Pumpkin Carving

Beef Stew and Foccacia Bread

Beef Stew

based on Ina Garten's Beef Stew 

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds good quality chuck beef, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 bottle good red wine
• 3 whole garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 springs thyme
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Good olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut diagonally in 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 pound small dutch potatoes, halved 
• 2 cups or 1 (14 1/2-ounce can) chicken stock or broth
• 1 large (or 2 small) branch fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen pearl onions

Directions

Place the beef in a bowl with red wine, garlic, and thyme. Place in the refrigerator and marinate overnight.

The next day, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil to the large pot and add the onions.  Cook for several minutes.  Add carrots, pearl onions, and potatoes.

At the same time, lift the beef out of the marinade with a slotted spoon and discard the bay leaves and garlic, saving the marinade. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot and brown half the beef over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Place the beef on a plate and continue to brown the remaining beef, adding oil as necessary.  Once all meat has been browned, use about 3/4 to 1 cup of the marinade to deglaze pan and add to the vegetable mixture with the cooked beef.

 Add the chicken stock, rosemary, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper and bring to a simmer over medium heat on top of the stove. Cover the pot and place it in the oven to bake it for about 2 hours, until the meat and vegetables are all tender, stirring once during cooking. If the stew is boiling rather than simmering, lower the heat to 250 or 275 degrees F.

Rosemary Foccacia bread

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)
• 1 tbsp traditional baking yeast
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 cups unbleached flour

• 
  

  Topping
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp coarse salt
• 2 tbsp chopped rosemary
• 4-6 garlic cloves minced (optional)

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, yeast and sugar.  let the mixture sit unitil it foams.  Shir in salt and olive oil, then start adding flour, one cup at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon.  When you can no longer stir, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead in the remaining flour.  Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, sprinkling just enough flour on the counter to prevent sticking.

Form the dough into a ball and place in a large, lightly oiled bowl.  Cover with a clean, damp cloth and set the bowl in a warm, draft free spot.  Let rise until doubled (2 hours).

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.  place the dough on a well-oiled 12" x 16" baking sheet.  Gently stretch the dought to roughly fit the dimensions of the pan.  Drizzle the surface with olive oil and spread the minced garlic over the entire area.  Sprinkle chopped rosemary evenly over top, followed by coarse salt.  Using your fingers, gently poke indentations over the entire surface.  It should appear dimpled and rustic looking.  Let rise again for about 15 minutes.  Place the loaf in the oven and bake 20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through.  Do not over bake.  Serve warm

Wine tasting

Last night was date night so we headed to Tasty n Sons, a place I have wanted to try for a long time.  Their bouillabaisse was to.die.for.  Mid car trip the iphone died (serious yuppie problem) and we actually went into the wrong restaurant and put our name in for a table before realizing it wasn't where we wanted to be (note to self-look up more often). 


Saturday we went wine tasting in the Willamette Valley.  

Stopped at a farm for apples and a pumpkin:

E made all my dreams come true with a stop at the Dutch American Market and Import on the way home...just look at all those dropjes:

Tonight I'm making Ina Garten's Beef Stew and enjoying the view.

Fall baking

It's official, bread making has become my latest obsession.  As with all the others, it will be all I do for the next few weeks, until I grow tired of it and find something new.  Until that time, I will be turning out a loaf a week and attempting to master all things bread.  

My trusty "rolling pin":

Honey Oat Bread

Honey Oat Bread (original recipe found here)

Makes 1 9×5-inch loaf

Ingredients

3 cups (381 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 cups oats (I have used instant and old fashioned, both work great)
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup (250 ml) milk (almond or soy milk for vegan/dairy free)
1/4 cup (62 ml) lukewarm water
2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter or margarine
1/4 cup honey (agave for vegan)

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons honey (or agave), warmed
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons oats

In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the flour, oats, yeast, and salt.

In a small bowl, or two cup (450 ml) measuring cup, warm the milk so that it’s hot enough to melt the butter, but not boiling. Add the butter, stirring until melted, then stir in the water and honey.

Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, mixing until it just comes together to form a dough. Knead for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. If the dough is still very wet and sticky after 5 minutes of kneading, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough is barely tacky. If the dough is too dry, add water, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) at a time, to soften it up.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Once doubled, place the dough on a clean, dry work surface. If the dough is too sticky, lightly flour the surface before continuing. With your fingers, flatten the dough into a 9 by 12-inch rectangle. Tightly roll the dough, tucking the ends as needed, into a loaf. Place the shaped dough into a 9×5-inch loaf pan, cover with a clean dry towl, and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (180 C). Place an empty loaf pan on the bottom rack of the oven and bring 2 cups of water to a boil.

When the loaf is doubled again, brush the top with the warmed honey and sprinkle with the oats.

Place the bread in the oven and pour the boiling water into the empty loaf pan on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the bread is deep golden brown and the internal temperature is about 190 degrees.

Transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely before serving.

Beginning of October

lunch at Petite Provence: