Food Matters Part 14

3 Form the dough into a round and put it on the cookie sheet or press into the prepared pan, all the way to the edges. Bake for 20 minutes then sprinkle the top with a little coa.r.s.e salt, and continue baking for another 35 to 40 minutes, until the loaf is firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely, then cut the bread into slices or squares and serve or store for up to a day. Form the dough into a round and put it on the cookie sheet or press into the prepared pan, all the way to the edges. Bake for 20 minutes then sprinkle the top with a little coa.r.s.e salt, and continue baking for another 35 to 40 minutes, until the loaf is firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely, then cut the bread into slices or squares and serve or store for up to a day.

Almost No-Work Whole Grain Bread

Makes: 1 standard loaf .

Time: 14 to 28 hours, almost completely unattended Time: 14 to 28 hours, almost completely unattended

Since I first wrote about Jim Lahey's no-knead bread a couple of years ago, it's become something of a craze with many professionals, and home bakers have been experimenting with their own versions and sharing them on blogs and in books and magazines. In case you missed it: the original recipe creates a free-form white loaf, baked in a pot to create an artisan-style crumb. Lovely, but obviously not whole grain.

Enter this dense, full-flavored loaf, which is even easier. Bakers call this kind of loaf "travel bread." It is not as high as typical sandwich bread, but is used the exact same way. Slice it thinly (and try some toasted); it keeps for days simply wrapped in a tea towel on the counter.

To add whole grains, like cracked wheat, quinoa, or millet, soak cup grain in a small bowl, covered with water, for an hour or so. Drain and add to the dough as described in Step 2.

3 cups whole wheat flour, or use 2 cups plus a combination of other whole grain flours like buckwheat, rye, or cornmeal teaspoon instant yeast2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oilCornmeal or wheat bran for dusting (optional)Up to 1 cup chopped nuts, seeds, dried fruit, or proofed whole grains (optional: see headnote)

1 Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add 1 cups water and stir until blended; the dough should be quite wet and sticky but not liquid; add some more water if it seems dry. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm place for at least 12 and up to 24 hours. The dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Rising time will be shorter at warmer temperatures, or a bit longer if your kitchen is chilly. Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add 1 cups water and stir until blended; the dough should be quite wet and sticky but not liquid; add some more water if it seems dry. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm place for at least 12 and up to 24 hours. The dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Rising time will be shorter at warmer temperatures, or a bit longer if your kitchen is chilly.

2 Use some of the oil to grease the loaf pan. If you are adding nuts or anything else, fold them into the dough now with your hands or a rubber spatula. Transfer the dough to the loaf pan, and use a rubber spatula gently to settle it in evenly. Brush the top with the remaining oil and sprinkle with cornmeal if you like. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, an hour or two depending on the warmth of your kitchen. When it's almost ready, heat the oven to 350F. Use some of the oil to grease the loaf pan. If you are adding nuts or anything else, fold them into the dough now with your hands or a rubber spatula. Transfer the dough to the loaf pan, and use a rubber spatula gently to settle it in evenly. Brush the top with the remaining oil and sprinkle with cornmeal if you like. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, an hour or two depending on the warmth of your kitchen. When it's almost ready, heat the oven to 350F.

3 Bake the bread until deep golden and hollow-sounding when tapped, about 45 minutes. (An instant-read thermometer should register 200F when inserted into the center of the loaf.) Immediately turn out of the pan onto a rack and let it cool before slicing. Bake the bread until deep golden and hollow-sounding when tapped, about 45 minutes. (An instant-read thermometer should register 200F when inserted into the center of the loaf.) Immediately turn out of the pan onto a rack and let it cool before slicing.

Fast Whole Grain Bread: Increase the yeast to 1 teaspoons. Reduce the initial rise to 2 hours and the final rise in the pan to 60 minutes or so. Proceed immediately to Step 3. Increase the yeast to 1 teaspoons. Reduce the initial rise to 2 hours and the final rise in the pan to 60 minutes or so. Proceed immediately to Step 3.

Olive Oil Drizzle

Makes: 4 servings ( cup) .

Time: 5 minutes Time: 5 minutes

A superfast sauce you can use on nearly everything: simply cooked vegetables, grains, beans, meat, fish, poultry, even toasted bread. You can subst.i.tute wine, beer, sake, stock, or juice for the lemon juice and water, and you might try cooking spices or dried chiles, single spices, or seasoning blends along with the onion or other aromatics in Step 1. Or omit the parsley and finish the sauce with a pinch of stronger herbs like rosemary, thyme, or oregano.

cup olive oil1 tablespoon minced onion, garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, or lemongra.s.sSalt and freshly ground black pepper2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice or mild vinegar, like balsamic or rice vinegar2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, cilantro, or mint leaves

1 Put the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, just a minute or two. Turn the heat down if it starts to color. Put the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, just a minute or two. Turn the heat down if it starts to color.

2 Stir in 2 tablespoons water and the lemon juice; maintain the heat so it bubbles gently for a few seconds but doesn't boil away. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve. Stir in 2 tablespoons water and the lemon juice; maintain the heat so it bubbles gently for a few seconds but doesn't boil away. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve.

Sesame Oil Drizzle: For Asian flavors, replace the olive oil with 2 tablespoons each dark sesame oil and peanut oil; subst.i.tute scallions instead of the onions, and soy sauce for the lemon juice. If you like, add a small dried hot chile to the scallions as they cook. Use cilantro for the finishing herb. For Asian flavors, replace the olive oil with 2 tablespoons each dark sesame oil and peanut oil; subst.i.tute scallions instead of the onions, and soy sauce for the lemon juice. If you like, add a small dried hot chile to the scallions as they cook. Use cilantro for the finishing herb.

