Spiced Brown Butter Banana Bread

During my conversations with people just starting out on their culinary adventures, baking tends to be a delayed endeavor and trust me, I get it. Generally speaking, cooking is more forgiving. There is an instinctual element (a little pinch here, a touch more cream there) that is lacking in baking. Add too much liquid to your sauce? Reduce it down a little longer and you can still be left with a silky result.  Add too much liquid to your dough? Compensate with more ingredients all you want, but the texture just won’t be the same. Baking requires exact measuring in order to ensure a desirable outcome. But don’t let this intimidate you! Like cooking, baking is all about technique. As long as you follow the proper method and use precise measuring, there is no reason you can’t produce a product that would be the envy of any bakery counter (or bake sale) 

So you want to get baking but don’t know where to start? How about the ever popular quick bread? Between muffins, loaves, cakes, pancakes and biscuits, quick breads tend to be the dominate baked goods of household kitchens. Sweet, savory, healthy or not so much, quick breads are an easy and well, quick way to use up fruits and vegetables that are about to go bad.

As already mentioned, baking requires the execution of very exact technique. For example, you can’t throw hastily measured ingredients all in one bowl, mix, and pour in a pan and expect to have moist and tasty muffins. But lucky for us, there are three fail proof methods for baking quick breads that will all but ensure perfect outcome: 

Muffin Method- typically used for recipes like muffins, pancakes, waffles, cornbread, popovers and sometimes coffee cakes and loaves

1.       combine dry ingredients

2.       combine liquid ingredients

3.       melt fat and add to the liquid ingredients

4.       add dry ingredients to liquid ingredients

5.       fold in any fruit, nuts or candy

Biscuit Method- use for biscuits, dumplings, crumbles and cobbler toppings

1.       combine dry ingredients

2.       combine liquid ingredients and eggs

3.       cut (or shred) the fat into the dry ingredients until it’s the texture of coarse sand

4.       combine wet and dry ingredients and once a ball is formed, knead

Cake Method- used for most cakes and loaves

1.       cream the fat and sugar together

2.       beat the eggs into the fat and sugar mixture

3.       sift and combine dry ingredients

4.       combine liquid ingredients

5.       alternate adding the dry and liquid ingredients to the fat, sugar and eggs starting and ending with the dry

6.       fold in any fruit, nuts or candy

*note* sugar is considered a liquid ingredient. So, with the exception of the cake method, include the sugar with the liquids

As long as you stick to these simple instructions, you can fill your home with the warm aroma of perfectly scratch-baked goods with much less effort than you might have imagined.

***

The past few weeks have been really busy for my family, my husband in particular. He has just started the didactic phase of his graduate school program and life as we know it is going to be turned on its head for quite a while. In preparation for the looming insanity that lay before us, I wanted to make him some of his favorite foods, one of which is banana bread. Now my husband seriously loves banana bread.  And after ten years (!) of being together and hundreds of loaves later, I believe I have my recipe down to a science. However, with our little world changing, I felt like changing up my recipe as well. So, as a treat for him, I made some of his favorite bread. And as I treat for me, I decided to switch it up a little using spices in my pantry and browning my butter. 

*note* brown butter aka beurre noisette is melted butter with the milk solids heated until they are brown. This gives the butter a unique, nutty flavor. In fact, Noisette is French for Hazelnut so this butter is appropriately named both in color and taste.

Creaming the butter with sugar (like in the cake method) is a great way to develop air which assists in the leavening (rising). This is one reason cakes are so light and fluffy. However , many recipes will call for melted butter which is what gives this bread its moist, dense texture.  

 As I mentioned earlier, baking measurements have to be exact. Measuring by weight with a kitchen scale is much more accurate than measuring by volume; so, for your convenience, I’m providing both measurement options.  

Also, if you want to make muffins, just pour the batter into a greased muffin tin and bake for about 30 minutes.

Spiced Brown Butter Banana Bread

Time:1 hr 15 min

Tools:

·         1 cup measure

·         Measuring spoons- ¼ teaspoon, ½ teaspoon, 1 teaspoon

·         One small pan and spoon for butter

·         One greased bread pan  

·         Flour sifter

·         Large bowl and spoon or mixer

·          

Ingredients:

·         4 ounces or ½ cup butter (one stick)

·         7 ounces or 1 cup sugar

·         2 eggs

·         12 ounces or 2-3 large, ripe bananas (starting to turn or already brown)

·         1 tsp real vanilla extract

·         9 ounces or 2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour

·         1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

·         1 rounded teaspoon baking soda

·         2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

·         1  teaspoon ground cardamom

·         ½  teaspoon ground allspice

·         ½  teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

·         1 teaspoon salt

Instructions:  preheat the oven to 350degrees

1.       Brown the butter by cutting it up and putting it in a small pan on a medium heat. Slowly melt and heat the butter, stirring frequently.

