Talking coffee on CKNW with Gord MacDonald · Wednesday December 21, 2016 by colin newell
Talking coffee with Gord MacDonald at CKNW Vancouver
We were talking coffee with Gord MacDonald from CKNW – 980 from Vancouver — with some really good questions.
This podcast (interview) is around 11 minutes long – so strap yourself in.
I average around 20 radio, TV or newspaper interviews annually and this was one of the better ones – a lot of these radio hosts are affable, enthusiastic and well read before they undertake an interview – honored to chat on the subject of my passion. Coffee. Love it.
Podcast – If you cannot see the audio player above, click here for the mp3 download.
Fall colours Canadian Style Thai Turkey noodle Soup · Sunday October 16, 2016 by colin newell
It is a cool October evening and what better way of heating it up a notch than with some Thai turkey soup.
Granted this is a variation on the old classic Chicken soup… but it prepares well and is mighty spicy.
What is special about this recipe is the addition of fresh uncooked Shanghai thick noodle which you can get at most Asian markets. It is an awesome addition to a very authentic recipe.
The basics
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 whole chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup minced peeled fresh ginger
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 (6-inch) stalk lemongrass, halved lengthwise
1/4 cup sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste)
4 cups Turkey stock
1 standard tin coconut milk
4 teaspoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cups shredded cooked Turkey breast
1/2 cup green onion strips
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 package (250g) fresh Shanghai thick cut noodles
Preparation
1. Heat a stock pot over medium heat. Add oil to pan.
2. Add mushrooms, red bell pepper, peeled ginger, garlic and lemon grass – stir constantly for 3 minutes or so.
3. Add chile paste; stir for another minute.
4. Add Turkey Stock, coconut milk, fish sauce, and sugar;
5. Ease to a simmer.
6. Reduce heat to low; simmer for 10 minutes. Add turkey to pan
7.) Simmer for a few minutes. Discard lemongrass. Top with onions, cilantro, and lime juice.
8.) While soup is simmering, bring sauce pan of water to boil. Cook the fresh Shanghai thick noodle for 4 minutes. Rinse with cold water. Add to soup. Simmer for a few more minutes.
Garnish with cilantro and green onions.
Serve with bread.
Fall colours Canadian Style sourdough pizza · Sunday October 16, 2016 by colin newell
At this time of the Fall, Andrea and I start looking forward to some rustic cooking; soups, stews and, yes, the occasional treat of pizza with seasonal ingredients. And since I have a sourdough starter that has been on the go since 2008, what better opportunity than right now to whip up a great pizza dough and accompanying pizza. Here goes:
Andrea and Colin’s simple Sourdough Pizza
Ingredients
1 cup sourdough starter, unfed or not at room temperature
1/2 cup warm tap water
2 1/2 cups Caputo 00 Pizza Flour *
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
A word about Captuo “00” Bread Flour: It is the gold standard of pizza flours by which most others are judged, but there’s quite a bit of confusion as to exactly what it is. You’ll read in countless sources that Italian Tipo “00” flour, like the Caputo, is a “soft wheat flour,” with a low protein content. Caputo 00 flour is ideal for pizza dough for two reasons: one, it’s finely ground, and two, it has a lower gluten content than most flours.
The “00” refers to the texture of the flour: Italian flours are classified by numbers according to how finely they are ground, from the roughest ground “tipo“1, to 0, and the finest 00. Gluten, the natural protein that remains when starch is removed from wheat grains, creates the elasticity you feel when you bite into a crunchy loaf of bread. The lower the protein content of the flour, the lower the gluten, and the lower the gluten, the less elasticity there will be in your dough (cake flour has the lowest gluten level).
Instructions
In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a hook attachment, combine all ingredients. Mix on medium low until all ingredients are incorporated and you have a firm ball. If dough is still very sticky, add about 1/8 cup of flour at a time until dough is firm. Your dough may be wetter than expected based on how wet your starter is. Don’t worry, just add more flour.
Remove dough from bowl and transfer to a lightly floured surface.
Kneed by hand for about 1 – 2 minutes, then form into a ball.
Place the dough ball in a medium mixing bowl that has been coated in olive oil or cooking spray. Lightly toss the dough ball in the bowl to coat in oil/spray.
Cover with plastic wrap and a dish towel. Place covered bowl in a warm area for 2 hours or until about doubled in size.
You can make this pizza dough ahead of time and keep in fridge for 1 or 2 days.
Transfer risen dough to a lightly floured surface. Roll out with rolling pin or spread with your knuckles to desired crust thickness.
Transfer dough to a pizza peel, if baking on a pizza stone, or onto a pizza pan or baking tray.
Top with sauce and favorite toppings.
In our case:
- Tomato sauce (by Jamie Oliver)
- Saute mushrooms and shallots
- Salami
- fresh mozzarella balls (from our local market, Root Cellar…)
Bake in a preheated 500 degree oven (or outdoor BBQ) for 7 to 10 minutes – until cheese is bubbly and crust is browning.
Enjoy your home made pizza!
Baking 101 Bernard Callebaut sticky chewy chocolate brownies · Thursday September 1, 2016 by colin newell
I just made this rich, dark chocolate brownie with a soft chewy center, firm edges and a crackly top. Simple to make using just one bowl. Pay attention to the measurements as they are the key to success.
INGREDIENTS
- ¾ cup Fry’s, Hershey’s or Dark Dutch cocoa
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ⅔ cup butter – melted
- ½ cup boiling water
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 free range jumbo eggs
- 1⅓ cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup dark/medium Bernard Callebaut chocolate chips
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease a 9 by 13 baking pan.
Add cocoa and baking soda to a large bowl and stir to combine.
Melt ⅔ of a cup of butter in your microwave. With a wooden spoon, stir ½ of the melted butter into the cocoa and baking soda. Stir until combined.
Add ½ cup of boiling water to bowl with cocoa and butter. Stir until combined and smooth.
Add sugar, eggs and the rest of the melted butter to the cocoa mixture. Stir until combined.
Sift in 1⅓ cup of flour. Add vanilla and salt. Stir until combined and batter is smooth.
Add chocolate chips to batter and stir until combined.
Pour into prepared baking pan and smooth the top out with a wooden spoon. Bake for between 35 and 40 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness.
Cool for 30 minutes in pan. When cool, remove from pan and cut into snack sized brownies.
Yield should be around 2 dozen.
Serve with ice cream while warm – or with black coffee. They are an addictive treat.
If you feel the urge to coat them with icing, wait until they are cool and use your imagination.
Alternately, one could swirl in peanut butter chips or raw peanut butter instead of the chocolate chips.
Colin Newell is a Victoria area resident and long time creative writer. A baker since the age of 12, he has been around the mixing bowl a time or two!
