Ask Malia: Cooking advice

[maliafee]

I'm thinking of making them from scratch. Don't know if you do the fresh pasta thing, or if it's really worth the trouble.

I can has guidance, plz?

Oh, it's worth it!

I will respond to your request after Easter, sir!

 

[maliafee]

Thank you for adding this input for everybody!

Yes, I do agree that roasting and grinding spices whole really makes flavors spectacular. I don't usually recommend this unless people are a little more experienced and therefore interested in taking the time to do this, but I think it's definitely the best way to go!

Good point about the blending (I love an excuse to use my food processor, though, haha...)!

P.S. Mango Chutney is DELICIOUS!

Have you tried roasting and grinding the seed forms of the spices? Where you have cumin and coriander, fry the seeds in a dry pan for about 2 minutes then grind them in a pestle and mortar (or is it mortar and pestle.. I never know ). Secondly, try replacing the ground cinnamon with a cinnamon stick that you leave in while it is stewing.

Both of these things make quite a difference to an indian stew One can always leave said stew for an entire afternoon in the slow cooker/crockpot. Yumm!

By the way.. I am *sure* you know this, but some people may not. All indian stews and meaty curries must must MUST be served with some mango chutney. Encourage your diners to stir a tablespoon into the curry before eating.

Oh.. yes. Lots of indian recipes call for the ingredients to be blended to be smooth (as with yours). I've found you can often ignore this time consuming/messy step as the onions etc break down when they are stewed and a little texture never hurts

 

[maliafee]

Hi Malia, just wondering if you know of any recipes for making bread where the bread stays fresh for several days, not just one? (I don't make bread often but I'd be more motivated to do it if the bread was palatable for more than a day, and no, I don't use a breadmaker.)

Oh yes. All homemade bread will last you about 5-7 days before mold sets in, if you store it properly. But I have a feeling your concern is having bread that stays fresh-tasting, and doesn't dry out?

Once it's out of the oven, let it cool on a wire rack until completely cool (this is important). As soon as it is cool, store your bread in a plastic bag, tightly sealed. Alternatively, you can try wrapping it in foil or plastic wrap.

The reason sealing your bread up is so important is that it retains the bread's moisture. If you leave it out in the air, your bread will send its moisture far, far away into the atmosphere. And then it's hard and crusty as a rock (no doubt you've noticed this).

Have you purchased fresh bread from a bakery and kept it in one of those paper slippers they sell it to you in? Big mistake. It's okay for a few hours, but that bread is meant to be eaten that night. IF NOT, you must seal it up in something NON-breathable.

It's kind of like making home-made cookies; you wouldn't leave them sitting out to turn into miniature frisbees, hardened and inedible, would you?

It's the same with bread.

Also, I use honey in my bread to keep it fresher, longer. Honey acts as a preservative (so does the salt you use) and gives it additional moisture.

All that said, here is a basic bread recipe.



MALIA'S FAVORITE SANDWICH BREAD
=======================


INGREDIENTS

5-6 cups all-purpose flour
OR 4 cups all-purpose flour & 1 cup whole wheat flour
OPTIONAL: 2-3 tablespoons gluten flour
2 1/4 cups warm water (108 F is considered just right)
OR 1 1/2 cups warm milk & 3/4 cup warm water
1 package(2 1/4 teaspoons)active dry yeast*
1 tablespoon honey
OR sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
OR melted butter, cooled to lukewarm
scant 1 tablespoon salt

*I use quickrise yeast, which is simply regular yeast that has less dead yeast cells coating each little ball so that the live stuff inside can get to work more quickly. Also, you can optionally double the yeast amount, but I usually don't. If you do double it, it's gonna rise slightly faster and bigger.


INSTRUCTIONS

In a large, preferably heavy, bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water. Whisk to combine once or twice, and let sit (proof) for about 5 minutes. Your water should look like it's getting a bit creamy, in which case you know the yeast is not a "dud" (these days, this kind of check is usually unnecessary, but I always do it just to make sure the yeast is REALLY good).

Whisk in your melted butter and sugar or honey. Add the salt.

Measure out 2 cups of the flour, and stir in well with a wooden spoon. Your mixture should start looking a bit sludgy, like mud. Add 2 more cups of flour, one at a time, stirring well. Keep adding flour until a rough dough begins to form.