 Keep an eye on the pan because the milk solids can burn.  It will start to lightly boil (at this point you should kill the heat and stir constantly) and about the time you hear the bubbling and sizzling stop, the milk solids should be brown. Skim the foam off the top and you should be left with melted butter the color of toasted hazelnuts

 2. Add the butter to a mixing bowl and stir to help it cool down. 

3.       Once cool, add the sugar to the butter and turn on the mixer and beat until very well incorporated (all of this can be done by hand very easily)

4. As long as the butter and sugar are cool, add the eggs one at a time, making sure the first one is well incorporated before adding the second. Keep mixing until the mixture is creamy

5.       Add the vanilla 

6.       Now cut (or squish depending on ripeness) the bananas into chunks and add them to the mixture. I like to keep the bananas kind of chunky but feel free to make it as creamy as you want

7.       While your mixer is going, sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda together (I always sift onto a pliable, plastic cutting board so I can fold it up and pour the ingredients easily. But you can sift into a bowl and spoon or pour in the dry ingredients as well

8.       With the mixer on low (or just pause your stirring) slowly pour 1/3 of the dry mixture into the wet mixture already in the bowl. Once mostly incorporated, continue adding the dry in thirds.

9.       Grease or butter a 9x5 bread loaf pan and pour in the batter, smoothing the top

10.   Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. The bread will be ready when you lightly touch the top and it springs back like a bed mattress or a toothpick comes out clean when poked in

11.   Once your bread passes the “mattress test” take it out of the oven and cool for about 15 minutes, run a butter knife around the edges to separate the bread from the side of the pan, and turn upside down to release.   

***Now make it yours!** For a traditional banana bread, leave out the spices and using the cake method, substitute softened butter instead of brown.

And just like with most recipes, once you know the basic fundamentals, you can switch up certain ingredients to create new dishes. How about adding dried fruit, nuts, peanut butter, or exchanging the bananas for zucchini? Or two of my personal favorites are ricotta lemon muffins and orange tea bread! What are your favorite quick breads? Or, do you have an ingredient you would like to try  in a quick bread but don't know where to start? Send me a message, comment or email and I will help you come up with a unique recipe that is all yours! Now go make something delicious!

Apple and Green Chile Roasted Pork Loin

The Hatch is back people! That’s right! Hatch Green Chile season is upon us ya’ll and the South West is bursting with the aroma of fire roasted peppers. Never heard of a Hatch chile? Don’t fret because I can’t wait to share this spicy, green gem with you now.

 In my opinion, you can’t be a good cook without an interest food. In fact, aside from basic technique, I feel this is the most important factor in cookery. After all, you aren’t going to make a good meal if you don’t enjoy it. So in addition to learning HOW to cook, I want you to appreciate cooking.  This largely comes from the excitement of discovering and learning something about food you didn’t know before.  And that is why I want to share with you this incredibly interesting (and delicious of course) piece of produce. 

Hatch chilies come from the New Mexican Hatch Valley and are part of the Capsicum Genus. That’s the same genus as the common peppers you would find in super markets: bell, jalapeno, banana, cayenne, habanero and so on. They actually look remarkably similar to the Anaheim pepper out of California. However, there is something magical in the rich riverbed soil in Hatch that gives these peppers an earthy sweetness that is somehow not overpowered by the spiciness of the chili.  Once you try a Hatch, you will immediately know it was grown with the care and respect only the best farmers give their produce.  This is exactly why people FREAK out about Hatch across the states surrounding New Mexico. 

Personally, I didn’t fully grasp the wonderment of all that is Hatch until I was in my Culinary Internship. I was working at a cooking school in a gourmet grocery, assisting chefs while they taught cooking classes to the public. When I was asked to come in on my day off to help peel peppers, I couldn’t imagine why an extra person would be needed for such a task. My wake up call came right when the first box was WHEELED in, overflowing with freshly roasted peppers.  So, I donned my rubber gloves (do yourself a favor and NEVER work with peppers without gloves) and 8 hours of nonstop peeling, packing and freezing later, I had a new-found respect of the Hatch. The next two weeks in the kitchen were spent using the prepped peppers in countless recipes, and in a variety of ways I had never even imagined a pepper could be utilized.

