Four epís that could be used as sai weapons, several baguettes that could be used to stop drafts under the door later; I discovered that Pate Fermentée was not the best place for me to start the Breadbaker’s Apprentice challenge.

So I moved on to Poolish. A ferment that is, shall we say, much more forgiving.

Let me back up here and explain that Reinhart’s book is a gem. I have been a great bread baker in the past. I started to learn how through Laurel’s Kitchen when I was a teenager. Now some thirty years later, I am relearning how to bake bread with Reinhart as my teacher, teaching me to become an artisan.

All of the breads begin with a fermented dough. Depending upon how much flavor you want, is how long you ferment the dough. Poolish is NOT a sourdough. This fermentation takes place in the fridge. The refrigerator acts as a dough retarder controlling the fermentation of yeast when proofing. Lowering the temperature of the dough produces a slower, longer rise with more varied fermentation which results in more complex flavors. It also creates the crumb which should develop holes and be light and airy making bread rather than bricks. When you are ready to use the ferment, you take it out, and measure it just like any other ingredient.

Measuring can be a challenge with the sticky Poolish ferment. It resembles The Blob. No really. It’s the best way to describe it. Moving psuedopodally (Is that a word? Let’s say it is…) out of the fermenting bowl and into the mixing bowl it is nearly impossible to measure unless you have a kitchen scale. Which I do and recommend owning one very highly if you are a serious cooking type person. The ferment’s not slimy, though, just sticky. Really, really sticky!

The second part of this journey is the shaping process. I made ciabatta which has several stages of shaping/rising. There is only one kneading in this process which I use my Kitchen Aid mixer for slave labor. This is because it’s a sticky mess (which I mentioned before–if you skipped around). Most of the kneading is actually mixing. The recipe says to mix for 5-7 minutes, then to switch to 2 minutes with the kneading hook.

To avoid burning out your mixer, do not mix/knead/whip for longer than five minutes at a time giving your mixer time to cool down.

Disregard the warning if you have a Kitchenaid Pro. I wish I had gotten one of those but it took me twenty years and three husbands to get the KitchenAid mixer I have, so I’ll shut up.

You stretch the dough for ciabatta and use a “couche” to allow it to rise. I did not spend the money on a fancy couche. I have a mother-in-law that weaves. She volunteers at the Graue Mill to demonstrate spinning and weaving. She wove me some lovely linen kitchen towels which are just as useful, thick as a traditional couche. I just flour the heck out of it. It works.

The last step is the oven process and prepare the home oven for hearth baking. I’m going to let Peter Reinhart explain that.

And then it comes out… and goes on your table.

Links:

http://www.tmbbaking.com/

http://www.thefreshloaf.com

http://peterreinhart.typepad.com/

Winter is the time of creative squash cookery among the many other joys: long cooking stews, baking, plotting the spring garden, tending the winter garden, etc. There’s also a little bit of hibernation, true. But I look forward to the rich flavors of winter squash because they present the most challenging and most colorful of winter meals.

You’ve seen it before, the wrinkled nose at the mention of the word squash. The word itself isn’t very appetizing, no wonder it’s so maligned. When you look at a typical winter meal, it’s potatoes and meat with some frozen veggie. Ignore the wrinkled noses, get a squash, learn to work with and “cater” to… literally the bias. Fill the table with surprises.

Acorn squash comes to mind first when people think of winter squash. We see the pile of squash at the grocery store and go immediately to the most likely and easily identifiable “thing” which appears black and foreboding but at least somewhat familiar. That Acorn, when cracked open is a delightful rich amber coloured yellow inside, much like the quality of light in the late day of our Northwest autumnal evening sun.

Yes, we have sun. Shush.

What the acorn squash reveals is only the start of a journey into the richness of the winter table. I found a great recipe for corn soup on 101 Cookbooks and made a comment there about the varieties of squashes that you can substitute for acorn squash:

I can think of some other great squashes to use that aren’t so tippy as Acorn squashes. Small pumpkins hollowed out are great soup bowls. Any “cup” type squash is perfect for this: ambercup, sweet dumpling, hokkaido, red kuri, buttercup, gold nugget, and carnival, to name a few of my faves, would work great with this recipe. One could use a small kabocha like a red kuri. Any of these are gorgeous for presentation sake, and much prettier than an acorn squash (though no more delicious).