At this point, the remaining flour in your recipe will be used to flour your kneading board. You should only use as much flour as you have to, as a dough with too much flour will make a very heavy, dense bread.

Turn out your rough dough onto a floured board. Flour your hands.
Knead by pushing the dough down with your palms, folding dough forward and in half, turning a quarter or third turn, and pushing down again with your palms. Continually add more flour, little by little, and knead until your dough is smooth and elastic, and not so sticky it comes off on everything it touches.

It can take 10-15 minutes to achieve this, depending on your kneading ability/experience.
The more you knead, the better, so don't worry about the length of time or whether you're doing it perfectly -- practice will give you the hang of it in no time.

Also, don't worry about using all the flour. You may not need to. If the day is pretty dry out, you will actually end up using a lot less flour than you expected. If it's a rainy day, you might need even more. That's why we don't add all the flour, all at once.

Oil a clean bowl (or spray with nonstick spray), and place your smooth dough ball inside, rotating once or twice to grease your dough. Cover with plastic wrap (I actually just use a clean dish towel, like my grandmother used to).
Place covered bowl of dough in a sunny window, or high up (on top of the refrigerator is good) where the air is warmer, and allow to rise 1 - 1 1/2 hours if using regular dry yeast, and 45 min's to 1 hour for quickrise yeast.

When the time is up, punch down your dough and knead a few times to release accumulated air bubbles.

You may now shape it any way you like (see "Shaping Ideas" below) and place it on a greased baking sheet or in greased metal bread pans. Allow to proof, or rise again (I like letting it rise about 15 minutes for quickrise and 30 minutes for regular dry yeast).

While it's proofing, preheat your oven (see "Oven Temperatures" below for advice).

Optionally, right before placing in the oven, brush bread with a variety of washes (see "Washes" below for options).


Oven Temperatures:

350 F - 1 hour cooking time for two loaves
375 F - 45 min. cooking time for two loaves
400 F - 30 min. cooking time for two loaves

Note: as you increase your oven temp., you will result in a thicker, crustier crust.


Washes (Brush onto bread right before baking):

egg wash
(1-2 eggs lightly beaten; alternatively add a little water, milk, or salt.)
this results in a shiny, flashy, fancy crust. ;-)

milk
this results in a softer crust

butter
this results in a browner, more flavorful crust

olive oil
this results in a browner, more flavorful, and crispy crust

oats
(if you brush bread first with an eggwash and/or butter, you can coat the top of your bread with rolled oats for a beautiful, tasty effect.)


Shaping Ideas:

This recipe makes two regular bread loaves, and you can shape them into oblongs and place them in your regular-sized metal bread pans and be set.

Optionally, I like to braid a giant loaf, or make an animal shape out of it, or make lots of little dough balls and place close together for pull-apart rolls.
For these, bake on a cookie sheet with sides.

You can always make slits in your dough (do this right before your last rise after you place the dough in a pan or on a cookie sheet) with a sharp knife for an even more attractive look. Crosses, diagonal slits in a row, the sky is the limit. You can even write your name!


Last point: let me know if you want a mixer method, or to know how to do a slow refrigerator rise, or sponge technique. ENJOY!

 

[bluebell]

Oh yes. All homemade bread will last you about 5-7 days before mold sets in, if you store it properly. But I have a feeling your concern is having bread that stays fresh-tasting, and doesn't dry out?

Once it's out of the oven, let it cool on a wire rack until completely cool (this is important). As soon as it is cool, store your bread in a plastic bag, tightly sealed. Alternatively, you can try wrapping it in foil or plastic wrap.

The reason sealing your bread up is so important is that it retains the bread's moisture. If you leave it out in the air, your bread will send its moisture far, far away into the atmosphere. And then it's hard and crusty as a rock (no doubt you've noticed this).

Have you purchased fresh bread from a bakery and kept it in one of those paper slippers they sell it to you in? Big mistake. It's okay for a few hours, but that bread is meant to be eaten that night. IF NOT, you must seal it up in something NON-breathable.

It's kind of like making home-made cookies; you wouldn't leave them sitting out to turn into miniature frisbees, hardened and inedible, would you?

It's the same with bread.

