Herbed Bread: Fennel-Semolina Loaf

Italian Semolina Bread: Fennel VariationIngredients (Recipe and bread picture from Pat Taaffe)

3 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (2 packets)
1 2/2 tablespoons Kosher salt
3 cups durum flour
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Sesame seeds for top crust, approximately 1 to 2 teaspoons
Cornmeal for the pizza peel
Cornstarch wash

Process:

1. Mixing and storing the dough: Mix the yeast and salt with the lukewarm water in a five quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container.

2. Mix in the flours without kneading, using a spoon , a 14 cup food processor(wirh dough attachment) , or a heavy duty stand mixer (with dough hook).If you'te not using a machine, you may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour.

3. Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises
and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.

4. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is esier to handle when it is cold.Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use within the next 14 days.


5. On baking day, dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a one pound (grapefruit sized )piece.Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides to form an oval shaped free-form loaf.Allow to rest and rise on a cornmeal -covered pizza peel for 40 minutes.

6. Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450 degrees, with a baking stone placed on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread.

7. Just before baking, paint the surface with a cornstarch wash, sprinkle with fennel seeds (look at the bottonm of this post for other suggestions) and slash the surface diagonally, using a serrated bread knife.

8. Slice the loaf directly onto the hot stone. Pour one cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray, and quickly close the over door. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until deeply browned and firm. Smaller or larger loaves will need adjustments in baking times.


9. Allow to cool before eating.

Many ethnic specialties feature yeast breads quick breads using a variety of spices and herbs.Add the following ingredients per pound (3 to 4
cups flour) of yeast dough.1 tsp. sage, 2 tsp. caraway seed, and 1-1/2 tsp.
nutmeg;1 1/2 tbsp.sesame seeds 1-1/2 Tbsp. dill seed or 1-1/2 Tbsp. caraway seed and l/8-cup instant minced onion; orl/2-tsp. sage, l/2-tsp. thyme, and l/2-tsp.marjoram.
DISCLAIMER:

The statements made here have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure or prevent any disease. This notice is required by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

Chemistry and Cooking with Herbs

Aroma: The herb has volatile oils (rapidly
evaporating)contained in stems and leaves.

Flavor: The herb has chemical compounds
containing flavor chemicals such as
stevioside and capsalin.

We detect flavor though taste, smell, and
texture. Coolness, hotness, and
temperature are also important.

Taste: Types and Herbal examples

Taste buds last an average of 10 days!

Sweet: Stevia, Licorice, Sweet Cicely.

Salty: Sodium ions. Tomatoes.

Sour: Acid: French sorrel.

Bitter: Wormwood, Hops, Wild chicory, Dandelion greens,

Savory or “Umami”: Cheese, Soy sauce, MSG

Cooking With Herbs

Composition or Arrangement:
No chemical change due to temperature
or medium used. Garnishes, dressings.
and cheeses. Salsas, sauces, cocktails made with Lavender or Basil, wrapping with Sea Weed or Shiso. Pesto.

Emulsions , diffusions, infusions
Glazes for meat,
Bouquet garni. Using oils or fats to draw out essential oils/flavors. Teas. Oil and vinegar infusions, herbed butters


Chemical changes in the substances due to
heating, pickling or freezing: Frozen liquids.
From liquid, pickling or using brines that
cause absorption of flavors, change
in texture. Breads, baked goods.

Rosemary and Gray Sea Salt Roasted Potatoes

This dish us surprisingly easy to make and adds an elegant touch to any roast or grilled fish dish.

Ingredients:

2 lb. potatores, preferable small Russett ones

Gray sea salt (or, frankly, any other sea salt, flavors will vary)

2 tsp Rosemary (fresh), finely minced

Olive oil

(Mortar and Pestle)

(Roasting Pan)

Scrub potatoes throughly. Boil for ten minutes and remove with a slotted spoon from the pan.

Let cool until you can handle the potatoes (without burning your hands).

Using a mortar and pestle, pour the sea salt into the bottom.

Pour the rosemary onto the top of the salt and grind the rosemary and sea salt.

The salt will be infused with the rosemary.

Take olive oil and coat the roasting pan. You wiull be cutting the potatoes into wedges and rolling them in the oil in the pan.

After coating the potatoes with oil, sprinkle the salt and rosemary mixture a bit at a time over the potatoes.

Be sparing---you do not want a dish that is too salty.

Place in the oven , heated to 350 degrees and roast for at least 1/2 an hour, or until they are crispy.

French, English and Italian Tomato Sauces

Tomatoes from the End of Summer

If you followed either workshop in the summer, you can use your ice cubes of the two herbs in this easy Italian sauce.

Ingredients
2 cans of plum tomatoes, with sauce, chopped.
Olive oil, 1/2 cup
1 Onion. Bermuda, minced finely
cloves of garlic, peeled, minced
3 ice cubes of basil and oregano mix (or 1 tbsp of each herb, minced, if fresh; 1 tsp of each herb, if dried.)
1 tspn. Sugar

Preparation
1.Warm the olive oil in a Dutch oven
2.Add the onion, and sauté until translucent, Add garlic, mix with onion, and cook until alliums are translucent (alliums=onion and garlic)
3.Add tomatoes, stir. Let simmer, not boil, covered, 1/2 hour.
4. Add sugar, then Basil-Oregano cubes, and continue to simmer for 15 minutes.
If you do not have cubes (it is the middle of the winter, for instance), use
1 tsp of each herb. If you want a more "herby" taste, increase the proportion to 1 1/2 tspn of each.
5.Serve over piping hot pasta.

