Steve's Peasant Bread

I learned how to make bread when I was overseas from a visiting anesthesiologist. He had visited before and taught our cooks to make Challah (until I heard this, I was so confused as to why our Christian cooks in the middle of a Muslim country were making Challah), but I don't like Challah that much and it uses egg. By far, the best/easiest/tastiest/most diverse bread he taught me to make was peasant bread.

4 c. all purpose flour (white, unbleached)
1 c. oats (quick or regular, makes no difference)
2 c. water (approximately)
1 T. yeast (double this if you plan to freeze the dough)
1 T. salt
3 - 4 ice cubes

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Mix all the dry ingredients together well
3. Add water.
4. Rest for 30 minutes
5. Knead
6. Rest for 30 minutes
7. Knead
8. Repeat resting/kneading until dough is the right feel (strong and fluffy) usually 2-3 times.
9. Form into the shape you want (loaf, baguettes, buns, breadbowls)
10. Rest for 30 minutes
11. Smash it down
12. As you're throwing the bread into the (preheated) oven throw some ice cubes into the bottom. The steam makes the bread super crusty.
13. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-30 minutes-- until internal temp is 180-200 or until the outside seems done (brown and crusty).
14. Let it cool a little before you do anything with it! But not too much. Because it's SO GOOD warm.

Jackfruit "Pulled Pork" Sandwiches

WHOA! So, I'm back from overseas and I have been cooking up a storm, but not updating the foodblog. Trying to resume. Overseas, I was not vegan. I was too busy/isolated/infected with parasites not to eat whatever was put in front of me. I did manage to stay vegetarian. It's good to be back in the world of vegan.

I think our most recent "jackfruit pulled pork" sandwiches are a good recipe to get back with. Memphis Tap Room in Philadelphia had some pretty off the chain vegan jackfruit crabcakes, and I ate a fair amount of jackfruit when I was in Indonesia, but I hadn't thought about it in awhile. WHAT A MISTAKE. It's awesome.

Any Asian Grocer (i.e. H-Mart on Dequindre) will have canned jackfruit. Get the young/green kind in brine (not ripe or in syrup) because the ripe one is sweet.

I used 2 cans for the recipe. Start by prepping the jackfruit. Cut the center bits off leaving only the stringy part (where to cut will be self-evident on each piece). You can puree or finely chop the "waste" so you don't have to throw it away, or you can just throw it away. I threw it away the first time, but will probably try not to waste it next time.

You can veganize any BBQ pulled pork recipe with great ease, but the basics are:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Sautee sliced jackfruit in pan with "dry rub" any combo of mustard seed, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt.

2. Let that cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often to get nice and flavorous. In a separate pan, sautee some red onions-- about half an onion finely chopped will do nicely, and about 5-6 cloves of garlic. Combine that with the dry-rubbed jackfruit and then add the "wet ingredients" that turn it into barbecue. Again, any recipe for pulled-pork barbecue sauce can be easily veganized but the basics are: tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup (or brown sugar), catsup, water and more seasonings to taste.

3. Let that simmer for about 30 minutes. I like my BBQ really vinegary and spicy, but make it how you like it. You can also add some raisins (as long as you don't have to share a room with my husband for the nest 18-24 hours), or a grated apple (granny smith will do nicely). Also, if you want to make a shortcut, you can just dump a bottle of premade bbq sauce over the jackfruit.  Most of them are vegan (just check on honey).

4. Once the flavors have melded, dump everything into a lightly greased pan, spread it out thinly, and bake if for about 20-30 minutes to let it dry up a little. I think this step makes it have a more meatlike consistency.

5. Serve it with pickles and vegan coleslaw if you like that (I don't) on a bun (see next recipe for peasant bread).

IT IS SERIOUSLY GOOD.

Caramel Rolls

My sister-in-law made these for easter, they were off the chain. Great for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. Also a great thing to bring to someone's house when you are invited over.

Ingredients:
-2 loaves frozen bread dough (she used Rhodes Bake-N-Serv White Bread)
-1 cup brown sugar
-1/2 cup Earth Balance
-1 large pack vanilla pudding "cook & serve" - NOT INSTANT (Jell-O Brand has polysorbate 60 which isn't vegan, but Dr. Oetker's has a vanilla pudding mix that is vegan)
-2 T. almond milk
-1 t. cinammon
-chopped pecans

To Prepare:
1. Thaw bread until you can cut it / tear it into pieces
2. Cover bottom of 9X13 greased pan with pieces of bread
3. Melt butter and mix in remaining ingredients and pour over bread
4. Let bread rise for about 3 hours (or overnight in the fridge)
5. Bake for 30 minutes at 350. All the goo will sink to the bottom, DON'T PANIC!
6. Once done, flip it over onto a serving tray (carefully!) and top with pecans.