Winter squash are my absolute favorite kind of squash! You can use them in every course from appetizer to dessert.

Here’s a handy reference for how much squash, the varieties, and pictures to refer to when you go tackle the scary mound of squash at the grocery store.

One in particular seems to be the most difficult for the American palate to get their tongue around. The humble Kabocha (which means squash in Japanese) is not just difficult to figure out but hard to crack. I use a hammer and wedge. No, really. It’s hard. I’ve seen some people describe opening it by throwing it against a wall. I’d rather not put a hole in my wall, thankyouverymuch. I also prefer not to haul out the sledge hammer, but these are hefty suckers and require a little work to get into. When I was working at Whistling Train Farm in Kent, a CSA that runs year round, I was first introduced to the squash varieties and had no idea what to do with a Kabocha. Customers asked so it was my responsibility to get some answers.

One Japanese customer came to my rescue. A pastry chef, specifically catering to the Northwest’s rich Asian culture, she described for me how to crack a kabocha to start. Which, ten years ago, was not readily available information on the net and invaluable information. The customer also told me how she makes the inside squash flesh into sweets. Sweets? Well, remember the traditionally American palate is different culturally in its expectation of sweet. Kabocha can be used similarly to pumpkin. You can make pie, soup, and candy the seeds.

Wait! Candied squash seeds?

The candied pumpkin/squash seeds are nummy. First, the seeds are lightly toasted in butter. Then take them out and coat with sugar, paprika, toasted cumin, cayenne, kosher salt and a touch of honey (warmed). They have a great balance of sugar, salt and spice.

The kabocha, in its entirety, is edible. It’s close to a butternut in texture and color. As long as you give it a good scrub, slice off any “barnacles”, and remove the stem, the entire squash is edible. In fact, the skin is delicious when you cook it in a ginger water with a little brown sugar.

The winter garden yields me many a squash, kept under cloches, they continue to grow once their fruits are set. Slowly, yes but still, they grow. They also are amazing keepers in the root cellar. Buy a bunch, keep them cool, ventilated, covered and away from pests and they’ll keep for some time to draw from all winter long.

Spinach, mâche, cress and the like can all thrive under the cover of a few hoop houses. Other crops such as beets, kale, carrots, brussel sprouts, onions and garlic can be left out in the snow to get a crisp sweetness from the frost. This year, our plan is to do a double job of the “hoophouse” protection by making a large hoophouse to cover the boxes wile covering the boxes individually as we did last year. This double layered protection also keeps the cats out of the boxes and the ground warm. Still, there will need to be a rest period and sections that will be planted with a cover crop. That cover crop will be harvested and fed to the bunny (doesn’t everyone have one?) and then… well, you get the picture. The cycle continues for every smart urban gardener.

Keeping motivated for the project is the biggest problem since it’s just me with grand designs. Sam (my 24 year old son) has gone back to work, still investigating school, and Thom (my patient and brilliant husband) is gone almost all day. That leaves me and my computer and a new book that is inspiring me for the long haul through winter gardening. The Winter Harvest Handbook by Eliot Coleman has given me a way to solve the winter harvest dilemma.

My first thought had been to simply cover the boxes again. However, often that is only enough in the winter time to make the crops that I have already planted stay put and not turn into brown brittle nothings. No, if we want fresh spinach for Thanksgiving and Christmas then we must have a plan. Ambitious, yes. Impossible, no.

I currently have my 4×4 square raised beds set up for hoop houses. This year, I was able to get earlier production on my spring greens that way. The book states that Coleman, in Maine, can grow crops over the winter that will not go dormant. He uses a double layer method for keeping the crops warm. Inside covers with an outside hoop house. How simple is that? Isn’t that what we do with our clothes in the winter? Layering?

