Pane co' Santi {Saint's Bread}

This bread is typically made around All-Saint's Day in November, but really I think it's a lovely loaf year round.  I normally associate sweet or enriched breads with this "holiday", but that's not the case with this loaf.  The dough itself is a cinch to work with...it's totally the fruit and nuts that make it.  Bright bursts of sweetness from the yellow raisins and a triple-nutty punch that comes not just from the pecans and walnuts, but also seems to emanate from the olive oil that they were sautéed in.  

Tessa Kiros shares that while many think the name of this bread refers to the day on which you can usually find it popping up, others think it's so named because it is "only fit for a saint".  Another explanation...perhaps my favorite...is that the name refers to the ingredients (olive oil, walnuts, sultanas) as being saints themselves.  This is equally fitting served with your morning coffee or after a meal with a glass of Vin Santo.

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Pane co' Santi (Saint's Bread)

by Heather Schmitt-González (adapted from Twelve: A Tuscan Cook Book by Tessa Kiros)

Prep Time: 2½-3 hours

Cook Time: 45-50 minutes

Keywords: bake bread nuts raisins Easter Tuscan Italian

Ingredients (2 loaves)

• 8.75 grams active dry yeast
• 310 ml (1¼ c.) lukewarm water
• 27 grams (2 Tbs.) superfine sugar + a pinch
• ~500 grams (1 lb. 2 oz.) bread flour
• 4 Tbs. olive oil
• 60 grams (½ c.) yellow raisins
• 62 grams (½ c.) pecans, chopped coarsely
• 62 grams (½ c.) walnuts, chopped coarsely
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg yolk
• splash of milk

Instructions

Stir yeast into water and a pinch of sugar in a small bowl until it looks a bit foamy, ~10 minutes.

Mix flour and sugar together in a large bowl. Pour in liquid mixture and stir together with a wooden spoon. Once it gets too stiff to mix, turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, ~10 minutes. Adjust by adding a touch more flour if dough is too sticky...or adding a bit more water if dough is too dry. You're looking for a texture that is slightly tacky, but not sticky at all.

Form dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover with a film of plastic or a clean kitchen towel. Let sit until doubled in size, ~1½ hours.

In the meatime, saute the raisins and nuts in a small pan with the olive oil over low heat until they just begin to turn golden in spots. Stir in salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and flatten it slightly. Spread the raisin-nut mixture over the top and knead gently to work in to the dough. Divide in half and form into two flattened rounds or ovals.

Place them on a lined baking sheet, cover with plastic and allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until slightly risen.

Preheat oven to 350° F during last 15 minutes of rise time. Remove plastic and beat the egg yolk with a splash of milk. Brush over the loaves.

Slide into oven and bake for ~45-50 minutes, or until golden. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

note

When kneading in the raisins and nuts, I recommend pushing any raisins that are sticking out back inside the bread before baking. Otherwise, the ones that are sticking out will turn puffy and black...as in little puffs of charcoal. Not too appetizing.

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IHCC theme: Under the Tuscan Sun
Yeastspotting
Bookmarked Recipes at Tinned Tomatoes (founded by Ruth's Kitchen Experiments)

Vanilla-Almond Atole {she made, ella hace}

For this edition of she made, ella hace, Leslie and I decided to make Atole.  Atole is a simple soul-warming porridge that is most often thickened with masa, but can also be made from rice, oats, fermented or ash-cooked corn, pinole (sweetened, toasted cornmeal), or even amaranth.  For a richer, thicker version use milk.  For a thinner version use water.  I usually go with half milk and half water for a great balance.  Nuts, fruit & berries, and/or chocolate can also be added (check out my Atole de Chocolate aka Champurrado).  Don't forget the vanilla, cinnamon, anise...or even chiles that can be added to the mix.

When I think atole, I usually think piloncillo (or even white sugar for some of the fruit versions).  But atole isn't always eaten sweetened, it is also made savory by incorporating chiles, epazote (pungent herb), or fresh corn.  I think it's worth mentioning that Native Americans and Aztecs also refer to toasted blue-corn meal that is ground really fine as atole, as well.  

