Curried Couscous and Sidestripe Prawn Salad

Serving only sustainably harvested seafood is very important to me. BC sidestripe shrimp is ethically and sustainably harvested. It is a top choice of the Vancouver Aquarium's Ocean Wise program. Always look for their logo on any fish or seafood you purchase.

A long time ago when I was in real estate sales one of my clients was from mainland China. Every time his entourage came into town we had a feast at his partner's restaurant. That is when I first learned to eat shell-on shrimp. Now it is the only way I want it.

Curried Couscous and Sidestripe Prawn Salad

1/2 cup cooked couscous
1/4 cup corn kernels
1/2 teaspoon Madras curry powder
2 teaspoons peach chutney
1/2 small head of romaine lettuce
8 side stripe prawns
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
olive oil
sea salt

Wash and crisp romaine leaves. Leave them whole.

Cook couscous according to package instructions. When finished add curry powder, corn kernels and one teaspoon of chutney. Stir to mix. Season with sea salt to taste. Set aside

Toss prawns with smoked paprika and add to a hot pan that has been oiled with olive oil. Turn once and cook until done.

Prepare salad by laying 2-4 romaine leaves on a plate. Fill with couscous. Top with sauteed prawns. Serve immediately. Serves one.

Shrimp alla Buzara

I was recently on Vancouver Island with fresh fish and seafood all about. These side striped shrimp are new to me. Even when raw they are brightly coloured. This is the perfect dish for these shrimp.

Also important,the side stripe shrimp are on the Ocean Wise list of sustainably harvested fish and seafood. They come from the coast of British Columbia and are harvested with a beam trawl. This is a cone shaped basket that is towed close to the sea bed. It is an Ocean Wise approved method of harvesting shrimp and small fish.

This recipe is from the cookbook Lidia's Italy. She suggests serving right in the pan. Put out a bowl for shells and serve with plenty of garlicky grilled bread to sop up all the juices.

When purchasing all fish but especially shrimp check that it has the Ocean Wise label. The Vancouver Aquarium has the Ocean Wise program to let us know which fish are being harvested sustainably. Find the information at Ocean Wise at www.oceanwise.ca

Shrimp alla Buzara

1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil, divided

1/4 c. bread crumbs, preferably fresh

4 garlic cloves, diced

1/2 c. finely chopped shallots

2 c. dry white wine, divided

2 tbsp. tomato puree

1 tbsp. cognac or brandy

4 tbsp. finely chopped parsley

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 lb. large raw shrimp, tails and heads on

Chopped parsley and olive oil for garnish

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the breadcrumbs and saute until the breadcrumbs turn golden brown. Be careful not to burn.

Add the garlic and shallots and saute until soft – about 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of white wine and stir until the wine is nearly evaporated and the shallots are softened, about 3 -4 minutes.

Add the tomato puree and stir into the shallot mixture, caramelizing.

Add the rest of the wine and cognac, bringing to a boil, then add the parsley.  Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Reduce the heat and allow to simmer gently while cooking the shrimp.

In another large skillet, heat the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over medium high heat until very hot. Add the shrimp to the pan and saute until shells just turn pink.

Add the shrimp to the simmering sauce.  Allow to simmer for a few more minutes. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Turn off heat.

Drizzle with good quality olive oil and chopped parsley. Serve with crusty grilled bread. 

Smoked Salmon Chowder

Christmas is just around the corner and mostly the focus is on the big day. The day we have a big turkey with all the trimmings. Thankfully this is a family event because no one family could possibly cater to all the celebrations.

Christmas Eve is traditionally a fish and seafood night for many families. This recipe may be something you serve that night or it might be a way to use up all those bits and pieces of leftover seafood. Either way it is very satisfying

Smoked Salmon Chowder

Any fresh or smoked fish would work in this recipe. You could also use all the bits and pieces of leftover fish and seafood in this chowder. Manitoba smoked goldeye would be delicious.

1 tbsp. olive oil

3 c. leeks, white and light green parts only, rinsed and sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 large russet potato, peeled and cubed

1 large stalk celery, chopped

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 c. vegetable broth

2 tbsp. tomato paste

2 c. milk (any fat content)

8 oz. smoked salmon, flaked

1/2 c. heavy cream

2 tbsp. chives, chopped

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over low heat. Add leeks and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.

Add potato, celery, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add broth and simmer until potato is tender, about 15 minutes.

