Ciabatta Bread

This is my first attempt at making Ciabatta and, although the result was good, the original instructions were not very good, and I'd like to experiment with other recipes, just for fun. This is one of these recipes that take a long time! I didn't read the instructions carefully and missed the fact that the bread had to rise a second time for 90 minutes, and I was making the bread for a sandwich for a birthday party we were going to, and I barely had time to make it! But I persisted, just because I said I was going to make it and I would not have been satisfied with just buying something, and even though I panicked I was able to make it with, literally, 5 minutes to spare!

Biga (starter)

1⁄4 tsp instant dry yeast

1 cup water, at body temperature

1 1⁄4 cups flour

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water.
2. Mix in flour by hand and stir just until there are no lumps. The mixture will be very wet and sticky.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

Bread

1 tsp instant dry yeast

3 Tbsps milk, at room temperature

2⁄3 cup water, at body temperature

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 1⁄3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1⁄2 tsp sea salt

cornmeal, for baking tray

1. Stir the yeast and warm milk together in the bottom of the bowl of a standup mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the warm water, oil, and the starter, and mix with the paddle until blended (or the dough can be mixed by hand in a bowl with a wooden spoon but be forewarned, it is very sticky).
2. Switch to the dough hook and add flour and salt, kneading on low speed for 2 minutes, then, increasing to next speed up, knead for 3 minutes. Slap the dough with your hand in the bowl, until it feels stretchy and springs back (it will be too sticky to knead on a work surface).
3. Place dough into an oiled bowl, cover bowl with plastic and set in a draft-free, warm area to rise for about 90 minutes. The dough should have lots of big air bubbles visible when ready.
4. Measure out parchment paper that will fit into a large baking tray and liberally and evenly sprinkle with cornmeal (do not put in baking tray yet - the baking tray has to heat up in the oven before putting the bread on). Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll up into a cylinder (like you would for a loaf or bread), but then stretch and pull the flexible dough into a rectangle about 20 inches by 8 inches. Cut dough in half and place each on parchment-lined baking tray. Cover loaves gently with a slightly damp tea towel and let rise another 90 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 425°F and place a baking tray upside down in oven to heat. Remove the hot tray from the oven, and slide the parchment with the bread onto hot tray and return to the oven quickly. Spray tops of loaves with a little water, close oven quickly and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, spraying again with water after 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the tray to cool before tearing or slicing.

Oven-Fried Chicken With Almonds

There's nothing really subtle or refined about this recipe but it is tasty and quick and you can prepare the mix beforehand (although, since the ingredients are fresh, the mix does have a shelf-life and should be refrigerated or frozen). It uses fresh ingredients instead of powdered this and dried that, which I like a lot in my recipes.

 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved

1⁄4 cup olive oil

1 dash black pepper, ground

1⁄4 tsp thyme, dried

1 tsp salt

1 garlic clove, crushed and minced

2 Tbsps fresh parsley, chopped

1⁄4 cup almonds, finely chopped

1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1⁄2 cup Panko bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Pound the chicken breasts to a 1⁄2 inch thickness and cut them into 12 pieces (or just keep them whole and make sure to use a meat thermometre - chicken is cooked at 160°F).
3. In a medium bowl, stir bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, almonds, parsley, garlic, salt, thyme and pepper. Pour oil onto a plate. Dip the chicken into the oil and then into the bread crumb mixture to coat.
4. Place chicken on a cookie sheet. Do not move or turn chicken over during baking. Cook for 20 minutes, until juices run clear when the thickest part of the chicken is pierced with the tip of a knife, or until a meat thermometre reads 165°F.
5. Serve immediately.

Spaghetti and Meatballs, that's all.

There is nothing quite so comforting as spaghetti-and-meatballs. The spicing in this recipe is a little unusual, but I really like it 'cause it seems kind of rustic. The flavour is mild and, for lack of a better way to describe it, smooth - the tomato flavour is not acidic at all. I also highly recommend making it the day before - it is even more delicious the next day.

