Composing Bread

(part ii)
given the challenge
of making better party bread
than last year
I set out to do something different
and came up with the idea of a savory
monkey bread instead of sweet

used a white bread recipe with water
olive oil and a pinch of saffron
the stuff between the rolls
was olive oil, garlic,
finely chopped
fresh basil and marjoram
sundried tomatoes
packed in olive oil
the oil from the tomatoes

taking advantage of
the properties of gluten
in a well processed bread dough
(see last post)
I created little balls of dough
but was careful to stretch
and fold the dough until
each morsel had a smooth skin
then taking the olive oil herb mix
dipped each bite in the mixture
making sure I picked up the herb bits
assembly included making sure
the smooth skin faced out of the whole


at the party
the bread disappeared quickly
but the pieces of sundried tomato
on the top of the loaf browned
and were thought to be chocolate
next time I will chop finer

© 2012 Sandy Vrooman

But I Just Asked for a Sandwich

bread is a question where one asks
“how did they do that?”
a dear geeky engineering friend
went after the answer
and it is quite a chemistry experiment
the study of yeast itself
could take a life time
then you add the gluten molecules
in wheat flour
how they react with each other
the act of letting the yeast ferment
then stretching the gluten
until it forms long chains
gasses formed during yeast fermentation
make up the little holes in bread
it’s what makes it rise

after researching all this
my friend Phil Pettit
devised the following method
get a mixer that has a dough hook
and is hearty enough
to run for a long time
proof yeast water and sugar
(mix and wait till bubbly)
start mixer
add chosen shortening
liquids and flavoring
put in a cup of flour
go do something else
add another cup of flour
go do something else
this can take all day
the idea is to let the machine
do the work of kneading
the dough for you

this goes for any
yeast wheat flour bread

we could get into flour sifting
but will just leave you
with an old Greek saying
“those who do not sift the flour
must knead the bread for 5 days”

© 2012 Sandy Vrooman

For better chemistry go to
http://www.rsc.org/images/BreadChemistry_tcm18-163980.pdf

Holidaze Sweets

Holidaze Sweets


having the leisure to just make dessert
instead of a whole holiday dinner,
I took my time figuring out what to do
had a lovely box of pears
I could not eat before they spoiled,
decided to do a pear/almond tart
the internet is a wonderful and distracting place
I found many variations on this theme
deciding to take the best of several recipes
I poached the pears in marsala wine
with cloves and cinnamon
instead of just sugar water
made the almond filling
rather than take short cuts
OK I took one short cut
I didn’t grind my own almond flour
butter, eggs and almond flour
with a bit of almond extract
resulting in a moist almond custard
cookie like filling
could have use marzipan and eggs
but perhaps too sweet with the pears
great under apples
next my favorite short crust with butter
flour, powdered sugar, and an egg
an egg yolk should be added
to the crust, but I just use
the whole egg
what can you do with just one egg white?
in the spirit of the most frequently repeated recipes
added almond flour to the crust
to glaze or not to glaze
that was the question
the suggested glaze was apricot jam
but I had all this nice poaching water
with pear syrup and spiced marsala
added a bit of the jam, more wine
and more sugar
reduced the mixture
made a small tasting sample
might give up dinner
and eat tarts instead

©2010 Sandy Vrooman

Swingin’ Salsa Summary, Ole’

there are some basics
without them it would not be salsa
everything has to be chopped very fine
gotta have cilantro, lime juice, salt
and onions
jalapenos are in most salsas
but not all of them
garlic is good
add fresh roma tomatoes
and you have basic salsa fresco
tomatillos are good with this
after that almost anything else is fair game
but not chocolate sauce
have some sense
I’ve made avocado, mango, and peach salsa
last night I made roasted corn salsa
took some very fresh corn in husks
and fire roasted them over the flame
on the top of the stove
almost burnt the husks all the way through
probably should have
cut the corn off the cobs
added half a maui onion
a whole bunch of cilantro
red bell pepper
and too much salt
the salt releases the juices in your mix
but you have to have a light hand
I could have added a can of washed
and rinsed black beans
had a medium bowl of the stuff
but it was all gone within 24 hours
fresh salsa is only good for 48 hours
then the freshness begins to be questionable

