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Grilled Rosemary Flatbreads
Almost No-Knead Bread
Halibut in Parchment Paper
Polenta Pie with Mushrooms & Spinach
Mushroom Ragout
Prep and cook time: about 55 minutes, plus 1 hour for rising. Makes 6 flatbreas; 12 servings
1 package fresh active dry yeast
2 teapsoons salt
1/3 cup finely diced onion
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
2/3 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
Fresh-ground pepper
1. In a bowl, sprinkle yeast over 1 1/4 cups warm water. Let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Add salt, onion, 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, and 2 1/2 cups flour.
2. If kneading by hand, stir vigorously until dough is stretchy, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 1/4 cups flour. Scrape dough onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky, 10-12 minutes, adding flour as required to prevent sticking.
If kneading with a dough hook, beat on low speed until flour is incorporated. Add 1 1/4 cups flour. Beat on low speed to blend, then on high speed until dough no longer feels sticky and pulls cleanly from bowl, 10-12 minutes. If dough is still sticky, beat in flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.
3. Place dough in an oiled bowl, turn over, cover airtight, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
4. On a lightly floured board or with a dough hook, briefly knead dough to expel air. Cut into 6 equal pieces and shape each into a smooth ball.
5. Flatten 1 ball by hand, then roll into an 8-inch round. Brush round with about 3/4 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon rosemary, 2 tablespoons parmesan, and pepper. Lightly press in seasonings. Cover a plate with plastic wrap. Place seasoned round on wrap, cover with plastic wrap, and chill. Repeat to shape remaining balls. As each round is finished, add to stack, cover with plastic wrap, and chill. (If making dough ahead, wrap stack airtight and chill up to 6 hours)
6. Place a few dough rounds at a time, seasoned side up, on an oiled grill over a solid bed of medium-hot coals, or over medium-high heat on a gas grill. Cover gas grill. With a wide spatula, occasionally lift and rotate breads for even browning. When bottoms are well browned, 2 to 3 minutes, turn breads over. Cook until seasoned sides are light brown, 1 to 2 more minutes.
7. Cut each flatbread into about 6 wedges. Dip into olive oil to eat.
An enameled cast-iron Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid yields best results, but the recipe also works in a regular cast-iron Dutch oven or heavy stockpot. Use a mild-flavored lager, such as Budweiser. The bread is best eaten the day it is baked but can be wrapped in aluminum foil and stored in a cool, dry place for up to 2 days.
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
plus additional for dusting work surface
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water at room temperature
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons mild-flavored lager
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1. Whisk flour, yeast, and salt in large bowl. Add water, beer, and vinegar. Using rubber spatula, fold mixture, scraping up dry flour from bottom of bowl until shaggy ball forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 8 to 18 hours.
2. Lay 12 x 18 inch sheet of parchment paper inside 10 inch skillet and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and knead 10 to 15 times. Shape dough into ball by pulling edges into middle. Transfer dough, seam-side down, to parchment-lined skillet and spray surface of dough with nonstick cooking spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until dough has doubled in size and does not readily spring back when poked with finger, about 2 hours.
3. About 30 minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to lowest position, place 6-8 quart heavy-bottomed Dutch oven (with lid) on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Lightly flour top of dough and, using razor blade or sharp knife, make one 6-inch-long, 1/2 inch-deep slit along top of dough. Carefully remove pot from oven and remove lid. Pick up dough by lifting parchment overhang and lower into pot (let any excess parchment hang over pot edge). Cover pot and place in oven. Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove lid and continue to bake until loaf is deep brown and instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 210 degrees, 20 to 30 minutes longer. Carefully remove bread from pot; transfer to wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.
Prep: 20 minutes; Cook: 15 minutes. In place of halibut, you can use other small, flat, white fish fillets, such as red snapper, sea bass, pompano, striped bass, or cod.
4 (12- x 18-inch) sheets parchment paper
Cooking Spray
4 (6 ounce) halibut fillets (fillets work better than steaks)
1/4 cup commercial pesto
1 cup shredded carrots (2 medium)
1 cup shreded zucchini (1 small)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
fresh spinach
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
4 teaspoons olive oil
4 teaspoons dry white wine
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Follow directions for heart-shaped parchment package in the side bar to the left.
