Pizza

I made pizza tonight.  Ever since The Mrs. bought me a pizza stone I have been experimenting with breads, pizza and fococcia to name a few things.  I used to let my Bread Man 3 million make the dough for me, but decided a few days ago to try my hand at making the dough on my own.  I put the dough hook into my beloved Kitchen Aid mixer, bodged together a dough recipie and let fly.  The results were delicious.  I remember My Man Alton had said something about letting the dough rest in the 'fridge over night.  I put a chunk of my dough in the fridge and baked it off the next day.  It was twice as good as the day before.  I had made a white pizza because I was out of tomato sauce, but it was good enough to share with a co-worker or two, both of whom confirmed my (clearly unbiased) opinion that I had "done good". 

Last night I put together a batch of my dough, let it sit over night and cooked it today.  The difference is marked.  The overnight crust has a great balance of chewy, light and crisp.  Part of the overall effect is the oven and the stone, but I am convinced that the dough has to be right to take full advantage of all the parts that make up a good pizza. 

I also subscribe (now) to the "less is more" theory of pizza making/eating.  Two toppings at the most is my new motto.  Of course I am making smaller pizza's so I can make two or three, each with it's own topping and be happy. 

Pizza Dough
3 cups AP flour (or 2 cups AP one cup Whole Wheat)
3-6 Tablespoons of olive oil
One Packet of Yeast bloomed in one cup of warm water
Two Tablespoons Sugar
One teaspoon salt. 

I put the dry (Flour, sugar and salt) in the bowl of my stand mixer and sift with dough hook. 

Then you add the oil, starting with 3 Tbs. Turn the mixer on to medium and wait until the oil incorporates with the flour.  (you may need to push the flour down the sides of the bowl) add oil untill you get a good slightly lumpy but dry flour. 

I add the bloomed yeast and warm water in two stages.

I turn the mixer on to low (be sure to lock the head down once the dough comes together) and add up to another half cup of warm water untill the dough forms and is kneaded by the dough hook.

I let the mixer run for about 7-10 more minutes then take the dough out of the bowl and form it into a "jellyfish" and put it in a bowl (glass or aluminum are what I use) that has been sprayed with olive oil.  I cover the dough with wax paper and cover the bowl with a wet tea towel and put in my fridge overnight.  I punch the dough down in the morning, re-cover and use when I get home. 

If you have a mixer, or some time on your hands and want a good workout, I suggest you try making your own dough.  I never would have a year ago, but now that I have I don't see going back any time soon.  It is dead easy, cheap as chips, and gosh-darn tasty. 

So there you have it Gentle Reader, Pizza is served. 

From the Sea

I found some Atlantic salmon at my local Pathmark.  It looked good, and (while farm raised and fed feed for color) had a nice body and fat striation.  We haven't had fish in a while so I threw cation to the wind and picked up 3 portions.  I figure I can feed the two of us, and me for dinner tomorrow out of these three slabs.  If The Mrs. is particularly hungry she can have two portions.

I have seasoned the fish with salt and pepper, then sprayed with olive oil (using my new kitchen gadget the olive oil atomizer) and have placed them skin side down my black oven sheet.  (over foil for ease of cleaning)  I will introduce them into a VERY hot oven (490 because of the foccacia I am baking as well) on the top rack and hope for them to be done in 10 minutes or so.

I will put the fish in the oven as soon as the rice comes out.

The rice is 1.5 cups of water brought to a boil
1 cup of rice poured into the boiling water
Stir with a fork or chopsticks and put the lid back on the (oven proof) pan
When it all comes back to a boil, put the entire thing into your oven for 20 minutes.
After 20 mintues take the pan out and let it rest for 10 minutes
After the 10 minutes, take the lid off the rice, fluff with a fork (or chopsticks)
The rice should be soft and fluffy.
NB: there is very little chance of burning the rice during this as there are no "hot spots" on the pan and the heat is even all around.
Also: so long as the oven temp. is above 350 and below melting point of the pan, the water will do it's thermal insulation trick and keep the rice at optimal cooking temperature.  I have used this technique for years and have (with the exception of a few *magnificent* faliures) had good results.

I will pull the fish when it flakes nicely under the fork (about 10 minute as I said above) and let it rest while I assemble the rice on a plate.

It is a simple dinner, but tasty and vaguely nutritious.

Dinner is served!

We won't mention the brownies for desert.