Atole is often ladled steaming into jarros to warm you up and coat your shaking bones on cold days either for breakfast, as a snack, or even after dinner as a sort of dessert.  You can find street vendors doling it out year round, but it is very commonly made in homes during Dia de los Muertos and the Christmas "season" (las posadas and Dia de Reyes).

In our house, we drink it most often in the wintertime.   Mi esposo's favorite versions are fresa (strawberry), guayaba (guava), and vanilla.   I love champurrado (chocolate), vanilla...okay, pretty any kind.  It's nice to make it with pineapple or juicy berries, as well.  I've tasted atoles in other homes that is only slightly thickened, but personally, I like it so thick that you almost have to chew it!  Really, it's just automatic reaction when it crosses your lips...your teeth start moving it around before swallowing.  Although I'll admit, when I made during a warmer time of the year I thin it out considerably.  But in the middle of a snowy day after shoveling or sledding or ice skating or just looking out the window, nothing beats a thick, steaming mug of atole.

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Vanilla-Almond Atole

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5-10 minutes

Keywords: breakfast beverage masa almonds Christmas Day of the Dead Dia de los Muertos Mexican Native American winter

Ingredients (~1 quart / 4-6 servings)

• ½ c. masa harina
• ½ c. almond meal
• 2 c. warm water
• ½ vanilla bean
• 2 c. whole milk
• 2½ oz. piloncillo
• pinch sea salt

Instructions

Combine masa harina and almond meal with warm water in a blend and blend until smooth.

Pour into a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add those to the pot along with the scraped pod. Add remaining ingredients.

Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring often. Let bubble slowly for about 5 minutes or so, whisking almost constantly. Mixture will be thick. If you prefer a thinner atole, Simply whisk in some more milk or water until you achieve your desired consistency. Enjoy warm!

note:

If you don't have a vanilla bean, stir in ½ tsp. of pure vanilla extract after mixture is done cooking.

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*Be sure to head over and check out Leslie's Atole de Nuez, too!*

What happens when two American girls who are both married to Mexican guys find out that although one of them lives in the U.S. and one of them lives in Mexico, they both love eating the same food?  Well, naturally they decide to get "together" the only way they can and cook up the same dishes.  Or perhaps take the same ingredients and talking about them in their own voice or using them in their own way. 

Leslie and I have teamed up to occasionally cook/bake/make a our own versions of the same food.  We want to see how similar (or how different) they turn out.  Other times we will pick an ingredient and use it however we choose...or maybe just talk about it.  Good food knows no borders and we hope to share the food we love with you.  It's not a competition, it's a showcase.  We will post on the same day as each other and would love to hear your thoughts on what we've made and how you make it. 

Join me (here at girlichef) and Leslie in her kitchen (at La Cocina de Leslie) for some delicious food.

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50 Women Game-Changers (in Food): #29 Betty Fussell - Navajo Fry Bread + Honey Butter

the "Gourmet" prompt...

29. Betty Fussell- A shelf of her books is a snapshot of every major recent food trend—often before it happened: She’s done local, and seasonal, and in–depth biographies of single ingredients (The Story of Corn), and My Kitchen Wars is one epic food memoir.

We're diving back into our 50 women game-changers this week with number 29, Betty Fussell.  Betty is another new-to-me name...which is totally insane, as she's been writing articles and books on "what it is to be an American" for the past 50 years.  That's 24 years longer than I've been in this body.  She began by looking at movies and theater and then moved into "our" genre.  Food.  And really, when I began to look at her resume, I suspect that somewhere deep down, I recognized her name.

She earned a BA from Pomona College, and MA from Radcliffe College and a PhD from Rutgers.  She taught she taught literature and film at the New School for Social Research and writing at Columbia University.  She quit teaching in the 1980's and began writing (hooray for us!).  She's lectured everywhere from Universities to Corn Festivals...and she's still going strong!  For more information on Fussell, please check out her website (which is where I garnered these tasty tidbits on her).