Add tomato paste and milk, then the salmon, and bring the mixture back to a simmer for a few minutes but don't let it boil, or the milk will separate. As it simmers, stir in the cream.

Remove from heat, garnish with chives, and serve. Makes four to six servings. (From Epicurious)

Fritto Misto Amalfitano

Here is another idea for your Feast of the Seven Fishes for Christmas Eve. I am not a big fan of deep frying but I really like this recipe from Leite's Culinaria. There is no heavy batter. It is only a light dusting. Any oil with a high smokepoint would work. This is a great idea for bits and pieces of fish and seafood in the larder. Turn it out onto newspaper to absorb all the oil. Serve with lemon wedges.

Fritto Misto Amalfitano

6 c. extra-virgin olive oil, or more as needed

2 c. canola oil, or more as needed

1 1/2 c.rice flour

1 c. cornstarch

Pinch of sugar

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced and 1 cut into wedges

1 lb. squid, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces, or large shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 oz. shucked oysters

4 oz. bay scallops

1/2 lb. firm mild white fish, cut into 1 1/4-inch strips 

Combine oils in a Dutch oven or other wide, deep pot. It should be at least 8 inches deep. Add more oil, if necessary. Set the pot over a medium flame. Bring to 275 F and maintain that temperature.

While oil is heating, combine flour, cornstarch, sugar, cayenne and two teaspoons each of salt and pepper in a wide, shallow bowl. Dredge the lemon slices and the seafood in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess flour. 

Using tongs or a slotted spoon, gently lower some of the dredged lemon slices into the hot oil, working with just four to six pieces at a time so as not to crowd the pot. The oil should bubble and sizzle but not spatter. Cook until golden brown and crisp, about five minutes. Keep an eye on the oil temperature. It will drop after the raw ingredients are added and climb as they are cooking. Do not let the oil temperature climb above 280 F. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the lemons to a baking sheet or platter lined with paper towels or a brown paper bag and season with salt and pepper while everything is still hot out of the oil.

Repeat with the seafood, reserving the squid. Increase the temperature of the oil to 325 F and repeat with the squid. Serve family style, on a platter or a newspaper covered table, along with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.

Poached Cod with Pernod Saffron Broth

This picture perfect dish was my lunch today. I must confess that I am not the chef. Friends Meredith and Gary invited me to their Sooke acreage for lunch. The drive from Victoria is intoxicating as it winds through rocky mixed coniferous and deciduous forests and eventually exposing peek-a-boo views of harbours and inlets along the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

I always feel recharged when I visit. Their quaint home lies in a cozy clearing surrounded by forest and gardens providing complete privacy.  The Sooke River is the back boundary of their plot. Water is a calming feature and a reminder of life, Mother Nature and the seasons. Growing up on the farm one of my favourite summer vacation diversions was to bicycle to the creek about three miles down the road. By the end of harvest it was barely a trickle in contrast to the overflowing banks in spring.

I am envious of the bay tree and fresh plucked leaves anytime they are called for. Meredith and Gary have lived here for a very long time and together have created this respite from the world. Meredith asked for a bay leaf and Gary came back from the garden with fresh thyme. I was perplexed. After pulling the leaves from the stems and adding them to the poaching liquid Meredith added bay leaves. I pondered this throughout the leisurely meal and after until I realized that after many years of marriage, raising a family and lovingly maintaining their home, perhaps they sometimes work together as one. Obviously Gary knew she had bay leaves already but no thyme so, of course he picked thyme. Either that or I completely missed something.

Meredith carefully followed the recipe from the folded magazine and checked from time to time when I would have thrown it all together. The result was perfection. I had to find this recipe and save it. Although the fresh fish and seafood are not always available where I live I think that frozen cod would be acceptable. The clams not so much so but the dish would still be lovely even without clams.

An added bonus for me was to be able to take pictures with a fully set table. I rarely have that opportunity. It makes for an interesting photograph and allows for different shooting angles with background interest.

As an aside, if you are dreaming of visiting Vancouver Island this is a beautiful spot to spend a week. Gary and Meredith have a private totally equipped cottage on their property that they rent out. So if you would be romanced by a quaint cottage in the woods backing onto a river within a five minute drive to the beaches on the Strait of Juan de Fuca and 40 minutes to the city, make a note of this.

