Panzanella with Heirloom Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella

I think part of my problem with updating my blog is that lately it seems like I don't have as much time to write out nice, long, interesting stories to go with my recipes. Or at least I think I don't have time; the older I get the more I realize that once I determine that I want to make the time to do something, I somehow magically make the time. Funny thing, time; sometimes it flies, sometimes it drags, and sometimes it can actually heal all wounds. Or so they say.

(And sometimes it's made out of circles : Time...LINE ??? ) 

The story behind this one is short and sweet, so I'll endeavor to keep the entry the same; maybe that will make it easier ? 

As I posted it on Facebook...

PROBLEM : person buying rolls for last weekend's cookout does not understand math, leaving you with about three times as many rolls as you have sausages. 

SOLUTION : Panzanella with Heirloom Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella. 

No problem ! Well, except that I can't seem to stop eating it :)

Panzanella with Heirloom Tomatoes and Fresh Mozarella 

loosely based on an Ina Garten recipe

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/panzanella-recipe-1944317

Serves about four, depending on if you’re serving anything else with it.

2 T olive oil

4 cups stale bread cubes (leftover rolls, a small French, Italian, or country-type bread..really any decent plain bread will work)  

1/2 t salt

1 container heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved

2-4 mini cucumbers, unpeeled, halved and sliced (if large quarter and slice)

1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

2 T capers, drained

8 oz. fresh mozzarella – whole small balls (like ciliegene) or larger balls cut in slices (ovolini)

Vinaigrette:

1/2 t very finely minced garlic

1/2 t Dijon mustard

3 T white balsamic vinegar (or vinegar of your choice)

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 t salt

1/4 t ground pepper (white is nice if you have it)

Directions

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil if needed. Set aside to cool a bit. 

For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together.

In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with most of the vinaigrette; add mozzarella and drizzle with remaining dressing.  

This particular panzanella can be served right away, or you can allow it to sit in the fridge for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.

the world's easiest beer bread

beer bread made with Harp...mmm mmm good !

"Put one foot in front of the other"....that's all I have to do to start blogging again, right ? Baby steps...

This really is just about the easiest beer bread in the world...well, short of buying a mix. There's really no reason to buy a mix, though; we're talking 5 ingredients including the beer...most likely things you have around the house, assuming someone in your house drinks beer (or buys it for their friends). Oh, you can throw in more ingredients, if you feel up to it; this can very easily turn into an Italian Herb bread, or a Cheddar-Dill Bread, or even an Apple-Cinnamon Bread. At its core, though, this is simple perfection; beautiful crust, tender crumb, the slightest touch of sweet. Hearty enough to stand up to whatever you want to spread on it, adaptable enough to make friends with whatever meal you want to serve it with, confident enough to stand on its own...this is just damn good bread.

bread made with - and standing next to - a Sam Adams

When I set out to come up with a basic beer bread recipe, I had a few requirements. The few mixes I've tried - and a lot of the recipes I found - all had copious amounts of sugar; curiously, many of them also called for melting large quantities of butter and dumping it over the bread before baking. I have nothing against sugar and butter - especially combined with bread dough; fried dough is one of my favorite foods on earth - but that's not what I was looking for here. I just wanted bread.

another shot of the Harp loaf

As for the beer, "extra" beer is not a term that is used in my house. We love beer - all kinds of beer - and consume large amounts of it on a regular basis; our main concern through the recent snowstorms was maintaining our beer supply. I've heard legends of people who don't like beer; they buy beer for parties, but if it doesn't get enjoyed that night it sits unloved, languishing in the back of the fridge. Don't let this happen to your beer - use it for bread. Who doesn't like bread, for Pete's sake  ? (Answer : probably people who don't read this blog : ) ) . You can use absolutely any kind of beer to make this bread, from the cheap swill you buy for your relatives who don't know any better to the most snooty of microbrews. In the end, they will all turn into bread...and bread is the staff of life, after all.



and another shot of the Sam

A few additional notes :

• Do follow the cooling instructions at the end...it's tempting to tear right in when this comes out of the oven, but it will very likely fall apart if you do.
• If your beer isn't quite 12 ounces - for example, Red Stripe comes in an 11.2 ounce bottle - just add a little water until you get to 12 ounces (1 1/2 cups)
• I've given some variations at the end of the recipe. You can also sub out half the white flour for whole wheat; I would suggest adding another teaspoon of baking powder if you do. (I probably wouldn't use more whole wheat than that , or you will get very dense bread...though if you're into that sort of thing, go for it !) You can also substitute brown sugar for white, if you like the taste of the brown; brown sugar is particularly nice with whole wheat flour, and also goes very nicely with many types of beer.


