Alcy's Luncheon December 5, 2008

ALCY’S ARTISAN BREAD

Time about 1 ½ hours plus 14 to 20 hours rising

3 cups all purpose or bread flour, more for dusting

¼ teaspoon instant yeast

1 ¼ teaspoons salt

Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 ½ cups of water plus 1/8 cup water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferable about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloths) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. At least a half hour before dough is ready, heat over to 450 degrees. Put a 6 to 8 quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, pyres or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot. Seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is okay. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes then remove lid and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Watch bread closely or someone will steal the loaf as it is so good. My favorite!!!!

Sandy helping Alcy

CANAPES

2 seedless cucumbers

CUCUMBER

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

3 tablespoons green pepper

3 tablespoons cilantro

And some minced green onion

1 tablespoon dry dill

½ teaspoon dry mustard

½ teaspoon garlic salt

½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce I used more

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Slice cucumbers. In a small bowl, combine soft cream cheese and remaining ingredients.
Spoon or pipe cream cheese mixture onto each prepared cucumber slice

TOMATO ASPIC

2 cups V8 juice

½ onions minced

3 Tablespoons pickle relish

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon celery salt

2 Tablespoon gelatin

2 Tablespoon cold water and ¼ teaspoon salt

Heat juice to boiling; add onion, salt, celery salt. Simmer 10 minutes and then add gelatin which has been softened in cold water. Stir until dissolved. Add pickles and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well. Pour into molds and chill.

ALCY’S NOTES

I doubled the recipe.

Clarisse helping with the salad