So, upon learning more about Fussell, I immediately assaulted Amazon and starting snatching up her books for anywhere from a penny to a couple of dollars.  Raising Steaks: The Life and Times of American Beef and Crazy for Corn are sitting on my side table, as well as her memoir, My Kitchen Wars.  I can't wait until I get some "extra" time to spend with Betty...for she has a magical way with words and storytelling.  And how lucky is it that the only actual cookbook of hers that I ordered was I Hear America Cooking: The Cooks, Regions and Recipes of American Regional Cuisine!?  Lucky because I ADORE IT!  It is divided into sections.  Each section explores the history, stories, traditions, food, and the cultures of a particular region of North America- complete with illustrations and photos.  From Indians and Conquistadors (The Mexamerican Dessert) to Cajuns and Creoles (The Delta South) to Planters and Slaves (Southeast Dixie) to Seafarers and Settlers (The New England Coast) to Trappers and Milkers (The Great Lakes of the Midwest) to Prospectors and Asiatics (The Ecotopian Northwest)...history of food and it's origins in every introduction and recipe.  You may see me cooking from this book quite often!

Honey Butter

slightly adapted from recipe source: I Hear America Cooking by Betty Fussell

yield: 1 c.

8 oz. butter, at room temperature

¼ c. strong dark honey (I used thyme honey)

2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Whip the butter in a mixer or food processor.  Beat in honey and lemon juice.  Taste and adjust to the honey/lemon juice balance you prefer.  Refrigerate in a covered container when not in use.

Navajo Fry Bread

slightly adapted from recipe source: I Hear America Cooking by Betty Fussell

yield: 1 dozen

2 c. all-purpose flour + more as needed

1 Tbs. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbs. vegetable oil

¾ c. warm water

oil for frying

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  Stir in and oil and water with a wooden spoon.  Knead lightly with you hands for a minute or so, until dough is elastic, taking care not to overwork.  If dough is still incredibly sticky, add in a bit more at a time until it only feels tacky.  Form into a ball and wrap in plastic.  Refrigerate for one hour.

Divide into 12 roughly equal balls of dough.  Flatten with your hands and, on a lightly floured surface,  roll them into circles that are 7"-8" in diameter.  The thinner they are, the better they will puff in the oil.  Pole a hole in the center with your finger.  Dust tops lightly with flour.

Heat an inch and a half or so of oil in a deep skillet (to about 375° F).  One at a time, slide the rounds of dough into the hot oil to puff and brown, ~1 minute or less per side.  Drain on a paper towel-lined plate or tray.

Spread them while still warm with honey butter to serve...or just dust them with powdered sugar or eat them as-is.

OR...make them into puffy tacos!  To make taco shells, slide the round of dough into the hot oil and let cook for a few seconds.  Carefully flip with tongs and then grab one side and fold into half, holding in the oil until one half of the fold is cooked, then flipping while still holding to finish other half.  Remove to paper towel-lined plate to drain and then fill with seasoned beef, venison, or buffalo and your favorite toppings!

In May '11, Gourmet posted a list of 50 Women Game-Changers (in Food) that runs the gamut from food writers to cookbook authors to television personalities to restauranteurs to chefs to food bloggers.  Some are a given.  Some are controversial.  Speaking the names of some brings fond childhood memories.  Speaking the names of others will make some readers cringe.  And of course, some of our favorites were not even included.  We food-lovers are a passionate bunch of people and whether we agree or disagree, every woman on this list has earned her place for a reason.  Being a woman who is passionate about food (cooking, eating, talking about, writing about, photographing), when I caught wind of Mary from One Perfect Bite's idea of cooking/blogging her way through each of these 50 women...one per week...I knew I wanted to join her.  Many of these women paved the way for us in culinary school, in the kitchen, in cookbooks, in food writing, and on television and I think it is a fabulous way to pay tribute to their efforts.  Some of the women on the list have been tops with me for years.  Some I have heard of (perhaps even seen, read, or cooked from) before.  And there are even a handful that I am not familiar with at all.  I excited to educate myself on each of these women game-changers and hope you look forward to reading along.  We are going in order from 1 to 50.

