Onion Jam

I have always loved the taste of jams and preserves.  What can be better than fruit cooked with a healthy dose of sugar?  A picky eater as a youngster -- oh, how things have changed -- bread, butter and jam kept this overactive, skinny little girl happy.  Peanut butter and jelly was an unheard-of combination in South Africa so my sandwiches were filled with salted butter and exotic berry jams, apricot, plum or my all-time favorite fig. 

I still enjoy my jam and butter but it’s more likely to be on a single piece of toast since the calories add up a lot quicker now :(    With the increase in availability of a wide variety of cheeses from all over the world and locally by our very own artisans (try Blue Heron Farm), a new way of enjoying preserves has emerged.   Chunky preserves can complement a pungent, rich cheese with its texture and sweetness;  fig jam is a perfect partner to tangy goat cheese.  

A mind-boggling array of delicious savory jams has emerged in recent years.  Chipotle peppers cannned with peaches or raspberries, ginger with figs, and blueberries with garlic are just a few that come to mind.  Here’s the simple recipe for Onion jam that I served with Walnut bread and Humboldt Fog chèvre (goat cheese) as seen in my previous post.  When cooked slowly, the onions are allowed to absorb the sugar, soy sauce, wine and vinegar.  Once the water in the liquids has evaporated the mixture becomes thick, jammy and complex in flavor…sweet, salty, a tad sour…umami... and perfect with chèvre. 

This savory jam would also be an outstanding accompaniment to a roast beef or turkey sandwich.  It would be delicious with a freshly grilled steak or on a vegetable pizza.  The thought of it mingling with melting queso in a quesadilla makes my mouth water!.  Get creative with it…it’s worth the 45 minutes or so of stirring!

Onion Jam from the Mustards Grill Napa Valley Cookbook

Makes about 1 cup

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 cups sliced onions; I have used both yellow and red

2 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon soy sauce

1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons red wine

2 tablespoons water

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 5 - 8 minutes until tender and translucent. Add the sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 - 20 minutes, until onions are golden brown. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring often to avoid scorching, for about 20 minutes, until the mixture is thick and jam like.  Taste and adjust for salt, if necessary.  The slower you cook it, the richer the jam will become. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Prijatno!

Walnut bread with Humboldt Fog goat cheese and Onion jam

My love for goat cheese (chèvre) is no secret.  I am an afflicted turophile!  It’s a new word for me and probably for you as well, dear reader.  It comes from the Greek tyros ‘cheese’ and philos ‘love’ and was first used by the English in the 1930s.  Rarely used today, it also means ‘connoisseur of cheese’.   Aside from being a dedicated turophile, I also spend way too much time on the internet where I came across an alternative/rock band based in Toledo, Ohio named Turophilie, that claims to have “no tolerance for the lactose intolerant”!   I listened to a couple of songs on their playlist and quite like their sound.  Interesting stuff one comes across on the internet!

Back to chèvre…Hubby and I hosted a wine dinner recently with goat cheese or goat's milk in every single course.   For starters, and with the help of my accomplished wine group members, I managed to pack eight delicious tidbits on two appetizer plates.   Each of the items varied in texture, flavor and color and presented a feast for the eyes!

Warm appetizer plate

Tartelettes with chèvre, red peppers and caramelized red onions

Creamy Mediterranean chèvre polenta with scallops on a half shell

Dates stuffed with chèvre wrapped in bacon

Roasted beet and chèvre tower with pistachios

Cold appetizer plate

Humboldt Fog on homemade walnut bread

Terrine of chèvre with zucchini and roasted red, orange and yellow peppers

Chèvre crème brulee with turbinado crust

Melon salad with chèvre feta and sherry vinegar dressing

Chèvre overkill, you say?  It can never happen in my world, but it was a definite challenge for Hubby in the wine pairing department.  Since a few members of our group tend to steamroll toward the reds, we had to remind them that goat cheese loves to be courted by champagne, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling.   I managed to sneak some chèvre into the spinach and pine nut ‘cigars’ that accompanied the main course of grilled lamb chops with celery root and Yukon gold puree and sautéed mushrooms.   We drank a few Chateauneuf-du-Pape reds and everyone was very happy.   Homemade Vanilla bean goat’s milk ice cream topped individual apple tarts for dessert and we were ecstatic!

In my ‘humboldt’ opinion, Humboldt Fog chèvre rivals the best the French can produce.   Made in California by Cypress Grove Chèvre, it is the epitome of American made cheese.  It’s firm and chalky, thick and creamy, with an unmistakable tang derived from the acids unique to goat’s milk.  The rind is edible, as well as the delicate layer of ash that runs through the middle of the cheese, giving it a pretty layer-cake look.  Best at room temperature, the outer layer oozes creamy-rich decadence seen in the picture at the end of this post.

A nice complement to the chèvre is bread made with walnuts and shallots.   The soft rich cream in the cheese contrasts with a hint of onion and crunchy nuts.  It’s also great with Onion Jam, a recipe I’ll share in the next few days.   Here’s the bread…on bright red!

Walnut bread

Adapted from The Cheese Course by Janet Fletcher

Makes one 8-inch round loaf

1 cup walnuts

¼ ounce package active dry yeast, or 2½ teaspoons instant yeast

1/3 cup warm water (110ºF to 115ºF)

1 cup milk

1/3 cup unsalted butter, cut up into chunks

about 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

½ cup whole-wheat flour

2 teaspoons salt

1/3 cup minced shallots

2 tablespoons cornmeal

1 pound Humboldt Fog cheese

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Toast walnuts on a baking sheet until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 15 minutes. Let cool and then chop coarsely.

In a small bowl sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and let stand for 2 minutes to soften. Stir to dissolve and allow to sit for about 5 – 10 minutes, or until fine bubbles form on the surface. This means that the yeast is active and you have just ‘proofed’ it.

Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan until butter is melted. Set aside to cool to about 110ºF.

