salmon filet pizzaiola

One of those dishes that we had in New York City that we really like was steak pizzaiola.  It was served at the lunch we had.  Actually, it was a brunch menu but we were looking for lunch.  It was good enough that I tried making it when we got home.  It turned out very well.

Then, the other day, I made it with salmon instead of beef and served it with polenta.  If anything, it was better.  The big secret on this one is just take your time.  It just takes time and a large amount of stirring.  Maybe you would call that patience.

Off subject, I am very glad I have a treadle sewing machine.  I was able to fascinate Small Mister.  He likes to sit on my lap while I sew until he decides he wishes my scissors.  Then I have to put him down.  I have not figured out how to do that while stirring sauces.

Another off subject, we are off to the country again next week.  Maybe I will be able to get here once or twice!

On to the recipe....

salmon filet pizzaiola

1 ounce salt pork, ham, or bacon that is all but ham

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium bell peppers cored, deseeded, chopped

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon black pepper

salt to taste

1 cup chopped tomato

2 to 4 salmon filets

Put the butter, oil, and bacon in a heavy pot over medium heat.  I like cast iron.  Cook until the bacon is golden.

 

Add the beppers and garlic.  Cook for 10 to 20 minutes until caramelized.  You really wish to slow cook this so you may wish to turn the heat down.

Mix in the pepper and the oregano.

Mix in the tomato.

Cook for 20 minutes, covered.  You can either leave it chunky or blend it.  I have done both.  Add salt to taste.

Broil the salmon for 7 to 10 minutes or until your preference.  We like warm around here.

Serve the salmon with the sauce on top.  If you wish to be traditional, serve it with beef steak instead.  I think this would also be good with tuna.  It tastes wonderful with polenta on the side.

fruit focaccia three ways

I have needed my hands in dough a lot recently.  I have wondered a lot lately why I chose to be a geophysicist instead of a baker.  I know it has to do with the earth plates crashing together and the analysis of problems.  Bread dough, for me, is just not the same analysis.  There seems to be a lot more dough around here lately.

I read Nigel Slater's Ripe.  I like it because it is half a gardening book and half a cookbook.  Two of my interests in one!  I liked it so much I bought it for my shelf.  That is really rare anymore.

One of the recipes I had to try was his blackberry focaccia.  Of course, I made it my own by using sourdough and having to change it a bit for that but then I started changing the fruit.  Three different fruit combinations and three wonderful focaccias.  One, we ate as dinner it was so good.  The next, we ate over days.  The third, I used half the dough for a pizza type focaccia and the other for fruit.  Disappeared rapidly.  This is just a wonderful way to use fruit and a tiny bit of sugar to make a dessert (or snack or breakfast or tea) that is so full of flavor.

fruit focaccia

sourdough starter

3/4 cup water

1 cup flour

4 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 cups water

6 - 8 ounces blackberries, or 4 ounces blackberries and 1 roasted apple, or 2 peaches

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablesoons sugar, fine granulated or brown depending on the fruit or flavor you wish

confectioners sugar for dusting.

The night before, mix the starter with 3/4 cup water and 1 cup flour in a large bowl.  Let sit overnight covered or at least 8 hours.  Take out two tablespoons to put in the frig to use as your starter next time.

In the bowl with the leftover starter, mix in the water, salt, and sugar.  Mix in 3 1/2 cups flour.  Gradually add in the rest of the flour until you have a soft dough.  Turn out on to a floured surface and knead until smooth.  Put back into a clean bowl, cover and let rise until double.  If the space is warm, this will take 1 to 2 hours.

Once it is double, turn it out and flatten it out.  Spread half the fruit over and knead gently in.  You do not wish to press out too much gas.  I put it on a baking stone and flatten it out.  Scatter the rest of the fruit on top.  Let rise until double once more.

Turn the oven on to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Drizzle the olive oil over.  Sprinkle the granulated sugar or brown sugar over.  Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden and crisp on top.  

Let cool enough not to burn yourself and dust with confectioner's sugar.

This one is blackberry.

This is blackberry and roasted apple.  I put the roasted apples in the dough and the blackberries on top.

This is the peach.  I used brown sugar as the sugar on top before baking.

These make my life happy.  I was thinking that if I could find some nicely ripe plums or figs I might just have to try those.  Or fig with pancetta.  This is the problem.  I just keep going!

brioche au chocolat

When I made the brioche dough the other day, I put half in the freezer.  We had recently gone out to a cafe and my Tall Short Person had a chocolate eclair.  Flour by Joanne Chang had a recipe for  broiche au chocolat that is basically the chocolate eclair filling ina brioche.  Something the Tall Short Person would love.  Well, actually everyone really has enjoyed these.   

I actually had to rearrange the steps a bit because I had just put half the dough in the freezer, not thinking about what I was going to make a head of time.  It worked very well but I was also very glad my yeastie beasties were sourdough.  I find they are a bit more resilant then active dry yeast.

brioche au chocolat

Note:  adapated from Joanne Chang's Flour.

