brunosdream

I made this dinner for a friend and he snapped a few photos w/ his phone. The picture doesn’t do this meal justice due to being taken w/ a phone camera (I have yet to see a high resolution photo taken w/ a cell phone!), but it was so tasty I decided to post the recipe anyway.

Appetizer:  Missouri goat cheese from Baetje Farms w/ crackers

Entree:  Asian marinated grilled halibut, Israeli couscous blended w/ roasted butternut squash and red onion, Chinese broccoli

Dessert:  Baked apples filled w/  rolled oats, pecans, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and raisins (baked at 425 degrees F for approx. 45 minutes)

For Entree:

Ingredients:

2  8 ounce halibut filets (1 1/4 inches thick)

1 medium sized butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4 inch cubes

1/4 red onion roughly chopped

olive oil

1 1/2  cups Israeli couscous

1 bunch Chinese broccoli

3 cups veggie stock

For marinade:

1/4 cup olive oil

4 scallions (green part only) –  finely chopped

3 cloves garlic  – minced

1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

1 1/2  tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 limes – juiced and peel grated 

 Procedure:

1) Whisk together marinade ingredients

2) Place halibut filets in a deep dish then pour marinade over the fish; cover dish and refrigerate for 2 hours (after one hour turn fish over and spoon marinade onto the top of the filets); remove from fridge 1/2 hour before cooking

3) In a large bowl, toss butternut squash and red onion w/ 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then place on a parchment lined sheet pan and season w/ salt and pepper;  preheat oven to 400 degrees F, place pan in oven and roast for 30-40 minutes or until tender (check after 20 minutes, rotate pan and return to oven)

4) Place veggie stock into a medium size pot and bring to a boil

5) Add couscous to veggie stock, stir and return to a boil while occasionally stirring; lower heat to medium, continue to stir, then when most of stock is absorbed cover and remove from heat

6) Cut broccoli into 1 1/4 inch pieces; bring a pot of water to a boil, generously salt the water, then add thickest pieces of broccoli to the water and cook for 2 minutes, add the thinner broccoli pieces and cook for another minute then add the broccoli leaves and cook for one more minute; when done cooking, strain in colander

7) Preheat grill, set flame to medium heat, remove halibut filets from marinade and grill for 4 to 5 minutes on each side

8) 4 minutes before fish is done, return couscous to a medium heat, gently stir in roasted squash/onions and cook until warmed throughout

9) Broccoli can be served at room temperature or warmed before plating

10) To plate, place couscous in center of plate, lean halibut filet on couscous then place Chinese broccoli around one side of plate

11) Pour wine and dig in!!

This is a good meal to re-energize yourself during all the holiday hustling and bustling!

Happy Holidays…

Bruno

From market to table…

I bought this squash at one of the farmers markets here in St. Louis. The farmer said it’s great for a soup, but I had other plans for this beauty! The squash tasted like a cross between butternut squash and pumpkin, but a bit sweeter.

The red, green and orange of this gelato reflect the festive colors of the Fall holidays.

I brought this and the oatmeat wheat bread in the previous post to my friends’ Thankgiving feast.

Roasted Curry Squash Gelato w/ Pistachios and Candied Red Bell Pepper

Ingredients:

1  6 pound curry squash

1/2 cup candied red bell pepper

1 cup unsalted dry roasted pistachios

2 cups roasted curry squash pulp (follow same procedure as roasted pumpkin)

1/2 cup sugar

6 large egg yolks

1 quart half & half

Procedure:

 **For candied red bell pepper, use 1 pepper and half the amount of sugar, cider vinegar and water. Follow the same procedure as in the candied jalapeno post 

***Stir pistachios into candied red bell pepper before adding to gelato

1) Puree squash in food processor w/ a small amount of half & half

2) In a metal bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until mixture becomes smooth and pale yellow

3) Place half & half in a heavy pot and heat until scalded 

4) Very slowly add warm half & half to egg/sugar mixture so as not to curdle the mixture

5) Place bowl w/ mixture over a pot of simmering water, stirring continuously until mixture coats the back of a metal spoon (do not let mixture exceed 170 degrees F to prevent curdling), then quickly place bowl in an ice bath to stop the cooking process and promote rapid cooling

6) Whisk squash puree into cooling mixture

7) Once cool, refrigerate mixture for at least 4 hours or overnight

 This is a great bread to bring to a Thanksgiving feast to share w/ your friends. It’s quickly becoming my favorite bread recipe!

