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International Cuisine: Chinese Main Dishes

February 9, 2010 by Alaina

We love to order take-out every once in awhile. These recipes made me realize that I should make Chinese at home more often!

SZECHWAN SHRIMP
(adapted from allrecipes.com)

4 Tb. water
2 Tb. ketchup
1 Tb. soy sauce
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 Tb. peanut or vegetable oil
1/4 c. sliced green onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces peeled, deviened shrimp with tails

In a bowl, stir together water, ketchup, soy sauce, cornstarch, honey, crushed red pepper, and ground ginger. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in green onions and garlic; cook 30 seconds. Stir in shrimp, and toss to coat with oil. Stir in sauce. Cook and stir until sauce is bubbly and thickened and shrimp is fully cooked – about 5-7 minutes.

ASIAN BEEF with PEA PODS
(adapted from allrecipes.com)

3 Tb. soy sauce
2 Tb. rice wine vinegar
1 Tb. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1 Tb. peanut oil
2 tsp. fresh ginger root, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. beef round steak, cut into thin strips
8 oz. pea pods

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine, brown sugar and cornstarch. Set aside.

Heat oil in a wok or skillet over medium high heat. Stir-fry ginger and garlic for 30 seconds. Add the steak and stir-fry for 2 min. or until evenly browned. Add the snow peas and stir-fry for an additional 3 min. Add the soy sauce mixture, bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Lower heat and simmer until the sauce is thick. Serve immediately.

SWEET & SOUR CHICKEN
(adapted from allrecipes.com)

1 (16 oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained (juice reserved)
2 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 c. cornstarch
1 3/4 c. water
3/4 c. white sugar
1/2 c. distilled white vinegar
2 drops orange food color
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cut into 1 inch cubes
2 1/4 c. self-rising flour
2 Tb. vegetable oil
2 Tb. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 egg
2 c. water
1 quart vegetable or canola oil for frying

In a saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, vinegar, reserved pineapple juice, and orange food coloring. Heat to boiling. Turn off heat. Combine 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup water; slowly stir into saucepan. Continue stirring until mixture thickens.

Combine flour, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, salt, white pepper, and egg. Add 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 cups water gradually to make a thick batter. Stir to blend thoroughly. Add chicken pieces, and stir until chicken is well coated.

Heat oil in skillet, fryer or wok to 360 degrees F. Fry chicken pieces in hot oil until golden. Remove chicken, and drain on paper towels.

When ready to serve, layer green peppers, pineapple chunks, and cooked chicken pieces on a platter. Pour hot sweet and sour sauce over top. Serve with steamed rice if desired.

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Market Fresh: Chinese Vegetables

February 8, 2010 by Alaina

We decided that we would do several posts in preparation for the Chinese New Year! So this week will be an international focus on Chinese food with Friday switching to Valentine’s Day for two. We hope you enjoy!

Today, I’m going to share a few recipes for vegetarian and vegetable-focused Chinese dishes. We invited guests over to enjoy our Chinese feast and this Vegetable Lo-Mein was a huge hit!

VEGETABLE LO-MEIN

6 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tb. fresh ginger, minced
1/2 c. vegetable or canola oil 
1 Tb. sesame seeds 
1/2 c. smooth peanut butter
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. chicken or vegetable stock 
1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
1/4 c. honey
1/2 tsp. hot chili oil
2 Tb. dark sesame oil
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1 pound linguini
1 c. bean sprouts
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
4 scallions, sliced diagonally (white and green parts)

Combine the garlic, ginger, oil, sesame seeds, peanut butter, soy sauce, stock, vinegar, chili oil, sesame oil, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Stir well to fully combine.

Cook the linguine as directed until al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander, place it in a large bowl, and while still warm, toss with 3/4 of the sauce. Add the sprouts, red and yellow bell peppers, and scallions; toss well. Serve warm or at room temperature. The remaining sauce may be added, as needed, to moisten the pasta.

