I am somewhat obsessed with rosemary. I will put it in anything. Exhibit A: these waffles here. Add rosemary? Why not. It actually went really well with the maple syrup and crisp prosciutto (exactly what I was hoping for). And as an added bonus, it came together very quickly on a chilly Sunday morning.

As long as you have buttermilk (or can make a substitute with milk and lemon or vinegar), you should have everything to throw these waffles together. Especially if you have a 4-foot rosemary plant growing steps from your front door like we do. Okay, yes, you would also have to have a waffle iron, smarty.

Rosemary Buttermilk Waffles with Crisp Prosciutto Adapted from a recipe in Gourmet magazine. Vegetable-oil cooking spray 1 cup AP flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 2 Tbsp Melted butter + 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk 1 . . . → Read More: Rosemary Buttermilk Waffles with Crisp Prosciutto]]>

I am somewhat obsessed with rosemary. I will put it in anything. Exhibit A: these waffles here. Add rosemary? Why not. It actually went really well with the maple syrup and crisp prosciutto (exactly what I was hoping for). And as an added bonus, it came together very quickly on a chilly Sunday morning.

As long as you have buttermilk (or can make a substitute with milk and lemon or vinegar), you should have everything to throw these waffles together. Especially if you have a 4-foot rosemary plant growing steps from your front door like we do. Okay, yes, you would also have to have a waffle iron, smarty.

Rosemary Buttermilk Waffles with Crisp Prosciutto
Adapted from a recipe in Gourmet magazine.
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
1 cup AP flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp Melted butter + 2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 tsp (heaping) chopped rosemary leaves (plus a couple of small sprigs for garnish)
1 large egg
1 tsp olive oil
4 thin slices prosciutto
Maple Syrup for serving

Preheat oven to 250°F. Spray an unheated nonstick waffle iron with cooking spray and preheat iron.

In a large bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the chopped rosemary and mix to combine. Whisk the melted butter and olive oil in a small bowl with the buttermilk and egg until combined. Stir the egg mixture into flour mixture briefly but until fairly smooth (batter may be thick).

Spoon batter into waffle iron, using 1/2 cup batter for four waffles and spreading evenly, cook according to your waffle maker’s instructions. When done, transfer waffles to a baking sheet and keep warm, uncovered, in middle of oven. Make more waffles in same manner (do not respray iron).

In a large heavy skillet heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over moderate heat and cook prosciutto slices until crisp and golden, about 1 minute on each side.

Drain on paper towels briefly and serve waffles with prosciutto, and maple syrup. Garnish with small sprigs of rosemary.

The original recipe says this serves two, but I got 4 almost-plate-sized waffles out of the recipe. If you had fruit and a few other things in a brunch-type situation, you could probably serve 3-4 with this recipe.

Time for another French Fridays with Dorie? Yep, it sure is! This week: Buckwheat Blini with Smoked Salmon but even though I work at a place that uh, actually mills flours and I have access to all kinds of flours I don’t even know what to do with, I didn’t manage to get some buckwheat flour in time before I needed it for this recipe. Doh!

I had to use regular whole wheat flour for the buckwheat flour. Even so, these were really delicious!

Notes: 1. I let my batter sit in the fridge overnight, it got all bubbly. 2. I used a scalloped biscuit cutter to give the blini pretty edges. Plus, this way I also got to snack on the trimmings while waiting for jwa to get home! 3. I didn’t have dill on hand, so I garnished each with a cilantro leaf and also . . . → Read More: FFwD: Just Wheat Blini with Smoked Salmon]]>

Time for another French Fridays with Dorie? Yep, it sure is! This week: Buckwheat Blini with Smoked Salmon but even though I work at a place that uh, actually mills flours and I have access to all kinds of flours I don’t even know what to do with, I didn’t manage to get some buckwheat flour in time before I needed it for this recipe. Doh!

I had to use regular whole wheat flour for the buckwheat flour. Even so, these were really delicious!

Notes:
1. I let my batter sit in the fridge overnight, it got all bubbly.
2. I used a scalloped biscuit cutter to give the blini pretty edges. Plus, this way I also got to snack on the trimmings while waiting for jwa to get home!
3. I didn’t have dill on hand, so I garnished each with a cilantro leaf and also some finely diced red onion.
4. I held mine in a 200 degree F oven for about 30 minutes, I think it made them firmer. They were no problem to pick up and eat like a cracker.
5. I think these will definitely be an appetizer at Thanksgiving!

You can see everyone’s posts here! Okay, photo time:

The batter the next day, all bubbly and ready to add the eggs.

Post flip, nice and golden brown.

I made a half recipe and still ended up with more blini than jwa and I needed for a first course. So, someone is getting a stack of mini-pancakes tomorrow!

making the edges nice and scalloped with a handy biscuit cutter.

Salmon in place, creme fraiche and herbs to come.

Delicious!

