Pain Sur Poolish (Easy Method)

fresh pain sur poolish

Pain Sur Poolish 

A fresh baguette is incomparable.  Here are some tips and a process to ease the accomplishment of this end.  Do not be discouraged at early failure.  Bread making is an art, not a science and, therefore, requires patient devotion.  We are mere neophytes but he wins who waits ...

Nota Bene: the best book on this subject is Joe Ortiz,  The Village Baker: Classic Regional Breads From Europe And North America, Ten Speed Press 2003.  Ortiz' treatment of the art of bread-making is thorough but comprehensible.  He also treats the regional breads of France, Italy, and Germany where he has visited many times.  It is a first-hand account of European breads by a master artisan.

Proofing the yeast:

1. proofing yeast

2. proofed yeast

1) 1/2 cup lukewarm water (105 F, to be precise, err on the side of colder)

2) Sprinkle and float 1 tsp of yeast so it floats
on top of the water.

3) Sprinkle a pinch of sugar over the yeast.

4) Wait until the mixture is  bubbly (10-15 mins)

Mixing the poolish:

1. mixed poolish

1) Place 1 cup of flour in a bowl and make a fountain.(low gluten flour)

2) Pour the proofed yeast into the fountain.

3) Rinse the yeast cup with 1/2 cup of lukewarm water (100 F)

2. poolish rising

4) Mix thoroughly and scrape down sides.  (resulting mixture is 50/50 water and flour.)

5) Place in a cool oven alongside a bowl of boiling hot water. (Oven temperature should be between 90-100 F)

3. fallen poolish

6) Wait around 4 hrs until it rises to twice its volume and falls. (Yeast will have consumed most of the available sugars in the poolish and will have multiplied substantially.)

Mixing the dough:

mixed dough

1) Place 2 cups of flour (high gluten) in a bowl and make a fountain add a pinch of sea salt.

2) Add 1/4 cup of water to poolish.

3) Add poolish to the fountain.

proofing dough

4) Mix until very elastic and no longer sticky. (you are developing the gluten by kneading)

5) Let dough rest for 10 mins.  This is a "gluten rest" and will give time for gluten to form.

6) Resume vigorous kneading until dough is stiff and (hopefully) satin smooth.

risen dough

 7) Turn into an oiled bowl.(1)

8) Let dough rise at room temperature until almost doubled in size.





 

Making the baguettes:

loaves

1) Preheat oven to 425 F.

2) Separate dough into two halves.

3) Fold in on itself until very taut and let rest 5 mins.

4) Form into loaves by folding only in one direction, keeping the tension, let rest 5 mins

6) Stretch into baguettes and place in or on a pan depending on the pan.

7) Slice thrice (cuts should be angled at 30 degrees, this is important to let the loaves bloom evenly in the oven and it will let the wee folk out)

stretched loaves

8) Let proof until dough no longer springs readily back when poked (It will spring back slightly, that is good.)

9) Toss a 1/4 cup of water in the bottom of the oven (not on glass door, not of the glass lights, they will break)

10) Put baguettes into the oven and bake for 10 mins.

11) Rotate pan and bake for 10mins

12) Rotate pan and finish baking (probably another 10 mins)

Testing done-ness:

1) Baguettes should be a golden to dark brown all over.

2) Should sound hollow when rapped.

3) Should start to crackle when taken out of the oven for 2 mins

(in fact, the crackle is the sign of a good loaf.)

Eating:

1) Baguette should be cooled to warm before cutting

2) Baguette should be eaten within 4 hrs

3) In the unlikely event that is it not eaten within 4 hrs, split baguette in twain and rub each half with olive oil and garlic, bake in a 350 F oven for 20 mins wrapped in foil

4) In the very unlikely even that it is not eaten within 24 hrs, cube baguette and sautee with olive oil and garlic until crisp croûtons are achieved.

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1. Due to some feedback from users, it seems necessary to mention that the bowl be merely lightly oiled, despite the goodness of olive oil--save whatever oil one may want to put into the bowl to dip the finished bread into later.

pizza

The dough for one baguette can also be used to make one 16" pizza.  Just stretch out the ball into a circle instead of making it into a loaf.  Do not roll it with a rolling pin as this will remove all air from the dough and result in a non-fluffy and non-wonderful crust.

Bake on the bottom rack of a 470 F oven until dark brown crust and cheese is achieved. Do not use lots of tomato sauce or it will prevent the centre crust from cooking.