Poached Cod with Pernod Saffron Broth       adapted from Fine Cooking

4 5-oz. cod fillets (preferably 1 inch thick) 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper  

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 

1 small fennel bulb (about 3/4 lb.), trimmed (leave core intact) and cut into 1/2-inch wedges, plus 1 tbsp. chopped fronds  

2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped 

1 medium-large shallot, chopped  

2 8-oz. bottles clam juice 

8 oz. small baby red or fingerling potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into 1/8-inch-thick coins, ends discarded (about 6 potatoes)  

1 large tomato, cut into small dice (12 oz., about 1-1/2 cups) 

2 tbsp. anisette liqueur, such as Pernod or Sambuca  

1 bay leaf 

1 large sprig fresh thyme  

1/4 tsp. roughly chopped or coarsely ground fennel seed 

A generous pinch of saffron, crumbled (about 25 threads)  

12 littleneck clams, scrubbed 

1-1/2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

 

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325 F. Season the cod with salt and pepper. Let it sit at room temperature while you prepare the braising mixture.

Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fennel, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper and brown on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the fennel to a plate. Put the pan over low heat and add the garlic, shallot, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring, until just softened, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the clam juice, potatoes, tomato, liqueur, bay leaf, thyme, fennel seed, and saffron to the skillet. Raise the heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 3 minutes to start the potatoes cooking. Nestle the cod pieces and clams into the sauce, piling the fennel on top of the fish and making sure all of the potatoes are submerged. Tightly cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil and poach in the oven until the fish is almost cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness.

With a slotted spatula, transfer the cod to 4 shallow bowls. Bring the braising liquid, clams, and vegetables to a brisk simmer on top of the stove, cover the pan, and cook until the clams are opened and the vegetables are tender, 3 to 6 minutes more. Divide the opened clams (discard any unopened ones) and vegetables among the bowls. Add the fennel fronds and parsley to the braising liquid in the pan. Bring to a simmer and pour over the fish and vegetables.

Crusty garlic bread served alongside is perfect for soaking up the flavorful sauce.

Shrimp and Cheese Grits

I spent five months housesitting in Tennessee a few years back. I learned to cook with collard greens, okra and attended more than a few church potlucks. Southern food is comfort food at its best. Grits might not be so easy to find up here in Canada but if you ever see them, snap them up. They are a quick and easy nutritious meal. This recipe is an all time favourite.

Shrimp and Cheese Grits

Grits are a truly American food. They are made from dried yellow or white corn that is ground and then boiled. It can be purchased in its original form that is long cooking or quicker cooking varieties. This dish was considered a basic fisherman’s breakfast during shrimp season. Now it is served at any meal either as a side dish or the main course. Polenta or cornmeal can be substituted for grits but they are more finely ground and will produce a creamier dish.

Grits

2 c. water 500 mL

2 c. half and half cream 500 mL

2 tbsp. chopped red pepper 30 mL

1 tsp. salt 5 mL

1 c. stoneground grits 250 mL

1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese 250 mL

2 tbsp. butter 30 mL

Pepper to taste

Bring water, cream, butter, red pepper and salt to a boil in a 3-qt. (4 L) saucepan. Whisk in grits. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook stirring often, about 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Season with pepper, to taste.

Shrimp

2 bacon slices

1 lb. peeled, medium-size raw shrimp 500 g

1/8 tsp. salt 1 mL

1/4 tsp. pepper 2 mL

1/4 c. all purpose flour 60 mL

2 tsp. oil 10 mL

1/2 c. chopped green onions 125 mL

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 c. chicken broth 125 mL

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice 30 mL

1/4 tsp. hot sauce 2 mL

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat 10 minutes or until crisp, remove and drain on paper towels, reserving one-teaspoon (5 mL) drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon.

Season shrimp with salt and pepper; dredge in flour. Sauté green onions 2 minutes. Add shrimp and garlic, and sauté 2 minutes or until shrimp are lightly browned. Stir in chicken broth, lemon juice, and hot sauce and cook 2 more minutes, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet. Spoon shrimp mixture over the hot grits. Garnish with crumbled bacon and serve with a hot sauce such as sriachi. Serves 4. (Adapted from Southern Living)

Virtual Supper Club - Deceptively Easy Gourmet

Happy April Fool's Day! But today's beautiful food is no joke. It is my turn to host the party this month and look what everyone is bringing! And the good news is that you don't have to loosen that belt to enjoy good food.

