GARLIC KNOTS

         

      I love these little goodies, popular in Italian restaurants, so delicious hot with butter and garlic all over them. But they actually are also good, in a more snacky way, left over. If you place them in a plastic bag to keep them, the garlic butter sort of melts more into the bread. They are still a bit messy and need a napkin. I do want to apologize for the quality of the photos in this article. Working with dough really requires two hands not one hand working while the other takes photos. Next time I will make dough while someone is here to help take pictures.

      This recipe takes about three hours but there is plenty of in-between time to be doing other things, like clean up and or preparing a meal. It will make 24 garlic knots. 

You will need:

ä   1 tbsp yeast. Or one package

ä   about ¼ cup very warm water

ä   1 tbsp flour

ä   1 tbsp sugar

    as well as:

ä   about 6 cloves of garlic

ä   two tsp garlic powder

ä   two sticks (1/2 lb) of butter or margarine

ä   about ¾ cup olive oil

    as well as:

ä   aprox 3 cups of flour,  plus more for kneading

ä   1 tsp salt

ä   2 tbsp sugar

ä   1 egg

ä   ½ cup milk

ä   ½ cup water

ä   3 tbsp butter or margarine

ä   3 tbsp olive oil

ä   2 tsp Italian seasoning

ä   dried parmesan cheese optional

     The first thing you want to do is make your “sponge” which should always be the first step when making yeast breads or rolls. Making the sponge gets your yeast started and also lets you know that the yeast is good. It “proofs” your yeast. Proofing can also refer to the rising of the dough when the sponge step is skipped. Many folks do just jump right into adding the yeast to the dough, but I prefer to check it and start it feeding on the sugar first as I have had my experience with not viable or killed yeast and had to knead some good yeast into the dough later,  and this is a real hassle plus you have wasted an hours rising time by the time you find our the yeast was bad.

     To make the sponge you will need a little glass dish, and yes it should be glass for a few reasons, not metal but clear so you can see from the side that the sponge is rising, and not plastic because plastic can have food residues in it even after washing that could hamper your yeast. To the dish add ¼ cup very warm but not hot water. Sprinkle your yeast over the surface of the water. Then do the same with the tbsp of sugar and that of flour. Let sit for just about a minute then with a fork blend all of this mixture well into a thick liquid. Set this aside to proof.

     Next you will work with the garlic. I use the garlic three ways to enhance the taste, one fresh, one toasted, and one powder. Peel 3 of your garlic cloves, leaving them in tact so you can slice them very thin as shown. On a small cookie sheet spray a bit of cooking spray and lay your slices around on it, lightly spray them and sprinkle lightly with salt and if you wish pepper. Place the cookie sheet in a 400° oven on a shelf in the upper portion of the oven. Toast them for five minutes then check. You want them to be just turning brown at the edges. When you can smell them they are just about right.  If you need more than five minutes check them each minute because they will turn from toasted to burnt really quickly. When they are done set them too cool. In the meantime crush the other three cloves, peel on, with the blade of your knife. This is for two reasons. One the peels then will come right off, and crushing them breaks cell walls releasing a stronger more peppery taste.   Garlic can be used in various ways to get different results, and I will talk more on that at another time.

     You now want to mince the peeled crushed garlic very, very fine and place in a little ramekin. Do this with a large chopping knife, chopping over and over the garlic in a little pile. Push the pile together again and turn your knife another way making chops crossways or diagonal from the others, and keep doing until it is like the photo. Then after putting the fresh into a ramekin, mince the toasted slices, now cooled, the same very small and place into another ramekin.

     Now you are ready to make your dough. If you have a mixer as shown then get the dough hook and attach and set the bowl in place. If not you will be doing this by hand in a large bowl at first with a whisk or pastry blender then with your hands. A large bowl will give you working room to work the dough with your hands. Add three cups of flour to the bowl. Add 1 tsp salt, and three tbsp of sugar to the flour and be sure to blend into the flour well. Add 1 of your tsp of garlic powder to the flour and 1 of the Italian seasoning.  And blend.

      In a two cup or more, microwave safe, measuring cup, place ½ cup of milk, the ½ cup of water the 3 tbsp butter and the 3 tbsp olive oil, and heat in the microwave about a minute. You want it warm but not hot. The butter should just be starting to melt on top. Set this aside for a sec to let the butter melt more.   

