Homemade, Traditional Rye Bread Kvass

Bread kvass has been a traditional drink in Eastern Europe for centuries.  The drink became popular in the XVI century but was around long before then; some say it has its roots in  IXth century Russia. Peasants and aristocrats alike drank this fermented beverage or made a soup with kvass as its base. Traditional kvass is made from dark rye bread, natural sourdough cultures and honey to sweeten. The word "kvass" comes from the Russian word for "leaven".

Just like many traditional drinks, commercial, high production versions are out there... unfortunately, when some former Soviet countries gained their freedom, Coca-cola and Pepsi entered the markets and made their own faux-kvass.   But, traditional kvass (or "gira"- with a hard "g"- in Lithuania) is still a popular drink in Eastern Europe and is making a comeback in many countries.
For more information on kvass, I recommend this website, written by a native Lithuanian :)

Here is my version of this bubbly, rich traditional drink:

1, 1 lb loaf dark/black rye bread (any loaf will do, but they traditionally used sourdough)
about one gallon filtered, non-chlorinated water
1/2 c organic sugar
4 T raw honey
1 T sourdough starter
mint sprigs, lemon slices, berries, or apples (optional- to taste)
1 raisin per bottle

Directions:

I used black forest rye bread.  Dry it out until it is very crispy.

• Slice bread into 1/2" slices (traditional kvass is made from stale bread) and dry out in the oven. I put my slices in a 350F oven for about 30 minutes, until the bread breaks like a cracker.
• When the bread is finished, bring the water to a boil.  Remove from heat.
• Break up the bread with your hand and drop the pieces into the hot water. Let it steep, covered, for at least 4 hours to overnight (I let mine sit for 9 hours).
• When done steeping, strain off the rye water into a fermenting crock or large glass container. Discard the soggy bread (squeeze bread gently in a cheesecloth to get as much of the liquid as possible).
• To your rye water, add the sweeteners, fruit (if used) and sourdough starter (it does not have to be rye). Stir until combined and leave in a warm place, covered with cloth, for about 12 hours.
• Check for bubbles after 12 hours and scoop off any foam that rises.  Wait another 12-24 hours before bottling. (if more foam rises, just scoop off before bottling)
• You can add a raisin per bottle to help check the carbonation before drinking.  Place bottles in cold storage for 3 days to one month. 

Break the bread before adding it to very hot water.

Strain the soggy bread in cheese cloth after at least 4 hours.

The sourdough starter is beginning to consume the sugars!

Enjoy this beverage chilled, with a meal.  The natural probiotics it contains help with digestion, and the drink provides high levels of vitamin B.  It is also said to help with detox and accelerated healing.
Enjoy your traditional kvass!

Although the kvass seems a bit cloudy, the yeast will eventually drop out.  I made 5-16oz bottles from one loaf of bread!

Homemade Fermented Remoulade Sauce/ Sourdough Crabcakes

I am a big fan of seafood!  Living by the coast gives me plenty of opportunity to eat seafood... if only my family shared my love of salt-water dwellers :(  Thankfully, I was able to squeeze in a meal I have been craving for quite some time:  crab cakes with fermented remoulade sauce. 

 

Since living in the New Orleans area, I have been wanting to make a homemade version of that spicy, tangy sauce that is so good on... well, everything!  Since the base is mayonnaise, you can use it to spruce up anything that you would eat with mayo- even sandwiches (especially po-boys).  Here is my version of remoulade that will have your taste buds singing:

 

 

For a truly fermented sauce, make this one day ahead of time

1 c homemade mayo (for this recipe, I used Kelly the Kitchen Kop's copycat recipe for Hellmann's)

2 T Dijon mustard

2 T ketchup

1 T fresh lemon juice

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1/2 c chopped green onion

1/4 c chopped fresh parsley

1 stalk chopped celery

2 cloves garlic, pressed

2 t Tabasco

1/4 t ground black pepper

(the original recipe called for 1 t paprika, but I left it out)

1 T whey

 

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.  Place in a jar and cap.  Let sit for about 8 hours on your counter, then refrigerate.  The whey will help your sauce stay fresh for longer and add probiotics for your tummy :)

 

Here's my remoulade, fermenting happily on the counter!

