eggplant and italian sausage sauce

The garden is being very abundant.  Though the heat is starting to make it go dormant and most of the tomatoes are a bit wild to bear well.  I have been trying to figure out what to do with 15 pumpkins.  I ordered canning jars this weekend and feel very greatful that I have a pressure canner!

The eggplant are another story.  What to do with about a pound and half of ripe eggplant that needs to be used now!  While I was creating memories and with our trip to New York so close behind us, I came across another Mama Leone's recipe for eggplant and italian sausage sauce to be served with spaghetti.  

This is a good one.  But I always increase the onions and garlic portions and I left out the green peppers because I did not have any.  I had already gone to the store for sausage and need not wish to return.

All I can say, what a wonderful way to use the abundance of the garden.  It freezes well too.

eggplant and italian sausage sauce

1 pound sweet italian sausage

1 1/2 pound eggplant (the ones I grow do not need to be salted and drained, so mild!)

6 large garlic cloves, minced or mashed

1 medium onion, chopped fine

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup butter

2 ounces salt pork or very good bacon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 cups plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped or crush

3 large tomatoes chopped fine

In a large pot, heat the olive oil and butter.  Add the bacon, and let it start to brown.  

Open the casings of the italian sausage and squeeze out the filling into the bacon mixture.  Brown.  

Add the onion and garlic.  Let the mixture cook over a low medium heat and caramelize a bit.  (At this point, you could add 3 bell peppers, chopped fine, deseeded and cored).

Add the tomatoes.  Let cook for about ten minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Taste for salt and pepper

Now, go serve this on pasta or a piece of bread or on a spoon.  Yes, really.

Hopefully, I am just tired tonight.  A bit under the weather.  I hope to be writing here tomorrow but if I am just sleeping if I do not.

blackberry and nectarine crisp

I was inspired by Irvin Lin's Nectarine Blackberry Open Faced Pie.  I really liked the idea of the flavors he put together, but I admit I am not that fond of pie.  I eat it.  I enjoy it.  But i do prefer a crisp or slump to pie or cobbler.  I decided to use the fruit combination of nectarine and blackberry in a crisp.  It was quite delightful.

blackberry nectarine crisp

Note:  to use regular wheat flour, use 1 cup in place of all the flours

10 ounces frozen blackberries

5 small nectarines (I also had a peach in here because it needed to be used)

a bit of sugar if the fruit is tart, up to 1/2 cup

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup almond flour

1/2 cup arrowroot flour

1/2 cup teff flour

1/2 cup millet flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In an 8 inch square pan, put the blackberries.  Sprinkle with sugar.  Cut up the nectarines and put on top.  Sprinkle with sugar if tart.

Cream the butter and brown sugar together in another bowl.  Mix in the flours and cinnamon.  Spread over the fruit.

Put in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.

This was quite juicy when it came straight out of the oven so you may wish to let it cool a bit.  This would be very good with vanilla ice cream but we chose not to eat it that way.  Just a spoon.  

It was nice at room temperature today for lunch too.

corn tortillas

I was taken out to lunch this week as a thank you for my work.  We went to Hugo's here in Houston.  It is a high end Mexican resturant.  The food was very good but what impressed me was their corn tortillas.  They are handmade.  It is really the simple things in life.

I decided I needed to try making corn tortillas again.  The last time I tried, they were very unimpressive.  But I decided to go with a bit thicker tortilla.  That worked.

These tortillas make everything that much better.  They take a good enchilada and make it a great enchilada.  And for a simple tacoish meal, it makes it not seem so simple.

They are easy but a bit of work.  Well worth the effort.

corn tortillas

2 cups masa harina (I used Bob's Red Mill - very fresh)

1 1/2  to 2 cups water (dependent on the humidity)

1 teaspoon salt

Mix all the ingredients together.  Once you bring it into a ball, knead for a few minutes.  It is very easy not to get all the masa moistened.

Cover and let sit 30 minutes to 2 hours.  This is very important because it will let the masa hydrate better.

After the resting time, heat a griddle to a medium heat.  Take a golf ball size bit of dough and roll out between two sheets of parchment paper.

Move to the griddle and cook a couple minutes on each side.  You want little brown spots.  Remove and put in a cloth as you cook the others.

Serve with whatever you wish or use in enchiladas or just eat plain.  We were having mushrooms and caramelized onions with a bit of cheese here.

Makes for happy tummies.

monkey bread

While we were in New York City, we went out for something cinnamony and a cup of tea at Doughboys.  I did bring the tea with me so I guess it was really more a cup of hot water but I am a bit of tea snob.  Yes, I am rambling.  Just where my head is.  