Oops, should have said how I store my home made bread. I always put it in a plastic bag, tightly sealed as soon as it's cooled. I assumed that was a given, sorry. But even if I do that (and double wrap the bread in two bags), it still goes dry and unpleasant the day after, unlike shop bought bread.

Also, I use honey in my bread to keep it fresher, longer. Honey acts as a preservative (so does the salt you use) and gives it additional moisture.

Ah, useful tip. Thank you! I'll try that instead of sugar next time. And thanks for the recipe, although I think it looks pretty similar to the one I use.

 

[Geoff]

I think it's the honey. I use a breadmaker and ever since I switched to honey (I used two level tbsp in a large loaf) the bread stays fresh longer than it takes to eat it

 

[bluebell]

I think it's the honey. I use a breadmaker and ever since I switched to honey (I used two level tbsp in a large loaf) the bread stays fresh longer than it takes to eat it

OK, good to hear.

I may start making my own bread more now. Kneading is a really good work out, and I've found a place that sells cheaper flour. (Pricewise, it used to be similar to buying shop bought bread, which didn't really make sense to me)

 

[bluebell]

k, I have another question. What's the best way to store potatoes so they last the longest? (I don't have a basement or anything like that, just a basic kitchen with kitchen cupboards for storage) I'm aware that potatoes need to be stored in the dark because otherwise they go green and poisonous, but other than that, I'm a tad clueless.

 

[Geoff]

k, I have another question. What's the best way to store potatoes so they last the longest? (I don't have a basement or anything like that, just a basic kitchen with kitchen cupboards for storage) I'm aware that potatoes need to be stored in the dark because otherwise they go green and poisonous, but other than that, I'm a tad clueless.

They need to breathe.. paper bag in a wicker basket in a dark cupboard works well for me.

 

[bluebell]

They need to breathe.. paper bag in a wicker basket in a dark cupboard works well for me.

Is the paper bag bit necessary? I generally just dump them in a spare bowl and put them in a cupboard. But the last lot deteriorated fairly quickly. Some of them were bruised, so I guess that was part of it, but I'm trying to avoid throwing out food.

 

[maliafee]

k, I have another question. What's the best way to store potatoes so they last the longest? (I don't have a basement or anything like that, just a basic kitchen with kitchen cupboards for storage) I'm aware that potatoes need to be stored in the dark because otherwise they go green and poisonous, but other than that, I'm a tad clueless.

They need to breathe.. paper bag in a wicker basket in a dark cupboard works well for me.

YES. =)

Is the paper bag bit necessary? I generally just dump them in a spare bowl and put them in a cupboard. But the last lot deteriorated fairly quickly. Some of them were bruised, so I guess that was part of it, but I'm trying to avoid throwing out food.

Setting them out in the air can invite faster spoilage, but they do need to breathe, so Geoff's advice was great.

Also, unless they're horribly green, just cut off the poisonous eyes and use the potato if there's nothing else wrong with it (i.e. if it's not bruised and spoiled or something).

 

[maliafee]

Oops, should have said how I store my home made bread. I always put it in a plastic bag, tightly sealed as soon as it's cooled. I assumed that was a given, sorry. But even if I do that (and double wrap the bread in two bags), it still goes dry and unpleasant the day after, unlike shop bought bread.

Ah, useful tip. Thank you! I'll try that instead of sugar next time. And thanks for the recipe, although I think it looks pretty similar to the one I use.

Yes, honey helps. But with any fresh bread, after the first day or so, rewarm in the oven to soften the inside (or slice and toast). It will make a big difference. Toasting/rewarming also fixes bread you've store in the refrigerator.

 

[maliafee]

This is perfect!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

You're very welcome.

 

[maliafee]

Ravioli!

So malia... let's say I wanted to make some really good ravioli, some with a meat filling and some with, say, spinach. What do I do?

I'm thinking of making them from scratch. Don't know if you do the fresh pasta thing, or if it's really worth the trouble.

I can has guidance, plz?

I would make a good fresh pasta, and a good filling. You don't really need a recipe for either; I just throw things together until they look right (I suppose there is still a list of "things").

However, I will give you a recipe for the pasta AND the fillings, 'cause I'm extra nice.

Having a good pasta roller or roller attachment for your Kitchen Aid mixer is really wonderful, but I rolled my pasta out by hand with a rolling pin for years, so it can be done!