 

 

 

 

For the sourdough crab cakes, I tweeked a Paula Deen recipe from Food Network.  She knows her way around a southern kitchen, although some of her ingredients are less than ideal.  I have switched the bad ingredients for better ones, as well as adding a bit of homemade flavor :)

 

What you'll need for homemade, delicate crab cakes:

1 lb lump crabmeat, flaked

1/3 c sourdough bread crumbs (I processed a couple dry pieces of homemade sandwich bread)

3 finely chopped green onions
1/2 c finely chopped green pepper
1/4 c homemade mayo
1 egg
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1 t dry mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 t garlic powder
1 t sea salt
dash of cayenne pepper
1/2 c coconut oil
sourdough crumbs for sprinkling

Mix all ingredients in a bowl (except coconut oil and remaining sourdough crumbs), using hands to really mix well.  Shape into patties and sprinkle with remaining sourdough crumbs.  Heat coconut oil to 350 F.  Fry crab cakes in batches- cook about 5 minutes on each side, careful to flip them without breaking.  Let rest on paper towel before serving warm with homemade remoulade.

 

 

Treat yourself with these homemade beauties!  They are worth the extra effort :)  Enjoy!

 

Homemade Rye/Pumpernickel Sourdough

We have discovered recently that my daughter with gluten sensitivity can tolerate sourdough bread!  As long as she doesn't over-indulge, it doesn't seem to bother her the way bread made with commercial yeast does- that's because sourdough works on gluten slowly, breaking it down better than commercial, fast-acting yeasts.  So, there is less gluten in the finished product, making it easier to digest.  Yes, it takes longer to make, BUT here are two delectable recipes to make the extra time well worth it!:

 

 

I have experimented with two new sourdough recipes over the past few days, and they are both great- I think my favorite is the rye loaf... my bread-loving-daughter seems to enjoy the pumpernickel.  The loaves follow the same general directions, so I am putting them into the same post.

 

Rye Sourdough:

1/3 c sourdough starter

1 3/4 c water

1 3/4 c rye flour

1 3/4 c unbleached wheat flour

2 T maple syrup

1 3/4 t salt

zest one orange

 

Pumpernickel Sourdough:

1/3 c sourdough starter

1 3/4 c water

1/3 c molasses

3 T cocoa

1 3/4 t salt

1 1/2 c unbleached wheat flour

1 c rye flour

1 c whole wheat flour

 

Directions for BOTH recipes:

Mix all ingredients (the dough will be wet but firm).  Let rest 15 minutes.

Sprinkle dough with flour, then mix again.  Let rest 15 minutes, then repeat.

( I usually mix with a wooden spoon- just scrape and flip the dough into the middle until incorporated.)  Click here for a great website with more detailed instructions for sourdough :)

 

Here's what your dough should look like at this point.  It should hold its shape pretty well- if it is too wet, just add more flour until it is very stiff.

 

 



 

By the last sprinkle/mix, your dough should be stiff enough to handle.  Move it to a floured surface and clean out your bowl.  You may want to momentarily knead the dough and form into a ball before putting it back into the clean bowl. 

 

Cover the dough with a thick, wet cloth or plastic wrap to keep the dough from going dry.  Let dough sit overnight (12 to 15 hours).

 



 

 

After the first rise period, you are ready to shape your dough.  I made mine into a boule (French for "round")... you could also make a batarde (an oblong loaf).  Click here to view a great video on how to shape your loaves.

 

In the picture above, I have used a stainless steel bowl instead of a banneton (proofing basket).  I lined it with a floured towel and placed the dough inside, seam side UP.  Then, let the dough rise (covered with towel or plastic) for another 1- 1 1/2 hours.

 

Heat your oven to 450 degrees F about half-hour before the rise is finished.  Be sure to heat your baking stone, too!

 



 

 

When the second rise period is up, use your peel (I used a piece of cardboard) to flip the bread out of the proofing "basket".  Be sure to flour the bread so that it won't stick to the peel when you slide it onto your baking stone.  Brush off the excess flour, then cut some shallow slits in the bread skin with a sharp blade.  I used a clean blade from a utility knife/ box cutter.

