Bear Cuisine

Paul's Crackers

This post is for my friend Paul Ilecki. When he discovered that I was a food blogger, he asked me to do something on crackers. That was over a year ago and I know that he thought I had forgotten all about his request. So, Paul, this one's for you.

This recipe is from Naomi Duguid's and Jeffrey Alford's Flatbreads and Flavors. It's  simple and easy to execute. 

WHOLE WHEAT CRACKERS 

• 3 cups hard whole wheat flour, or more as necessary
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
  

Possible Toppings

• Grated Parmesan
• Cayenne
• Coarse salt
• Sesame seeds
• Cumin seed

Place the flour and salt in a food processor and process for 10 seconds to mix thoroughly. With the motor running, add the water in a steady stream, then process for 10 seconds longer. The dough should have formed one large ball; if not, feel the dough: If it feels very sticky, add 3 to 4 tablespoons more flour and process briefly until a ball forms. If the dough feels dry and floury, start the processor again, add 2 to 3 tablespoons more water, and process until a ball of dough forms.

Once you have a ball of dough, process for 1 minute more, no longer. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 30 seconds or so.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F, and place two racks near the center of the oven.

Divide the dough into 8 pieces.

Work with one piece at a time, leaving the other pieces covered. On a lightly floured surface, with lightly floured hands, flatten a piece of dough with your palms.

Then roll it out to a very thin rectangle or round, as even a thinness as possible to ensure even cooking.

     

Gently lift the dough from your rolling surface and place it on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle on one of the optional toppings.

 

 Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut through the dough to make rectangular crackers.  Spray the dough lightly with water and place in the oven.

Begin rolling out the next piece of dough, keeping an eye on the crackers already baking. (Crackers brown from underneath.) check on them 2 1/2 to 3 minutes after they go in. As soon as the thinnest patches of the dough have started to brown, take them out. If necessary, continue baking, checking every 30 seconds, but it is better to take the crackers out a little early than too late.

 

Transfer to a large bowl, breaking up any incompletely separated crackers. Roll out the remaining dough, season, and bake. When completely cool, crackers can be stored in a well-sealed plastic bag or cookie tins for up to a month. 

 

Bruschette with Sauteed Greens and Fava Bean Puree

These make a wonderful appetizer or first course for a meal with Italian accents. Another winner from Christine Hickman.

BRUSCHETTE WITH FAVA BEAN PUREE AND SAUTEED GREENS

Bread Toasts (Bruschette and Crostini)

For the bruschette, use a rustic loaf, chewy and preferably full of whole grains, made without sweetening. for the crostini, use a good quality French bread with a crisp crust.

• Cloves of garlic, peeled and split
  
• Full-flavored extra-virgin olive oil
  
• Salt
  
• Pinch of hot red pepper flakes
  

Slice the bread about 1/2-inch thick. Toast the bread slices over a wood fire, grill it on top of the stove, or toast it under the broiler.

Rub it with garlic and moisten lightly with the olive oil. Sprinkle each slice with a little salt, and red pepper flakes. When making bruschette, you may choose to cut each slice into 3 or 4 pieces.

Serve immediately, with or without a topping of choice.

Fava Bean Puree

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
  
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or thyme
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• 1 19-ounce can fava beans, drained and rinsed; should yield 2 cups
  
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  

Place a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 cup of the oil, the garlic, rosemary or thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook until the garlic begins to sizzle and the aromatics are fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the drained fava beans and stir until the beans are well coated and heated through, adding just a bit of water if necessary to prevent sticking.

Transfer the beans to a food processor. Add the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and the lemon juice and puree until smooth, stopping to scrape the bowl as needed.

Season to taste with more salt and lemon juice. Serve on toasts or as a dip.

Makes about 2 cups.

The puree will stiffen a bit after it sits. If using as dip, you may wish to ad a spoonful of water to loosen it. The puree will, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.

Sauteed Greens

• 1 pound winter greens, such as curly endive, spinach, escarole, kale, chard, beet or mustard
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, slivered
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Wash and coarsely chop the greens. Set aside.

Place the olive oil and garlic in a large saute pan over medium heat. Warm it slowly until it is fragrant.

Turn the heat to high and quickly add the greens, sauteing until thoroughly wiled and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.

Lover and set aside to keep warm or serve immediately.

