Sourdough Doughnuts

Deep fat frying terrifies to me. I don't have, and will never have, a fryer as I'm not a fan of specialized kitchen equipment. Though, I make an exception for the garlic press. In the long run, it is probably a good thing for my health that I fear pots of boiling oil. However, there are some things that are worth facing my phobia for. One of these happens to be sourdough doughnuts. I know of nowhere that it is possible to buy sourdough doughnuts. In fact, other than the ones I've made I don't think I've ever had them. Like most things sourdough I find them absolutely delicious.

Doughnuts are in some ways the quintessential American food. There is a bit of a debate as to where they originated, but most believe they evolved in Dutch settlements. The term doughnuts is found going back to the first decade of the 18th century; so, they have been around for a while. The idea of fry bread isn't revolutionary. The interesting thing about a doughnut is its shape, and the various toppings and fillings that have been developed for it. At some point, someone put a hole in the middle of their dough and discovered the modern doughnut. With the hole, it was easier to get the doughnut cooked through uniformly instead of having a gooey middle and a too crispy crust.

Doughnuts are really quite simple to make as long as you disregard the hot oil part. The general idea is that you are making a sweet bread, rolled it into a rope, and pinched together to make a circle. You let the doughnuts sit to rise, fry them in hot oil for just over a minute, top with whatever you desire and eat. Like many things, doughnuts are also much tastier when they are still warm from cooking, and warm doughnuts are difficult to find anywhere. The technique for making doughnuts is the same regardless of if they are sourdough or not, so if you do not have sourdough starter don't despair. Just make your favorite sweet bread, or look up a recipe for doughnut dough, and then follow the frying instructions below.

For me, the biggest issue with most doughnut recipes is the quantity they make. First, they are best fresh; so you don't want to make too many. Second, most of the time I am cooking for two, and forty doughnuts is too many regardless of how tasty they are. As doughnut recipes usually have eggs in them it is difficult to cut them down under the one egg level. Last time I did it, I made the below recipe for 20 doughnuts, and then got creative with the left over dough.

For: Sourdough Doughnuts (recipe adapted from epicurean.com)

1 cup Sourdough Starter
1/2 cup lukewarm milk or butter milk
1 cup flour
1 egg
2 Tbs oil
2 Tbs sugar (more if you like sweeter doughnuts)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Extra flour for kneading
Oil for frying-- The best common oils for frying are canola, vegetable, and peanut. Or you can of course use lard. Don't use olive oil as its smoke point is too low and you will likely burn the oil while trying to fry the doughnuts.

These are yeast doughnuts and need to rise, so start them a bit early. You can start them the night before if you want to do a double rise, but I would say it usually is not necessary. If you do start the night before, leave out the soda. Your doughnuts will be more sour but should still be light due to the long rise time.

Mix together the starter, milk, and 3/4 a cup of the flour until smooth. Add eggs and oil and beat well.

In a separate bowl mix remaining 1/4 cup flour, sugar, salt and soda. Combine with the starer mixture.

Either knead the dough in the bowl by adding extra flour and then working the flour in with your hands or a spoon, or turn the dough onto a well floured surface and knead until the dough is soft and has absorbed about 1/2 cup of flour. It will still be a bit sticky, especially since sourdough is always more sticky than normal dough. You do not want to knead the dough for too long, just knead enough to get the flour worked in and the dough smooth. The longer you knead it for, the tougher the doughnuts will be.

Once you are happy with the consistency of your dough, grease a baking sheet, flour your hands, take a generous handful of dough, roll it with your hands into a dough rope about 5 inches long, and then join the two ends to form a circle. Place the raw doughnut on the baking sheet and repeat. You can make your doughnuts as big or as small as you like. It makes the cooking easier if they are all close to the same size. Once you have made as many doughnuts as you wish, set the rest of the dough aside, and cover. Cover the sheet of doughnuts with a dry dish towel and let rise for 45 minutes.

When there is about 10 minutes left in your rise time add oil to a pot. The oil needs to be about three to four inches deep. A small soup pot usually works if you're only making a couple of doughnuts. Place the pot on a burner at medium high and allow the oil to heat. If you have a thermometer then let the oil heat up to 375 degrees and maintain it at this temperature. I don't usually use a thermometer, so I let it heat for 5 to 10 minutes and then test it with a pinch of dough.