CHINESE BROCCOLI
(adapted from allrecipes.com)

2 bunches broccoli, cut into florets
2 Tb. white sugar
1 Tb. cornstarch
2 Tb. soy sauce
1 Tb. rice vinegar
1 Tb. sesame oil
3 Tb. hoisin sauce
1 tsp. fresh ginger root, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Sesame seeds (opt.)

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook uncovered until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, whisk the sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, ginger, and garlic together in a small saucepan over medium heat until thickened and no longer cloudy, 4 to 6 minutes. Toss the broccoli in the sauce, pour into serving dish, sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired, and serve.

EGG ROLLS

1/2 lb. pork sausage
1/4 head of cabbage, shredded
1/4 head of napa cabbage, shredded
1/2 c. carrot, shredded
1/2 c. bean sprouts
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tb. Hoisen Sauce
2 Tb. Smooth Peanut butter
1 package Egg Roll wrappers

Brown sausage. Add vegetables and garlic and saute until slightly cooked but still crunchy. Add sauce and peanut butter. Divide mixture into egg roll wrappers – about 2 Tb./wrapper.

To Roll: Place filling lengthwise towards end closest to you. Fold sides in and slowly roll. Seal edge with water.

Fry in a deep fryer until golden brown or bake in oven at 400 for about 15 minutes or until golden. Serve with Sweet & Sour and enjoy!

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The Best Chocolate in Town

February 6, 2010 by Heather

A few weeks ago my sister took me to a local chocolate shop. I had no idea how fun the afternoon was going to be. Stepping in the door of The Best Chocolate in Town (880 Massachusetts Avenue; Indpls.) we were greeted with row after row of handmade chocolate truffles in all sorts of exotic, as well as expected, flavors.

In the room next door to the entrance we glimpsed the workings of the shop from behind glass. Chocolate slowly swirled in a large vat. Trays of newly made truffles sat on the counters and towards the back an employee stirred a concoction on a stove top.

 

The owner, Elizabeth Garber, warmly greeted us and happily answered our questions. The shop has been around for 12 years and they make all of their own chocolates in-house, except for ice-cream and the extensive line of sugar-free chocolates they carry(which require a whole different process from regular chocolates).

Once we’d looked at everything it was time to choose our truffles. Narrowing the decision down from 38 choices to only 6 truffles was very difficult. Some of the options included: Blackberry, Champagne, Cranberry Orange Cinnamon, French Vanilla, Guinness, Honey Lavender, Lemon Chiffon, Raspberry, Rosemary, Strawberry Cheesecake, and Sour Cherry. Looking back, we’re not sure how it happened but we ended up with six very exotic truffles: The Gorg (Gorgonzola cheese), Cinnamon Basil, Wasabi Ginger, Espresso Cardamom, Fiery Cayenne, and Asian Spice (Five Spice).

Our truffles were boxed up in an adorable box, complete with ribbon, and put in a bag tied with the shop’s card and ribbon. We left trying to decide how many truffles we should try now and how many we should save.

An hour later, coffee cups in hand and an additional taster added, we opened the box of truffles. First was The Gorg — a creamy, slightly salty taste with a hint of Gorgonzola at the back of the mouth. We all agreed it was good. Ginger Wasabi next — wow! I loved the hot tang in the midst of the chocolate, and the candied ginger on top. The other girls weren’t so sure, but I insisted it was probably going to be my favorite.

Everyone gave the Espresso Cardamon a thumbs up. Good chocolate flavor with just enough cardamom shining through. Excellent with chai, we decided. And then came Cinnamon Basil. Hmmm….. “It’s like Bath & Body works landed on my tongue,” said one taster. Much discussion ensued. None of us liked it — but none of us like white chocolate and that is what the truffle is dipped in. But the truffle later redeemed itself when Alaina tasted it and declared it one of her favorites.

With only two truffles left untouched it was unanimously decided that we had to go ahead and try all six truffles. What was the point in waiting until later? Fiery Cayenne was appealing because of the bite at the end and made it the favorite of one taster. Asian Spice was very creamy and not over powering. We all agreed that it too would be a perfect accompaniment to chai tea.

