August 2017 Supper Club- Pool Party

The August supper club was a great dinner by the pool, everyone brought festive, fresh and as usual, delicious foods!! The weather was nice and toasty and the conversation flowed in a beautiful summer evening atmosphere!

We started with picture I perfect flat bread, tomato jam and various appetizers from Kim while Sara was still cooking her pasta. To kill the wait everyone had an Italian drink, typical of the "aperitivo", called Spritz (1/3 Aperol and 2/3 Spumante/Prosecco):

Nan-E Barbari

adapted from Hot Bread Kitchen by King Arthur Flour

Dough:

379g to 397g lukewarm water* (1 2/3 cups to 1 3/4 cups)

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast or instant yeast

510g bread flour (4 cups + 3 tbsp)

2 teaspoons kosher salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt

*Use the smaller amount of water in summer, or when it's humid; the larger amount during the winter, or in a dry climate.

Glaze:

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil

74g cool water (1/3 cup)

Topping:

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1 teaspoon nigella (black onion) seeds*

*Substitute poppy seeds or the seeds of your choice if you can't find nigella seeds.

Instructions

To make the dough: 

1. Mix the water, yeast, flour, and salt until well combined. Knead the mixture 

using your hands, a stand mixer, or your bread machine set on the dough cycle until you've made a smooth, fairly soft dough. The dough should barely clean the inside of the bowl, if you're using a stand mixer, perhaps sticking just a bit at the bottom.

2. Put the dough in a lightly greased large bowl, cover the bowl, and let the dough rise until it's nearly doubled in size, about 1 hour.

3. Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into two pieces. Shape each piece into a rough log abut 9" long. Tent the logs with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow them to rest for 30 minutes.

4. While the dough is resting, prepare the glaze. Combine the flour, sugar, oil, and water in a small saucepan, bring to a bare boil, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the spoon; this should take less than a minute. Remove the glaze from the heat, and set it aside.

5. Preheat the oven to 450°F. If you have a pizza stone, set it on the lowest rack or oven floor.

6. Working with one piece at a time, gently deflate the dough, and pat/flatten it into a 14" x 5" rectangle. Use your fingers (or the handle of a long wooden spoon) to press five lengthwise grooves into the dough. Press firmly, but don't cut through the bottom of the dough.

7. Spread half the glaze onto the dough, rubbing it all over. Sprinkle with half the seeds.

8. Slide the bread onto the stone and bake it for 15 to 18 minutes, until it's golden brown. If you're not using a stone, place the bread on a baking sheet and bake it on your oven's middle rack. Remove the bread, and cool it on a rack.

9. While the first loaf is baking, prepare the second loaf. Bake as directed.

10. Serve warm, or at room temperature; traditional accompaniments are olives, cucumbers, and feta cheese.

11. Store leftovers, well wrapped, for several days at room temperature; freeze for longer storage.

Food Processor Tomato Jam
from The Harvest Baker by Ken Haedrich

Tomato jam is a sweet-tart reduction with a relish-or-jam-like consistency that a cook can find all manner of creative uses for.  You can spread it on sandwiches or burgers in place of ketchup; use it to spice up a grilled cheese sandwich or panino; whisk it into a vinaigrette dressing or spread it on crackers with cream cheese for a shorthand version of Savory Shortbread Thumbprints with Tomato Jam appetizer.  Fresh ripe tomatoes are key, so this is a summer endeavor.  Once you see how easy this is to make and discover how versatile it is, you'll be hooked. Incindentally, this is a fairly straightforward version of tomato jam.  It's not unusual to see recipes with chopped jalapeno peppers, finely chopped red onion and even more spice than this one.  If this is your first time, I'd suggest starting with this recipe as a point of reference before exercising your creative license

Ingredients:

2 pounds ripe tomatoes, (about 5 medium), cored and coarsely chopped
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup  sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves


METHOD:

1. Combine tomatoes in a food processor with the brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, pepper, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.  Pulse the machine repeatedly until the tomatoes are reduced to a textured puree.

