French Toast Face Off

I was now down to a little over a foot-and-a-half left of my once four foot baguette, and the bread was now sufficiently stale to make French toast. But which French toast?

Molly from Orangette swears by frying her French toast in oil whereas the popular consensus is to use butter.  I decided to compare the two for myself, taking the extra step of browning the butter first for some added flavor.  And since I had some leftover bacon fat from making the BLTs, I figured I'd try frying some French toast in that as well.  What we have now, my friends, is a French Toast Face Off.

As you can see, isn't a lot of difference in the three visually.  But once I started eating them, there was a world of a difference.  The browned butter-fried French toast was the most unremarkable of the three.  It didn't taste bad, it just didn't shine, and I couldn't even really taste the browned butter (although that might just be me because I can almost never taste browned butter).

The winner of the three in terms of flavor was definitely the bacon fat-fried French toast.  This may come as no surprise since I love bacon, and you could definitely taste the smoky, salty flavor come through in full force here.

But the overall winner for me was the oil-fried French toast.  This was the only French toast that developed a really nice crispy crust while retaining a soft, custardy interior.  For me, texture trumped flavor.  And if I really wanted bacon flavor with my French toast, I could just, you know, eat it with bacon.  =)

French Toast (adapted from Orangette)

Serves 1-2

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
6 to 8 day-old baguette slices, cut on the diagonal, about 3/4 inch thick
Canola or other flavorless oil
Pure maple syrup, for serving

Whisk together the first five ingredients in a wide, shallow bowl.

Place a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, over low to medium heat, and add enough oil to completely cover the bottom of the skillet.

Two or three at a time, add the bread slices to the egg mixture in the bowl, allowing them to rest for a minute or two on each side. They should feel heavy and thoroughly saturated, but they should not be falling apart.

When the oil is hot, place the slices in the skillet. They should sizzle a bit, and the oil should bubble lightly around the edges of the bread; take care, however, that the oil is not too hot, lest the egg mixture burn.

Cook until the underside of each slice is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn the bread, and cook until the second side is golden, another 2 minutes or so.

Remove the bread from the skillet to a plate lined with a paper towel, allow to rest for 30 seconds or so, and serve immediately—with maple syrup, of course.

Next, and last in the use-up-a-four-foot-baguette series:  Martha Stewart's Perfect Macaroni and Cheese
Previously:  Panzanella

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BLT with Avocado and Basil Mayonnaise

Half a foot down, three and a half feet of bread to go!  The next thing I made with the baguette was a BLT with avocado and basil mayonnaise, inspired by this recipe from The Kitchn.  Coincidentally, that same day there was a post on The Kitchn about how to cook perfect bacon on the stovetop by adding enough water to cover the bottom of the pan.

I tried the method, and it worked really well!  The water keeps the temperature of the bacon at a relatively low 212°F until it boils away so that the fat can render out without splattering.  Then once the water has evaporated the temperature in the pan climbs so that the bacon can brown and crisp up.  You can (and should!) save the bacon fat after the bacon is done to use in other recipes (stay tuned for French toast cooked in bacon fat).

The original recipe for the "California" BLT called for using plain slices of avocado in the sandwich, but I decided to mash half an avocado along with some salt and lemon juice to make a really simple guacamole and used that as a spread on the bread instead.  Heehee, that rhymed.

BLT with Avocado and Basil Mayonnaise (adapted from The Kitchn)

makes 2 sandwiches

For the Basil Mayonnaise:

2 tablespoons packed basil leaves

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

1 small garlic clove, chopped

Zest of half a lemon

1/4 cup mayonnaise

In a small food processor, combine the basil, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and lemon zest. Process until finely chopped and relatively smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. (Large, tough basil leaves will probably stay fairly chunky, which is fine.)

Place the mayonnaise in a small bowl and whisk in the basil mixture until thoroughly combined.

For the BLT:

1/2 avocado

1 teaspoon lemon juice

A pinch of salt

6 slices bacon

12 inch baguette, cut in half and split horizontally

1 tomato, the best you can find

2 handfuls chopped lettuce

1/4 cup Basil Mayonnaise

Scoop out the avocado into a small bowl.  Add the lemon juice and salt and mash together.  Set aside.

