Prateek Dhar Wali

Sourdough Boule

April 24, 2016April 7, 2017Leave a comment

I have always enjoyed the writings of Michael Pollan. I was reading his book, Cooked and also watched the Netflix docu-series based on the book. In the “Air” section he described the primal tradition of making and enjoying bread. Since then I decided to try to make my own sourdough at home. I purchased a dry sourdough starter from San Francisco and over 10 days fed and divided it, not an easy task in the cold Syracuse March weather. Once I had a vigorous, active starter it was time to try making some bread! I also purchased a digital scale, proofing basket and a bowel scraper from Amazon. The bread recipe I have used is a high humidity boule from Hobbs House Bakery on Youtube. Below are the pictures and the recipe. Homemade bread is now one of my favorite hobbies.

Boule means ball in French, the traditional shape of French bread. It is a rustic loaf made from a variety of flour. I used wild yeast sourdough but it can also be made from commercial yeast or chemical leavening. The French bread baker is a boulanger making a French bread bakery a boulangerie.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

460g of Bread flour

300ml of Sourdough starter

230ml of water

10g of salt

The day before feed the starter 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of water, keep in a warm place till the next day. I keep it in the oven, temperature around 75 F.
Preheat oven to 450F with cast iron skillet or dutch oven.
Mix the above ingredients and smack it on the counter a few times before placing in a mixer with the dough blade.
In the mixer for 7 min at medium speed.
Remove from the bowl and do the first fold, the folding technique can be seen in the video below.
Let the dough rest for 30 min- first rise
Then do another fold- wait 10 min- fold again- wait 10 min- fold again.
Let the dough rest in a well floured proofing basket for 4-6 hours- second rise
Flip dough into cast iron skillet or dutch oven.
Score the dough with a razor blade.
Spray the bottom of the hot oven with water to create steam.
Bake the bread for 20 min with aluminum foil or cover, then cook uncovered for 20 min.
Cool on a wire rack for at least an hour.
Cut and enjoy!
I stored the bread in a zip-lock bag to keep fresh for at least 4-5 days.
The starter can be stored in a sealed plastic container till the next use.

Digital Scale and Mixing bowl

Sourdough Starter

Second Rise- 4 hours in a proofing basket

Cool on wire rack

Video

Hawaiian Acai Bowl

March 7, 2016April 7, 2017Leave a comment

Acai is a small grape-like berry harvested from acai palm trees. These trees can be found in the rainforests of South America. It is listed as a so-called superfood. It contains high quantities of antioxidants, fiber and healthy fats. We were introduced to acai in Hawaii at the local smoothie bar. It is perfect for a breakfast fruit bowl. Enjoy!

Base:

1/2 small banana

1/4 cup Sambazon acai juice

1/2 cup frozen strawberries

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Toppings:

1/2 small banana, sliced

1/4 cup granola

Drizzle of raw honey

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a blender, add banana, acai juice, frozen strawberries, frozen blueberries and almond milk. Blend on low until larger chunks are broken down, then gradually increase speed. You can also add greek yogurt instead of almond milk for thicker consistency.
Add your selected toppings.

Fried eggs with mushrooms

February 27, 2016April 7, 2017Leave a comment

This is an adaptation of a recipe from Mercat de la Boqueria in Barcelona, which is a wonderful market in the heart of the city. The market dates back to 1217. The original recipe uses local mushrooms, fried eggs and foie gras, which may be too much for a Saturday morning at home. This a simple recipe for a causal breakfast.

Finely dice one scallion and add to a non-stick pan on medium heat with a tablespoon of olive oil.
Add one clove of finely diced garlic.
Add a handful of finely diced mushrooms of your choice.
Add some Kosher salt.
After they start to brown usually 2-3 min, move them to the sides of the pan.
Add another tablespoon of olive oil in the center and break open two eggs.
Add some fresh rosemary and Kosher salt over the eggs.
Cover the pan for 30 seconds to cook the whites perfectly.
For a little extra spice add a few drops of Sriracha to the eggs. Enjoy!

Herb Crusted Mahi-Mahi

February 21, 2016April 7, 2017Leave a comment

Mahi-mahi (Coryphaena hippurus), is the Hawaiian name for a brilliant blue and silver fish. It is a white fish with delicate almost sweet flavor. It is sensitive to overcooking and should be cooked only until it flakes. Mahi-mahi is perfect for pan-searing and then finishing in the oven. This is a simple recipe from Gordon Ramsay using fresh herbs and tomatoes. I used Mahi-mahi instead of brill fish.

Pre-heat oven to 350F.
Coat fish filets with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Pan-sear for 2 minutes on each side over medium heat to light brown.
Place fish aside
Add cut grape tomatoes, one diced shallot and fresh diced basil with olive oil to same pan, sauté for a couple minutes.
Meanwhile add some fresh cubed bread with fresh parsley and parmesan cheese. Pulse until you have crumbled mixture.
Place tomato mixture on each filet, then top with herb flavored bread crumbs
Bake the herb covered fish for 6 minutes or until flaky.
Refer to the video below if questions.
Enjoy!

Vegetarian Pizza with Goat Cheese

February 20, 2016April 7, 2017Leave a comment

Quick and easy vegetarian pizza recipe with simple toppings found at home.

Preheat oven to 450-500 degrees F, depending on how high your oven goes.
Bring skillet to medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil, diced red onion and bell peppers. Season with salt, dried oregano and fresh basil. Add a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Cook until soft and starting to brown then add mushrooms and sauté for a couple minutes and set aside.
Roll out dough onto a floured surface. I got my pizza dough from dairy/cheese aisle in the grocery store.
Top with desired amount of pizza sauce, available in any grocery store.
Use a baking sheet with parchment or a pizza stone like we did.
Prebake the crust for 5 minutes.
Then place your sautéed vegetable topping on top, if you like, add your preference of cheese on top. I used goat cheese crumbled for Michaela’s side of the pizza. I also added some red pepper flakes. continue to bake for 8-10 min.
Cool and enjoy!