Menu

Well, the menu for the SuperBowl party is almost set.  Indiana will be represented by "Fried Pork Loin Sandwiches" or a center loin pork-chop, butterflied out, breaded and then deep fried (I may go with a pan fry in cast iron, depending on the availability of my boys Fry-Daddy.  I think one of his overly health conscious ex's may have slipped it in the garbage.) 

My thought is to do this with a pork loin, and make "Sliders" or small sandwich's for passing on a plate.  This will make shopping, frying, portion control and serving much easier.  Still, fried pork is NEVER a bad thing.

I am waiting on the overtime between Minnesota and New Orleans to come in.  Minnesota is (to me) calling for a wild rice pilaf with dried cranberries, but The Mrs. is holding out for some form of Scandinavian food like Gravlox, herring (in any way I can remember from the honey moon) or perhaps a Swedish Smorgasbord.

Aaaaand after seeing the game wining field goal by The Saints, it would seem that the other half of dinner will be a jambalaya. 

This is going to be a AWESOME dinner.  Both The Mrs. and I have been knocked out of my school's pool, but we are both excited for a good company, good dinner, good game and the best team winning.

Pictures will be posted of the feast in two weeks gentle readers, but there will be dinners between then and now.

I close with the final thought, finish if you can.

"Breakfasts come and go René......."

The roast is still giving

Nothing too exciting today gentle readers.  I have taken the potatoes that were under the roast (lots of amazing flavor I assure you) and sliced them thinly.  (about 1/8 of an inch)  I put a potato (sliced) and a slice of roast on my samosa dough (see earlier post) rolled out. 

They are in the oven at 375 as I type. 

Pictures when they come out. 

Bon Apetit

The Roast that keeps on Giving

A few weeks ago I made a roast of beef.  The Mrs. and I ate well off the beef for about 3 days, including steak and eggs, cold roast sandwiches, re-warmed roast, and of course the original roast.  By my calculations we fed two people 4 meals on one piece of meat.  (it was under two kilo's)

Today I braved the busy halls of my local Pathmark and found a Rib Eye roast on sale for $3.29 a pound (for club members).  Knowing the length to which I can streatch such a piece of meat (even thinking Roast Beef Hash on Saturday) I was excited to find a 3.6 pound (apx 1.5 kilos) eye roast for $12.  (rounding like Edward Norten here)

The Roast, potatoes, seasoned and ready to go

When I got it home I let it sit out for an hour or so.  I beleive in bringing meat up to room temperature before roasting, but Williams Sonama suggested chilling an eye roast before roasting to enhance flavor.  I am not sure on the science of this, but I split the difference, and let the hunk of beast come up for an hour, but still maintain some chill in the middle.  I am out of oninos, so I used qartered potatoes as a roasting rack.  I wiped the roast down with olive oil, sprinkeled on some Kosher salt (to draw out the protiens dont you know?) and then seasoned with my trusty pizza seasoning.  When I knew The Mrs. plans I turned the oven on to 475.  When the oven hit temp I introduced the roast to the hotbox (middle rack) and turned the heat down to 350.

I know my man Alton advocates a "low then high" method of roasting, I have found with my personal sized roasts the "high then low" method works for me.

After a 40 minutes there was VERY little thermal action

My new Pot Holder, thing is awesome (and from our regestry)

so I put the roast back into the oven (top rack this time) for another 40 minutes.  The center reads 110 now (after checking) and I know that I want to pull the roast at 120.  (Degrees F)  With a caryover of around 10 degrees my roast should wind up around 125-130, or a wonderful medium-rare, in the middle.  The ends shoudl be wonderful and crusty, full of flavor, the center full of juice and redness.

Roast out of the oven after 80 minutes (One hour twenty minutes)

I will, of course, let this rest for 10-15 minutes for the carryover to take effect, as well as letting the juices re-distribute; that is go back into the roast as the meat cools and relaxes.  There is some science behind all this, but that is a later post.

The Roast Rests under an aluminum tent

Pictures will follow.  For now, gentle reader (and eater) imagine the smell in the kitchen. 

Dinner is served.  

Have a good Wednesday, and look for some leftover recipes soon.

MLK was the Man

Martin Luther King Jr. was the MAN.

That being said, I am going to just cook a meal that will feed sweetie and me for a day or two.

I have been marinading a pork loin in Italian dressing for the majority of the day.  I will put it in a 400 degree oven next to some potatoes, (tossed in the same dressing) and carrots.

As it comes out of the oven I will rest it on a resting rig (small plate inverted over a large plate over paper towels) let it sit for 10 minutes and then carve.