In a large, unheated skillet, add the bacon and enough water to completely cover the bottom of the pan.  Turn the heat to medium and allow the water to come to a boil.  Once the water has evaporated, continue to cook the bacon until the bottom has browned.  Flip the bacon using tongs and cook until crisp.  Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. 

Slice the tomatoes.

Spread the basil mayonnaise on the bottom half of bread.  Top with the lettuce, tomato, and bacon. 

Spread the mashed avocado on the other half of bread and place on top.  Enjoy!

I really liked how the chewy texture of the baguette went well with the crispiness of the bacon and lettuce and the creaminess of the avocado.  You can make this with plain white sandwich bread, too, but then I'd suggest toasting the bread so that it can stand up to all the fillings.

Next up:  Panzanella

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Spaghetti Carbonara for One

Our first stop in Rome was the Piazza Navona, known for its beautiful Bernini fountains, artists plying their wares, and the overpriced cafes lining the square.  Even though we were hungry, I didn't want to just settle for a potential tourist trap, so I asked one of the artists for his recommendation for lunch.

Him and his friends pointed us towards Ristorante Corallo, just a couple of blocks away from the piazza.  He mentioned that it was better than "baffeto" which at the time I thought meant "buffet" but later on realized was a reference to Pizzeria Baffeto, often listed as one of the best places for pizza in Rome and right around the corner from Corallo.

I really wanted to try a pizza in Rome, which is known for having an ultra-thin crust, so I ordered a pizza margherita to share.  Seeing another Roman specialty on the menu, I suggested that Ces order the spaghetti carbonara for us to share as well.  The pizza was good, although I noticed a distinct lack of basil.  It came without basil when I ordered it from a different restaurant the next day, too, so I guess that's just how pizza margherita is served in Rome.

I knew carbonara meant a bacon and egg sauce, but I was unprepared for how it would actually taste.  It was oh so silky and creamy without actually containing any cream, but the highlight was definitely the bacon.  It tasted different from the bacon I was used to having back in the States.  I knew I had to try to recreate the dish at home, but lamented to myself that I probably wouldn't be able to find the same type of bacon there.

After a little more research, I found out that the type of meat used was actually guanciale, made from cured pig jowl vs. traditional bacon, which is made from pork belly.  Luckily in Boston, there are quite a few places that carry guanciale including Formaggio Kitchen and Savenor's.  If you can't find it, you can try substituting pancetta, and if you can't find that, bacon.

On a recent night, I was really craving some spaghetti carbonara for myself so I googled "single serving carbonara" and this was the first link returned.  It looked simple enough and made a pretty tasty dish, but I modified it just a little the second time I made it so it was more like what I remembered tasting in Rome.

There's a lot I like about this recipe:  it falls under the category of comfort food and comes together rather quickly with a minimum of ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand.  You do need to serve and eat this immediately, but since you're just making it for yourself, that's not a problem!

Spaghetti Carbonara for One (adapted from Greg's Food)
makes 1 serving, duh

2 slices guanciale, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 serving uncooked spaghetti (for me that's a between a dime and a nickel's circumference of pasta)
1 teaspoon olive oil 
1 egg
1 tablespoon fresh grated parmesan, plus more to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped parsley (optional)

Bring a pot of salted water to boil.  In the meantime, chop the guanciale and mince the garlic.

Once the water has reached a rolling boil, add the spaghetti and cook for 9 minutes, stirring occasionally so the pasta doesn't stick to itself.

Add the guanciale to an unheated saucepan and place on medium heat.  Once some fat has rendered out and the guanciale is starting to look translucent, add the olive oil and minced garlic.  Continue to cook until browned but not burnt, lowering the heat if you have to.

In the meantime, break an egg into a large soup bowl.  Add the tablespoon of parmesan cheese and whisk until well mixed.

Once the spaghetti is done, use a pasta scoop to transfer the pasta to the saucepan with the bacon and garlic in it, letting most of the water drain off while you do so.  Lower the heat under the saucepan and toss the pasta around to cover it with the hot grease.

Whisk the egg and cheese again real quick and then carefully add the contents of the saucepan into the bowl.  Start tossing the spaghetti with the egg mixture to cook it without curdling.