Carre d' Agneau Persille

Parsley Rack of Lamb

Carre d' Agneau Persille

Simple preparation for rack of lamb, broiled then baked with an herb crust.


Use the least fatty rack you can find.  It is crucial not to overcook the rack.  The lamb will continue to cook when it is removed from the oven; so if a higher level of done-ness is required,  cook for the prescribed time and then let the lamb sit for 10-15 min before cutting and serving.  Cooking time 30 min, serves 2.

Ingredients: 

• 1 rack of lamb
• 1 shallot
• 1 large clove of garlic
• 1/4 cup of minced parsley (no, dried parsley will not work)
• 1/4 cup of bread crumbs
•  4 tablespoons of butter
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Steps:

1. rib-side buttered

1. Preheat oven to 500 F.  Let lamb warm a bit to room temperature.  Lightly pepper and salt it on both sides.  Set the rib side up and dot each rib-end with butter.

2. herb mixture

2. Mince the shallot, garlic, and  parsley.  Blend them with the breadcrumbs and use olive oil to bind the mixture (about 2 tablespoons).
3. Once oven is at 500 F.  Turn off oven and set broiler to 500 F.  Wait 2 min and then add the rack close to the broiler.  Broil for 2 min rib-side up and then turn and boil for 3 min meat-side up.  Remove from oven, turn off the broiler, re-set oven to 500 F.

4. herbed rack

4. Meat-side up, cover the rack with the herb mixture and make a nice crust.  Do not cover the rib side.  Then dot the herbed rack with butter and return to the 500 F oven.
5. Bake in the 500 F oven for 10 min.  Remove.  Do not bake longer than this as the rack will be ruined.  (I.e. there will be rack and ruin)  If a more well-done meat is desired, let the rack sit for 10-15 min more before cutting. (wrap in tin foil, for well-well-done).
6. Slice the ribs and serve.  When slicing, it should be possible to finesse around the rib-joint bones without having to slice right through them.  If the rib is having trouble releasing, try wiggling it around a bit and cutting everything save the bone.  Serve with rice and grilled tomatoes.

Parsley Rack of Lamb

Serve with a hearty red wine.  A tannic Cabernet, or some of the Spanish reds, a Grenache.  Pinot Noir might work.

G & T

Gin and Tonic

A staple drink, especially for those who do not want Martinis.  While the traditional gin and tonic has only lime juice, the house version omits the lime juice and instead uses zest of lemon and zest of lime.

Tanqueray London Dry Gin

After extensive testing of other gins, we have determined that the only gin that really shines in a gin and tonic is Tanqueray London Dry Gin. (not Tanqueray Rangpur nor Tanqueray 10).  Tanqueray LD is made with four botanicals only: Juniper, Coriander, Angelica, and Liquorice.  Compare this with Bombay Sapphire, which has ten botanicals.  Accordingly Tanqueray LD has a very firm, full flavor which holds up to the tonic water without tasting merely like ethanol (which is what happens to Bombay Sapphire).

Ingredients:  

• 1 oz Tanqueray London Dry Gin
• 5 oz Canada Dry Tonic Water (kept in 10oz glass bottles)
• lemon zest
• lime zest
• ice
• highball glass (not chilled)

The Recipe:

1. Place 4-5 hard, fresh ice cubes in the highball glass
2. Over the glass zest the lemon and lime, ensuring the mist of the zesting process lands in the glass.  This is a crucial step which allows the citrus oils to form the aroma of the drink when combined with the tonic water.  Leave the finished zests on the ice.
3. Pour the gin over the ice and citrus zest.
4. Top off with chilled tonic water (again, about 5 oz)
5. Serve immediately.

Enjoying: 

• Smell the drink first.  Try to isolate the lemon, the lime and then the juniper.
• The juniper is the principle flavor, though not the strongest.  It is reminiscent of pine trees and firs and Christmas.
• When sipping, let the drink flow over the whole tongue, do not swallow right away.  Let the carbon dioxide from the tonic water wake your taste buds and then try to taste the different botanicals.
• Juniper: pine, resin, fresh green flavor, citrus
• Coriander:  orange, lemon, spice, nutty, pine
• Angelica: a very particular flavor rather between fennel, anise, and caraway.
• Liquorice: sweet, anise, tarragon, and sassafras (somewhat like root beer flavor).  The liquorice flavor does not appear until the end of the sip.
• Quinine: bitter
• Remember, drinks are meant to be savored and thought over.  Give them at least as much consideration as you give your iphone (like turn your iphone off and enjoy a drink) and they will reward you ten-fold.

