Sunday, September 23, 2012

The Making of Challah...

My First Round Challah's
Happy Rosh Hashanah!

chal·lah/ˈhälə/

Noun:
A loaf of white leavened bread, typically braided, traditionally baked to celebrate the Jewish sabbath.
Making Challah is Jewish custom passed down for hundreds of years.. It is the bread of life! Sweet, soft and dense (just like our life).. I'd like to say my Mother and my Bubbie (grandmother) passed this wonderful tradition and recipe down to me, but (sadly) that is just not so (although, I've been told my great grandmother, whom come over from Russia, made mean challah!).. To be honest, I have no memory of  ever eating Challah as a child or teen (I was not your typical Jewish kid I guess).. I am Jewish and my family is Jewish, but for some reason not all of the customs and traditions were passed down or practiced.. I think that my family wanted to let go of the old and live an easier life.. A life where you would go to the store to buy bread if you wanted it, and not spend literally hours upon hours in a hot kitchen waiting for the bread to rise or pushing and pulling (and punching down) on sticky dough until your hands hurt and your arms were tired.. Actually, it's not that bad- kind of fun really, but you can expect to take about 5 to 6 hours (from start to finish) of your day waiting for your Challah to finally be baked to it's beautiful golden brown.. Be warned, your house will smell amazing by the end of these long 5 hours.. Most of your time is really spent waiting.. Waiting for the dough to rise (so plan to go to a local store or watch a good movie while you wait if you can).

I am all about the honey (sweet) Challah. So, feel free to add more honey then this recipe calls for (I add a little under a cup some times).. So here is my basic Challah recipe.. There are so many variations (an egg less, an egg more), what four to use?? I use bread flour, even though this recipe calls for all purpose.. It's all about trial and error.. It takes a while to get your challah just the way you like it, but if you try a few times, you will find your shabbos challah!! Good luck and Shabbat Shalom!

Be gentle with the dough, and yet firm.. If your dough is very sticky, then it needs more kneading.. For a simple 6 braided Challah, look for my next post!


INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F
/45 degrees C)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup honey
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 eggs (+1 for egg wash)
1 tablespoon salt
8 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon poppy seeds (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
1.In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over barely warm water. Beat in honey, oil, 3 eggs, and salt. Add the flour one cup at a time, beating after each addition, graduating to kneading with hands as dough thickens. Knead until smooth and elastic and no longer sticky, adding flour as needed. Cover with a damp clean cloth and let rise for 1 1/2 hours or until dough has doubled in bulk.
2.Punch down the risen dough and turn out onto floured board (Note: If the indentation from your fist/hand stays pushed in and the dough and does not rise back up it's ready to go!) Divide in half and knead each half for five minutes or so, adding flour as needed to keep from getting sticky. Divide each half into thirds and roll into long snake about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Pinch the ends of the three snakes together firmly and braid from middle. Either leave as braid or form into a round braided loaf by bringing ends together, curving braid into a circle, pinch ends together. Grease two baking trays and place finished braid or round on each. Cover with towel (or plastic bag -- most people use a plastic bag) and let rise about one hour.
3.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F 
4.Beat the remaining egg and brush a generous amount over each braid. Sprinkle with poppy seeds if desired.
5.Bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes. Bread should be golden brown, and have a nice hollow sound when thumped on the bottom. Cool on a rack for at least one hour before slicing.
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Breaded Chicken Roll Ups

Breaded Chicken Roll Ups

STRIP STEAKS WITH BALSAMIC CREAM SAUCE

It really doesn't matter what cut of meat you decide to serve (although, like most things, the better the quality the better the experience), the sauce is what you will remember. Yes it's very simple to make, but it is so delicious (at least I think so).
To complete the meal, I added some freshly steamed green beans in a garlic and butter sauce, and creamy garlic mashed potatoes (using butter, half/half and roasted garlic).



"PERFECT EASY MEAL TO SERVE TO GUESTS, OR AS WONDERFUL MEAL FOR THE FAMILY TO ENJOY"

" TO ENSURE THE MEAT IS SEARED - NOT STEAMED- COOK JUST 3 STEAKS IN THE SKILLET AT A TIME."





Ingredients
3 strip steaks (10 to 12 ounces each), about 1 inch thick
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 shallot, minced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

Method
1. Pat steaks dry with paper towels (Julia Child) and season with salt and pepper. heat oil in large skillet over medium-high until just smoking. Cook steaks until well browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to cutting board and tent with foil.

2. Add shallots to empty skillet and cook until softened, about 30 seconds. Stir in vinegar, scraping up and browned bits, and cook until syrupy, about 1 minute. Add cream and cook until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Stir in chives and season with salt and pepper. Slice steak and serve, passing sauce at table or serve with sauce.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Balsamic Cream Sauce (just ask my husband, he found me in the kitchen after dinner devouring the remains of the sauce from the serving bowl!!).. Let me know if you like it too!!

Pavlova Dessert


My husband and I were invited to a Hanukkah party where we were introduced to some wonderfully unique and tasty dishes. The room was full of warm and friendly people and the hostess offered up a great meal and atmosphere. Duck and fish were the two main courses, served with some very creative and unique side dishes with an Asian flair!

