French Bread

French Bread Recipe.

2 TBL. Dry Active Yeast

2 TBL. of Sugar

3 Cups of warm water.

1 TBL Sea Salt

4 Cups of Unbleached White Bread Flour

2 Cups of Unbleached Whole Wheat Bread Flour

Mix sugar and yeast in a small mixing bowl.

Add warm water and let yeast mixture dissolve for five minutes.

Your yeast mixture should be frothy.

While yeast is dissolving, in a separate small mixing bowl mix white flour and sea salt.

Once yeast has dissolved pour into kitchen aid mixing bowl.

Add white flour mixture to yeast mixture one cup at a time, hand whisking mixture until 

smooth, after every cup.

Add wheat flour one cup at a time mixing well

Knead the finished dough  for five to seven minutes.

Your dough should be slightly sticky.

Cover with damp cloth and let the dough rise for a total of one hour.

During that hour punch down the dough and slightly stir every 10 minutes,

this gives your dough the unique french bread texture you are looking for.

On a floured surface divide dough into two sections.

Roll each section into a long rectangular form.

Fold over rectangle length wise then fold into french bread form.

Pinch all edges.

Place both rolls on a greased tray.

Make 1/4 inch deep slashes across loaves.

Let loaves rise for 20 minutes.

Bake at 400F for approximately 18 to 24 minutes,

or until the bottom of the loaves are golden brown.

original recipe link

Bio-Bubble Bread - a low phytic acid, 24 hour ferment bread

Starting at sundown, combine the following into a batter and incubate overnight until sunrise.

1 cup of Bio-Bubble
1 cup untreated rain water
2 cups organic wholemeal bread flour
40-50 grams pure honey
1 small dash of unrefined sea salt

At sunrise add the following to make a dough, knead and incubate all day until sundown.

1 heaped teaspoon unrefined sea salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin cold pressed olive oil
2 heaped teaspoons organic flax seed
1 heaped tablespoon organic poppy seed
1 heaped tablespoon organic caraway seed (optional)
1 heaped tablespoon organic rosemary, fennel seed of coriander seed (optional)
2 cups wholemeal flour, enough to make a moist dough. Bakers choice of wheat, rye or spelt.

An hour before sundown insert hearth rock or fire bricks in over and preheat for at least an hour to 200C. Knead dough into a round loaf and score, lightly, for expansion. Flour heath and set loaf on hearth to bake for approximately 40-50 minutes, or until center is barely baked. Air cool. This bread should have a crust.

Theory behind 24 hour bread


The purpose of this bread if to bring the flour to life from its inert condition as grain.l This is a simple method that starts with finely ground whole grain flour. It can take place of the more cumbersome method of malting (sprouting, drying and grinding) whole grain to make the dough.

One of the reasons people have trouble digesting bread and develop allergies to protein rich grains such as wheat is that these grains in their inert state contain phytic acid which inhibits uptake of minerals, especially magnesium and zinc.

Enrenfired Pfeiffer's chronmatographic research into breads and bread baking suggests that flours needs to ferment as a dough for 12 to 16 hours for phytic acid to be destroyed and the resulting bread to be digestible.

Bio-Bubble serves to mediate and provide microbial support, much as plant juices - or even the clay in the soil - do. This balance between the digestive processes of lime (CaO) and the ripening processes of silica.

The result is a rich, flavourful bread that surmounts the three chief problems most people have with breads - phtic acid, yeast and undigested gluten. Phytates block absorption of magnesium and zinc. Yeasts exacerbate Candida problems and undigested gluten triggers allergies.

What is Bio-Bubble™?

Bio-Bubble™ is a fizzy, fermented probiotic powerhouse, featuring food-based antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins, enzymes and billions of beneficial microorganisms per serve.

"This defence food offers probiotic support that is far more potent than many of the task-specific probiotics. This is a fizzy, fermented liquid derived from the microbial digestion of eight organic cereal grains and several legumes including alfalfa and soybeans. Probiotics involve a numbers game where the aim is to overwhelm the 'bad' guys with the 'good' guys and you will see that the benefits can extend far beyond bio-balancing.

