Pamela Toman

Carrot White Bean Salad

A lovely salad that works as a side dish for omnivores and an entree for vegetarians (easily vegan-izable).

Substituting other herbs and sweeteners works well. Thyme and maple syrup, for instance, is another nice combination.

Have it ready a bit before serving; it improves as it sits.

Ingredients Step
scant ¼ c. olive oil
heaping ⅓ c. shallot, very thinly sliced		 Saute briefly, just enough to take off the raw onion edge.
warmed shallots and oil
3 T. lemon juice
¼ c. dill, chopped
scant ¼ t. salt		 Combine and adjust dressing to taste. Don't sweeten yet. Set aside.
4 carrots, sliced (~2 c.)
olive oil		 Saute the carrots in batches so they stay in a single layer, until deeply browned (~12 minutes per layer).
3 c. white beans (2 cans) Add. Cook about 5 minutes, until the beans are heated through.
dressing
~2 T. honey		 Stir dressing in. Sweeten to taste (consider the carrots).
⅓ c. sliced almonds, toasted Serve with toasted almonds.

Source: Heidi Swanson (101 Cookbooks)

Carrot White Bean Salad was published on 5 May 2024.

Recipe uses: shallot, carrots, white-beans, dill

Pretzel Bites

From nothing to pretzel bites in under 90 minutes.

Some people think these deserve beer cheese....

Ingredients Step
300 g flour (2½ c.)
6 g salt (1 t.)
1 t. sugar
7 g yeast (2¼ t.)
up to 1 c. warm water, depending on ambient humidity		 Combine all ingredients. Knead until normal bread dough texture (sticky like a post-it, soft like a marshmallow). Cover the mixing bowl and let rest for 30 minutes.
3 c. water
2 T. baking soda		 While resting, prepare the baking soda bath. In a very large saucepan, heat and stir until the soda is totally dissolved. Set pan aside to cool to room temperature (no warmer than lukewarm).
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a work surface.
Prepare a baking sheet. Because of the baking soda bath, the pretzel bites really like to stick and to overcook on their bottoms. I've had the best luck with a well-oiled silpat mat on a light-colored air-gap baking sheet. Ungreased parchment paper produces papery bites.
Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Roll ropes and cut pieces. Drop the pieces into the baking soda solution, swish them around, and let them sit for a few minutes. The longer they sit, the more they'll lose their integrity and the darker and more "pretzel-ly" they'll cook up.
coarse salt Transfer the bites to the baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt.
Bake 12-15 minutes, until golden brown.
3 T. butter, melted Brush with melted butter, then flip the bites and brush their bottoms too. Transfer to rack to cool.

Source: Charlotte Rutledge (KAF)

Pretzel Bites was published on 3 May 2024.

Wool Roll

I keep making this one. It's so pretty...

It takes 4-5 hours start-to-finish.

Sometimes the bread filling gets a chemical flavor, and I suspect it's the cream cheese. Next time I make this bread, I want to try a savory filling that I know will bake well to check this flavor source hypothesis. Getting a higher end cream cheese that isn't stretched with filler might also help.

Other filling ideas: use jam instead of freeze-dried fruit; cinnamon/sugar/butter/raisin; coconut/cream cheese/chocolate chip; Nutella/cream cheese; garlic butter; onion/garlic/sundried tomato; basil/garlic/parmesan; hatch chilis/Colby Jack

