Rosie Makes Gruyère-Stuffed Loaves.

I never buy bread.
I always make my own,
be it a sandwich loaf, baguettes, ciabatta, or penis bread.
There's no excuse to actually BUY bread.
Make it yourself.
It's an amazing thing - flour, water, yeast, and a little salt.

Today, I'm making Gruyère-stuffed bread loaves,

adapted from King Arthur flour's website.

Enjoy!

If you're making these, start the night before.
You need to make a starter.

I'm starting my starter.

Starter:

 1/2 cup warm water

1 package yeast

1 1/4 cups King Arthur unbleached bread flour

1 tsp kosher salt

 

For the starter, 

just mix all ingredients together -

the flour, water, salt, and yeast.

Mix until well combined.

Then place it in a lightly oiled bowl.

Cover and leave it.

Let it rest overnight

It'll grow and get bubbly.

Make the dough:

all of the starter

1 1/4 cups warm water

1 tsp kosher salt

1 package yeast

3 1/2 cups King Arthur unbleached bread flour (thereabouts)

Combine the risen starter with the rest of the ingredients

and knead until you get a smooth dough.

I used the dough hook on my Kitchen Aid.

After the dough all comes together,

I put it on a lightly floured surface and...

...knead it by hand until it's nice and smooth.

Place in a lightly oiled bowl,

cover, and let rise until doubled in size.

Takes two hours or more.

Ta daaaaa!

Dough is a beautemous thing.

Gently deflate and place dough 

on a floured sheet of parchment paper.

Working with your fingers,

stretch it and pat it out until you get a rectangle,

about 9" x 12".

Lightly brush with olive oil.

Next, I sprinkled the dough evenly with 2 1/2 - 3 cups

grated Gruyère cheese.

Starting at the long side,

roll the dough into a log,

pinching the seam and ends to seal.

Place log seam-side down.

Gently cut log into 4 even pieces.

Place dough pieces on lined baking sheet,

cut sides up.

Let loaves rest while you heat the oven to 425°.

Bake 25-35 minutes or until cheese is melted

and the loaves are a nice golden brown.

We loved these loaves.

Next time (And there will be a next time.)

I think I'll divide into eighths instead of fourths.

So yummy with a little truffle butter spread on it.

Loved those cheese pockets!

Mo' Oysters!

Yes.
The Hawthornes are still eating oysters.
The last of the season.


I love oysters on the halfshell
and I'm always coming up with new toppings for my oysters.

Today, I'm raiding the herb garden
and using parsley and tarragon.


Rosie's Oysters On The Halfshell
Version 73

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup chopped tarragon

1/2 stick unsalted butter

6 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup beer 

(I used Guiness Extra Stout since I had a half-used bottle.)

2 TB Lea & Perrins worcestershire sauce

 Asiago cheese

Ritz, crumbled, and panko breadcrumbs

Melt butter in medium skillet over low heat.

Add minced garlic, parsley, and tarragon.

Let cook about 5 minutes, slow and low,

 so that butter is infused with flavors.

Rosie Note:  Never brown your garlic.

It gets bitter and will ruin your dish.

Add in the beer and worcestershire sauce.

Stir and simmer over medium-low

until mixture is reduced by half.

Top oysters with a small spoonful of the mixture.

Grate Asiago cheese

and sprinkle Ritz and breadcrumbs over top.

Run under the broiler about 7 minutes

or until lightly browned.

Here are the step by steps:

Use this much parsley and tarragon.

Chop it up.

Melt the butter with the herbs and garlic,

being careful not to burn the garlic.

Add in the beer and Lea & Perrins.

Slow simmer to reduce.

Spoon herb mixture over oysters.

Sprinkle with grated cheese, panko, and Ritz.

Ready for the 450° broiler.

And there you go!

I still have oysters left.

What to do...

What to do...