In a large bowl, stir together 1¾ cups of the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour and salt. Add the active (proofed) yeast, milk and butter mixture, shallots and walnuts. Stir until well blended. Add more all-purpose flour gradually, stirring until the dough becomes too stiff to stir. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes, adding more flour as necessary.

Shape the dough into a ball and transfer to a large greased bowl (I use about 1 tablespoon olive oil). Turn the dough over to coat the entire surface with oil. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until doubled, about 1½ hours. Punch the dough down and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Reshape into a ball and transfer to a baking sheet dusted with the cornmeal. Cover with the towel and let rise until doubled, about 1½ hours.

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Put a baking dish with ice water on the floor of the oven to create steam. Slash the loaf a couple of times, and then bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325ºF, remove the water from the oven and continue to bake bread until it is well browned, about 30 minutes more. Let cool on rack before slicing.  Serve with sliced Humboldt Fog cheese and Onion Jam.

 

I am submitting this recipe to YeastSpotting, a weekly review of yeast-driven food.  Check the link for some wonderful recipes!

Prijatno!

Easter Babka

This magnificent babka is a traditional Polish Easter bread that I made for my best friend’s annual Easter celebration.  Standing six inches tall, it is a slightly sweet yeast cake dotted with rum-soaked golden raisins and topped with a sweet lime glaze.  Rich in flavor thanks to 10 egg yolks, 2 whole eggs and melted butter, this babka is a fine way to break the Lenten fast!

Babka is the Northern Slavic word for “little grandmother”.  The bread is baked in a special pan that shapes the babka to emulate a full skirt covering the ample hips of a typical Eastern European grandmother.   The pan has ridges and curves suggesting the pleats and flowers of the fabric.  Unfortunately I don’t own a babka pan, so my large angel food cake pan became an acceptable stand-in.  

Thanks, Dorota for allowing me to make your babka this year!   Your Easter feasts are well-known and always a joy.

 

Babka (adapted from Valinda’s recipe on Allrecipes)

1/3 cup rum, optional – if you want to soak the raisins*

3/4 cup golden raisins

1 cup milk or half-and-half

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon sugar

2 1/2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast

2 eggs, room temperature

10 egg yolks, room temperature

3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled but still warm

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons lime zest

6 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, plus about 1 cup more for kneading

*If you want the raisins to be plump and delicious, soak them in the rum the night before or at least 2 hours before you start the recipe. 

Warm the milk, water and sugar until it reaches 110F (45C).    Add yeast and set aside for about 5 minutes.   Lightly oil a large bowl and set aside.   Drain raisins and enjoy the rum while you bake!

Stir 2 eggs, egg yolks, butter, vanilla and lemon rind in a large bowl of a mixer.   Using the paddle attachment,  mix in yeast mixture and raisins and beat well.   When a loose dough has formed, turn out onto a well-floured floured surface and knead until smooth, about 10 minutes, using the extra 1 cup of flour if necessary.   Place the dough in the oiled bowl and turn to coat on all sides with the oil.   Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.   Deflate the dough by punching it down and folding it over onto itself about 4 times.   Let rise again until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.

Grease a babka pan or a large angel food cake pan.  Deflate the dough again and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.   Shape it into a fat cylinder.  Place it into the babka or cake pan and fold over the ends.   Smooth the top with your hands until the dough is evenly dispersed.   Cover the pan with a damp cloth and let the dough rise until tripled in volume, about 40 minutes.  Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375F (190C).

Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325F (165C) and bake for 30 minutes more. Reduce oven temperature to 275F (135C) and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.   Let babka stand 5 to 10 minutes before removing from pan and cooling on a rack.

The Icing

2 cups confectioner’s sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon lime zest

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix above ingredients together.  Add more milk or sugar to achieve a pouring consistency.  Pour over the warm babka. 

Peace and joy as we celebrate our Lord’s resurrection today! 

Hristos voskrese!

Prijatno!

Meze (Mezze)

Meze (Serbian), mezze (Arabic), and mezé (Greek), are the Eastern Mediterranean appetizers similar to Spanish tapas.  Derived from the Persian word maze ‘to taste or snack’, meze consists of plates that are a feast for the eyes.   Small bites and dips that are varied in texture, flavor and color, in my native Serbia they are traditionally served with rakija (fruit brandy).  

Of all the Slavic nations, the Southern Slavs are the most hospitable…believe me, I’m not partial…and there is no better way for them to demonstrate their warmth and generosity than through an offering of food.  Even unannounced guests are treated like family, and there is always more than enough to go around come see my parents’ leftovers sometime!   Serbian meze may include pršut (prosciutto), salama, kobasica (sausage), kajmak (clotted cream) and ajvar (red pepper relish).   For the sake of this Daring Kitchen challenge and our hostess, I am keeping it vegetarian with Middle Eastern mezze.   

My friend Chantal and I spent an enjoyable day baking pita bread and bringing the meze plates together.  She has an interesting collection of dinnerware  – many choices for the amateur photographer!  Just look at those pretty yellow ‘triple bowl’ dishes above.    Adorable, and perfect for meze!

In the  picture above you will find (counterclockwise from the top):  sliced radishes, kalamata olives, walnuts, preserved limes (I just happen to make a jar with Mexican key limes a couple of months ago), hummus with olive oil and a sprinkling of paprika, cucumber raita, hummus again, and pita bread.  Feta cheese cubes are in the middle.

The 2010 February Daring Cooks’ challenge was hosted by Michele of Veggie Num Nums.  Michele chose to challenge everyone to make mezze based on various recipes from Claudia Roden, Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Dugid.

The second plate below (from the top) consists of my favorite dip of all muhammara (I will post the recipe soon), pita bread, potatoes with olive oil and lemon zest, and yoghurt cheese sprinkled with dukkah (a blend of sesame seeds, spices and nuts).  Be forewarned:  there are healthy quantities of fresh garlic in the dips and falafel.  So much so that Husbie and I were able to created enough fumes to ward off the vampires and every disease under the sun for a few days now! 

