Three Very Good Things, plus One

The food edition

Like Chocolate and Zucchini, here are my Three Very Good Things from the kitchen.

The Bread Making Babes made this Cuban Bread this month (I know it will be hard but come back from that blog link!) and I intrigued by the method - putting it into a cold oven to rise. It is very good: soft inside, crusty outside. There is not usually frost on it. The recipe makes two loaves and I froze the second one after I found, although delicious fresh it stales quickly. I had forgotten to take a photo of the first one.

Bread is the perfect accompaniment to soup:

Calde Verde, the recipe from here. The family raved about this one. (I cut everything into bite-sized chunks, contrary to the recipe.)

And also good with bread: jam or specifically Blood Orange Marmalade

 There is a precedent in this household, set by me, to make marmalade on the coldest winter day, particularly during a snow storm. Years ago, my first seville oranges were purchased in a blizzard.

It's the contrast right? All that blustery white cold and sweet sun-kissed citrus. This weekend was no exception. It was cold -14'C and very snowy. So marmalade it was. I made a double batch.

I tried this marmalade right out of the pan (come on, you all do it) on a wheaty black pepper cracker.

Another nice contrast.

And last but not least, my contribution, this fruity loaf. 

I have been experimenting with some baking recipes for a farm store and this quick loaf turned out just right. It is very moist. It has very little fat. Point in fact: I didn't even get to try it until day three! and it was not dry at all.

Try it with any dried fruit you like.

Here I used Thompson seedless raisins, dried cranberries, sultanas and a few dried pears, leftover from a chutney recipe.

Dried Fruit Loaf

1.5 C dried fruit

1.5 C water

1 Egg

1 C brown Sugar

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp grated citrus peel (orange or lemon)

2 C unbleached Flour

1/2 C whole wheat Flour

1 tsp Salt

2.5 tsp Baking Powder

Preheat oven to 325'F

Place dried fruit in water in saucepan and bring to a boil.

Let cool to room temperature.

In a bowl mix egg, oil, sugar and grated peel.

Add to fruit/water mixture.

Sift dry ingredients together and add to bowl, mixing well.

Pour into greased loaf pan and bake for 1 hour.

Toothpick inserted in middle of loaf should come out just a bit moist.

 

 

Comments

[Vicki]

I've never had (nor even seen) a Seville orange. Must change that, I think!

[Francesca]

I have a case of oranges that a friend harvested in a hurry and gave me when the temperatures dropped. They 're the pernambuco variety, with a thick peel, not terribly juicy, and slightly tangy flavor - I wonder whether they'd make a good marmalade?

[Rebecca]

Oh I love fruit loaves, this one sounds excellent and I can imagine few things better suited to a winters day than marmalade making.