To get this garden party started, we’ll need a roll of greenhouse film that will go over an arc, the base of which is six to eight feet. That means, if I want it at least five feet high, it will be more elliptical in shape than a traditional half circle. The half circle length will be at least 12.5 feet. A roll of durafilm 14′ x 100′ will cost about $170 plus shipping. Using a PVC and wood frame which will cost another $50, plus the straw for the ground cover which is about $8 per bale. For that minimum price, you can make a temporary greenhouse that can be taken down in the summer but replaced year after year for the winter.

So, now to begin life as a small time Maraîcher!

This simple video has inspired me to take up the challenge and be part of the “Pinch My Salt” Cooking Club aka the BBA Challenge (Bread Baker’s Apprentice). I hope to post my first challenges in a few days as soon as the book arrives!

Peter Reinhart - The Guru of Breadbaking

Baby Round Zucchini

Not the game, not the act… just the multitude.

It’s the time of year when I think to myself — What the heck were you thinking with the squash? This year I planted only two plants of different varieties. We liked the round ones last year (Baby Round Zucchini) and I tried these cocozelle (Italian Zucchini – Romanesco from Renee’s Garden)which are stripey and very very difficult to get off the plant without ripping off a great hunk of the vine.

But I now have five squash on my back deck.

So, last night it was veggie minestrone/stew! Yeah, I know 100 degrees and I’m makin’ stew, right? But I think it brought the cool weather faeries cause it cooled down that night enough to welcome a little warm comfort food. At the last minute I was going to throw in the kale but I forgot. My brain had melted. This is my basic recipe and you can add what you like in the way of leafy greens at the end with the squash.

Simple stuff really. Easily adaptable to Vegetarian by leaving out the meat and using veg broth.

Nummy “Minestrone”
1 cup lima beans
1 cup red beans

1-3 tbsp olive oil
1 large shallot
2 – 3 cloves of fresh garlic
Handful of chopped basil & parsley
1 bell pepper, roughly chopped
3 small carrots (or one very large) diced
2 14 1/2 oz cans chopped tomatoes (preferably the italian with spices and onion)

Chicken broth 3-5 cups (depending on how much cooking water is left and how chunky or soupy you prefer the stew)
Chicken thighs, deboned and skinless
1 large zucchini, diced
Salt (I like Redmond salt)

In a separate pot, cover beans with water and bring to boil, then let lower to simmer and cook till tender. You can use the cooking broth in your soup/stew.

In a large heavy stock pan warm oil. Prep all veggies up to the carrots (I like the shallots sliced and the garlic chopped roughly). Put all five veggies into oil to “stew” a bit and become soft over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for another 20 minutes on med-low, lower if it starts to stick or get too hot. Then let it all sit (covered) until about 30 minutes or so before you want to eat. You can refrigerate it at this point.

Ready to finish?

Add the beans and broth and determine how much chicken (or vegetable) stock you want thickness wise for the stew. I like a chunkier heartier “stew). Remember it will chunk up more so reserve liquid to add later to bring the consistency to your preference.

Debone the thighs and skin them. I use the meaty bones for stock so I don’t buy boneless and skinless. Chop as you like, I tend to leave them in larger pieces so they won’t dry out. Saute in oil in a large skillet. Drop the chicken into the veg pot and add the broth, turn up the heat to warm up the tomato mixture. Let it all simmer for about 10 minutes or so while you dice the zucchini. I end up with about two-three cups of zucchini, don’t be alarmed. Pop the zucchini/squash in the soup pot, stir cover and let simmer for another 10 minutes taking care to keep the squash in tact and not overly mushy.

I know… that’s only one recipe. But here’s a list of ideas for other things to do with your squash/zucchini and other abundance in the garden.

Bread
Croquettes
Stuffed with other veggies & grains
Zucchini and Tomato Fettucine
Patties

Still too much? Cut them into cubes, steam for about three minutes and freeze in freezerbags. Don’t forget to label with name and date.

Our desktop calendar & checklist for August is a picture of an ornamental sunflower Cine’s garden. That particular sunflower is Helianthus annus (hybrid), specifically the Moulin Rouge and while it’s very lovely, it doesn’t produce edible sunflower seeds. Seeds are produced by Botanical Interests and were purchased at Watson’s Nursery.