Once the sauce comes together, add salt and pepper to taste and top with any guanciale left in the saucepan and additional parmesan and/or parsley if you like.  If the sauce is too thick for your liking, add a little of the pasta water to thin it out.  Serve immediately.

Four years ago:  Kale Chips

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Bagel Bombs

So far I've made the crack pie, compost cookies, cereal milk, cereal milk panna cotta with cornflake crunch, cereal milk ice cream pie, grapefruit pie, and pretzel milk ice cream pie from the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook.  Can you tell I really like this cookbook?

For something a little different, i.e. savory, I tried making the Bagel Bombs.  Think freshly baked bread stuffed with bacon and scallion cream cheese and topped with an "everything bagel" mix of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion powder, garlic powder, and flaky salt.  Yum, right?

 
Bagel Bombs (adapted from Momofuku Milk Bar)
makes 8 buns

For the cream cheese stuffing
2 strips bacon
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 bunch scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the buns
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
7/8 cups water, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

For the everything bagel topping
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon water
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
2 teaspoons black sesame seeds (I couldn't find any so I just added more white sesame seeds)
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1 tablespoon dried onions
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

 
Place the bacon strips on a cold pan and place on low heat.  (Mine were really long so I had to halve them to fit in the pan.)  Cook until nice and crispy, flipping over once the bottom is cooked.

 
Transfer the bacon to a cutting board and finely chop.  Reserve the bacon fat left in the pan.

 
Put the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand up mixer with the paddle attachment and cream on medium speed until fluffy.

 
Pour in the reserved bacon fat and continue creaming on a lower speed.  Add the chopped bacon, scallions, sugar, and salt and mix at low speed to combine.

 
Scoop the cream cheese mixture onto a parchment-lined sheet pan in 8 even lumps and freeze until rock hard, 1 to 3 hours.

 
To make the dough, stir together the flour, salt, and yeast in the bowl of your stand mixer using the dough hook like a spoon.  Continue stirring as you add the water, mixing for 1 minute, until the mixture has come together into a shaggy mess.

 
Engage the bowl and hook and have the machine mix the dough on the lowest speed for 3 minutes, or until the ball of dough is smoother and more cohesive. (If it just looks like a big wet mess, add some more flour until it begins to look more like a ball.)  Then knead for 4 more minutes on the lowest speed.  The dough should look like a wet ball and should bounce back softly when prodded.

 
Brush a large bowl with oil and transfer the dough ball into it (um, yeah, I might have accidentally poured a little too much oil into the bowl as evidenced in the pictures). Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough proof at room temperature for 45 minutes.

 
Make the everything bagel mix by mixing together the salt, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried onions, onion powder, and garlic powder.

 
Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Punch down and flatten the dough on a smooth, dry counter top.  Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.

 
Put a cream cheese plug in the center of each piece of dough. 

 
Bring up the edges of each round and pinch to seal so that the cream cheese plug is completely contained, then gently roll the ball between the palms of your hands to ensure the bomb has a nice, round, dinner roll-y shape.

 
Arrange the bombs 4 inches apart on a parchment- or Silpat-lined cookie sheet.

 
Whisk the egg and 1/2 teaspoon water together and brush a generous coat of egg wash on the buns.

 
Sprinkle a heavy, even coating of the bagel mix all over the bagel bombs–every possible inch, except for the bottoms, should be coated.

 
Bake the bagel bombs for 20 to 30 minutes.  While in the oven, the bombs will become a deep golden brown and a few may have cream cheese explosions.  Continue baking until you see this happen.

 
As you can see in the picture above, the bottom right bun burst, so I pulled the baking sheet out, but I probably could have left the buns in there a little longer to get a little brown.

I found that while the buns were really delicious, the dough didn't really remind me of a nice, chewy bagel.  If anything, it kind of reminded me of my mom's hua juan buns.  I went back to the Milk Bar recently and tried the Bagel Bomb there to compare it with the ones I made.  The one I had had probably sat in their display counter for a few hours so it wasn't really a fair comparison, but I really think my homemade ones were better!

 

Four years ago:  Dutch Babies

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