Ingredients:

1 cup wheat flour

2 1/2 – 3 cups bread flour

1/2 cup bulgar

1/2 cup toasted rolled oats

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/4 cups  tepid water & 1/4 cup

1 rounded tablespoon yeast

2 teaspoons salt

Procedure:

1) Put yeast in a large bowl and pour 1/4 cup of tepid water over it; let sit until it becomes foamy

2) Add olive oil and remaining 1 1/4 cups tepid water to yeast

3) Mix salt, bulgar and oats into 3 1/2 cups flour (use remaining half cup of bread flour if dough is too moist, slowly adding to dough during kneading)

4) Slowly add flour mixture  to yeast mixture until fully combined, remove from bowl then kneed for 10 minutes on lightly floured surface

5) Place dough ball back into bowl,  dust w/ flour, cover bowl w/ plastic wrap  and let rise for 1 hour and 15 minutes (I use a disposable shower cap because it’s reusable and fits tightly over the bowl) 

6) Remove dough from bowl and shape into 2 boules, place on pizza peel dusted w/ corn meal, dust tops w/ flour, cover loosely w/ a plastic bag, then let rise for 45 minutes

7) Preheat oven and baking stone (on middle rack) to 425 degrees F, place empty oven proof baking dish on the rack below the stone

8) After second rise is complete, snip pattern into tops of  boules w/ scissors, then slide directly onto the baking stone in the oven, place 1 1/2 cups of ice cubes into dish on the rack below (the steam from the ice helps promote the “oven spring” and crust gloss)

9) Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350 F, rotate loaves and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes (until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom)

10) Remove from oven, place on a cooling rack and let cool completely befor slicing

Long live bread!

Bruno

For LiveSTRONG Day – A tribute to all those living w/ cancer. Barbara of Winos and Foodies is once again hosting A Taste of Yellow to support LiveSTRONG Day and to raise awareness of cancer issues worldwide. She’s asking food bloggers to cook up something yellow as a way of showing support for this cause and for sharing their cancer related stories if they have one.

My contribution to A Taste of  Yellow 2009 is this carrot gelato which is orangish yellow but it’s the thought and effort that counts – For LiveSTRONG Day – A tribute to all those living w/ cancer.

Carrot Gelato w/ Roasted Hazelnuts & Rum Soaked Raisins

Ingredients:

1 cup grated carrots (packed tightly)

3/4 cup roasted hazelnuts (skins removed)

1/2 cup raisins (soaked in dark rum)

1 cup sugar

1 quart half & half

6 large egg yolks

Procedure:

1) Puree carrots in food processor w/ a small amount of half & half

2) Place rum soaked raisins in a small pot and heat to burn off alcohol

3) In a metal bowl, whisk egg yolks and  sugar until mixture becomes smooth and pale yellow

4) Place half & half in a heavy pot and heat until scalded 

5) Very slowly add warm half & half to egg/sugar mixture so as not to curdle the mixture

6) Place bowl w/ mixture over a pot of simmering water, stirring continuously until mixture coats the back of a metal spoon (do not let mixture exceed 170 degrees F to prevent curdling), then quickly place bowl in an ice bath to stop the cooking process and promote rapid cooling

7) Stir carrot puree into cooling mixture

8) Once cool, refrigerate mixture for at least 4 hours or overnight

 Stay STRONG!

 Bruno

from this…

to this…

to this!

