From Winter's Kitchen

 

Many of the ingredients in this dinner came from the cool basement where root vegetables and fall fruits are stored. There I've pumpkin, winter squash, potatoes, onions, garlic, apples and pears.

Other ingredients are in the kitchen cupboards including dried fruit, nuts and flours. I often use any I have on hand for specific listings in recipes.

I always have yogurt, milk and eggs in the refrigerator and fresh ginger in the freezer.

Topping it off is an assortment of fragrant spices- cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamon. 

The Pumpkin Soup was inspired by a recipe in Bon Appetit.  The Sourdough Snacking Cake is from the November/December issue of Fine Cooking Magazine.

Pumpkin Soup

(Serves 6)

Half pumpkin. Remove seeds and pulp. Place cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 F. for 45 minutes. Cool, peel and cut pumpkin in chunks.

1 medium pumpkin

 

Mix seeds with syrup, oil and spice. Roast in 350 F oven for approximately 15 minutes. Check often to prevent burning.

Seeds from pumpkin

3 tablespoon maple syrup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon berbere spice

Cool and grind in spice mill.

 

Heat oil in saucepan. Saute garlic and peppers until soft.

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 garlic clove, minced

4 mini sweet peppers, seeded and diced

 

 Add curry paste and stir.

1 tablespoon red curry paste

 

Add stock, milk and pumpkin. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

1 1/2 cups vegetable stock

1 13.5 ounce can coconut milk

4 cups diced, cooked pumpkin

Carefully place 1/2 of soup in blender. Cover top with a towel and puree. Repeat with remaining 1/2. Reheat soup for a few minutes.

 

Serve with ground nuts. 

 

Sourdough Snacking Cake

(Serves 8)

Combine dry ingredients.

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ginger

 

 Add to dry ingredients.

1 cup assorted nuts and dried fruit (Mine has almonds, apricots and dates), ground in food processor

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut

 

In a separate bowl, beat eggs into sourdough discard. Add oil, yogurt, vanilla and brown sugar, beating by hand until mixed.

1/2 cup sourdough discard (mine is a whole rye starter)

2 eggs

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup nonfat yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla

5 tablespoon brown sugar 

Mix dry ingredients into liquid in thirds, stirring only until mixed.

 

Pour batter into 7 inch springform pan, greased with olive oil spray (bottom lined with parchment). Bake at 350 F. for about 35 minutes, until pick inserted into center comes our clean.

 

Place on cooling rack. Run a spatula around cake to remove side of springform pan.

 

This meal has a nice assortment of protein, fruit, vegetables and grains.

      

Gentler Ginger Cake Roll

Fresh ginger carries a cornucopia of flavor compounds good in both savory and sweet recipes. In this dessert, the candied ginger was previously cooked, changing the spicy, hot and pungent flavor to a gentler sweet version.

The recipe is based on one in Clean Eating Magazine.

Ginger Cake Roll

(Serves 10)

Prepare a 10 X 15 inch baking sheet by misting with olive oil spray, covering with parchment paper and misting the top of the paper with the spray. 

Cake

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoon cinnamon

4 teaspoon candied, minced ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

 

In bowl of electric mixer, combine eggs with brown sugar and molasses. Beat on medium speed 6 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl after 3 minutes.

4 eggs

3 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoon black strap molasses

 

Add oil and yogurt. Beat for 1 minute.

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt

 

Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined.

Pour batter onto prepared pan. Smooth batter to edges of pan. 

Bake at 360F. for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Place a pastry towel over the cake and top with cooling rack. Invert cake onto rack and remove pan and parchment. Roll warm cake with towel into a spiral. Set seam side down on rack to cool.

 

Filling

In bowl of electric mixer, beat sugar, cheese, buttery spread and ginger. 

3 tablespoon powdered sugar

8 ounce part-skim ricotta cheese

1/2 cup buttery spread

4 teaspoon candied, minced ginger

 

Remove towel from cake. Spread with ricotta cheese mix and roll. Place filled cake seam side down onto pan and refrigerate until ready to eat.

 

To serve, sprinkle with confectioners sugar. 