A variant on this recipe that does change an Italian sauce into a French one:
- Add one tsp TARRAGON (dried, or 2 tsp (fresh) when you add the herbs.

Another variant from Jekka's cookbook, an English sauce:
- Saute the onions and garlic in BUTTER. Do not use oil.



DISCLAIMER:

The statements made here have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure or prevent any disease. This notice is required by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
Another recipe from the Flavor and Fun Workshop:

Herbs: Use with Caution

Going to the Dogs: Parsley Dog Biscuits

FRESHEN-UP” PARSLEY DOG BISCUITS
Parsley is one of the few things that are plentiful in
gardens now---let it go to the dogs!These are treats for pups-and owners. Fresh doggie breathe is a possibility!


Ingredients


2 cups whole wheat flour, or more as needed
1 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup shredded peeled apple
2 1/2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 cup warm water


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, carrots, apple, honey and parsley, then add the warm water. Mix thoroughly. If the dough is sticky, add more flour.


Turn the dough out onto a floured board and roll into a circle 1/4 inch thick. Cut out biscuits with a boneshaped cookie cutter and place on a nonstick
baking sheet.


Bake the biscuits for 9 to 12 minutes, depending on the size, until the edges are brown. Let cool on a rack, then pass out the biscuits -----as deserved.

How to Preserve Herbs

I'm holding aloft my Favorite: Lemon Verbena, and wondering

when to start taking cuttings for the fall...

10 Easy Ways To Preserve Herbs
Enjoying a big bounty of fresh herbs from the garden this year? Fresh is best when it comes tocooking with herbs, but here are ten easy ways you can preserve them for year-round use.
10 Easy Ways To Preserve Herbs
1. Air Dry Herbs: If you have the space
and the time, you can tie small
bunches of cleaned herbs together
(about 4 or 5 stems) and hang them
upside down in a dark, warm, well
ventilated area. The drying time is
about 2 to 4 weeks–you want the
leaves to be crispy and easily crumble
between your fingers before you pack
them. Store them in airtight containers
once fully dry.
2. Oven Dry Herbs: Arrange cleaned
herb stems in a single layer on a
cookie sheet with temperature set at
180° F. Heat for about 4 hours,
keeping the oven door open the entire
time (to let moisture escape). Stir
herbs occasionally during this heating
process. Store herbs in airtight
containers once fully dry.
3. Dry Herbs With A Microwave: Here’s a
quick & easy method to drying them in
the microwave if you need dried herbs
fast…but watch while you’re heating to
make sure they don’t smoke or start
on fire. Since microwaves heat differently, the times may vary for you. Instructions are
here: How to Dry Herbs With a Microwave.
4. Cool Air Drying: Wash and dry herbs. Layer a cookie sheet with paper towels and then
arrange herbs in a single layer. Place in the refrigerator and remove once herbs are
completely dried (check daily). Store in airtight containers and jars. Does not work in
crisper bins.
5. Salt or Sugar Drying: Layer fresh herbs between salt or sugar (covering completely) and
leave them until they are desiccated. Remove leaves and store in airtight containers.
Choose salt or sugar depending on the flavor of the herb and which would be better
suited to it.
6. Freeze Herbs In Ice Cubes: Chop herbs then sprinkle them into ice cube trays (measure
into each cube the most common amount you use in cooking). Cover with water and
freeze (can also cover with stock or olive oil). Pop them out once they’re frozen, package
in freezer bags and store in the freezer (remove as much air as possible from the bags
before freezing). When needed for cooking, just take out a cube and pop it in the dish
that’s cooking (thawing first is optional–remember to account for the frozen liquid in your
recipe). Tip: Try mixing your favorite blends of fresh herbs before freezing.
7. Freezing Whole & Chopped Herbs: Many herbs freeze well without added liquid. Wash
and dry herbs then store in freezer bags with as much air removed as possible. Freeze.
You can also lay the herbs in a single layer on a cookie sheet, freeze, then pack in bags
(easier to remove singly when frozen). See this handy tip for crushing frozen herbs
quickly: Crush Herbs Fast & Easy. You can also chop them first before freezing.
Tip: Search online with the word
"tipnut" to find the good stuff fast!
{see Conquer the 'Net
for more ideas}
Tipnut Holidays
10 Easy Ways To Preserve Herbs : TipNut.com
http://tipnut.com/preserve-herbs/[8/30/2011 5:52:35 PM]
8. Bulk Herb Pastes (Pesto): Chop fresh clean herbs in a food processor then add enough
oil and blend to make a paste (approximately 2 cups fresh herbs to 1/3 cup olive oil).
Freeze in small containers (remove all air first by shaking and tapping the container then
top with a fine layer of olive oil to seal paste against air). When needed, remove container
from freezer and allow to thaw. Spoon out the required amount needed for cooking then
store the rest in the refrigerator. The most common pesto is made from basil, but you can
use other herbs too (and combinations of herbs).
9. Bulk Herb Seasoning Salt: Have a ready supply of herbs & seasonings at your fingertips
(create your own signature blend), whipping up batches only once a year and freezing
until needed. Instructions: Make Ahead Herb Seasoning Salt.
10. Bulk Herb Butters: Chop herbs and mix with butter to taste. Freeze in single serving
butter pats or in cube sizes appropriate for cooking (just add the herb butter pat while dish
is cooking–remember to account for butter in recipe). Thaw before using. See Make
Ahead Fresh Herbs & Butter for more details.
Tips:
One teaspoon of dried herbs is equivalent to 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs.If you prefer fresh herbs over winter, consider growing herbs indoors: How