Pita Bread

Adapted from Vefa’s Pita Bread, found at Kalofagas

Serves 8

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

3/4 cup warm (body temperature) water

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. active dry yeast

1 tsp. sugar

coarse cornmeal for dusting the dough

vegetable oil for greasing the pan

Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. In a smaller blow, combine the warm water, olive oil, yeast, and sugar and let stand for five minutes or until you see that the yeast is active.

Using your hands, gradually add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and knead with your hands until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Cover and leave in a warm spot to rise and rest for about 30 minutes.

Divide dough into six pieces and roll out into 6 - 8 -inch rounds that are about 1/4 inch thick. Dust both sides lightly with cornmeal and poke the surface of your pita breads with the tines of a fork. Stack the dough rounds until you are ready to cook the pita bread.

Place a heavy cast-iron skillet (non-stick pan is fine) and heat to medium-high. Pour a little vegetable oil in the skillet and brush to cover the bottom. Carefully place one pita dough in the hot skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes and turn over when you see bubbles forming in the bread.

Place fried pita breads on to a large cotton kitchen towel and cover. Repeat with the rest of the dough, stacking them as you go. Serve warm with falafel or cut into triangles with the various dips and meze.

Cucumber Raita

adapted from The Indian Grocery Store Demystified by Linda Bladholm

1 medium cucumber, peeled and most of the seeds removed
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups plain whole milk or Greek yogurt
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
fresh coriander and/or mint, chopped, to taste

cayenne pepper or paprika, for the garnish (optional)

Dice the cucumber. Blot off excess moisture with paper towels.
Add cumin, yogurt, garlic, coriander and/or mint. Chill until ready to be served. Sprinkle with cayenne or paprika before serving.

Serve with falafel (above) or pita bread as part of meze (below).

 

Yogurt cheese sprinkled with Dukkah

To make yogurt cheese, line a medium sieve with two to four layers of cheesecloth (this depends on the weave:  more layers for a loose weave, fewer layers for a dense weave).  Place the sieve over a bowl.  Spoon 2 cups of plain whole milk or lowfat yogurt on the cheesecloth.  Cover with the excess cheesecloth and refrigerate overnight.   When ready to serve, unmold and sprinkle with dukkah.  Serve with pita bread triangles.

Dukkah

Adapted from Claudia Roden's book, The New Book of Middle Eastern Food and found on Michele’s blog with my adaptations in italics.

1 cup sesame seeds    I made half a recipe, 1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 3/4 cups coriander seeds   I added 2 tablespoons
2/3 cups blanched hazelnuts   I used 1/3 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup cumin seeds   I used 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Put each variety of seeds and nuts on a separate tray and roast them all in a preheated 350F oven for 10-20 minutes, until they just begin to color and give off a slight aroma. As they take different times, you must keep an eye on them so that they do not become too brown, and take each out as it is ready. You could also roast them in a frying pan. Put them together in the food processor with salt and pepper and grind them until they are finely crushed, but be careful not to over-blend them into a paste.
To serve, sprinkle a little dukkah on the yogurt cheese or pour a little oil on small slices of bread and sprinkle with the dukkah.

For the hummus, falafel and preserved lemon recipes, please go to Michele’s blog.

This post will be submitted to Susan’s blog Wild Yeast, for her weekly showcase of yeasted foods: YeastSpotting!

Prijatno!

Buttermilk dinner rolls from Michael Ruhlman

I knew I should not have looked at my blogroll this morning.  Ruhlman.com was at the top.  There he was, Michael Ruhlman, as easy on the eyes as ever, looking straight at me.  Today he was pleading, doe-eyed, for me to test a recipe for Buttermilk dinner rolls, then take a photo and send it to him.  Being addicted to yeast and having never met a bread I didn’t like, I brushed all duties aside and pulled my instant yeast out of the refrigerator.  Who was I to refuse Michael Ruhlman - food expert, writer, cookbook author and blue-eyed Adonis? 

Ruhlman found this recipe in Saveur magazine.  He had ‘been wanting a soft, comfort-food, James-friendly dinner roll, the kind of Parker House roll that’s slightly sweet and yeasty and soft as a pillow’.   If I had to equate them with pillows, these rolls would be on the firm and dense side, made for support!   They rose beautifully and produced a tall roll.  The tops baked to a deep brown (at 375F) in just 30 minutes but the inside required longer baking.  For the novice baker, this could be problem as the rolls looked done.  Fortunately the recipe instructed me to test the internal temperature to 195-200F.  Perhaps the oven temperature should be reduced to 350F to allow for evenly baked rolls. 

The end result was a dense but very tasty roll, especially when eaten hot out of the oven with salted butter and honey!   I would bake them again, with slight adjustments in oven temperature, and I’m looking forward to toasting the leftover rolls in the morning for breakfast.

For accuracy, most ingredients were measured on my nifty scale.  According to my scale:  800g of Gold Medal unbleached all-purpose flour when scooped into cups equaled 6 1/2 cups (I measured it twice).  Here I was curious to see how much the yeasted dough weighed.  1.398kg translates to a little over 3lbs of dough! 

And each individual roll weighed 116 grams before being baked.  Don’t you just love the black and white flecks?  Delicate but distinctive!

I have never measured the internal temperature of bread as I have measured a medium rare steak, but I’m glad I did!  The top was a deep brown after 30 minutes and it looked done.  I tented it with foil and let it bake for another 15 minutes, taking the temperature every 5 minutes, until the rolls measured 195F and my thermometer stick came out clean.

Buttermilk dinner rolls from Michael Ruhlman

Update:  Michael Ruhlman suggested that I reduce the amount of flour to 25 ounces/700g all purpose flour for less dense rolls.  The original measure posted was 28 ounces/800 grams all purpose flour. 