By the time the afternoon ended we were satiated with coffee, chocolate, laughter and good company. I had no idea how fun it could be to consume a box of chocolates with friends! It was definitely one of the best ways to spend $12 and I highly recommend it!

So, if any of you are in the Indianapolis area, you must check out The Best Chocolate in Town (especially if you are looking for a terrific Valentine’s gift). And, if you aren’t in the area, you can still look at their beautiful website and order online!

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Weekend Fare: Chocolate

February 5, 2010 by Alaina

We are concluding this week of recipes on chocolate with a day devoted entirely to some easy chocolate recipes that are perfect for entertaining, for ending a special meal, or just because. The lava cakes and creme brulee would make excellent Valentine’s Day Desserts!

These double chocolate cookies are sure to please any chocolate lover. The beautiful texture and chocolatey goodness make it perfect for dipping in a glass of milk! When I want to make large cookies, I use my ice cream scoop and bake them for 12-13 minutes. Mmmm…

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES
Print This Recipe1 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. white sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 package (11-12 oz.) milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In medium bowl cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt and blend until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet or stone. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

The oozy, delicious center of molten lava cakes makes this a popular dessert. I love it paired with raspberries – a perfect combination! Honestly, these cakes are incredibly easy but yet, so impressive. Bake them right before serving. Fresh whipped cream, vanilla bean ice cream, and/or fresh or frozen fruit make excellent garnishes.

MOLTEN LAVA CAKE
(adapted from allrecipes.com)
Print This Recipe

1 c. butter
8 oz. semi-sweet or dark chocolate (a nice quality of chocolate will give a better cake!), chopped
5 eggs
1/2 c. sugar
pinch of salt
4 tsp. flour
fresh or frozen raspberries, opt.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease 8 ramekins and set aside.

Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Beat eggs, sugar, and salt with a hand mixer in a medium bowl until sugar dissolves. Beat egg mixtures into chocolate until smooth.  Beat in flour until just combined. (Batter can be made a day ahead and refrigerated – bring to room temperature before baking).

Adjust oven rack to middle position. Divide batter between ramekins. Bake until batter puffs but center is not set, 9-12 minutes. Carefully loosen the sides of the cake and invert on a dessert plate. Serve with fresh or thawed raspberries if desired.

Although white chocolate isn’t really chocolate, I wanted to make sure and include a recipe for something with white chocolate! This gluten free creme brulee is WONDERFUL! Seriously, go make it. It doesn’t have a strong white chocolate flavor – just a hint and even my tasters who normally don’t care for white chocolate loved this dessert! 

I desperately wished for a torch to make this dessert look prettier – the sugar just did not caramelize as well under the broiler. It did have that lovely crisp texture though which is so wonderful with the creamy custard. 

 WHITE CHOCOLATE CREME BRULEE
(adapted from allrecipes.com)
Print This Recipe

4 egg yolks
1/3 c. sugar
2 c. heavy cream
4 oz. quality white chocolate (I used Ghiradelli), chopped
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 tsp. sugar.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk egg toiks with 1/3 c. sugar until smooth. In a medium saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and add the white chocolate. Whisk until chocolate is melted. Temper the eggs by adding 2 Tb. of the white chocolate mixture  to the eggs. Whisk. Add the rest of the white chocolate and whisk to combine. Add vanilla.

Divide between 4 -6 ramekins. Place the ramekins in a 9×13 pan filled with 1 1/2 inches hot water. Bake for 45-55 minutes of until set. Allow to cool, then refrigerate the custards until chilled. Before serving, sprinkle the tops of each ramekin with 1 tsp. of suagr and place under the broiler or use a torch to carmalize the sugar. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Finally, I wanted to give you a quick and easy hot chocolate recipe. It’s not the very rich, homemade hot chocolate I often think of but it was light and delicious with a hint of cinnamon. It was made with ingredients that I almost always have on hand. You could top it with whipped cream or shaved chocolate.

HOT CHOCOLATE
(adapted from Ellie Krieger)
Print This Recipe

1 c. milk
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. water
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Heat the milk and the cinnamon until just simmering. In a mug, combine the cocoa powder, sugar, and water and stir. Pour the milk into the mug and stir to mix well. Add the vanilla and stir. Makes 1 serving.