Instructions to get your Metro1811 to-do are below.

Here’s how it works:

1- This link will open a new window (or tab) displaying the wallpaper image for your screen.

2- Right-click (or ctrl-click for some Mac users) on the image, and choose the option that says, “Set as Desktop Background”, “Use as Desktop Picture,” or something to that effect — the exact wording will depend on the browser you use.

3- If the image does not fit your desktop background neatly, you may have to go to your preference screen (on a Mac: System Preferences > Desktop & Screen Saver > Desktop; on Windows: Control Panel > Display > Desktop) and choose “Fit to screen” as the display mode of your background image.

4- Enjoy, and see you in September for the next seasonal to-do for you!

Our desktop calendar & checklist for July is a picture of a squash flowers growing in Cine’s garden. That particular squash is curcubita maxima or very big pumpkin, specifically the Rouge vif d’Etempes commonly known as the Cinderella Pumpkin. Seeds were purchased through Nichols Garden Nursery online.

Instructions to get your Metro1811 to-do are below. Don’t forget to check out the full featured article for July’s Monthly Checklist.

Here’s how it works:

1- This link will open a new window (or tab) displaying the wallpaper image for your screen.

2- Right-click (or ctrl-click for some Mac users) on the image, and choose the option that says, “Set as Desktop Background”, “Use as Desktop Picture,” or something to that effect — the exact wording will depend on the browser you use.

3- If the image does not fit your desktop background neatly, you may have to go to your preference screen (on a Mac: System Preferences > Desktop & Screen Saver > Desktop; on Windows: Control Panel > Display > Desktop) and choose “Fit to screen” as the display mode of your background image.

4- Enjoy, and see you in August for the next seasonal to-do for you!

Support your tomatoes, they depend on you.

Tomatoes are the number one favorite amateur gardener choice for summer food gardens. If we love them so much, we should treat them with love and care, right? It’s simple enough to do. Tie them up!

Last year I tried an experiment and did not stake my tomatoes. I thought, “Aren’t they vines and aren’t they supposed to grow along the ground?” I saw an internet article that said it would make no difference…It was a disaster for me. They barely produced any tomatoes and those that were on the vines, did not ripen. Last year was not the best year for tomatoes climate-wise but I could have done much more to support mine. Do yourself a favor, learn the lesson from my experiment and get your tomatoes off the ground.

Staking is not just for vampires…

A stake should be about six feet tall. You will need to place it on the north side of the tomato, two to three inches from the stem and drive it about one to two feet into the ground.

Now that you have the stake firmly in place, tie ‘em up. I know, it sounds so rude! But while tomatoes need to be held up in order to produce an abundance of fruit, they have no natural way to do it themselves. They need our help. A few things to remember:

• Use something soft
• Keep it tied loosely
• Place the under a sturdy non-fruit branch

Tie the rag strip to the stake first. Make a nice square knot. With the loose end gently place it under a strong branch. Never place the tie under a fruit branch as it may snap the branch laden with fruit.  Then tie the rag strip again to the stake. At the end of the season those rag strips can go into the compost with your tomato plants as long as you have used a natural fiber like cotton.

As the plant grows, keep adding your rag strips about every 12 to 18 inches.

If you are the type of person that likes your garden neat and tidy, I suggest the stake method. This is for the gardener that likes to pinch back suckers and is diligent about it. Cages obstruct your hands for this.

Sew? Use your sewing fabric scraps for bright, cheerful veggie ties.

Cage the wild tomato!

And just because you’ve put them in a cage, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check to make sure they don’t need a little help in there. If need be, make sure your tomatoes are upright in the cage with a loose rag.

If you do choose the cage method try to avoid using the wimpier store-bought cages for heavy tomatoes like beefsteak varieties. The weight of the fruit will likely tip over the cage. If you want a sturdier cage for your beefier tomatoes, it’s easy enough to create them yourself. It’s very simple. You can use hardware cloth or fencing materials.