2. Transfer the mixture to a large skillet and bring to a boil.  Cook the mixture at a steady boil until it is reduced by slightly less than half and most of the thin liquid has evaporated.  As it boils, use a soup spoon to skim some of the foamy matter that rises to the surface.  There will be other indications that the jam is ready: it will have a fairly thickish consistency, and there will be a subtle change in the boiling, which will sound more rapid and high pitched.  If in doubt, err slightly on the side of undercooking to keep it from getting too firm as it cools.  Total cooking time will be 18-25 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let cool.  Transfer to a jar; seal and refrigerate until using.

We continued with "pasta scarpiello" the "primo piatto" according to the Italian dining style:

Ingredients:

• 500g Fresh elongated cherry tomatoes 
• Two whole garlic cloves
• 5 spoons extra virgin olive oil
• 50g grated pecorino romano
• 50g grated Parmesan cheese
• Fresh basil leaves (keep some for decorating)
• 500g number 5 spaghetti
• 1/2 fresh red hot pepper

Preparation (read all first):

Place olive oil with cleaned garlic cloves and the minced fresh pepper in a large sauce pan (needs to be large enough to contain all of the cooked pasta) and let sizzle for three minutes, remove the garlic.

Add the tomatoes cut in half and let cook for approximately 12 minutes. While the tomatoes cook, boil salted water and cook the pasta keeping it "Al dente" (save two minutes from the cooking time). 

Leave the heat on under the tomatoes and after saving the water from the pasta, toss the strained pasta with the tomatoes stirring continuously. Add the grated cheese little by little, to avoid string formation, of the pasta dries up, add some of the cooking water to keep the mix nice and creamy. Add some fresh basil leaves and serve immediately. Use more basil to decorate the plates. Enjoy fresh!

Then we enjoyed amazing salmon as a "secondo piatto" made by Christiane:

Cold Slow-Roasted Salmon with Cucumber-Cumin Raita from "Picnics - Delicious Recipes for Outdoor Entertaining" by Sara Deseran:

1 filleted side of salmon, skin on, 2-3 lbs, about 1.5 inches thick in the center, pinbones removed
2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Raita
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 English cucumbers, peeled and diced
1 tsp kosher salt
2 cups plain whole milk yoghurt
1 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp finely chopped garlic
sprinkle of cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Rub both sides of the salmon with the olive oil. Place salmon skin-side down in a roasting pan. Generously sprinkle salt and pepper over the flesh side. Roast uncovered 25 - 35 minutes. The salmon will look undercooked on the top, but if it flakes when gently pulled apart with a fork, it's done. Remove and serve at room temperature.

To make the Raita: Place the cumin seeds in a large dry skillet over medium heat. Stir for 2 minutes until fragrant. Remove to a plate to cool. Place in a spice grinder or clean coffee grinder and grind well. (I used a mortar, which worked just fine.) In a medium bowl, combine the cucumbers and the salt; mix well and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes, then drain the accumulated liquid. Add the ground cumin seeds, yogurt, lemon juice, and garlic, and mix to combine. Sprinkle the top with the cayenne. Let sit for 10 minutes. Chill until ready to serve.


The salmon was accompanied by fresh salads, made by Lauren, the perfect "contorno":

Finally, to end on a sweet note, we had amazing fruit salad made by Katharina:

June supper club: Early summer family picknick

In June, we met in Shoup Park in Los Altos for a family picknick.

I (Katharina) brough meat balls and honey-wheat bread:

Rebecca brought a chickpea salad:

Lauren made green gazpacho:

Green Grape and Marcona Almond Gazpacho

Most people think tomato when they hear gazpacho, but there's no tomato in sight here. This version of Spain's classic white gazpacho features cucumber and green grapes, thickened with a few luscious marcona almonds to a silky creaminess.

Ingredients

    1 large garlic clove
    2 1/2 large seedless cucumbers, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice (5 cups), plus 1/4 cup finely diced peeled cucumber, for garnish
    1 1/4 cups whole green grapes, plus 1/4 cup diced grapes, for garnish
    3/4 cup marcona almonds
    3 cups crustless 1/2-inch dice of good white bread (Used Alfaro's Pullman style white bread)
    4 scallions, white and tender green parts, cut into 1-inch lengths
    1 cup packed watercress leaves (Used Arugula as no water cress available)
    1/2 cup cold water
    1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
    2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
    Salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan of boiling water, cook the garlic clove for 10 minutes; drain.
2. In a blender, working in batches, puree the garlic with the 5 cups of diced cucumber, the 1 1/4 cups of whole green grapes, 1/2 cup of the almonds and the bread cubes, scallions, watercress, water, olive oil and sherry vinegar until very smooth. Transfer the soup to a large pitcher and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
3. To serve, chop the remaining 1/4 cup of almonds. Stir the gazpacho, then pour it into shallow bowls. Garnish the soups with the finely diced cucumber and grapes and the chopped almonds and serve.