2. Unfold parchment heart, and coat lightly with cooking spray, leaving a 2-inch border ungreased at edge.
3. Place a handful of baby spinach under the halibut. Place fillet on one side so that it touches the fold, but not the ungreased border. Spread 1 tablespoon pesto over fillet; top with 1/4 cup carrot, 1/4 cup mushrooms and 1/4 cup zucchini. Sprinkle with one-fourth of salt and pepper. Drizzle fillet with 1 teaspoon wine.
4. Fold paper; seal edges with narrow folds. Repeat the remainging parchemnt paper, fish and vegetables.
5. Place packets on baking sheets. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes or until puffy and lightly browned. To serve, open packets and transfer the fillets with their vegetable topping ot plates; pour juices over top. Or serve right in packets; carefully transfer to plates and pierce each to allow steam to escape.
Note: nutritional analysis includes Sugars 0g. Yield 4 servings (serving size: 1 parchment package). CALORIES 253; FAT 10g (sat 2g, mono 6g, poly 2g); PROTEIN 36g; CHOLESTEROL 56mg; CALCIUM 112mg; SODIUM 337mg; FIBER 0.0g; IRON 2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 1g
Parchment Paper
This can be purchased at the local grocery store or from a local bakery.
Pull out approx 18" of paper and olf in half. Then cut out half a heart and open:
Makes 4-6 portions
Nonstick cookng spray
1 pound fresh white mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/4 C prepared pesto
1C instant polenta or cornmeal
· Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray (or butter). Trim mushrooms; cut in thin slices. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over high heat until hot. Add mushrooms; cook and stir until tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove 1 cup of the mushrooms to a small bowl; stir in 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan cheese; set aside. Into mushrooms remaining in skillet, stir spinach and 1/4 cup pesto; cook until hot, about 2 minutes.
· Cook polenta according to package directions. Remove from heat; stir in the remaining 7 tablespoons of cheese. Spread half of the polenta in the prepared pie plate. Spoon the mushroom-spinach mixture over the polenta; with a knife, spread the remaining polenta on top; top with the remaining mushroom-Parmesan mixture.
· Bake, uncovered, until heated through, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes; cut into wedges. Serve on a bed of tomato sauce or top with a dollop of pesto, if desired.
· To make ahead; Cover pie with aluminum foil; refrigerate up to 24 hours. To reheat, bake in a pre-heated 375-degree oven until heated through, about 30 minutes.
· Per serving: 294 calories; 10 g fat; 10 g protein; 42 g carbohydrates.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
For the polenta
1 Cup milk
1/2 Cup course-ground polenta
3 Oz. Butter
4 of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Kosher salt
Black pepper, freshly ground
For the mushroom ragout
2 Andoile sausages, diced
1/4 Cup olive oil
8 Oz. Fresh crimini mushrooms, cleaned and broken into uniform pieces
1 TBL unsalted butter
2-3 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Small shallot, minced
1/2 Cup Madiera
1/2 Cup chicken stock
1/2 Cup cream
1/4 Cup snipped chives
1/2 Cup shredded Messo Secco cheese from Vella Sonoma
First, prepare polenta. Fill bottom of a double boiler about a third full of water, bring to a boil and reduce heat to very low, so the water simmers slowly.
Pour the milk and 2 cups of water into a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Whisk the liquid to create a vortex and slowly pour the polenta into the vortex, whisking all the while. Continue to stir until the polenta just beings to thicken, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Set top of double boiler over the bottom part and pour in the polenta. Cover and allow to team slowly for 1 hour, or until polenta is very tender. Increase heat to medium, whisk in butter and cheese, stir until smooth and return heat to low. Keep hot until ready to serve.
While the polenta steams, prepare the mushroom ragout. Brown sausage, then reserve on paper towels/keep warm. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan set over medium-low heat. Add mushrooms and saute, stirring frequently , until they release their liquid. Increase the heat to medium and continue to cook until liquid is completely evaporated.
Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper, add the butter, the garlic and the shallot and cook for 1 minute.
Add Madiera and simmer until it is thick and syrupy. Add chicken stock and simmer until the liquid is again thick and syrupy. Add the cream, simmer again until thick, taste and correct the seasoning. Add reserved sausage to reheat.
To serve, coat the insides of individual ramekins or casserole dishes with butter and set the dishes on a baking sheet. Spoon hot polenta into individual serving dishes. Sprinkle with shredded Mezzo Secco. Set, uncovered in an oven preheated to 300 degrees for 4 or 5 minutes to melt the cheese.
Remove from the oven and top with the mushroom ragout and sprinkle with chives on top. Cover each dish with its lid, set on a small plate and serve immediately.
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