 

As you are shutting the oven door, throw about 1/3 cup water onto the oven floor.  If you have a gas oven, place a shallow pan on the lowest rack before you heat the oven and use that to catch the water.  The steam will help set the crust on your loaf!

 

Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the temp to 400 degrees F for 10 minutes more.

 



 

 

Here is my loaf-almost done!  When you slide the bread off your "peel", be sure to use quick movements and put bread as close to the center of your stone as possible.  ( I bought this stone at a discount store for about $10)

 

Check the internal temperature of your loaf before removing from the oven.  It should be 200 degrees F- I use an instant-read thermometer.  If the loaf is too cold, lower the oven temperature to 375 and bake for another 10-15 minutes.

 



 

 

The finished loaf!  It could be in a bakery window, right?!

 

 



 

The pumpernickel loaf was amazing- not too heavy, with a crispy crust and lots of flavor!  My rye didn't rise quite as much but was really tasty!  Be sure to eat with plenty of butter :)

Enjoy! 

Homemade (EASY) Sourdough Sandwich Bread

I haven't been this excited about a recipe in a long time!  I found a sourdough recipe online, then I tweaked it by using real ingredients and it turned out great.  Two of my children ate sandwiches on this bread today, and they were all impressed- and my kids are picky about their bread! 

Here's what you'll need for this easy-peasy sourdough recipe:

1 c sourdough starter

1 1/2 c warm water

1 1/2 t real salt or fine Celtic salt

1/3 c rapadura

1/2 c liquid coconut oil

6 c flour (I used unbleached all-purpose)

1.  Mix all ingredients into a large bowl.  You may need to add more flour or water to get a good consistency, depending on the hydration of your starter (that's fancy talk for the proportions of water to four).

2.  Knead the dough until it is elastic (I think I kneaded for a total of 5 minutes) and dough doesn't stick to your hands.

3.  Place dough into a large greased  bowl- I greased mine with butter.  This is how is should look at this point:

5.  Let your dough sit overnight, covered with a damp cloth.  In the morning, it will have risen a good deal!  Mine was nearly busting out of the bowl.  Punch it down and knead it again (5 minutes).  Add small pinches of flour, if needed.

6.  Divide the dough into two loaves and place in bread pans to rise again.  I did not grease my stoneware pans.

After the second rise (about 2 hours), your dough should have doubled:



7.  Bake your loaves in a 350 degree F oven for about 40 minutes.  They are done when golden brown and sound hollow when tapped:

I was impressed with the rise of this bread.  The sugar in the recipe really helped the sourdough starter take off, and there was no sweetness in the finished product!  This bread is perfect for a sandwich loaf- it cuts very well and the crust is thin and easy for picky eaters to ignore :)

Check out this other sourdough recipe! Or this more advanced loaf... Enjoy!

Homemade Sourdough Starter

Sourdough is a treat- one of my family's favorites.  I have kept starter in my refrigerator since I made it over two years ago.  So, it was a sad day in our house when I accidentally killed my culture.  Yes, I killed it.  Let's just say that it was death by bacon grease...

Thankfully, sourdough starter is not hard to make!  I have a new batch in my fridge as I write this, and I just started it a week and a half ago.

Here's what you need to make your own sourdough starter:

1/4c  flour ( I used unbleached, then added whole wheat- use whatever you have on hand.)

1/4 c water

That's it!  Mix the two ingredients in a canning jar and cover it with a clean piece of cloth, secured with a rubber band- I used a piece of an old tee shirt.