The dessert was what really made the day for me. The hostess was a beautiful and charming gal from New Zealand and she made a traditional New Zealand (or Kiwi) dessert called Pavlova. I highly recommend bringing this dish to a holiday gathering and impressing your friends and family.. The recipe does not call for many ingredients and the method is reads fairly simple. I'm going to attempt to make it for family in the coming weeks (I may have to attempt it a couple of times because though there is a chance it wont turn out the first time, even though the recipe seems pretty simple).

I know it will take practice to get the dessert to turn out as amazing as my friends did, but I'm up for the challenge. If you want to impress friends and family with a sweet and stunning dessert, I highly recommend making a Pavlova cake. We enjoyed this cake served with whipped cream and chocolate mousse (creamy and sweet), but it is traditionally served with fresh fruit and whipped cream. Enjoy!

Pavlova Recipe & Method

Ingredients for Cake:

4 large (120 grams) egg whites

1 cup (200 grams) superfine or castor sugar

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1/2 tablespoon cornstarch (corn flour)

Topping:

1 cup (240 ml) heavy whippingcream

1 1/2 tablespoons (20 grams) granulated white sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Fresh fruit - kiwi, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, passion fruit, peaches, pineapple, or other fruit of your choice. Also can be served with chocolate chips and whipped cream.


METHOD:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (130 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw a 7 inch (18 cm) circle on the paper.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks. Start adding the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat until the meringue holds very stiff peaks. (Test to see if the sugar is fully dissolved by rubbing a little of the meringue between your thumb and index finger. The meringue should feel smooth, not gritty. If it feels gritty the sugar has not fully dissolved so keep beating until it feels smooth between your fingers). Sprinkle the vinegar and cornstarch over the top of the meringue and, with a rubber spatula, fold in.

Gently spread the meringue inside the circle drawn on the parchment paper, smoothing the edges.

Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the outside is dry and takes on a very pale cream color. Turn the oven off, leave the door slightly ajar, and let the meringue cool completely in the oven. (The outside of the meringue will feel firm to the touch, if gently pressed, but as it cools you will get a little cracking and you will see that the inside is soft and marshmallowy.)

The cooled meringue can be made and stored in a cool dry place, in an airtight container, for a few days.

Just before serving gently place the meringue onto a serving plate. Whip the cream in your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, until soft peaks form. Sweeten with the sugar and vanilla and then mound the softly whipped cream into the center of the meringue. Arrange the fruit randomly, or in a decorative pattern, on top of the cream. Serve immediately as this dessert does not hold for more than a few hours.

Serves 6 to 8.




Hot cocoa for the winter soul.....


The Saucy Chef here...I am a huge fan of hot cocoa (I'll take a hot cocoa over coffee any day!). In fact, I can drink a good hot cocoa at any time the year. This "almost obsession" started when I was in Rome last October. I happened to order a hot cocoa on a chilly morning at a little cafe just around the corner from our hotel. What I ended up drinking was "liquid bliss!" Although a bit more bitter then what I was used to (sugar packets do the trick), the quality of the chocolate and the richness (and thickness) of the drink took a hold on me (my husband said it was like drinking a melted chocolate bar, and he was right). I have been on a quest to find hot cocoa in the states that compares to the one I sipped in Rome. And, now that the Fall and Winter months are upon us, I am excited to spend my weekends enjoying my new favorite treat! I invite you to begin searching for the sweetest, richest, most luxuries hot cocoas you can find (and share your finds with me). To help you on your way, I recommend starting at Ginger Elizabeth in Midtown Sacramento (no they are not paying me to promote their business). And, by the way, always say yes to whipped cream!

A Cocoa Fact: Cocoa dates back to the Aztecs. To the Aztec's, the cocoa beans were valuable not only for their culinary importance, but also used as a form of currency.

This is a super easy dish to prepare. My husband loves it and asked me to add it to our regular weekly menu. I plan to serve the smaller versions as an appetizer at future dinner gatherings.

I'm always trying to think of new ways to prepare chicken and this dish really fit the bill. I'm going to walk you through the recipe as I prepared it for two (you can always alter the amount of ingredients and seasonings to fit your culinary needs). Chicken is very versatile, as is this dish. The chicken comes out really juicy and full of wonderful flavor. I served it with little red potatoes (baked) and sauteed green beans (w/dill and chopped tomatoes)

Chicken Roll Up Ingredients:

2 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts - each sliced in half (through the middle of the breast) to create 4 pieces (or keep intact for larger individual servings)
1 cup of breadcrumbs (I used Italian seasoned, but you can easily add your own herbs to create your own personal flavor)
Sliced Matzorella cheese (1 to 2 slices per chicken slice)
Fresh Spinach leaves ( 2 to 3 per chicken slice)
Dried Thyme (used in many French dishes)
2 Garlic cloves (crushed)
2 to 3 Tablespoons Butter
Salt (Kosher if you have it)
Pepper

Directions:

Butter a medium size baking dish
Set oven to 400 degrees

-Pound the chicken slightly to flatten
-Dredge one side (outer side) of breast in breadcrumbs
-Sprinkle with Salt & pepper and Thyme on the inner side
-Rub 1/2 teaspoon of crushed garlic on each breast
-Add 1 to 2 slices of cheese
-Place spinach leaves over the cheese
-Roll and insert toothpicks to keep the chicken intact

Place chicken wraps on buttered backing dish (I add a little extra butter - nice and French)
Bake for approximately 30 min

Enjoy!

*Note*
It was easier for me to fill and wrap the chicken and then roll the chicken in the breadcrumbs.