Candied Jalapenos

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons water

1 cup sugar

8 large jalapenos

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

 Procedure:

1) Remove seeds and ribs, then cut jalapenos into ¼ inch squares

2) Sauté jalapenos on a griddle (wiped w/ olive oil) until lightly browned and blistered

3) Put sugar and water in a heavy bottomed pot and boil until light amber in color (333 -335 degrees F on a candy thermometer), brushing inside of pot w/ water occasionally to prevent crystals from forming

4) Stir in vinegar, then stir in jalapenos

5) Let cool in pot, then pour into a jar

Ideas for use:

· Apple topping or topping for your other favorite fruit (use as a spicy alternative for caramel apples)

· Finishing glaze for BBQ’ed fish, meats, or vegetable

· Spread for toast (I use it like a fruit jam)

· Ice cream topping (as you would a caramel sauce)

Cooking notes: The sugar crystalized as it cooled down so the end product was not right.  I decided to do this post anyway because it gave me the opportunity to show you what it’s not supposed to look like (i.e., the sugar is supposed to be a transparent amber color, not an opaque caramel). I was in a hurry when making this batch because I was leaving town the next day. Lesson learned… always leave time for a redo so your finished product will be the way you want it to be.

However, if this ever happens to you, don’t throw it away, just microwave the open container for 30 – 45 seconds (depending on how powerful your microwave is) to melt the sugar crystals, just like you can do w/ honey when it begins to crystalize.

Until next time…

Bruno

I’ve been wanting to try this bread recipe for quite awhile to test it out and see if it’s a quicker and better recipe than other baguette recipes I’ve tried. Well, Farmgirl Susan was spot on. This is a great recipe w/ great results! It took me about 4 hours from start to finish and produced 3 beautiful, crispy and delicious loaves!!

Click on the following link for the recipe: Parisian Daily Bread

Happy Baking…

Bruno

Sourdough Wheat Batard (recipe adapted from Peter Reinhart’s “The Bread Baker’s Apprentice)

Ingredients:

3/4 cups sourdough wheat starter  (active)

1 1/2 cups water (luke warm)

1 cup wheat flour

3 cups bread flour

2 teaspoons salt

Procedure:

1) Place starter in a large bowl

2) In a separate bowl, mix the wheat flour, bread flour and salt

3) Add the contents from step 2 to the starter, then add the water and mix w/ your hand until everything comes together

4) Pour mixture onto a floured surface and knead for 12 to 15 minutes until the dough is firm but tacky, like firm French bread dough (it should pass the windowpane test)

5) Transfer dough to a large bowl that has been lightly oiled (I used Pam organic canola oil) and roll it around to coat w/ oil, then cover bowl w/ plastic wrap

6) Ferment at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours, or until the dough has nearly doubled in size

7) Gently remove the dough from the bowl and divide into 2 equal pieces (be careful to degas the dough as little as possible)

8) Gently shape the dough into batards

9) Place batards on a pizza peel that has been dusted w/ corn meal, dust the batards w/ flour, cover w/ plastic and proof for 2 to 3 hours (I proofed the batards on a pizza peel so I could easily slide them into the oven, but if you don’t have a peel you can proof them on your kitchen counter)

10) Preheat oven w/ pizza stone on the center rack to 500 degrees F. Place an empty baking dish on the rack below the pizza stone

11) Slash the batards w/ a large serrated knife

12) Slide the batards onto the pizza stone then quickly pour 1 cup of hot water into the empty baking dish and close the oven door; after 30 seconds, spray the oven walls w/ water and close the door. Repeat twice more at 30 second intervals. After the final spray, lower the oven temperature to 450 degrees F and bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the loaves 180 degrees for even baking and continue to bake for another 10 to 20 minutes until done (they should be a rich golden brown color all over and sound hollow when thumped on the bottom)

13) Transfer the finished loaves to a rack and cool for at least 45 minutes before slicing

14) Enjoy your delicious homemade bread w/ friends as I did!!

Baker’s notes:

Crisp and chewy crust

Tight, flavorful crumb (I’ll have to read up on how to get a more airy interior for my next batch)

Seal the edges better next time when shaping the loaves so they don’t start to pop open during the oven rise

Happy Baking…

Bruno

…or “3 men and a pasta” as my friend, Kristin, named it because she watched as her husband, Bob, make the sauce, her brother, Greg, make fresh egg noodles and me peel, devein and saute’ the prawns! It all came together for a beautifully delicious meal!!