French 75 aromatique

French 75

French 75 aromatique

The usual, but given some more herbal notes by infusing the simple syrup with green aromatics.

Ingredients:

• 0.5 oz  simple syrup (infused, see below)
• 0.5 oz London Dry Gin (Tanqueray )
• 2 oz Sparkling Wine
• lemon twist

 

 Simple Infused Syrup

Combine 0.5 c water and 0.5 c white sugar in a sauce pan and bring to a boil with the lid on.  Boil for 2 min. and then remove from the heat.
Add around 2 tablespoons of greens, one of the following:

• Celery leaves
• Italian Parsley leaves
• Lemon Basil leaves (use sparingly)
• 2 Juniper berries (would supplement the Christmas tree flavor of the gin.  Tanqueray is rather weak Juniper flavor so it would pair nicely)
• 1 Star Anise pod (only around Easter or Christmas)

Let the syrup cool with the herb and then strain and chill.

  Assembly:

1. In a chilled Martini glass or Champagne flute, put the syrup and gin.
2. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with lemon twist.

Swordfish Arreganata

Swordfish with Breadcrumbs

Spada Arreganata

Swordfish steak baked then pan seared with breadcrumbs and served over sautéed vegetables.
 
Il pesce spada (swordfish) is a large oily fish with hearty steaks.  The zoological name is, as usual, much preferable -- Xiphias gladius.   "Arreganata" indicates preparation with bread crumbs.  This preparation pairs the richness of the fish with the sweetness of the vegetables and binds them with lemon.  It is important to cook the tomatoes and onions long enough and cook the spinach short enough.  The onions must develop some char and the tomatoes should be completely cooked.  The spinach should only be limp.
Cooking time 45 min. Serves two.

Ingredients:

• 2 swordfish steaks (sushimi grade frozen steaks wild caught in the Atlantic are best.  Do not eat mercurial fish caught in Singapore.)
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 white onion (do not use a sweet onion)
• 2 cups of fresh baby spinach
• 1/2 cup of bread crumbs (not the salt-ridden stale stuff, it will mask the other flavors.  Make it yourself if necessary(1))
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 lemons
• 2 T of butter
• paprika
• pepper
• salt
• olive oil

 Steps:

1. Rub the defrosted swordfish steaks (do not defrost them in the microwave, that is bad ju ju) with paprika and salt and pepper.  Preheat oven to 450 F.
2. While oven is preheating, slice the onion into six round slices and slice each tomato into four slices.  Peel and slice the garlic.
3. Put steaks in a pyrex casserole dish (if you cook it in a tin pan, it is on your own head).  Squeeze a half of a lemon over each one and put some water in the pan.  Top each steak with a tablespoon of butter and put into the oven for 18 mins.
4. Whilst swordfish is cooking put some olive oil in a cast iron skillet and heat to shimmering.  Heat some oil in a non-stick skilled and cook the garlic until aromatic.
5. In the garlic pan wilt the spinach.  In the cast iron pan sear the onions until black on both sides.  Then sear the tomatoes hard on one side and then briefly cook other side (the tomatoes will be very limp, try to keep them together).
6. Layer the vegetables in three stripes (do not make an Italian flag, that is tacky and stupid).
7. Take swordfish and dredge each side in breadcrumbs.  Put more olive oil in the cast iron pan and sear the breaded swordfish until breadcrumbs are toasted.
8. Place steaks on vegetable bed and squeeze another half a lemon over each dish.  Garnish with lemon twist and serve.

This is a surprisingly filling dish so side dishes are probably unnecessary.  A California style Chardonnay would pair well with the richness of the fish.  Alternatively a light red wine such as Pinot Noir would supplement the vegetables nicely.  A Cabernet would be uncalled for.

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1. Toast two slices of French bread.  Cut into cubes and either beat to a powder or (for those who have food processors with metal blades, you know who you are) whirl in a food processor.

Indian Brown Ale

 

Dogfish Head, Indian Brown Ale

From the horse's mouth, well the dog's, the Indian Brown Ale is a hybrid of Scotch Ale, India Pale Ale (IPA) and American Brown Ale.  The alcohol content is boosted with brown sugar.  Indian Brown Ale is 7.2% ABV and 50 IBU.  We served it at 50 F.


Appearance: Tall and billowing head.  Very dark color which fades to dark brown on the edges.