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Chocolate Giveaway!

February 4, 2010 by Alaina

We couldn’t have a week devoted to chocolate without a giveaway! So today, we offer a chocolate cookbook. The title is Celebrate with Chocolate, by: Marcel Desaulniers (also the author of Death by Chocolate Cake). 

It has delightful and impressive desserts and quite a lot of information about chocolate – working with it, different types etc. There are photos of some of the recipes in the center. Just the very name of some of the chocolate creations will make you want to step into your kitchen and whip up a little something – Hot Chocolate Snow Day Cakes, Pretty in Pink Cake, Chocolate Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookies, or maybe Chocolate Grasshopper Ice Cream Sandwich. The collection of recipes includes cakes, cookies, frozen delights, and truffles.

I decided to try Cocoa Berry Yogurt Mousse – it was a delicious, not-too-sweet, creamy, very easy, gluten-free dessert.  We enjoyed it and concluded that it was fancy enough to be the ending to a nice dinner but simple enough to be a last minute treat for unexpected guests.

COCOA BERRY YOGURT MOUSSE
Print This Recipe

12 large fresh or frozen strawberries
1/4 c. granulated sugar (opt.)

Cut the berries and add sugar if using fresh to increase juiciness. If using frozen berries just thaw and use including the juices (this was what I used!).  Divide between four glasses, cups, or dessert dishes.

1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c. heavy cream
1 c. plain lowfat yogurt

In a sifter combine the sugar and cocoa powder. Sift onto a large piece of parchment paper or wax paper and set aside.

Place the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a balloon whip. Operate the mixer on low speed while gradually adding the dry ingredients; mix until incorporated, about 1 minute. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Now whisk on medium for 5 seconds. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Add the yogurt; fold the ingredients together with a spatula until thoroughly combined. Immediately spoon the yogurt mousse onto the strawberries in each glass. Serve immediately of cover the top of each with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before serving.

I garnished each dish with shaved dark chocolate and a strawberry. Delicious!

To enter this giveaway:
1) Leave a comment telling us your favorite chocolate dessert or kind of chocolate or your best chocolate memory.
2) Make sure we have a way to contact you!
3) You may gain an extra entry for each of the following (please tell us what you have done in your comment!) – subscribe to our feed, facebook about this giveaway, join our facebook group, or follow us on twitter. If you already do any of those, just let us know in your comment and you will get the extra entries!
4) This drawing will stay open through Tuesday, February 9.

Posted in Giveaways | Tagged , , , , , , | 32 Comments »

Off The Shelf: Chocolate Cookbooks

February 3, 2010 by Heather

My library listed 111 chocolate cookbooks to choose from. Despite that high number, I feel there is room for even more chocolate cookbooks. Why? Chocolate is such a passion for so many people, the recipes are endless, and the options for photography innumerable. My craving for beauty and inspiration was only slightly satisfied with the books I reviewed, despite the fact that these were good books.

The Essence of Chocolate by John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg was perhaps my favorite. The book is written by the founders of Scharffen Berger Chocolate Makers (dubbed America’s finest chocolate). The recipes are divided among three chapters: Intensely Chocolate, Essentially Chocolate, and A Hint of Chocolate.

You will find recipes that include: Orange Chocolate Ganache Tart, Chocolate Pudding Cakes, Cookies and Brownies, Ice cream and Sorbets, Cheesecakes, Chocolate Ginger Pots de Creme, Chocolate Zabaglione Trifle, Pull-Apart Kuchen, Chocolate Chunk Challah and Mascarpone-Stuffed French Toast. The book includes over 100 recipes, so there are many to choose from.

Interspersed throughout the recipe chapters are details about how the chocolate company was founded, as well as how chocolate is grown and processed. The book is nearly 400 pages long and contains many beautiful photographs.

