Seems like the amount of bread that goes into turkey stuffing is one of those "invisible" carbs. These rolls went quickly. I only made one batch (a dozen) for a T-Day gathering of twice that. While the rosemary shrub is winter hardy in the Pacific Northwest, I'm glad that the house where I made these rolls has their rosemary potted and on the patio. I used a stand mixer to bring all the ingredients together; though I didn't use it to knead the dough. Maybe that's why the dough really didn't start to double in size until the second rising. And, the rolls didn't rise again after being formed and rested on the baking tray before going into the oven. As for the amount of unsalted butter that is melted so that it can be brushed on top of the rolls, well. it is too much for what the original ratio calls for. I ended up with a lot of leftover butter.
Also, there wasn't any bread flour so I used all-purpose flour, substituting out 3 tbsp flour for 3 tbsp vital wheat gluten. Bread flour plus yeast makes your rolls rise higher. The vital wheat gluten adds more wheat-based protein to all-purpose flour.
Ingredients
1 c warm water (about 100 degrees F)
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast + a pinch of granulated sugar
3 1/2 c all-purpose flour (minus 3 tbsp)
3 tbsp vital wheat gluten
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, roughly chopped, divided
1/4 c unsalted butter, melted (for brushing tops of rolls)
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Directions
Personally, while dinner rolls typically don't call for sugar, I think adding a pinch of it to the yeast helps the yeast bloom faster. You'll see if your yeast is still alive if it starts to foam and bubble in the warm water.
0. Take half of the prepared rosemary and let it steep in the olive oil for at least 30 minutes.
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer: add the yeast water (after bubbles appear, 5-10 mins). Mix in the flour, half cup at a time until it is all incorporated. Add the vital wheat gluten, the oil+rosemary, and salt. Mix until the dough gathers into one mass. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula.
2. Add the other half of the rosemary and knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball. Either use the stand mixer to knead the dough for 2 minutes, or work it by hand for 10.
Empty the dough into a resealable plastic bag, close, and let it sit in a warm place in the kitchen. Let the dough double in size twice (check each hour for two hours).
Divide dough into equal pieces. You can make a dozen small rolls with this recipe. Roll the dough into balls and place onto a baking tray. Cover with linen (lint free) kitchen towel until ready to bake.
Preheat oven to 425 F. Brush tops of rolls with the melted butter. Bake rolls for 10 minutes. This gives the rolls a nice golden brown color.
Reduce heat to 350 F and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and place in a kitchen-towel lined serving container (maybe a bread basket?).
Enjoy.
Showing posts with label rosemary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rosemary. Show all posts
Kitchen Notes: Rosemary Sourdough Bread
What a time consuming recipe, and I'm not just talking about the sourdough starter (recipe) that I started on Monday. It still had to be mixed into a dough and risen twice, and then baked for an hour. Regardless of its appearance fresh from the oven, the bread smells so good. I want to hack into it now and slather it up with the garlic butter I melted earlier for the artichokes.
You know how SF sourdough has that particular crust that kind of looks like it has this magical sheen to it? I need more moisture in the oven. Fortunately, I have procured a spray bottle for the water for the second loaf that I'll get around to attempting tomorrow.
Here's what went into this loaf:
2 c all purpose unbleached flour
1 1/2 c sourdough starter
1 tbsp vital wheat gluten (Bob's Red Mill)
1/4 fresh rosemary leaves, whole and chopped
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp olive oil (for the bowl that the bread will rise in)
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (to brush the top of the loaf before baking)
Mix all the ingredients together except for the olive oil and butter until the dough is elastic and no longer sticks to itself, the mixer, or the bowl. In a stand mixer, this took maybe 10 minutes on a very low speed. Remove dough to an oiled bowl and cover with a plate, kitchen towels, or plastic wrap. Let rise for 1.5 to 2 hours.
While you are doing this next step, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it again, this time, shape it into a shape you want to bake it in. I was aiming for a square and got a boule (ball shaped) again. Let this rise a second time for an hour. Score the top with a sharp knife and brush on melted butter.
Baked uncovered in a Dutch oven (Emeril just uses a baking stone or heavy baking sheet) for an hour. It still needs moisture, so use a spray bottle and mist the sides of the oven and the top of the bread maybe every 20 minutes until the bread is done. You are aiming for a chewy, golden brown crust with a spongy, sour bread inside. Misting the oven can help achieve a glossy surface on the loaf.
