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sourdough discard crackers

use up that sourdough starter in something other than pancakes! this recipe is loosely based on King Arthur Flour's sourdough cracker re...

Saturday, September 29, 2012

club sandwich breakfast strata

I'm still playing with the name of this recipe. so far, I'm thinking "club sandwich" is most descriptive, since it contains bread, turkey, bacon, tomatoes and cheese... but perhaps I should call it "Conundrum Strata," as my friend Erik B. suggested, since my version contained both bacon and challah? oh so very not-kosher, but delicious! easy and tasty; works for any meal of the day, not just breakfast.


  • .5 pounds bacon, sliced
  • 3-4 green onions, sliced thinly
  • ~6 thick slices of bread, cut into large cubes (I used homemade challah, cut into 1.5" cubes, which yielded about 3 cups of cubed bread)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1.5 cups milk (I prefer whole milk; you should use whatever you like or have on hand)
  • a few drops of hot sauce, such as Tabasco
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • a pinch of ground nutmeg, to taste
  • 2-4 fresh tomatoes (depending on size), cored, halved, then cut into 1/4" slices (I used 4 smallish tomatoes; about 1.5 cups sliced) *note: you must use fresh tomatoes here; canned will not taste right
  • 3-4 ounces sliced turkey, diced
  • 3/4 cup grated cheese (I used a good-quality domestic parmesan, which was delicious; sharp cheddar would have worked well, too -- almost any cheese will be good here)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, especially parsley, chives, and/or basil; any combination (use half that amount if using dried or stronger-flavored herbs)
cut the bacon slices in half (so they fit easily without wrinkling) and arrange in a cold skillet. place on the burner and start heating on medium-low, until just sizzling, and cook to preferred done-ness. cooking over lower heat will minimize the spattering and potential mess. when done, drain bacon pieces on a paper towel-lined plate, and pour out all but 1 teaspoon of the bacon drippings. return the pan to the burner and add the green onions. stir and cook over low-medium heat for a few minutes, until slightly translucent, but not browned. remove from heat.

in a medium sized bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk, and add the sauteed green onion. add the hot sauce, salt, black pepper and nutmeg and combine. butter a baking pan (about 9" x 11") or casserole dish, and pour in the bread cubes. crumble the cooled bacon and scatter it over the bread, then add the tomato slices and turkey. sprinkle on the grated cheese and herbs, then pour the egg/milk mixture over all, ensuring there's enough to thoroughly moisten all the bread (more is fine, but you don't want so much that the bread cubes float atop the liquid). cover the pan well with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 2 hours; overnight if possible.

when you're ready to bake the strata, take it out of the refrigerator, remove the plastic and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. place the pan near the middle of the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes; until custard mixture is set and top is golden brown. cool on a rack for a few minutes, then serve. it's yummy!

Friday, September 28, 2012

check out my first article for the Austin Post!

http://flic.kr/p/9vXJCM

please come by The Austin Post and read my new article re: my streamlined method for making Greek yogurt! I'm really excited about it. thanks, y'all.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

tandoori-style chicken breasts

obviously, not actual "tandoor" chicken, because I don't have a tandoor oven to cook it in. most authentic flavor comes from grilling, but roasting works as well.










tandoori chicken breasts

adapted from Savoring India by Julie Sahni






  • 3-4 split chicken breasts (with skin and bone)
  • 1 cup plain yogurt (regular or Greek)
  • 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 large or 2 small lemons)
  • 2 large cloves garlic, grated
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon (a pinch) ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
  • 1 small white onion, sliced into medium-thick half-moons
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • fresh cilantro sprigs and lemon wedges to garnish

  • classic tandoori chicken is usually skinless, but since chicken skin is one of my favorite culinary delights (when cooked properly -- crisp and brown), I'm experimented with leaving the skin on this tandoori style chicken. since I make my own yogurt, I usually keep several different thicknesses on hand. thick Greek yogurt is wonderful with fruit for breakfast, or atop baked potatoes, but I find thinner yogurt is quite useful, too. I made this marinade with un-strained, plain yogurt, and even added a little additional whey (strained from the Greek yogurt) to help it penetrate the chicken better, and for flavor. the smoked Spanish paprika gives the finishes dish a little more "grilled" flavor, especially helpful if you roast (rather than grill) the chicken, but you can substitute regular paprika.

    rinse chicken breasts and pat dry with paper towels. mix the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger (both are very easily grated on a microplane, which every cook should own for all kinds of kitchen purposes!), cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, cardamom, cloves and black pepper. add salt to taste. place the chicken breasts in a non-reactive baking pan, plastic food storage container or a large ziplock bag. pour the yogurt mixture over the chicken and rub it in well. cover (if using a pan) or seal (if using a ziplock bag or plastic storage container) and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight.

    at least 30 minutes before cooking, remove chicken from refrigerator, and preheat the oven to 400 °F. lightly oil a baking/roasting pan (you can use the same pan in which you marinated the chicken; just wash and dry it first), and arrange the chicken breasts, skin up, evenly spaced in the pan. spoon any remaining marinade over them. toss the sliced white onion with the oil in a small bowl and strew the sliced onions over the chicken breasts. place the pan in the oven and cook for 35 to 50 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts. test for doneness by inserting an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat; they're ready when the temperature registers 165 °F to 180 °F (another way to check: look for the juices run clear when pierced with a knife near the bone).

    *note: you can also roast an entire chicken this way -- just prepare the marinade in a similar way. using a small paring knife, cut slits in the thickest parts of the breast, thighs and tops of the legs with a stabbing motion, to help the marinade absorb. place the whole chicken in a roasting dish and arrange the onion slices around, placing a few inside the chicken cavity.

    garnish with fresh cilantro and wedges of lemon. serve with freshly cooked basmati rice and a fresh cilantro-coconut chutney and/or raita (both recipes below). serves 4.

    cilantro-coconut chutney
    • 1 bunch fresh cilantro (minus a bit used to garnish the chicken and/or make raita), stemmed and roughly chopped
    • 1 fresh jalapeno or serrano chile, stemmed, seeds and membranes removed, and minced
    • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
    • 4 tablespoons shredded coconut (unsweetened)
    • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
    • 1/2 teaspoon water, if needed
    • pinch of salt, to taste
    • 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seed (sometimes called brown mustard seed)
    in a food processor or with a mortar and pestle, grind the cilantro leaves, chile, ginger, coconut, sugar, lemon juice and oil (add water if needed to help process to a paste). when processed, add salt to taste. toast the mustard seeds in a pan over medium-high heat until they pop and turn grey, and stir into the chutney. refrigerate until time to serve.

    raita
    • 1 cup plain yogurt (regular or Greek)
    • 1/2 medium-large cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated
    • 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
    • 5-6 cherry or grape tomatoes, diced
    • 2 green onions, minced
    • 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
    • 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
    • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 1-2 teaspoons of water or milk to thin sauce (if using Greek yogurt
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
    • 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
    • 1 teaspoon black mustard seed (sometimes called brown mustard seed
    • 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
    combine the yogurt, grated cucumber, carrots, tomatoes, green onion, cilantro, cumin, turmeric, black pepper, cayenne pepper, water or milk (if needed to thin the sauce a bit), salt, and sugar (if needed to balance flavor). toast the mustard seeds lightly in a pan over medium-high heat until they pop and turn grey (they add a wonderful toasty flavor), and stir into the raita. cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, taste for seasoning, and top with a pinch of garam masala to serve.