 This recipe is an adaptation of a recipe in Harald Saul's Unvergessliche Küche Schlesien Traditionelle Familienrezept and ihre Geschichten. In 2009 I purchased the cookbook from a small giftshop in Görlitz, Germany. It's a small cookbook, 128 pages, that contains family photos, postcards, folklore, and traditional family recipes from Silesia, a cultural region that begins in eastern Germany and extends into Poland and the Czech Republic. There are quite a few recipes I enjoy in this book, particularly this one for sesame bread. I've adapted this Schlesische Sesambrötchen for a KitchenAid mixer. If you have access to the book, you can find the recipe on 65. I'm not providing a direct translation. My alterations mainly occur in the preparation and the type of flour. The recipe calls for 500g of a white flour or a whole meal flour, I've used a combination of wheat, barley and all purpose. Schlesische Sesambrötchen Silesian Sesame Bread, adapted from Pg. 65 250g all purpose unbleached flour (King Arthur) 100g barley flour 100g whole wheat pastry flour 50g wheat flour 1T active dry yeast 300ml lukewarm, tepid, water 1T honey 1tsp sea salt, fine 2 whole eggs (I used organic brown eggs) 2T olive oil 100g sesame seeds, untoasted, divided 1T room temperature milk (I used oat milk, but regular milk could certainly be used) Equipment: kitchen scale, stand mixer with paddle and dough hook attachment, pastry brush 15-20 rest 30 min rise 45 min second rising Combine flours and dry yeast in the large mixing bowl. (Make sure your yeast is fresh before combining, I don't proof it in this recipe). Use the paddle attachment and mix until combined well. In the liquid measuring cup with 300ml of warm water add honey and stir to dissolve completely. Make a well in the center of the mixing bowl and pour the liquid. Mix with the paddle attachment, then gradually add eggs, olive oil, salt and 50g of sesame seeds, continuing to mix with each addition. The dough will be quite sticky. Blend well, between low to medium for 2-3 mins. Switch to the dough hook attachment and continue to mix until dough wicks firmly against the sides and no longer sticks to the bowl. You may need to add, as I did, 1-2 T of all purpose flour to aid in this process. Let the dough rest for 15-20 mins in the mixing bowl; cover the bowl with a cloth. Uncover and knead at low-medium for 2-3 mins. Cover the bowl with a linen (not terry cloth) towel in a warm, draft free place for 30 mins. I placed my bowl on top of the radiator in the kitchen, but on the stove would work just as well. Remove the mass from the bowl when the dough has risen to just about twice its size. (If you want two loaves of bread, not one large loaf, separate it here). Gently knead with floured hands and shape into a large round boule without deflating the mass; place on a marble slab. Lightly cover again with the same towel, and rise for 45 mins. Toward the end of the second rising, preheat the oven to 400degrees. Place a stone on the rack. At the end of the second rising, brush the ball with the milk, and sprinkle the loaf with the remaining sesame seeds. Gently lift the loaf without deflating it and place it on the hot stone from the oven. Bake for 15-20 mins at 400degrees. The loaf will be a nice light brown color. The bread will also make a nice sandwich loaf, it is light and fluffy on the outside with a crisp exterior. Cool completely before slicing. Add Comment  Peanut Ginger Sesame Cookies One of my favorite recipes from the Veganomicon cookbook is for Peanut Ginger Sesame Cookies. I've made them for family on multiple occasions. Now, I'm whipping up a batch for our friends we're going to visit in Germany. My adaptation makes this recipe not Vegan. I use real butter. My flours and syrups are different as well. I add more ginger and omit the extracts. Peanut Ginger Sesame Cookies Adapted from the Veganomicon Cookbook 1 1/2 cups cake flour 1 1 /2 cups whole wheat pastry flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup super chunky peanut butter 1/8 cup (dry measure) sorghum syrup 1/8 cup (dry measure) baking molasses 1 1/4 cup turbinado sugar 1/2 cup soy milk 4-6oz dried candied ginger, diced into pieces white and black sesame seeds (if desired) for rolling Preheat: 350 degrees In a medium to large mixing bowl sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground ginger and cinnamon together. In a large stand mixing bowl, cream the butter, and add peanut butter, sorghum syrup and molasses, sugar and soy milk. Slowly add the flour mixture to combine. Fold in the chopped ginger. Roll into walnut sized balls, roll the balls into sesame seeds and bake, 10-15 mins. I like them soft and chewy, so I only bake them for about 10 minutes. Sesame Seeds Part III- Steamed Eggplant 08/30/2009
