The Issue With Recipes

Back when I first started blogging, including a recipe was very important.  That has changed.  Why?  Despite a plethora of recipe books, you can never duplicate that recipe unless you have the exact same ingredients, environmental conditions and methods AND even then you might not be able to because everyone has their own little shortcuts, tricks and methods that are not always disclosed in the recipe.

Case in point, I shared a clone recipe with a friend for a particular dish.  One of the items is no longer available and another is no where near what it was 30 years ago when I created the recipe.  So even I could not make that recipe with the ingredients available now.  Another problem is variety of fruit or vegetable used and the fact those from even 20 years ago are not the same as today's varieties.   Adding to that is for many of my recipes I use homemade versions of store bought ingredients like mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard and so much more.  Then there are the regional differences like flours and differences from country to country.  From experience, dairy products in our corner of Ontario taste very different than those in Florida.  Adding to that, if you use commercially produced ingredients even something as simple as shortening changes usually in favour of the company making more money.  I do a a lot of soap making.  Back in 1998 one of the favourite ingredients was Crisco.  The formula has changed to the point the SAP values have changed.  The new Crisco formula uses palm oil whereas the old did not.  I don't use Crisco for soap making but that is important to know if you do.  Oh and right now Canada has an issue with butter staying hard at room temperature.  There's theories as to why but nothing confirmed.  So if you want room temperature butter for a dish, you just might be out of luck.All of this adds to the final product.

So at best, we as home cooks must come up with substitutions and tweaking based on personal experience and knowledge.  This is what keeps cooking interesting and sharpens your skills.  Like a willow tree, you have to be strong enough to bend.   Recipes are simply a starting point, they are not carved in stone!  This is what goes into what I made but your dish will not not should it be exactly the same.  I urge everyone to keep a cooking journal and honestly, do not get too attached to any one particular ingredient.  Know that ingredients change or become unavailable.  Be flexible!

Sourdough Crackers

Sourdough discard is inevitable with maintaining a sourdough starter.  It is never ending but can be controlled or reduced if necessary.  There are a lot of great ways to use up sourdough dough discard.  Basically work it into any recipe using water and flour.  I don't even measure when using in certain recipes but others are a bit more precise.

Sourdough crackers are a perfect way to use up sourdough discard.  This recipe only takes three ingredients, has no rise time and the dough will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.  So you can always have a ball of dough ready for another batch.  It is also very, very versatile in that you can use any seasoning desired on top or simply sprinkle on a little sea salt.  We prefer these sourdough crackers topped with Za'tar seasoning and just a wee sprinkle of sea salt.

The secret to a good soughdough cracker is to roll the dough out to the thickness of a sesame seed.  One half of the dough will be enough to cover a 13" x 18" cookie sheet.  It's best to roll out the dough on a Silpat or parchment paper.  Once rolled, the dough is cut into the desired size.  I like using a pizza cutter for this purpose.  I also use a straight edge but that isn't necessary.  

These crackers are beyond delicious!  Don't let the thinness fool you as they are very filling.  They are a perfect snack tray item that pair nicely with a multitude of other offerings.  I made a quick snack tray using peameal bacon , freezer pickles and smoked chipotle cheese from Stonetown Artisan Cheese.  Delicious!

Sourdough Flatbread

I have two sourdough starters on the go which means about 2 cups of sourdough discard daily when fed normally.  Some folks store their sourdough starter in the refrigerator, feeding when needed.  Others feed on a reduced schedule of every third or fourth day. Sourdough discard can be reduced via micro feeding on days you won't be baking. 

An easy way to use up a bit of sourdough discard is flatbread.  Flatbreads are very versatile, easy to make and freeze well.   Each batch makes 6 nice sized flatbreads and uses a cup of sourdough discard.  These are extremely easy to make because there is no rise or proof time.  There is a 30 minute rest time before the dough is ready to be shaped into balls then rolled out.  The shape does not have to be perfect.  In fact a bit oddly shaped is part of the charm.

I roll one out, brush the top with olive oil the place oiled side down in a hot ungreased cast iron skillet.  It is hot enough to cook the flatbread without smoking.  Then I brush the now top with olive oil.  When dark marks appear on the bottom, I flip and let it cook on that side.  While that is cooking, I prepare the next one.  I remove the finished flatbread to cool in a cloth lined basket.  I continue on in this fashion until all the flatbreads are cooked.  The whole process, dough to flatbread takes about an hour.

We like using flatbreads for quick personal homemade pizzas.  Pictured is my Margherita pizza and hubby's cheese pizza.  I used home canned roasted tomato garlic pizza sauce for both pizzas.  A few days later we took a double batch of flatbreads and the fixing to friends for a pizza party.  Their kids had so much fun topping their own pizzas!