Ingredients Step
3 T. water
3 T. milk, whole preferred
2 T. bread flour		 Combine in a small saucepan. Whisk until lump-free. Then cook over medium heat, stirring, until thickened and paste-like (~2-4 minutes).
tangzhong
½ c. milk		 Transfer tangzhong to the bowl of the stand mixer. Stir milk on top to help cool it.
2½ c. (300 g) bread flour (often I need to add more)
1 egg
4 T. butter, softened
1 T. (9 g) yeast
¼ c. (50 g) sugar
1 t. (6 g) salt		 Mix to combine, then knead until soft & smooth (tackier than a post-it, sticking somewhat to the walls of the mixing bowl, but not a batter and not sticking to oiled hands).
lightly greased bowl Shape the dough into a ball. Let it rest in a lightly greased bowl, covered, for 1-1½ hours, until puffy. It won't necessarily double.
4 oz. cream cheese (half package), at warm room temperature
2 T. sugar
zest of 2 lemons
pinch of salt		 Mix until smooth.
2 T. freeze-dried fruit
2 T. flour		 Mix until berries are completely crushed and evenly distributed.
On a lightly floured surface, gently deflate the dough. Divide it into 4 pieces (~170 g. each). Shape each into a ball. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
9" springform or round pan Line with parchment. Lightly grease the parchment and sides of pan.
Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll it into a 6"x12" rectangle. Portion ¼ of the filling (2 heaping tablespoons) onto the top half of the rectangle. Spread it down, leaving the last 5"-6" bare. Cut the uncovered dough into very thin strips. Fold the long edges in so the filling can't seep out; pat gently to flatten. Roll toward the uncovered strips, lightly press the strips into the log, then place the log (seam-side down) into the pan along the outside edge. Repeat.
Cover and let rise 60-75 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
milk Brush the roll with milk (be careful not to deflate it). Bake 28-32 minutes, rotating partway through, until 190 degrees and golden. Remove and cool on rack.

Source: Molly Marzalek-Kelly from King Arthur Flour

Wool Roll was published on 2 May 2024.

Recipe uses: bread-flour, sundried-tomato, jam, milk

Black Bean Chili

I've cut this recipe down to a quarter of the original. It makes a high quality canned equivalent chili, not too spicy.

Ingredients Step
1 c. black beans, rinsed Soak overnight. (Alternatively, boil 2 minutes and then set aside, covered, to soak 2 hours.)
soaked beans from above, rinsed again
¼ onion, finely chopped
1½ t. fresh garlic, minced
2¼ t. dark chili powder
½ t. cumin
½ t. dried oregano
¼ t. cayenne
bit of black pepper		 Combine in a pot. Add water to cover by 1.5 inches. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are very tender (~1+ hour). Add water as necessary and maintain a simmer.
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
¼ onion, finely chopped
oil		 While the beans cook, saute until translucent. Cook until celery is tender.
¼ c. corn (fresh or frozen)
¼ c. carrot, shredded
14 oz. can crushed tomato
⅛ c. #3 bulgur wheat or wheat germ
salt to taste		 When the beans are ready, add the sauted vegetables and the fresh vegetables. Keep on heat until the carrots are cooked through.
Allow flavors to marry for at least 1 hour before serving.

Source: The Grit

Black Bean Chili was published on 1 May 2024.

Recipe uses: black-beans, celery, carrot

Tapioca Pudding

A decent amount of hands-on work, but delightful warm or cold. The milk can be replaced with dairy-free alternatives (up to ⅔ coconut milk). Makes 3½ cups.

Ingredients Step
⅓ c. small pearl tapioca
¾ c. water		 Soak in a saucepan for 30 minutes. Do not drain if there is remaining water.
2¼ c. milk
¼ c. sugar
2 egg yolks
¼ t. salt		 Add to saucepan. Stir over medium heat until boiling, then simmer uncovered for 10-15, stirring often.
2 egg whites
¼ c. sugar		 Beat together until soft peaks form, maybe 5 minutes. (The egg whites should quickly curl and fall into themselves, not holding their shape.)
OPTIONAL ADD-INS
2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder PLUS 2 T. sugar
1 oz. dark chocolate pieces
⅔ c. finely chopped fruit (dry or fresh)		 Stir in to hot tapioca mixture. Let cook ~1 minute.
Temper the egg whites with the hot tapioca (transfer at least ¾ c. tapioca). Then gently fold the warmed egg whites into the hot tapioca mixture in the saucepan.
Stir and cook pudding over low heat for another ~3 minutes.
½ t. vanilla Cool 15 minutes, then add vanilla.

Source: Bob's Red Mill

Tapioca Pudding was published on 7 April 2024.

Recipe uses: milk