All About Foods Court

Dandelions are a very bitter green that are extremely popular in the spring although in recent years cultured dandelions can be found in many organic grocery stores year round. By caramelizing the onions which makes them sweet they create a nice balance to temper the bitterness of the greens just a bit.

We have been trying out many different variations of pizza dough to create one that contained a combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flours but still remains tender and this dough gave us exactly what we were looking for.

Serves 4 As A Main Course Or 6 to 8 As An Appetizer

Deborah Mele

Dough:

2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Unbleached Flour

2 1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Pastry Dough (Or King Arthur's White Wheat Flour)

1 Package Active Dry Yeast

1 3/4 Cups Warm Water

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon Sea Salt



Topping:

1 Bunch Dandelion Greens (Or About 8 Cups Chopped Into 2 Inch Pieces)

1 Large Red Onion, Peeled And Thinly Sliced

2 Large Cloves Garlic, Peeled And Minced

6 Slices Prosciutto, Finely Chopped

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Cracked Black Pepper

Sea Salt

1 1/2 Cups Sliced Fontina Cheese


Mix the yeast in 1/2 cup of the water and let sit 10 minutes. Place the flour into a mound on the counter creating a well in the center. Add the yeast mixture, olive oil, and sea salt into the well. Slowly add additional water and mix it into the flour until you have a dough. Knead the dough by hand, adding additional flour to prevent sticking, or a little extra water if needed until you have a soft dough. Knead for about 8 minutes. Oil a large bowl and place the dough into the bowl to rise. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place until the dough has doubled.

While the dough is rising, prepare the topping. In a heavy skillet, heat the olive oil and once hot add the onion slices. Continue to cook the onions over medium heat until they are very soft and caramelized. Add the garlic and prosciutto, and stir to mix well. Add the dandelion greens and stir to mix well. Continue to cook until the dandelions are soft and wilted. Season with the cracked pepper and sea salt to taste.

Sprinkle each cookie sheet with corn meal and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Once the dough has doubled, divide it into two parts, and press each half into a circle about 12 to 14 inches wide onto the prepared cookie sheets. Divide the topping in half and spread over the dough circles leaving a 1 1/2 inch edge all around. Scatter the cheese slices on top of the pizzas and bake until browned, about 20 minutes. Serve either warm or at room temperature.
www.italianfoodforever.com

This is a slow rise method of making pizza dough as I learned from Peter Reinhart's book American Pie although we use a mix of white wheat and all-purpose flours for our version. This method creates a very tender yet delicious dough but does require advance planning. My recipe makes 8 individual pizzas, and after a short 30 minute rise, I divide the dough into 8 balls, and refrigerate half of them and freeze the others. The dough in the refrigerator is left for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days while the frozen dough can be kept for a couple of months if wrapped tightly.

I thaw the frozen dough in the refrigerator, and bring it out to come to room temperature and rise an hour and a half before we are ready to make pizza.

I also use an ingredient I found through the King Arthur company that helps keep the dough relaxed and easy to shape but the dough recipe does work well without this magic ingredient although you might have to work a bit harder to shape it. If the dough pulls back too much and fights being stretched, cover it and let it rest a little while longer.

I prefer to make my dough by hand although you could just as easily use a table top mixer if you prefer. The amount of water you may need will depend on the type/brand of flour you use so the amount listed is approximate. The dough should be slightly sticky yet smooth in texture when it is finished.

Makes 8 Individual Pizzas
by Deborah Mele

4 1/2 cups Unbleached Bread, or All-purpose Flour

2 1/2 Teaspoons Sea Salt

1 1/2 Packages Instant Yeast

1/3 Cup (2 ounces) Olive Oil

3 - 4 Cups Ice Cold Water

6 Tbsp. Easy Roll Dough Improver (Optional)


Pour 8 cups of the flour onto the counter in a mound, creating a well in the center. Put the salt, yeast and olive oil in the center and then begin to pour the cold water in mixing it into the dough initially with a fork, and then with your hands. Continue to mix the water into the dough adding in the additional flour as needed until you have a workable mass. Knead the dough until smooth, about 8 minutes.

Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough in to rise for 30 minutes. Punch down the dough and divide it into 8 equal sized balls (about 250 grams each). Lightly oil each dough ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Store the dough balls you intend to use within the next couple of days in the refrigerator, and place the rest in an airtight storage bag and freeze.

When you are ready to make you pizza, first leave the dough out in room temperature for an hour and a half. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees F. and place a pizza stone in the oven to heat. Lightly flour a counter or bread board and using your fingertips, knuckles and heels of your hand push the dough out to a 12 to 13 inch circle. Place whatever toppings you choose on your pizza and then place it on a pizza peel dusted with cornmeal. Bake for about 10 minutes, turning as needed until golden brown and bubbling.