So what can you do with Hatch peppers?  First, you need to roast them (recipe will be below) to remove the less than pleasing, plastic-like skin. And then, you are only limited by your own imagination! Obviously they can replace poblanos and Anaheims in recipes with ease; and jalapenos as well. For example, try Hatch cornbread, Hatch rellanos or Hatch salsa. But if you want to venture out and be a little daring, how about Hatch Mac and Cheese or Hatch tuna salad? Or pulse some Hatch with olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, lime and Parmesan cheese and presto you have pesto! Now that you’ve been daring,  how about you get plain absurd… Next time you are making an apple pie, stir in some Hatch and shredded cheddar cheese (I know it sounds crazy, but trust me on this one) or my personal favorite, Hatch Peach Cobbler. Hatch peppers and peaches are both in season at the same time and marry beautifully together.  

Here are some examples of how I quickly incorporated my roasted Hatch into my daily menu this week

So, call around to your neighborhood markets and see if they have any Hatch in your area. If not, don’t worry because delicious Hatch goodness is all but a click away at: www.hatch-chile.com for an overnight delivery. There is also a good chance your grocery is carrying canned hatch, but as you can imagine nothing beats a good, fresh pepper. And, if you just can’t get to a Hatch, you can always use an Anaheim or poblano instead and confidently make a tasty dish. 

*note* once roasted and cleaned, Hatch chilies freeze very well. So if you see someone with 20 pounds of peppers, don’t worry,  they aren’t about to OD on capsaicin, they are just stocking up and so should you!

How to Roast and Clean Hatch (or any) Chilies

Tools needed:

-tongs

Ingredients:
-Hatch Chiles

Instructions:

1. Wash the peppers thoroughly (always wash your fruits and vegetables)

2. You have several options for the actual roasting. You can lay them on the grill, turn them over the flame of a gas burner, or like I do, put them right under the broiler in the oven.

3. Once one side of the pepper has blistered and charred (the skin will be dry and dark brown to black) turn it with tongs to char all sides.

4.Place the now roasted peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, or put them in a zip lock bag. Leave the peppers sealed until they are cool. The residual heat from the roasting will create steam and will help soften and separate the skin from the meat.

5. Using gloves (again, this is for your own good. I’ve learned the hard way to never handle a lot of peppers bare handed) gently peel the skin from the pepper.

6. Remove the stem and the seeds. You can squeeze the seeds out of the top of the pepper made by removing the stem if you want to keep the pepper whole, or you can slice the pepper by laying it out flat and scraping the seeds from the meat

There you have it! Roasted and cleaned chiles!

For a recipe, I knew I wanted something simple and straight forward. Also, I wanted to demonstrate how the heat of a chili pepper can pair well with other flavors. While contemplating, my sister called and said “you know… most people eat more meat than you do so you should probably make a few meat posts” She was right. Not to mention, my poor carnivorous husband has been living off grains and veggies for quite a while now. And while I usually turn to fish, I do enjoy an occasional meal of red meat every now and then. So, I opened this week’s circulars and saw that pork loin was on sale and the idea of apples, pork and most importantly Hatch came to me. The heat of the pepper compliments the tartness of the apple and both are balanced by the mild flavor of pork. Besides, everyone should know how to roast a loin. It may sound intimidating, but in actuality, it only takes about 30 minutes to have a perfectly moist roast on your table. Not only does this make pork loin an attainable weeknight meal, but it’s also easy to prepare for a special occasion.  

Hatch and Apple topped Roasted Pork Loin

Serves 4

Time 30-45 minutes

Tools:

·       -  Cutting board

·        - Sharp knife

·         -Tongs

·         -Bowl with plastic wrap or a large freezer bag

·         -Vegetable peeler

·         -One oven-safe pan

·         -One more pan

·         -Aluminum foil

Ingredients:

·        - One pork loin

·         -4 tablespoons Olive oil divided (this means you will be using the oil for more than one task)

·         -One shallot

·         -One large green apple

·         -4 hatch chilies, roasted, peeled and seeded (just like above)

·         -½ of a lemon

·         -Salt and pepper

 Instructions:

1. Turn your oven to 350 degrees and begin heating 2 tablespoons of the oil in the oven-safe pan on a medium high heat 

2.  Place the pork on a cutting board and remove any silver skin by carefully sliding your knife   under it back and forth (this is the shiny, opaque remains of connective tissue, it looks obviously different from the fat on the loin)

3    3. Liberally salt and pepper all side of the loin. Be generous because this is what will help form the tasty crust everyone loves

*tip* to avoid cross contamination, I put the salt and pepper in a small bowl before I get started and throw away any leftovers)

NOW WASH YOUR BOARD!