Resting Rig.

I hope to have extra potatoes and carrots (Samosas tomorrow I am thinking).  I bought some salad in a bag and will serve it next to the pork and tubers.

My thought is feed sweetie as she would like to be fed (less bread than I have been making lately) and work with what I have.

Pics to follow when I make the meal

Dinner is served.  Tubers, Rice, Foccacia and the pork. 

Long Lines and Frozen Shrimp

I went to my local Pathmark today.  I had just changed the left taillight of my car at the insistence of a very nice and respectful officer in the NYPD.  It would seem I had a taillight out and that caused said nice young officer to pull me over, run my name and bid me a good day; my thought is he was looking for somebody else and was slightly disappointed that I was not he.

There were no red baskets available at Pathmark; and the lines were too long to contemplate so I bid my supermart good day and went off home (by way of the "Super Lube" for an oil change and a free car wash).  This tactical retreat away from the clogged checkout lanes of my local grocery left me at the tender mercies of the food I have stockpiled against such a day.  There was nothing in the 'fridge, but some frozen shrimp in the freezer, tomato sauce and pasta in the cupboard and onion in the root cellar. (the empty space between the microwave and the coffee maker) 

I made a very nice shrimp Giopinno (Italian seafood in spicy tomato broth) served over the corkscrew pasta (caviatelli) and an olive feta foccacia. 

Recipes is as follows:
Giopinno

Two small onions, one diced one frenched
Four cloves of garlic
10 medium pitted olives rough chopped
Spices (salt, pepper, chili powder)
6 glugs of olive oil
one pat of butter (about one Tablespoon) 
two medium (one large) can of tomato sauce
1/2 cup red wine
Rice Wine Vinegar to taste

3/4-1 pound of shrimp (shelled and de-veined)

I use my large straight sided sauce pan (oddly enough, it is fantastic for cooking sauces) and put the onions into a cold pan with three glugs of olive oil, a pat of butter and turn the heat to medium.  I stir this until the onions have a "see through" quality (between 7-10 minutes) and are ready for spicing.  Sprinkle on salt, freshly ground black pepper, chili powder and anything else you want.  I like my supermarkets "Pizza Blend" for some depth of flavor.  I toss in the diced garlic at this point and cook everything for another 7-10 minutes over medium heat; stirring as needed to layer flavor and keep anything from sticking.  Then put the two cans of sauce and the wine into the pot, turn heat to high and wait for bubbles; upon bubbles I turn the heat back to medium and leave the sauce alone, stirring occasionally, checking for seasoning and balancing the sweetness of the canned tomato with the rice wine vinegar.
Let it simmer untill you introduce the pasta to the boiling water. 

Pasta

Cook as per the package, using plenty of salted water, to "Al Dente" or slightly firmer than you would think you would like.  Don't worry, the carry over heat, and the heat from the sauce will cook the last few bits of the pasta.

As you put the pasta in the water, stir and cover put the shrimp into the sauce, it will be done by the time you are ready to serve. 

Foccaia

1 and 1/8th cup of warm water
two tablespoons of oil
one teaspoon of salt
3 and 1/3 cup of flour
two teaspoons of sugar
one packet of dry active yeast

toppings

Feta Cheese
Olives
Olive Oil
Spices

I put all the ingredients into my bread-maker (breadman 3million), set it to dough and let it do its job.  One hour and 20 minutes later I kneed the dough out on a floured surface, dimple with my fingers, introduce the toppings (feta cheese and olives today) drizzle with olive oil and let it sit for 10-20 minutes.  Put into a 400 degree oven (on a pizza stone) and let cook until bottom is crispy
 and top is done.  I would love to give you times, but your best bet is to stay in the kitchen and check the progress through the window in the oven.  Don't open the oven door more than twice because you loose alot of hot air that way, and hot air belongs IN the oven, not OUT of the oven.  When it is done, take it out, rest it for AT LEAST 10 minutes, cut it and serve with your sauce over pasta. 

It was a delicious meal born of an impatience with long lines.  I would say the lesson today is keep food in your larder and be prepared to be inventive. 

Onions and Oil, ready for the medium heat

Onions and Oil, after abotu 10 minutes I just put in the olives and garlic.  Note the Frenched onion wilted and *just* taking on color

Foccacia, proofed and ready for the oven; remember flour the Peel (Emma) for easy transfer

The bottom of the foccaia, note the brown and crispy; if you see this you are done

Dinner is served!