Fig, Olive Oil, and Sea Salt Challah... 2 Fall Harvest Salad... 3 Queen of Sheba Torte... 4 Rumaki... 5 Fried Chicken:... 5
Fig, Olive Oil, and Sea Salt Challah (Adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook) For the Challah Dough: (yield one large loaf) 2 1/4 teaspoons (or, one 7-gram packet) active dry yeast 2/3 cup water, warm (between 110 and 118 (F)) 1 teaspoon plus 1/4 cup honey, separated 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the bowl 2 large eggs, at room temperature 2 teaspoons flaky sea salt 4 cups all-purpose flour For the Fig Filling: (enough for one large loaf) 1 cup dried figs, stemmed and roughly chopped 1/4 teaspoon orange zest, freshly grated 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup orange juice 1/8 teaspoon flaky sea salt few grinds of black pepper For the Egg Wash: 1 large egg flaky sea salt, for sprinkling For the Challah Dough: In the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer, whisk 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast and 1 teaspoon honey with 2/3 cup warm water and let stand for a few minutes until foamy. Once foamy, add the remaining 1/4 cup honey, 1/3 cup olive oil, and 2 eggs. Add 2 teaspoons salt and 4 cups flour and use the paddle attachment to mix all the ingredients together until a dough is formed and begins to hold together. At this point, switch to a dough hook attachment and run at low speed for 5 to 8 minutes until a smooth and elastic dough is formed. When the dough is finished kneading, transfer to an olive oil-coated bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour, or until almost doubled in size. While the dough is proofing, make the fig filling. For the Fig Filling: In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup dried figs, 1/4 teaspoon orange zest, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup orange juice, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. 2
Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the figs are soft and tender (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat, and let cool to lukewarm. Process fig mixture until it resembles a fine paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Set aside to cool. Putting It All Together: After your dough has risen, turn it out onto a clean, floured counter and use a dough scraper to divide it into two even halves. Roll the first half of the dough into a wide rectangular shape and spread half the fig filling evenly over the dough, stopping short of the edge. Starting from the longer edge of the rectangle, roll the dough into a long and tight log, trapping the fig filling within. Then, gently stretch the log to as wide as it feels comfortable (mine was around three feet long) and divide it in half. Set these two smaller logs (ropes) aside. Repeat with the remaining dough and fig filling, ultimately ending up with four ropes. (I highly suggest heading over to Smitten Kitchen for this step:) Arrange two ropes in each direction, perpendicular to each other, like a tight tic-tac-toe board. Weave them so that one side is over, and the other is under where they meet. Now you've got an eightlegged octopus. Take the four legs that come from underneath the center, and move them over the leg to their right, jumping over that piece of rope. Take the legs that were on the right and again, jump over each leg before, this time to the left. Continue to do so until you run out of rope. Tuck the corners or odd bumps under the dough with the sides of your hand to form a round. Transfer the dough to a parchment-covered heavy baking sheet. Beat one egg until smooth, and brush over the braided challah loaf. Let the challah rise for another hour, but 45 minutes into this rise, preheat the oven to 375 (F). Before baking, brush the loaf one more time with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake in the middle of the oven for 35-40 minutes. If the bread starts to brown too quickly, cover with foil for the remainder of the baking time. When the loaf is ready, an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the bread should read 195 (F). Cool loaf on a cooling rack before serving. Fall Harvest Salad 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed 2 tablespoons olive oil ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper 2 medium apples, cubed 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted 4 green onions, thinly sliced Dressing: ¼ cup olive oil 2 tablespoons each rice vinegar, orange juice, maple syrup and lemon juice 2 teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot ¼ teaspoon each salt and ground cinnamon 3
½ cup raisins ½ cup minced fresh parsley 1/8 teaspoon each ground nutmeg and pepper Place sweet potatoes in an ungreased 15 in x 10 in x 1 in baking pan; drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 30 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, combine the apples, nuts, onions, raisins, parsley and sweet potatoes. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad mixture, toss to coat. Serve immediately. Serves 6 ***Note: Turkey or chicken can be added to use as a main dish. Queen of Sheba Torte Torte 6 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (cut into pieces) 6 ounces sweet butter (cut into pieces) 3 TBS brandy 1/8 tsp almond extract 4 large eggs (separated) ¾ cup sugar ½ cup ground blanched almonds (almond meal) ¼ cup flour 1/8 tsp cream of tartar Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze 6 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate (cut into pieces) 4 ounces sweet butter (cut into pieces) 1 TBS light corn syrup --------------------------------------- 1 ounce each white and milk chocolate (if you want to marble glaze) ½ cup sliced toasted almonds 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line bottom of 8x3 inch springform pan with parchment paper. 2. Combine chocolate and butter in a small bowl placed in a barely simmering water bath over low heat, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Or, microwave on medium (50%) for about 2 minutes. Stir until completely melted and smooth. Stir in brandy and almond extract. Set aside. 3. In bowl, whisk egg yolks with ½ cup sugar until pale and thick. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture, ground almonds, and flour. Set aside. 4. Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in remaining ¼ cup sugar, beating at a high speed until stiff but not dry. Fold about one- quarter of the egg whites completely into the chocolate batter to lighten 4
it. Quickly fold in remaining whites. Turn mixture into the prepared pan and smooth top if necessary. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick plunged into the center of the cake shows moist crumbs (center of the cake should be neither completely dry nor runny). 5. Cool torte completely in pan on a rack. It will have risen and then fallen in the center, leaving a higher rim of cake around sides and possibly some cracking. Level and un-mold torte onto a cake platter. Torte may be prepared to this point up to 3 days in advance. Wrap well and store at room temperature, or freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before serving, glazing, or decorating. 6. Glaze torte with Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze, plain or marbled, and press sliced toasted almonds around the sides. Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze Place chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in a small bowl. Melt gently in a water bath over low heat, stirring frequently until almost completely melted. Do not overheat the glaze; there is no need to warm it to over 120 degrees. Remove glaze from water bath and set aside to finish melting, stirring once or twice until glaze is perfectly smooth. Or, melt in a microwave on medium (50%) for about 2 minutes. Stir mixture gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until completely smooth; do not whisk or beat. Rumaki 12 slices bacon, halved 12 oz. chicken livers, halved 12 whole water chestnuts, halved Marinade: 1/4 cup soy sauce 2 Tablespoons dry sherry 1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger 1 teaspoon sugar Combine ingredients for marinade. Add livers and water chestnuts. Marinate in fridge for 1/2 hour. Place 1 chicken liver half and one water chestnut half on each bacon half. Wrap and secure with a toothpick. BROIL, in shallow baking pan, 5" - 6" from heat, until bacon is crisp, 10-15 minutes. OR: BAKE, 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Fried Chicken: Flour 4-6 heaping tblsps. onion powder 2-4 heaping tblsps 5
garlic powder 2-4 heaping tblsps salt 2-4 heaping tsps pepper 2-4 heaping tsps Put everything in a paper bag amounts will vary according to how many pieces you are cooking the flour mixture should smell strongly of onion and garlic Pat the pieces dry shake in bag shake off excess flour Pan fry in hot oil skin side down..note: oil should only be deep enough to come half way up the side of each piece. fry on med. high for ten to fifteen minutes or until crispy and medium brown turn chicken and continue frying for 5 minutes more remove and place on broiler pan bake in preheated 450 degree oven for 30 minutes Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes b4 serving 6