4   4.To brown the loin, once the oil is hot (simmering and just starting to smoke) GENTLY lay the loin in the pan using the tongs

*Once one side of the loin is done browning, it will release from the pan. This is why it’s important to not move the meat around while it cooks. Just be patient and let your food tell you when it’s ready*

    5. When one side of the loin is browned, use your tongs and turn it so another side will brown. Keep  doing this until the entire loin has a pretty golden brown crust

*tip* to brown the narrower side of the loin, just prop it against the side of the pan. Unless of course you feel like holding it in place.

      6. Transfer the whole pan with the pork into the oven that has preheated to 350 degrees and let it roast until the internal temperature is 145 degrees- or 15-20 minutes

*if you don’t have an oven safe pan, just put the browned loin on a roasting pan*

**I have an oven safe internal thermometer that lets me know exactly when my meat has come to the desired temperature. If you don’t have one, after about 15 minutes stick a standard meat thermometer into the thickest part of the loin to see if you need to cook it any longer. If you don’t have a standard thermometer, get one. They are very cheap and help prevent any food borne illness associated with undercooked meat, as well as any less-than-tasty outcomes associated with overcooking meat.

  ***While the loin is roasting, make your hatch and apple mixture The recipe is listed below to avoid breaking the pork instructions up***

7.  Remove the pan from the oven and stick an internal thermometer into the thickest part of the loin. If the temperature reads 145 or greater, using the tongs, place the cooked loin onto the now clean cutting board, loosely cover the pork with foil and let it rest for about ten minutes. This will bring the temperature up to 160-165 which is where most people like their pork cooked

 *Quick Tip* If I need longer than ten minutes before cutting the meat, I will rest it on a plate in the microwave to keep it warm

*resting is necessary in ensuring moist meat. If you cut into it too soon, the flavorful juices will leak out instead of reabsorbing into the meat. So, roasted, broiled, grilled, it doesn’t matter. Always rest your meat!

8. After your meat has rested, start slicing the loin. You can slice it as thinly or thickly as you desire but I usually go for ¼- ½ inch pieces

 

*you can see how resting the loin gave us a beautiful, moist loin.

Now to plate your loin, fan the slices out and top with the hatch and apple mixture. How tasty does that look?!

Hatch and Apple Topping

1.  Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan 

2.   Dice your shallot. Treat the shallot like a mini onion when dicing. In fact, if you don’t have a shallot ¼- ½ of an onion will work just fine.

             -slice the shallot in half and remove the paper

            -carefully make horizontal, and then vertical slices

            -run your knife horizontally once more to release the dice

          3. Once diced, add the shallot and salt to the pan 

      4. Peel and dice the apple

-  Cut all four sides of the apple around the core

-  Then, slice each piece into strips

-   Run your knife against each strip to make dices (if you haven’t noticed by now, dicing is the most common knife cut you will come across in cooking so the more you cook from scratch, the better you will get at it)

  

 5.Once the shallot just starts to brown, add the apple and squeeze in lemon juice (this will help prevent the apple of oxidizing and turning brown, in addition to brightening up the dish.)

      6.  Cook until the apple is just starting to soften, and turn off the heat

7. Dice the roasted and cleaned hatch chilies by slicing the pepper vertically and horizontally.

     8. Then stir into the apple and onion mixture Add salt and pepper to taste

 

Your dinner is now complete! To plate, just fan out the slices of pork and top with your apple and chile mixture.

Serve the pork alongside your favorite vegetables or grains. I happened to have potatoes and broccolini but I love wild rice pilaf with my pork (how about some Hatch wild rice?) 

Now Make it Yours!

Try this super easy apple, chili and shallot mixture on any cut of meat or even in a leafy green salad. Speaking of salad, how about using this in a potato salad as well? There are, as always, limitless possibilities. 

VEGANS/Vegetarians! Now just because I made a meat dish this week, doesn’t mean you can’t use this recipe too! As a matter of fact, I mixed the leftover Hatch, apples and shallot with some couscous, quinoa and kale for lunch the next day and it was great!

I hope you enjoyed my little introduction to the Hatch craze. With any luck, you will now feel inspired to go and discover not only this pepper, but any other foods you may be curious about. Any and all questions, comments and suggestions are always welcomed and more than appreciated. Leave a comment or email me at MyDeliciousDiaita@gmail.com

 Now go make something delicious!