 

The name Ginger originated in India and means "horned root". It was the first of Asian spices to reach Europe. In the Middle Ages, the ladies gave knights gingerbread before going into battle. The Greeks used it for stomach complaints. Ginger was grown in Africa in the 1200s and by 1600, it was cultivated in Jamaica. My ginger was grown right here in West Virginia.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

Bread Making in 2020: Soakers and Bigas

 

My journey with flours began in the seventies when I first married and had two months before starting my first job. The Fleischmann's Yeast Bake It Easy Booklet was my guide with good results. While many of the recipes were made with white flour, some were made with whole wheat and rye flours and some with cornmeal. In the twenty first century my flour mix was 50-50 with 1/2 white and 1/2 whole wheat flours.  When the cafe I managed was recognized by the Whole Grains Council in 2007, most of our desserts and breads were made with that 50-50 mix. In the past 5 years I've experimented with many whole grain flours, both gluten containing and gluten free and with the purchase of my countertop flour meal became a dedicated follower of Sue Becker. 

Intrigued with the renewal of sourdough breads, I have an active 18 month old starter and use the discard weekly in a recipe. My best sourdough achievements are quick breads-pancakes, cornbread and dumplings. After many failures, I was challenged to learn new techniques for making whole grain breads. These are among some I'm testing guided by Peter Reinhart's 2007 Book on Whole Grain Breads.

Delayed fermentation utilizes pre-doughs which initiates enzyme activity to release sugars from complex starch molecules before inducing yeast fermentation. The recipes follow a two day process, making the pre-dough on the first day and adding the yeast and other ingredients in the final dough on the second day. 

Pre-fermented doughs include wild yeast starters and commercial yeast doughs called bigas. A biga includes flour, liquid and a small mount of yeast. Here is an example:

Biga

227 grams unbleached flour

1 gram instant yeast

142 grams water (room temperature)

Mix together to form a ball. Knead for 2 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes, then knead for 1 minute. Transfer to a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours-3 days. Remove from refrigerator 2 hours before making final dough.

 

Another example of pre-fermented doughs include hydrated grains with salt but no yeast. These are called soakers. Here is an example:

Soaker 

57 grams whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

170 grams water

57 grams oats

47 grams cornmeal

43 grams whole rye flour

7 grams flaxmeal

7 grams oat bran

Mix all ingredients for 1 minute. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 12-24 hours.

 

Delayed fermentation significantly decreases the kneading time. The long overnight rest allows the gluten and flavor to develop. 

 

Final Dough  

biga

soaker

57 grams whole wheat flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

7 grams instant yeast

Portion tablespoon portions of pre-fermented doughs into bowl of electric mixer. Combine flour, salt and yeast and place in mixer. With paddle attachment in place, mix on slow speed for 1 minute. Replace attachment with dough hook and mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Remove to a board lightly covered with whole wheat flour. Knead by hand for 3 minutes. Rest for 5 minutes. Knead for 1 minute. Transfer dough to a clean bowl greased with olive oil spray. Cover and allow to rise until 1 1/2 times original size.

 

Form desired loaf shape. Allow to rise 1 1/2 times original size.  

 

Preheat oven to 400 F. Lower temperature to 350 F when placing bread in oven. Bake 20 minutes. Rotate bread 180 degrees. Bake 20 minutes or until internal temperature of bread reaches 200 F.  

 

The health benefits of whole grains are clear. Whole grains contain disease fighting vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Whole grains even contain some vitamins (B and E), iron, magnesium and fiber not found in fruits and vegetables. Like vegetables, whole grains each contain unique nutrient profiles. Including different whole grains can increase nutrient variety and decrease insensitivity. Consumer purchases often include whole wheat, brown rice, corn, oat purchases. Many consumers include quinoa in the repertoire (among the most expensive purchases per weight). Buckwheat, teff, amaranth, colored rice, barley, sorghum and millet and ancient varieties of wheat (Kamut, spelt and farro) are delicious grains worth exploring with some grown locally, others on grocery shelves and in local co-ops and most through online outlets.  

 

 

  

 

    

 

 

Bread Making in 2020: Pre-cooking Flour

Armed with 45 years of bread making, 15 years of whole grain legwork and an 18 month old wild yeast starter-you'd think I'd mastered the techniques of whole grain baking. My quest continues. My year has been full of failures. Thanks to the contributors in the Wild Sourdough for Science Facebook Group and the Oldways and Whole Grain Council educators, I've grasped a technique that works. 