     Add to your mixing bowl the sponge you made which by now should be a bubbly semi solid glob, and you will see why it’s called a sponge. Blend it slightly into the flour mixture. Note: the reason the flour has to be blended with the salt and sugar before you add the yeast is because if yeast comes in contact with the pure salt, the salt will kill the yeast. Add the egg slightly beaten, and mix just a bit.  Add ½ of each of the ramekin of minced fresh garlic and the toasted garlic, saving ½ for later use. Now add the cup of milk/water and fats, and be blending into the dough the whole time. If you are doing this by hand this is where your pastry blender needs to be traded for just you hands. If in the mixer you can turn the speed up on the dough hook just a bit. This ratio of flour to liquids usually comes out about just right, keep mixing till the dough is incorporated and starts to pull away from the side of the bowl and combine into one form of dough. You want the dough to be formed but maybe just a bit sticky left, and rather soft If by chance, and it does happen depending on humidity, the dough seems too wet add a tad bit of flour at a time just until it forms well. If it seems just a bit dry add a few drips of warm water at a time until it pulls together well.

     If you did this by hand stop here and get the dough off of your fingers, and wash your hands off. Then on a floured board, no matter which method you used turn out the dough and pull it together kneading it a bit. The mixer will have provided some kneading but the hand method will require more kneading on the board. There is a technique to kneading bread dough. You want to flatten it slightly then take the end away from you and fold it towards you, then with the heel of your palm push the folded part down into the other with a motion that is pushing down and away from yourself.  I tried to photo this but it’s rather hard as it was just me here, with one hand to knead and one to photo.. Continue to turn your dough around and around doing this over and over. The dough after about 4 or 5 minutes, will start to feel differently, and hold together well.

 

     Then take the dough and make a big ball then push it down flat like a disk, turn the disk on its side and press it flat again, then roll into a ball and repeat,  do this over and over pressing the dough straight down in to itself.  Do this for about 2 or 3 minutes. Your dough should easily roll into a soft ball now and have sort of a dimply look to it and almost shiny. Grease a clean bowl and place your dough in it, then turn the dough over so all surfaces are greased. Cover it with wax paper. Most of the year when I was young we lived in an arid, dry climate so my Mom would always wet a cloth with as hot water as she could and place over the wax paper. Then cover all this with a towel and set it off somewhere where it will be warm but not disturbed so it can rise. It should rise for at least an hour. Take this time to clean up or such, but do keep your floured board  or surface as is and out as you will use it again. 

     After the dough has risen to about twice the amount, punch it down in the bowl, and turn it down on the floured board again, and knead slightly to pull it together. Roll it into a sort of log and cut the log into even thirds with a large knife or a cutter. Cut each third in half and then in quarters as shown. Roll each piece into a ball and make them as uniform in size as you can…if there seems to be a very small ball of dough take a bit of dough from one that seems too large and add the small one and re-roll both balls.…etc… you will have 12 balls of dough.  Now, as shown, roll each of the twelve balls into a snake about ½ to ¾ inch thick, and cut that exactly in half. Tie each snake piece into a knot and p[lace on a greased cookie sheet or better on parchment paper lining the cookie sheet.. always stager how you lay rolls on a sheet for baking as shown if they are all in rows they have less expansion room and don’t cook as well. 

     After all this is done and all the knots made, melt your 2 sticks of butter or margarine in a 16 oz glass measuring cup.  Cut them in one inch chunks and set in the microwave or in a small sauce pan… melt them JUST A BIT UNTIL THERE ARE STILL CHUNKS OF UNMELTED BUTTER IN THE CUP, AND JUST PART IS MELTED. You don’t want to melt them so far that the fat starts to separate out. Then take a fork or whisk and blend the rest into a smooth thick but just about pour able consistency. In this butter add the rest of your minced garlic, fresh and toasted. Add the other tsp of garlic powder and the other tsp of Italian seasoning. Blend this all well. And you may want to put just a tad of salt and some pepper your choice. 

     Brush all the knots with the butter mixture as shown with a pastry brush, but don’t put a whole lot on each as the butter will melt down the sides in the cooking and cause the bottoms and underneath to brown too much. Now let them rise undisturbed in a warm place for about another hour. If you wish you can gently lay some wax paper over each sheet of knots. When I’m cooking a large meal and making rolls, and especially if I have others around visiting, to let any rolls rise  while I cook other things, I always cover them lightly with wax paper and go set them on the washer and dryer in the laundry room. It’s completely out of the way, it’s warm and no one would be washing clothes at that time. …Just a hint that works for me and gives more usable space in the kitchen. 

     With the melted butter you have left, add to it as much olive oil as the amount of butter left…up to two cups. Mix it well and set this aside. After the rolls are all done you may want to warm it a bit if it’s gotten too hard or cold. 

