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Chef2Chef Recipe Club - Volume 4 Issue 102 - May 20, 2003 Chef2Chef Recipe Club Member Forum: http://forums.chef2chef.net Un/Subscribe: Un/Subscribe: http://chef2chef.net/news/subscribe.htm -------------------------------------------------- Hello Recipe Club, When you visit MustardSeedFoods.com you'll notice that you can Ask the Chef a question. Each month he picks the best question and answers it on his site. If your question is the one he picks to answer, You win a Prize! http://www.mustardseedfoods.com/ask.htm Go ahead, try it! -------------------------------------------------- FRENCH BREAD Sponge Method Yield: 6 each 1 pound loaves Ingredients: For the sponge: 1 lb. Flour, bread 1 lb. Water (100 F) 2 TBS. Yeast, SAF brand 1 TBS. Honey or malt syrup For the dough: 12 oz. Water (cold tap water) 2 lb. Flour, bread 1 oz. Sea salt (or kosher salt) Method: Mix sponge ingredients by hand into bowl twice the size of ingredients and let rest at room temperature overnight, covered with plastic wrap. Put dough ingredients into bowl of mixer fitted with dough hook. Mix dry ingredients to blend. Add sponge and mix until dough ball forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add slight amounts of flour if needed if dough is too wet but adding excessive flour will cause tough bread. Do not over mix. Dough should be elastic when done. Remove dough hook and cover bowl with cloth or plastic wrap and let proof until double in size. Punch down dough and fold into itself to even out the temperature. Place on bench and divide into 6 equal pieces. Round or shape into balls by pulling sides down and into itself to create smooth ball. Rest 5 to 10 minutes. Flatten dough balls with fist and roll up tightly to form long loaf. Place plain corn meal on pan or parchment paper and place 3 loaves per 18" x 26" sheet pan. Proof in cabinet or warm draft-free location. Gas oven works well with a pie pan of warm water in the bottom. (No heat, only the pilot light) When proofed to double size, rest on counter for a few minutes and then slash with razor or sharp knife diagonally. This helps keep the loaf from opening up at the seam. Mist with plain water and place in hot oven (375F). Additional misting can be done for the first 10 minutes of baking to keep the crust thin. Bake until loaves are hollow sounding and well browned. Proper French bread should have a thin crispy crust and soft bread center. -------------------------------------------------- Mustard Seed Foods has been developed by chefs with all cooks in mind. We carry the foundations of cooking so the "chef in everyone" can prepare culinary creations for their family and guests to enjoy the results. Some of the products are as easy as opening a jar of our Sundried Tomato and Feta Cheese Spread from Greece and serving with your favorite crusty bread or some require a little more time to put your personal touch into. Why not do like most professional kitchens do today and buy the best ingredients available whether raw components or ready-to-use. Mustard Seed Foods has the premium quality you deserve! http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=335 -------------------------------------------------- People Puppy Chow (Chocolate, Golden Grahams Cereal, and Peanut Snack Mix) Yield: 3 lbs. INGREDIENTS: 1 lb. Golden Graham Cereal 10 oz. Dry roasted peanuts 13 oz. Semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped (can use chocolate chips) 5 oz. Peanut butter 2 oz. Butter (unsalted) 3 oz. Honey 1 tsp. Vanilla As needed Ghirardelli sweet ground chocolate METHOD: Mix peanuts and cereal in large bowl and set aside. Place chocolate, butter, peanut butter, and honey in microwaveable bowl. Heat until melted and stir frequently to blend the ingredients. Do not over heat though or the mixture will scorch. Add vanilla and pour warm chocolate mixture over cereal and nuts. Toss with gloved hands until all the cereal is coated. Spread out on a sheet pan covered with parchment or wax paper and allow to cool until set. May be placed in fridge to speed cooling. When set, place into large bowl and toss with Ghirardelli ground chocolate until completely coated. Let rest again until ground chocolate sets and then place in zip-lok bags or airtight storage containers. Keeps well for 1 to 2 weeks depending on the chocolate used and humidity. OPTIONS: Use other cereals such as ChexToasted coconut or chow mein noodles can be added for different textures. Flavorings other than vanilla can be used to upscale for adult tastes, even a chocolate or coffee liqueur. Try using butterscotch chips with or instead of chocolate. -------------------------------------------------- SignatureSecrets.com A "signature" dish shows off a chef's or restaurant's creativity - an item worthy of bearing the name of the creator. In the same tradition, Signature Secrets culinary thickener provides the very best in thickening - speed, versatility, stability, appearance and taste - in hot or cold preparations. That's correct. You do not even have to cook Signature Secrets culinary thickener. It delivers smooth, appealing, lump-free textures in soups and sauces, gravies, dressings, and desserts. And they'll stay that way in and out of the freezer or refrigerator, saving you time and energy. This product is now available for the personal chef or caterer at our online store. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=205 -------------------------------------------------- Crumb Topping For Desserts Or Casseroles Yield: 10 lbs. INGREDIENTS: 4 lbs. light brown sugar 2-1/2 lbs. pecan pieces 1 lb. coconut flakes 1-1/2 lb. rolled oats 1 quart all purpose flour 12 oz. butter, room temp 2 TBS. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. ground nutmeg Pinch salt METHOD: Measure all dry ingredients into large mixing bowl and blend well. Add butter and work into dry mixture with fingertips until incorporated and mixture is crumbly. Store at room temperature for short times or keep refrigerated to use as needed. USES: Sprinkle liberally on mashed and seasoned sweet potatoes, bake at 350 degrees until hot and browned. Top muffins before baking for a crumble topping on your favorite flavor. Use as topping on coffee cakes, Danish, sugar cookies, or oatmeal cookies. Keep oven temperature below 375 F to prevent over browning before item is fully baked. -------------------------------------------------- This Month's Giveaways and Free Stuff! Feeling Lucky? This month, two lucky winners will win a set of celebrity chef Jacques Haeringer's cookbooks, Two for Tonight and The Chez François Cookbook http://topchefs.chef2chef.net/recipes-2/haeringer/ Whatever's on the grill, you can be sure to bring out the best taste with the trio of grilling sauces that are part of this month's sweepstakes giveaway by Bandana Bandito! First up is a Blue Ribbon approved Habanero Steak Sauce with a true Southwest flavor. Next is the Mango/Chipotle Sauce that adds fantastic tropical flavor to any marinade or dipping sauce. Lastly, the Bandit's Spicy BBQ Sauce gives any meat off the grill pure Alamo City taste. As if this is not enough, the Bandit will also send the winner a fun and original Wooly Boy Cookie Jar. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=215 Chef Revival has launched a new pattern for its line of quality chef clothing. It's called the Green Fish pattern. This month you could win one of 5 sets of Chef pants, an apron and PB hat. Visit them at Booth 1268 at the NRA Show. Register to Win this cool new Green Fish set! http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=36 Sign up for a FREE Subscription to Food Arts Magazine. The Magazine for the Foodservice and Hospitality Industry. U.S. residents only. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=242 -------------------------------------------------- QUESTIONS, Comments, Technical Support: http://forums.chef2chef.net |