Fettuccine with Sausage Meat Bolognese

February 15, 2016April 7, 2017Leave a comment

Traditional bolognese is an easy weeknight recipe for a rich and satisfying meal. Bolognese is a sauce, known in Italy as ragu. It is a meat based sauce from Bologna, Italy. It is often served over a flat shaped pasta such as tagliatelle, lasagne, pappardelle or fettuccine. It is a slow cooked sauce with onion, celery, carrot mixed with various ground meat. Tomatoes and wine are added to thicken the sauce and add body. Enjoy!

1. Boil dried fettuccine in salted water, takes around 11 minutes to cook (depending on pasta)

2. Add olive oil to hot pan

3. Add shredded onions (1), shredded carrots (1-2) and chopped garlic (3 cloves), sweat until soft

4. Remove sausage (1lb) from the skin add crumbled meat to the middle of the pan. I used spicy italian pork sausage.

5. Add dried oregano, and season with salt and pepper

6. When the meat has slightly browned, add a tablespoon of tomato paste to the middle of the pan. Then add 250ml of red wine. Simmer till it is thickened.

7. Add 16oz of crushed tomatoes and a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce and again simmer till desired thickness.

8. Finish with grated parmesan cheese

Greek Turkey Burgers with Dill Sauce

February 3, 2016April 7, 2017Leave a comment

I was craving a greek lamb burger at work today after being reminded of a past trip to London’s Borough Market. The market has been in existence since 1014, near London Bridge. It is a popular place to buy groceries and also sample local goods. Borough Market has been shown in multiple movies including Bridget Jones’s Diary, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. So I decided to make a greek turkey burger (less fat) instead with feta and a yogurt dill sauce. The key to keeping the burgers juicy is to cover them after searing 2 min on each side to trap the moisture and allow the inside to cook to 165 F. Recipe and instructions below, Enjoy!

Before:

Burgers:

1 lb 94% ground turkey

1/2 cup spinach or mixed greens

1/4 cup of panko bread crumbs

Crumbled feta cheese

1 tsp of dried oregano

Salt and black pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Rolls

Sauce:

1 tbsp of dill

1/4 cup of plain yogurt

1 clove of garlic, fine chopped

1 tsp of olive oil

1 tsp of lemon juice

Salt and black pepper

Directions:

Combine ground turkey, baby spinach or spring salad mix, bread crumbs, feta, oregano, cracked pepper, and olive oil in mixing bowl. Divide mixture into fourths; form 4 burgers. Cover and place in fridge for 5 min.
Heat non-stick pan to medium-high. Add a teaspoon of vegetable oil.
Sear burgers on pan for 2 min, until they have changed color about one-quarter of way up from bottom. Turn over; sear 2 min. Turn again; reduce heat to MED-LOW and cover with lid.
Cook for about 5 min until internal temp reaches 165 degrees (check by inserting thermometer halfway into thickest part of burgers). Transfer to clean platter.
Top each burger with crumbled feta, 1 tbsp of dill yogurt sauce, mixed greens on a toasted roll (we used potato rolls).

Caramelized Onion & Sweet Potato

January 30, 2016April 7, 2017Leave a comment

This is a tasty, healthy and light dinner when you’re on a tight schedule. The recipe is from Bobby Flay, master of grilling. I cut the sweet potatoes, brushed with olive oil, salt and used the microwave to soften them instead of a grill. Then just add the sweet potatoes to the caramelized onion mixture. The dijon and the balsamic vinegar give a nice savory flavor. Enjoy!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/caramelized-onion-sweet-potato-salad-recipe.html

Chicken Breast with Brussels Sprouts

January 12, 2016January 12, 2016Leave a comment

Today at work I was asked if I ever cook anything original, so here goes..

This is my pan roasted chicken breast with brussels sprouts. I used skinless, boneless chicken breast and split them horizontally to cook them evenly. The marinade is a tablespoon of Symeon’s spice mix (thanks to Rakesh Uncle) with olive oil for 15 min prior to roasting. Symeon’s is a mix of salt, pepper, oregano, paprika and garlic. The chicken stock is Emeril’s organic brand. Chicken stock is made from bones and simmered for a longer period of time to extract gelatin and provide a rich, full flavor, where broth is mainly made from the meat.

1.Use a hot stainless steel fry pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil. Then add the chicken away from you to avoid splatter, skin side down.

2. Add the brussels sprouts after lightly basting them in olive oil, garlic and salt. Also add some fresh rosemary over the chicken. (Pic below)

3. Wait until the chicken moves easily and is nicely browned to flip over.

4. Add 150ml of chicken stock and simmer until the chicken is properly cooked and sauce is thickened. I use a meat thermometer to assure appropriate temperature is achieved (165 degrees F)

5. If you like a more roasted appearance to the brussels sprouts, place them in another dry pan and heat until browned.

Skinny Chicken Tikka Masala

January 11, 2016April 7, 2017Leave a comment

Chicken tikka masala is a popular Indian dish all around the world. Its roots go back 5000 years to the time of the Mughal dynasty and the invention of the tandoor clay oven. The bite size pieces called tikka, apparently the Emperor Babur didn’t like chicken bones, became one of the most popular dishes of the empire. Later another empire, the British, exported (stole) a few items such as the Kohinoor diamond and also developed a significant appreciation for chicken tikka masala. This is a simple recipe in which I used chicken breast cut into small pieces and 2% yogurt. Enjoy.