Croissant Adventure in Winter

This is another photo journal of my croissant adventure. I never get tired of taking pictures of croissants.  It is very satisfying even if I had to wake up at 2:30 am in the morning to complete the baking.

Ingredients/formula is in previously posted blog.

Hmmm... I see my slight mistake.   I seemed to have ignored my own rule - do not egg wash sliced edges of each roll.  It sealed the layers and have kept them from rising during the baking period.  

The taste of 'Euro-Style' Unsalted Butter is more flavorful than the normal Kirkland unsalted butter I always use. 

This one below shows the layer separation and rise where egg wash is carefully applied only to the top of the rolled layer avoiding the sliced edges.  

Baked at 475'F on baking sheet on Silpat.  3rd rack from the top in GE Large gas oven.  Maximum 12 minutes baking time. Keep a close watch.  

Polly's Sourdough Bread

This is another adventure in baking bread at home.  The recipe for the preferment dough turned out pretty interesting.  Nothing special.  It's the same old Flour, water, yeast, Kosher salt. The bread proofed and rose and baked to my satisfaction in my ordinary home gas oven.   
Ingredients
Preferment Dough Overnight:
Bread Flour 14.06 oz
Water 9.125 oz
Yeast 0.0625 oz
Salt 0.25 oz

Final Dough:
Bread Flour 32.375 oz
Water 19.4375
Yeast 0.0625
Salt 0.3125
Honey 0.125
Preferment we Dough 11.75
Poppyseeds 1 Tbsp

KABOCHA POTATO Soup with Tabasco Sauce

Ha!  Wonderful spicy heat to warm me up.

Preroast your favorite KABOCHA.

Dice half a onion.

Dice a peeled potato.

Make a mirepoix. 

Heat sauteuse and add 2 tsp of EVOO. 

Sauté onion for 30 seconds, then add potato and sauté for 2 min without browning onion or the potato.

Add 1 C organic chicken stock

Add 1/2 C water

Add mirepoix.

Cook to Reduce.  

Scoop 1 C of cooked KABOCHA and add to soup.

Add salt and black pepper to taste

Add to a blender to blend.

When smoothly blended put it through the sieve over a bowl.

Serve in soup bowl with sprinkles of Tabasco Sauce.

Enjoy.

Teriyaki Salmon Salad from the GreenChef

This is one of the dinner menu my family member ordered from the Green Chef -online grocery.

The most interesting ingredients was the black bean noodle.  Teriyaki sauce was a bit non-conventional mixture compared to what we are used to.   The tangy cucumber salad complimented the Salmon filet overall.

The Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Test

I got this Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe that appeared in my Facebook posting from Alton Brown's website.
http://altonbrown.com/the-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe/
The picture looks so good, I wanted to try it.  It looks like it is just loaded with chocolates.  Chewy chocolate chip cookies has been my challenge for a long long time.  Not that I particularly like to eat cookies but the idea of making it "like that one!" intrigues me.  Often at the office party or ordered in luncheon, cookies are served.  Everyone raved about the chewy guey chocolate chip cookies.  I don't particularly like cookie, including my favorite oatmeal raisin cookie that is commercially made because I know it got tons of heavy corn syrup and unspeakable guey ingredients in it that I can taste them unpleasantly in my mouth.  But I want to make cookies like that.   So, there is my baking class' theory, Martha Stewart's and Food52's posting on the theories of what make cookies cakey, chewy, or crispy.  I've done that and still not to my satisfaction.
This particular "The Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie" hack is by Alton Brown. And I agree with him about the difference it would make in baking if you change the ratio of brown sugar and white sugar.
There has not been a bad recipe that I tried from Alton Brown's books I own.  His Chicken Curry Pot Pie and Overnight Cinnamon Rolls are MY FAVORITES.  So, I thought I would try Alton's recipe for the Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie.
The image from his posting shows that there are tons of Chocolate chips in a single cookie.
Unfortunately I have to work with only 4 ounces of great tasting European Dark Chocolate Pistoles I have.  I chopped them up and added to the flour ingredients.  Bad side to this method is that the chocolates gets uneven chop and some get powdery slivers.  This cause the chocolate to dissolved into the moist flour mixture. It is not what we really want for this testing.
As for the taste?  Using my great Europe-Style 82% fat unsalted butter, the cookies taste great.
As for the chewiness, it's there, but I don't think it's the same as the Alton's cookies. 
But, it's turned out good though.
My test involved in the sheeting method.  My theory is more in the technique on how the cookie dough is being formed and placed on the baking sheet.  Sure, the ingredients matter.  But I leave that to Alton Brown's recipe.  But, if I placed the cookie dough the certain way, the cookie would not turn out the same.
So, this is what you should do or not do or wanted to do with your premium cookie dough you prepared.  And if you want to have cookie that look like Alton, I said to myself - have to have the same amount of Chocolate Chips the next time, and baking soda.   I ran out of baking soda and cream of tartar is no where to be found, so I just used baking powder. 
Ingredients:

1. 8 ounces unsalted butter   -  I used 82% fat content Europe-Style Unsalted Butter
2. 12 ounces bread flour - I used Montana Natural White, Unbromated, Unbleached AP Flour
3. 1 teaspoon kosher salt
4. 1 teaspoon baking soda - I used baking powder because I didn't have baking soda but you should
5. 2 ounces granulated sugar - I used organic cane sugar
6. 8 ounces light brown sugar - I used dark brown sugar because that's what I had
7. 1 large egg - Organic Eggs
8. 1 large egg yolk
9. 2 tablespoons whole milk - Organic whole milk
10. 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
11. 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips - I used European Dark chocolate pistoles, chopped 4 oz 

 Interestingly in his preparation method, he mentions paper plate as part of the preparation tool.   Because ever since I have been mixing my own pastry flour or shifting flour with other dry ingredients. I put all my dry ingredients in my hand-crank-shifter over the paper plate.  Shift.  Put the shifter onto different paper plate.  Pick up the plate with dry ingredients like a hard Taco shell and pour them into the shifter.  Repeat.   I also just Whisk dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
So, Premix your dry ingredients.
In Alton's instruction, butter is melted in a pot, then, cooled slightly.  Then, beaten in a mixer bowl with sugar.
Not that I want to change his method and I should followed it if I want the same result, but I end up beating up the butter at room temperature.  Add sugar.  Beat until creamy.   I think I should not have done that either?  because I know beating the butter and or egg with sugar till pale would create a fine crumb product vs just beat them together to combine.
In a separate bowl, hand mixed egg, milk, vanilla.  Just beat enough to combine.  Then, while the mixer is running, add egg mixture.  Blend until well incorporated with the butter mixture - 30 seconds.

Slide in flour mixture from the paper plate with mixer at the slowest speed. or Hand mix in with spatula like I do.
**Remember, if your mixer is NOT designed with air-tight housing right above the beater head unit, adding dry ingredients such as flour mixture while the beater attachment is running would cause the dry mixture to build up inside the housing and around the motor.  Eventually your precious mixture would stop working as though there is no power going through the mixer.  Just like what happened to my old Master mixer.
Add chocolate chip and mix to distribute evenly with the dough.
Cover and Refrigerate the dough for an hour.
Preheat oven to 375'F  Place the rack in top one third of the oven and bottom third of the oven.  But I only baked one sheet at a time. 
Scoop the dough into 1-1/2 oz portion.  Place six on each half sheet pan covered with Silpat or parchment paper. 

*Note:  If you are using a dark Silpat - the cookie dough would brown at the bottom much quicker than the light color Silpat
Bake for 7 to 8 min. and Remove from oven.  I used dark silpat, so the bottom and edge of the cookies are browned.
Test 1:
Place the portioned dough ball on Silpat and pressed down with the palm of your hand.
Result:
Produced flatter and smooth surface cookies.
Chewiness:
So so - because I only had 4 ounces of chocolate chips

Test 2:
Place the portioned dough ball on Silpat and just press down in the center slightly.
Result:
Produced slightly thicker cookies.  The observable chewy appearance.
Chewiness:
Getting there.

Test 3:
Place the portioned balls on Silpat as is.
Result:
Produced rougher thicker cookies.
Chewiness:
It can be better.

Taste of all 24 cookies?   Excellent taste.   Chocolaty and satisfying.
Let's do it again!
Before I can take the picture and taste tested the last batch of cookies, it disappeared into someone's tummy.   Hot cookies are always tastier as they say.

Very Simple Hebrew National Kosher Hot Dog Fried Rice

This is a very simple tasty fried rice to make with left overs.
2 Hebrew National Kosher Hot dog or any hot dog you have
3 stalks of green onions, chopped
2 Eggs beaten with 2 Tbsp of water and add 1/4 tsp of salt and pinch of black pepper

3 C cooked left over rice, set aside - room temperature or cold from refrigerator; unless you prepared it Risotto style over the stove to prepare the rice.  When I say Risotto style - I mean the technique - not the moistness or the soupiness of rice.  Also, if you are preparing the rice specifically for the fried rice, cook with soup prepared with Japanese Bonita soup base.

Anything else you want to add to it.
Spices:  Paprika, onion powder and garlic powder or fresh minced garlic
1/4 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Heat Wok, then add chopped hot dogs.
Depending on your preference, stir fry hot dog until aromatic with bit of singe.  Move it to a side of Wok or transfer to a dish and set aside.
Add 2 Tbsp of EVOO.  Add chopped green onions when oil shimmers.   Stir fry green onions until aromatic.
Depending on your preferences, I like to cook my green onions until wilted and some maybe a bit browned.   When I was a kid, green onions tasted like soap to me.  I picked out every green onions in the fried rice before I eat.  It was not until I was past 35 years old that I acquired the taste for the green onions.  So I emphasize with children who would not eat certain vegetables prepared.  And it has to do with their taste buds.   And this particular fried rice I am preparing is for my lovely grandchildren, so I am quite careful with what to add.