Basic Beer Bread

3 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 (12 ounce) beer of your choice

Preheat oven to 375. Grease an 8" loaf pan (or spray with cooking spray)

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl; slowly pour in beer. Mix with a nice sturdy spoon (this will be thick) until combined.

Spread batter in pan. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until it's starting to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes; then remove from pan and cool another 10.

Serve warm, cold, or anywhere in between. Keeps very well.

Variations :

Italian Herb Bread : add 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and 2 1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning to dry ingredients. (I mix my own Italian Seasoning; for this bread, that would basically work out to 1 tsp. oregano, 1 tsp. basil, and 1/2 tsp. rosemary). A teaspoon of minced garlic wouldn't go amiss here either.

Cheesy Dill Bread : add 1/2 cup grated cheddar and 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill (or 2 tsp dried) to dry ingredients.

Apple-Cinnamon Bread : increase sugar to 2 tablespoons. Add one peeled and chopped apple and 2 tsp. of cinnamon to dry ingredients.

Irish Beer Bread : use Guinness for beer; add 1/2 cup currants to dry ingredients. (This would work particularly well with the whole wheat - brown sugar version)

Ribollita (Italian Bread and Vegetable Soup)

Apologies for the terrible picture - by the time I realized how good this was going to come out, it was gone !

Italians - gotta love them. I'm a quarter Italian, myself, though as I always say I think the only Italianate qualities I've inherited are the talking with my hands thing and my deep, deep love of food. (Though the food part could be from any and all of my ancestors :) )

One of the things I love about Italians is that not only do they love food, they waste nothing. A loaf of stale bread isn't something to be thrown out, to an Italian - it's a springboard, a gateway drug to all sorts of culinary delights. Not that the Italians have dibs on delicious things to do with stale bread, of course...this very blog is loaded with recipes for bread puddings, both savory and sweet; there are also references to French toast, croutons etc....but we're sticking with an Italian theme here.

We've already explored the glories of panzanella (Italian bread salad) in this space; but it's winter - lovely tomatoes are hard to come by, and our bodies and bellies crave something much more comforting, Ribollita - a hearty, warming soup - answers that craving perfectly, and I'm so glad I took the plunge and decided to learn how to make it. Think of the best minestrone you've ever had, but with bread instead of pasta (not like you don't dip bread in minestrone anyway ! ) - super flavorful broth, loaded with vegetables and creamy white beans, stick-to-your-ribs Italian nonna (grandma) goodness. And not only does this one use stale bread....next time you come to the end of a wedge of Parmesan, throw the rind in the freezer. It adds a wonderful depth of flavor to this or any other soup that that tastes good with cheese on top (don't most of them ? :) )

The only trick to this soup is to use a bread with some heft - something nice and dense that isn't going to dissolve in your soup. (Most French breads, although wonderfully useful when stale, would probably be a bit too airy for this - though use 'em if you got 'em, I say.). For this batch, I used a loaf of Italian Pugliese; sourdough, a dense ciabatta, or any peasant-type bread would work. Leftover rolls would be perfect - lots of nice crust to go around. If you want to make this and don't have stale bread on hand, just find the "day-old" rack in your supermarket and select a worthy candidate. Even a flavored bread would work, as this is one of those happy soups that take to all sorts of variation. Any kind of bean would probably be at home here, as would any sort of leftover vegetable. Spinach or Swiss chard could very easily stand in for the kale, if you're adverse to kale (though you should try it in this - it's wonderful). The recipe can easily be made kosher (yet still delicious) by omitting the pancetta and using vegetable stock or could even become vegan via the use of a vegan cheese alternative.  Go forth and experiment...there's no wrong here !