      When it comes time to bake your knots heat the oven to 375° and bake them for about 20 minutes then check. They should be baked nicely though maybe not browned. but here if the bottoms are browning too much, take them out and position a shelf in the top most part of your oven and return them there to brown. They will probably need about 5 to 10 more minutes to brown, and you can turn the heat up to 400 to help this process but be checking them every few minutes. While they were baking get a large, ideally metal bowl to hold heat. As the rolls are done place a few at a time in the large metal bowl and pour a bit of the butter olive oil mixture on them. If you wish sprinkle a bit of parmesan cheese on them here as well.  Repeat until all the rolls are in the bowl and all the butter is used. You may even want to roll them gently with your hands over in the bowl to coat them. Serve immediately or cover with a bit of wax paper and a towel to keep warm until serving.

     These are great along side Italian food, or anything really. They are also great as hors d’oeuvres or an appetizer, maybe with some marinara sauce to dip.

  Blessings mes amis

LE PRINTEMPS

         I should wonder if, aside from love, spring could boast being the subject matter of the most poems. It seems our bio clock, with no matter if or of our talent, tugs verses out of us at this time of year, we’d normally, and probably rightfully so, be embarrassed to display. Damn if the whimsy of this morning isn’t forcing my corny hand. Ah well here is what I’m thinking about on this way past lovely Saturday morning.

   

             Aye

             the spring blue sky

is knocking at my door

to see if I can come out and play.

     And a little part

     just left of my heart,

           has a rope around the sunshine

           and is pulling me outside.

   Blossoming pears,

   and some paper whites,

                  and dogwood as well,

                 Are like a waiting page to write my garden on.

         With I think

          Redbud and wisteria ink.

    A dream in front of my bungalow

    Is becoming an English country garden

    For the boulevard’s display.

         While the bounteous vegetable Muse

         is giving me a non-complacent stare from the back yard.

                My kitchen also clamors for asparagus and greens

                And cleaning and preparing primavera peas

   For all of them I have the deepest fondness.

     And yet what I truly want

        is to make a country drive become a hike

  til I find a Red tail

      hovering in wait

      to plot my escape.

  So I can climb upon her back

   and soar across the creek.

     Well I see by the radar that Indiana, maybe Michigan and Ohio are having yet more snow, Kentucky thunder storms, sever ones in Florida, Idaho and northeast California ice. Winter has certainly been a bugger this year and tenaciously will not leave. I wish you all could share my weather today, and if not that it joins you real soon wherever you are.

Blessings mes amis

HAM RIBBONS WITH PEPPERS AND GARLIC

         I would like to share a recipe with you I hope you will like as much as I did

It’s really a simple little meal and tastes deliciously different. You will need a rather thin sliced little ham. I had one that I had used my meat slicer to cut thin pieces for sandwiches… so, if you have no slicer maybe getting ham sliced at the deli would be a good idea. Regular thin but not wafer slices are fine. I used 6 slices making it for just myself. The following recipe made about 2 – 3 large servings. So you may wish to double it for a group.

     Also I’m using a bouillon product that is available here, as folks tend to use it a lot in Mexican food. However it may not be available in other parts of the country, so I will also give you a substitute method.

     Also I’m going try something different. I usually try to be specific as to  instructions. But this time I’m going to be very specific in an attempt to bring a method into cooking instructions. The method is called “MISE EN PLACE.”  It’s a French cooking term that refers to working very neatly and efficiently. In my opinion any serious cook should take to learning this as it will make your tasks so much easier, keep your work area tidy and usable and make cleaning up a breeze.  I will change fonts for recipe instructions and back to this font when adding in Mise en Place directions. And I won’t always or often do this, its jut my little experiment here to see how easily it writes up into a recipe, and this one seems like a good one to try this with. And I will be doing separate articles, and possibly providing links for culinary skills such as this. If you are an experienced cook ignore my methods and just accomplish the job your way. The method below should take you about 1 hour to complete start to finish hot and ready to serve.

You will need:

ä     6 slices of boneless or deli ham

ä     1/3  of each red, orange, and green bell peppers…or… one bell pepper of any color you wish

ä     5 medium or three large mushrooms

ä     ½ a medium onion

ä     1 long stalk of celery

ä     about 3-5 cloves of garlic

ä     1 tsp Italian seasoning

ä     ½ tsp anise seeds crushed

ä     ½ tsp of dried mint

ä     1 tomato/chicken bouillon cube (see photo above), they are twice the amt of regular cubes. (or two chicken bouillon cubes and 2  tbsp of tomato juice.

ä      Two cups of water for dissolving the cubes

ä      sea salt and cracked pepper to taste but very easy on the salt.

ä     2 tbsp corn starch

ä     1 tbsp flour

ä     1 tsp sugar,  optional

ä     3 tbsp olive oil

ä     1 tbsp butter or margarine.

ä     Pasta of your choice, follow instructions for two servings.