© 2011 Sandy Vrooman

Son of Zucchini Madness or Zucchini Pancakes

yes, you can shred zucchini
and use them like potatoes
in potato pancakes
because zucchini keeps weeping
it is best to take the following steps
this method will give you
crisp pancakes without they
will still be good, but soggy
coarsely grate the zucchini
by any method you favor
salt the mass heavily
put a smaller bowl on top
parallel to the bottom bowl
put some weight in the upper bowl
like a large can of tomatoes
(don’t open the tomatoes or
use them for anything else
in this recipe)
wait (or weight) about 20 minutes
add water to zucchini
drain in a colander and
keep rinsing
you will still have liquid
but it should be more gelatinous
I added on egg for each zucchini
using three zucchini this time
I also added about 1/3 cup flour
and the rest of the maui onion
finely chopped
I used peanut oil because
it will not break down at a high heat
put about ½ inch of oil into a cast iron skillet
used a ¼ cup as measure to get a regular size
let the pancake solidify a bit before turning
if you wanted to you could serve
with apple sauce or sour cream
we didn’t think they needed any embellishment

(C) 2011 Sandy Vrooman

Zucchini Madness

it has been suggested
that there is a parallel
between zucchini and fruit cake
there seems to always be more
than can be consumed

I humbly submit some ideas
for using up the darn stuff
if you slice it to look like bacon
salt it and put a weight on top
(like a plate)
for about 20 minutes
then rinse and blot dryish

pretend they are lasagna noodles
grease a pan with olive oil
lay down a layer of zucchini noodles
top with a layer of ricotta cheese
a layer of tomato sauce
repeat until you have 3 or 4 layers
top with mozzarella cheese
bake in a 350 or 375 degree oven
or until done
(I hate that in recipes, don’t you?)

if you don’t mind a very juicy lasagna
you can add a layer of spinach
and a layer of fresh sliced plum tomatoes
be sure to season the spinach with
a bit of nutmeg
basil is good on the tomatoes
I like to add a bit of sea salt
to taste, yours not mine
enjoy

© 2011 Sandy Vrooman

Catching Up

I've been remiss
in keeping up this blog
too much eating
not enough photos
summertime diversions

triggered by
a Facebook friend
John Tiong Chunghoo
a specialty writer for
NewStraitsYimes
he does travelling
through Kuala Lumpur
and neighboring areas

love the idea of fusion food

Sandy

Check links to see "Food: an old family secret"

Mulligatawny Soup

"Literally meaning pepper water. Mulligatawny Soup is an Anglo-Indian invention. Created by servants for the English Raj who demanded a soup course from a cuisine that had never produced one."
By: Michelle Chen , http://allrecipes.com/ If you click on the title above you will reach all recipes version of this soup

there are hundreds of recipes for this “soup”
I first had it in San Francisco at a restaurant
on 9th near Market Street
a curried chicken soup with apples and raisins
I used to make it with
whipping cream
but I have learned to use coconut milk instead
made some this morning
took about 30 minutes
it was a perfect lunch for
people working outside

sauté a diced sweet onion
and a diced green apple
(you don’t have to peel it)
in a couple of tablespoons of butter
add curry powder to taste
this depends on the curry powder
you have on hand
about a tablespoon or three
add a heaping tablespoon of flour
and mix into the apples and onion
to incorporate
slowly add a quart of chicken broth
either purchased or home brew
stirring to keep flour from becoming lumpy
add two sliced carrots
a diced chicken breast
or the meat from your home made broth
bring to a boil
when chicken is no longer pink
add a can of coconut milk
serve with raisins and shredded coconut

