Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Jim Lahey=Genius!



So maybe I am about three years behind the times, but I just found a really exciting way to make bread. I mean bread that you might actually buy in a store and now you can master it at home! Take note Timm, this post is for you.
The bread I speak of is the brainchild of famed NYC baker Jim Lahey. A few years back Mark Bittman (of NY Times fame) did his weekly Minimalist column with said baker, and the movement began. If you google no-knead bread recipe, you can peruse the internet for hours looking at variations and reviews of this recipe. I suggest you head on over to You Tube (like you don't want to look at silly animal videos, anyway!) and watch the video of Lahey and Bittman making the bread. I use the word making loosely, since there isn't much making involved. It is more like waiting...lots of waiting.
I am so excited about the results and only have a couple of things to add in case you decide to bake your own. First, I would definately add a little more salt. Not a lot, but I think some would surely add a little more flavor. Second, if you don't have a dutch oven, it is OK! You don't need to run out and buy one, because if you have a covered casserole-type pot you will be fine. I used a smashing red Emile Henry number my cha and bro got me a few years back and was really happy with the results. So happy, I am going to start a second loaf tonight.
Since I had this wonderful, crusty bread, I thought it the perfect time to try a recipe I found in the April issue of Southern Living magazine. The cover is devoted to rubbing it in that strawberries are in season as we speak, but hey I have some chives peeking up through the snow-so there! At any rate, the Strawberry Turkey Brie Panini featured on page 126 caught my attention. Instead of buying a jar of red pepper jelly, I simply used some leftover Rhubarb Sauce from last night's meal and since we don't have a panini press, we threw them on the George Foreman. A few minutes later, dinner was served!

1 comment:

  1. I will attempt to watch the video on You Tube but with dial-up a long wait can become quite frustrating. The bread looks good, nice and crusty, and the combination of strawberry (rhubarb), turkey and brie is surely causing the taste buds to rise and shine!!! Another great recipe to try!

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