To test the oil, put a bit of dough on a spoon and carefully lower into the pot. With boiling oil you never want to make sudden movements. If you surprise it, it will start popping and crackling and spit all over you. Trust me, oil burns are never fun. If when added, the small ball of dough starts sizzling immediately then the oil is ready. If not then let the oil heat for longer, and turn the heat up on the burner. Test again in another two minutes. If the doughball sizzles like crazy and turns a burnt dark brown color then it's too hot. Reduce the temperature, wait a few minutes, and repeat the doughball test.

Once you're happy with the oil temperature, take a doughnut off the sheet and with a utensil (tongs, a metal spatula, silverware) or your fingers carefully lower it into the oil. The side that was facing up on the baking sheet should be facing up in the oil. Add as many doughnuts as the pan will hold without becoming too crowded. Let them fry for about a minute and then, with metal tongs or a fork with a long handle, flip them over and fry for another minute. If the oil is hot enough they should cooked through after two minutes. Take out of the oil with tongs and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Finish cooking any remaining doughnuts.

Last time I made these I coated them with cinnamon sugar (1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon) and served while still warm with honey. You can top them with whatever you like, but the cinnamon sugar and honey went quite well with the sourdough flavor.

Now, what to do with that left over dough? Well, I let mine rise until double and then formed it into a braided bread (make three long dough ropes and braid together) and placed it on a pizza stone dusted with cornmeal (you could use a greased baking sheet). You can brush with an egg wash if you would like to make it shiny. Then let it rise for another 30 minutes and bake it at 375 for 25 minutes. You also don't need to braid it, instead just shove the dough into a bread pan. Sourdough doughnut bread is almost as good as sourdough doughnuts and makes tasty french toast.

Hodgepodge Quiche

Quiche is magical. The dish claims its origins from the French-German border and was originally a savory egg and cream pie. It starts with a few basic ingredients, a crust, eggs, a milk product, and cheese if you wish. Though, even these ingredients are not sacred. Quiches can be vegan omitting, eggs, milk and cheese for various plant based products (usually tofu). For me eggs, milk, some cheese and oil and flour to make a crust are ingredients almost ever present in my kitchen. This makes quiches a common occurrence in my house, especially in the summer. After you've figured out the and crust, what makes up the rest of the quiche is entirely up to you.

Dennis is suspicious of any quiche that does not contain a meat product, and doubly suspicious if a meatless Quiche also happens to contain spinach. Not that this stops me from experimenting. Some of my favorite combination are broccoli-cheddar, smoked salmon and mushroom, and ham or bacon plus mushrooms, onions and whatever vegetables happen to be in the freezer (often spinach) or vegetable drawer.

When I make Quiche, I usually combine a few different recipes and my own unique twists. How many ingredients you need for a quiche depends on the size of the pan your filling and how you prefer your custard/filling ratio. What I usually do is get the crust and filling together, and then pour the filling over until my pie plate can hold no more. If I end up with too much custard I have found that an extra dish of cooked eggs and milk is no hardship to eat as a lazy breakfast.

I've made quiche from recipes originating in many different cookbooks. But, I'm not sure I really got the idea of quiche, and how simple it is until reading the "Quiche Formula" in The New Enchanted Broccoli Forest. Mollie Katzen reduces Quiche to a crust (she gives 8 different crust options, the spinach crust being the reason the Dennis is suspicious of spinach quiche), the cheese, the filling (veggies), and the custard. The cookbook is worth having on the shelf for its vegetable pie and quiche section alone.

To make a Quiche:

1: A Crust (hint: you can go to your local grocery and skip making one by hand-- though the ones at the grocery are usually loaded with nasty hydrogenated fat)

Pie crusts are one of my prime nemeses. I'm not sure why. I think part of it is that my mother makes such perfect pie crusts that no matter how hard I try mine always seem inferior. That, and I can't seem to get them to stop sticking to the rolling pin (another arch enemy). They fall apart when I try to put them in the dish and always end up looking crumbly. That said, I have had a few zen pie crust experiences, where everything came together perfectly.

Most of the time I am just glad that quiche only have a crust on the bottom. Without a top crust to deal with I have figured out how to make a decent crust in the pie plate, without any rolling. As most of it is covered by quiche filling, if there happens to be any spots that break, or tear, or have to be patched up, well... no one knows but me, and I don't usually tell.

Recently, I have been experimenting with olive oil pie crusts, in an attempt to convince myself that pie crust can be healthy. I also make the spinach crust from Enchanted Broccoli Forest which I find goes well with Quiche (poll Dennis separately).