Who is cooking along with these 50 Women Game-Changers?

Mary- One Perfect Bite, Val- More Than Burnt Toast, Joanne- Eats Well With Others, Taryn- Have Kitchen Will Feed, Susan- The Spice Garden, Heather- girlichef, Miranda- Mangoes and Chutney, Jeanette- Jeanette's Healthy Living, Kathy- Bakeaway with Me, Sue- The View from Great Island, Barbara- Moveable Feasts, Nancy- Picadillo, Mireya- My Healthy Eating Habits, Veronica- My Catholic Kitchen, Annie- Lovely Things, Claudia- Journey of an Italian Cook  

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Frito Pie ...and the makings of a Chilito!

The term "pie" is used loosely here.  If I were to name this dish, I'd probably dub it: Frichos (Frito Nachos).  The deep, earthy, bold flavors of the Southwest on a plate.  Chipotle chile powder, cayenne pepper, and hot smoked paprika lend particularly spicy notes and undertones to the seasoned ground beef.   Scooped up with thick, salty corn chips...with a cloud of cooling sour cream perched atop with the smattering of other tasty toppings...it's about as comfort-food as it gets.

I happened to make this a few days ago when the ground (and subsequently my outdoor table) was still wet.  But now, when cautiously squinting out the window at a ten-inch wall of blinding bright snow almost causes you to shiver sympathetically with the barren trees, would be a fabulous time for another warming plateful of Frichos.  I mean Frito Pie.  And since corn chips disappear as quickly around here as tortilla chips, I had to find a different application for that extra picoso meat leftover in the fridge. 

 Now, I'm going to dare voice two words that will either cause your belly to grumble or your body to shudder. Taco Bell.  Should I say it again?  Taco Bell.  I'm going to go ahead and admit that I like it.  Hey, I grew up with it.  During lunch in high school, we used to race over to TB...order...shove it down as quickly as you can (high school lunch-syndrome)...and get back before the bell rang.  I don't eat it that often anymore, but about once every six months or so, I get the craving.  Inevitably I order a bean burrito w/ sour cream plus one other thing.  Everybody I know has a favorite.  My sister's was a Chilito (Chili Cheese Burrito)...which I don't think they even make anymore.  However, I called her up excitedly yesterday after I magically and unexpectedly made one  at home.  Using the meat that I had left from the Frichos.  Basically, take a large flour tortilla.  Put a line of this meat down the center.  Top that with shredded sharp cheddar cheese.  Microwave until hot.  And roll it up into a burrito.  Add sour cream, if you're like me (though that's not original to a Chilito).  Taste and be amazed.  I swear, it tastes JUST like it.  Exactly!

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Frito Pie

by Heather Schmitt-González adapted from Saveur no.144

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Keywords: entree beef Southwest

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 2½ lb. ground beef
• 3 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• salt, to taste
• 2 Tbs. ground cumin
• 2 Tbs. chipotle chile powder
• 1 Tbs. dried oregano
• 2 Tbs. freshly ground black pepper
• 1¼ Tbs. garlic powder
• 1 Tbs. smoked paprika
• 1½ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 c. whole, peeled tomatoes in juice, pureed
• 1½ c. water

to serve:

• ~14 oz. Fritos (or other corn chips)
• Cheddar-Jack cheese, shredded
• sour cream
• pickled jalapenos, sliced
• scallions, sliced
• cilantro

Instructions

Brown beef in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to break up clumps, until done, ~10 minutes. Drain fat.

Heat oil in the same pan and add onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to caramelize, ~15 minutes.

Add garlic and a big pinch of salt and cook for another 5 minutes or so, still stirring. Add all of the spices to the pan and cook, stirring, for another minute or so.

