Caterpillar bread with chicken sausage & parsley

Its been a beautiful week, full of soft drizzles, maddening rains, gentle breeze and blooming flowers. In the spirit of mother nature, I was inspired to innovate and be creative with shaping my breads. One gets bored of the mundane buns and loaves. Here, I have attempted to create a cute little caterpillar with the bread dough. It was not only fun shaping it but also waiting for it to rise and then jump around in ecstasy as it browned and glowed in the oven. You can use any filling, really. I have used chicken sausages with some fresh parsley, onions and tomatoes.

A note of caution here. You will see that this bread, unlike many others, has just one rise for the yeast. The second rise is just for about 10 minutes, any longer and the caterpillar will lose its shape. So, do not wait for the dough to double or triple; 10 minutes on the stop watch and straight into a preheated oven.

The recipe calls for 1/4 cup of butter and 1/4 cup of cream cheese, but if you prefer it, you could use 1/2 cup butter and avoid the cream cheese. The cream cheese adds a golden crust and lightness that butter cannot compensate for, but cream cheese is a gourmet product in India and not too easy on the pocket, so use butter if that works out better for you. Also, cream cheese is available in packages of 250 grams or 600 grams and has a relatively short shelf life (just about 2 weeks when sealed with cling wrap) even in the refrigerator. So, if you are buying cream cheese, keep at least 3 recipes ready to explore on your 2-week ticking time. You will find several here, under tags bread, biscuit, crackers, cheese cake etc.

Ingredients
Dough
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp instant dry yeast or 50 g fresh yeast
1 egg
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup mascarporne cream cheese (can use butter instead)
1/4 to 1/2 cup lukewarm milk

Filling
4-5 garlic cloves chopped fine
1 green chilly, deeseded and chopped fine
1 medium red onion, chopped fine
2 medium tomatoes, chopped fine
2 sprigs of fresh flat leaf parsley
1/2 tsp red chilly powder
1/2 tsp salt (sausages are already salted)
1/2 tsp red chilly paste
A dollop of butter (you can choose the size of the dollop)

Method
Dough and first rise
Place all the ingredients in a wide bowl and knead to get a soft, firm dough. Place the dough in a warm place, covered with a wet cloth such that the cloth does not touch the surface of the dough. Allow the dough to rise to one and half times its size, approximately one hour.

Filling
In the meantime, make the filling. Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add the garlic, green chilies and onions. Saute till golden brown. Add the chopped tomatoes and the fresh parsley. Season with salt and red chilly powder. Add some red chilly paste (more if you like heat). Allow the tomatoes to simmer and cook through. Add a small dollop of butter along with the sliced sausages. Allow to simmer for 5-8 minutes. Cover and set aside. You can also add some feta cheese for added flavour and yumminess.

Shaping and second rise
I forgot to take pictures while I was actually shaping the dough, so you have to manage with my attempt at good prose and these silly pictures taken with a piece of paper. I will try and update with real pictures soon.

Place the dough on a generously floured work top. Roll out the dough in a flat rectangle, keeping the thickness even (about 2 mm). With your knife mark (not cut) three points on the short side of the dough that divide it into 3 equal parts: 3a, 3b and 3c. Now, score 3c with 8-10 horizontal cuts making 8-10 horizontal strips (these will form the caterpillar strips). Place the filling at the junction of 3a and 3b and start rolling from the long side of 3a. Roll till you reach 3c. Now, use some egg wash and brush the surface of the rolled dough. Slowly and neatly, place one strip after the other on the rolled dough. Close off the two caterpillar ends by pinching them with your fingers, and turn the roll into a half-circle with the strips pointing outwards (like sun rays). Place two cloves to make the caterpillar eyes. Transfer the roll very gently to a greased baking tray and allow to rise in a warn place, covered, for 10 minutes. Brush with some egg wash and set aside to bake.

Bake in a preheated oven at 170 degrees Celsius for 15-20 minutes or until gorgeously brown.

