Coffee Time: A Busy Kitchen

Wow Thursday already....My kitchen has been busy. With all the homework, cooking and just coffee drinking I have been having a grand old time. On the stove has been Autumn Corn soup, Turkey Chili, Turkey Schnitzel and Eggs and bacon sizzling on the skillet. Of course the Starter is calling out for a stir now and then. It will be prime in a few days.
I have decided to make, what my hubby calls " Almond Coffee Friendship loaf". Don't you just love the taste of almonds. My favorite thing is a Bear Claw. They are very hard to come by, I mean the ones that have that great favor of the Almond paste. Tis the Season...the cooler weather and soon the music to set the tone. Yes, I will post the recipe right after I make it. Until then here's a view of a slice.
I'll have it with some coffee and then do some more blogging and of course visiting you. Thanks for dropping by for this daily break, hope you enjoyed your coffee with me.
Now back to my thinking cap.....what will this weeks gadget be...thinking Garlic.....where's that camera?

Weekend Kitchen Gadget

Cutting onions can be scary. All that sulfuric acid released, the tears running down your face and the smell that lingers in the air. I recently saw the Movie "Julie& Julia". Julia was cutting onion when her hubby came home. The cut onions were piled high and the fumes were so great that he could not even enter the kitchen. Julia was crying while saying she was going to learn how the chop these faster. We all just had to laugh at the scene. Although is it no Laughing matter..rather a crying one. Today's gadget is the tools I use to cut them faster and get the crying over with.

First one: The Chopper
This is fast and hardly any crying.
You can chop, dice, or mince.

Second one: The Mandolin
Slices the onion in rings thin or thick.

Here is a smaller one I use:
Cuts going both directions.
Keeps the onion contained.
I like that.Less crying.

Third the Food Processor
This really cuts the time and the crying.
However, you can not cut rings with this one.

How to stop the tears?

• A burning candle some say...I have tried it. Sometimes it works.
• Put the onions in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes before cutting. Yeah, sometimes this works.
• Cut the blossom end first. This one does seem to work when chopping a little bit.

I'm sure there are many more solutions. My thought is as long as we have been cutting onion our tears have flowed. Need a good cry, let's get cutting.

Schwabischer Zwiebelkuchen

When I lived in Germany I really loved this time of year when the Zwiebelkuchen was made. An onion pie that is a seasonal dish. Usually during the New Wine Seasons; Early Spring and the Fall. Since Fall is my favorite time of the year,I think of it as a Fall Food. Having a piece with a glass of new wine is a joy.
My recipe id made to sever a large group of people. Therefore I make it in the 11x15 inch jelly roll pan. This is not a quick cook dish. The time from start to finish is about 2 hours. However it is worth it this time a year. After all it's a Seasonal dish.

Schwabischer Zwiebelkuchen

The Crust.
2 packages of yeast
10(oz) skim milk
1/8 teaspoon Sugar
2 Tablespoon Flour

• mix together and place in a warm place for 20 minutes.

The fillings:

Onion filling:
10 medium size onions.
10 oz Hickory smoked think sliced Bacon
1 Tablespoon Caraway Seeds.

• Slice the onions thin- I use a mandolin. You want the onion to be in thin rings.
• Place the onions in a large bowl add Caraway seed and toss.
  

• Dice the Raw Bacon.

In a large skillet placed on Medium high heat add the bacon cook for about 2 minutes.
Add the onion mixture on the top of bacon cook for about 2 minutes more. Then stir from bottom to top frequently until the onion are transparent in color. Set aside.

Quark filling:
16 oz of Quark (German style cheese)**
4 eggs
1/8 teaspoon white pepper

• Mix together and refrigerate

Line a middle placed oven rack with Foil and preheat to 435 degrees Fahrenheit(225 Celsius).

The Crust-- Continued:

3 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

• sift together

• Cut in 4 Tablespoon Unsalted butter.
• Add the yeast mixture and mix. form a soft ball
• rolling out on floured surface to 11x15 inch rectangle

Melt about 2 tablespoon of unsalted butter.

• brush 11x15 jelly roll pan bottom and side with half of the melted butter.

• Place the floured side dough in the prepared pan

• sprinkle some flour on the top and with small roller, roll out the go up the sides of the pan.( I use my double wood roller from my gadgets)
• Brush the whole dough with remaining butter.

Add the Onion filling and spread evenly.
Add the Quark filling on top and lightly spread evenly.

Place on the foiled lined oven rack and bake for 40 minutes.

• At the 20 minute point, shield the edges with the foil. Just pull the foil around the edges and cover to prevent crust from browning anymore.

• continue cooking until the top is lightly browned.

This will serve about 24 people. I like it warm.

** you can use Creme Fraiche in place of the Quark




copyright 2009"Auntie E's CookBook/M Dubros"