CLASSIC WHITE SOURDOUGH

CLASSIC WHITE SOURDOUGH

150g bubbly, active starter
300g water
10g salt
450g flour (I like half all-purpose and half bread flour)

Step 1: MEASURE and MIX the dough

I use a Kitchen-aid mixer. Starting with the starter, add the salt, water and flour all together in a bowl. Using the dough hook, mix the dough for about 5 minutes and then cover the bowl with a lid or a plate.

Step 2: PULL and TURN

Let the dough rest for a few minutes and then wet your hand (so that dough doesn't stick to it) and pull the dough up from the side and gently push it into the center. Give the bowl a one-quarter turn and repeat: stretch the dough upward and fold it over toward the center. This will help to improve the dough and enhances the oven rise. You’ll want to do this a few times within the first hour. Experts recommend 4 times within the first hour … I try to at least do it at least twice (about 5-10 minutes apart)

Step 3: BULK RISE …also known as the first rise..this will take 6-8 hours for your dough to roughly double in size. Keep in mind, you can do this “too long”, or over-proof, where the rough rises to its capacity and then starts to drop. You’ll want to make sure to shape your dough BEFORE this happens

Step 4: SHAPE the dough.

Gently pour your dough onto a floured surface and shape it into a ball. Your goal here is to create a nice tight “gluten skin” around your loaf. Keep in mind that the bread will take on the shape that you form …meaning if your dough is shaped a little lop-sided, your bread will bake a little lop-sided. So do your best to shape it in a uniform matter (I have a video in my highlight bubble on my Instagram to show this). Line the Dutch oven with parchment paper and let it rise in there (with the lid on)

Step 5: SECOND RISE will take roughly two hours …in warmer temperatures, it can be slower, or it can take longer in cooler temperatures.

Step 6: PREHEAT the oven. Many recipes recommend that you heat your Dutch Oven before adding the dough. I found that this was quite a cumbersome step. I use to get my oven as hot as it will go (500 degrees) and then lower it to 420. I have since eliminated even that step, and now I just turn my oven on to 420 degrees for baking. (You'll have to get a feel for your own oven.)

Step 7: SCORE your dough using either a very sharp knife, a razor blade, or a lame. To really enhance the design, I recommend putting just a little flour over the surface of the bread before scoring

Step 8: BAKE the bread in the Dutch oven at 420 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove the loaf from the Dutch Oven (I just use the parchment paper to pull the loaf out) and place it right on the rack in the oven. Brown the crust for 3-6 additional minutes. Note: if you want a softer crust, don’t brown it too much. If you want something crispier you can leave it in the oven for a few extra minutes.

FRENCH BAGUETTES

 

• 1 Tablespoon yeast
• 2 cups lukewarm water
• 3 cups white Kamut
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons French coarse salt
• Butter, Melted

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water and let sit for a few minutes. Mix flour sugar and salt in large bowl with dough hook. Stir in yeast. Make a soft sticky dough. Cover with dish towel and let rise until double 2 to 4 hours.

2. Beat the dough down with your fist. Divide into 4 skinny baguettes. place in greased pans. Cover and let rise until double.

3. Make 3 small slits and brush tops with butter. Place the bread in the oven on the bottom rack.

4. Turn on the oven to 400 and set the timer for 30 minutes for the skinny baguettes.

NO-KNEAD SOURDOUGH BREAD

▢ 1/3 cup bubbly active sourdough starter, (75 g)
▢ 1 1/4 cups water, (300 g)
▢ 4 cups bread flour, (500 g)
▢ 2 teaspoons fine sea salt, (10 g)

