STIR THE POTS

New Years..new bake!

 

 

 

 

Kamut, the forgotten wheat...

Kamut is the trademarked name for Khorasan, which is an area known both as a province of Iran and a historical region that encompassed mileage from Turkey to Afghanistan. Kamut, on the other hand, is a grain, from the Middle East "known for its nutty flavor." Since we're wandering in focus, I'll take the liberty to momentarily dive into food science, all to say Kamut is a hybrid of "Triticum durum" and "Triticum polonicum." Enough trivia to end 2010? Good.

Below is a photo of a Kamut-sunflower bread I recently baked. Below that is the formula I used. I started with a recipe on the German site, Ährensache Bakery, then asked Susan of Wild Yeast to help me tweak it. General hints for baking with Kamut brand grain are the following: use more water and allow longer resting time. As I have already passed Susan's formula around, kudos to my pal. She did all the work! Javier Marca and Geraint Roberts have taken up the challenge. So did I.

Here's her formula for Kamut

Start with a miniscule amount of starter in the levain build, which can be a bit of a freak. Javier was amazed at the push of this flour, even after I warned him. The energy from so little source of sourdough is amazing. He perservered and made some lovely loaves! My first impressions were it's a rustic bread, with slightly durum characteristics. Sort of like pasta-milled durum. It also has a grassy aroma.

Though pleased with the outcome, I'm still not sure it was  the perfect loaf.  But it gave me ideas, like using kamut  to substitute for a loaf like Amy Scherber's semolina fennel and raisin. Actually, I think this flour would lend itself to many Southern Italian breads, especially with grano duro bigas. Rise to the challenge, my friends. Here's hoping 2011 will be a Kamut kind of year - potent, global, and rich with flavor. And good for the belly.

Armagnac

My mom got me a wonderful present for Christmas this year. It more than makes up for that gift I can never forget, slippers that looked like something from a Neanderthal excavation, and sized accordingly. Now that I think of it, maybe it was meant for my brother, who has exotic taste and two huge feet. Regardless, this year my mom did the smart thing when it comes to me; she got me some booze. This particular imbiber is a favorite: Armagnac, with a capital "A" from Famille Grassa.

Our family has been buying this particular brand (Chateau Tariquet), until it started to become a rare item on most liqour store shelfs, which seems typical of many French products these days - say vinegar and saucisson. Anyway, Armaganac for me is so much better then cognac. It's less perfumy, and for this guy who isn't exactly into eau de colognes, it's got bite. Rustic but refined. If you can get it do, it's well worth a sip. Or three!

 

Hot tamales of the pork and kimchi kind!

Hey all... just made it back from Christmas weekend with maman. Then a blizzard hits and I am  out of food. All to say, it's a perfect time for making tamales!

A few weeks ago I tasted a trio of tamales at Momofuku, a terrific Asian "noodle bar" on New York City's Lower East Side. All were delicious but one, in particular, stuck in my head. It's made with pork and kimchi... bringing fermented cabbage, fatty pork and lard and corn masa to steamy matrimony. Glorious!

So here I am at home, figuring out my rendition.... Here goes, though note: get supplies before you're snowed in!

Tamales (not quite a recipe)

Dough or masa, I use Rick Bayles's recipe from either his book or website; it's a winner.

My adaption is to use goose lard, which makes for a deliriously delicious version.

Now the filling, which us not traditional, but the flavors are spot on; slightly fermented, spicy and, well, sort of a familiar sauerrkraut taste. I thickened the braising liquid with maseca, as does Rick Bayless.  And I used a pork shoulder cut into pieces, browned and pressure cooked for about 15 minutes with just about 1^1/2cup of water with some onions and garlic cloves. Then I shred the tender pork and cut up some store-bought kimchi, covered it with my remaining cooking liquid, and simmered till soft. Then I whisked in about half a cup of broth with maseca, and brought it back to a boil till it was slightly thickened. Instead of banana leaf I used corn husks, which I had and I wasn't going back out in yesterday's blizzard for some insane mission, even if I love tamales!

During this last batch, I thought of also doing something with pork from David Chang's recent book, but I didn't have time I was hungry...that's for when I have patience!

 

 Lard with salt and baking powder.

Masa mixed and ready for assembly.

Kimchi, the heat and the umami....

Filling of pork and kimchi.

 

And so it's ready for the steam treatment!

Cooking!

 

 

Cooked and ready to eat.

Richard Bertinet

 

Richard Bertinet

It's been a while since I first purchased Richard Bertinet's Dough, a terrific book that includes a DVD with his now-famous method of "slapping" and folding dough. Some people find it more satisfying (even therapuetic) than gentle or no-knead techniques. Recently I had the chance to interview him for Stir the Pots.

In the interview, among other things Richard explains the background to his methods which he says are not new, but simply a continuation of traditions from when dough was prepared in wooden troughs. According to him, when electric machines (Artofex) were produced, they were engineered to mechanically replicate the technique. For Richard, there is no wasted movement in baking, the body is an extension or tool to control the bread or it controls you.

Hailing from Brittany, he now considers himself a Briton (more or less), in spite of his "outrageous" French accent. Based in Bath, he heads Bertinet Kitchens, teaching bread and food for small classes of up to 12 students. He is also the author Crust and his most recent book, Cook. Richard was recently awarded BBC Food Champion of the Year. Thinking about the interview, what I found most interesting was Richard's passion, especially for bread, bakers and learning from others. Light it up!