(pardon the resolution of the pics, they were taken w/ an i-phone)

Pasta Puttanesca w/ Prawns

Ingredients:

1 pound freshly made egg noodles

2 pounds fresh prawns

8 roma tomatoes – blanched, peeled and smashed

6 cloves garlic – sliced

1 shallot – small dice

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon Italian herb mix

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1) Saute’  shallots and garlic in olive oil over medium heat for 3 minutes

2) Add tomatoes, wine and herbs; let simmer for 5 mnutes, add butter, then salt and pepper to taste

3) Saute’ prawns on lightly oiled griddle until opaque

4) Add prawns to sauce and stir

5) Cook pasta in well salted water until “al dente” – approximately 3 minutes

6) Plate, then top w/ freshly grated parmesan cheese and mangia (eat)!!

Alla facia di qi me vol male’ (sp?)…

Bruno

I had to wake up and feed my starter the other day, so I decided to try my hand at a new sourdough bread recipe…

Sourdough Boule (recipe adapted from sourdoughhome.com)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sourdough starter

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

3 cups white bread flour

1 1/4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

Procedure:

1) Whisk the starter before measuring it (so you’re measuring starter, not bubbles), then add it to the mixing bowl

2) Whisk in the water, whole wheat flour and the salt

3) Using a wooden spoon, stir the white bread flour into the mix one cup at a time

4) When the dough becomes too stiff  to stir, pour it onto your work surface (well floured) and knead the dough for 15 minutes, or until it becomes resilient and springy

5) After kneading, let the dough rest (covered) for 30 minutes before forming it into a tight round ball

6) Flour the top of the ball of dough and cover w/ plastic; let rise at room temperature for 12 to 15 hours (until dough doubles in size)

7) Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit – place a pizza stone on the middle rack w/ a bowl of water on the rack underneath

8) When the oven is the right temperature, slash the dough w/ a large serrated knife then transfer to the pizza stone and bake for 40 to 45 minutes

9) Let bread cool on a wire rack before slicing

10) Eat the bread (my favorite part of the baking process!!)

Baking notes:

Great oven spring w/ this dough, but my bread split at the center slash

The crumb was more compact than I expected… I was hoping for something more airy, but it was very flavorful 

Crunchy and chewy crust; good overall sourdough taste

Any seasoned bakers out there have advice on how to prevent the crust from cracking too much when rising in the oven, and how to get a more airy crumb?

Bruno

The resolution of the photos is not that good because they were taken w/ my friend’s i-phone. Sorry, no photo of the individual plating… we were too busy pigging out!

Thai Coconut Curry w/ Pork

Ingredients: 

5 carrots – peeled, quartered and cut into ¾ inch pieces

1 red onion – julienned

6 asparagus spears – cut into 1 inch pieces

1 tomato – ½ inch dice

1 medium broccoli crown ­- cut into small florets (stem cut into 1 inch pieces)

¾ pound crimini mushrooms – halved and sliced

1 bunch chard – stems and leaves cut into 1 inch pieces

1/3 pound green beans – cut into 1 inch pieces

1 green bell pepper – cut into ½ inch squares

6 cloves garlic – minced

2 ears yellow corn – kernels only

zest (minced) and juice of 2 limes

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger – minced

1 1/4 teaspoons Thai red curry paste

1 can (14 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk

½ medium butternut squash – peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

1 cup veggie stock

2 ¼ pound pork loin – trim off excess fat and cut into ¾ inch cubes

1 + 1 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

 Procedure:

1) In a wok, over medium heat, sauté onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil until translucent; add mushrooms and sauté until soft; add garlic and sauté for 1 minute

2) Add all other ingredients, stir and let simmer until all veggies are soft, stirring occasionally (approx. 1 ½ hours); salt to taste

3) In a separate pan, sauté pork w/ 1 tablespoon olive oil until browned and cooked through; salt and pepper to taste

4) Serve w/ steamed brown rice (and the pork on the side so your vegetarian friends can partake and enjoy this delicious meal too!)