More fun in the kitchen...

[the_plan]

Last week's focaccia bread:


Kinda got me slash dotted when the Food Network community admins posted the picture to their FaceBook account. Cool exposure... but I looked a git when the recipe wasn't there.

The recipe was snagged off Chef Michael Smith's show Chef At Home - so I figured the recipe was already on the website.

Anyway... I'm out of trouble now, and the bread is a real winner. Chef Smith did his with fresh basil, tomato and thinly sliced parmasan cheese. I did mine with fresh rosemary (it was what I had), tomato, olive and asiago cheese.

Took this from Chef At Home - the Birthday Lamb episode from Series 1.

2 cups bread flour
pinch of salt
pinch of sugar
1 tbsp traditional yeast
1 generous cup water

cornmeal
olive oil
toppings of your choice

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a mixer fitted with a dough hook. (or mix by hand and knead) till smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size. (approx 1 hr). Punch down the dough and then roll out on a well floured surface to approx 1/4 inch in thickness. Transfer the flat bread to a baking sheet that's been generously sprinkled with corn meal (to prevent sticking. Dizzle and coat the top of the bread with a little olive oil, and add the toppings of your choice. Chef Michael Smith used fresh basil leaves, tomatoes, and thinly sliced parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. I used fresh rosemary, sliced olives, tomatoes, sea salt and asiago cheese.... but you can play around with the toppings based on what you have on hand and what you like. Cover lightly with a clean tea towel and allow to rise again (approx 1 hr) till double in size or soft and puffy looking.

Bake in an oven preheated to 350°F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and well set.

I think tonight I'll try it with the basil to celebrate the arrival of a lovely new little basil plant from D*, mostly because the scent of fresh basil in the kitchen again is driving me batty!

Comments

[the_plan]

In talking about chef Michael Smith's bread recipes. I am particularly fond of his Country Bread/City Bread for ease of preparation.

3/4 ingredients and time, is really all it takes and a bit of understanding of methodology. He does a thing with the City Bread on an episode of his Food Network series Chef At Home that he doesn't really explain in the recipe and it works out brilliantly.

Take a big old heavy cast iron enamel dutch oven (like a Le Crueset). Shape your bread in a vaguely pot shaped loaf and let it rise the second time on a piece of parchment or silicone baking pad. Put your pot in the oven and let it heat in the oven while the oven is heating up. When the oven and the pot are hot, take the pot out, carefully oil the inside of the pot, and transfer your risen bread to it (fairly gently as to not lose all the shape and air), sprinkle the top with a little extra flour. Bake with the cover on for 20 minutes, remove cover and complete the baking for another 20-25 minutes. Your resulting loaf will have a lovely french/italian artisanal loaf quality to it.

The OTHER recommendation for really nice quality bread is to use BREAD FLOUR. All purpose might work, but it won't give you the same lovely bread that the higher gluten content of bread flour does.

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Also really lovely served with either bread is Brown Butter.

Divide 1 lb of butter in half. Leave one half to the side to soften, the other half place in a saucepan over medium heat to melt. Once it's melted it will start to simmer, bubble and foam, (watch it carefully!) once the foam starts to subside you'll see it start to turn golden brown. Remove from the heat. Allow the melted browned butter to cool some, then using mixer (hand mixer should work fine) add the golden liquid to the plain butter you set aside (pour carefully as not to get too much of the brown sludge that's settled in the bottom) and whip the two butters together.

This butter has a wonderful nutted roasted flavour that's just delightful on plain bread, in mashed potatoes, on vegetables - use anywhere you'd use plain butter!