     

     Start by taking out your ingredients and setting them on your work area. Get a few knives like a chopper and a paring knife. Get four cereal size bowls and three tiny bowls or ramekins.  Also get a two cup glass heat proof measure, (or a small pitcher or jar that holds 16 oz. plus a glass heat proof 1 cup measure) also its good to have near, a towel and wet dish cloth for your hands, and clean up.

      Next you will be chopping your vegetables and placing them in bowls. Chop the onion half and add the chopped celery to it. Cut the bell pepper in long (julienne) strips. Then into about 1-1+1/2 inch lengths place in another bowl.  Chop your mushrooms in average slices place in a third bowl. Mince your garlic small and place in a ramekin. On another cutting board, roll up all your ham slices from a short side and cut as shown to make ribbons that are the same length as the long side of your slices. If this is too long you can cut them in two. 

     Now crush your anise seeds with a mortar and pestle (or between two spoons laid on top of each other with the seeds in the bottom one.) add them and the Italian seasoning to another ramekin.  Now mix your corn starch and flour into a third ramekin.

   Dissolve your bouillon cube (or the two for substitute) in 2 cups of hot water. If substituting add the tomato juice to cup before adding the water so the combination will equal two cups. 

     If you wish, here you can take a moment to clean up your cutting area, wipe it down and clean off your knives. Put everything away in the fridge and spice shelf etc. Then set up an area next to your stove where you will be cooking with all the bowls and ramekins, plus the 2 cup measure of bouillon, and sea salt and pepper grinder or shakers. And you will be using a large (I like cast iron) skillet. What you have done here is called Mise en Place, a French cooking term meaning roughly “everything in its place.” This is a method to keep your cooking area straight, have easier clean up and have all you need at hand when you need it. By chopping all ahead of time and cleaning that up before you start on the next task, then setting up your cooking area you can learn to cook efficiently quickly and neatly. It just takes preparation. And though it seams more time consuming, once you learn to cook this way you will find it takes less time because you are working more efficiently. And in time you will get rather quick at it all and it will be second nature.

     

     All that’s left now is the actual cooking which will be extremely quick. Heat in your large skillet the olive oil and the butter or margarine till the margarine is melted. Usually I’m using two hands for all this but I was alone so one hand is taking photos. Over a high heated skillet, Add your onions and celery all at once and mix into the hot oil, till they are spread evenly around the skillet. Next you will add your bell peppers and do the same. The order you do this is important cause you are starting with those things that take the longest to cook and going to the least.  After the peppers are spread evenly and mixed into the onions and celery, add the mushrooms and mix them in. the garlic, and seasonings, plus a scant amount of salt, and your taste of black pepper, go in next.

    Garlic should usually be added towards the end of recipes so the flavor holds up better. Mix everything thoroughly and you should see that the onions are beginning to get translucent. Turn your heat down to medium and add in the ham ribbons gently mixing them into everything. Once they are well incorporated, you are going to go to the next step, making this into a sauce.

   

     Sprinkle the cornstarch and flour mixture evenly over the entire skillet as shown and blend in well.  Now slowly while stirring well add the bouillon mixing all as you go. Once it’s all in and mixed well you should have a rather thin but viscous sauce. Turn your heat down to low, and take the time to taste here. You may want to add salt though I doubt it as the ham and bouillon are usually enough, or you may like the idea of just a touch of sugar, 1 tsp is what I added. Blend all well and then let your sauce simmer on low uncovered mixing every few minutes for the next 20 minutes or so. Note the side of the skillet and the level as to how full it is with sauce. You will want to reduce that level by simmering till it’s about 1/3 less amount. The sauce should be much thicker then.

                                              

        As your sauce is simmering and between stirring you can use the time to rinse all your bowls ramekins, utensils, cups and such and load away into the dishwasher, and then wipe down the cooking area you used. Put out a large sauce pan for cooking pasta, fill it with water and (salt and olive oil optional) and start that boiling. Then set out a colander or strainer in a clean sink. When the water boils turn it off, you have just got it started and heated for the cooking of the pasta later which always starts with boiling water. Everything else can be all cleaned up by the time the sauce is finished. When the sauce is finished, cover it and turn off the heat. Cook your pasta according to directions on the package. Another time there will be a pasta cooking hint but it’s not necessary today to put it here. 

      

     

YUMMMM

       When your pasta is done and drained. Serve the sauce over the pasta and enjoy this with some bread or as I did with garlic knots, which BTW I will be giving you the instructions and recipe forthcoming. This is a fresher less heavy pasta dish, with kind of a spring like taste to it. Hope you enjoy it.

      Oh, and after you are done, if you have followed the method I was showing,  all you have to do is rinse and load your plates, put the leftovers in the fridge, load the last few items and turn on the dishwasher,… about 5 minutes worth of effort tops, and all is cleaned up and finished.

 Blessings mes amis