Makes about 2 cups.

To assemble the bruschette: spread a layer of bean puree on each read toast, top with a hep of sauteed greens and drizzle with olive oil.

Serve immediately.

Serves 6 to 8

Crisp Parmigiano-Reggiano Wafers

Christine Hickman showed us how to make these fabulous wafers which can be a knock-out appetizer, a garnish for soup or a container for salad. If you have seen these pre-made in the grocery store, you know they cost an arm and a leg. If you make them yourself, you not only save a lot of money; but you will also impress your guests with your culinary skill.

 

FRICOS

• 1 pound Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon rind
• Vegetable oil ( if using a skillet)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.*

Coarsely grate the cheese. It is important that the cheese NOT be finely grated.

Spread 2 tablespoons of the Parmigiano mixture onto a silicone-=lined baking sheet and lightly pat down.

Repeat with the remaining cheese mixture, spacing spoonfuls about 1/2-inch apart. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden and crisp. Allow to cool about 2 minutes and use a flat spatula to transfer to paper towels.

*Alternately, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Brush the skillet with a thin film of oil (not olive oil) Spread about 2 tablespoons of the grated cheese in a circle about 3 inches in diameter. Be sure not to make the layer of cheese too thick, or the wafers will be chewy instead of crispy.

Let the cheese coo without disturbing it or moving the [am until the fat that separates from the cheese begins to bubble around the edges, about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. It should have a golden brown underside.

Using a heatproof rubber spatula, carefully free the crisp from the pan and flip it over. It it is sticking to the pan, cook a bit longer and try to free again.

Cook the wafer until golden and set on the other side, about 1-2 minutes more, taking care not to let it darken to more than a light golden color or it may become bitter.

Transfer the wafer to paper towels to drain. Brush out any crumbs from the pan, brush lightly with oil and repeat with the remaining cheese.

When the wafers are completely cool, they are ready to serve.

These can be made up to 1 week in advance and stored between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container at room temperature.

The wafers can be made larger and placed over the bottom of an inverted small cup to cool. Once cook, they can filled with a salad of lightly dressed baby greens for a first course.

More Party Food

This recipe is at least as old as the National Football League. Who knows? Some enterprising team cook might have even created it. Challenging it's not, but who am to argue with success. Every time I bring this a pot luck or serve it at one of my own parties, it disappears like snow before the sun.

 

SEVEN-LAYER DIP

1. 1 10-ounce can refried beans
   
2. 3 large avocados
   
3. 3 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
   
4. 2 cups sour cream
   
5. 1 1-ounce package taco seasoning
   
6. 1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapenos
   
7. 1 cup sliced pitted black olives
   
8. 1 can Rotel Tomatoes with chilies, drained
   
9. 2 cups grated Cheddar or Jack cheese
   
10. 1/2 cup chopped scallions, white and green
    
11. 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh Cilantro 

Spread the refried beans on the bottom of a glass serving dish or deep platter

Peel and pit the avocados, then with a table fork, mash them with the lime juice into a slightly coarse paste. Spread the paste over the beans.

Mix the sour cream with the taco seasoning and spread it over the avocado.

Distribute the chilies over the sour cream, then the olives, then the tomatoes.

Make a top layer of cheese, then sprinkle with the scallions and cilantro.

Serve with corn chips for dipping.

Eggplant Caviar

EGGPLANTS AT THE SANTA FE FARMER'S MARKET 

I love eggplant. It is a very versatile vegetable. Cooks in the Middle East have a way with aubergines and their traditional spice profile complements them very well. This appetizer is a favorite at parties and people really do lick the bowl clean.

EGGPLANT CAVIAR

1. 2 large eggplants
   
2. 3 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
   
3. 1 medium onion, finely chopped
   
4. 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
   
5. 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
   
6. 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
   
7. 1/2 cup chopped parsley
   
8. 2 tablespoons white vinegar
   
9. 6 tablespoons olive oil
   
10. 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
11. 1 tablespoon lemon juice

12. 1 teaspoon chopped mint
    

Bake the eggplant whole in a 350-degree oven for 1 hour or until they  are soft and cooked through. Slit them so the steam will escape. Peel, and chop them very fine. Add the seasonings and mix well. Let stand overnight in the refrigerator before using. Serve as an hors d'oeuvre, spooned on crackers.