I need everyone's input on this recipe as I am trying to perfect in time for state fair entry

M

music-city-missy

Well-known member
So it's always been my desire to enter something in the county or state fair and get a ribbon and since I am unemployed as of right now and most likely until the state fair at this point, I want to enter this zucchini bread I have pieced together starting with Pat's recipe. It's so different than any other and addictive but I want to push the envelope these next few weeks to get everything to the maximum flavor before I push it over the line.

So here are the things I am playing with doing:

1) I am using Madras Curry as it is my favorite but I haven't played around with other curries. Are their any other curries you might recommend trying?

2) I have not tried it with 1 teaspoon raz el hanout in place of 1 teaspoon of the curry powder - I don't have raz el hanout, never tried it and not sure I can find it locally. Those of you familiar with it, what do you think?

3) I am loving the part I took from Cyn's Earth Bread recipe using 1/2 cup grated carrot and 1 mashed banana but I am wondering what all I can do to make it as much from the garden as possible before I get too much moisture in it. I also have some pumpkins that are just about ready. Or even sweet potato. I don't know.

4) We are about to start the Wheat Belly 'lifestyle' and I am just wondering about baking with almond and coconut flours with ground flax like he recommends. I know I just need to experiment but wonder what kinds of experiences any of you might have had with these. I also like the idea of turning this into something as healthy as possible and even wonder what I can do for the sugar - I haven't used things like Stevia except to sweeten a glass of tea or sprinkle over berries and even then so rarely that I just am not familiar with them. I say sugar or nothing because I just am not sure about all these artificial and alternate sweeteners.

 
PS - here is my altered zucchini bread recipe

3 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup vegetable oil

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon madras curry powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
finely chopped crystalized ginger (don't really measure - probably a tablespoon)
poppy seed - probably about 2 tablespoons
dash of cardamom

3 cups zucchini grated and a little moisture squeezed out if too wet
1/2 cup grated carrot
1 mashed very ripe banana
8 oz can of crushed pineapple

Sprinkle top with about another tablespoon of grated crystalized ginger and about 1 tablespoon poppy seed.

 
Here is a "push the envelope" idea, MCM

You may think I'm crazy but I tried using fresh green curry paste in banana bread and it was awesome.

1. omit the crystalized ginger
2. omit the poppy seed
3. add coconut
4. make your own green curry paste and use it instead of the curry powder-but leave out about half of the coriander (cilantro) leaves/roots:

THAI GREEN CHICKEN CURRY (serves 3-4)

THAI GREEN CURRY PASTE
(makes about 1 cup)
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp ground fresh nutmeg
12 large green chilies (I used Serranos and took most of the seeds out)
1 cup chopped onion or shallots
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 stems lemongrass (white part only, finely chopped
10 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander roots (I used stems)
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
6 kaffir lime leaves, chopped
2 tsp finely grated lime zest
2 tsp salt
Dry-fry the coriander and cumin seeds for 2-3 minutes. Then grind along with the black peppercorns in a mortar and pestle. Place all ingredients in a food processor and finely chop. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

 
Hint: take your basic recipe san all spices and bake small test samples. Trust me. You'll figure

out rather quickly that the brilliant caramel coffee creamer idea DOES NOT WORK, YOU SILLY FOOL.

This idea lets you sample various sweeteners and additives in additon to the spice range.

 
Take a look at past winners and the judging team. If it's the same judging team, aim for

something similar, but slightly different. After judging several culinary competitions, weird stuff needs to be the most amazing thing ever, or it's a flop. But, an outstanding rendition of a long time favorite? Easier to get your brain around, and become a true standout. Sometimes, the presentation is all the innovation you need.

If there's a "People's Choice" category, this is especially true. Uncomplicated, but delicious trumps cheffy razzle dazzle every time. (Getting the masses to accept a new, innovative idea? No easy feat.)

 
Yes, if you are pushing the envelope weird-wise, it should be. . .

pretty dang fantastic. Sometimes weird can be too, too wierd.

I judged a fair where the in-fair competion of cookies was won by a very, very well done cookie: good texture, properly and correctly baked and flavors were very well balanced; the cookie was a rum-raisin cookie and it won best of show by unanimous vote of all 10 judges (there were a LOT of entries!)!

You want to go for PERFECTLY baked, evenly browned on all sides, no brown corners, no "goopy" centers. It should be evenly risen with the dome with that pretty crack down the center. Flavors, whatever flavors you use, should be balanced and not overwhelming.

I would advise you to make your bread several times to get your technique down pat and test for flavors. The day of the competition, I would make more than one of your quick bread and pick the nicest looking one to enter. AND check the crumbs stuck on the sides and bottom of the pans for flavors--you don't want to have mistakenly used baking soda instead of baking powder or too much salt or something like that.

Make sure your pans are immaculately clean and where ever you shred/chop the squash, make sure the surface or bowl is clean and not tasting or smelling of garlic or onion!

I wish you good luck!

 
Yes, very good advice: Make one recipe of your basic, without flavor ingredients. . .

and divide into, say, 4 portions. Add flavorings to each portion, mix well and bake. Make sure you weigh and/or carefully measure each seasoning and make note of what batch went into which pan. Upon baking, cooling and turning out of pan, taste and decide which you like best or that you want to try some others. Keep good records. I know this from experience--I am always cooking but not writing down exactly what I did so that I can reproduce it if I want (irritates my family much, Ha ha.). Of course if I write things down and stuff turns our bad, I can avoid it too!

You have me tempted to try some canned Thai Masaman curry paste in a bread or two!

 
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