25 ounces/700g all purpose flour

1/4 ounce/7 grams (1 package/2 tsps) instant or rapid-rise yeast

20 ounces/570 grams buttermilk (2¼ cups), microwaved for 40 to 60 seconds. I heated my buttermilk in the microwave until it measured 85ºF.

1/2 ounce/14 grams kosher salt (1 tablespoon)

1.5 ounces/40 grams honey (2 tablespoons)

olive oil, vegetable spray or butter for greasing a springform pan

1 egg mixed with 1 teaspoon water

1 teaspoon black and white sesame seeds, or poppy seeds (or any other seed you wish to eat)

Combine the flour and instant yeast in the bowl of a standing mixer. Let sit for 30 seconds and then add the buttermilk, salt and honey.  Mix on medium until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.  I let the machine mix for 5 minutes and hand kneaded for another 5 minutes to ensure that the dough was smooth. (See Michael’s post on Bread Baking Basics for more info on mixing and rising.)

Place about 1 tablespoon oil in a large bowl. Put dough in the bowl and flip it over so that the dough is completely covered with a thin coat of oil. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel. During the winter, I place my dough in my oven so that it rises easily. Turn your oven on to the lowest setting for a minute so that it warms up just a little. Turn the oven off and place the dough on a rack. Close the oven door and allow the dough to rise until doubled in volume (dough shouldn’t bounce back when you press a finger into it).  This will take about an hour in a 90ºF oven or at least two hours, maybe three if rising on the kitchen counter.

Turn the dough out onto your counter and give it a good knead.  Divide the dough into 12 equal portions (about 116g, 4 ounces each).  Form each into a tight boule by rolling it on the counter.  Grease a springform pan with olive oil, spray or butter.  Fit the boules snugly into it, cover with a towel and let the dough rise for 45 minutes to an hour in the oven, as instructed above.

Preheat your oven to 375F /190C.  Whisk the egg and water until it’s uniformly yellow. When the rolls have risen again, brush them with the egg wash and sprinkle them with sesame seeds or poppy seeds. Bake them for 40 minutes (to an internal temperature of 195-200F/90-93C.  Check after 30 minutes and tent with foil if the rolls are getting very dark. Let them rest on a rack for about 10 minutes before serving.

These rolls are best hot out of the oven.  They are dense with a chewy crust and delicious slathered with salted butter and honey!

 

 

 

       

 

 

                                                   

This post will be submitted to Susan’s informative blog Yeastspotting!

Prijatno!

Krofne - Serbian doughnuts for good luck in 2010!

New Year’s Day traditions invariably involve resolutions, a fresh start and the consumption of certain foods which are believed to hold the promise of good luck, good health and prosperity and undoubtedly help to lessen the effects of hangovers!  In the South, black-eyed peas and collard greens are the key ingredients, while in Italy and Brazil it’s lentils.  The Spaniards eat twelve grapes at midnight, one for each coming month, and in Poland and Germany herring and sauerkraut work their magic.

In my native Serbia, the tradition is to eat krofne.  Krofne are sweet and airy doughnuts that are made with a yeast-activated dough similar to beignets, Dutch oliebollen and Polish pączki.  As the yeast feeds on the sugar, the dough rises and so will your good fortune!  Always round in shape, krofne symbolize that we have come full circle and are about to start anew.  

Krofne are delicious hot with just a sprinkling of sugar, or filled with jam, preserves, honey, cinnamon or even Nutella.   Each person fills their own once they are served.  These come with a warning:  once you’ve had one, you have to have another, and another, and another…!

Krofne (Serbian doughnuts)  adapted from Violet Sekulich’s recipe at St Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Merrillville, Indiana.

7 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting and kneading

1 tablespoon instant or rapid-rise yeast

1 cup milk 

1 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 stick (4 ozs.) unsalted butter, cut up into 1 tablespoon chunks

3 large eggs

1/2 gallon vegetable oil

Blend 7 cups flour and instant yeast in a large bowl.  Set aside.

Combine milk, water, sugar, salt and butter in a microwave-safe bowl (I use a glass measuring bowl).  Microwave at intervals (depending on how strong your microwave is), until the liquids register between 110° – 120°F.   Pour liquids and eggs into flour and yeast mixture and beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture in blended and sticky. 

Generously flour a work surface and dump the dough on the flour.  Knead for about 5 minutes, adding flour a little at a time until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky.  Lightly grease a bowl with oil.  Place the dough in the bowl and flip it over so that the entire surface of the dough is covered in oil.  Place the dough in a warm part of the kitchen and allow it to rise until it is double in size.  When the dough has doubled in size, place it on a floured work surface and punch it down with your hands.

Sprinkle a little flour on top and fold the dough over itself a couple of times.  Knead for a couple of minutes and using a rolling pin, roll the dough until it is about 1/2” thick.  Using a 2.5” cookie cutter dipped in flour, cut dough into rounds as shown below.  Here we’re using an old cookie cutter which is leaving a circular impression in the dough which disappeared as the  doughnuts rose.

Transfer each dough round onto a floured cookie sheet lined with a silpat, parchment or wax paper.  Allow to rest for about 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat the oil in a fryer to 350°F.  Fry doughnuts until light brown, flipping them over after about 2 minutes.  Drain for a couple of minutes on a cookie rack that has been placed on newspaper. 

Transfer the doughnuts to a serving platter and dust with confectioner’s sugar.  Serve with your choice of jams or preserves, honey, cinnamon or Nutella.

I wish all of my readers and their families peace, love, understanding and joy in 2010!

Prijatno!

Smoked Salmon with Shallot mayonnaise and Meyer lemon slices

As they say “time flies when you’re having fun”!   It’s been a year since I started Prijatno!  and it has been a most enjoyable and enriching experience.   Since I’m the ‘live to eat’ type and not vice versa ‘eat to livers’ - too skinny - I’ll never be one of them  I take my adventurous palate and relish the chance to try new ingredients and challenges out of the ordinary.  I’ve made my own homemade puff pastry and Chinese dumpling dough.  I have enjoyed sharing my family, my culture and traditions with you as well as phenomenal dinners, programs and places.