Bio-Bubble link here

Rosa's Spelt Bread

Ingredients

375 ml of water
1 slice of butter, approximately 2 tablespoons
2 cups of wholemeal spelt flour
2 cups of white spelt flour
1 1/2 tablespoons of milk powder
1 1/2- 2 tablespoons of unrefined brown sugar
2 teaspoons of fine celtic salt or 1 1/2 tsp of normal salt
1 sachet of Tandaco Rapid Rise yeast (if not available use the most active yeast you can source)

Directions:
Place all ingredients in order as listed above into the breaker maker (if using a timer ensure the yeast can't touch the water).

Unused portions can be frozen.

caps off to capsicum!

The red capsicum seed that I germinated from a (heaven forbid!) supermarket bought capsicum are all strong and healthy but a long way from being productive! Right now, the thought of using them in a recipe is a long way off, but I can dream and plan!

This recipe is on my "to cook" list!

Roasted Pepper Sauce

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

The flavor in this sauce is deepened by peppers, which are first grilled or roasted, then cooked in olive oil with onion, garlic and chili flakes.

2 to 2 1/4 pounds (4 large or 6 medium) red peppers, roasted or grilled

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 large garlic cloves, minced

Salt to taste

1 fresh basil sprig

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

1. Peel and seed the roasted or grilled peppers, then dice. Strain any juice left over in the bowl after peeling and seeding, and set aside.

2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet or wide saucepan. Add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Stir in the garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until mixture is fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Stir in the peppers, salt, basil sprig and chili flakes. Pour in the juice that you set aside, and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer the mixture over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes until the peppers are very tender and the mixture is thick and soft. If there is a lot of liquid in the pan, uncover and turn up the heat. Cook until most of the liquid boils off. Remove the basil sprig, adjust seasonings and remove from the heat. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: About two cups,

Advance preparation: This will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks if you pour a film of olive oil over the top.

Nutritional information per 1/4 cup: 72 calories; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 8 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 6 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 2 grams protein

green peas are made of this

Our green shelling peas are already flowering, and so I am really looking forward to harvesting fresh green peas to shell and enjoy. I love them fresh, and have a habit of eating more than I pop in the saucepan, but those that do survive my very well be treated to the following recipe!

Easy Peasey!

Peas in Milk and Mint

Serve with boiled new potatoes

2 cups of milk

2 tablespoons of butter

2 cups shelled fresh green peas

Salt and pepper to taste

A few mint leaves, freshly chopped

1. Heat the milk and butter in a saucepan over a medium heat until hot, but not boiling.
2. Add peas, salt and pepper, and gently simmer until the peas are bright green and soft but not mushy.
3. Remove from heat and add the mint leaves. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. 

Rosella of the plant kind!

Rosella jam is my favourite type of jam. It was always a special treat in our family when my mother made a batch of the lovely maroon coloured jam, or we bought some from a fete. Recently our eldest daughter sampled some rosella ice-cream at a country restaurant, something I am looking forward to one day soon!

I have grown our own plants over the years, and my mother has always been kind enough to make it into jam for us. Now that she is getting older, I am now going to take over the task. I have plans to build a second raised bed for the spring to plant some seedlings. 

If you plan to grow your own, and I do recommend it, as I have found it an easy crop to grow in sub tropical Brisbane, I suggest planning it into your planting calender as it needs a long term commitment of garden space as it best planted in the early spring for an autumn harvest. However, your efforts will be well rewarded!

Rosella - Hibiscus sabdariffa

Rosella should be planted spring and summer in most regions except those that are very cold. I usually plant seedlings, but it can be grown from seed. I would plant at least 6 seedlings for a family, and a space of 1.5 metres apart, as the plants need space to grow, and you need space to move about the plant to harvest. The first harvest comes in about twenty weeks (20+) so is harvested in autumn. The plant is annual, but sometimes can be stretched to a short-lived perennial.

