Salmonsmoker
04-07-2001, 08:40 AM
At many restaurants, the first thing that you are served is a hot loaf of bread. This is a good tradition to follow when serving a meal at your campfire or from your grill on the patio.
I prefer primitive cooking - so mine is from the campfire. This is Irish Soda Bread, a very old recipe - developed back in the middle ages where it was cooked in shallow stone ovens using peat for a heat source. It is almost misteak-proof and tastes excellent.
About 1 & 1/2 hours prior to serving your campfire-cooked steaks, start preheating your Dutch Oven (place 1 small shovel full of coals for under the Dutch Oven and 2 shovels of coals for on top of it.) I use a 14" Dutch Oven because 2 bread pans just fit in it - on top a a trivit. Be sure to use a trivit or a coil of wire in the bottom of the Dutch Oven so that the bread pan is not sitting directly on the bottom.
For this recipe, you will need the following:
2 1/2 Cups Milk
2 TBSP White Vinegar
1/4 Cup Canola Oil
- - - - - - - - - - -
4 Cups whole wheat flour
1 Cup white flour
1/2 Cup rolled oats
1/4 Cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1 Tsp baking soda
Procedures:
Put the milk in a small mixing bowl, then stir in the vinegar and the oil. Set aside. (the vinegar will cause the milk to 'sour' or curddle.)
In a large mixing bowl, thorough mix the whole wheat flour, white flour, oats, sugar, salt, and baking soda.
Add the soured mixture to the flour mixture and quickly stir into a dough (this dough will be sticky so keep some fresh flour on your hands when handling it.)
Place the dough on a floured board and lightly kneed it 10 to 15 times to smooth out the mixture.
Cut dough into two equal halves.
Place dough into pre-buttered 9" bread pans - then spread a coating of butter or oil on top of the dough.
By now the Dutch Oven will be hot. The two bread pans will just fit side-by-side in the 14" Dutch Oven. Place them so (but not directly on the bottom of the Dutch Oven - use a trivit), then replace the cover.
Wait for 1/2 hour, then freshen the coals both on top and under the Dutch Oven.
Wait for another 1/2 hour.
Brush coals off from the lid, and open the Dutch Oven.
Remove the two large loaves (they will have nearly doubled in size and the tops will be split) and spread butter over the top.
Turn loaves out onto a cooling rack and let stand for a few minutes to firm up.
Slice 1/2" slices and serve with butter.
Some variations that work well:
Prior to preheating the Dutch Oven, wipe a thin coating of Almond Oil over the bottom.
Add 1 tsp Almond Oil to the soured mixture.
Add 1/4 cup toasted Sessamy (sp?) or flax seeds to the mixture.
Primarily - this freshly baked hot bread adds a lot of atmosphere to the meal - thats why restaurants do it. While your guests are enjoying the wonderful treat, finish cooking the steaks and serve with some veggies fresh off the campfire grate or your grill.
Enjoy.
Salmonsmoker
I prefer primitive cooking - so mine is from the campfire. This is Irish Soda Bread, a very old recipe - developed back in the middle ages where it was cooked in shallow stone ovens using peat for a heat source. It is almost misteak-proof and tastes excellent.
About 1 & 1/2 hours prior to serving your campfire-cooked steaks, start preheating your Dutch Oven (place 1 small shovel full of coals for under the Dutch Oven and 2 shovels of coals for on top of it.) I use a 14" Dutch Oven because 2 bread pans just fit in it - on top a a trivit. Be sure to use a trivit or a coil of wire in the bottom of the Dutch Oven so that the bread pan is not sitting directly on the bottom.
For this recipe, you will need the following:
2 1/2 Cups Milk
2 TBSP White Vinegar
1/4 Cup Canola Oil
- - - - - - - - - - -
4 Cups whole wheat flour
1 Cup white flour
1/2 Cup rolled oats
1/4 Cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1 Tsp baking soda
Procedures:
Put the milk in a small mixing bowl, then stir in the vinegar and the oil. Set aside. (the vinegar will cause the milk to 'sour' or curddle.)
In a large mixing bowl, thorough mix the whole wheat flour, white flour, oats, sugar, salt, and baking soda.
Add the soured mixture to the flour mixture and quickly stir into a dough (this dough will be sticky so keep some fresh flour on your hands when handling it.)
Place the dough on a floured board and lightly kneed it 10 to 15 times to smooth out the mixture.
Cut dough into two equal halves.
Place dough into pre-buttered 9" bread pans - then spread a coating of butter or oil on top of the dough.
By now the Dutch Oven will be hot. The two bread pans will just fit side-by-side in the 14" Dutch Oven. Place them so (but not directly on the bottom of the Dutch Oven - use a trivit), then replace the cover.
Wait for 1/2 hour, then freshen the coals both on top and under the Dutch Oven.
Wait for another 1/2 hour.
Brush coals off from the lid, and open the Dutch Oven.
Remove the two large loaves (they will have nearly doubled in size and the tops will be split) and spread butter over the top.
Turn loaves out onto a cooling rack and let stand for a few minutes to firm up.
Slice 1/2" slices and serve with butter.
Some variations that work well:
Prior to preheating the Dutch Oven, wipe a thin coating of Almond Oil over the bottom.
Add 1 tsp Almond Oil to the soured mixture.
Add 1/4 cup toasted Sessamy (sp?) or flax seeds to the mixture.
Primarily - this freshly baked hot bread adds a lot of atmosphere to the meal - thats why restaurants do it. While your guests are enjoying the wonderful treat, finish cooking the steaks and serve with some veggies fresh off the campfire grate or your grill.
Enjoy.
Salmonsmoker