Meatballs

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 onions (12oz/340gr) finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 egg

1⁄2 cup ricotta cheese

2 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed

1⁄4 tsp salt

3⁄4 tsp pepper

1⁄4 tsp each ground cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg

1 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs

1⁄4 cup minced fresh parsley

1⁄4 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

8 oz lean ground beef

8 oz lean ground pork

1 Tbsp olive oil

Sauce

1 Tbsp olive oil

1⁄4 cup dry red

1⁄4 cup chicken stock

1 can (28 oz/796 mL) diced tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

1⁄2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil (or 2 tsp dried)

1⁄4 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 1⁄2 lb spaghetti

1. In large nonstick skillet, heat half of the oil over medium heat; fry onions and garlic, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Scrape into a bowl and set aside.
2. In large bowl, whisk together the egg, ricotta cheese, fennel seeds, 1⁄4 tsp of the salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Stir in the bread crumbs, parsley, Romano cheese and half of the onion mixture. Add the beef and pork and mix well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Wetting hands if necessary to prevent sticking, form into balls using a tablespoon as a guide. Add remaining oil to the pan. Brown meatballs over medium-high heat, in batches; with slotted spoon, transfer to plate. Pour off fat.
4. Add wine and broth to deglaze the pan. Transfer to a Dutch oven. Stir in the onion mixture, diced tomatoes and paste, half of the basil (or all dried, if using), the sugar and the remaining salt. Add the meatballs. Cover and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes. (Make-ahead: Let cool for 30 minutes. Transfer to refrigerator and let cool completely. Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1month.)
5. Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling salted water, cook spaghetti until tender but firm, 8 to 10 minutes; drain and return to pot.
6. Garnish with remaining basil.

Whole Wheat Flat Bread

We keep buying whole wheat flour when we intend on buying plain unbleached white. This means I'm always looking for things to make with whole wheat flour just to use it up! At some point this week, I saw that we had containers of hummous and tapenade and such from an evening a while back, on the verge of going bad. I'd also just come back from work and I didn't feel like going on to get pocket bread to eat the stuff. Light-bulb flash: I decided to make some mini pocket bread. They're quick to make and, served hot out of the oven, they are delightful.

2 cup whole wheat flour – well sifted

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp olive oil

Scant 1 cup hot water

1. Dump all the ingredients in a bowl and mix, then knead the dough until smooth, adding flour until it no longer sticks to your fingers. Let it rest for 30 minutes, covered and away from drafts.
2. Roll out the dough to a 1⁄4 inch or less and then cut out circles with a glass or cookie cutter or pat the circles into shape.
3. Bake at 350°F until they puff up and start to brown, around 25 to 30 minutes.

Chicken Noodle Soup

What research has shown is that chicken soup is effective to relieve the effects of the common cold by blocking the white blood cells that ineffectively try to attack the cold virus, causing the production of phlegm. What they haven't been able to do is propose a viable theory as to how chicken soup does this. It makes me happy that plain-old chicken noodle soup is a delicious home remedy. And, if it's made with the Foundation of Goodness Chicken Stock, it is excellent. The only caveat for this soup is the chicken pieces - do not over-simmer the soup once the chicken pieces have been added. The chicken will continue to cook and become tough. This is also good to remember if re-heating the soup.

2 cups (10oz/280g) diced chicken breast

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1⁄2 tsp salt 

1⁄2 tsp fresh ground black pepper or to taste

8 cups chicken broth or stock

2 stalks celery (4oz/114g) diced

2 carrots (4oz/114g) diced into little cubes

4 green onions, thinly sliced (60 to 80g)

2 cups (3oz/85g) egg noodles

1⁄4 cup fresh dill, cilantro or parsley, finely chopped

1. If you don't have leftover chicken, then you can prepare chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 350°F; coat the chicken with oil, season with salt and pepper. Cook in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes making sure the chicken is fully cooked (internal temperature of 160°F). Remove from the oven and allow to cool before dicing.
2. Heat the chicken stock by simmering in an uncovered pot before adding the other ingredients.
3. While the broth or stock is brought to a simmer, cut up the chicken breast, cutting the meat into medium sized cubes and set aside. Dice the celery, slice or dice the carrots, and thinly slice the green onions.
4. Add the veg and noodles to the pot. When the noodles are fully cooked (8 to 10 minutes), so should the veg. Add the chicken meat and then the herb of your choice. Allow to cook for an additional 4 minutes or until the meat is heated through. Serve piping hot.