What’s a week focused on chocolate without a chocolate cake? So, here is That Chocolate Cake from The Essence of Chocolate. I can highly recommend this cake — I’ve been making an exact copy of this recipe since I was 12. It is my go-to for chocolate cake. The icing recipe was new to me, but it will be my standard from now on. It is so delightfully full of chocolate, and not so heavy on the sugar. Rather like the inside of a truffle….

THAT CHOCOLATE CAKE
(The Essence of Chocolate)
Print this recipe

2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c. canola oil
1 c. whole milk
1 c. boiling water

Frosting:
1 1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 c. heavy cream
5 ounces 99% unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly butter the bottom of two 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom with parchment paper, then butter and flour the parchment and the sides of the pans.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, mixing on low speed. Mix in the eggs, oil, and milk.

Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and mix in the water. The batter will be soupy.

Divide the batter between the cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and cool on a cooling rack for 5 minutes, then turn the layers out onto the rack and cool completely.

Frosting:
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and cream and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and simmer for 6 minutes. Add the chocolate and butter and stir until melted. Pour into a bowl and stir in the vanilla.

Let the frosting cool, whisking gently from time to time. Don’t overwhip or you’ll create air bubbles.

When the frosting is cool it should have the consistency of mayonnaise. If it is still too thin, allow it to cool longer. (It will take quite some time to thicken up. After about 2 hours I put mine in the fridge for 30-60 minutes for “quick thickening”. Just don’t forget it or it will be too hard!)

Spread the frosting with a hot palette knife or icing spatula to give the frosting a beautiful shine.

Serves 8-12.

Next up is The Ghirardelli Chocolate Cookbook put out by the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company. A nice little book of about 8 inches square and 150 pages, there are many tempting recipes and good photos. Chapters include Cookies, Brownies & Bars, Cakes, Cupcakes & Tortes, Pies, Tarts & Other Spectacular Desserts, Candies & Bonbons, Breads & Breakfast, and Anything-But-Boring Chocolate Drinks.

I chose to make a Chocolate Pecan Pie and I was not disappointed. This pie was amazing and will be something that I turn to in the future. The pie filling was like a dark chocolate brownie, heavily laden with nuts but with the pecan pie filling consistency.

CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE
(The Ghirardelli Chocolate Cookbook)
Print this recipe

4 ounces Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate baking bar, broken or chopped into 1-inch pieces (I used Baker’s Corner)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. pecan halves
1 9-inch unbaked pie crust (I used Martha Stewart’s Pate Sucree)

Preheat the oven to 325F. In the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally until smooth.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed or with a whisk, beat the eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt until blended. Beat in the chocolate mixture. Stir in the pecans and pour into pie shell.

Place pie on a baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and bake for about 55 minutes, or until the filling is set. Cool completely on a rack at room temperature.

Serves 8.

A few other books to mention include:

Deep Dark Chocolate by Sara Perry. This is a beautifully designed little book with about 200 pages of scrumptious looking recipes including brownies, cookies, pies, tarts, cheesecake, puddings, custards, souffles, sauces, fondues, ice-creams, drinks, breakfast items, and more. The photos and design give the book a vintagey feel.

Chocolate Epiphany by Francois Payard is another large, picture-filled book of nearly 300 pages and 100 recipes. It includes a number of breads not mentioned in the other books as well as some less-known varieties of chocolate cookies. Other temptations include: Chocolate Popcorn, Chocolate Marshmallows, Cranberry-Chestnut Tart, Sweet Potato Chocolate Tart, and Black Forest Cake. The author is French and this means many French and European-influenced dishes are included in the book.

Posted in Off the Shelf | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment »

Bread Basket: Chocolate Breads

February 2, 2010 by Heather

Where chocolate is concerned, it is hard to use moderation. Thus, we have today three recipes for using chocolate in various forms of bread. It was too hard for me to narrow it down any further!

First we have chocolate muffins. I found it almost impossible to find a good chocolate muffin recipe. Oh, chocolate muffin recipes do abound, but they look and sound more like the identical twin of chocolate cupcakes, rather than the kind of muffin you might choose to enjoy for breakfast. So, I had to make my own. And they came out just how I wanted them: moist, full of chocolate flavor, and not so sweet as to negate the use of butter.