First, get out your wire cutters and buy a roll of the wire mesh of your choice. Cut the mesh in any diameter you feel comfortable with, I like to make mine tighter (18″) circles because it means I have less worry over supporting. At the bottom, cut a few inches of the horizontal layer of wires off to create little stakes to go into the ground and keep the cage steady. The circle itself will enable self-stabilization of the cage.

Now, fold over the wires where you cut them and voilà! It’s a great way to get a cheap, heavy, stable tomato cage!

That’s it, that’s how to support a tomato and be rewarded with a better yield of yummy juicy tomatoes.

Photos are all of the Frank Mastini Memorial Garden in Cine’s citystead

The Benefits of Deep Watering

Here in the Northwest the grass grows green in the winter and brown in the summer. We solve this problem by either getting rid of the grass or watering a lot. But watering on opposite days isn’t the complete solution. It also isn’t the greenest solution. The water does not go deep enough and what you do use is wasted on runoff. You find yourself in a neverending cycle of watering. Deep watering will encourage the roots to go deep, looking for food and water, which is exactly what we want them to do to end the cycle. It encourages your plants to become stronger because they get more nutrients by getting deeper and creating stronger systems that don’t need as much watering. That makes healthier plants, especially veggies, for you. But let’s take this one step at a time… shall we? First let’s look at the facts then the how to’s.

Joe Lamp’l, in his book The Green Gardener’s Guide, details quite a few methods for efficient methods for getting the most bang out of your watering buck.

Tidbit to Know: A residential system applying 1 inch of water to an average-size 5,000-square foot lawn delivers a total of 3,000 gallons of water.

3000 gallons! That’s more than twice as much as you need. If you water the lawn (or garden) without deep watering methods, your lawn will only grow roots less than 2 inches deep. That will force you to continue to water more often thereby wasting our precious water resource. Even if you water for 20 minutes, the way the soil absorbs will not allow it to seep far enough to avoid evaporation. The ability of soil to absorb water is known as soil percolation. The percolation of the water through the soil stops at the top if it is overwatered to start, especially if the ground is very dry. It simply runs off. The soil near the surface will dry out faster (evaporate) due to the exposure to the elements. Deep watering allows you to water less often with less water and gives your garden the ability to withstand the highs and lows of the temperatures of our Northwest growing season. Thus, you break the cycle of dependency on frequent watering.

“Now, deep watering doesn’t mean turning on the sprinkler and leaving it on while you go and play a quick nine holes! The surface layer of most soils become quickly saturated after watering for only a few minutes, and then all the water applied runs off and is wasted. Research shows that the most efficient and effective way to get water down deep is to water an area for a short time until the upper surface is saturated–say, ten minutes for most soils (less if it’s on a slope)–then stop and let that water soak in for thirty minutes to an hour, and then water again for a few minutes more. This allows the water to be deeply absorbed into the soil while reducing runoff, and ultimately lets you go much longer between watering.” — Joe Lamp’l The Green Gardener’s Guide (reprinted by permission)

Simple, right? Go out, turn on the sprinkler or drip hose for ten or so minutes, wait an hour, then go out and soak it good again for less time. That adds up to less water used, less money spent, and less time of your time spent on watering which frees you up to tending to the garden (or golf or archery or baking bread…).

Now what about those container/raised bed gardens we’re all using now to conserve space and keep the TAGRO in? Here’s a brief tutorial from Anarchy in the Garden on how to solve that problem (see Sources below). Adriana, the author of this piece (used by written permission) takes a 1 gallon pot she saved from a nursery and reuses it for this deep watering project. All Adriana did was simply poke holes into the sides and bury it in the garden. Then she filled it it with water and let it percolate through the holes slowly and naturally as the garden needs it.

Have fun watering and remember that the greener you are the greener your garden will grow.