This pizza is delicious although very rich. My son and son-in-law both love this pizza but prefer to have some spicy pepperoni sprinkled on top as well which adds a bite that offsets the richness of all the cheese.

Quattro formaggi of course means four cheese, and traditionally those four cheeses include mozzarella, Gorgonzola, Parmesan, and a fresh creamy cheese such as Robiola or Stracchino.

Makes 2 (12 Inch) Pizzas
by Deborah Mele

2 Pizza Dough Balls (See My Pizza Dough Recipe)

6 Ounces Full Fat Mozzarella, Shredded

3 Ounces Gorgonzola Cheese, Crumbled

4 Ounces Creamy White Cheese (See Above)

4 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese

6 Ounces Spicy Pepperoni Or Soppresata (Optional)


Preheat oven to the highest setting and place a pizza stone in the oven for at least 30 minutes. Making one pizza at a time, shape your pizza dough into a 12 inch circle and place it on a pizza peel lightly sprinkled with corn meal. Sprinkle half the cheese evenly over the pizza and then add half of the pepperoni if using.

Slide the pizza from the peel onto the pizza stone and cook until brown and bubbly, about 8 to 9 minutes. Remove from the oven and place it on a plate and complete the second pizza in the same fashion. Serve immediately.

Tendon is a popular Japanese rice bowl. This recipe uses vegetable tempura, but you can use various tempura as the topping.

Japanese Tempura

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups steamed rice
4 small green bell peppers, seeds removed, cut in half lengthwise
2 Japanese eggplants, cut in half lengthwise, make some cuts on the skin
1 potato, peeled, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds, soaked in water for 15 minutes
For batter:
1 egg
1 cup ice water
1 cup all purpose flour
For sauce:
3/4 cup tentsuyu
PREPARATION:
Cook steamed rice. Make tentsuyu sauce and set aside. Prepare tempura batter.

Materials
Bean Curd 2 pcs
Small size Oyster 200 g
Spring Onion 1 stalk
Fermented Beans 2 tbsp
Red Pepper (optioned) 1 pc

Sauce
Light Soy Sauce 2 tbsp
Salt 1/2 tbsp
Sugar 2 tbsp
Oyster Sauces 1 tbsp
Shaoxing Wine 1/2 tbsp
Corn Flour 1/3 tbsp
Water 3 tbsp

　

Steps
1) Wash oyster by clear water, then wash finely again with salt solution, wipe dry
2) Cut bean curd into small dices, soak 30 minutes by boiled hot water
3) Pour out water, wipe dry the bean curd dices by paper
4) Chop spring onion into small pieces, mash red pepper
5) Heat wok with 3 tbsp of oil, add in spring onion and fermented bean
6) Stir fry and mix well, add in oyster and bean curd dices, stir fry
7) Pour in sauce after oyster turn into white colour, keep stirring fry
8) Add in mashed red pepper, stir and mix well, dish up and serve

Remark
tbsp - table spoon

Materials for 4 persons
Hard Bean Curd 5 pcs

Batter
Corn Flour 1/4 cup
Plain Flour 1/2 cup
Water 1/2 cup

Sauce for each person
Sugar 1

Steps
1) Wash bean curd, wipe dry and slice each into 4 small pieces (square or triangle)
2) Sprinkle 1 tbsp of pepper salt onto bean curd surfaces, marinate for 60 minutes
3) Mix batter, heat wok with plenty oil until oil is fully boiled
4) Coat bean curd with batter, deep fry until turn to golden, drain up
5) Heat wok again with 2 tbsp of oil, add in red pepper and garlic
6) Add in deep fried bean curd, stir fry fast, sprinkle 2 tbsp of pepper salt
7) Stir fry fast and mix well, dish up, serve with sauce

Remark
tbsp - table spoon
To ensure a good result of deep frying the bean curd
~ heat the empty wok until haze rises
~ add in oil and then deep fry the bean curd after oil is fully boil
~ keep on high heat when deep frying the bean curd

Materials
Beancurd 2 pcs
Small Green Peppers 6-8 tbsp
Egg 1 pc
Carrot 40 g
Dry Black Mushrooms 3 pcs
Dry Small Shrimps 1 tbsp
Chicken Stock 2 tbsp