Personal issues with computers aside techno geeks – I’ll never be one of them,  I love the blogging process.  It starts with creativity and cooking in the kitchen and moves on to recipe development (if it’s mine), writing and editing,  photographing, organizing it, and finally the most fun of all is pushing the ‘Publish’ button and waiting to receive your comments!  I am thrilled that I have found a suitable avenue for sharing my culinary experiments and adventures with you because I believe good food and recipes are for sharing, after all!

Thanks for the positive feedback from fellow bloggers, readers and followers.   Comments are very important to me so don’t be shy!  If you’ve never written a comment to a blog post, try it - it’s easy!  Just click on “click to leave a comment” at the end of this post and follow the directions.  If you don’t have a “profile”, a Google account takes just a couple of minutes to set up.    

In my last post I talked about our Meyer lemon crop.  We have been enjoying the lemons in desserts, salads, drinking water and in this delicious sandwich with smoked salmon.

 

Smoked Salmon with Shallot mayonnaise and Meyer lemon slices

Makes 4 sandwiches

Shallot Mayonnaise

1/2 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots

2 - 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro or parsley

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

    

4 - 8 thin slices of firm bread (I used homemade oat bread).   That’s 4 slices for ‘open-faced’ sandwiches, and 8 slices if you like your sandwich ‘closed’.

1 Meyer lemon, sliced as thin as you can

4 oz smoked salmon slices

1 tablespoon chives, chopped

To make the Shallot mayonnaise: combine mayonnaise, shallots, cilantro or parsley, and black pepper in a small bowl. Set aside or refrigerate if using later.

For open-faced sandwiches: Toast 4 slices of bread. Spread with Shallot mayonnaise. Top with thin slices of Meyer lemon, smoked salmon, a small dollop of Shallot mayonnaise and some chopped chives.

For closed sandwiches: Toast the remaining 4 slices of bread and top the sandwiches with them. Slice in half and enjoy!

Prijatno!

TWD Fresh mango (bread) muffins

I was intrigued when I first found out that Fresh Mango Bread was the TWD (Tuesdays with Dorie) recipe for this week. I’ve made many banana, apple, cranberry, blueberry, carrot and even a zucchini bread, but mangos in a loaf never crossed my mind.

When I read the recipe, I suspected that the subtle flavor of one diced mango would not be very prominent in the bread, so I looked for ways to make it more mango-ey. And as my family already knows, in true Dragana fashion, I just had to put my twist to it: the raisins had to go – they’re way too pedestrian! What I found were delicious, sweet and intensely flavored dried mango pieces. To 1/2 cup of chopped dried mango, I added just enough rum to cover them. Later, I added 3 tablespoons of the soaking rum to the batter (I’m never in favor of discarding good liquor!). I reduced both the sugar to 3/4 cup and the ginger to 1 teaspoon – after all, it’s all about the mangoes, right? I came away with 12 moist and tasty individual muffins.

Thanks to Kelly at Baking with the Boys for selecting this recipe. You can find the original recipe on her blog. After the TWD chocolate onslaught in April, this was a refreshing change. Topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream, diced crystallized ginger, freshly grated lime zest and a chunk of dried mango, these muffins are a winner! Just ask Carolina!

Prijatno!

Feta and olive beef patties with caramelized red onion on home made burger buns

I hate going to the grocery store for one item!  Last week, Husby suggested hamburgers for dinner.  I pulled out a package of organic ground beef from the freezer, and lettuce, onions, tomatoes and pickles from the fridge.  All I was missing were hamburger buns, but that’s ok.  It was a leisurely afternoon at home, so flour and yeast came together quickly and before I knew it the dough for home made hamburger buns was rising in a warm place in the kitchen!

Okay, so it would have taken me 15 minutes max to drive to the store, grab the buns and drive back home, but there’s the nagging fact that I have a serious dislike for the texture of gummy, doughy preservative-laden sit-on-the-shelf-for-weeks buns!  I like a crisp crust with a firm body that doesn’t feel pasty on the palate when chewed.  Husby claims the purpose of hamburger buns is to soak up and keep the ketchup, mustard and meat juices from running down one’s hands!  Perhaps…but my home made buns are equally as capable!

I have been waiting for the opportunity to try a bun recipe I came across on Mari’s fabulous blog Once Upon A Plate.  It was inspired by a recipe from the files of King Arthur Flour and a regular contributor to its recipes named Moomie!  Moomie’s legendary sandwich buns recipe can be found here.  With a few changes, I produced wonderful buns sprinkled with sesame seeds (and I finally figured out how to make those pesky seeds stick). 

Did you know that bread baking has become a lot easier since the introduction of instant (rapid rise) yeast?  No longer do we have to proof the yeast (test it to see if it is viable).  You can now mix it in with the flour, add the liquids and you’re on your way!  Please don’t be intimidated by yeast – it’s a leavening agent that works wonders at the right temperature, a little loving (aka kneading) and a little sugar!   All you need is to do is start a little earlier so as to include time for the dough to rise.  You will be rewarded with much healthier and tastier buns!

For the meaty part of the burger, I was in the mood for some zip!  Zesty feta cheese and kalamata olives are staples in my fridge, and they are perfect accompaniments to the ground beef. 

Feta and olive beef patties

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 – 3/4 cup feta cheese, coarsely crumbled or cubed

1/3 cup kalamata olives, sliced.  People - don’t even think of using rubbery, tasteless olives in a can – they are inferior by far to olives from the olive bar or in a glass jar.  Yes, they are cheaper, but there is no comparison in taste, whatso e v e r!