Kim brought a baked dessert:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle

from Real Sweet by Shauna Sever

14 tablespoons (7oz/200g) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

1 cup (7oz/200g) turbinado sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 cups (9oz/256g unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (2 1/8oz/60g) finely chopped pecans or walnuts

3/4 cup (4 1/2oz/128g) bittersweet chocolate chips (60-70% cacao)

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°.  Have ready a rimmed 12 x 17-inch baking sheet.

2. In a large heatproof bowl, combine the butter and sugar.  Microwave on high power just until the butter is hot and almost completely melted and the sugar has begun to dissolve, about 2 minutes.  Alternatively, you can melt the butter and sugar together in a saucepan over medium heat, being careful not to bring the mixture to a boil

3. Remove the bowl from the microwave (or the saucepan from the heat) and whisk until the butter is completely melted.  Let cool for 5 minutes.  Whisk again continuously for 1 minute, or until the mixture is thickened and smooth and no longer appears separated.  Whisk in the vanilla extract and salt.  Stir in the flour until well incorporated.  Stir in half the finely chopped nuts.

4. Turn out the dough onto the sheet pan and pat it into a very thin, even layer with your hands (it won't look as if you'll be able to fill the entire pan, but you will, just keep patting and spreading the dough all the way to the edges of the pan).   Use an offset spatula to give the dough a smooth finish.  Sprinkle the chocolate chips and remaining chopped nuts over the dough and press them lightly into it with your hands.

5. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until light golden brown and slightly firm to the touch all over, rotating the pan 180 degrees every 7-8 minutes to encourage even baking.  Let cool in the pan for 3 minutes.  Line a second sheet pan with parchment paper.  Flip the brittle slab onto the paper and then immediately invert it right side up onto a cooling rack, peeling off the parchment.  Cool completely.  Break into pieces.  Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Marionberry "Crack" Coffee Cake

from The Sugar Cube by Kir Jensen

makes 12 servings

Ingredients

Streusel topping:

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Fruit Filling:
2 pints marionberries or blackberries
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Cake:
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup toasted pecan halves
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup full fat sour cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 325°.  Butter and flour a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish, tapping out the excess flour

2. To make the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and ginger.  Stir until thoroughly combined.  Mix the vanilla with the melted butter, pour into the dry ingredients, and stir until the mixture is evenly moistened and holds together when squeezed between your thumb and index finger.

3. To make the fruit filling: In a small mixing bowl, gently toss the berries with sugar, salt and lemon zest.

4. To make the cake: Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and nutmeg into a medium bowl.

5. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until fluffy.  With the mixer on medium-high, add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, until incorporated.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until incorporated.  The mixture will be very light, smooth and fluffy.

6. With the mixer on, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning with the flour and adding each in two increments, and mixing after each addition just until incorporated.  Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the toasted pecans with a spatula.

7. Pour half of the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly with a small offset spatula.  Distribute the fruit filling evenly over the batter, leaving a 1/4-inch border (so the fruit doesn't burn or stick to the pan). Top with the remaining batter and spread evenly.  Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top. 

8. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 30 minutes.  Rotate the baking dish from front to back and continue to bake until the top is a deep golden brown, springs back when lightly pressed, and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, another 30-35 minutes.

9. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 20 minutes before cutting into squares and serving

Tip: To toast the pecans, preheat the oven to 350°, spread the nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and toast until fragrant and beginning to color, 5-8 minutes. Cool and finely chop.



Sara's family brought various dishes, including pork loin, beans and carrots, and tomato salad:

April 2017 - Pacific Northwest

In April we met at Christiane's house. The theme was Pacific Northwest-inspired dishes. Delicious food was prepared and enjoyed by everyone.