We all lead busy lives but want to have nice food. It doesn't have to be all that difficult. Together we have selected a menu that is so easy but so nice! Enjoy.

Jerry - Jerrys Thoughts, Musings and Rants  Phyllo Wrapped Asparagus with Prosciutto
Susan Linquist –The Spice Garden    Ham, Corn and Cheese Souffle
Roz - La Bella Vita    Pork Saltimboca with Polenta

Sandi -Whistestop Café Chocolate Souffle with Creme Anglaise 
Val- More Than Burnt Toast     Carmelized Espresso Frappe

Ceviche de Camaron

This recipe takes me right back to my very first visit to Mexico. Serve with the traditional saltines and you will forget about this terrible cold weather.

You can leave the shrimp whole and serve it like a shrimp cocktail as an appetizer. I roughly chopped mine so I could serve it with crackers. 

    1/2 c. chopped onion

    6 c. water

    3/4 c. fresh lime juice, divided

    1 lb. medium shrimp

    1 c. chopped peeled cucumber

    1/2 c. ketchup

    1/3 c. chopped fresh cilantro

    2 tbsp. Mexican hot sauce (such as Tamazula)

    1 tbsp. olive oil

    1/4 tsp. salt

Place chopped onion in a colander, and rinse with cold water. Drain.

Bring 6 cups water and 1/4 cup juice to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add shrimp; cook 3 minutes or until done. Drain and rinse with cold water; peel shrimp. Coarsely chop if you wish to use this as a dip. Combine shrimp and 1/2 cup juice in a large bowl; cover and chill 1 hour. Stir in onion, cucumber, and remaining ingredients. Serve immediately or chilled.

Virtual Supper Club - All Things Green

This month the Virtual Supper Club is hosted by Susan of The Spice Garden. In honour of St. Patrick's Day we are selecting dishes with a little green! And, oh! Does this sound like a feast. Enjoy!

Sandi -Whistestop Café Cooking Lemony Snap Peas 
Jerry - Jerrys Thoughts, Musings and Rants  Salmon with Cucumber Salad and Dill Sauce
Val- More Than Burnt Toast     Creamy Feta Spinach Dip  
Susan Linquist –The Spice Garden    New Hampshire Maple Mustard Salad Dressing
Roz - La Bella Vita    Pesto Caesar Salad

This Iberian dish is similar to shrimp scampi. Good bread to soak up the rich sauce is a must.

I made this dish with both my giant shrimp and then again with smaller prawns more like a large shrimp. I like the flavour of the smaller prawns better. It was more assertive. This would be great as part of a tapas meal or shared as an appetizer. Using the giant prawns it is definitely a main course.
 

Shrimp in Green Sauce

    3 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

    6 garlic cloves, peeled

    1 cup coarsely chopped green onions

    1 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

    1/2 teaspoon salt

    1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

    1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

    2 1/4 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined

    1/3 cup dry white wine

    6 ounces sourdough or French bread, torn into 6 (1-ounce) pieces

    Preheat oven to 500°.

    Place olive oil and garlic in a food processor; process until garlic is finely chopped, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Add green onions and parsley in food processor; pulse until minced. Spoon garlic mixture into a large bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, red pepper, and shrimp to garlic mixture, and toss well to coat.

    Spoon the shrimp mixture into a shallow roasting pan, and add the wine. Bake at 500° for 7 minutes or until the shrimp are done, stirring once. Serve with bread.

Smaller prawns were used in this dish.

Spot Prawns, Oysters and Mussels

 

No visit to Vancouver Island is complete until you have sampled the wonderful fresh seafood and fish.  These are Fanny Bay oysters.  They are quite large but still sweet.  Dressed with lemon juice and hot sauce and they taste great.

We also bought some spot prawns and made a saffron sauce and tossed with pasta.  This is a salad with the mache we bought on Salt Spring Island.  Lightly dressed, it was perfect with the prawns.












And we have no pictures of the mussels.  They were so fat and juicy, also from the Fanny Bay market.  We made mussels two ways - in a lemongrass and coconut milk sauce and the traditional white wine, tomato, fennel and shallot sauce.  We had lots of crusty bread to sop up the sauce.

Lemongrass Coconut Mussels

1 pound fresh mussels
2 tablespoons finely diced shallots
extra virgin olive oil
stick of lemongrass
1/4 cup coconut milk

Saute the shallots in the olive oil.  Add the lemongrass (bruised) and coconut milk.  Bring to a boil.  Add the mussels, cover and steam until all the mussels open.  Serve immediately with crusty bread.