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes for added spice (optional)

Combine all of the above ingredients by folding the meat over onto itself as you incorporate the feta and olives.  Try not to mash the meat between your fingers as this will ruin the texture of the patties.   Shape into 3 or 4 patties.

Sauté the patties in a hot skillet or cook them on the grill.  I like to cook them in a skillet because it’s easier to flip them over without them falling apart.

Serve on a toasted bun with sliced tomatoes, caramelized red onions, lettuce, mayo…

Serves 3 or 4.

Caramelized red onion

1 large red onion, peeled, cut in half crosswise and sliced thinly

Sauté the red onion slices in a little olive oil over medium heat.  Stir the onions occasionally until very soft and caramelized (they will start to turn black on the edges).  Set aside.

Sesame seed buns

Yield: 8 hamburger or sandwich buns

3 1/4 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour

1 tablespoon instant yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

2 tablespoons butter

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 egg white (for egg wash)

2 tablespoons sesame seeds or other seed of your choice

Place flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a mixer bowl with dough hook attachment.  Heat water and butter to about 125F (I usually microwave in 30 second intervals and measure the temperature with a candy thermometer).  With mixer at low speed, slowly pour the water mixture into the flour mixture.  Add the egg.  Beat on medium speed for about 5 minutes or until all ingredients are combined and the dough is smooth. 

Place dough in a large bowl (enough to hold twice the amount of dough) greased with olive oil.  Flip the dough over so that the olive oil covers the entire surface.  Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and allow dough to rise until double in volume.  (I turn my oven on to barely heat the interior and place the bowl in the oven, close the door and leave it for about 30 minutes.  You should see the kitchen towel rising on top of the mound of dough above the edge of the bowl.  Sweet!)

When the dough has doubled in size, place it on a lightly floured surface*.  Knead for a minute by hand and let it rest for about 5 minutes.  With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle (about 12” X 8”) and cut the dough into 8 equal pieces.  For each bun – tuck the ends of each piece of dough under several times, moving the dough from hand to hand, until you get a nice round shape.  Place on a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Repeat with other pieces of dough.  Cover with a sheet of wax or parchment paper and allow buns to rise until they are the size of hamburger buns.  Remove wax paper from buns.

Beat the egg white and 1 tablespoon water in a bowl until loose and starting to foam.  Brush the top of each bun very carefully with egg wash and sprinkle the tops with sesame seeds.

Bake buns in a preheated 375F oven for 12 – 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on wire racks.

If you have a bread machine:  Place all ingredients in bread machine. Select ‘dough’ cycle. Allow cycle to run.  Remove the dough and place it on lightly floured surface.  Continue from * in the third paragraph above.       

Good looking buns!

Prijatno!

PLTA! Pancetta, lettuce and tomato sandwich with avocado

My wonderful nephew, Stefan, dropped by for a visit last week just as I was about to grab a snack.  I don’t usually make lunch because I’m a grazer during the day, so I rummaged through the refrigerator to see what my options were for feeding a lanky 6’3” wide receiver on the high school football team. 

Pancetta, spring lettuce mix, tomatoes and a perfectly ripe avocado were the items that summoned.  The combination reminded me of a BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato) sandwich, but with a twist.  Slices of bread from a sesame semolina loaf were the perfect bookends for this fresh version. 

If you’re not familiar with pancetta, it’s time to give this very flavorful Italian bacon a try.  It’s now available in the deli section of most grocery stores.  ‘Pancia’ means belly, so pancetta is ‘little belly’.  It differs from American bacon in that it is cut from the underbelly (and not the sides) and is less fatty (an added bonus!). 

Pancetta is dry-cured and seasoned with salt, pepper and other spices.  It is usually rolled into a tight cylinder and sliced very thinly.    A little goes a long way so it’s commonly used as a flavoring for pasta, soups, and many more dishes.  I like to use it to flavor my bean and lentil soups, and think of the pizzazz it would add to a dull chicken breast or a pork loin. 

As an introduction to pancetta, try this sandwich I call the PLTA:

Pancetta, lettuce and tomato sandwich with avocado

Serves 4  (3 for Stefan and 1 for me!)

16 slices pancetta, about 4 ounces (don’t unroll slices)

spring lettuce mix

1 large tomato, sliced thinly

2 avocados, halved and sliced

8 slices sesame semolina bread or bread of your choice

mayonnaise

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place pancetta in a saucepan and fry until crisp.  This will only take a couple of minutes because the pancetta is very thin so watch it closely!

Toast bread and spread each lightly with mayonnaise.  Place 4 pieces of pancetta on each of four pieces of toast.  Top with a slice of tomato, and about half of an avocado (sliced).  Season lightly with salt and generously with freshly ground black pepper.   Heap spring lettuce mix on top of each sandwich and top with remaining toasted bread slices.  Serve immediately.

And that, my friends is a great alternative to the standard BLT!  Stefan and I loved the contrast in texture of the paper-thin crispy pancetta, smooth and silky avocado, and the variety of the lettuce mix.   And according to Stefan, it  beats the lentil soup I made him try when he was about ten years old.  Being from the old school of you-must-try-it-before-you-can-say-you-don’t-like-it, I insisted he try my lentil soup (which I thought was fabulous).  Much to my dismay, it caused an allergic reaction in his mouth and throat, so that I ended up rushing him to the doctor’s office for a cortisone shot!  That scare put this pushy tetka (aunt) in her place! 

Now, about those big feet I keep tripping over …is it your attempt at pay back?!

Prijatno!

Dorie’s delectable Savory Corn and Pepper Muffins!

I do not have much time to write tonight, but I did manage to make Dorie’s moist and delectable corn muffins this morning. Move over Aunt Jemima – make way for these tasty delights! If you have not made corn muffins from scratch yet – this is an easy recipe to begin with.