Mario Batali's fresh pasta recipe is extremely authentic. My Italian someday-mother-in-law does it the same way and does not measure at all.



Mario Batali's Fresh Pasta:
================

3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
4 extra-large eggs

Mound the flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board. Make a well in the middle of the flour, add the eggs. Using a fork, beat together the eggs and begin to incorporate the flour starting with the inner rim of the well. As you incorporate the eggs, keep pushing the flour up to retain the well shape (do not worry if it looks messy). The dough will come together in a shaggy mass when about half of the flour is incorporated.

Start kneading the dough with both hands, primarily using the palms of your hands. Add more flour, in 1/2-cup increments, if the dough is too sticky. Once the dough is a cohesive mass, remove the dough from the board and scrape up any left over dry bits. Lightly flour the board and continue kneading for 3 more minutes. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky. Continue to knead for another 3 minutes, remembering to dust your board with flour when necessary. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes at room temperature. Roll and form as desired.

Note: Do not skip the kneading or resting portion of this recipe, they are essential for a light pasta.

--

Now, if you're going to use a rolling pin, after your dough has rested (see recipe above), cut into about four manageable pieces and roll one out into a big, thin rectangle (always cover any dough you're not using with a damp cloth so it doesn't dry out). If you're using a pasta roller, divide your dough into smallish pieces and follow the instruction on the roller (ask me if you want instructions for the way I do it [probably the same as your roller's instructions]). Your end result should be almost-paper thin sheets of pasta.

Then, when not using a pasta molding machine to make ravioli (I've tried one of these and it's PRETTY fancy), I like to slice my sheets into long, thin rectangles, roughly 2"x10-12", and then spoon teaspoonfuls of filling in an orderly row, leaving plenty of space around the mounds of filling for eventually sealing the ravioli with a top sheet of dough.

Once you've spooned out your filling, dip your fingertips in a little water and slick up the edges of your bottom sheet of dough. Dry your fingers, and top with a dough rectangle the same size as your bottom sheet (2"x10-12").

Carefully press the dough rectangles together, all around the sides and around each filling mound, pressing hard so as to seal the top to the bottom. You should now have a long rectangle with a row of little hills all the way down.

Now, take a sharp knife and make cuts after each mound, leaving a dozen or so ravioli squares. Place raviolis on a flour-dusted cookie sheet or breadboard to dry out for about 20 minutes, then cook or save in the fridge for later use (they keep about 5 days in the fridge).

Repeat with all the dough, or save any unused dough in the fridge/freezer.
--

Here are some filling recipes (feel free to double or triple and then freeze what you don't use for later -- this makes filling pasta easy as pie, especially if you want to fill store bought pasta shells or manicotti at the last minute):


Sausage & Mushroom Pasta Filling
=====================

12 ounces portabello mushrooms, cleaned, and chopped fine
4 links spicy or sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings and crumbled
handful fresh basil leaves, washed and chopped rough
4 cloves fresh garlic, sliced thin or chopped fine
1/4 cup goat cheese, cumbled
*optional: 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped fine
salt & pepper, just a bit, to taste
olive oil

Heat olive oil in a cast iron or nonstick skillet (8"-12") on medium heat. Saute mushrooms with sundried tomatoes until mushrooms have shrunk and are limp. Season with salt and pepper, but don't over-season, as the sausage will be salty.

Add basil leaves and garlic, and saute another 30 seconds to minute longer.

Remove contents of saucepan, and set aside in a bowl or other container.

Add crumbly sausage meat to still hot pan. With wooden spoon, turn and break up meat and cook until well browned (like you would ground beef).

Drain meat, and add to bowl with remaining ingredients. Stir to combine. Fold in crumbly goat cheese. Refrigerate mixture until time to fill pasta.

--


Spinach & Cheese Pasta Filling
===================

8 oz. ricotta cheese (I like going to my local natural foods co-op and buying my fresh cheese from as local a dairy as possible - the fresh flavor of local organic ricotta is simply unmatched!)
1/4 cup freshly grated hard cheese (such as parmesan, romano, pecorino, asiago, or whatever you like best)
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons (or more, to taste) Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
6 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and drained
salt and pepper, to taste
herbs, to taste (basil, oregano, rosemary -- whatever you like)
pinch nutmeg

Combine the ingredients in the order given, by stirring together in a medium-large bowl. Refrigerate until ready to fill pasta.
==
*NOTE: as you can see, fillings are pretty much anything goes. Create your own! The key is to TASTE what you're putting together. If it tastes gross in your bowl, it won't improve any in your pasta. Less seasoning is more, until you get it just right.