 As another side dish to this evening's dinner that features the sesame seed, I tossed steamed eggplant with toasted hazelnuts. Saturday as I made my tour of the local farmer's stands, filling the back seat of my car along the way, I noticed my favorite stand had small round eggplants. I've only cooked with the long varieties and wanted to see how it compared to the usual globe variety I purchase. These eggplants (comparable in size to eight ball zucchini) were tender and less seedy. They would be excellent for stuffing or making Eggplant Parmesan. Everyday Food features a small selection of recipes that feature eggplant in the current September issue. I was inspired by their steamed eggplant with peanuts and scallions and decided to recreate it, removing the added sugar and oil. I did not create a reduction. Steamed Eggplant with Hazelnuts, Scallions and Sesame Seeds Adapted from Everyday Food, September 2009. 3 small round eggplants, skins removed, cut lengthwise into 2-3" strips 3 T cider vinegar 2 1/2 T soy sauce (reduced sodium variety) 2 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped finely 1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped (once cooled I place them inside of a plastic bag and whack them with my rolling pin) 2 scallions, sliced 1 tsp+ sesame seeds, preferably toasted Pepper to taste Steam eggplant until tender, between 5-10 mins. Toss half way through to ensure even cooking. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, cider vinegar, and garlic. Remove eggplant from steamer and place in a serving dish. Pour dressing on top and toss together. Garnish with nuts and sesame seeds.  Related to the previous post, as a side to the seaweed salad, I made sesame flatbread crackers. I've had this recipe in my binder for some time. If you have the time, homemade crackers beat the packaged store brand crackers every time, hands down. I've been gradually moving further and further away from the white lily flour camp, incorporating different grains. Here I adapted Gourmet's recipe for Sesame Flatbread Crackers using rye and amaranth flours. Regular all purpose flour is still needed to maintain the texture. A rule of thumb I've adopted when substituting flours: start by substituting 1/3 and go from there. Sesame Flatbread Crackers with Amaranth and Rye Flours Adapted from Gourmet, May 2000 1 c amaranth flour, spooned and leveled 1 c white rye flour, spooned and leveled 1 c all purpose flour (I prefer the King Arthur brand) 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp salt 1 stick unsalted butter, softened 3/4 c buttermilk (I used powder & water) 1 c sesame seeds (plus sesame seeds to sprinkle on top) 2 eggs (I use an egg substitute) 1 1/2 T Agave nectar (you may use regular sugar and I'm sure honey would be an excellent subtle flavor combination) 1 T soy sauce Whisk together flours and salt. Cut in butter. Make a well in the center and add buttermilk and 1 cup sesame seeds. Knead briefly in the bowl until a dough comes together. Divide the dough into quarters or thirds, wrap each piece individually and place inside the refrigerator. Cool 15 mins. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your baking sheets, covering each cookie sheet with parchment paper. I prefer aluminum sheets, your baking time will need to be adjusted accordingly for your baking surface. Whisk together eggs, agave nectar and soy sauce together in a small measuring cup. Set aside. Set a small bag or bowl of sesame seeds next to it. Remove one package of dough from the refrigerator. Dust parchment paper and rolling pin lightly with flour. Unwrap dough, roll out to 1/8 inch thickness or thinner onto parchment paper. A tip: rolling cracker dough onto your parchment paper is an easier alternative than peeling individual crackers off your rolling surface. You can then pick the paper up and place it directly onto the baking sheet. Brush dough with egg mixture and cut into strips. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and place into the oven. Repeat with each package of dough in the refrigerator. Bake 15-17 mins, rotating halfway through. Watch crackers during the last 5 mins of baking, as they will brown quickly.   Sesame Seeds Part 1- Seaweed Salad 08/30/2009
 Every dish from tonight's dinner featured sesame seeds. A seaweed salad with edamame, sesame flatbread crackers, and steamed eggplant topped with, you guessed it, sesame seeds. Read Sesame Seeds Parts 2 & 3 to find the recipes for those dishes. My favorite side dish when I eat at Asian restaurants is seaweed salad. After scouring the web I learned that sea vegetables are just as versatile as the grains, beans, and vegetables I've been using to make various salads. I've been meaning to incorporate sea vegetables into my cooking vocabulary, as they are high in protein, fiber, and various minerals. Here, I rehydrated Arame and Hijiki, and combined it with edamame, cucumber, red pepper, shallots in a soy and vinegar dressing. Seaweed Salad 1/3 c Arame 1/3 c Hijiki 1/2 red bell pepper, diced 1 c shelled edamame, cooked 1 cucumber, seeded, peeled and chopped thin (next time I will dice it instead) 1 shallot, minced 1 T+ toasted sesame seeds 2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped 1 1/2 T freshly grated ginger (add more to taste) 1 T Mirin 2 T soy sauce (I prefer reduced sodium soy sauce) 2 T rice vinegar 1 T sesame oil (or substitute olive or almond oil) pinch of cayenne (add more to taste) Place arame and hijiki into a small saucepan of boiling water. Boil 10-15mins until tender but not soft. Meanwhile, prepare edamame, boiling pods or beans, shell if necessary. Place arame, hijiki, and edamame together in a large bowl. Add cucumber, pepper, and shallots. Make your dressing in a separate small bowl. Whisk together ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, oil, mirin and cayenne together. Pour on top of salad mixture. Toss together with sesame seeds. Top with scallions. Serve cold or at room temperature. Serves 4 to 6. This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar. | ArchivesOctober 2011 CategoriesAll |
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