Pre-cooking the flour to a temperature that gelatinizes the flour makes the bread softer and improves the shelf life. In the Tangzhong (Asian) Method, flour and water is cooked to 150 F. to make a sticky paste that breaks down small sugar chains out of the complex starch molecules while keeping flavorful enzymes intact. In Europe, Potato Water and Potatoes are used to tenderize breads in a similar manner. The Mash Technique combines flour and 165 F water to partially gelatinize the beta-amylase starch enzymes while keeping the alpha-amylase enzymes intact. This creates flavor and softens the texture.

Thanks to the guidance on The Perfect Loaf, here's my adaptation of the Sourdough Sandwich recipe.

Whole Grain Sourdough Sandwich Bread

(1 loaf-17 Slices)

Levain (Prepare the night before)

50 grams whole wheat flour

50 grams water

12 grams ripe sourdough starter (mine is whole rye)

Mix and ripen at room temperature overnight.

 

Pre-cooked Flour (Day two)

36 grams whole wheat flour

145 grams skim milk

Whisk together flour and milk in a saucepan over medium low heat. Whisk continuously until the mixture thickens and becomes a paste (5-8 minutes). Remove from heat and spread on a plate to cool for 1 hour.

 

Final Dough 

In bowl of mixer with dough hook in place, combine pre-cooked flour, additional flour, water, levain, honey, oil and salt. 

Pre-cooked flour

183 grams all-purpose flour

183 grams whole wheat flour 

3l grams olive oil

18 grams honey

190 grams water

8 grams salt

Levain

Mix on low speed for 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium and mix 8 minutes more until dough clumps around dough hook. Transfer to a covered bowl. Allow to rise 4 1/2 hours, stretching and folding 3 sets during the first rise. (Each set involves 4 stretches and folds).

 

Scrape dough onto a clean work surface. Form a round and allow to relax uncovered for 30 minutes.

 

Spray baking pan with olive oil. Shape dough and transfer seam side down into the pan. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Proof for about 2 hours until dough has risen about the top of the pan.

 

Bake at 385 F for 15 minutes, then cover with foil to bake for another 20 minutes. 

   

  
 

Cookbook Review: The Plant-Based Slow Cooker

 

 Veteran chef and cookbook author Robin Robertson' latest publication features many wholesome and economical food choices. The book has 14 chapters and 225 recipes, most made with whole foods and spices found in many cupboards. There is a nice selection of whole grain, bean and lentil recipes and many seasonal vegetable choices. There are selections for dinner, breakfast and snacks. There are recipes for desserts and condiments.

I like that the cook arrived in autumn, when my basement was stocked with pumpkin and winter squash.

Butternut squash butter (like apple butter) was perfect wrapped in a sourdough pancake.

The Spiced Pumpkin Cake was super easy and pretty in a spring-form pan that fit inside my cooker.

Overnight Pumpkin Breakfast Quinoa smelled like pumpkin pie with generous servings for several breakfasts.

Bread "Stuffing" and Country Green Beans would be a nice addition to Thanksgiving, and free the oven and stove for the rest of the meal.

 

While the Ribolitta and Paella were tasty,

My favorite recipe was the Country Gravy, a marinara sauce that is now my favorite!

Marinara Sauce

(8 servings)

Saute onion, garlic and peppers in olive oil 5 minutes.

2 tablespoon olive oil

1/3 cup onion, diced

2 garlic glove, minced

3 mini sweet red peppers, diced

 

Stir in tomato paste and seasonings. Saute for 1 minute.

1-6 ounce can tomato paste

2 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Pour sauteed vegetables into slow cooker.

 

Add tomatoes, wine, sugar, salt and pepper.

2 (14 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup wine

1 teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cook on low 6-8 hours.   

There are no pictures in the cookbook yet the method is easy to follow. The recipes are labelled for allergens. 

Thank you Quarto Group for the complimentary review copy.  The above post and pictures are my own.  I received no other compensation for this review, other than the pleasure of an enjoyable read and eating experience!