Ribollita 
Serves 6 - 8

1/4 cup olive oil
4 oz pancetta, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped (leeks or shallots would also work well - about 2 cups worth)
3 good-sized carrots, chopped
3 good-sized celery stalks, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon tomato paste*
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, drained (fire-roasted are great in this)
8 cups kale, large stems removed and coarsely chopped  
2 15.5 oz cans cannellini beans, drained
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (or 1 tablespoon dried)
1 bay leaf
1 piece of Parmesan rind (optional)
6 - 8 cups chicken stock
4 cups stale bread cubes, about 1 inch

Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and pancetta and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the onions become translucent. Stir in the tomato paste, and add the carrots, celery, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste and cook for another 10 minutes or so, or until the vegetables just start getting tender (add a ladle or so of stock if it seems to be getting too dry.). Add the tomatoes, kale, beans, basil, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind if using along with the 6 cups of stock and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Add the bread cubes, along with some additional stock if the soup seems too thick (though you do want it thick) and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Serve with plenty of fresh Parmesan. and a nice glass of wine, if you're of the wine persuasion. (The Parmesan rind in the soup should have mostly dissolved...if yours is old and stubbornly still in one piece, you can fish it out before serving lest it traumatize somebody. Though if you're traumatized by Parmesan, you may have issues...)

*I buy tomato paste in tubes that resemble toothpaste tubes; these are awesome when you just need to add a little bit to something as you can store the rest in the fridge. If you only have cans, I suggest freezing the rest in tablespoon-sized scoops; stick them on a paper plate until frozen, then store them in a baggie once frozen. Way useful ! 

Irish Soda Bread

Ed. note - this week, I will be reprinting my favorite St. Patrick's Day entries, in preparation for the big day on Saturday. Here's the first of the three. " May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night, and the road downhill all the way to your door !"

grand, super, brilliant !

First off, a shout out to Culinary Orgasm's new official main photographer...#1 Son Alex. Alex took all of the pictures in this entry with his new Nikon Coolpix, and he's done a great job - see the end of this entry for more of his work. Much easier having someone else wield the camera !

So...Irish Soda Bread. I cannot make this bread without thinking about Uncle Ed. Growing up, I spent every summer with Uncle Ed (great uncle, technically) and Narn (my great aunt Alice, who everyone called "Narn"). Uncle Ed was a textbook Southie guy, an Irish American war vet with a gruff exterior covering the biggest heart of anyone I've ever known. Uncle Ed took to retirement in Maine with gusto - dog food in his pockets everywhere he went, a fixture on his benches waiting for the mail, reading his Herald, listening to the Sox or just watching the world go by. He doted on his nieces and nephews, and no birthday was ever complete without Uncle Ed calling and singing "Happy Birthday" in his trademark vibrato-filled baritone. Lord, I miss that man.

In any event, as much as Uncle Ed loved Maine, he was always so happy when folks came down from Boston - especially from Southie, and especially if they came bearing Irish Soda Bread for him to have with his beloved tea. His eyes would light up, and he'd make that stuff last as long as he possibly could. But it was only when I married a part-Irishman and learned to actually appreciate a good corned beef dinner that I even thought about making it myself. It took a few tries, but now I really have it down...I think Uncle Ed would have absolutely loved this, and that is saying something. I only wish I had made it for him when he was still alive...don't put things off, folks. Do things for the people you love now. I promise you, you'll both feel better for it.

A few notes about the ingredients...it calls for two ingredients you may not have around the house, buttermilk and Golden Cane Sugar. Golden Cane Sugar is a very light brown natural sugar with a fantastic flavor - like brown sugar but not quite as much molasses flavor. I use it in all sorts of things so usually have it around - but you can very easily substitute one tablespoon of regular brown sugar and one of white sugar with no ill effects. The buttermilk, though, really is essential. The slight acidity of the buttermilk reacts with the baking soda to make your final bread super light and moist (the bane of many soda bread recipes is that the loaf is heavy and dry). If you are absolutely in a bind, add two tablespoons of white vinegar to the 3/4 cup of milk and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes...it will work, but really not as well as real buttermilk. Buttermilk is sold right next to the regular milk at my trusty Stop + Shop, so it's not hard to find...this bread - and Uncle Ed - are worth the real thing.

Irish Soda Bread

2 cups flour
2 tablespoons Golden Cane Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
1/2 cup currants

In a bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. Add the buttermilk and mix thoroughly into a soft dough. Add the currants. Knead the dough lightly on a lightly floured board for 3 minutes or until smooth. Form the dough into a 7 inch flat round, and place in a lightly oiled cake tin. Cut a cross about 1/2 inch deep in the center of the round. Bake in a 375 oven 40 minutes, and cool on a wire rack.

dry ingredients waiting for butter (double batch)

mix until it's a soft dough

kneading in the currants (my bowl is huge so I can do it right in the bowl)

cut a cross into the top

out of the oven

perfect !!

don't you want some ?