Sauce
Light Soy Sauce 3 tbsp
Salt 1 tbsp
Pepper Powder some
Sesame Oil some

Steps
1) Soak the black mushrooms, remove stalks, soak the dry shrimps also
2) Steam the black mushrooms and dry shrimps until cooked
3) Mince mushrooms and the carrot
4) Whisk the beancurd together with egg , mushrooms and dry shrimps
5) Add sauce and chicken stock, stir and mix well with 3 tbsp of cornflour
6) Remove the stalks and seeds of green peppers, cut into 2 halves
7) Sprinkle dash of cornflour on pepper, stuff the doufu on and daub it flat
8) Heat wok with 10 tbsp of oil in low heat
9) Put the stuffed green pepper by doufu "face-down"
10) Turn over the green pepper after doufu change into golden, fry for a while
11) Dish up, sprinkle light soy sauce and sesame oil on the green pepper, serve

Remark
tbsp - table spoon
Very good to enjoy this food with cool bear.......cheers !!

Materials Serving 4-6 persons Serving 4-6 persons

Beancurd 3 pcs
Water 1 liter
Chicken Meat 120 g
Dry Black Mushrooms 3 pcs
Chinese Ham 1 small slice
Green Pea 2 tbsp
Shells Moved Peanut 2 tbsp

Potage Solutioning
Salt 2 tbsp
Egg 1 pc
Oil 1 tbsp
Cornflour 2 tbsp
Salt 2 tbsp
Egg 1 pc
Oil 1 tbsp
Cornflour 2 tbsp

Steps
1) Boil chicken in 1 liter of hot water for 5 minutes
2) Take out and shred, soup for use
3) Soak dry black mushroom and China ham, wipe out water, then shred
4) Whisk the doufu, then add potage and mix it well
5) Boil doufu with 500ml of chicken soup and mix well
6) Heat other 500ml of chicken soup in wok, add shredded black mushroom
7) Add mixed doufu, peanut and shredded China ham, stir mix until soup boiled
8) Add pea while potage is boiled again, then add pea, serve

Remark
tbsp - table spoon
Potage is served better with some pepper

Materials
Beancurd 4 pcs
Minced Fat-lean Pork 100 g
Broad Bean Paste 40 g
Water 1/4 cup

Sauce
Adequate amount of
lard (or peanut oil)
chopped ginger
cornflour
salt
light soy sauce
chicken powder
chopped garlic
red chili oil
chopped spring onion
chili powder

　

Steps
1) Cut the beancurd into dices, scald in boiling water with a little salt, drain for use
2) Heat oil (better with lard) in wok, stir fry the pork until cooked
3) Add chili powder and chopper ginger, board bean paste, stir fry to mix well
4) Sprinkle a little yellow wine (if any), then add chopped garlic and light soy sauce
5) Put the scalded beancurd, stir for a while, add water then stir well
6) Stir cornflour solution when it boiled, sprinkle the red chili oil in
7) Stir slowly for 2-3 minutes, dish up, sprinkle chopped spring onion, serve

Remark
tbsp - table spoon
Broad Bean Paste purchased in food-shop of China-town
or replaced by minced Garlic Red Chili sauces, sold in supermarket
Sauce and Spicy Taste according to your favour, more or less

Materials
Beancurs 4 pcs
dry mushrooms 10pcs
spinach 300 g

Seasoning
Oil 3 tbsp
Sesame oil 1/4 tbsp
Sugar/Salt 1/2 tbsp each
Light Soy Sauce 1/2 tbsp
Cornflour 1 tbsp

Sauce 1
Water 3 tbsp
cornflour 1 tbsp

Sauce 2
Light soy 2 tbsp
Water 3 tbsp
Oyster sauce 2 tbsp
Sugar 1/4 tbsp

Steps
1) Cut the beancurd into slices 1 cm thick, scald in boiled water
2) Drain water and dish up beancurd, mix well with 1 tbsp of light soy
3) Soak the black mushrooms until soft, cut the stalks
4) Mix the mushrooms with seasoning , then steam for 15 minutes
5) Heat plenty of oil, put the boiled beancurd and deep-fried until it
6) When the beancurd become golden in colour, scoop it and drain oil away
7) Heat 3 tbsp of oil, fry spinach, add a cup of water, 1/2 tbsp of salt
8) Cover the lid for 3 minutes, take out the spinach, lay on the dish
9) Heat 1 tbsp of oil, fry the mushrooms and beancurd, mix well with sauce (2)
10) Stir fry with sauce (1) when the sauce (2) is boiled
11) Sprinkle 1/4 tbsp sesame oil, mix well, then dish up on the boiled spinach

Remark
tbsp - table spoon
Beancurd purchased in food-shop of China-town