This recipe I created using a French four spice, Quatre Epices, I experimented with many variations to come up with what I believe to be the best loaf. Enjoy with a cold glass of Pinot Gris or a white dessert wine
Quatre Epices Buttermilk Loaves
Tanya Moynihan Of Everything But The Guest
Ingredients
13 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3 cups)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon quatre epices
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cups candied ginger (optional)
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 1/3 cups low-fat buttermilk
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (through Ginger); stir with a whisk. Place sugar, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and blend well. Add flour mixture and buttermilk to sugar mixture
3. Spoon batter into mIni loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pans. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Quatre Epices Buttermilk Loaves
Tanya Moynihan Of Everything But The Guest
Ingredients
13 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3 cups)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon quatre epices
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cups candied ginger (optional)
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 1/3 cups low-fat buttermilk
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (through Ginger); stir with a whisk. Place sugar, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and blend well. Add flour mixture and buttermilk to sugar mixture
3. Spoon batter into mIni loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pans. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Mushrooms are a great way to enjoy a meatless meal. We always try to do at least one meatless meal a week and this ziti really hits the spot. Serve it with a Super Tuscan for a true Italian treat.
Ziti with Porcini Mushroom Sauce
Ingredients:
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/4 ounce)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups sliced button mushrooms (8 ounces)
1 teaspoon minced fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 quarts water
3 cups uncooked ziti (about 8 ounces short tube-shaped pasta) or other short pasta
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
Combine broth and porcini mushrooms in a small microwave-safe bowl. Cover with wax paper; microwave at high 2 minutes; let stand 10 minutes.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add button mushrooms, rosemary, salt, and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Add broth mixture and porcini mushrooms to pan; remove from heat.
Bring water to a boil in a large stockpot. Add ziti; return to a boil. Cook, uncovered, 10 minutes or until al dente, stirring occasionally. Drain. Stir ziti into mushroom mixture; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in cheese, parsley, and pepper.
Ziti with Porcini Mushroom Sauce
Ingredients:
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/4 ounce)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups sliced button mushrooms (8 ounces)
1 teaspoon minced fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 quarts water
3 cups uncooked ziti (about 8 ounces short tube-shaped pasta) or other short pasta
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
Combine broth and porcini mushrooms in a small microwave-safe bowl. Cover with wax paper; microwave at high 2 minutes; let stand 10 minutes.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add button mushrooms, rosemary, salt, and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Add broth mixture and porcini mushrooms to pan; remove from heat.
Bring water to a boil in a large stockpot. Add ziti; return to a boil. Cook, uncovered, 10 minutes or until al dente, stirring occasionally. Drain. Stir ziti into mushroom mixture; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in cheese, parsley, and pepper.
This recipe is quite involved and takes quite a long time to prepare but is definitely worth the effort. Serve with a green salad and some crusty bread wine of choice Cabernet Phiffer. Serves 10 +
Cassoulet
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds dried cannellini beans
1 (1-pound) boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 1/2 cups finely chopped onion (about 2 medium)
1 cup thinly sliced carrot (about 1/2 pound)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
2 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs
1 celery stalk
1 thyme sprig
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. quatre epices
8 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
2 cups water
5 duck confit legs (about 2 1/2 pounds)
Cooking spray
3/4 pound chicken sausage
1 (1-ounce) slice white bread
Directions:
1. Sort and wash beans; place in a large bowl. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours. Drain beans.
2. Sprinkle pork with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pork to pan; cook 6 minutes or until browned, turning occasionally. Remove pork from pan; reduce heat to medium. Add onion and carrot to pan; cook 8 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and tomatoes; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Tie twine around parsley, celery, thyme, and bay leaf to secure. Add pork, beans, 4 cups broth, 2 cups water, and herb bundle to pan. Bring to a simmer; cook, covered, for 2 hours or until beans are tender. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt ,1/4 teaspoon black pepper and quatre epices spice. Cool bean mixture to room temperature; cover and chill overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 400°.
4. Arrange duck confit legs in a 13 x 9–inch baking dish. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove skin and meat from bones; shred meat into large pieces. Discard skin and bones.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
6. Bring bean mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat; stir in duck. Bring remaining 4 cups broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan; pour evenly over bean mixture. Bake at 325° for 2 hours. Reduce oven to temperature to 275°.
7. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage to pan; cook 6 minutes or until browned, turning occasionally. Cool slightly; cut into 1-inch pieces. Stir bean mixture; add sausage pieces. Place bread in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1/2 cup. Sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly over cassoulet. Bake at 275° for 1 1/2 hours. Let stand 20 minutes before serving.
Cassoulet
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds dried cannellini beans
1 (1-pound) boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 1/2 cups finely chopped onion (about 2 medium)
1 cup thinly sliced carrot (about 1/2 pound)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
2 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs
1 celery stalk
1 thyme sprig
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. quatre epices
8 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
2 cups water
5 duck confit legs (about 2 1/2 pounds)
Cooking spray
3/4 pound chicken sausage
1 (1-ounce) slice white bread
Directions:
1. Sort and wash beans; place in a large bowl. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours. Drain beans.
2. Sprinkle pork with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pork to pan; cook 6 minutes or until browned, turning occasionally. Remove pork from pan; reduce heat to medium. Add onion and carrot to pan; cook 8 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and tomatoes; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Tie twine around parsley, celery, thyme, and bay leaf to secure. Add pork, beans, 4 cups broth, 2 cups water, and herb bundle to pan. Bring to a simmer; cook, covered, for 2 hours or until beans are tender. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt ,1/4 teaspoon black pepper and quatre epices spice. Cool bean mixture to room temperature; cover and chill overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 400°.
4. Arrange duck confit legs in a 13 x 9–inch baking dish. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove skin and meat from bones; shred meat into large pieces. Discard skin and bones.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
6. Bring bean mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat; stir in duck. Bring remaining 4 cups broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan; pour evenly over bean mixture. Bake at 325° for 2 hours. Reduce oven to temperature to 275°.
7. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage to pan; cook 6 minutes or until browned, turning occasionally. Cool slightly; cut into 1-inch pieces. Stir bean mixture; add sausage pieces. Place bread in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1/2 cup. Sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly over cassoulet. Bake at 275° for 1 1/2 hours. Let stand 20 minutes before serving.