Next comes the waiting... and waiting...you get the idea!  Every 12 to 24 hours, you need to "feed" your starter with equal amounts flour and water (about 1/4 cup each time).  If your starter begins to reach near the top of your jar, just pour off up to half of it before a feeding.  The sour flavor that gives sourdough its name develops better in small batches anyway :)

This is my starter on day 4.  Finally, some signs of life!  My patience has paid off, and there are tell-tale bubbles in my starter- this means I have captured the wild yeasts in my kitchen.  They are happily feeding on all the gluten in my flour mixture.  But, it's not done yet!  Even though the yeast is there, my starter hasn't yet developed the yummy sour smell that a ripe starter should have.  Time to wait again... and wait... and wait.  Go ahead and keep feeding the starter until a nice, yeasty, sour smell develops.  You decide when it's done- mine took an extra four days for it to become this:

Here's my finished starter!  It is soured and ready to use in breads, pancakes and bagels!!  There are so many wonderful things you can make with sourdough, and if you're nice to your starter, it can live in your refrigerator for years and years.  My deceased starter has many children in the fridges of my friends, and I intend to spread the love with this new starter as well! 

When your starter reaches this stage, you can cap it with a tight-fitting lid and pop it in the fridge.  When you want to use some, just get it out several hours in advance and let it warm up on the counter (covered with a cloth).  Before you cover it back up and store it, be sure to feed it equal amounts flour and water to keep it happy :).  If you do not use your starter for a week-ish, just feed it and store it again.

If your starter gets a funky smell (like acetone), sometimes you can bring it back by adding a T plain yogurt! 

Enjoy making treats for your family and friends with sourdough starter! 

For recipes, click on the type:

basic artisan bread

advanced artisan breads

rye/pumpernickel bread

pancakes

bagels

pizza crust

easy sandwich bread

This post was shared on Real Food Wednesday at Kelly the Kitchen Kop.

Homemade Artisan Sourdough Bread

I love sourdough bread. The slighly sour taste mixed with hot melted butter is heaven to my taste buds. Since starting a sourdough starter over a year ago, I have been trying to perfect this artisan loaf. I have to say, it has the best texture and crust of any I have tried! Real artisan sourdough is often cooked in a brick oven in a terracotta dish, but I believe this version is perfect for the everyday chef.

This is my sourdough starter. It is in its second year of living in my refrigerator, and it has worked hard for me. I have made sourdough bagels, sourdough pancakes, and sourdough bread, all from this one magical, bubbly mess! You will need at least 1/2 c of starter for this recipe.

These are the only two vessels needed for making this sourdough. The glass bowl is for mixing, and the round casserole dish (with a lid) is needed for baking.

The first mixture is the most important part of this recipe. If you don't get the texture right, your bread could fall flat! For this mixture, you will need:

1/2 c sourdough starter (I sometimes throw in a bit more)

3 c flour- this time, I used 1 1/2 c unbleached and 1 1/2 c spelt. The more whole grain flour, the denser your bread will be. I find that the 50-50 ratio makes a great loaf.

1 t sea salt

1 1/2 c water

Mix everything in a glass bowl. If the mixture is runny, add more flour. The dough should be firm but wet, as in the picture above.

Since the dough will need to sit out for a long period of time, start the dough with respect to the meal with which you will eat it. For a lunch loaf, start the dough around 5pm the night before. For a dinner loaf, start it around 10pm the night before.

Next comes the waiting... as with many traditionally-made foods, sourdough requires a long fermentation. I let it sit on my counter, covered with a wet towel, for 12 to 15 hours. The timing all depends on the temperature of your home. Since it's been fairly warm in my home lately, I let my dough ferment for 13 hours. The picture shows how much it has risen overnight.

When your dough is ready, you need to "flip" it. I call it this because it is kind of like flipping pancakes :) Get your hands really floury, and sprinkle the top with a few pinches of flour, then flip it from the side to the center of the bowl. I usually turn the bowl 2 or 3 times while I'm flipping to make sure I get it all unstuck from the bowl.

 

When you have flipped your dough, turn it out on a lightly floured surface while you clean and grease the bowl. This picture shows my dough after having been flipped and back in the glass bowl. I coated my bowl generously with virgin coconut oil.

Re-cover the dough with a wet cloth and let it sit for the second rise. This rise could range anywhere from 2 to 4 hours. Today, mine took 2.5 hrs.

Here's my dough, ready for baking! If you let the dough go too long, you might see large bubbles coming to the surface and popping. If this happens, don't fret- just get that loaf in the oven pronto!