Appetizer

Home-made Cheese and Crackers by Rebecca

The cheese was a homemade Cotswold.  The crackers are a knock-off of Raincoat Crisps that I made from the Daring Kitchen.  

Raincoat Crisps

• 2 cups (280gm/10oz) all purpose flour
• 2 tsp. (10gm/ ⅓ oz) baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 cups (480ml) buttermilk
• ¼ cup (50gm/1.75oz) brown sugar, firmly packed
• ¼ cup (60ml) honey
• 1 cup (180gm/6.5oz) dried cranberries
• ½ cup (60gm/2 oz) chopped, skinned hazelnuts
• ½ cup (125gm/4.5oz) roasted sunflower seeds
• ¼ cup (30gm/1oz) sesame seeds
• ¼ cup (30gm/1oz) ground flax seed

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to moderate 350F/180C/gas mark 4.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the buttermilk, brown sugar and honey and stir a few strokes. Add the cranberries, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and flax seed and stir just until blended.
3. Pour the batter into two 8"x4" loaf pans that have been sprayed with nonstick spray.
4. Bake for about 45 minutes, until golden and springy to the touch. Remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack.
5. The cooler the bread, the easier it is to slice really thin. You can leave it until the next day or pop it in the freezer (recommended) for a short time. Slice as thin as you can and place the slices in a single layer on an ungreased cookie sheet. Slice so thin that they are almost lacy.
6. Reduce the oven to slow 300F/150C/gas mark 2 and bake them for about 15 minutes, then flip them over and bake for another 10 minutes until crisp and deep golden. You can also cut them in half before the second baking for a better size. Be careful not to burn them.

Notes

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month. Prolong the freshness by freezing for up to 3 months. The loaf is much easier to slice thinly if it has been frozen for a short time before slicing.

Main Course & Side Dishes

Cedar Planked Salmon and Barley Risotto by Christiane

Barley Risotto with Tomatoes and Lemon from "The Wine and Food Lover's Diet" by Philip Tirman, M.D.

1 tbs olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 cup pearl barley
1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
1 tbs finely chopped fresh thyme
3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
11/2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
2 tbs finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tbs creme fraiche
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, warm the oil until it shimmers. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the barley and cook, stirring constantly, until thoroughly coated with oil and lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat, if needed, to prevent scorching.

Add the wine and thyme and stir until the pan is nearly dry. Add the broth, the salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a very low simmer, cover, and cook until the broth is absorbed and the barley is tender but still slightly chewy, 45 minutes to an hour.

Add the tomatoes, lemon zest and juice, add parsley and stir until heated through and well combined. Stir in the creme fraiche. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper.


Slaw by Katharina

Roasted Carrots  by Lauren (Recipe is #9 in the list)


Roasted Carrots with Cardamom
This dish is inspired by a breakfast treat my mom would make when I was a kid, a sweetened carrot confection spiked with almonds, golden raisins and cardamom seeds. The floral spiciness of the cardamom seeds match wonderfully with the sugary grassy flavor of carrots. Now, in terms of buying cardamom, it’s best to purchase them at Indian or Middle Eastern food stores – which are good places to buy spices because of their low cost and high quality. Buy the green whole cardamom pods as they have the most flavor and store in a jar. Cardamom can last for years in a cool, dark place and the spice has a broad range of applications, from breads and meats to sauces and sweets.

This is a very forgiving recipe as you can roast them for a while and determine what depth of flavor you prefer by smell and taste.
 
2 lb. whole unpeeled carrots
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
A dozen green cardamom pods
Baking tray

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. I like organic carrots because they are relatively inexpensive, and you don’t have to peel them, saving time and getting all those nutrients in the skin. Just clean with a vegetable scrubber in water and pat dry.
3. Cut them however you like, such as in coins or sticks, but make the carrots the same size as that ensures even roasting. Crack the cardamom pods and remove the seeds. Spread the cut carrots on the baking tray in a single layer. If you stack the carrots they will take much longer to roast as they’re steaming, instead of developing a nice roasted-brown flavor and hue.
4. Sprinkle with the seeds, the salt and a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Mix to coat thoroughly, but don’t use too much oil as that will mask the flavor.
5. Place in oven and roast for about 20 minutes before tossing. Check again in 20 minutes and toss again. 