Nose: Chocolate malt in aroma and hop smell.  No aroma hops are detectable, the smell is clean bitter flavor.

Body: Hop bite at first.  The warrior hops really come through and provide a neutral bitterness.  The bitterness fades to a strong roast malt flavor and warming alcohol.  The overall mouth-feel is creamy and warming.

Finish: Smooth, chocolaty finish with lingering molasses and hop bitterness.

Overall:  A very flavorful beer.  It is not distinctively any style.  The bitterness is reminiscent of an IPA, the malt profile a brown ale.  Dogfish Head succeeded in creating a hybrid beer, but it isn't clear that this is an improvement.  I think the hybridization, rather than combining the best of its forebears, has lost just the best.  The citrus and green hop aromas typical of an IPA are lost in the powerful malt flavor.  The stout potential of the malt is marred by the IPA like bitterness.

Gateau aux Poires

Williams's Bon Chretien: the Barlett Pear

Gateau aux Poires

Regional Specialty of Burgundy

A regional cake from Burgundy, France, which features apples, pears or apricots in a simple white cake base.

During the annual grape harvest in Burgundy, this type of cake is oft served to the pickers after dinner.  Madame Lafarge of Côte de Beaune, Volnay serves this with crème fraîche.(1)   We, however, prefer to serve it with more of a flair -- brought to the table covered in flaming sugar and brandy.  Total cooking time is 45 min.  Makes 1, 9" cake.

Ingredients:
2 pears, We found Bartlett best(2)
Pantry:
1 c flour
3/4 c sugar
3 t baking powder
3 eggs
1 T oil

Steps:
1) Prepare cake pan with a circle of parchment and greased sides. Wash pears.(3)  Preheat oven to 400 F.

2: remove rind with spoon

2) Quarter pears and remove rind with a spoon.  If they are ripe the rind will be very pliable, if they are not ripe use a knife.  Dice pears and hold.
3) Place sugar in mixing bowl and beat in the eggs until the batter is smooth.  The quantity of beating determines the texture of the cake.  Smooth batter will result in a soft cake with fine texture, the converse will result in a coarse, rustic texture.
4) Mix flour and baking powder and then add to egg batter.
5) Once flour is almost incorporated, add oil and finish.  Mixing at this stage should be done only as much as necessary.

6: incorporate pears

6) Incorporate the pears swiftly and simply, then pour into pan.
7) Bake for 30 min.  Our pastry consultant has firmly admonished that the oven not be opened even a crack for these 30 min.  Failure to comply will result in a sunken midriff.(4)
8) Take out after the 30 min.  Free the rim of the cake and invert over a rack.  Peel off the parchment and let cool.

8: cake in serving position

9) If serving with crème fraîche, wait until the time and serve with crème fraîche.  If serving with brandy, coat the top of the cake (the erstwhile bottom) with powdered sugar.  When ready to serve, ignite a half cup of brandy and pour over the cake.  Bring to the table with the lights dimmed.

Discussion on pears, brandy and flames(5)
The reasons for flaming this cake are several, the flair of presentation (and flame) and the soft, moist warmth flaming imparts.  The Barlett pear is otherwise known as the Williams pear which is from the Bon Chrétien pear brought by St. Francis to the French court in the 1400's.  This may be the variety Pliny the Elder calls Crustumian, as in from the River Crustumius.  Williams's version is thought to date from the late 18th century.  Such an illustrious background does not warrant the appellation pyrus communis, but science is inexorable.  Nevertheless, the Williams pear is also used to make the brandy Poire William.  This brandy, of course, must be the first choice for flaming this cake.  Or, if budget is tighter, a more common brandy may be used to flame the cake and Poire William served in snifters may accompany it.

When flaming, we've found the best way is to measure the spirit into a Pyrex measuring cup and warm it very slightly in the microwave (remember ethanol boils at 173 F, so if it's lukewarm you can ignite it).  Ignite the spirit while holding the cup on an angle.  Pour over the sugar-coated cake.  Serve.

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(1) Hanson, Rosi. Recipes from the French Wine Harvest.  London: Seven Dials, Cassell & Co., 2000. p22
(2) Or 2 apples, or 4-6 apricots.
(3) Use ripe pears for a sweeter, more mellow and heavier cake.  Use unripe pears for a more tart, crisp and lighter cake.
(4) We verified this by experiment.  Opening the oven is fatal to the cake's middle.
(5) Roach, F.A., Cultivated Fruits of Britain: their Origin and History. Oxford: Blackwell Ltd., 1985.