 

Sourdough Starter

A sourdough starter is the basis of sourdough breads.  It is not difficult to make but it does require maintenance.  Only two ingredients are required:  flour (unbleached, whole, rye) and non-chlorinated water.  Nothing else should be added!  The vessel used needs to be large enough to allow the starter to double in size without overflowing.  A kitchen scale is highly recommended.

I have two sourdough starters on the go, both in 500 ml mason jars.  To the right in the older Crown mason jar, is my whole wheat starter.   I began with 50 g whole wheat and 50 g water (1:1) plus the weight of the jar (important when feeding).  The next day, I removed all but 25 g and fed with a 1:1 giving a final result of 1:2:2.  By Day 4 the discard can be used for other baking and I switched to a 1:3:3.  When the starter doubles in size 4 - 5 hrs after feeding it is ready to use for sourdough breads.  The discard can be used anytime.  

To the left, is a white flour starter made using sourdough starter I dehydrated circa 1999.  This demonstrates an important part of sourdough making.  Once you get a good starter going, always dehydrate some just in case the starter dies.  That way, you always have a backup source.  I currently have 454 g of the 1999 rejuvenated starter and 386 g of the whole wheat starter dried dehydrated for future use.

The fermentation process for making sourdough starter relies on wild yeast in the flour.  Rye flour has the highest wild yeast content followed by whole wheat.  White flours have the lowest wild yeast content.  You can always start with one flour then slowly shift it over to another if desired.  The liquid that forms on sourdough is the hooch.  It will have an alcohol smell and is a normal part of the process.  Simply stir it back into the starter and continue your feeding schedule.  If your starter develops a vinegar smell (also normal) it means the fermentation is occurring at too low of a temperature.  Feed the starter and move to a warmer location.  Whole wheat starters require higher maintenance.  While some put their starters and discard in the fridge if going on vacation, I don't.  A couple of days away won't hurt the starter and for longer periods of time (cottage, vacation home) I take my starter with me.  Worse case scenario, I can restart a starter from the dehydrated starter.
 

Sourdough Sandwich Bread

I think 2020 easily wins the title Year of the Sourdough!  Everyone was baking sourdough breads and for good reason.  If you run out of yeast and can't get to the store but have plenty of flour on hand, within a week you can have a nice sourdough starter ready to make a wide variety of sourdough delights!  However, there is another reason to use sourdough.  It is easily digested so for those like myself not tolerating commercial breads, sourdough is very well tolerated.  If you have this problem, another bread line to try if you don't like the tang of sourdough is bread made with sprouted flours.   Of note, sprouted flours should not be used for sourdough but both are very good options.

Most folks think of sourdough artisan breads as rustic boules, often with fancy cut lines and for the most part they are.  The aeroles are large, the crust chewy and there's that unmistakable tang.  Sourdough bread does make a wonderful grilled cheese sandwich!

Keeping a sourdough starter means daily feeding that result in sourdough discard.  It's called discard because it is not active enough for bread baking but that doesn't mean you can't use it.  Some folks toss this discard while others bake other goodies with it.  I have two starters which means I have a lot of sourdough discard!  One of the ways I like to use this discard is sourdough sandwich bread.

This particular recipe uses a sourdough levain.  A levain is made using sourdough discard and other ingredients, then left to ripen for 12 hours prior to making the bread.  Unlike the sourdough artisan breads, this bread has no characteristic tang.  It's soft with small aeroles.  The only difference between the two loaves is one was brushed with butter while still hot and the other not.  I wanted to see which one we liked better.  Definitely brushed with butter was the winner!

I tested the bread by making grilled cheese sandwiches.  Mine was filled with two cheeses, swiss chard, red onions and roast beef.  Hubby's was a Monte Cristo (French toast) filled with two cheeses and roast beef slices.  Both sandwiches were amazing!  Of note, this sandwich bread has a higher longevity of close to a week in comparison to artisan sourdough bread that usually lasts three days maximum.  Any leftover sandwich bread can easily be made into croutons or bread crumbs.
 

Whole Wheat and White Quick Rise Breads

In March of 2020, everyone had seen the warnings and were starting to experience the onset of never ending lockdowns.  While toilet paper became a huge premium, sold out in many areas, others were turning to baking.  By the end of March, social media was inundated with pictures of home baked breads.  By mid-April the new found bakers realized that flour and yeast had also become a premium commodity.

I have baked most of our breads for so ever long, mainly due to some serious gastrointestinal issues that are related to preservatives in commercial breads, not the gluten.  Pictured are two quick rise breads - white, whole wheat.  This was a bit newer but not entirely new technique to me.  Essentially, the liquid added is quite warm which gives a kick start to the yeast.  I like to proof my breads in the microwave oven.  It's a great proofing box.  The bread is then baked in a dutch oven giving the crust a unique texture.  While these do look like sourdough they aren't because there is no sourdough starter used and the rise is solely dependent on added yeast.  However, for those having issues with commercial breads, the white only has: wheat, yeast, salt and water while the whole wheat has : wheat, yeast, salt, local honey and water.