The foundation of goodness - Chicken Stock

This is a recipe I've not spent a lot of time researching because I really liked the results the first go 'round. It's from Steven Raichlen's High-Flavor, Low-Fat Chicken - a most unromantic title for any book, but I'm willing to overlook it even if it's just for this recipe.

I've made chicken stock before, either from just boiling some roast chicken carcass or saving the excess liquid from Poule-au-Pot, but when I made this stock, I was amazed at the wonderful flavour and, yes, the wonderful aroma with which it perfumes the air. And, as Raichlen mentions in his book, it's a great way of using scraps. I was saving chicken backs in the freezer from when I cut up a chicken for pieces, just for such an occasion. I love being thrifty like this, and learned that I can be even more so. Raichlen recommends saving vegetable scraps to use in the making, also just kept in the freezer, which I will do next time - everything just gets strained away when the stock is done anyway, so vegetable heels etc will do just fine, so long as they are clean. In the recipe below, it mentions cutting sizes etc, but that's just to give an idea of the best size to extract flavour. I also discovered that it's best to remove the skin from the chicken because it produces so much fat I would just skim off afterwards.

I've also included the instructions for chicken broth at the end. I haven't tried this, but plan on it, soon.

3 1⁄2 to 4 lbs chicken backs, wings, necks, or the carcass from a large roast chicken

1 large onion, quartered with skin

1 leek (6oz/170gr) trimmed, washed, and cut into 1-inch pieces

3 carrots (6oz/170g) cut into 1-inch pieces

3 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 head of garlic, cut in half

Water enough to cover everything in your pot

4 large parsley sprigs or parsley stems

4 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 bay leaves

10 peppercorns

2 allspice berries 

1. Remove the skin and any lumps of fat from the chicken pieces (unless you want lots of schmaltz floating on the surface of your stock). Rinse the chicken pieces well.
2. Place all the ingredients for the stock in a large stockpot with enough water to cover the chicken. Bring the stock to a boil and skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Lower the heat and gently simmer the stock until well flavored, 2 to 3 hours. Add cold water as necessary to keep the chicken covered. Skim the stock often, especially if you've added water because the cold water brings the fat to the top. It's also very important to only bring the stock to a boil once; any boiling after that will cause the fat to emulsify and make the stock cloudy.
3. Strain the stock into a clean container and let cool to room temperature. I've transfered them to 1-cup containers and froze most of it. Stock will keep four to five days in the refrigerator and for several months in the freezer.

Note: For an extra-clear stock, pour the stock through a strainer lined with paper towels.

Yield: Makes 10 to 12 cups

Chicken Broth Variation:

1. Chicken broth is richer and meatier than chicken stock. Use it for soups and sauces.
2. Prepare the preceding recipe, substituting a 3 1⁄2 to 4 lb chicken for the bones. Wash the chicken and remove any lumps of fat. (For a leaner broth, remove the skin, too.) Simmer the chicken for 1 hour, skimming the stock often. At this point the broth is ready. The chicken meat can be pulled off the bones and used for salads.

Yield: Makes 10 to 12 cups

Locally-grown burgers

I made some bison burgers, and they were good. I've really cottoned to using a thermometre to determine when my meats are cooked. In this case, the burger is at it's best when it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F.

1 lb ground bison (or beef)

1 shallot or 1⁄2 an onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic minced

Optional - 1 Tbsp salsa (preferably with chipotle)

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 egg, lightly beaten

fresh ground pepper to taste

salt to taste (I put in about 3⁄4 tsp), just enough to bring out flavours

1 handful bread crumbs

1⁄4 tsp beef bouillon concentrate

1. In a little oil, fry alliums, add garlic for the last minute of cooking.
2. Thoroughly mix together all the ingredients. Shape into 4 patties. In a little oil, pan-fry the patties, flipping only once if possible, until cooked, about 5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
3. Serve with buns and choice of toppings.