The inclusion of buttermilk in the recipe immediately won me over! I hail from a culture where buttermilk and yogurt are consumed on a daily basis and are credited with longevity (I’m hoping for the same!). When used in baking, they add lots of moisture and sometimes a little tang. Pair buttermilk or yogurt with hot corn ‘mush’ or polenta and, in my humble opinion, you have a wholesome breakfast that beats any over processed cereal from a box.

I was lucky enough to pick several small red bell peppers from our garden less than a week ago (such are the perks of mild Houston winters). I chopped a couple up and they added beautiful color and flavor to the muffins. I used frozen corn and added 3 more tablespoons to the batter. I used only 1 tablespoon of sugar because I like my savory muffins less sweet. In the absence of a fresh jalapeno, I chopped up some pickled slices from the relish shelf in the refrigerator. They provided just the right amount of heat. Cilantro is my favorite herb, so I jacked up the amount by about 1/2 tablespoon.

When combined, I noticed that the batter was quite thick and foamy and I suspected that the baking soda was already reacting to the the acids in the buttermilk, getting the leavening process underway. I baked the batter in three different size muffin pans for variety and when they came out, the first thing I did was devour a couple with a chilled glass of buttermilk. They were very flavorful and moist – the perfect breakfast treat!

Moist and flavorful!

Thanks to Rebecca of Ezra Pound Cake for suggesting Savory Corn and Pepper Muffins on page 6 of Baking, From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan.

Prijatno!

Mir Božiji, Hristos se rodi!

Mir Božiji, Hristos se rodi! That is the greeting that all Serbian Orthodox Christians exclaim today. It means: God’s peace, Christ is born! The response is Vaistinu se rodi! or Indeed He is born!

If it’s January 7, it’s Božić – Christmas for the Serbian Orthodox people! Because our church calendar follows the Julian calendar, we are thirteen days behind all other Christians in celebrating the birth of Jesus. Only the Russian Orthodox and the monks of Mount Athos in Greece follow the same.

Several years ago, I woke up to a radio program they called “The Little Christmas”. The warm sound of a Russian men’s church choir singing a cappella filled the air and I was overjoyed that our Christmas was receiving some recognition here in North America. It is a Christmas far less commercialized, with many interesting customs.

As a child, I remember watching in awe on Christmas Eve (Badnje Veče), as the priest lit the badnjak (yule log). This is a ritual that symbolizes light and sacrifice, so that the fields are fertile in the coming year and the family has health and happiness. Every family received a small branch of the badnjak, which was decorated with dried fruit, wheat, candy, hazelnuts, walnuts and coins. The church floor was covered in hay, a reminder of Christ’s birthplace.

Badnjak

On Christmas Day, we woke up early to see what small gifts Božić Bata (Serbian Santa), left for us in our shoes by the door. Usually it was a small gift, an apple or an orange, nuts and a piece of candy. Very modest, indeed. But the highlight of the day was the Christmas feast. It usually included a whole pig, roasted over a period of several hours on a spit, sarma (stuffed cabbage leaves) and a special round loaf of bread called česnica. Before baking the česnica the hostess slips a coin in the dough. When it is time to feast, the family gathers in a circle and each member pulls a piece of the česnica, hoping to find the coin in their portion. The promise of health and good luck for the rest of the year is at stake!

Several years ago, I came across a good recipe for česnica published by ‘Karen in California’ on Virtual Tourist. Here it is, including my revisions for using instant yeast:

Česnica
The beauty about this recipe is that you don’t need to ‘proof’ the yeast, or test it for its freshness. Simply combine it with the flour and it’s good to go!

5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
1 tablespoon (1 packet) instant yeast
1 cup water
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, cut into about 8 pieces
3 eggs, divided use
olive oil
You will also need a candy thermometer to measure the temperature of the liquids.

Put flour and yeast in bowl of mixer and blend with a paddle attachment. In a large glass measuring bowl, combine water, milk, sugar, salt and butter pieces. Microwave until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Let cool until the temperature measures 120°F – 130°F.
Lightly beat two eggs with a fork in a medium bowl to break them up. Add a small amount of milk mixture to temper the eggs. Add eggs to the rest of the milk mixture.
Turn mixer speed to low. Slowly pour milk mixture to flour. When incorporated, beat at medium speed for about 2 minutes. The mixture will be sticky.
Pour about 2 tablespoon of olive oil in the bottom of a large bowl and spread it on the bottom.
‘Flour’ a counter space with about 1 cup of flour. Pour dough onto flour and knead for about 5 minutes, incorporating most of the flour. Place dough in a well-oiled bowl, and then flip the dough over so that all sides are oily. Cover the bowl with a towel and let it rest in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Lightly grease a large round baking pan (I use a 12-inch round one) with olive oil and set aside.
Add a little more flour to the counter space and place the beautiful, soft, risen dough on it. Cut a small piece off for the cross decoration and put it aside. Lightly flour the top of the dough and fold the dough over itself 3 or 4 times. Hide the coin in the dough and forget about where you placed it! Place it in the baking pan. Roll the remaining dough into 2 strips and place them on the dough in the shape of a large cross. Cover and let it rise in a warm place for an additional 30 minutes, or until it fills up the pan.
Beat the remaining egg with 1 teaspoon of water in a small bowl and brush the top of the dough gently with it.
Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for until well browned and baked through, about 40 minutes.
Enjoy the česnica with your family and friends and may the person who gets the coin have good luck and great health for the rest of the year!

One final note on this special day goes to my special brother, Božidar, who interrupted my mother’s preparations for the feast and came in a hurry on Božić. Bož was initially named ‘Milan’, after two uncles, and went by that name during his formative years. That is, until a sweet old Serbian lady exclaimed in complete shock that my brother, being a special gift from God brought his own name by being born on Christmas day, and what were my parents thinking?! Sretan Rođendan, Bož, and I’m glad they finally got your name right!

Prijatno!

My First Blog Post!

Sretna Slava!