Schultz's Sauerkraut and Pork

Sauerkraut and pork...ah, what fond childhood memories that phrase evokes.

I know what you're thinking. "Sauerkraut ? Pork ?? Happy children ????" No, I have not lost my mind. (Well, I think maybe I have, but it has nothing to do with my food memory !)

I've expounded upon my German heritage quite often here at CO...sauerbraten, potato dumplings and red cabbage was one of the first dinners I wrote up for this blog, and my Oma's Potato Salad has been written up as well. But the sauerkraut and pork...now that's old school, deeply ingrained memory stuff for me, something my German grandmother and great-grandmother made often. Oddly enough, it is a cherished childhood  memory for Mark too (shared heritage...one of the many reasons we make such a great pair in the kitchen. ) This one is Mark's recipe, and Mark's story.

Mark's grandfather was Austrian (well, as far as we know). The family stories about him are legendary and probably not all true, but fun to talk about anyway - they range from everything from him being a horse thief to a Ruthenian terrorist to some sort of royalty. Whatever he was, he came to this country prior to WW1, married a Canadian woman, and raised a family in Boston. He worked various jobs, including being a Pinkerton...and cooking at a resort on Long Island. The story behind the cooking goes that he used to spend a lot of time in the kitchens of the estate he grew up on, and learned some pretty impressive cooking skills along the way. Sadly, I never got to meet Grampy (he passed away in 1978 in his late 80's), but I am lucky enough to be the beneficiary of that delicious heritage. And one of the best examples is this sauerkraut and pork, passed down from Grampy and Mark's Uncle Jim. I know I've said this about a lot of things, but this is truly one of my favorite, favorite things that Mark makes.

A general note on the sauerkraut - we recommend the use of bagged. The bagged varieties seem to have a better flavor than the jarred, possibly because they are kept cold in the fridge instead of on the shelf at room temperature (which would  mean that they are probably pasteurized). If you can't find bags (usually kept near the hot dogs) use jarred. Canned sauerkraut just tastes like the can, and should be avoided if at all possible.

Potato pancakes and pumpernickel go perfectly with this - my bread machine version of pumpernickel follows. If you have the time and inclination, by all means make the pancakes from scratch...but we find the boxed mix (Carmel Kosher or Manischewitz) work perfectly fine, particularly if we have other things going on while the sauerkraut simmers. Potato dumplings (see link above) or even pierogies would be great with this as well.

We usually double this recipe, but I am giving directions for a normal potful here. The onion, apple and pork measurements are approximate - it all depends on the size of the apples and onions, and the meatiness of the pork. Exact measurements are really not important on this one !

mmm pork

onions and sauerkraut

first layer ready to go !

Sauerkraut and Pork

4 lbs sauerkraut, drained but NOT rinsed
2 -3 onions, sliced
2 - 3 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 - 3 pounds country style pork ribs (bone-in pork chops work fine too)
2 tablespoons dry mustard powder
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup water
6 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup sweet pickle juice (drained from a jar of sweet pickles)

Place half of the sauerkraut in a large stockpot. Scatter half of the onions on top, then half of the apples. Lay half of the pork chops on top, and sprinkle with half of the mustard, caraway, and pepper. Repeat with remaining sauerkraut, onions, apples, pork and spices. 

Combine water and vinegars and pour over contents of pot. Cover tightly and bring up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Leave undisturbed for two hours.

After the two hours is up, remove lid and stir well (the meat will probably start coming off the bones at this point). Cover again, and simmer for another hour or two (you can probably get away with one, but Grampy always said the longer the better). Add the pickle juice (stirring well) for the last 15 minutes of cooking.

Pumpernickel Bread (bread machine)

True fact : "Pumpernickel" means "Devil's Fart" in German. I love that :) . Traditional pumpernickel is baked from 16 - 24 hours to get that deep, dark color - or darkly toasted crumbs from the previous batch can be added. This one's a bit of a cheat, relying on a combination of dark, tasty ingredients...and a bread machine. Don't let that scare you off - it's still absolutely delicious !

1 cup warm water
1/4 cup Guinness (if you don't have one handy and open, just use regular beer or add more water. Guinness helps make it super dark though ! You could probably use cola as well).

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/3 cup molasses

3 tablespoons cocoa powder (the darker the better)

1 tablespoon espresso powder or instant coffee

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups flour (bread or all-purpose)

1 cup rye flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast

Add ingredients to bread machine in order specified by manufacturer, and bake according to directions for "normal" or "basic" loaf.