CHOCOLATE MUFFINS
(Heather)
Print this recipe

1 1/2 c. flour
1/3 c. cocoa
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

1 egg
3/4 c. milk to which you add 2 tsp. vinegar
1/2 c. oil

Optional — one or more of the following:
1/3 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup chopped nuts (think hazelnuts, walnuts or pecans)
1/3 cup dried cherries or cranberries

Preheat oven to 400F. Line muffin tin with muffin papers. Sift together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, “soured” milk, and oil. Stir together the dry and wet ingredients and mix only until combined. Add any optional ingredients. Spoon into muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes or until done.

Makes 12.

I thought it would be good to suggest a yeast bread that goes outside the box a bit — using chocolate to add depth of flavor and color, rather than taking main stage. Russian Black Bread is a hearty, full-flavor bread that incorporates chocolate. Being made partially with rye flour, you will find this bread denser than most, and you will notice it does not rise as high as regular yeasted bread. This is normal and is connected with the fact that rye flour does not allow for the formation of much gluten, as opposed to wheat flour.

RUSSIAN BLACK BREAD
(from Cooks.com)
Print this recipe

1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 c. boiling water
1/4 c. vinegar
1/4 c. butter
1 1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, cut in 6 pieces
3 (1/4 oz.) pkgs. active dry yeast
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 c. warm water
3 c. medium or dark rye flour
1 c. whole bran cereal
1/2 c. wheat germ
1 Tbsp. instant coffee granules
1 Tbsp. salt
2 tsp. caraway seeds, crushed
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed
1 tsp. onion powder
4 to 4 1/2 c. all purpose or bread flour
1 tsp. dark molasses blended with a pinch of salt and one tablespoon water for glaze (I just dusted the bread with flour)

In a large, heavy saucepan, stir granulated sugar over medium high heat until melted. Continue to stir until sugar smokes and is almost black. Slowly and carefully stir in 2 cups boiling water. This will cause mixture to smoke and sugar to lump and harden. Continue cooking and stirring until sugar is completely dissolved.

Stir in vinegar, butter and chocolate. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally to dissolve chocolate.

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and brown sugar  in 1/2 cup water. Let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the cooled sugar mixture, 1 cup rye flour, bran cereal, wheat germ, coffee granules, salt, caraway seeds, fennel seeds, onion powder and 2 to 2 1/2 cups all purpose or bread flour. Beat with electric mixture for 2 minutes or by hand for 200 vigorous strokes. Stir in remaining rye flour and enough remaining all purpose or bread flour to make a stiff dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Clean and grease bowl; set aside.

Knead dough 10-12 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place dough in greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover with a slightly damp towel. Let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Grease 2 medium baking sheets or 2 round cake pans; set aside.

Punch down risen dough; knead 2 minutes. Divide dough in half; cover and let rest 10 minutes. Shape into 2 round loaves. Place on prepared baking sheets. Cover with a dry towel. Let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375F. Slash tops of loaves as desired; brush with molasses glaze or flour. Bake 30-35 minutes, brush again with glaze if using. Bake 10 minutes longer or until bread sounds hollow when tapped on bottom. Remove from pans and cool on rack.

Makes 2 loaves.

I couldn’t help but think of those who cannot eat chocolate — either by choice or by dictate of dietary restrictions. So, I decided to include a Carob Date Loaf which is a lovely way to have something that hints of chocolate, while still remaining health-conscious.

CAROB DATE LOAF
(adapted from Natural Lifestyle Magazine, Jan. 2004)
Print this recipe

1 cup pitted dates, cut up
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. carob powder
6 Tbsp. butter
3/4 c. boiling water
1 Tbsp. vanilla
3/4 c. honey (I used 1/2 c. agave nectar)
1 1/4 c. whole wheat flour
2 eggs

Place the dates, baking soda, salt, and carob powder in a mixing bowl. Toss lightly with a fork. Add the butter and boiling water, but do not stir. Let stand 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine the eggs and vanilla. Add the honey and flour, stirring until well blended. Add the date mixture, stirring just to blend. Pour into a well-greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. Bake 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool before removing from pan.