P.S. I hope my directions were good, and not too simple or too confusing. Let me know if they were either...

 

[Kangirl]

Malia, can you help me with a simple-seeming but strangely intractable problem?

My ridged cast iron pan. WHY does everything stick to it? WHY?! I have seasoned, I have repeatedly seasoned. I have done everything I was supposed to do. And shit still sticks to this thing every. time.

Help me pls.

 

[maliafee]

Malia, can you help me with a simple-seeming but strangely intractable problem?

My ridged cast iron pan. WHY does everything stick to it? WHY?! I have seasoned, I have repeatedly seasoned. I have done everything I was supposed to do. And shit still sticks to this thing every. time.

Help me pls.

1. How do you clean this pan?

2. Do you always make sure to add additional grease (oil, butter, fat of some kind) warm in your pan before you go to saute something?

After you answer those questions, I can help better.

 

[Blackmail!]

Dear Malia,

Do you know any original recipe involving sweet potatoes?

I've fiendishly suggested my students to cultivate some Ipomoea batatas outdoors, just to show them what "global warming" really means, but, what will we do with them once they are ripe?

(Besides the Israeli tsimess I already know)

 

[maliafee]

Dear Malia,

Do you know any original recipe involving sweet potatoes?

I've fiendishly suggested my students to cultivate some Ipomoea batatas outdoors, just to show them what "global warming" really means, but, what will we do with them once they are ripe?

(Besides the Israeli tsimess I already know)

This Navajo Stew recipe is just delicious:
http://www.typologycentral.com/forums/home-garden-cooking/15311-ask-malia-cooking-advice-3.html

Also, I really enjoy this as a side dish (a family favorite for over 10 years now):

Sweet Potatoes with Pecan Crisp Topping*
==========================

1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans (about 2 ounces)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

5 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams), peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

4 large eggs
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix sugar, pecans and butter in small bowl. Cover and chill until ready to use. (Can be made up to 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Cook sweet potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until very tender, about 12 minutes. Drain. Let stand in colander 15 minutes. Purée sweet potatoes in processor.

Beat eggs, syrup, vanilla, lemon juice and salt in large bowl. Mix in puréed sweet potatoes. Transfer sweet potato mixture to prepared dish. Sprinkle pecan topping evenly over mixture.

Bake until sweet potato mixture is set and topping bubbles, about 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes and serve.


*P.S. Please let me know if you would like measurements in grams, cm's (for the pan), and oven temperature in Celsius. The same goes for all my recipes.

 

[Owl]

Rogan Josh is the best lamb dish I make. There are a lot of things you can successfully do with lamb, but this is my favorite as it has spicy Indian flavors and the lamb is oh-so tender.

The stew is cooking right now, and my house smells awesome.

Last night, I chopped the onion, the chili's, and the garlic with my bare hands, and I scooped the chili seeds out with my fingers. My nose started to itch, so I rubbed it a bit. I thought my nose was going to catch on fire.

I'll edit this thread later tonight to let you know how it turned out.

Thanks again,
Owl

EDIT: The stew was smashing, and I'm stuffed.

 

[maliafee]

The stew is cooking right now, and my house smells awesome.

Last night, I chopped the onion, the chili's, and the garlic with my bare hands, and I scooped the chili seeds out with my fingers. My nose started to itch, so I rubbed it a bit. I thought my nose was going to catch on fire.

I'll edit this thread later tonight to let you know how it turned out.

Thanks again,
Owl

Uh oh, I forgot to warn you about chilis. You always wash your hands well after touching a chili (if it's a hot one, even the skin will getcha), especially the seeds, before you touch your face. At least you didn't touch your eye! ACK!

I'm so pleased to hear about you making a recommended dish. I hope it turns out! (I'm sure it will; you sound capable and it's a lovely, easy recipe - YUM!)

 

[maliafee]

The stew was smashing, and I'm stuffed.

SO good to hear. I looove that recipe!