Completely unrelated, but here is my awesome Halloween score this week! Life-size! He’s sitting at the dining room table right now…

Ever since I first got brave enough to try making yeast bread, I’ve loved perusing the King Arthur Flour website and finding recipes I wanted to try. I won’t say too much in the intro, because the recipe is pretty long, but, mmmm, these are delicious! Go make some right now!

Feta and Spinach Stuffed Buns Adapted from a recipe by King Arthur Flour 3 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 1/3 cup dried potato flakes 1/2 cup Rye Flour 1 1/2 tsp instant yeast 1 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp ground black pepper 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (9 ounces) water 1 large egg 2 Tbsp olive oil 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach 1 tbsp olive oil 1/2 cup diced onion 2-4 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup (4 ounces) feta cheese 1/2 cup (2 ounces) chopped pitted black olives 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded or cubed mozzarella cheese

Start the bread: Whisk together, in a large bowl or the bowl of a mixer, all of the dry . . . → Read More: A New Bread Experiment: Feta and Spinach Stuffed Buns]]>

Ever since I first got brave enough to try making yeast bread, I’ve loved perusing the King Arthur Flour website and finding recipes I wanted to try. I won’t say too much in the intro, because the recipe is pretty long, but, mmmm, these are delicious! Go make some right now!

Feta and Spinach Stuffed Buns
Adapted from a recipe by King Arthur Flour
3 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/3 cup dried potato flakes
1/2 cup Rye Flour
1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (9 ounces) water
1 large egg
2 Tbsp olive oil
10-oz package frozen chopped spinach
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
2-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup (4 ounces) feta cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) chopped pitted black olives
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded or cubed mozzarella cheese

Start the bread: Whisk together, in a large bowl or the bowl of a mixer, all of the dry dough ingredients. It’s important to whisk the potato flour or flakes so they won’t clump when the liquid is added. Add the water, egg and olive oil, then mix until a shaggy dough forms.

Let the dough rest for 30 minutes, if you have the time; this resting period allows the flour to absorb the liquid fully, making it easier to knead. Knead the dough with the dough hook for about 10 minutes; it should feel firm and smooth.

Put it into a greased bowl, turning to coat, cover the bowl, and let the dough rise until it’s almost double in bulk, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (The amount of time this takes will depend on the temperature of your kitchen.)

While the dough is rising, make the filling: Thaw and squeeze dry the frozen spinach. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the onion and garlic and saute for about 1 minute. Add the spinach and stir well.

Heat through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Reserve the feta cheese and olives to layer onto the dough when filling, and the mozzarella to sprinkle atop the shaped rolls. I just realized I did this wrong — I added the mozzarella in with the feta and sprinkled about a tablespoon of Parmesan on top of the rolls.

To assemble: Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly greased work surface. Fold it over once or twice to gently deflate it. Roll the dough into a rectangle of about 16 x 18 inches. First sprinkle the dough with the cheese and olives, then top with the spinach.Starting with the opposite long edge, roll the dough into a log, sealing the edge and ends. Use a bench knife or serrated knife to cut the log into 1 to 1 1/4-inch slices.

Grease or line a baking pan with parchment paper. Lay the buns on the pan, leaving about 1 inch between them.

Sprinkle them with a little Parmesan or mozzarella cheese. Cover them lightly with greased plastic wrap or a dough cover, and let them rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until they’re puffy.

Baking: Bake the buns in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until their tops and bottoms are lightly browned.

Check the buns after 20 minutes and tent with aluminum foil if they’re browning too quickly on the edges. Yield: about 12-18 buns, depending on how thick you slice them.

So, here it is the last night of 2010 and I am posting about pumpkin…a pumpkin dish that we had last month, even. Is that wrong? I think one of my resolutions should be to post more!

This is a recipe by Dorie Greenspan from her new book, Around My French Table, which I have been posting about semi-frequently for the French Fridays with Dorie shindig. But, this is a rogue effort and I am even listing the recipe below! Mainly because it is already on epicurious.com and also because I changed it up a little.

I added onion and spinach and skipped the cream (because we had this a couple of days after Thanksgiving and more cream just didn’t seem like something this bunch needed more of). Also, balsamic vinegar with baked pumpkin is delicious. So drizzle some of that on!

Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good Recipe adapted . . . → Read More: Is It Still Pumpkin Season? I Hope So! Because Here’s One Stuffed with Everything Good!]]>

So, here it is the last night of 2010 and I am posting about pumpkin…a pumpkin dish that we had last month, even. Is that wrong? I think one of my resolutions should be to post more!

This is a recipe by Dorie Greenspan from her new book, Around My French Table, which I have been posting about semi-frequently for the French Fridays with Dorie shindig. But, this is a rogue effort and I am even listing the recipe below! Mainly because it is already on epicurious.com and also because I changed it up a little.

I added onion and spinach and skipped the cream (because we had this a couple of days after Thanksgiving and more cream just didn’t seem like something this bunch needed more of). Also, balsamic vinegar with baked pumpkin is delicious. So drizzle some of that on!

Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good
Recipe adapted from Dorie Greenspan
1 pumpkin, about 3 pounds
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 pound stale bread, thinly sliced and cut into 1/2-inch chunks (I ended up using about a cup of bread cubes and about 1 1/2 cups leftover stuffing, so there was sausage in here too)
1/4 pound cheese, such as Gruyère, Emmenthal, cheddar, or a combination, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
4 slices bacon or pancetta
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
1 small onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, split, germ removed, and coarsely chopped
1 tbsp minced fresh thyme or sage
For serving: balsamic vinegar

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment, or find a Dutch oven with a diameter that’s just a tiny bit larger than your pumpkin. Then, cook the bacon or pancetta until crisp and then remove. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook until soft and just starting to brown.

Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from heat and set aside in a bowl.

Using a very sturdy knife—and caution—cut a cap out of the top of the pumpkin (think Halloween Jack-o-Lantern). It’s easiest to work your knife around the top of the pumpkin at a 45-degree angle. Cut off enough of the top to make it easy to work inside the pumpkin. Clear away the seeds and strings from the cap and from inside the pumpkin.

Season the inside of the pumpkin generously with salt and pepper, and put it on the baking sheet or in the pot.

Toss together the bread, cheese, garlic, bacon, spinach, onion and thyme/sage together in a bowl. Season with pepper—you probably have enough salt from the bacon and cheese, but taste to be sure—and pack the mix into the pumpkin. The pumpkin should be well filled—you might have a little too much filling, or you might need to add to it.

Put the cap in place and bake the pumpkin for about 2 hours—check after 90 minutes—or until everything inside the pumpkin is bubbling and the flesh of the pumpkin is tender enough to be pierced easily with the tip of a knife. Remove the cap during the last 20 minutes or so, so that the liquid can bake away and the top of the stuffing can brown a little.

When the pumpkin is ready, carefully, very carefully—it’s heavy, hot, and wobbly—bring it to the table or transfer it to a platter that you’ll bring to the table. You can either use a big spoon to scoop put the pumpkin or slice into pieces.

Once plated, drizzle the pumpkin with some balsamic vinegar.

***

We are off to Genoa for dinner in a bit. I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year’s Eve and a great 2011!

Finally, Portland? Summer? Hmmm, it would be nice if it is true, although I do prefer my sunny days in the 70′s. But seriously, even I was getting sick of the 50′s/60′s and rain. So, I’ll take the sun and the 80 degree temperatures of the last few days!

To celebrate the return of Summer (and the end of June-uary?), jwa and I had a huge tomato bread salad the other night. I even had some homemade Ciabatta bread leftover (about 1/3 of a loaf) to dice up for the bread cubes. Since we have no tomatoes of our own yet, I had to get some at the store, but I found some beautiful heirloom varieties (from California, so, not too far away) at the Whole Foods by work.

My amounts were approximate. I did not measure everything (except the vinegar and olive oil). I used about . . . → Read More: Bread & Tomato Salad with Herbs]]>

Finally, Portland? Summer? Hmmm, it would be nice if it is true, although I do prefer my sunny days in the 70′s. But seriously, even I was getting sick of the 50′s/60′s and rain. So, I’ll take the sun and the 80 degree temperatures of the last few days!

To celebrate the return of Summer (and the end of June-uary?), jwa and I had a huge tomato bread salad the other night. I even had some homemade Ciabatta bread leftover (about 1/3 of a loaf) to dice up for the bread cubes. Since we have no tomatoes of our own yet, I had to get some at the store, but I found some beautiful heirloom varieties (from California, so, not too far away) at the Whole Foods by work.

My amounts were approximate. I did not measure everything (except the vinegar and olive oil). I used about 4 medium tomatoes to 1/3 of a loaf of bread. About 12 kalamata olives, 10 basil leaves, and a sprig of marjoram — both the basil and marjoram were from the garden. If you like this exact measuring thing, the actual amounts are listed below. Knock yourself out!

Bread & Tomato Salad with Herbs aka: Panzanella!
Adapted from a recipe in Gourmet Magazine
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups 3/4-inch cubes crusty bread
1/2 pound vine-ripened red tomatoes, cut into 3/4-inch wedges
1/2 pound vine-ripened yellow tomatoes, cut into 3/4-inch wedges
1/4 cup Kalamata olives
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, washed well, spun dry, and chopped fine
1 tbsp fresh marjoram leaves, chopped fine
Optional: 1/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese

If you want an extra, flavorful step, take about a tablespoon of the olive oil and heat it up in a big pan. Add your bread cubes and toast for a few minutes. Then make your dressing as described below and add the toasted bread cubes. Just plain, old dried out crusty bread cubes will of course work just fine!

In a bowl whisk together vinegar, garlic, a little salt and pepper to taste and whisk in oil until emulsified (3 tbsp if you used a little to toast your bread).

Add remaining ingredients and salt/pepper to taste and toss to combine well. Let salad stand at room temperature 15 minutes to allow bread to soak up some dressing.

Yeah, you know you want to add some cheese. Just do it. It’s good.