Makes 1 loaf.

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Market Fresh: Chocolate

February 1, 2010 by Heather

Just about everyone (except my husband) loves chocolate. But how many of us think about using chocolate in savory cooking? It’s the truffles, chocolate chip cookies, and decadent chocolate cake that fuel our cravings. Thinking outside the box is good once in awhile and using chocolate in a savory dish exercises creativity and sparks the imagination.

Today I have a lovely Spinach-Pear Salad with Chocolate Dressing and Roasted Cauliflower with Paprika and Cocoa for you to try.

I made this salad with spinach, spring salad mix, and pears. However, as we were eating, we dreamed of substituting strawberries for the pears, adding Gorgonzola and toasted pecans, and later on we even suggested bacon. So, make the salad with whatever ingredients you think sound good to you and enjoy the sweet, tangy bite of this Chocolate Dressing.

CHOCOLATE BALSAMIC SALAD DRESSING
(adapted from www.recipezaar.com)
Print this recipe

1/2 c. Balsamic vinegar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 oz. (2 squares) unsweetened baking chocolate

Place the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan. Add the sugar and dissolve over a gentle heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate. Leave to cool to room temperature. Do not refrigerate or dressing will solidify.

Roasted cauliflower is one of my favorite vegetable side dishes. I’ve made it often in the past, but this was my first time to try it with the cocoa and paprika. To be honest, I didn’t really taste a strong note of either coming through. Perhaps the two added more to the overall color of the dish. In any case, I will definitely be repeating this — I always make a full head of cauliflower and it is never enough.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH COCOA AND PAPRIKA
(Heather)
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1 head of cauliflower
canola oil
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
paprika
unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 400F. Cut cauliflower into florets. Rinse and drain and pat dry. Spread on a baking sheet. Drizzle with canola oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika and cocoa powder. I probably used about 1 tsp. of cocoa powder for the entire pan, perhaps the same for the paprika. Use your hands to turn florets and make sure they are coated evenly.

Bake for 25-35 minutes or until nicely browned and tender.

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Aprons, Travel, and Hope

January 30, 2010 by Heather

Here at The Cooks Next Door we are very excited about an opportunity Alaina has to travel back to Kazakhstan this April. Alaina’s two oldest children were born in Kazakhstan and so she and her husband have a very special place in their heart for this country.

Alaina will be travelling with an organization called Two Hearts for Hope – a non-profit dedicated to supporting the needs of orphans in Kazakhstan. While in Kazakhstan the team will be building a playground for the benefit of some of these children as well as spending time showing love to the orphans.

We’re hoping Alaina will be able to keep us updated on the team’s progress while they are away (and maybe even throw in a word or two about what she’s eating).

So, in order to help with this effort, we’re hosting an Etsy sale in Alaina’s benefit through the end of February. All sales (100%) will go directly toward her trip. There are plenty of cute aprons, a few tea cozies and lots of beautiful felted flowers to choose from. So hop over and have a look!

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Weekend Fare: Smoothies

January 29, 2010 by Alaina

Smoothies are perfect for the weekends or any day of the week. They often feature yogurt and/or milk but there are dairy-free recipes as well. You can boost their nutrients by adding protein powder, ground flax seed, or whatever other additives you prefer. Here are two that our family enjoy.

PINA COLADA SMOOTHIE
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1 c. vanilla yogurt
2 Tb. shredded coconut
8-10 oz. crushed pineapple w/juice
1/2 banana
1/2 c. milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
8 ice cubes

Put all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. The coconut will still have some texture, so if you don’t prefer that, you can make a pineapple-banana smoothie and omit the coconut or substitute coconut milk for the milk and shredded coconut! Serves 3-4.

STRAWBERRY BANANA SMOOTHIE 
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1 c. vanilla yogurt
1 1/2 c. frozen strawberries
1/2 banana
1/2 c. fruit juice (I used a berry blend)

Combine all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Serves 2-3.

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