© 2010 Sandy Vrooman

Hacking Julia part II

(see previous post, referencing Le Suceès from Julia Child)

even when you have a recipe
that gives you exact measurements
there will be inconsistencies
as the ingredients will never be
exactly the same

the meringue layers

when grinding nuts in a blender
to make the nut flour
one has to be aware of the oil content
the praline pecans I used
this time
13 0z Trader Joe's
were quite oily
I compensated by adding more
confectioner’s sugar
to prevent clumping

to get the most volume
from your egg whites
they should be room temperature
beat 6 egg whites with
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
a pinch of salt
when whites form stiff peaks
beat in ½ cup fine granulated sugar
the carefully fold in the nut mixture
spoon out on to pans covered in
baking parchment
draw circles or other shapes
on one side of the paper
turn paper over
use this as a guide
to shape the meringue layers
three to five layers
bake in a 250 degree oven
for about 40 minutes
leave in the oven until the next day

pumpkin butter cream

there are two ways to make a butter cream
one is to cream butter and confectioner’s sugar
together and add flavoring
in this case pumpkin
with pumpkin pie spices
but
if you have the 6 egg yolks
left over from the meringue
you can make a pumpkin custard
and add butter
and confectioner’s sugar
until you have a mixture that is stiff enough
to hold its shape
also add vanilla and a bit of brandy
this version needs to be slightly chilled
to hold its shape

© 2010 Sandy Vrooman

Hacking Julia

I grew up BJ
before Julia Child
thought all lettuce was iceberg
and vegetables grew in cans
my Mother was an
adventuresome cook
with a limited pallet
I caught the adventure part
with expanded horizons
AC (after college)
I started buying interesting cook books
on sale
I paid fill price for Julia’s books
and read them like romance novels
one of my favorite recipes of hers
is Le Suceès
hazel nut flour meringue layers
separated by coffee butter cream
the whole thing takes
six eggs and three sticks of butter
welcome to cholesterol heaven

I’ve messed with this recipe
many times
but my favorite version
is to use ground praline pecans
for my nut flour
and a pumpkin butter cream for the filling
make a cage of burnt sugar for the top

I should have a photo of this AT
(after Thanksgiving)

© 2010 Sandy Vrooman

Thanksgiving Turkey Cake

OMG! this is amazingly wonderful
Chow.com is cooking site full of recipes
and ideas
they even have a "hack" button
so you can create your version of their creations

what you see is two layers of turkey meatloaf
separated by a layer of dressing
held in place
by mashed potatoes
that's mashed sweet potatoes
and mini marshmallows on top
as they say
slice and serve with gravy

I'm probably not going to have an occasion
where I can make my own version and take a photo
Do let me know what happens if you try this

(C) 2010 Sandy Vrooman


posted with permission from:

If you click on the title of this post, it will take you to this page. http://www.chow.com/recipes/29029-thanksgiving-turkey-cake

Butternut Squash Ravioli in Sage Brown Butter

another recipe inspired by La Pastaia in San Jose, CA

there are a lot of cook-it-yourself packages
of squash ravioli now available
in my local markets
I bet La Pastaia did their own raviolis
but you can take a shortcut
and use what is available
the flavor of the squash is delicate
and needs a light hand with saucing

while the ravioli of your choice
is cooking according to the package directions
start slowly and carefully browning the butter
at the same time
dry out and crisp fresh sage leaves in the butter
when ravioli is done
drain and add to butter mix
add a few splashes of white wine.

Serve and enjoy

© 2010 Sandy Vrooman

La Pastaia
2323 West Santa Clara St.
San Jose, CA 95113
408-286.8686
Chef Forrest Gingold

Corn Chowder

back in the dark ages
attended an elementary school
that was somewhat enlightened
starting in sixth grade
we began having segregated
gym class
boys and girls not allowed
to see each other
begin to jiggle
BUT the alternate group
not in gym
had home economics
and wood shop
boys and girls both
learned to cook
and saw
I learned to make corn chowder
with bacon and canned corn
the recipe stuck with me
and here it is with
a few embellishments

1 - 8 oz can of corn
about 3 oz bacon cut in ¼ inch strips
half a sweet onion or to taste
2 very large tbsp of flour
a bit of milk
cooked potatoes, if you desire

without the potatoes
it serves two generous portions

sauté bacon until almost crisp
add diced onion
and cook until onion is transparent
add the flour
add the juices from the can of corn
and stir until thickened
add enough milk to thin slightly
add corn, cook until bubbly
add more milk of desired
add cooked diced potatoes, if desired
salt depends on the saltiness of the bacon used
I add 3-4 grinds of
Trader Joe’s Every Day Seasoning
and /or Morton’s Nature’s Seasons

