"Here with a loaf of bread beneath the bough,
A flask of wine, a book of verse - and thou..."
DAMPER LOAF:
1/2 cup milk
1 package active dry yeast
3 tsp. sugar
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup water
3 cups white flour
2 cups rye flour
2 Tbsp. potato flour
1 Tbsp. wattle seed *optional
3 tsp. salt
Allow enough time for the bread to rise twice. If you bake the bread before it has completely risen the second time, it will not be light and airy.
Warm the milk slightly in the microwave or in a pot--do not bring to a boil. In a medium mixing bowl, add the sugar and yeast to proof the yeast (make sure it rises). If the yeast begins to grow, then add the oil and 1/2 cup of the water and mix well. Into a large mixing bowl, sift in the white flour, rye flour and potato flour and whisk together until well mixed. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the liquid. Using your hands or wooden spoon, start mixing in the liquid until the dough just comes together, adding the rest of the flour in small amounts only if needed. The dough will be stiff and just barely moistened through. Knead the dough until smooth and shiny for 10-20 minutes. The longer you knead, the better the bread. Clean the large mixing bowl, film it with a light coating of oil and put the dough ball in, covered with a clean, moist cloth towel (the bowl should be big enough that the dough won't touch the towel even after it has risen). Set in a warm place to rise until double in bulk. Knead again for a few seconds to get the air out and divide it into two pieces. Place on a lightly oiled/floured baking sheet or in two separate bread tins. Cover with moist towel and let rise until double in bulk. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 20-30 minutes, until the bread makes a hollow sound when you tap the bottom.
A flask of wine, a book of verse - and thou..."
DAMPER LOAF:
1/2 cup milk
1 package active dry yeast
3 tsp. sugar
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup water
3 cups white flour
2 cups rye flour
2 Tbsp. potato flour
1 Tbsp. wattle seed *optional
3 tsp. salt
Allow enough time for the bread to rise twice. If you bake the bread before it has completely risen the second time, it will not be light and airy.
Warm the milk slightly in the microwave or in a pot--do not bring to a boil. In a medium mixing bowl, add the sugar and yeast to proof the yeast (make sure it rises). If the yeast begins to grow, then add the oil and 1/2 cup of the water and mix well. Into a large mixing bowl, sift in the white flour, rye flour and potato flour and whisk together until well mixed. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the liquid. Using your hands or wooden spoon, start mixing in the liquid until the dough just comes together, adding the rest of the flour in small amounts only if needed. The dough will be stiff and just barely moistened through. Knead the dough until smooth and shiny for 10-20 minutes. The longer you knead, the better the bread. Clean the large mixing bowl, film it with a light coating of oil and put the dough ball in, covered with a clean, moist cloth towel (the bowl should be big enough that the dough won't touch the towel even after it has risen). Set in a warm place to rise until double in bulk. Knead again for a few seconds to get the air out and divide it into two pieces. Place on a lightly oiled/floured baking sheet or in two separate bread tins. Cover with moist towel and let rise until double in bulk. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 20-30 minutes, until the bread makes a hollow sound when you tap the bottom.
Pair your damper loaf with one of the fine red wines in this week's CloseOut Wine Sale. The cheese will depend on the wine selected. There is a lot to consider for great wine and cheese matching, but the guidelines below should give you a good start.
Our cheese and wine pairing suggestions:
2005 Mueller Syrah Block Eleven Syrah -- English cheddar, dry cheddar, creamy washed-rind cheeses
2003 Arroyo Robles Cabernet Sauvignon -- sharp cheddar, pecorino, parmesan reggiano
2007 Viridian Pinot Noir -- Camembert, Colby, Monterey Jack, goat cheese
2007 Russell Creek Sangiovese -- Fontina, Mozzarella, Ricotta
2007 Cru Pinot Noir, Montage Vineyard -- Brie, Camembert, goat cheese
2006 Tamayo Contra Costa Syrah --smoked cheddar, Camembert, creamy washed-rind cheeses
It was a Big Boss Birthday at Touring & Tasting yesterday and I had fun creating my own bush tucker recipe with my bush tucker herbs and spices for the lunch celebration: a couscous dish with grilled vegetables and fig chutney. It pairs well with the 2006 Barham Mendelsohn Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, damper loaf, mild cheeses, Nicoise olives and a crudite' plate.
