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when a woman is depressed, she cooks...

 RECIPES!!!


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Bulgur Bread

Ingredients
2 cups bulgur
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cups boiling water
approximately 2 cups hard unbleached white flour

Method
In a medium sized bowl, combine the bulgur, salt and onion. Pour the boiling water over and let stand for 30 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and process for 20 seconds. Add 1 cup of flour and process to a smooth texture. Turn the mixture out onto a generously floured surface, and knead, incorporating flour as necessary to keep dough from sticking, for 3 to 4 minutes. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes to 3 hours.

Pre-heat the oven (and the pizza stone or quarry tiles) to 450F. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and flatten each on the well-floured surface. Roll out one or tow breads to very thin rounds, about 8 to 10 inches in diameter. Bake for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, then turn over and bake for another minute or until the breads begin to brown at the edges. Keep the breads warm by stacking them and wrapping them in a clean kitchen towel while you roll out and bake the rest of the bread. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pita

Ingredients
2 tsp dry yeast
2-1/2 cups lukewarm water
5 to 6 cups hard whole wheat flour, or 3 cups each hard whole wheat flour and hard unbleached white flour
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil

Method
In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Stir to dissolve. Stir in 3 cups of flour, a cup at a time, and then stir 100 times, about 1 minute, in the same direction to activate the gluten. Let this sponge rest for at least 10 minutes of as long as 2 hours.

Sprinkle the salt over the sponge and stir in the olive oil. Mix well. Add more flour, a cup at a time, until the dough is too stiff to stir. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Rinse out the bowl, dry and lightly oil. Return the dough to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until at least doubled in size, approximately 1-1/2 hours.

Pre-heat a 9-inch or larger griddle or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, lightly grease the surface of the griddle with a little oil. Gently punch down the dough (press your hands into it to expel the air) remove the dough from the bowl and divide it in half. Set half aside, covered while you work with the rest. Divide the other half into 8 equal pieces and flatten each piece with lightly floured hands. Roll out each piece to a circle 8 to 9 inches in diameter and less than 1/4 inch thick. Keep the rolled out breads covered until ready to cook, but do not stack.

Gently put one bread onto the griddle. Cook for 15 to 20 seconds, then gently turn over. Cook for about 1 minute, until big bubbles begin to appear. Turn the bread again to the first side, and cook until the bread balloon fully. To help the process along you can press gently with a towel on those areas where bubbles have already formed, trying to push the air bubble into areas that are still flat. The breads should take no longer than 3 minutes to cook, and likewise they shouldn't cook so fast that they begin to burn; adjust the heat until you find a workable temperature. Remove the breads and wrap them in a large kitchen towel to keep them soft while you cook the remaining rolled-out breads. Then repeat with the rest of the dough. There is no need to oil the griddle between each bread, but after 4 or 5 breads, you might want to lightly oil the surface again. These breads can also be baked.

Sardinian Parchment Bread

Ingredients
1 cup coarse semolina not semolina flour), plus extra for dusting
1 cup unbleached white flour, plus extra for dusting
approximately 3/4 cup warm water
3/4 tsp salt

Method
Pre-heat the oven (and the pizza stone or quarry tiles) to 400F.

In a large bowl, mix together the semolina, the flour and salt. Stir in the water gradually, until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky. Form the dough into a ball and transfer to a well-floured work surface. Do not knead the dough. Cut the dough in half and then again to make 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece in the flour and then flatten with the floured palm of your hand. Roll out one piece at a time, keeping the remaining pieces covered with a cloth. Roll out each piece as thin as possible on the lightly floured surface, rolling from the center out and rotating the bread slightly between each stroke of your rolling pin. If the bread starts to stick, flour the surface a little more and turn the bread over. You should aim for a bread less than 1/16 of an inch thick, making a roughly circular bread 9 to 10 inches across. Don't worry if the circle is not perfect, they are meant to be thin and hand-made looking.

After you finish rolling out the bread, transfer to a floured peel, or the floured underside of a baking sheet, then slide gently onto the pizza stone or quarry tiles. Take your time when transferring the bread, if one side flips under, you can lift it out and try it again or let it bake on one side and fix it when you flip it over. Bake the bread for 2 minutes, turn it over and bake for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes longer. The bread should have golden spots and be crisp. Place it on a rack to dry out further and proceed to roll out and bake the remaining breads. Store in a cool dry place for up to several weeks, eat them as you would a cracker.

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Chicken Braised in Apple Cider
By Trish Lobenfeld

Ingredients
4-1/2 pound chicken, cut into eighths and skinned
salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups thinly sliced onions
1 head of garlic, peeled
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/4 cup apple jack
2 cups apple cider
1 bay leaf
1 large rosemary twig
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary

Method
Season the chicken with a light sprinkle of salt and pepper and set aside. Pour vegetable oil into a heavy-bottom 4-quart covered pot over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and peeled garlic cloves and sauté until caramelized, approximately 20 minutes. Add the celery and carrots and sweat for 5 minutes. Add the apple jack and reduce by one-half (1/8 cup). Add the apple cider, bay leaf, and rosemary.

Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Continue cooking 1 1/2 hours, until the chicken is tender. Remove chicken to a warm serving dish and discard the bay leaf and rosemary twig. Puree vegetables and cooking liquid in a food processor, blender or with an emersion blender; adjust seasoning, and pour over chicken. Garnish the finished dish with the chopped parsley and rosemary.

Apple Cider Glaze
by Amy Topel

Yield: 2/3 cup
This simple glaze is wonderful brushed over baked or steamed fish or tossed over steamed carrots or squash.

Ingredients
2 cups fresh apple cider
3 tablespoons butter

Method
Place the apple cider in a small pot and bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer and continue to cook until it has reduced to approximately 1/4 cup. Remove the pot from the heat, add the butter and allow the butter to melt into the sauce.

This sauce can be made ahead of time and gently re-warmed for use.

Baked Salmon with Apple Cider Glaze
By Amy Topel

Serves 4

Ingredients
1/4 cup apple cider glaze
1 pound skinless salmon filet
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Method
Preheat oven to 400º F. Slice the salmon into four portions. Brush both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes, or until salmon is medium-rare. Remove from the oven, brush with the glaze and serve with wild rice and garlic sautéed greens.

Arame Cooked in Apple Cider
By Amy Topel

Serves 4 as a side dish

Ingredients
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 package firm tofu
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 carrot, julienned
1 cup dried arame
1 cup apple cider
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Method
Soak the arame in cold water for 5 minutes, drain and set aside. Cut the tofu into small cubes, slice the garlic and julienne the carrot. In a skillet, heat the sesame oil, and add the tofu, allowing it to brown on all sides, when browned add the carrots and garlic, lower the heat and cook for 2 minutes. Add the arame, apple juice, vinegar and soy sauce and cook, uncovered for 5 minutes or until the liquid has mostly evaporated. Taste and adjust seasonings and serve.

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Sautéed Delicata Squash with Collard Greens and Apricots

By Amy Topel

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 small delicata squash, washed, seeded and cut into 1/8-inch thick half-moons
2 bunches collard greens, washed, stemmed and cut into 1/4-inch strips
5 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup cooked chickpeas
1/4 cup dried apricots, quartered
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/8 cup apple cider or water
pinch cayenne
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 350F. Toss squash slices with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper and arrange in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, or until squash is tender and golden brown.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven, add collard greens and water and cook over medium heat, covered, for 10 minutes. Add garlic, chickpeas, apricots and cayenne and cook for another 5-10 minutes, until collards are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, place a pile of the collard green mixture on a plate and garnish with the baked squash.

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