Fast Roasted Garlic

Makes: 3 heads .

Time: 20 to 40 minutes Time: 20 to 40 minutes

Sweet and creamy, roasted garlic is useful on its own or in soups, sauces, stir-fries, sandwiches, and vegetable purees. I like to double or triple the quant.i.ty of oil so I can have it for sauteing, sauces, and stir-fries. Just make sure to refrigerate both garlic and oil; they keep for a few days, but not longer.

To make roasted garlic the traditional, whole-head way, put the ingredients in a small baking dish. Then cover with foil and bake, undisturbed, until soft, at least 40 minutes.

3 whole heads garlic3 tablespoons or more olive oilSalt

1 Heat the oven to 375F. Break the garlic heads into individual cloves, but don't peel them. Spread them out in a pan, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt. Bake, shaking the pan occasionally, until tender, about 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 375F. Break the garlic heads into individual cloves, but don't peel them. Spread them out in a pan, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt. Bake, shaking the pan occasionally, until tender, about 20 minutes.

2 Let cool enough to handle. To use, squeeze the garlic from the skins or carefully remove the skins with a knife. Let cool enough to handle. To use, squeeze the garlic from the skins or carefully remove the skins with a knife.

Fast Braised Garlic: Increase the olive oil to Increase the olive oil to 1 1/3 cup and put it in a skillet large enough to hold the garlic in one layer, over medium-low heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic. Sprinkle with salt. Adjust the heat so the garlic barely sizzles. Cook, turning occasionally so the garlic browns evenly, until it gradually turns golden, then begins to brown. The garlic is done when perfectly tender; it should take about 15 to 20 minutes. Store as above. cup and put it in a skillet large enough to hold the garlic in one layer, over medium-low heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic. Sprinkle with salt. Adjust the heat so the garlic barely sizzles. Cook, turning occasionally so the garlic browns evenly, until it gradually turns golden, then begins to brown. The garlic is done when perfectly tender; it should take about 15 to 20 minutes. Store as above.

Breakfast You've heard all your life that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I'm not prepared to either verify or deny that plat.i.tude, but I will say this: A st.u.r.dy breakfast will certainly help you set the tone for the rest of your day's eating, and steer the midmorning snack away from doughnuts.

I'm a fan of savory breakfasts, as are the citizens of much of the world, so what turns me on is a bowl of beans and rice, or leftover soup from the night before, or even a dish of lightly sauteed vegetables. And if you think about it, much of what we consider the traditional American breakfast-eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, potatoes-is quite savory (and would serve as a fairly large supper). If you're looking for strong, mostly salty (and undeniably satisfying) flavors at breakfast, try the frittata on Chapter 11, and don't miss the list of Other Dishes in the Book You Can Eat for Breakfast or Brunch, Chapter 11.

If you prefer sweet breakfasts, there's no reason you can't be happy in the Food Matters framework. Have a smoothie or a big bowl of fruit salad, seasoned with lemon juice or mint, with maybe a spoonful or two of yogurt if you like. Or have a bowl of granola or cooked whole grains (you can cook a batch in advance and reheat a bit at a time each morning, in the microwave) with, if you like, a splash of milk or maple syrup and even a bit of b.u.t.ter.

A Very Flexible Fruit Salad

Makes: 4 servings (about 6 cups) .

Time: 30 minutes Time: 30 minutes

It isn't always easy-especially in the dead of winter-to find perfect fruit, which is what it takes to make an ideal fruit salad. But choosing what's ripe and fresh may mean opting for less traditional combinations, and that can be fun. Choose berries and apricots in early summer; tomatoes (yes!) and peaches with basil later on. Apples and pears become staples in the fall, and you can augment them with dried fruit.

To tide you through the winter, turn to avocado and pineapple (maybe with chopped cilantro and a good squeeze of lime; a pinch of chili isn't bad, either), or a mixture of citrus and bananas.

Try combining chunks of different melons, sprinkled with sea salt and chopped mint, or top sliced pears with hazelnuts, nuts, or crumbled blue cheese. In every case, figure about 1 cups per person.

medium cantaloupe or honeydew, seeded, peeled, and cut int chunks1 mango or papaya (or the other half of the melon) seeded, peeled, and cut into chunks pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into chunksZest and juice of 1 lemon1 pint strawberries, hulled and halved1 pint other berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.)1 orange or other citrus fruit, peeled and segmented

1 Put the melon, mango, pineapple, and lemon zest and juice in a large bowl and toss; add the remaining ingredients and toss gently, taking care not to crush the berries. Put the melon, mango, pineapple, and lemon zest and juice in a large bowl and toss; add the remaining ingredients and toss gently, taking care not to crush the berries.

2 Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve within a few hours of mixing. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve within a few hours of mixing.

Fruit Smoothies

Makes: 2 to 4 servings (about 4 cups) .

Time: 5 minutes Time: 5 minutes

Smoothies can range from simple to elaborate mixtures, but they're an almost instant breakfast, lunch, snack, or dessert. You can start with fresh or frozen fruit (unsweetened frozen fruit is convenient, inexpensive, and sometimes more flavorful than fresh). Smoothies work with or without milk or yogurt or additional sweetening, depending on just how fruity you want them. I use frozen banana in many of my smoothies, for flavor and texture.