About that sourdough starter...
I took 1.5 cups of starter out from the jar and replaced it with 1.5 cups of AP flour plus 1.5 cups of warm water (just heat the water in the microwave for 30 seconds in a glass Pyrex measuring cup, it'll be at the perfect temp for the poolish).
The previous night (Friday), I was starting to get concerned about the starter since I hadn't actually been feeding it all week. I added in 1/3 cup warm water and 1/3 cup all purpose flour. I swear my eyes and nose could not tell the difference in the before and after. The starter still had a sour-ish, almost alcoholic smell to it (that's the yeast's byproduct). Most starter recipes will tell you to refrigerate it, well, you could also leave it out on the kitchen counter in a jar covered with a kitchen cloth if it is 50 degrees F outside and damp; inside the house during the day the temp is about 65 degrees F. When you read other people's comments on this particular recipe on AllRecipes with the yeast growing at a ridiculous rate, the ambient temperature of one's kitchen is probably above 70 degrees F.
I have the notion that once the starter successfully ferments, that's when you add in more flour+water to the starter and put it in the refrigerator. As scary as it sounds, the "wild" yeast and bacteria in the starter should be strong enough to fight off any other bacteria from growing. When it can't, like the temperature just isn't kosher for the yeast anymore (like it's too hot), that's when bad things happen (turns pink, smells rotten, grows things other than yeast, etc.) and you have to throw the starter out.
Also, if you think you have a good thing going with your starter, reserve half a cup of it and freeze it. That way if your master batch ever goes wonky, dies, or someone in the household mistakenly tosses the starter, you'll still have some to grow again. You just need to thaw it for 24 hours and add more flour+warm water to it in a glass jar so that it comes alive again; and wait at least three days for it to really get itself going again, or so I've read.
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| Batch #1: Rosemary Sourdough Bread, Problem: no glossy sheen to the crust Resolution: oven needs more moisture at 400 degrees F |
Here's what went into this loaf:
2 c all purpose unbleached flour
1 1/2 c sourdough starter
1 tbsp vital wheat gluten (Bob's Red Mill)
1/4 fresh rosemary leaves, whole and chopped
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp olive oil (for the bowl that the bread will rise in)
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (to brush the top of the loaf before baking)
Mix all the ingredients together except for the olive oil and butter until the dough is elastic and no longer sticks to itself, the mixer, or the bowl. In a stand mixer, this took maybe 10 minutes on a very low speed. Remove dough to an oiled bowl and cover with a plate, kitchen towels, or plastic wrap. Let rise for 1.5 to 2 hours.
While you are doing this next step, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it again, this time, shape it into a shape you want to bake it in. I was aiming for a square and got a boule (ball shaped) again. Let this rise a second time for an hour. Score the top with a sharp knife and brush on melted butter.
Baked uncovered in a Dutch oven (Emeril just uses a baking stone or heavy baking sheet) for an hour. It still needs moisture, so use a spray bottle and mist the sides of the oven and the top of the bread maybe every 20 minutes until the bread is done. You are aiming for a chewy, golden brown crust with a spongy, sour bread inside. Misting the oven can help achieve a glossy surface on the loaf.
About that sourdough starter...
I took 1.5 cups of starter out from the jar and replaced it with 1.5 cups of AP flour plus 1.5 cups of warm water (just heat the water in the microwave for 30 seconds in a glass Pyrex measuring cup, it'll be at the perfect temp for the poolish).
The previous night (Friday), I was starting to get concerned about the starter since I hadn't actually been feeding it all week. I added in 1/3 cup warm water and 1/3 cup all purpose flour. I swear my eyes and nose could not tell the difference in the before and after. The starter still had a sour-ish, almost alcoholic smell to it (that's the yeast's byproduct). Most starter recipes will tell you to refrigerate it, well, you could also leave it out on the kitchen counter in a jar covered with a kitchen cloth if it is 50 degrees F outside and damp; inside the house during the day the temp is about 65 degrees F. When you read other people's comments on this particular recipe on AllRecipes with the yeast growing at a ridiculous rate, the ambient temperature of one's kitchen is probably above 70 degrees F.