For a Spinach Crust (The New Enchanted Broccoli Forest, pg. 127)

2 Tbs butter or oil
3/4 lb fresh spinach
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup fine bread crumbs (or wheat germ)
A few dashes of nutmeg.

If using frozen spinach, unthaw drain excess water. Place in bowl add melted butter and the rest of ingredients and toss with a fork until combined. Press into a pie plate by pressing up the edges of the plate first and then into the bottom. This ensures that you have enough crust to go around the entire circumference of your pie plate, if the bottom is thinner it is not that big of a deal. If want flute the edges( a good explanation on how to do this in most basic Betty Crocker or Better Homes and Gardens Cookbooks) with fingers or a fork if you wish.

Fluting the edges of a pie crust was something that intimidated me for a long time, all you need to do is on your non-dominant hand press your index finger and your thumb together. Place these fingers next to the crust you want to flute (I usually place them on the inside of the pie plate). With your other hand take your index finger and from the opposite side of the crust press the crust into the slight V created by your other fingers. Repeat around the entire circumference of the pie plate.

If using fresh spinach. Mince the spinach and heat 2 Tbs. butter or oil in a large skillet. Add minced spinach and salt. Saute until spinach is limp. Remove from heat, add remaining ingredients and mix well. Press into plate and flute edges as above.

Fresh or frozen this crust should be baked for about 15 mins. in a 375 degree oven before filling. You do not need to let it cool before filling

If your interested in trying an olive oil crust. Place the below in a pie plate.

2/3 cup of extra virgin Olive Oil
2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt

Place pie plate in the freezer and move onto sauteing your veggies and getting your custard ready. When everything is ready to go, take the pie plate out of the freezer and with a fork, or a pastry blender mix the flour and the now thick olive oil together. When well mixed add 1/2 cup ice water and a dash of vinegar and mix. Press into the pie plate and flute edges as above. Adding more flour to your hands if necessary to prevent excessive sticking. I do not usually precook my crusts when I use olive oil. If you would like to preheat oven to 375, cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil, and bake for 15 mins.

Now that your crust is made.
2: The Cheese

There are three ways to put cheese on and in quiche, all equally important. If you are adding cheese, first, you always want to add some to the crust first, before any of the veggies or custard. The cheese will help to create a barrier between the filling and the crust and prevent your crust from getting sticky. Second, many people like to grate a small amount of Parmesan or other cheese on top of everything to help with browning, though this is not essential. However, it is tasty, and improves presentation. Finally, if you really love cheese, add grated cheese (or cubed cream cheese) to your custard.

So for the cheese, you need about 1/3 lb. (more if you love cheese and less if your counting calories) of grated or finely cubed cheese. You can use any kind of cheese (even cream cheese), though Swiss, Gruyere, and Cheddar work quite well. Sprinkle most (or all) of this on the bottom of your crust. You can add any remaining cheese to your custard, or to the top of the Quiche before you bake.


3: The Filling:

You need about 3 1/2 cups of chopped meats and/or veggies for a 10 inch Quiche, or about 3 cups for a 9 inch quiche. On the quiche pictured I used a combination of onion, mushrooms, zucchini, and Goose The Market bacon (from Dennis' bacon of the month club).

1/3 cup bacon
1 cup diced onion
1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
2 cups zucchini

Always saute your onions and/or bacon(meat) with a tsp of oil over medium heat for at least 5 minutes. I try to get my onions to brown and caramelize slightly before making adding the rest of your veggies to the pan. Once onions and meat are cooked to your satisfaction add the rest of the veggies and continue to saute for 2 to 3 more minutes. The goal is to get the veggies partially cooked before baking the quiche. It also can work to steam the veggies before adding them to the quiche. Whatever veggies and meats you want to add will work. My favorite quiches almost always contain mushrooms and onions, though this is not a requirement. After 2 to 3 minutes take your veggies off the heat, and put them into the cheese filled crust.

Finally:
3. The custard

A custard for a quiche can be as light or as rich as you like it to be. The Fiddle Head Cookbook suggests about 2 cups of half and half and 4 eggs for a 10 inch pie plate. This is delicious, but for me it is a bit too rich. If you want rich mix:

2 cups half and half
4 eggs
a dash of cayenne
1/2 a cup of Parmesan (or other reserved cheese)
(add 1/2 to 1 tsp salt if not adding cheese, the cheese itself is salty)

(reduce this to 3 eggs and 1 1/2 cup of half and half if using a 9 inch pie crust.)

and pour over assembled quiche until the plate is full.