Bush Tucker Couscous Vegetables With Fig Chutney:
Fig Chutney:
2 cans Kadota figs (or use fresh if you're lucky enough to find them!)
1 cup sugar
juice of 1/4 lemon (about 2 Tbsp.)
1/2 packet of pectin
Put everything into a saucepan (you'll need to add water if you were fortunate to have fresh figs) and simmer for half an hour, stirring often, or until the jam is thickened.
Couscous With Grilled Vegetables:
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups dry couscous
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. Bush Tomato
1/2 Tbsp. Salt Bush
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. Tasmanian Mountain pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 zucchini
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 Tbsp. Sea Parsley
1/2 cup finely minced fresh parsley
about 1 tsp. Australian sea salt
Bring the broth, butter, Bush Tomato and Salt Bush to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the couscous, cover and turn off the heat. Let sit covered while you grill the vegetables. Mix the oil, chili, and Tasmanian Mountain pepper in a big mixing bowl. Cut the tops and bottoms off the bell peppers, cut out the pulp and seed, then cut the pepper into 1" strips (save the tops and bottoms for another dish). Slice the zucchini into 1/2" slices. Put the vegetables into the oil mixture and let marinate for 15 minutes. Then grill the vegetables until charred and softened. You can also saute' them in the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan (like a cast iron skillet). Sprinkle with the lemon and some salt to taste and stir. Fluff the couscous with a fork and put the couscous, the vegetables the Sea Parsley and the fresh parsley into a serving bowl and mix. Season with a bit more salt to taste. Serve with the fig chutney--the interesting, woody, earthy flavors of the couscous/vegetable dish is complemented with the sweetness of the chutney. This recipe will pair well with a Pinot -- like the smoky, Willamette Valley 2007 Viridian Pinot Noir.
Bush Tucker Couscous Vegetables With Fig Chutney:
Fig Chutney:
2 cans Kadota figs (or use fresh if you're lucky enough to find them!)
1 cup sugar
juice of 1/4 lemon (about 2 Tbsp.)
1/2 packet of pectin
Put everything into a saucepan (you'll need to add water if you were fortunate to have fresh figs) and simmer for half an hour, stirring often, or until the jam is thickened.
Couscous With Grilled Vegetables:
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups dry couscous
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. Bush Tomato
1/2 Tbsp. Salt Bush
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. Tasmanian Mountain pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 zucchini
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 Tbsp. Sea Parsley
1/2 cup finely minced fresh parsley
about 1 tsp. Australian sea salt
Bring the broth, butter, Bush Tomato and Salt Bush to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the couscous, cover and turn off the heat. Let sit covered while you grill the vegetables. Mix the oil, chili, and Tasmanian Mountain pepper in a big mixing bowl. Cut the tops and bottoms off the bell peppers, cut out the pulp and seed, then cut the pepper into 1" strips (save the tops and bottoms for another dish). Slice the zucchini into 1/2" slices. Put the vegetables into the oil mixture and let marinate for 15 minutes. Then grill the vegetables until charred and softened. You can also saute' them in the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan (like a cast iron skillet). Sprinkle with the lemon and some salt to taste and stir. Fluff the couscous with a fork and put the couscous, the vegetables the Sea Parsley and the fresh parsley into a serving bowl and mix. Season with a bit more salt to taste. Serve with the fig chutney--the interesting, woody, earthy flavors of the couscous/vegetable dish is complemented with the sweetness of the chutney. This recipe will pair well with a Pinot -- like the smoky, Willamette Valley 2007 Viridian Pinot Noir.
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