Calamari Salad

I found these cleaned and frozen squid tubes at the local fish shop.  Everything is frozen when you are out on the prairies.  Thought I would try them.  I'll likely be having calamari again today just so I can use them quickly.

There is more dressing than you will likely use so just save the rest for another salad.  It tastes great on anything.  Or do like I did and make this salad twice!  Second time I deep fried the calamari rings.  I am sure it wouldn't take long to figure out which was my favourite!

Calamari Salad

• 1/2 lb cleaned squid
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup red onion, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise
• 1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
• 1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes (3/4 lb), halved or quartered if large
• 1/2 celery rib, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 2 tablespoons loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 2 cups mesculun greens, washed and dried

Rinse squid under cold running water, then lightly pat dry between paper towels. Halve tentacles lengthwise and cut bodies (including flaps, if attached) crosswise into 1/3-inch-wide rings.

Cook squid in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water , uncovered, until just opaque, 40 to 60 seconds. Drain in a colander and immediately transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. When squid is cool, drain and pat dry.

Whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

Meanwhile, combine squid, olives, onion, tomatoes, celery, and parsley in a large bowl. Toss with dressing and season with salt and pepper. Let stand at least 15 minutes to allow flavors to develop.

Just before serving, toss with mesculun greens.

Calarmari Salad......take 2

Well, since I still had one squid tube, I thought I would do a second take on this salad.  This time I deep fried the calamari.  The recipe is otherwise identical.

To deep fry calamari, cut the squid tube into rings and soak in buttermilk for 2 or 3 hours.  Drain and dredge in a seasoned flour mixture.  I simply used a tablespoon of Chesapeake Bay Style seasoning in a cup of all purpose flour.  Shake off the excess flour and fry.

Heat peanut or other oil with a high smoke point to 375F and cook in small batches.  It should only take about a minute to fully cook each batch.  Arrange the calamari rings on top of the tossed salad.

Cooks Note:  If you do not have a thermometer, then the correct temperature has been reached when a one inch cube of bread toasts in one minute in the oil.

My good friends, Greg and Jerry, dropped in this past long weekend.  They were so sweet to bring a gift for my new home.  They know me well and chose kitchen and garden things.  They brought me more of my favourite wild rice.  I swear that the best wild rice can be purchased in Winnipeg.

They also gave me a new product that is a lot like oat groats.  It is oat rice!  I will be experimenting with that and am thinking a pilaf might be good.  Some nice teas from Cornelia Bean, two plants from their garden (they saw my candied violets and gave me a pansy and a viola, both edible),  gardener's door knocker and Anna (a local foodie magazine).  Thanks guys!  This will provide hours of enjoyment.

Linguine with Lobster in a Saffron Cream Sauce

 

I have never used frozen lobster tails before.  Here in this small, prairie city there is a lot of frozen fish and seafood.  So putting my snobbery aside, I tried the lobster tails.  They were delicious!

Linguine with Lobster in a Saffron Cream Sauce             serves 2

1 lobster tail

1/4 c finely diced carrot

1/4 c finely diced celery

1/4 c finely diced shallots

2 T unsalted butter

sea salt to taste

pinch of saffron

2 T finely grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 c heavy cream

1/4 c lobster stock

1.  Place the frozen lobster tail in a pot with a little water and steam until done, about 10 minutes. 

2.  Remove the lobster meat from the shell and slice into medallions.  Reserve the stock in the pot for the pasta sauce.

3.  In a saucepan, saute the mirepoix (carrots, celery, shallots) in butter until they are translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add the lobster stock and pinch of saffron.  Continue to saute for a minute or two.  Add the heavy cream and gently simmer for a minute or two.

4.  Meanwhile, cook the linguine according to package instructions.

5.  Toss in the cooked pasta and parmesan cheese to coat the pasta.  Add the pieces of cooked lobster.  Serve immediately.

Last Lunch in Tennessee

I will be leaving soon and want to do something special to mark this time I have spent in Tennessee and this time I have spent so far with my new blogging friends.  Today I will share the menu I have chosen for my last real cooked lunch before I begin my journey back to Canada.

It has been a monumental task to choose menus for these last meals.  So many meals....so little time!  I was totally intrigued by Shrimp Saganaki from more than burnt toast.  I think it would be fun for lunch.