Sources:

Joe Lamp’l
TAGRO: Tacoma Grow
Anarchy In The Garden
Photo by: Our Enchanted Garden *creative commons attribution*

I have never really liked lima beans. I think it is the same issue that my husband, Thom, has with brussel sprouts. They were cooked badly when he was a child. It wasn’t his mother but his grandmother that spoiled it for Thom and the sprouts (and eventually me because I can’t get him to eat them!). But back to lima beans, as I was saying, I was never very fond of them. The texture was all off for me. This week, after reading an article on lima beans lasagne I decided to tackle lima beans once again. Apparently lima beans can be used in place of ricotta. By gosh! Vegans like it so why not?

I’m an adventurous yet frugal cook. Beans and grains are becoming more and more of a household staple for those tightening their budgets. They’re packed with protein, low in fat (almost fat free) with zero saturated fats and have the added benefit of easily broken down carbs so they’re less likely to hang around your body and turn into fat. In an obese society, beans are good to begin adding into the diet again.

With all that in mind, I thought I’d tackle limas to prove to myself that they really are a worthwhile bean. I wasn’t quite ready to take the leap into a familiar dish and change it around yet, though. So, I decided to look through some of my older vintage cookbooks to find lima beans in recipes (as the newer cookbooks seem to avoid them as I do — even some of the veggie books). Lo and behold! In a Farmhouse Cookbook I found…Spanish Lima Beans.

There was really nothing Spanish about the recipe I found. In fact, I think it’s technically a cassoulet. I tweaked it a little for more nutritional value, served it with homemade French bread (which is easy peasy if you follow Mel’s Basic Recipe) and renamed the dish to Ole! Lima Bean Cassoulet.

The trick, I think, with lima beans is that you shouldn’t overcook or they become mush and you can’t undercook or they’re all crunchy which isn’t really very yummy to most people. So yes, it’s a little daunting, to say the least.

I started out the day (at 5:30 a.m.) by putting a 2 cups dried limas in a pot covered in water and brought it to a boil while I made my husband’s lunch and coffee. When it came to a boil, I turned it off and let it soak. At around 4:00 pm I drained the beans, put in new water and let it simmer for about an hour and a half. Other stuff got done of course, like me and the rabbit hung out. I wrote, he gamboled about. Then, around 5:30 I started to assemble the cassoulet. I had to disregard a few things in the recipe as I thought they were wrong for being “Spanish”, like Worcestershire sauce and red pepper flakes. Instead I substituted port wine and cayenne. I also added some more veggies and substituted yellow onion with shallot and red onion to make it a perfect one dish dinner.

I was a little scared, actually, that it would turn out bland as all lima bean dishes I’ve ever eaten in my LIFE have been. Not even… It was YUM. Thom and I were delighted. The experiment was a success!

So even though there’s a lot of prep for the beans you can use canned (though I think that’s my problem with limas — the canned ones are blech). Without the bean prep, this takes all of about 15 minutes to prep including dicing time. So technically, not a 30 minute meal but 45 minutes ain’t bad. With the bean prep, the time I took to actually pay attention to the beans was perhaps another fifteen minutes as it really did it all on its own. Conceivably, someone could start this recipe in the morning and put the beans and water in a slowcooker on low for the day (after the initial boil–transfer to slow cooker) then drain them and use them in the recipe. Alternatively, you can prep beans and grains on the weekend and freeze them for use during the week. I used limas but I am thinking navy beans would work as well, maybe even black beans. Not sure about red beans though…

Overall flavor I’d have to say is umami.

Ole! Lima Bean Cassoulet
by Francine Mastini

2 cups cooked lima beans
2 cups tomatoes (the kind with onion & Italian spices if you’re using a can)
1 red bell pepper diced
1 stalk celery diced
1 small carrot diced
1 med shallot diced
(or alternatively 1 small red onion or a combo of the two)
2 tbs butter
1-2 tbsp port wine
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne (to your own taste)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (use a kind that melts, I had cheddar on hand but jack is good too)

Soak beans to prep and cook till al dente. Preheat oven to 375F. Sautee the onion, carrots, and celery in butter in a small casserole or wide saucepan (I used my All Clad to go from stovetop to oven). Add tomatoes and stew all together for about 10 minutes. Stir in the beans and the spices together. Layer bean mixture and cheese in clean, greased, casserole. Bake for 30 minutes.

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