I prefer to use Mollie Katzen's suggestions for the quiche custard:
3 eggs
1 cup of milk (or yogurt/buttermilk)
(and any extra reserved cheese you want to add to the custard or 1/2 to 1 tsp salt)

Mix together and pour over the filling.

If you have extra custard put in a separate dish and bake with the quiche for about 10 minutes. It does make a decent breakfast.


If desired sprinkle extra cheese or grate Parmesan over the top of the assembled quiche to help with browning of the top.

Heat your oven to 375 and bake the quiche for 35 to 40 minutes.

Quiche is tasty hot and cold and good to eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It keeps well in the fridge, and if you like it hot is fine when heated in the microwave. I like quiche as a dinner with soup and a salad (pictured with German Mushroom Soup and a green salad).

Quiche may seem complicated, but actually it does not take long to assemble (once you master the crust). Just remember, crust (always can be bought a store), cheese (optional), filling (assorted meat and veggies), custard(eggs and milk). That's all there is to quiche.

German Mushroom Soup

Soups become a staple of my kitchen as soon as the leaves start turning and the temperature drops. A couple of winters ago I decided to try to cook all of the soup recipes in the Fiddlehead Cookbook. The cookbook contains nine recipes for soup, and I have made six of them. Hopefully I will make the other three this winter. Every soup has been delicious and unique, and the reason I have not cooked though all of them is because these recipes demand to be made more than just once... and smoked halibut is hard to come by in Indianapolis.

One of my favorites is the German Mushroom Soup. I tried this recipe randomly a couple of years ago and it was the one that convinced me I needed to make all of the soups. I love mushrooms, and this soup excels at bringing out their savory, earthy, mushroominess. I am not aware of other broth based mushroom soup recipes. Though, to be fair, I have not looked for other recipes as I am quite happy with this one.

For German Mushroom Soup (The Fiddlehead Cookbook p. 22):


Heat 4 Tablespoons olive oil and or butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. The recipe calls for 2 Tablespoons of butter and 2 Tablespoons of safflower oil. I almost never have safflower oil on hand so I always substitute olive oil. I have tried both straight oil and with half butter. Butter and mushrooms do go together very well, but if you do not have butter, or are cooking a vegan meal then substitute olive oil.

Once the oil is hot add:

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onion, cut stem to tip, not diced

Cook onion until transparent, string occasionally to prevent burning. This will take about five minutes. Once onion is cooked reduce heat to low.

Add 1/4 cup flour. And cook stirring for about 10 minutes until the flour and onions turn golden brown. The flour will help thicken the soup, and toasted flour also helps to impart on the broth a rich flavor. This is the method used to make roux in french and Cajun dishes.

Once your flour and onions are brown add:

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 dried bay leaf
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock (or use bullion or bullion paste)
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 1/3 cups dry red wine (I buy the little bottles of wine especially to cook with)
4 cups thinly sliced mushrooms (any type will work, but portobellos or crimini are especially tasty)
2 teaspoons soy or tamari sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (if making vegan or vegetarian make sure to use vegan Worcestershire sauce as the normal one contains anchovies, you can also make your own vegan Worcestershire sauce.)


Bring the soup to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook at a simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

When soup has simmered dissolve 1 Tablespoon red or brown miso with 1/2 a cup of hot soup. Miso can be difficult to find and usually has to be purchased from an international or Asian grocer. It will usually be found next to the tofu in the refrigerated section. It is a salty fermented paste, usually made from soy and comes in many different varieties and flavors. Putting miso in a vegetarian soup is a great way to add a depth of flavor and savoriness that is most often associated with meat based broths. Originally, tamari sauce was a byproduct of miso production, though this is not the case of the sauce you commonly by in the grocery today. The recipes from the Fiddlehead make great use of miso, and making these recipes was my introduction to this versatile ingredient.

Once the miso is dissolved add the liquid and miso back to the soup pot and stir in. Taste the soup and add salt if necessary. Both the broth and the miso are salty, so additional salt may not be necessary. Serve at once and garnish with a dollop of sour cream if desired.

While delicious, this soup is too light to serve as a stand alone main course. Adding a 1/4 cup of barley or rice during the simmering process can help to make it more filling, though I dislike how this detracts from the flavor. I serve it for lunch or dinner with a couple of slices of bread on the side, or as a side accompaniment to salad, quiche, or grilled cheese sandwiches.