Alas, I got all the way through the recipe and was about to put it under the broiler to grill, and the broiler doesn't work in this oven!  How frustrating.  So now I am waiting for the oven to heat to 400F so I can just bake it.  I used shredded halloumi cheese and it was great.  It is a grilling cheese, but as you can see it did melt nicely when shredded.

I wanted a light salad as accompaniment.  I took my inspiration for a salad from  Spinach Salad at la bella vita.  And what is lunch without bread.  I made a version of  Pain l'Ancienne from Crisis Brownies.  I actually used my sourdough starter, added flour, kneaded and worked it into a baguette. It turned out very nicely - good crust and soft inside.

Shrimp Saganaki
(for one meal sized portion)

6 large whole shrimp
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 small red onion, sliced
1/4 green bell pepper, sliced
1/4 yellow bell pepper, sliced
some diced hot banana pepper
(depending how spicy you like your dish)
1 medium ripe tomato, diced
1/2 cup button mushrooms, sliced
half cup Greek feta, coarsely crumbled
1 tsp. dried Greek oregano
splash of Ouzo
Grated Mozzarella (or other white cheese)
salt to taste

1.  In a saucepan, add your olive oil over medium-high heat and add your mushrooms and saute for 2-3 minutes or until they have browned. Now add your onions, peppers and tomatoes and simmer for another 5-7 minutes or until you end up with a nice thick sauce.
2. Take off the heat and add your crumbled feta, oregano and Ouzo and stir in. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt (if any required) and additional heat (if desired).
3. Pour the mixture into an oven-safe baking vessel (like the saganaki) and arrange the shrimp on top. Grate some Mozzarella on top and place under the broiler for about 5 minutes or until the shrimp have turned pink and the cheese becomes a golden brown.
4. Serve with crusty bread, Greek ouzo and with good company.

Pain à l'Ancienne, Recipe © Peter Reinhart, Bread Baker's Apprentice

Days to Make: 2

Day 1: 10 to 15 minutes mixing

Day 2: 2 to 3 hours fermentation, shaping, and panning; 15 to 30 minutes baking

Makes 6 small baguettes, 6 to 8 pizzas, or one 17 by 12-inch focaccia

6 cups (27 ounces) unbleached bread flour

2 1/4 teaspoons (.56 ounce) salt

1 3/4 teaspoons (.19 ounce) instant yeast

2 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons to 3 cups (19 to 24 ounces) water ice cold (40°F)

Semolina or cornmeal for dusting

1. Combine the flour, salt, yeast and 19 ounces of water in the bowl of the electric mixer with the paddle attachment and mix for 2 minutes on low speed. Switch to the dough hook and mix for 5 to 6 minutes on medium speed. The dough should be sticky on the bottom of the bowl, but it should release from the sides of the bowl. If not, sprinkle in a small amount of flour until this occurs (or dribble in water if the dough seems too stiff and clears the bottom as well as the sides of the bowl). Lightly oil a large bowl and immediately transfer the dough with a spatula or bowl scraper dipped in water into the bowl. Mist the top of the dough with spray oil and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

2. Immediately place the bowl in the refrigerator and retard overnight.

3. The next day, check the dough to see if it has risen in the refrigerator. It will probably be partially risen but not doubled in size (the amount of rise will depend on how cold the refrigerator is and how often the door was opened). Leave the bowl of dough out at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours (or longer if necessary) to allow the dough to wake up, lose its chill, and continue fermenting.

4. When the dough has doubled from its original prerefrigerated size, liberally sprinkle the counter with bread flour (about 1/2 cup). Gently transfer the dough to the floured counter with a plastic dough scraper that has been dipped in cold water, dipping your hands as well to keep the dough from sticking to you. Try to degas the dough as little as possible as you transfer it. If the dough is very wet, sprinkle more flour over the top as well as under it. Dry your hands thoroughly and then dip them in flour. Roll the dough gently in the sprinkled flour to coat it thoroughly, simultaneously stretching it into an oblong about 8 inches long and 6 inches wide. If it is too sticky to handle, continue sprinkling flour over it. Dip a metal pastry scraper into cool water to keep it from sticking to the dough, and cut the dough in half widthwise with the pastry scraper by pressing it down through the dough until it severs it, then dipping it again in the water and repeating this action until you have cut down the full length of the dough. (Do not use this blade as a saw; use it as a pincer, pinching the dough cleanly with each cut.) Let the dough relax for 5 minutes.