Slice and enjoy warm with some soup or as an evening snack.

Thyme and Garlic Focaccia

Italian breads have a beauty that is theirs alone to claim. Simple, earthy and classic, they belong to a league of their own. The basic bread has no special flavouring agent and no other additives, just the dear old yeast doing its thing. And yet, the bread is so wholesome and beautiful. Focaccia is not an extra soft bread, but it is a textural delight to the palate, the visual drama not to be missed. Fresh herbs and olive oil render its flavour memorable, leaving behind a soft trail of roasted garlic, not too overbearing. A classic bread, a simple recipe and incredible flavours. Focaccia, next on stage. 

Makes 2 flat sqares of Focaccia

Ingredients

380 g  all purpose flour

2 tsp yeast

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp salt

5-6 cloves garlic, chopped

1.5 cups lukewarm water

1 egg, whisked

3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme

3 tablespoons oil

1 red onion, sliced

10-15 black olives, pitted and sliced

A pinch of coarse sea salt

Method

Mix the flour, yeast, salt, sugar, warm water and egg to form a firm, yet soft dough. Mildly flour the dough and let it rise until it has doubled in size. Keep in covered with a wet and clean kitchen towel to preserve the moisture in the bread.

In the meantime, place the garlic cloves and thyme (or rosemary) in a bowl with some olive oil. Let it rest for about 1 hour.

Once the dough has doubled in size, punch out the air with your fingers and let it rise again for 30 minutes.

After the second rise, roll out the dough into a neat and even rectangle. Make small holes in the dough with your little finger, without pushing out the air. Spread the oil mixture evenly on the surface of the bread. Place the onion rings and olives on the bread. Sprinkle some coarse sea salt. 

Place the bread in a preheated oven (in a greased baking tray) at 200 degree Celsius for 15-30 minutes until it becomes a nice golden colour. Bon appetite!

Bread rolls with tomato, basil, feta and caramelised garlic

Greek salad is one of my favourite salads and this bread is inspired truly and completely from this salad. Cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, fresh basil and garlic, all common and signature ingredients of a classic Greek salad. The good bit about these rolls is the absence of any fat to soften the dough; the only fat content is the small amount of olive oil and its hardly anything. The show stopper ingredient in these simple, earthy rolls is the caramelised garlic. I have a separate blog entry for this recipe and strongly recommend that you try it at least once. For garlic devourers, this is a must-have.

The bread speaks for itself: soft, moist and high on the flavour quotient. Enjoy baking it and eating it!

Portions: Makes 18-20 rolls
Ingredients
Dough
1.5 tsp of instant dry yeast
1.5 to 2 cups of lukewarm water
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
4 cups flour
1/4 tsp dried oregano
15 g freshly grated cheddar cheese
 
Filling
125 g  cherry tomatoes or 3 large tomatoes, cubed
1 pod garlic (caramelised); for recipe and details see here
100 g feta cheese, cubed
bundle of fresh basil leaves

Method

First rise

Place the flour, oil, salt, grated cheese, dried oregano and yeast in a bowl. Add lukewarm water and knead till you get a soft dough. Place it in a bowl, covered with a wet cloth such that the cloth does not touch the surface of the dough. Place in a warm place for one hour and allow the dough to double in size. 

Filling and second rise

Now the dough is raised and ready to be rolled. Roll the dough into a flat rectangle about 5 mm thick. Place the tomatoes along with the feta and caramelised garlic cloves, on the flattened dough. Now, place the fresh basil leaves on top of the tomatoes. Fold the dough, placing one short side inside till midway. Now fold the other short side slightly beyond midway such that there is a small overlap between the two folds. Make sure the filling is secure within the roll, without any cracks or tear. Cut thick slices from the roll, about 2.5 cm thick. Place them on a greased baking tray and cover with a clean, wet kitchen towel; allow them to rise for about 30-45 minutes. Place in a preheated oven at 225 degrees Celsius for 15-20 minutes or until golden.