I had been craving cinnamon and the monkey bread I had there hit the spot.  I had always seen monkey bread in with it being made in little balls and an angel food cake type pan.  I always thought that the little balls would be too much work and I do not own that pan.  Doughboys does theirs in layers which I really liked.  It was good but nothing to really write home about.  Yes, I am picky about baked goods out.  Which should not be surprising with how many recipes I share that are baked!

When we got back, I decided I really need to try that bread.  I did a bit of research on it and went a totally different direction then most recipes.  I used Tessa Kiro's Babka recipe  but used sourdough, made a few changes, shaped it differently, and added caramel.  My Beloved said it was like getting the middle of a cinnamon roll every time.

 The only issue I have seen with these so far is that portion control is a bit difficult.  Much too easy to take too much!  And not be sorry.

monkey bread

sourdough starter

3/4 cup water

1 cup flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup milk

1/4 cup room temperature butter

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

about 5 cups flour

2 tablespoons cinnamon

2 cups brown sugar

3/4 cup melted butter

1 cup brown sugar

The night before, in a large non-metallic bowl, mix the starter, water, and 1 cup flour.  Let sit overnight and let it get bubbly.

Mix in the 1/3 cup brown sugar, milk, butter, eggs, and salt.  Add enough flour to make a stiff dough.  Turn out and knead until smooth.  Let rise until double or put in a ziploc and let rise in the refrigertor overnight.

When the dough is risen,  butter two loaf pans.  Mix the cinnamon and 2 cups brown sugar together in a small bowl.  Roll the dough out very thin.  I got my dough to about 1/4 inch or less.  I did not have anymore room on my counter but go thinner if you do.  Cover the dough with the cinnamon and brown sugar mixture.  If you have extra, you can use it in the caramel.   I did!

Cut the dough in squares that fit your dough pans.  Layer in the loaf pans on the doughs edges.  Cover and let rise until double or until soft and puffy.  About a hour should do it but it will depend on the warmth of your kitchen.  Mine was near 95.

When the dough has risen until double, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Mix the 3/4 cup melted butter and 1 cup of brown sugar together.  I used the leftover cinnamon brown sugar for part of the cup of brown sugar.  Split between your loaf pans

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.  You want golden but on the dark side.  Yes, this is decadent enough to take that anyway you wish!

Small bits, warmed, are enjoyed best.  This is very sweet but I do believe it will be replacing my cinnamon rolls. 

Orange rolls and monkey bread.  Life is very good.

sourdough bagels

My Tall Short Person was craving bagels the other week.  Ten years ago or so, I figured out how to make bagels at home.  It is much cheaper then a $1 or something similar.  I like fresh bagesl and at the time I had been laid off.  I had the time to figure it out.  

I went through all my favorite baking books but the bagel recipe that turned out like the way I wanted it to was Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book.  I did not wish them to be whole wheat so I used white flour.  And over the years, I have stopped using yeast except for gluten free breads.  I have converted the recipe to sourdough.  I do have the old directions for yeast if you need them.

This are worth the time and effort.  The trick is barley malt.  Most specialty food or "health" food stores carry it.

bagels

sourdough starter

3/4 cup water

1 cup flour

2 tablespoon barley malt syrup

1 cup water

5 cups flour

2 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 1/4 cup water or so

1/3 cup malt syrup

1 gallon water

Mix the starter, water, and 1 cup flour together.  Cover and let sit in a warm spot overnight or until very bubbly.  Take to 2 to 4 tablespoons out and put in the refrigerator for next time.

In a large bowl, mix starter, 1 cup water, and 2 tablespoon barley malt.  Add 1 cup water.  Mix again.  Add the glour.  You want a stiff dough.  Knead until smooth.  Add more water if you need to keep the dough soft.  Cover and let rise until double.

Prepare a baking sheet with  a silpat or parchament paper.  In a large pot, put 1 gallon water and bring to a boil.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Shape the dough into about 12 rounds, or more if you wish smaller bagels.  I do not put a hole in mine but you can if you wish.  Let sit about 5 minutes.

When the water comes to a boil, put each bagel in and let float to the surface.  If they do not sink, the rested too long.  Make sure each side gets wet.  You want to do 2 or 3 at a time and the water to continue to boil as the bagels are in the water.  Let each bagel be in the water about a minute.  

Remove and place on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake at once, about 35 minutes or until golden.

Very nice.  Especially when fresh.  Just like any bagel, they toast well.  I like plain bagels so I have never tried adding anything.  My suggestion is if you have a favorite, just go for it!