1. Feed your starter 4-12 hours before you plan to use it.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the active starter with water, stirring well with a fork.
3. Add the flour and salt. Mix with a fork until the ingredients are combined. The dough will look rough and sticky, which is perfectly fine.
4. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes and then stir it one more time. There should be no dry spots and it should look like traditional bread dough.
5. After the initial rest, cover the bowl again and let the dough ferment for 8-18 hours at room temperature. This is the bulk rise, allowing the dough to develop flavor and structure. An overnight rise is generally the easiest.
6. Gently transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough by tucking the edges into the center, forming a tight ball. Let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes.
7. Dust a proofing basket to prevent sticking. Place the dough ball, smooth side down, into the basket. Cover with a damp towel.
8. Let the dough rest for 1-4 hours at room temperature until it spreads slightly and looks puffy.
9. Preheat your oven to 450°F. Carefully turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper, score the top, and transfer to a preheated Dutch oven with the lid on.
10. Bake covered for 40 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for another 10-15 minutes until dark brown and hollow-sounding when tapped.
11. Remove the bread from the oven, transfer to a wire rack, and let cool for at least 1 hour before slicing. 

OVERNIGHT CHEESE PUFF EGGS

10 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pint cottage cheese (=2 cups = 16 oz)

3/4 lb. Monterey Jack cheese shredded

1/3 lb. Swiss cheese, shredded 

1/2 cup butter, melted

4 oz can green chilis

Beat eggs until lemon color. Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Add cottage cheese and green chilis. Fold in grated cheese. Blend in melted butter. Place in a 9x13" dish, cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30-60 minutes, util lightly brown and center is firm. 

OVEN BAKED CRAB CAKES

 OVEN BAKED CRAB CAKES

16 oz fresh lump crab meat, drained

1 large egg

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 2 teaspoons dried)

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning*

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (plus more for serving)

16 saltine crackers, crushed (about 2-inch size pieces)

2 tablespoons softened butter (for greasing the baking sheet)

4 tablespoons salted melted butter, divided

Lemon wedges for serving

Whisk together the egg, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, parsley, lemon juice, and all the seasonings until smooth and well combined. Pour this mixture gently over the crab meat. Sprinkle in the crushed saltine crackers, and using a spatula, carefully fold everything together. Try to preserve the large chunks of crab as much as possible.

Cover the bowl and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes—or up to a full day if you’re prepping ahead.

Preheat your oven to 450°F. Grease a baking sheet generously with softened butter. Now, divide the crab mixture into six portions, roughly 1/2 cup each. Form each one lightly into a mound—don’t compress them too much; you want them just held together. Place the crab cakes on the baking sheet, spaced a few inches apart. Spoon melted butter generously over the tops so it can seep into all those delicious little crevices. Bake immediately in the hot oven for 13–15 minutes, or until a golden crust forms on top. Once out of the oven, brush with a little more melted butter and finish with a fresh squeeze of lemon. Serve right away while they’re warm and crisp.

REMOULADE SAUCE

½ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon mustard

1 teaspoon hot sauce

½ teaspoon paprika

2 garlic cloves, grated

1 scallion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

Pinch of cayenne

Stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce, paprika, garlic, scallion, lemon juice, onion powder, and cayenne.

QUICK ROSEMARY CHEDDAR DROP BISCUITS

 

1 cup milk

1 tbsp white vinegar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, plus more for topping

1 tbsp dried rosemary

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and milk together*. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cheese, rosemary, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add the butter into the dry ingredients. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, combine the butter with the other ingredients until it forms coarse crumbles. Using a spatula, gently stir in the milk mixture until just combined. Be careful not to over mix or melt the butter. Scoop approximately ¼ cup of dough and place on a baking sheet, making 12 biscuits. Top each biscuit with extra cheese. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately or warm.

SEAFOOD BOIL

Shrimp

Crab Legs

Smoked Sausage

Corn (on the cob)

Red Potatoes 

Old Bay

Fixings: cocktail sauce, hot sauce, lemon, butter, salt & pepper

Prep seafood ingredients as necessary (leave shells on shrimp, though!). Slice sausage in 3 inch chunks, half large potatoes, and cut corn in half. Fill pot with water. Put in first layer of ingredients (whatever takes the longest to cook). In our case we added potatoes, a sprinkle of Old Bay, sausage, a sprinkle of Old Bay, and then corn with a sprinkle of Old Bay. Once the water comes to a boil, we cooked it for 15 minutes. Add the shrimp and the crab legs. Once the crab legs are warmed through and the shrimp are pink, you’re all done! Serve with melted butter and the rest of the fixings! Dump on to brown paper and dig in!