Once they are out of the over, brush them with some olive oil (use the oil floating on top of the caramelised garlic sauce).

Serve warm with coffee or a soup and salad. 

Breakfast buns with garlic, thyme and cheddar

Breakfast buns are versatile in so many ways. They can be eaten as a snack, as a meal, as a complement to soups, salads, casseroles or just with a warm cup of hot chocolate. They are incredibly soft and store well in the refrigerator for about a week. The fillings can vary to match your palate and your mood. They are definitely softer and moister than the ones you would buy at your local bakery. So, it is no surprise that fresh bread fills the senses and satisfies the soul like nothing else. Oven-fresh, warm and moreish, these breakfast buns make you want to have just one more. Or maybe two.

Portions: Makes 8-9 large buns

Ingredients

450 g all purpose flour
1 cup lukewarm milk
2 tsp sugar
75 g butter (cubed, room temp)
1 tsp salt
 2 tsp instant dry yeast
1 egg (room temp)
50 g grated cheddar cheese

1 pod roasted garlic (see how to make here)

3 sprigs of fresh thyme

Grated lemon zest

Dried onion seeds (kalonji) for decoration 

Method

First rise

Heat the milk till it is lukewarm. Add the butter to the milk and allow the butter to slowly melt. Add the yeast to this mixture and set aside. Whisk one egg lightly. Place one thirds of the flour, sugar, salt and eggs in a bowl. Add the milk mixture. Knead slowly, add the rest of the flour little by little. Knead for about 5 minutes until you get a smooth dough. The dough is ready when it is firm and leaves the sides of the bowl. The dough must be sticky and loose. Allow the dough to rest, covered with a wet cloth (such that the cloth does not touch the surface of the dough), in a warm place. The first rise should take anywhere between 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the type/potency of the yeast. The dough should double in size.

Stuffing and second rise

After the first rise, place the dough on a floured surface and divide it into 8 or nine equal sized pieces (you could use a weighing scale for precision). Take a piece of dough and flatted it (not too much or else you will lose the airiness). Place the roasted garlic, some thyme and some cheddar in the middle and fold add sides against the middle, securing the filling gently in the center. Place it on a greased baking tray with the folded side down. Proceed similarly with the rest of the dough. Brush the tops of the buns with some melted butter and grate some lemon zest onto the surface. Sprinkle some dried onion seeds on the buns and keep them covered in a warm place for the second rise (approximately 30 minutes or until doubled).

Bake them in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Once they are out of the oven, brush them with some olive oil to keep them soft and moist, and also to add some shine to the crust.

Bread pockets with salami, parsley and bell peppers

These are, by far, the best breads I have ever baked, and I have baked many. There isn't much to say about these breadlings other than the fact that they taste absolutely, gorgeously, fantabulously divine. You should bake them today, right now.

Just a word of caution here. If you feel like your dough is too difficult to work with and keeps tearing apart, place the dough in a covered bowl in the fridge for about 20 minutes before trying again. The cream cheese and the butter make the dough very soft and light, sometimes making it tough to work with shaping/cutting etc, but the thin, golden crust at the end makes it all worth it.


Portion: Makes 6 pockets
Ingredients
Bread pockets
200g flour
50g butter
30g mascarporne or Philadelphia cream cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
11/4 tsp instant dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
Dried chives
Dried lemon pepper powder
1 egg white

Stuffing
5 slices chicken salami, chopped
1 large red onion, chopped fine
1 red bell pepper, chopped fine
3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 sprigs fresh parsley or 1 tsp dried parsley
1-2 tbsp fine quality balsamic vinegar
2 tsp dark brown sugar
1tsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
First rise
Heat the milk till lukewarm in a microwave; add the butter cubes and allow to melt. It is important that the mixture remains warm. In a large bowl mix together the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, yeast, chives, lemon pepper powder (brand Keya available in Indian gourmet stores). Add the cream cheese and the lukewarm milk-butter mixture. Make a soft dough kneading gently for 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a greased bowl, cover with a wet cloth such that the dough doesn't come in contact with the wet cloth. Keep in a warm place. Allow the yeast to rise and the dough to double. This should take about 1.5 hours.