(C) 2010 Sandy Vroomman

Cherry Mushroom Farro Risotto

(yeah, another lumpy bowl of food photo)

ever had one of those times when a strange food calls you
then you get it home and the adventures begin
whatever do I do with this stuff?
this happened to me recently at Costco
I bumped into a bag of Farro Perlato
Triticum Dicoccum or Emmer Wheat
a really old type of wheat that has been replaced
with the modern wheat we all know
the wheat in common usage has higher yields
than the heritage varieties

Farro Perlato, a peasant food is making a comeback
in gourmet restaurants all over Europe
the current name in use is from the Italian

after the third time I see this stuff, I buy a 3 lb bag
cooking for myself, whatever am I going to with this?
I remember going to a staged Medieval dinner
being served a barley risotto
with dried cherries and mushrooms
and I began to compose a dish

6 oz Crimini mushrooms
chopped, sautéed in olive oil, set aside
3 Shallots, chopped
about a cup of Farro
sauté in olive oil until shallots are wilted
about ½ cup White wine,
a nice fruity Spanish imported Viura
Low Sodium chicken Broth as needed
add and incorporate the wine first
then a ¼ cup at a time add broth
When Farro is tender add
¼ cup Dried Bing Cherries, chopped
Grated Parmesan Cheese

I kinda cheat on risotto making
instead of constantly stirring and adding liquids
add some liquid, cover and simmer
mix and repeat until grain is at your desired consistency
Farro has a slightly nutty flavor
I did have help eating this and there are no leftovers

© 2010 Sandy Vrooman

Jook or Congee, a Rice Porridge

one of the many special things
about the San Francisco Bay Area
is the diversity of cultures close by
last week I went to Little Viet Nam
in San Jose, California
we went into a little bakery for lunch
where they had packages of
rice wrappings stuffed with
who knows what, but it all tastes good
I asked if they had shredded pork
and there it was on the counter
been looking for this ingredient
for about five years - not with any diligence
when I flew to Bali on Eva Air
I had Jook for the first time it was so good!
the Vietnamese woman next to me
explained what I was eating
told me those delicious little puff balls
were indeed shredded pork
now I had to make Jook or Congee
every recipe on line was different
what they had in common was
start with a cup of rice and an awful lot of water
lot of recipes called for making a stock first,
either turkey or chicken
my version uses prepared
low sodium chicken stock 1 ½ quarts
one cup of sushi rice
about two inches of fresh ginger
and half of a sweet onion
cooked for two hours or
until desired thickness is reached
serve topped with sliced scallions
and shredded pork
I fed it to my bonsai instructor
he said I'd done it right

© 2010 Sandy Vrooman

Glop

listening in amazement
to a chef extol the virtues of cooking pasta
as if it was rice and one was making risotto
and thinking “my Mother did that”
only to us it was not a fancy dish
but one of her standard quick dinners
my Mother who worked inside
and outside the house
did not appreciate us asking
“what’s for dinner?”
her curt reply was “glop”
there are many folks who say they make
a similar dish
I start with ground beef
a much better grade than the one Mom used
chopped onions, I prefer the sweet ones
fresh mushrooms, like crimini
shredded carrots
noodles, any kind of flat ones will do
a beef bouillon cube
Worcestershire sauce to taste
A-1 steak sauce to taste
this batch, shown above, had several grinds
of Trader Joe’s Every Day Seasoning
the carrots and mushrooms are optional
sauté ground beef and onions
in a little oil to start
here is where you would
add the mushrooms, if you have them
add noodles and continue cooking until
noodles are coated with the meat juices
add carrots if desired
add seasonings, including bottled sauces
and beef bullion
pour in a cup of water and cover
let cook for 5 minutes
remove cover, check liquid level
add another cup of water
cook covered for 5 more minutes
remove lid and continue cooking
while stirring until all liquid is gone
and noodles are cooked to
your desired consistency

