Sourdough in Orlando

Although I let the bigga expand past the confines of the container and ended up wearing it, we have a new favorite bread recipe which I will post soon.

Google Blogger is having growing pains, so since I cannot get to the Macaroni Bowl, I will have to post the image I just scanned in to the Table and move it later.

Dull dry and tasteless

That describes the whole wheat bread I have made in the past. . .now I know why!
Bread makers read this article and ask Santa for a home flour mill.
Totally unrealistic you say? Me, too. So what's a gal to do?

Belly Bombers Part Deux

Joe just found the copy of the first recipe Helen sent us for Zeppolas or Zeppoles or Seppola or whatever spelling of Belly Bombers you prefer.

Here it is:

Ingredients:

4 cups flour
6 teaspoons baking powder
3 pounds ricotta, drained
6 tablespoons sugar
6 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

Mix ricotta and eggs.
Sift flour, sugar and baking powder together.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring until smooth.
Drop by tablespoons into hot oil, 3" deep.
Fry until golden brown.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Cajun Rub and Wet Mop

Cajun Rub

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Hungarian paprika (no fillers)
1/4 cup black pepper, coarsely ground
3 Tablespoons basil, dried
3 Tablespoons garlic powder
2 Tablespoons onion powder
2 Tablespoons oregano, dried
2 Tablespoons cayenne pepper flakes (more to taste)
2 Tablespoons white pepper
2 Tablespoons thyme, dried

Method:
Stir together and use as a rub.

Wet Mop Finish

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Tiger sauce
1/2 cup Worchestershire sauce
6 ounce can of tomato paste
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 1/2 Tablespoons dry mustard
2 tablespoon steak sauce
1 teaspoon chopped flat leaf Italian parsley
1 Tablespoon vinegar
bourban to taste (up to a cup)

Method:
Combine all ingredients. Add bourban to taste one tablespoon at a time.

Satay Seasoning for Q

Satay

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon whole coriander seed
1 teaspoon whole cumin seed
1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
1 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger
2 Tablespoons Nam Pla (fish sauce)
1 Tablespoon curry powder
pinch turmeric powder
1/2 tablespoons coconut cream skimmed off the top of a can of refrigerated coconut milk
3 Tablespoons palm sugar

Method:

Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a small cast iron skillet and then grind with a mortar and pestle. Place all the ingredients in a zipper bag with thinly slice pork loin or chicken pieces. Refrigerate overnight. Slide meat pieces on skewers and smoke or grill. Serve with peanut sauce and cucumber relish

Nam Jim Satay (Peanut Sauce)

Ingredients:

4 ounces of roasted (unsalted) peanuts without skins or a quarter cup of natural peanut butter (found in organic groceries-- no trans fat like the national brands)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 chopped red shallots
2 Tablespoons Sambal Oeleck (red pepper and garlic paste)
1 teaspoon Nam Pla (fish sauce)
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 stalks lemon grass, peeled and mashed in to a paste (add a little of the coconut milk, if needed)
1 Tablespoon tamarind paste
1/4 cup palm sugar
2 Kaffir lime leaves, shredded, then mashed to a paste
lime wedges
Method:

First grind or crush the peanuts to a fairly fine powder and add the remaining ingredients to make a smooth paste. Each person squeezes the lime wedges to add juice to taste.

Cucumber Relish:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon palm sugar
1/4 cup cucumber, finely diced
2 red shallots, finely diced
3 Thai chile peppers, thinly sliced

Combine the ingredients and refrigerate overnight.

Satay should be served with a small bowl of the peanut sauce and cucumber relish for each person.

Char Sui rub for BBQ Pork

Cha Sui

Ingredients:

1/2 cup saki
2/3 cup hoisin sauce
2/3 cup tamari
1/2 cup palm sugar (substitute light brown sugar if palm sugar is not available)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teapoons black bean paste
1 1/2 teaspoon chinese 5-spice powder

Method:
Place all ingredients in a zipper topped bag and add a 3 pound pork loin. Let set overnight for best flavor development.

We use this BBQ Pork in steamed buns.

Honey Jamaican Jerk for Q!

Jamaican Jerk Rub -- makes one cup of rub

Ingredients:

6 Tablespoons onion powder
6 Tablespoons dried onion flakes
2 Tablespoons ground allspice
2 Tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons cayenne
4 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
4 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon dried ground habanero or Scotch Bonnet chile peppers

Method:
Combine and store in jar.

When ready to make the rub add enough honey to make a paste and
2 Tablespoons Tobasco brand pepper sauce, in your choice of habanero, chipotle, green or red chile pepper flavors.

Stewed Tomatoes and Okra

It's my favorite time of the year for gardening. Unfortunately the extreme heat and drought are playing havoc with my harvests but today I picked a few tomatoes, hot peppers, green beans and okra. I usually fry the okra but today I making it in to another favorite dish: Stewed Tomatoes and Okra. It's a southern thang.

INGREDIENTS:

6 to 8 ripe tomatoes
2 cups okra, rinsed, trimmed and sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
3 tablespoons sugar (more or less)
1 small bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Italian flat-leaf parsley to garnish
2 tablespoons bacon drippings

PREPARATION:

In a small cast iron skillet, sauté the onion in the bacon drippings over medium heat until softened, not browned. For a low fat version, dry sweat onions until barely carmalized.

Core tomatoes; place in boiling water for about 15 to 20 seconds, then into ice water to cool quickly; peel. Cut tomatoes in wedges, squeeze out seeds if desired.Combine all ingredients in a slower cooker (Crock Pot). Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours. Remove bay leaf (or omit entirely if you don't like the flavor of bay laurel.) Sprinkle top with parsley, if desired. Serve as a side dish or freeze in portions for soups or other recipes.

Flour Flour Flour, More on Flour

USDA equivqlents
Ingredient 1 cup 1 tablespoon 1 teaspoon
White flour 125 gm 7.8 gm 2.6 gm
Whole-wheat flour 120 gm 7.5 gm 2.5 gm
Strong white flour 140 gm 8.75 gm 2.9 gm
Rye flour 100 gm 6.25 gm 2.1 gm