I have the notion that once the starter successfully ferments, that's when you add in more flour+water to the starter and put it in the refrigerator. As scary as it sounds, the "wild" yeast and bacteria in the starter should be strong enough to fight off any other bacteria from growing. When it can't, like the temperature just isn't kosher for the yeast anymore (like it's too hot), that's when bad things happen (turns pink, smells rotten, grows things other than yeast, etc.) and you have to throw the starter out.
Also, if you think you have a good thing going with your starter, reserve half a cup of it and freeze it. That way if your master batch ever goes wonky, dies, or someone in the household mistakenly tosses the starter, you'll still have some to grow again. You just need to thaw it for 24 hours and add more flour+warm water to it in a glass jar so that it comes alive again; and wait at least three days for it to really get itself going again, or so I've read.
(Mock) Rosemary Sourdough Bread
Is it possible to circumvent the slow feeding cycle of a sourdough starter? This recipe method attempts a possibility by substituting some of the water in the dough with plain yogurt to give it a sour taste. Don't know if it'll actually work. So far, the dough hasn't risen nor doubled in bulk in the usual amount of time allotted to the first rise.
To make a true sourdough bread with a sourdough starter today, I could either buy a premade starter or make one from scratch several days in advance. While milled, unbleached flour is still inexpensive (< $5 for 10#), it seems like a waste to toss half the starter after the first day. Each time the starter is fed, half is thrown out. I suppose you could also just start other starters and that would require more math and patience than I have time for this particular experiment.
I am baking this using a Dutch oven pot in an oven. This baking method seems to work well with getting a moist inside with a hard, crispy crust (without having to spray the bread with water during is baking cycle). The ingredient ratio comes from a few sources. This is my third attempt at a Dutch oven-baked bread; the first two simply did not taste salty enough. I have added a sprinkling of additional kosher salt to the part of the recipe where you roll the dough in flour before baking. In the previous loaf of rosemary bread, I couldn't taste the rosemary, so this one has a full 1/4 cup of fresh whole and chopped rosemary.
Ingredients
1 tbsp active dry yeast + 1/2 c warm water
2-4 c all-purpose unbleached flour, separated
1 tbsp vital wheat gluten flour (Bob's Red Mill)
1 tbsp raw honey
2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 c fresh rosemary leaves, mostly whole and partially chopped
2 c plain whole milk yogurt
Directions
1. Prep the yeast. Add yeast to 1/2 c warm water (110 degrees F) and let bloom for 10 minutes before adding to the flour.
2. Prep the dough. Combine 2 c flour, salt, honey, and yeast-water in a bowl and mix until well combined. Knead using a stand mixer for 8-10 minutes, or by hand, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic; incorporate up to two more cups of flour so that the dough is less runny.
3. Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl. Turn the dough once so that all the sides of the dough become oiled. Cover with a plate or plastic wrap. Let rise for 1.5-2 hours, until doubled in bulk.
4. Sprinkle some flour and some kosher salt onto a large plate. Empty the dough out onto the plate and gently roll around until the dough is lightly covered with flour.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Let Dutch oven pot warm up as the oven heat up.
5. Remove pot from oven and place dough inside. Using a sharp knife or edge of a spatula, make decorative marks across the dough. Replace lid on Dutch oven and bake for 30 minutes covered. Then remove lid and bake for an additional 12 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack before slicing.
To make a true sourdough bread with a sourdough starter today, I could either buy a premade starter or make one from scratch several days in advance. While milled, unbleached flour is still inexpensive (< $5 for 10#), it seems like a waste to toss half the starter after the first day. Each time the starter is fed, half is thrown out. I suppose you could also just start other starters and that would require more math and patience than I have time for this particular experiment.
I am baking this using a Dutch oven pot in an oven. This baking method seems to work well with getting a moist inside with a hard, crispy crust (without having to spray the bread with water during is baking cycle). The ingredient ratio comes from a few sources. This is my third attempt at a Dutch oven-baked bread; the first two simply did not taste salty enough. I have added a sprinkling of additional kosher salt to the part of the recipe where you roll the dough in flour before baking. In the previous loaf of rosemary bread, I couldn't taste the rosemary, so this one has a full 1/4 cup of fresh whole and chopped rosemary.