To bake your sourdough, preheat the oven and the lidded baking dish to 450 degrees F. I have tried baking at a lower temp, but the crust just isn't the same! When oven and baking dish are heated, carefully remove the lid and pour in your dough. You may need to use your hands or a stiff spatula to help the dough along. Cut some 1" slits in the top of the dough with some kitchen scissors and replace the lid.

Bake 30 minutes with the lid ON.

After 30 minutes, remove the lid and bake for an additional 15 minutes with the lid OFF.

 

Here's what you will pull out of the oven! A crusty loaf fit for a French boulangerie. It is fantastic with a large dollop of butter or dipped in your favorite seasoned olive oil! Artisan quality, and oh so delicious!

Here's a cross section of the bread to show you the fluffy goodness you'll find under that crispy crust! My kids ate the other half... If you are not satisfied with the rise of this loaf, you can always use 100% unbleached flour for an amazingly fluffy bread.

This post was shared on Monday Mania at the Healthy Home Economist

Homemade Sourdough Pancakes

I was rummaging through my kitchen cabinet the other day and found a series of cookbooks that my mother-in-law gave to me many years ago. I never realised what a treasure they were! Women's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery is a great set of books to have around. The set I have was published in 1966, and most of the recipes use butter and other "old-fashioned" ingredients. There are not only recipes in these books, but whole cookbooks on specific ingredients such as onions and peanut butter, or ethnicities such as French and Norwegian! These books also have definitions for culinary lingo and procedures. What a find-and in the back of my own cabinet!

The first Women's Day recipe I am going to try is sourdough pancakes! I have modified the recipe slightly to my own tastes, but the idea is the same :)

To 2 cups of your sourdough starter, add one cup each of flour and water. Let it sit overnight.

In the morning, add 1 T rapadura, 1/2 t baking soda, 1/2 t sea salt and one beaten egg.

Mix with 2 T melted butter and let it sit while griddle heats up to about 350 degrees F.

Cook on hot griddle until browned on both sides.

While my pancakes were cooking, my kids asked me if I was making popcorn for breakfast! The smell is similar :) The taste is delicious! They are slightly sour, but when loaded with butter and maple syrup they make a satisfying breakfast. I was able to eat these pancakes without the feeling of heaviness I sometimes get in my tummy, and they are very filling and full of energy.

Enjoy!

Homemade Sourdough Bagels

Anyone who knows me knows that I love my bagels! When I was pregnant with my first child, my husband was forever driving to the local bakery getting me blueberry bagels and "very berry" cream cheese. Well, those bagels really helped me to pack on the pounds! I ended up gaining 65lbs that time...

Since those days, I have come to realize that sourdough is the better way to go. I don't eat bagels every day anymore, but when I do I choose sourdough! Sourdough is not only tasty, but the fermentation process that it goes through (with NO added commercial yeast) makes it more digestible than store-bought bread. Trust me- you will not find true sourdough at the grocery store. Just look at the ingredients! If it has yeast in it, it ain't true sourdough.

With that in mind, here's a great recipe for homemade bagels (the sourdough variety, of course!). I found a lovely recipe on an Australian website, and I changed a few amounts/ingredients to make it my own...

For 11 good-sized bagels:

about 3 cups sourdough starter

3/4 c water
4 1/3 c flour
2 3/4 T coconut oil
2 T organic sugar
1 1/8 T salt

Mix all ingredients together, knead until elastic (this will be a stiff dough).

Let rise in a covered bowl for 4 hours.

Divide up dough and form bagels on greased cookie sheets (I used coconut oil on 2 sheets)

Cover sheets with plastic wrap and store in fridge overnight.

**Next Day**

Pre-heat oven to 400F

Let dough warm on counter while you bring about 4 quarts water and 2 T sugar to a boil.

When water boils, drop in bagels two at a time and cook for 1 minute. Flip once. (At this point, you can dip them in your favorite topping.)

As bagels are done boiling, place them back on the cookie sheets.

Bake bagels for about 20 minutes, or until browned.

These goodies are perfect for a quick breakfast- toasted and with lots of butter! You can even freeze them for future use. Enjoy!!