Filling
In the meantime, make the filling. Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add chopped garlic, parsley and onions. Saute for 1-2 minutes until light brown. Add the sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Add a dash of water and allow the garlic and onions to caramalize for about 6-8 minutes till you see the oil coming up on the sides of the pan. You should have a sticky mixture with little or no liquid. Add the bell peppers and the salami. Cook for 5 minutes or until the mixture is completely dry. Set aside and allow to cool.

Second rise
After 1.5 hours of the first rise, transfer the dough to a generously floured surface (do not punch out the air deliberately). Roll out the dough into a flat rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Using a large cookie cutter cut out round shapes. Take one round shaped dough and place 1 tsp of filling in the centre. Using a silicone brush, gently brush the outer circumference of the round with egg white (this will cook on heating and act as a glue to hold the two rounds of dough together). Place the second round on top of the first and gently press down with your fingertips, securing the filling neatly inside the pocket. Repeat the procedure for all the pockets. Brush the tops of the pockets with egg white and transfer to a greased tray keeping enough space between two pockets to allow them to rise. Cover with a wet cloth (not touching the surface of the bread), keep in a warm place and allow 1.5 hours for the second rise.

After the second rise is complete, transfer the pockets onto a baking tray lined with a baking sheet, and greased with some butter. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Enjoy warm with some hot coffee or a warm cup of hot chocolate.

Grunge mushroom soup

Gimme soup and salad. Everyday. And I'll be a happy soul.

I live on good soup, not on fine words.
Moliere 


Ingredients
500 g mushrooms, thoroughly washed, roughly chopped
1 pod garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
4-5 leaves of fresh sweet Thai basil
100 g leeks, chopped fine
50 g low fat cream
3-4 tbsp skimmed milk
2 tsp grated Parmesan
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp pomace olive oil
1 tsp salted butter
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 cups vegetable stock (see recipe below)
Salt to taste

Method

Vegetable stock
When I make a soup, I always take the trouble to make a stock that complements my soup rather than the vegetable stock cubes available in the market. While I chop my veggies for the soup or salad, I boil some water in a saucepan. To this, I add everything that I would throw into the trash can: the outer layers and bulbs of my leeks, the stalks of basil leaves, the wafer like peels of the garlic, some mushroom stems, some leftover stalks of bell peppers, celery, thyme, rosemary, lemon rind, ginger peel or anything that could add that extra flavour to the stock. Cover the saucepan with a lid and allow the stock to boil for a good 10-12 minutes on a low flame. Strain and use in soups, curries, broths, and even to knead dough. So feel free to experiment with your vegetable stocks and you will be amazed at the finesse that you achieve in flavouring your dishes. Remember to maintain a balance of flavour, something that you will learn as you go along. Some experiments will result in eureka moments when two completely varied ingredients strangely and wildly go together. Other times will lead to frantic attempts at eliminating that funny smell that the neighbours complained about by running to the exhaust fan and by opening the windows!

Making the soup
Heat the olive oil in a shallow pan. Add the chopped garlic and leeks and sauté lightly. Add the chopped mushrooms and fresh basil. Sauté till the mushrooms soften and begin to cook. Season with salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce.  Allow the mushrooms to cook completely; take the pan off the heat and set aside.

Once cooled, coarsely grind the above mixture in a blender. In a deep bottomed pan, bring together the ground mixture, vegetable stock, skimmed milk, low fat cream, a dollop of butter and extra seasoning as per your personal preference. Place the pan on medium heat and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes allowing the flavours to fuse and create their magic. Remove pan from heat, transfer to a soup bowl and finish with a generous sprinkling of grated Parmesan. Serve with some sesame buns and a fresh green salad.