making just two plain loaves, I decided to throw in a few things for fun. The bread above had a generous handful of chopped black olives and rosemary. The bread below had dried cranberries and pepitas tossed into it. Both turned out beautifully, which opens the door for many other possibilities. I invite you to experiment with your own.  I simply added the extras during the last strokes of mixing the dough. Simple as that.

This is one recipe that I really hope that you try. That is, if you’re not already a convert.

I would really LOVE to see what you have done with this recipe. Please comment and post a link to your bread- and please share any insights you may have. I am really interested to hear, and see, what you have done.

The NY Times No Knead Bread
Many people have posted this recipe, and there are quite a few variations. I have made quite a few loaves this week so that I feel very confident about my method. I’ve read of others using gluten free flours, which may work to a point, but without the gluten, you won’t get the same chewiness and rise. You can find the original recipe HERE.
 
makes one loaf
 
3 c all purpose, unbleached flour or bread flour
.25 t instant yeast
1.5t salt
1.5 c water (warm or cold is fine)
 
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, yeast and salt. Give it a quick stir to incorporate.
 
Pour in the water, and with a spoon, stir until blended and all the flour is incorporated. The dough will be rough and shaggy, almost like a scone dough, and fairly sticky. This step needs to only take one minute. 
 
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit out on the counter for at least 12 hours and up to 24, I baked mine around 14 hours. No need for a “warm” spot, room temperature is fine. The warmer your kitchen though, the quicker the rise.
 
The dough will be ready when the surface is level and bubbly. 
Preheat the oven to 450˚, with the enamel pot inside, and with the lid on.
 
While the oven is heating, turn the dough out onto a well floured surface. The dough will be VERY sticky and stringy. With well floured hand, fold the dough a few times over onto itself, and then shape it into a ball. Other shapes work well too, btw, such as a longer loaf (rolls anyone?)
 
The shaping of the dough should only take a minute or two. No need to knead.
 
If you’re using parchment, dust the paper and lay the dough on top. Other wise, let the dough rest on a well floured surface for an additional 30 minutes. Cover with the plastic wrap.
 
Note: the oven will come to temperature well before the dough has risen, but you really want the enamel pan to be super hot, so that extra heating time is perfect.
 
About 20 minutes after you have shaped the dough, using a sharp or serrated knife, make cuts about .75″ deep into the top of the bread. Then let rest the final 10 minutes.
 
When ready, open the oven and remove the lid of the pot with a cloth or potholder. Either lift the parchment paper, or with well floured hands, carefully lift the dough and lay it into the pot. There is no need to grease the pan. It absolutely will not stick.
 
Using the potholder, replace the pan lid and slide the pot back into the oven and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for another 15 until the bread is browned and beautiful.
 
When ready, I use a cloth and simply grab the bread out of the pot and place it on a wire rack to cool. 
 
Because the pot is so heavy and hot, I simply leave it in the oven and let it cool in the turned off oven. Alternatively you can carefully remove the pot from the oven and allow it to cool. Warning* the lid, after you’ve removed from the oven will retain its heat for quite awhile, so please use protection when handling it until you are quite sure it is cool.
 
It’s tempting to want to cut into the loaf right out of the oven, but it’s better to give it a several minutes to cool. During that time you can sit back and revel in your handiwork, and enjoy the music of the crust making crackling noises. 
 
Bread baking is soul satisfying, I hope you can take the time to enjoy the full experience.