Bobka!

Fred's Bakery  has the best bobka on the west side of LA. This doesn't quite compare to theirs, but you can't go wrong with chocolate and bread.

Bread

1 packet 7g Active dry yeast
1/2 cup Whole milk
3 Tbsps Sugar
2-3/4 cup  All purpose flour (OR 1/2 all purpose and 1/2 white whole wheat flour)
3 Eggs
1 Yolk
2 tsps Kosher salt
7 ounces Butter, softened

2 eggs Whisked, for egg wash

Chocolate Bobka filling
4 ounces Chocolate, finely chopped
4 ounces Butter
1/3 cup Cocoa powder
1/2 cup Powdered sugar 

Directions
Place the milk, yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk by hand.

Add the flour, eggs and yolks and salt and mix for about 6 minutes with the dough hook.
Check for a windowpane and add the butter until incorporated. 

Cover the dough and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. 

To shape, first flour your work table and a rolling pin. Grab your babka filling and a spreading spatula or spoon. 

At this stage, you can choose to either make one large babka (in a 10" round cake pan or large loaf pan) or split the dough into two smaller babkas in regular rectangular loaf pans. Line the loaf pans with parchment paper. 

Roll out the dough into one large rectangle (about 10"x15") or two smaller ones. The rectangle should be wider from side to side. Spread the babka filling everywhere except the last 1" on the top of the rectangle. Roll the rectangle up in a tight log and pinch the naked edge up into the exposed dough. 

Divide the roll in two and twist them together. Place the dough into your pan(s). Proof at room temperature for about 2 hours. 

Preheat your oven to 375F. Brush the top of the loave(s) with egg wash. Place in the oven and turn the heat down to 350F immediately. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Let the bread cool for at least 20 minutes before unmolding. 

Mix it all together.

Pickled Onions

A simple but excellent garnish to so many dishes. I like them on Avocado Toast, Tacos, and in sandwiches.

1/2 c Vinegar
1/2 c Water
1 tsp Salt
1 tbs Sugar
1 large Red onion, sliced.

Place all ingredients in a Mason Jar and let sit in the refrigerator for a week before eating. You'll know they're ready when the onion color in the jar is uniformed. The jar will last for months, well, they'll be good to eat for months if they don't make it that long.

Crusty Boule

With lots of time on my hands, it's back to baking basics. My dutch oven is a staple in the kitchen not just for stews and soups, but soft crusty bread. It traps steam in while the bread is baking, creating that crusty outside. Carbs, Omnom nom nom...

Dough
3 cups all-purpose flour
2-3 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dry yeast (active dry or highly active dry work best)
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water


Optional ingredients for a variation on your loaf. Pictured is a bacon & onion loaf.
- garlic & rosemary
- caramelized onions and bacon
- olives

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt and yeast.
Add the water and stir using a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a shaggy but cohesive dough.

Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let dough sit at room temperature for 8-24 hours. Dough will bubble up and rise.



About an hour before you want to bake the bread, preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place your Dutch oven, uncovered, into the oven to heat up to temperature.
 
While your Dutch oven preheats, turn dough onto a well-floured surface and, with floured hands, form the dough into a ball. I cut a round piece of parchment and place the dough on it and cover with an upside down bowl to let rest for 45 minutes to proof.

After your dough has proofed, carefully remove Dutch oven. Score the top and place the bread dough into it. This will be easier to maneuver with the parchment paper under the dough.

Bake for 30 minutes covered. Remove cover and bake for 7-15 minutes more, uncovered (just keep an eye on it as cooking times will vary).
Remove the bread and place on a cutting board. Try not to eat the entire loaf in one sitting by yourself.

Jambalaya

On the upside of this pandemic, I've spent a lot less time commuting and a lot more time cooking. The next few weeks of posts will be a fun exercise on cleaning out the freezer and cooking with what's in the pantry. Good thing for me it's already pretty stocked...

I have a package of andouille sausage from making shrimp and grits a couple weeks ago. Today it's Jambalaya.

1 bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 links andouille sausage, sliced
1 chicken breast, cubed
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp olive oul
2c medium grain rice
2.5c water
Salt & Cayenne pepper to taste

In a dutch oven, saute the onion and bell pepper in olive oil on a medium high heat until browned. Add salt and pepper and stir in for a minute. Add bay leaf, sausage and chicken, continuing to stir until chicken is cooked. Stir rice in for a minute. Add water be sure to scrape up browned parts from the bottom. Cover and turn heat to medium low for 12-15 minutes. Turn heat off and let stand for another 5-10 minutes.

Strawberry Shortcake

 Strawberry Shortcake

BISCUTS 
1 cup flour
1/2 stick cold, cubed butter
2 Tbsps sugar
1⁄2 cup chilled heavy cream
1 1⁄4 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg,
1 Tbsp  beaten for egg wash + sugar, for sprinkling

WHIPPED CREAM 
1⁄2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsps  powdered sugar
1⁄2 tsp vanilla

ROASTED STRAWBERRIES
2 pints fresh strawberries
1⁄4 cup  sugar
1 tsp vanilla
 
Place flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add butter and cut in with a pastry cutter. Add cream, pulse until moist clumps form. Transfer dough to parchment and roll into a rectangle about 1 1/4 inches thick. Transfer dough to prepared baking sheet and chill for 20 minutes. 

Cut the dough lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 4 equal strips, forming 8 square biscuits. Brush top of biscuits with egg wash; sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake at 425 ̊ until biscuits are golden brown about 15 minutes. 

Toss strawberries with 1⁄4 cup sugar and vanilla. Roast in 350 ̊F until it begins to release juices and becomes fragrant. Cool and top.