Bread Boule in 5-Minutes-a-Day

From "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day" by Hertzberg and Francois
Spend about 20 minutes making a large batch of refrigerator friendly, no knead bread dough, and following a standard rise, can keep up to two weeks. Each day, the desired amount of dough can be removed, shaped and baked with the active time being only about 5 minutes.

3 cups lukewarm water (about 100 degrees)
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher or other coarse salt
6 1/2 cups all-purpose white flour
Cornmeal, for pizza peel

In a 5 quart bowl, combine the yeast, water and salt. Add all the flour, then use a wooden spoon to mix until all ingredients are uniformly moist (I often have to add extra water to make it moist enough to mix). It is not necessary to knead or continue mixing once the ingredients are wet. This will produce a loose and very wet dough.
Cover with a lid or plastic wrap with several holes poked into it. Allow the mixture to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse, about 2 hours, but no more than 5 hours.
After rising, the dough can be baked immediately, or tightly covered and refrigerated up to 14 days. The dough will be easier to work with after at least 3 hours refrigeration.
To bake, prepare a pizza peel by sprinkling it with cornmeal. Alternatively, overturn a baking sheet and sprinkle it with cornmeal. This will prevent the bread from sticking when you transfer it to the oven.
Uncover the dough and sprinkle the surface with flour. Pull up and cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit size) piece of dough (serrated knives are best). Recover the remaining dough in the bowl and refrigerate for baking at another time.
Hold the mass of dough in your hands and add a little more flour as needed so it won't stick. Create a smooth ball of dough by gently pulling the sides down around to the bottom, rotating the dough as you go.
While stretching. most of the dusting flour will fall off. The bottom of the loaf may appear to be a collection fo bunched ends, but it will flatten out durning resting and baking. This shaping should take no more than 1 minute.
Place the dough on the peel or baking sheet. Allow the loaf to rest for 40 minutes. It does not need to be covered. The bread might not rise much during this time; this normal.
Twenty minutes before baking, place a pizza stone on the center rack of the oven. If you don't have a baking stone, use another baking sheet. Remove any upper racks. Plaace a broiler pan on a rack below the pizza stone or on the floor of the oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
When the dough has rested for 40 minutes, dust the top liberally with flour, then use a serrated knife to slash 1/4 inch deep cross or tic-tac-toe pattern into the top.
Slide the loaf off the peel and onto the baking stone. Quickly but carefully pour 1 cup of hot water into the broiler tray and close the oven door.
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is nicely browned and firm to the touch. Allow the bread to cool on a wire cooling rack.

Escarole, Sausage, and White Bean Stew

Serves 4-6 as main course, takes about 40 minutes to make.

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 pound Italian Sausage ( sweet and/or hot), broken into 1-inch pieces
5 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1 head escarole, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
3 cups cooked or canned white beans such as great northern or navy, drained and rinsed
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 stick butter (4 TB.)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
2 plum tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste
ACCOMPANIMENT: extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling and shaved Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a deep 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Brown sausage, stirring, for 7-10 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring until garlic is softened, about 2 minutes. Add escaarole and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add beans and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.


Add stock and bring to a gentle boil. Stir in butter, cheese, tomatoes, and half of parsley and cook, stirring until butter is melted ans stew is heated through. Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle stew into bowls and sprinkle with remaining parsley. Serve with extra-virgin olive oil and Parmesan.

Crab Cakes Pawley's Island Inn

Beware: Once you make these you will never order crab cakes in a restaurant again!

1 cup mayonnaise (I like Hellman's)
1 1/2 tablespoons cracker crumbs, finely crushed
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/8 teaspoon English-style dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 large egg white, beaten lightly
1 pound lumb crab meat, picked over (pay the extra money to get lump instead of backfin)
1 1/4 cups fresh white bread crumbs
1/3 cup clarified butter ( I often use combination of vegetable oil and butter, the oil keeps the butter from burning, but you still get the flavor from the butter)
lemon wedges for garnish
tartar sauce for accompaniment

In a large bowl combine well the mayonnaise, the cracker crumbs, the cayenne, the celery seeds, the mustard, the lemon juice, and the egg white and stir in the crab meat gently. Form the mixture into six 1/2 inch thick cakes and coat the cakes with most of the bread crumbs. Sprinkle a large plate with the remaining bread crumbs, transfer the crab cakes to the plate, and chill them, covered loosely, for at least 1 hour and up to four hours to firm them.

In a large heavy skillet heat the butter (or combination) over moderately high heat until it is hot, but not smoking and in it saute the crab cakes, turning them once, for 4 minutes, or until they are golden. Transfer the crab cakes with a slotted spoon as they are cooked to paper towels to drain and arrange them on a platter. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve with tartar sauce if desired. Serves 6.