Click to listen

In the salt mines...

The tips of my fingers are sore from minature cuts. My feet feel like blocks of stone. And my back, oy, my back. Don't you love the holidays?

Actually, whining aside, this year's season of turning out the party food was easier then in the past, considering I've been at my current kitchen longer then any other job in my career as a chef. Perhaps I'm operating on automatic pilot. But at least the pilot light stays on, despite working at an establishment that is a morph of Fawlty Towers and Upstairs Downstairs - with plenty of characters to go around, high to low.

Most of us do the best we can. Others do all they can to do absolutely the least they can! And it's always a catch up game: organise, think and act like your a skater with wings.

Happy Holidays to all you readers and god bless all good chefs, cooks and bakers. Oh yeah pastry chefs too... And remember, the customers are always right!

  

Colomé

Wine. It's a hit or miss for me, specifically when trying to decipher the many labels offered by a decent retailer. At those moments, it's easy for me to wish to be a sommelier like Dee Ann Quinones, or just have richer wine knowledge like my brother Philippe. Even after taking a short course in wines back in culinary school (where I more often swallowed the samples rather than spitting out the wine into a bucket like demanded), my wine wisdom is based on luck and circumstance. More often then not, my selections are spontaneous, someone gives me a recommendation, or I return to already tested-vintages. 

Take this past Thanksgiving weekend, for instance. Me and my wife visited our local wine dealer in Sunnyside -Lowery Liqours - a store with a solid wine selection and a management open to client suggestions, as well as requests. After buying several bottles, the cashier incented me with a discount for a second bottle. Woosh, I went back to a bottle I had passed but looked interesting, Colomé Estate Malbec from Argentina.

Initially, my wife gawked at the price, as at $27 it was almost 200 percent of the price of my usual limits of ten bucks a bottle. "Are you crazy?" she asked. But I insisted and we got it. Voila! While swigging it down with stuffing and turkey, she came to agree on my choice. After finishing the bottle, I checked out the Bodegas Colomé site and found the varietal mix has an interesting history, and is made in a beautiful region, grown at high altitude. Wine Specatator rates it at 91, not shabby. And Jancis Robinson likes it too. Put me down as a fan as well. Now I hope they restocked the shelf, because last time I looked, they were sold out!

Kitchens (The horror!)

Into the heavy holiday cooking at work. Counting down the days like that famous carol - "on the last day my sous chef said to me...I quit your a twit and a partridge and a....etc." This year we haven't had a major hiccup or a total breakdown. Yet. That said, there are days I could write endless passages (or run-on sentences for a book on why chefs drink or go Gordon Ramsey on their cats/staff/wives/friends/whoever!) But it's Christmas and this year I endeavour to stay strong, hopefully not catch a cold, and above all make the customers happy, that is why we are here right? Servus!

Raisins and nuts

Busy with the holidays at work but still baking. Must be an omen. A good one, I hope. Whatever it is, had the chance to bake an old standard from school days. It's fabulous. After a week it is still fresh, a lovely bread baked from natural yeasts - which lets it mature better and adds taste.  Raisins and nuts, some wheat and whole wheat and levain, of course. I just gotta share it. I'm using a spreadsheet created by amateur baker Chris Sims found on the internet - can't remember where, when or how, but it's helped a lot when my mind is knee deep in keeping up at work! Soon as the time clears up, I'll go through the repertoire of my notebooks and offer some pot shots at some whole grain or volkorn stuff. For now, here's what I can offer.

The raisin and walnut bread from FCI, adapted slightly with my levain feeding.

Pain aux noix et raisin

Levain:

49g AP Flour

49g Water

49g Levain

Dough:

650g loaf

193g AP flour           74%  (Bread flour is ok too.)

82g   Whole wheat   25%

170g   Water            67%

49g    Walnuts          15%

26g   Black raisins      8%

26g   Golden raisins    8%

7g     Salt                   2%

 

• Mix flour, water, levain and mix just till incorporated. Autolyse for 25-60 minutes)
• Mix on first speed for about 1 minute, add salt and mix on second speed till you get some gluten development, or windopane test.
• Bulk ferment about 2 hours, giving it a single fold or two depending on how your dough feels.
• Pre-shape round and rest about 25 minutes covered.
• Shape round or batard.
• Ferment for about 11/2 to 2 hours depending on variables, temperature, etc...
• Bake at 480F covered for 25 minutes, then uncovered for 15 more minutes.

Fruitilicious

 

Whenever I go to Ecuador I am introduced to all sorts of unknown fruits. But there are also more commonly exported specimens like pinapple, banana, and mango. During our most recent visit, we traveled to a market  in the nearby Port City of Manta, where we found some interesting fruits. Dehydrated fruit, actually. No kidding, these are the most delicious snack and should be in your lunch boxes. Or put them in your kid's lunchbox. Inside are dried bananas, pineapples, gooseberry and mango. Their flavors are locked into shrivled sugar of the natural kind. Before we returned home to the United States, my wife took all the product off the shelf in one supermarket. We are just finishing the last bag now....time to return to Ecuador!