1/2 batch brioche dough

1 1/4 cups milk

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 egg yolks

2 teaspoons vanilla (made with rum if you have it - I had made some)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or use you discretion)

If you are using frozen dough, defrost.  

In a saucepan, scald the milk over medium low heat.  You will want bubbles around the edges but not boiling.  While the milk is heating, mix the sugar, flour, salt, and egg yolks together.  When the milk is scalded, sloooowwwwllllyyyy mix it in to the egg mixture.  You do not wish to cook the eggs.  

Pour the mixture back into the sauce pan over medium heat.  Whisking constantly, bring to a boil.  It will take about three minutes to get very frothy and then start to thicken.  When it starts to thicken, pause and check to see if it is boiling.  Once it comes to a boil, whisk another the seconds.  Remove from the heat.

Pour the mixture through a fine mesh seive into a heat proof bowl.  Mix in the vanilla.  Refrigerate at least four hours or up to three days.

When the dough has defrosted, roll it to about 20 inches by 5 inches. (I rolled the dough too big).

Spread the whole dough with the pastry cream.  Cover half the dough with the chocolate chips.  Fold in half.  Seal the edges.  Cut into two inch strips.

Place the brioche on a silpat or parchment paper covered baking sheet.  Cover and let rise 2 hours or until the dough is puffy and soft.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.  If you wish a shinier crust, you can beat an egg yolk and brush the tops of each pastry.

They may spread in the oven and touch.  Just pull them apart.  

They are best eaten warm, just cooled enough to not burn your mouth.  But I find they are lovely for breakfast reheated at 250 degrees for about 7 to 10 minutes in my little convection oven.  With a cup of tea.  A nice way to head into work.

sugar brioche for the tall short person

My Tall Short Person made the request for sugar brioche.  It is something she grew up with in New Orleans.  I enjoyed them too so I do understand.  The galette bressane that I make is considered a sugar brioche for Nothern France but it is not quite what she was thinking.  

I did some research on brioche.  Compared all the recipes in the house.  And came up with one I used.  The research is how I found out that galette bressane is considered a sugar brioche.  I decided to try the recipe in Flour by Joanne Chang.  I adapted the recipe a bit, both on purpose and not on purpose!  The Tall Short Person was pleased.

I will tell you every recipe I read called for a stand mixer.  I did everything by hand so know it is possible.  I also used sourdough as my yeast.  The brioche were quite lovely.  The second day they were a little bit dryer but that was to be expected.

sugar brioche

sourdough starter

3/4 cup water

1 cup flour

9 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon salt

6 eggs

1 cup plus 6 tablespoons butter at room temperature

5 1/2 to 6 cups flour (I used all purpose)

1 beaten egg

sugar for topping

The night before (or at least eight hours), put the sourdough, 3/4 cup water, and 1 cup flour in a large bowl.  Mix well, cover, and leave over night or until bubbly.  Pull out a couple of tablespoons of starter and put in the refrigerator for next time.

To the sponge, add the sugar, salt, and eggs.  Mix in the butter.  Stir in the flour a cup at a time.  

Stop at five cups and stir well.  At this point, turn out on a floured surface and knead until smooth, incorprating more flour as needed.  You really want to not over add flour.  The brioche will be lighter with the less flour you add.

At this point, I put half the dough into the freezer (it makes that much).  The remaining half, put in a gallon ziploc bag, and put in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Butter 12 large muffin cups.  My pans half six each.  Divide the dough into four pieces.  Three of the pieces, divide into four, roll into balls, and put in the muffin cups.  You will have twelve.  The last piece, divide into 12 small balls and place on top of each larger ball.  Let rise 4 to 6 hours in a warm place, or until they have nearly doubled in size.

Brush the top of each brioche with the egg and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 to 45 minutes.  You may wish to check at 30 minutes.  You want a golden brown bun.

These made a wonderful breakfast with a pot of tea. 

roasted summer squash

I lived through the time where every resturant seemed to make the vegetable of the day steamed summer squash.  The first few time, it was fine.  I came to really not like it though.  I just stopped eating it because it was so mediocre.

The corner grocery was giving samples of summer squash, raw, with a bit of olive oil, salt, and oregano.  I found it was quite good.  Therefore, it is the preperation that I did not like.  Since I like so many vegetables roasted, I decided to give them a try.  Quite good.  I like them on the brown and crispy side though.  If they are not, it is like eating the squash steamed.  A bit better, but still!

roasted summer squash

1 small squash per person

a bit of oil to cover the pan or baking sheet (I used olive)

a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and oregano

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Thinly slice the squash.  Put the oil on the baking sheet and spread.  Place the squash in a single layer across the pan (really works best, takes longer other wise).  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake for about 25 minutes.  Stir every ten.  Make sure you watch these because they will go quickly when they are done.

The squash was quite lovely with a bit of salmon.