Ingredients
1 tbsp active dry yeast + 1/2 c warm water
2-4 c all-purpose unbleached flour, separated
1 tbsp vital wheat gluten flour (Bob's Red Mill)
1 tbsp raw honey
2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 c fresh rosemary leaves, mostly whole and partially chopped
2 c plain whole milk yogurt
Directions
1. Prep the yeast. Add yeast to 1/2 c warm water (110 degrees F) and let bloom for 10 minutes before adding to the flour.
2. Prep the dough. Combine 2 c flour, salt, honey, and yeast-water in a bowl and mix until well combined. Knead using a stand mixer for 8-10 minutes, or by hand, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic; incorporate up to two more cups of flour so that the dough is less runny.
3. Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl. Turn the dough once so that all the sides of the dough become oiled. Cover with a plate or plastic wrap. Let rise for 1.5-2 hours, until doubled in bulk.
4. Sprinkle some flour and some kosher salt onto a large plate. Empty the dough out onto the plate and gently roll around until the dough is lightly covered with flour.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Let Dutch oven pot warm up as the oven heat up.
5. Remove pot from oven and place dough inside. Using a sharp knife or edge of a spatula, make decorative marks across the dough. Replace lid on Dutch oven and bake for 30 minutes covered. Then remove lid and bake for an additional 12 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Rosemary Shortbread Cookies
If you enjoy the salty-sweet taste of kettle corn at the farmers market, you'll definitely enjoy these cookies. The savory cookie is a more adult version of the cookie genre. Something that you'd probably not nibble on over tea, but would go down pretty well with a glass of wine. All of my bakeware is in storage, so I'll have to improvise and borrow the toy cutters from my nephew's toy bake set. Hehehe. This ingredient ratio comes from Gourmet Magazine.
Ingredients
2 c all-purpose flour
3/4 c (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/3 c confectioners (powdered) sugar
2 tbsp raw mild honey, clover or wildflower
1 tbsp organic granulated cane sugar
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
Directions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
1. Whirl together dry ingredients in a food processor. Add in butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Empty contents into a container with a lid. Cover and refrigerate until firm.
2. Roll out cookie dough to 1/4" thickness and cut out with cookie cutters. Place unbaked cookies on a parchment-lined or Silpat-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden brown. Let cookies cook on a wire rack.
Alternative Flavorings:
Savory Thyme Cookies: substitute with fresh thyme
Ingredients
2 c all-purpose flour
3/4 c (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/3 c confectioners (powdered) sugar
2 tbsp raw mild honey, clover or wildflower
1 tbsp organic granulated cane sugar
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
Directions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
1. Whirl together dry ingredients in a food processor. Add in butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Empty contents into a container with a lid. Cover and refrigerate until firm.
2. Roll out cookie dough to 1/4" thickness and cut out with cookie cutters. Place unbaked cookies on a parchment-lined or Silpat-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden brown. Let cookies cook on a wire rack.
Alternative Flavorings:
Savory Thyme Cookies: substitute with fresh thyme
Rosemary-Garlic Roasted Yams and Sweet Potatoes
I really don't get why Americans would put a layer of marshmallows on top of an already sweet root vegetable; perhaps to get the kids to eat it? to salute industrialized manufacturing? to pad the coffers of the corn industry? At any rate, this recipe ignores all of that marshmallow nonsense.
Depending on how many guests you have, it is likely that you'll either have a few leftovers or a lot. This side dish is for people who don't necessarily care for mashed potatoes for their starch allotment at Thanksgiving; like me. I don't like putting a serving size estimate on a side dish since it doesn't really reflect a true serving size when paired with a larger holiday meal. A whole yam or potato is the typical serving size for an adult.
Ingredients
6-8 medium-sized yams, any variety, peeled and cut into 1" wedges
1-2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in to 1" wedges
3-4 small sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves only, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c olive oil
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
1. In a very large bowl, combine peeled yam and potato wedges with garlic, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Mix with hands or a large spoon to evenly coat the wedges.
2. This may need two rimmed baking sheets, depending on the amount of cooked. Spread into a single layer on a prepared baking sheet (either use a Silpat, or a buttered baking dish, otherwise the wedges will stick to the bottom of the sheet)
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the wedges are fork-tender.
Depending on how many guests you have, it is likely that you'll either have a few leftovers or a lot. This side dish is for people who don't necessarily care for mashed potatoes for their starch allotment at Thanksgiving; like me. I don't like putting a serving size estimate on a side dish since it doesn't really reflect a true serving size when paired with a larger holiday meal. A whole yam or potato is the typical serving size for an adult.