Mixed Salad by Kim

Desserts

Stout Cake by Lauren

See http://tastingspoons.com/archives/7527 for a recipe link

Classic Gingerbread

Recipe By: Cook’s Illustrated
Serving Size: 10
NOTES: This cake packs potent, yet well-balanced, fragrant, spicy heat. If you are particularly sensitive to spice, you can decrease the amount of dried ginger to 1 tablespoon. Guinness is the test kitchen’s favorite brand of stout. Avoid opening the oven door until the minimum baking time has elapsed. If your cake pan has thin walls, you might want to wrap it with pre-made cake strips or make your own from cheesecloth and foil. This extra insulation will help ensure that the edges of the cake don’t overbake. Serve the gingerbread plain or with lightly sweetened whipped cream. Leftovers can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for 2 days.
3/4 cup Guinness stout
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup mild molasses
3/4 cup light brown sugar — (5 1/4 ounces) packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar — (1 3/4 ounces)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour — (7 1/2 ounces) plus extra for dusting pan
2 tablespoons ground ginger — (or less if you’re sensitive to the heat)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper — finely ground
2 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon fresh ginger — finely grated
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 8-inch square baking pan.
2. Bring stout to boil in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda (mixture will foam vigorously). When foaming subsides, stir in molasses, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until dissolved; set mixture aside. Whisk flour, ground ginger, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pepper together in large bowl; set aside.
3. Transfer stout mixture to large bowl. Whisk in eggs, oil, and grated ginger until combined. Whisk wet mixture into flour mixture in thirds, stirring vigorously until completely smooth after each addition.
4. Transfer batter to prepared pan and gently tap pan against counter 3 or 4 times to dislodge any large air bubbles. Bake until top of cake is just firm to touch and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan on wire rack, about 11/2 hours. Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.
Per Serving: 270 Calories; 9g Fat (28.0% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 46g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 42mg Cholesterol; 231mg Sodium.

Apple Crumble by Katharina
I (Katharina) found this recipe on epicurious.com.

2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
Non-stick vegetable oil spray
4 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, halved, each half cut into 6 slices
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Mix oats, 1 cup sugar, and flour in bow. Add butter; rub in with fingertips until topping comes together in moist clumps.
Preheat oven to 375F. Spray 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish with nonstick spray. Mix apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup brown sugar in bowl. Transfer to dish. Sprinkle topping over.
Bake crumble until apples are tender and topping brown and crisp, about 55 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve warm.

February 2017 - Chocolate Dinner

In February, we met at Rebecca's house to celebrate the theme of Chocolate!  Each course had to include chocolate in some way.

We started the meal with homemade goat cheese and chocolate appetizers brought by Kim and Focaccia made by Rebecca served with Chocolate Orange Balsamic Vinegar and olive oil.

Blitz Bread: No Fuss Focaccia  - Adapted from King Arthur Flour

• 2 tablespoons olive oil (to drizzle into the pan)
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (for the dough)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• Za'atar seasoning 
• coarse salt

1. Proof the yeast in 1/2 cup of the warm water for 10 minutes or until bubbly.
2. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan, and drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil in the bottom.
3. Combine all of the ingredients, and beat at high speed with an electric mixer for 60 seconds.
4. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, cover and let it rise at room temperature for 60 minutes, until it is puffy.
5. Near the end of the rising period, preheat the oven to 375°F.
6. Gently poke the dough all over with your index finger.
7. Drizzle it lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with dried herbs and coarse salt, if desired.
8. Bake the bread until it's golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
9. Remove it from the oven, wait 5 minutes, then turn it out of the pan onto a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Our second course was a butternut squash soup made by Lauren which contained dark chocolate melted into the spiced mixture.  I (Lauren) used creme fraiche instead of crema and added smoked Spanish paprika from Penzeys.