Add beef back to pan along with the tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and deep red in color, ~45 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Taste and add salt, if needed.

To serve, divide chips into piles on plates. Top with a couple of scoops of the meat. Add as much sour cream and cheese to each plate as you'd like. Scatter with jalapenos, scallions, and cilantro. Enjoy!

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Dulce de Frijol {Bean Candy}

As I sit next to the window thinking about a new year and a renewed outlook, I see raindrops battling the cold.  The cold is wrapping itself around the falling water as it slants through the sky, turning it white.  But the minute it hits the cobbled bricks, the white spreads into a shimmering sheet of water.  A crow as big as a chihuahua is pecking for sustenance in the moist earth, anticipating a freeze, I imagine.   The sky is bright, yet muted with fat grey clouds.  Fierce winds whip through the barren trees and the wind chime with the faded yellow glass pendulums that I forgot to take down is clanging urgently.  I can feel a static charge in the air, yet it's as if the world around me is stuck in limbo.  Change is coming.

I don't make resolutions.  I won't keep them.  No matter how resolute I am.  It's more like striving to be in a better place...or mind set...always looking forward.  Embracing the good and holding negativity at bay.  Since this is the way I hope to live daily, it's much easier to keep up throughout the year.  Of course I do hope to get a bit healthier, see a new place or three, and take more time to write; I just don't want to announce it so solidly that I'll surely shrug it off in a month or two.  Since that's what I do.  

So, as I ease myself toes first into this new year vast with possibilities, I offer a change...a transformation, if you will...that is at the time baffling and comfortable.  The bean, a humble work-horse in the kitchen becomes a rich, seductive sweet worthy of the ooohs-and-aaahs it induces.  Most people's eyes grow wide with disbelief when they find out the humble origins of this cinnamon-tinged gooey sweet studded with raisins and rolled in a thin jacket of sugar.  It reminds me that subtle twists and shifts in direction can lead to bright, unexpected paths.  Happy 2012.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."  -Mahatma Gandhi

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Dulce de Frijol {Bean Candy}

by Heather Schmitt-González (adapted from My Sweet Mexico by Fany Gerson)

Prep Time: overnight

Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Keywords: dessert legumes cinnamon Christmas Day of the Dead Dia de los Muertos Easter candy Mexican

Ingredients (~40 pieces)

• 1 c. dried pinto beans , picked & rinsed
• 2 qts. water
• 1 stick canela (Mexican cinnamon)
• ½ tsp. sea salt
• 2 c. sugar
• 2 c. freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tsp. finely grated orange zest
• ¾ c. raisins

for rolling:

• ½ c. sugar
• 1 tsp. freshly ground canela

Instructions

Cover the beans with cold water by a couple of inches and soak overnight in the fridge.

Drain beans and place in a medium pot with the 2 quarts of water and the stick of canela. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a gentle simmer. Cook until beans are tender, ~60-75 minutes. Remove canela and stir in salt. Remove from heat and let cool.

Purée in a food processor or blender together with any remaining liquid (which shouldn't be more than 1 cup). If there is no liquid left after cooling, you could add a bit of extra orange juice to help it move smoothly through the food processor or blender, if needed.

Combine sugar with the orange juice and zest in a medium pot over medium-high heat and cook until slightly syrupy, ~10-15 minutes.

Add the puréed beans and continue to cook, stirring almost continuously with a wooden spoon, over medium-low heat, until there is no more liquid and you can see the bottom of the pot when you pull a wooden spoon through the mixture, 35-45 minutes. The mixture should be thick and hold together when you lift it.

Turn off heat and stir in raisins. Transfer to a bowl to let cool. I think it's easiest to work with once the mixture has been refrigerated overnight.

Combine sugar and cinnamon. Using a scant Tablespoon of the mixture, roll into gumball-size balls. Drop into sugar-cinnamon mixture and toss to coat. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

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MLLA 43: hosted by Claire at Chez Cayenne