Ingredients
6-8 medium-sized yams, any variety, peeled and cut into 1" wedges
1-2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in to 1" wedges
3-4 small sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves only, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c olive oil
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
1. In a very large bowl, combine peeled yam and potato wedges with garlic, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Mix with hands or a large spoon to evenly coat the wedges.
2. This may need two rimmed baking sheets, depending on the amount of cooked. Spread into a single layer on a prepared baking sheet (either use a Silpat, or a buttered baking dish, otherwise the wedges will stick to the bottom of the sheet)
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the wedges are fork-tender.
Roasted Game Hen
This is probably one of my favorite types of poultry to cook. It is really easy to carve up and quick to roast with the addition of basic pantry ingredients and herbs. The meat is usually enough to feed one to two people. In this recipe, I used marsala wine. You could also use a dry white wine or chicken broth. For the poultry seasoning, I used Mrs Dash's Salt-Free Tomato Basil Garlic seasoning blend.
Ingredients
One raw Cornish game hen, carved
1/2 c. marsala wine
1 1/2 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lemon, juiced and zested
sea salt, to taste
poultry seasoning, to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
1. In an 8" x 8" baking dish, toss chicken with olive oil, garlic, salt, lemon juice and zest. Place chicken pieces skin-side down. Sprinkle rosemary and poultry seasoning on top. Pour wine on top of chicken. Bake uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes.
2. Serve while hot over rice, pasta, or with crusty bread.
Rosemary Vinaigrette
Ingredients
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
2 oz olive oil (6 tbsp)
Directions
Combine lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, mustard, and rosemary in a bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
2 oz olive oil (6 tbsp)
Directions
Combine lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, mustard, and rosemary in a bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Sweetened Cream Scones
Once you have a decent base recipe, making additions to it is easy enough. This particular recipe calls for a lot of sugar. While it isn't as ludicrously sweet as the scones you can get at a Starbucks, it has a noticeable amount of sugar that is more than what you'd get out of a standard cream-based scone at an English tea shop. It can easily be turned into a savory scone (aka a biscuit) with the omission of the sugar. It's the combination of cold butter and cold heavy cream that make these scones light and crumbly. Moisture is a big deal in a scone like this. Depending on your climate (here it is very humid during the winter), you may not need an entire cup of cream.
Basic Cream Scone Ingredients
2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 c. organic granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
6 tbsp cold unsalted butter, diced
up to 1 c. organic heavy cream
This batch's additions:
2 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
strawberry jam
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
1. In a food prep, pulse together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter and any additional fresh herbs until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. With the food prep running, slowly add heavy cream until the dough comes together.
3. On a lightly floured surface, turn dough out and knead into a ball. Lightly dust a rolling pin with flour then roll out the dough to 1/2" thickness. Using a biscuit or cookie cutter, cut the dough into shapes and place them at least an inch apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
4. If using a fruit jam, make an indent in the center of the scone and put up to a half teaspoon of jam in the middle. I used a wine cork for this step; but you could easily use a thumb or index finger too.
5. Bake scones for 18 minutes. Let cool before storing. If you're using jam in this recipe, you should store the scones in a sealable container in single layers separated by wax paper. That way the jam doesn't bleed onto other scones.
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| Sweet Cream Scones with Rosemary and Strawberry Jam |
2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 c. organic granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
6 tbsp cold unsalted butter, diced
up to 1 c. organic heavy cream
This batch's additions:
2 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
strawberry jam
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
1. In a food prep, pulse together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter and any additional fresh herbs until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. With the food prep running, slowly add heavy cream until the dough comes together.
3. On a lightly floured surface, turn dough out and knead into a ball. Lightly dust a rolling pin with flour then roll out the dough to 1/2" thickness. Using a biscuit or cookie cutter, cut the dough into shapes and place them at least an inch apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
4. If using a fruit jam, make an indent in the center of the scone and put up to a half teaspoon of jam in the middle. I used a wine cork for this step; but you could easily use a thumb or index finger too.
5. Bake scones for 18 minutes. Let cool before storing. If you're using jam in this recipe, you should store the scones in a sealable container in single layers separated by wax paper. That way the jam doesn't bleed onto other scones.
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