Smoky Butternut Squash and Cacao Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 lb butternut or other meaty squash, such as kabocha or Hubbard
• 12 oz plum tomatoes (3 – 4 medium)
• 1/2 small onion (about 4 oz), unpeeled
• 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1 canned chipotle in adobo or 1 dried chipotle chile, reconstituted
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 oz cacao nibs
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon brown or unrefined sugar
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 1 oz dark chocolate 60% or 65%
• Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish (optional)

• 3 oz diced Manchego cheese
• 1 cup Mexican crema or creme fraiche - I used Creme Fraiche
• Salsa of your choice
• Fresh cilantro sprigs

Preparation:

Using a vegetable peeler, peel the squash. Scoop out the seeds with a large spoon. Chop into 1 inch pieces, put into a bowl and set aside.

Heat a skillet or grill to medium heat. Add the tomatoes, onion and garlic and roast, turning occasionally, until the tomatoes are blistered and the onion and garlic are charred in spots, about 10 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside to cool slightly.

Pull off the charred, blistered parts from the tomatoes and peel the onion and garlic. (Roasting them with their skins on intensifies their smoky flavor.)

Put the tomatoes, onion and garlic in a food processor, add the chipotle chile (seeds & all), allspice, cinnamon, fennel seeds and cacao nibs, and process until smooth.

Heat the olive oil in a medium sized heavy pot over medium heat until the oil is sizzling. Carefully add the puree (watch out for hot spatters!) and stir in the brown sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. Add the chunks of squash, then pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil.

Reduce to low and cover. Simmer until the squash is tender, about 15 – 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Puree the soup with a immersible hand-held blender, or in batches using a food processor or conventional blender.

Pour the resulting puree through a fine mesh strainer, forcing it through with the back of a spoon or ladle. Discard any remaining solids. Heat the strained soup over medium heat. Stir in the chocolate, stirring until it melts. Remove from heat and adjust seasonings to taste.

Ladle into bowls and serve with a dollop of crema/creme fraiche and a scattering of the diced Manchego cheese. For additional flair & flavor, add a spoonful of salsa and a sprig of cilantro to the top.

Variations: For a thicker soup, reduce the stock to 6 cups.  For even more smoky flavor, add 1 tablespoon smoked paprika.

Here is the link to the recipe: http://earthydelightsblog.com/smoky-butternut-squash-and-cacao-soup/


For our main course, Rebecca made a Sweet and Savory Meat Sauce with Chocolate, served over homemade tagliatelle.

Giuliano's Sweet and Savory Meat Sauce with Chocolate - adapted from Bittersweet by Alice Medrich

1 medium red onion, finely chopped
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
1 medium garlic clove, minced
10 sprigs of Italian Parsley, leaves only, plus extra for garnish
4 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
3-4 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb lean ground beef
1 1/4 cups dry red wine
1 cup of drained, canned Italian tomatoes pureed or 1/4 cup canned tomato puree
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup raisins
2 Tbsp. pine nuts
3/4 ounce 55%-62% chocolate, finely chopped
1 Tbsp sugar
1 lb dried or fresh tagliatelle or other egg pasta
Cocoa nibs, crushed or coarsely chopped, for sprinkling at the table

Saute the chopped vegetables, garlic, pancetta and parsley leaves in the olive oil over low heat for 15-20 minutes, until the vegetables are translucent and beginning to brown.  Add the ground meat and stir it into the sauteed ingredients, breaking it up with a wood spoon or fork.  When the meat is no longer pink, drain fat if desired (the original recipe doesn't say to drain the fat and I found the finished dish to be too greasy.  I drained all but 1Tbsp. of the fat for our dinner).  Add the wine to the meat mixture and simmer to evaporate it, about 5 minutes.

When the wine has evaporated, add the tomato puree to the pan and season lightly with salt and pepper.  Simmer slowly for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the dolce-forte by combining the wine vinegar, raisins, pine nuts, chocolate and sugar in a small bowl.

Bring a large salted pot of water to a boil

When the wine is reduced, stir in the dolce-forte and simmer for 5 more minutes.  Taste and correct the seasoning as desired.

Cook the pasta just until al dente.  Reserve some of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.  Toss the pasta with the sauce, adding pasta water as needed to loosen up the mixture.

Sprinkle with some chopped parsley for color.  Pass the cocoa nibs at the table for sprinkling over the pasta if desired.


Christiane brought an additional main course of chili with chocolate, served over white rice.

For dessert, Katharina brought a spiced rum vanilla pudding with chocolate folded into it.  Kim also served a plain goat cheese with chocolate covered pretzels.