The rise in both breads was lovely with well formed aveoli.  The crumb was quite lovely as well.  The flavour was delightful.  I always pair local honey with whole wheat to give  bit better rise.  The flavours just meld together so nicely.  Both breads make for amazing grilled cheese sandwiches the next day.

Homemade Yogurt

Yogurt is one of the easiest most versatile foods you can make.  I have two yogurt makers but technically you don't need any special equipment.  You need milk and yogurt starter (either plain yogurt with active culture or yogurt from you last batch).  That's it!

I made yogurt.  The "yog" and tang of the yogurt depends on the set time.  Once the yogurt is made it can be used as is or stir in jam, honey or vanilla for a homemade version of flavoured yogurts.  Now here is where it gets really interesting.  The plain yogurt can be strained for about 2 hours to give you Greek yogurt and whey.  The whey is amazing to cook with.  Greek yogurt also doubles as a sour cream substitute.   If you strain the yogurt for about 5 hours, you get yogurt cheese.  This is very similar to a soft cream cheese perfect for topping bagels.  If you strain the yogurt for 24 hours then press in cheese cloth for 7 days, you get a harder, sharper cream cheese that is very much like store bought cream cheese.  

I usually use 5 cups of whole milk to make basic plain yogurt.  From there I process it as desired to meet our needs.  I use an ancient Salton yogurt maker and new Dash yogurt maker.  The Salton make individual cup while the Dash makes a bulk batch.  If you find a Salton yogurt maker without the cups, 250 ml (1 c) mason jars will work. 
 

Jalapeño Garlic Roast Beef

Our slowcooker is one of the least utilized kitchen appliances second only to the microwave oven.  I much prefer using a stovetop pressure cooker to the slowcooker.  On the other hand, one of our kids uses the slowcooker a few times a week.  A slowcooker is also a very popular kitchen appliance at our vacation home in the south.  It's all about what is available, what fits your needs and what you get used to. 

In February of 2020, I decided to use the slowcookers a bit more frequently.  My primary use had been soups and stews.  So, I lightly seared a rib roast then put in the slowcooker with stock, sliced jalapeño peppers, garlic cloves  on low for about 7 hours.   When finished, I thinly sliced the roast as it didn't shred nicely.  The flavour was quite lovely though with a nice heat, perfect for serving over rice.  

The meat warmed nicely the following day for buns.  I froze about a 500 ml bag to see how it would freeze.  I am curious as to whether this could be canned.  As far as safety, there isn't an issue but flavour and texture may change. 

Notes:  

A rump or chuck roast would have shredded better.  There was nice heat but was in need of a bit more depth of flavour.  Next time I will add tomato stock or whey to help tenderize the meat.  Other possibilities are onion, bayleaf, Worchestershire sauce or red wine.

Home Canned Venison Chili and Pulled Pork

Sometimes there's this nagging little feeling that something is not quite right.  In February of 2020, I was in high gear canning, dehydrating and prepping.  February is my normal month for canning meats, stocks, soups and dry beans.  While I don't can a lot of meats or soups, it's nice to have a few jars on hand as convenience foods.    

I made a large batch (16 qt) of venison chili.  Part was for a couple of dinners, part was froze and the remainder canned (4 x 500 ml).  That's the perfect size for chili cheese fries for two!  At the same time, I had the slowcooker going with a small batch of pulled pork for sandwiches and canning.  Both meats were pressure canned in the same load rather than run the canner twice.  This is possible when canning like products in the same size jar so processing times are the same.
 

New Sidebar Section: Order Online

Last year changed the way many of us shopped.  We didn't make a lot of changes other than pretty much eliminated shopping in a grocery store.  This was not a huge adjustment for us given that we normally buy directly from growers and food producers.  We buy a few items at the grocery store as needed more so through the winter months.  Our milk and local organic produce are now delivered weekly.  We buy some cheeses, teas, coffee, flours and specialty food items online. 

I added a new sidebar section, Order Online.  Some are places I've dealt with for years and a few newly discovered that provide an excellent online food shopping experience.  I am not affiliated with them nor do I receive any compensation.  All have top quality products with very reasonable shipping as well as free shipping if buying over a certain amount.  Shipping time for all has been quite fast at only a few days.  

Be sure to check that section from time to time for new additions!

An Update and Return to Blogging

My goodness!  There have been quite a few changes since I last blogged in January of 2017. 

I hope everyone is happy and healthy, surviving all the changes 2020 brought us.  A little over a year ago, ours lives went into limbo.  We were just settling back into our routine after being in Florida and looking forward to our return in May.  Unfortunately, that May trip didn't happen.  Like many, I turned to cooking for comfort.  I found several really good resources for online food shopping that I will share with you. 

Stay tuned, stay safe!