When green onions are quite aromatic - move it to the side of the Wok by leaving the oil in the center of the wok or transfer to the plate with cooked hot dog but reserving oil in the Wok.
If the wok looks dry, add 2 tsp of oil.  Coat the bottom of the Wok all around.
Once oil comes to shimmer, add beaten eggs and stir fry quickly - 30 to 45 seconds.  Move it to the side of the Wok or transfer to the plate with green onions, hot dog.
Before adding the rice to the Wok, make sure there is enough cooking oil; otherwise, add a tablespoonful of oil, then add rice to the Wok.
Break rice up.  Stir fry to make sure it is coated gently with cooking oil.
Add plate of goodies into the rice and stir fry to combine.
Add salt and black pepper to taste.
Add Paprika, Garlic powder.  If using minced garlic, create an opening in the center of Wok and stir fry garlic a bit, then, combine with the rest of the ingredients.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve.

About Rice used for the fried rice.
There is no set rules which type of rice to use to make fried rice.   It is really a personal preference, but the fried rice prepared with short grain rice often 'gunks' up together as it cools, and it is not MY preference.  Normally, it is all eaten well before it gets cold, but there is occasion that you would be preparing the fried rice ahead for the late home coming family member or for the cook ahead.  So, it is a personal preference.  You can stick it right in the microwave to reheat, so what does it matter, right?  But again, I prefer long grain rice over short grain.  Also, every time I eat chewy yummy genetically modified short grain now-a-days, I gain so much weight in one meal that I really prefer the extra long grain.
So, here, in my blog - it is preferred to make fried rice with non-sticky rice such as long grain.  I especially like extra long kernel Basmati Rice from India and I cook it with Quinoa mixed in it.   You can use your favorite short grain rice, medium grain rice, Thailand Jasmine rice.  They are all tasty.  But it is preferred that the rice is not cooked too soft for the fried rice.  We normally cook extra two cups of rice with the dinner preparation.  The extra rice is used the next day to prepare the lunch with anything added to it. 

Fresh Chayote Salad with Pomegranate

After waiting for two years, the planted chayote fruit has finally sprouted, blossomed!! What's more surprising is that the fruits appeared in late November!!
The crazy warm mild November weather in Sacramento has prolonged the chayote plants this year and fruited.  The fruits that normally grow in warm climate area - like Mexico, are growing unexpectedly.  Just like my Lotus flower, it appeared when you least expected.   All I remembered was seeing the flower, but the temperature was dropping quite dramatically each evening in November.  I was sure that the plant would die.  The fruits grew quickly, escaping my notice, from flower to croppable hand size.   I didn't know what to do with it when I saw them.   I was amused with the way they were growing in my yard.  I have never tasted it before.   A week before, not seeing any chayote fruits growing and seeing the evening temperature has been coming down quite low, I purchased chayote from a grocery store -- still not knowing what or how to prepare it.  They were just sitting in refrigerator.  After seeing my chayote growing in the garden, I decided to prepare one of them.  I got enough information from the Internet to prepare it into salad.   And it turned out delicious with just some vinaigrette dressing.

 

This is my home grown pomegranate from my own yard.   It is a fast growing plant from seeds to fruiting in one summer or was it two years.  It doesn't matter.  It fruited three.

 Surprise!  No seeds in the young ones.  The texture is like an apple and crisp pear.

Fennel Salad with KAKI, Fuji Apple, and Pomegranates

Fennel Power!   

This has become one of my favorite salad.  Refreshing and it helps me with joint inflammation.   Fennel is considered anti-inflammatory, it says.  When I first tasted fennel, it was a few years ago at one of our co-workers' home party to celebrate autumn vegetables.   Fennel and FUYU KAKI (Japanese persimmon) salad.  I did not particularly took interest in its taste as it tasted very much like Licorice.  Licorice is one taste that I never become fond of.  However, it was one of the menu ingredients when I received my package of the week from the Blue Apron.   I didn't know quite what to do with it, except to follow the direction and prepare the dish.   Again, another surprise.  The dish turned out tasty.  Since then, I have purchased it a number of times from our Sacramento Food Co-Op.  I didn't know much about it.  I chopped away the stalks and reserved a few stems of fennel fern.   I didn't know I could use the whiter part of stalk as well... like leek.   Anyways, I added slices of KAKI, and pomegranates from my mother's home.   Made vinaigrette from Pure Olive Oil, Dijon mustard, Vinegar, organic cane sugar, salt and pepper, and lemon juice.  The taste is perfect match for this salad.   I ate every bit of it.   Variation is using shaved carrots and or sliced cucumbers.

 Fresh home grown Pomegranates and FUYU KAKI.   You only need two tablespoon of Pomegranate and one Kaki - sliced.

 

 I like pomegranates, so there are more than 2 Tbsp of it in my salad.