5. Prepare the oven for hearth baking as shown on pages 91-94, making sure to have an empty steam pan in place. Preheat the oven to 500°F (550°F if your oven goes this high). Cover the back of two 17-by-12-inch sheet pans with baking parchment and dust with semolina flour or cornmeal. Proceed with shaping as shown below.

Shaping Pain À l’Ancienne Baguettes:

Take one of the dough pieces and repeat the cutting action, but this time cut off 3 equal-sized lengths. Then do the same with the remaining half. This should give you 6 lengths.

Flour your hands and carefully lift 1 of the dough strips and transfer it to an inverted parchment-lined pan, gently pulling it to the length of the pan or to the length of your baking stone. If it springs back, let it rest for 5 minutes and then gently pull it out again. Place 3 strips on the pan, and then prepare another pan and repeat with the remaining strips.

6. Score the dough strips as for baguettes (page 90) slashing the tops with 3 diagonal cuts(or see Commentary regarding scissors). Because the dough is sticky, you may have to dip the razor blade, or serrated knife or scissors in water between each cut. You may also omit the cuts if the dough isn't cooperating.

7. Take 1 pan to the preheated oven and carefully slide the dough, parchment and all, onto the baking stone (depending on the direction of the stone, you may choose to slide the dough and parchment off the side of the sheet pan instead of off the end); or bake directly on the sheet pan. Make sure the pieces aren't touching (you can reach in and straighten the parchment or the dough strips if need be). Pour 1 cup of hot water into the steam pan and close the door. After 30 seconds, spray the oven walls with water and close the door. Repeat twice more at 30-second intervals. After the final spray, reduce the oven setting to 475°F and continue baking. Meanwhile, dust the other pan of strips with flour, mist with spray oil, and cover with a towel or plastic wrap. If you don't plan to bake these strips within 1 hour, refrigerate the pan and bake later or the next day. If you’d like to bake them as rustic, ciabatta-style breads, leave them at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours and then bake. As the loaves proof, they will resemble and perform like ciabatta.

8. The bread should begin to turn golden brown within 8 or 9 minutes. If the loaves are baking unevenly at this point, rotate them 180 degrees. Continue baking 10 to 15 minutes more, or until the bread is a rich golden brown and the internal temperature registers at least 205°F.

9. Transfer the hot breads to a cooling rack. They should feel very light, almost airy, and will cool in about 20 minutes. While these are cooling, you can bake the remaining loaves, remembering to remove the parchment from the oven and turn the oven up to 500°F or higher before baking the second round.

COMMENTARY:

This dough also makes a great oil-free pizza dough or focaccia. Refer to the variations that follow and then the formulas for Pizza Napoletana (page 207) and Focaccia (page 159).

This dough is very sticky, like ciabatta dough, so it is best made in an electric mixer or a food processor (page 55). However, if mixing by hand, use the method described on page 56.

One of the testers of this recipe, Jill Myers, suggested using sharp scissors to score the bread instead of a knife or razor. This is a great idea, as the wet dough is difficult to slit in the normal manner. If you are using this method, try to get a long angle with the shears and make a long cut rather than just short snips.

Pain À l’Ancienne Pizza: Heavily flour the counter and gently transfer the fully fermented dough from the bowl to the counter with a plastic scraper that has been dipped in cold water, dipping your hands as well to keep the dough from sticking to you. Divide the dough by continually dipping the pastry scraper into water and cutting the dough into 6 to 8 equal pieces. Gently round the pieces into balls, being careful not to punch down and expel any more gas than necessary. Line a sheet pan with baking parchment and spray lightly with oil. Place the floured dough balls on the parchment. Mist them with spray oil and place the pan into a food-grade plastic bag or loosely cover with plastic wrap, and return the pan to the refrigerator, unless you plan to make the pizzas immediately. These pizza doughs will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. (You may also put them into the freezer in individual zipper bags, and keep them for up to three months.) Remove the desired number of dough balls from the refrigerator 2 hours before shaping and baking your pizza as you always do.

Pain À l’Ancienne Foccacia: Line a 17 by-12-inch sheet pan with baking parchment. With floured hands, take the fully fermented dough from the bowl and proceed with shaping instructions on page 162. Ferment at room temperature for about 2 to 3 hours, or until the dough rises and fills the pan, rising to about 1 inch thick. Proceed with the baking instructions for focaccia.