It is fitting to me that my first blog is about the most important of Serbian traditions, Slava. Slava is unique to Serbian people. Instead of celebrating birthdays or name days, every Serbian family has a patron saint that they believe protects and guides them, and they in turn celebrate his life on his birthday. Slava came to being when our ancestors became Christians in the 9th Century. Tribes or families replaced the pagan gods with a Christian patron saint. The date of their baptism determined the patron saint. Historically, Slava gave hope and courage to the Serbian people during their long-suffering and turbulent history.

My family Slava is Saint Nicholas, or Sveti Nikola. Sveti Nikola is celebrated by many Serbs all over the world today, December 19. Sveti Nikola is well known for his many miracles and generosity, especially to children. The tradition of gift-giving at Christmas is a result of his, and the Three Wise Men's, benevolence. He is known in other parts of the world as Santa Claus, Sinterklaas and San Nicola, to name a few.

Now some of you may argue that St. Nicholas is celebrated on December 6 every year. That is correct, if your religious calendar is determined by the Gregorian Calendar (decreed by Pope Gregory in the 16th Century). The Eastern Orthodox Church's liturgical calendar follows the original Julian Calendar, approved by none other than Julius Caesar himself. The thirteen day lag affects the date of our Christmas as well, but we'll discuss that on January 7th!

It is a great time of excitement for us as Slava approaches. My family, with my parents as hosts, prepares a feast including zito (koljivo), a mixture of wheat berries, walnuts, sugar, vanilla and sometimes dried fruit and honey. Zito is symbolic of death and resurrection and is prepared at every commemorative event. The Slavski Kolac is a bread decorated with a wreath, the cross, wheat, grapes, the Serbian seal and a dove, symbolic of Jesus Christ, health, growth, harmony and prosperity. Traditionally, the priest comes to the home and leads the family and friends in a short ceremony. At one point, he cuts the underside of the bread in the shape of a cross and sprinkles it with wine, a symbol of Christ's precious blood. After the solemn portion of the evening comes the joy and merriment as we eat, drink and dance to variations of the Kolo.

Now, I understand that the average American has no reason to make this bread with all of its embellishments! Just ignore the decorative aspects and bake the dough in a couple of large bread pans or shape it in a round country-style loaf on a sheet pan. Your kitchen will be filled with the warmth of a village bakery! "No kneading", you say! The act of kneading dough, my friends, is very therapeutic (and cheap!). All it takes is a little practice. And...you won't want to miss this bread fresh out of the oven with some rich salty butter. Irresistible!

Here is my version of the Slavski Kolac I baked yesterday. It is based on a recipe from From Our Mother's Kitchen, published by the St. Elijah Serbian Sisters Circle in Merrillville, Indiana.

Slavski Kolac (Slava Bread)

You will need:

3 envelopes dry active yeast (3/4 oz. total)

1 teaspoon sugar
3 cups water

3 tablespoons margarine (never on my list of baking ingredients, but in this case, a necessity. Saint Nicholas Slava falls during the Nativity Fast, during which no animal products are to be consumed).

4 tablespoons sugar

3 teaspoons salt

8 - 9 cups all-purpose flour
Olive oil

This is how you make it:

Pour 1/2 cup water and 1 teaspoon sugar into a large bowl (preferably from a mixer). Sprinkle yeast on top and allow to proof (become active) for a few minutes.

The proofed yeast

In the meantime, mix 3 cups water, margarine, 4 tablespoons sugar and salt in a glass measuring cup. Microwave until margarine is melted and the mixture measures about 115F.

With the paddle attachment on the mixer on low speed (or by hand) add about half of the flour to yeast, then quickly add half of the water, more flour, the rest of the water, and end with the flour. Mix until all ingredients are combined and you have a sticky mass.

Dump the mass on a well-floured surface and knead for about 5-10 minutes, adding extra flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking. The dough should stay soft and smooth and slightly sticky.

Knead me!

Grease a large bowl with olive oil. Place dough in bowl and flip it over so it is completely covered with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow it to double in size in a warm area of your kitchen. This will take between one and two hours, depending on the yeast you used (it will rise faster with Rapid Rise Yeast).

When double in size, 'pour' the dough onto your well-floured surface and re-knead, adding more flour, a little at a time. It will be very soft, so knead it until it is no longer very sticky. Shape it in a round flattish ball and cut it into quarters. Grease a 9 or 10-inch baking pan with high sides (mine is 4 inches high) with olive oil. With greased hands, take one of the quarters of dough and shape it into a ball. Place it next to the side in the pan. Repeat with two more quarters and nestle them in with the first ball. You should have three balls, side by side. Cover the pan with a kitchen towel and allow it to rise until it almost reaches the top of the pan (about 30-40 minutes). Preheat the oven to 400F, with rack towards the bottom third.

Waiting for the wreath and other accoutrements.

In the meantime, make the embellishments for the top of the Slavski Kolac, with the remaining quarter of dough. You will make a braid for the wreath, a dove, a cluster of grapes, a cross, and the Serbian Seal. Add more flour to the dough to make it easier to shape and knead for a few minutes. Cut three pieces for the braid and roll each one in the palms of your hands until you get a long string, about 18 inches long. Place side by side on the counter and pinch the three ends together. Braid the dough to the ends. Even off the ends. Use remaining dough for the cross, etc.

When the dough has risen, carefully place the braid along the circumference of the dough/pan. The dough for the cross goes in the middle. Please refer to the photographs for the placement of the rest of the decorative elements. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. If the bread is well-browned at this point, cover it loosely with foil. Reduce the oven to 350F and continue to bake for about 35 - 45 minutes more. When done, place pan on rack to cool for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan display proudly!

Crusty and delicious!

To my friends from the former Yugoslavia: I apologize for the absence of diacritic marks on some of the letters. I'll figure out how to include them soon so that my future posts are much easier to read!

And to my friends and family who encouraged me to start blogging, thanks for your patience while I figure out how to steer this beast!

Prijatno!