© 2010 Sandy Vrooman

Crepes and Comets, Oh My!

went trekking off on a comet chase
that was headed for Mono Hot Springs
on the east side of the Sierras
but weather prevented that choice
ended up in the Big Sur Mountains instead
never did see the comet
but met a class act professor of Astronomy
and Gastronomy
imagine a class where the professor makes
you a breakfast of French Crepes with
your choice of fresh fruit fillings



Richard Nolthenius (right) was not about to share his recipe, but I watched with a bit of disbelief as he mixed everything right there with a hand beater and ate one of the best crepes ever



he used:
eggs
Wesson oil
milk (I’m guessing at this, didn’t see it go in)
whole wheat pastry flour
and maple syrup

I always mix my batter the night before
to assure a creamy consistency
I use
eggs
either whipping cream, or half and half
white pastry flour
a couple of teaspoons of powdered sugar adds
if you are planning a sweet filling

Rick’s offering of do it yourself fillings included:
mixed chopped fruit
strawberry preserves (more on this later)
peaches
lemon curd
whipped cream
(whipped by driving all day in a rocking car)
and chocolate chips


Our class room














© 2010 Sandy Vrooman

You Take What You Have

the root vegetables in the last photo
were destined to become another broth
but the freezer still had some of the last batch
did I make more to put into cold storage
perhaps for the rest of my life
or should I do something else
like a vegetable soup that used broth from the freezer?

starting in my usual manner
good virgin olive oil
a sweet onion and some garlic
I started composing a soup sonata
the rosemary bush outside
released a fragrance last time I passed that way
picked some of that
while the chopped onion and minced garlic
were becoming translucent in the heated olive oil
the vegetables were cut up and soon joined the onions
parsnip, rutabaga, turnip, golden potatoes, yellow beets or whatever you have
the fresh leaves off a short branch of rosemary went into the pan
then the prepared broth
and some seasoned salts
I use a variety,
Morton Nature's Seasons
Trader Joe's Everyday Seasoning
after 20 minutes of simmering
half of the vegetables were pureed in the blender
and went back into the pot
with about ¼ cup of sour cream
I adjusted the seasonings to taste

© 2010 Sandy Vrooman

Sandy’s Vegetable Stock

as the weather gets cooler
we begin to think of hot and hardy soups
I prefer to make my own stocks
to control the amount of added sodium
in making a vegetable stock
one needs to collect as many different
root vegetables
carrots, rutabaga, turnips, parsnips, onions,
celery root, yellow beets, come to mind
celery or leeks are a plus
to this I add an assortment of whole spices
like cloves, coriander, celery, and mustard seeds
bay leaves all spice, whole black pepper
I try to get some celery flavor in the stock,
but don’t usually use more than one source at a time
simmer all of this in enough water to cover
for about 8 hours
cool and strain
press veggies to get as much liquid out as possible
this does not give you a clear broth, but it is healthier
toss veggies, the good parts are in the stock

use this stock to make a creamy squash soup
with a hint of hot peppers
bake and puree squash in a blender with the broth
add cayenne to taste and a bit of cream, sweet or sour
curried carrots are another option

© 2010 Sandy Vrooman

Breakfast Burritos

one of my favorite tenants was Frank
he was always helpful
and kept his area from intruding on mine
we shared the kitchen
he taught me how to make breakfast burritos
the main ingredient in most of his cooking
was Pace Picante Sauce
while experimenting
I came across a corn relish/salsa at Trader Joe’s
and began using that in scrambled eggs
I’ve also used things like peach salsa
for some reason my cast iron griddle
never gets put away
it lives on the stove
(range? Home on the range?)
if you heat up a cast iron griddle
put your dampened tortillas on it
turn it off and put a lid over all
by the time you scramble your eggs
the tortillas are warm and flexible
I use about 2 tablespoons of salsa
for 2 eggs
2 eggs per tortilla
really easy and tasty

©2010 Sandy Vrooman