I have always found it easy to cultivate, as it thrives in wet seasons. In the tropics it can almost take on weed-like dimensions! The plant needs a long, warm growing season but is tolerant of some cold and frost.

The plant grows to about 2metres in height and it produces maroon-throated yellow hibiscus flowers. 

The fleshy red clyx that surrounds the seed pod is used for making jams, jellies, ice-cream and dessert syrups. The leaves may be harvested as spinach though I have never done so.

Seeds are hard, black and triangular and if soaked in hot water prior to planting will germinate in 7-10 days. They can be sown directly into the soil, or into punnets to plant out later. Plant early in the season for maximum production. 

They respond well to liquid fertiliser in the early growing period. A pH of 5.5-7.5 is acceptable, but the plant does require good drainage. Regular watering in the beginning is required but they do harden off after awhile.

Pinching out the tips of growing plants helps to create a bushier plant and therefore increase fruit production. Have stakes ready to stake as they grow, as they do not like windy conditions.

The flowers are very pretty, and make an beautiful addition to any garden.

Leave the pods to become swollen but still closed tightly before harvesting. They should snap off the plant easily. I suggest wearing gloves as the pods can be prickly. If the pods won't snap off but need to be cut off, it means they are  too mature and when they are cooked they will be stringy.

The fruiting begins slowly, but it is important to pick the early fruit as it encourages further production. The fruit can be washed and dried, used for jam-making, or stored in the freezer until the harvesting of the rest of the fruit.

Pests usually leave rosella plants alone, but the plant is susceptible to root rot, which happens when the plant is over watered, or grown in heavy clay or poorly drained soil. We have always grown ours in a raised bed a we have heavy clay soil. 

When my mother makes rosella jam she spends hours separating the red flesh from the seed pod, but there is a "cheat" method for jam, if the fruit is harvested young.

Place whole fruit into a saucepan with a small amount of water and heat slowly with the lid on the saucepan. Cook very gently on a low heat until the flesh and seed po separate,

Strain the puree from the seedpods, add sugar and other ingredients from your chosen recipe, and continue cooking. This jam won't have the same clarity as when the seed and flesh are spearated before cooking.

To make rosella tea, harvest the seed pod, slice the clayx into smaller pieces and allow to dry, and use it fresh in hot water. It mixes well with ginger and lemon.

To save your own seeds, allow the fruit to grow to maturity when they will become dry and hard . They will begin yo split when mature. To store, mix with some drying agent or freeze as weevils love them!

rosella bird, for the dazed and confused!

For the love of lemons

Our lemon tree is giving us a bumper crop this year. Lots of very large juicy lemons. So many in fact, that I am starting to run out of variations for their use! However, I continue taking it one lemon at time, so this morning I made lemon muffins. For a bit of a twist I baked them in a friand tin, as I am not going to ice this batch.
.

However, they are lovely with orange icing (recipe at end). The recipe can also be used for a lovely dessert cake baked in a square pan

Lemon cakes 

100 g canola spread (or butter)

¾ cup caster sugar

3 eggs, beaten

1 ½ cups self-raising flour, sifted

Zest and juice of one lemon

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Prepare muffin tins

2. Beat eggs and sugar together until pale and creamy.

3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well with each addition.

4. Fold in flour, lemon zest and lemon juice.

5. Spread into prepared tin

6. Bake 20 minutes

7. Cool in tins before turning out onto cooler.

If desired ice with Orange Icing:

1 cup of icing sugar, sifted

10g margarine or butter

1 tsp orange zest

2 tbs orange juice.

1. Combine icing sugar, butter, orange zest and juice in a heatproof bowl

2. Place over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until the icing is glossy and smooth,

3. When the muffins are completely cool drizzle icing over and allow to set.

Makes 12 muffins. Recipe can also be made into a cake using a square cake pan, and extending baking time to approximately 45 minutes.