Opened mouth, insert Size 7.5 C supinating foot. Need quick focaccia topping for Saturday.

M

marilynfl

Moderator
Here's the challenge: I don't want to BUY anything.

Going to dual birthday party on Saturday and was asked to make a flourless chocolate cake.

Huzzah!! I've got CathyZ's brilliant version for that, which I've made several times, so confidence level is high on that one.

But then I couldn't shut my mouth so I'm also making a raspberry puree to plate underneath, bringing REAL whipped cream before they try to use the canned stuff again, white chocolate curls (Nestle brand) and chocolate dip strawberries.

But then I STILL couldn't keep my mouth shut and offered to make Samin's focaccia because...well, because I've been starved to cook for people and all the places I normally give my food to are still not allowed to accept food from rampant bakers who don't know when to quit.

I've been wanting to make her focaccia again and since there will be 8 people, it's a good way to share. But then the host said:

Host: "What's focaccia?"

Me (long pause): Warm...bread? You know...it's like thick pizza dough but you can put anything on it.

Host (long pause): Like what?

Me: Prosciutto? Or cheese. Tomatoes, mushrooms, olive oil, really...anything or nothing...

Host: Sounds good.

So now I'm trying to figure out what I can bring WITH the focaccia --by using stuff from my pantry.

I've got:

a jar of roasted red peppers

a jar of roasted tomatoes

a can of artichoke hearts (not the marinated stuff)

a can of hearts of palm

a small can of black sliced olives

a jar of green olive

parmesan cheese

slivered romano cheese

feta

capers

3 fresh tomatoes

jars of Rao's spaghetti sauce (tomato/basil, vodka, marinara)

hummus

small amount of roasted eggplant with tomatoes (about a cup)

fresh mushrooms

onions

olive oil

thick balsamic vinegar

Note: Host is serving standing rib roast so I don't want anything too filling. More nosh-ish and portable to walk around eating than anything else.

I'll be arriving with the bread fresh out of the oven.

Also, I'm making a three course dinner for a friend tomorrow and don't want to be tied up too much with this dish.

 
Make the focaccia on the thinner side and . . .

Bake it with any of the stuff you listed above. It all sounds good ('ceptin' for the black olives; I don't like the common canned black olived; tastes like Robitussin cough syrup to me). I just recommend a few things or else. Uh, too many is just too many. . .

The roasted eggplant with tomatoes would be the easiest to chop up and scatter over you dimpled focaccia. If that looks too scant, put some sliced tomatoes up there too. Sprinkle with a little coarse salt, drizzle with olive oil and bake. Perhaps for a bit of fruity zing, a little of the thick balsamic?

Also, I'd cut it into easily carried finger/narrow bar pieces. Your yield will be and most people think after one or two things they need to hold off (maybe!).

Have fun!

 
Good idea, but I don't know how to adjust her recipe to make it thinner. I followed her

method like a blind person and it turned out perfect, but definitely not thin. So I'm loath to change anything there...and yet so happy that I just got to use the word "loath." Plus a key step to her method is to pour a LOT of salty water over the risen dough and let it bake away so I don't know how that would affect adding other ingredients.

 
I think I should clarify. I want something to take along with the bread, for dipping or

smearing or piling on top, in addition to just eating warm bread, which Mom and I did for ONE THIRD of a large cookie sheet. We ate it plain. Nothing on it. Just shoved warm salty bread into our happy mouths.

The neighbors should see there is a civilized way of enjoying focaccia that doesn't involving acting like a Visigoth.

 
Good olive oil mixed with coarse Kosher salt and cracked pepper? Roasted tomatoes mixed

with ricotta or goat cheese?
If the bread is thick, along the line of what Mistral suggested, you might cut it in half--maybe serve "soldiers"--pieces already cut in small rectangles for serving?
Oh, and adding some parm to the olive oil for dipping is good.

 
Hey Marilyn, your reputation may take a leap if you serve this corn butter with your fresh foccacia!

I know you don't have any corn, but it could be worth it.
And that would be "a FURTHER leap"

In the intro to this it was even suggested that this can be a good use for corn that maybe should have been used a couple of days earlier.

- Corn Butter
- Cut off kernels: Use a chef's knife to cut the kernels from each ear. To wrangle the kernels, arrange towels around the cutting board and cut the corn in the center of the circle. Or balance the ear in the center of a Bundt pan and cut. Or lay the ear on its side and slice the kernels off with a sturdy chef’s knife. 8 ears of corn will yield 4 to 5 cups of kernels. If you’re a go-getter, you can also scrape the back of your knife along the cob to get the juice.
- Blend (or juice): Your best move is to juice the kernels. But if you don’t have a juicer, put the kernels in a blender or food processor and buzz them up like crazy–let the blender run on the highest speed (I’m talking the “liquefy” setting) for about 2 minutes. Once the kernels are blended into a smooth puree, pass the puree through a strainer with a rubber spatula. Ta-da! Corn juice.
- Whisk and cook: Here’s where the magic happens. Pour the juice into a medium saucepan. Heat the juice over medium heat, whisking constantly. Continue whisking until the mixture begins to thicken and the frothy bubbles begin to disappear, about 4 minutes. When the mixture is thick and bubbling, whisk and cook for about 30 seconds more. Remove from the heat.
- Season (optional): Taste it–and look for sweet, smooth, earthy, and buttery. If you want, add a few pinches of salt and pats of butter. The corn butter will keep for about 3 to 5 days in the fridge
Slather onto cornbread or a muffin instead of butter
- Use it on sandwiches instead of mayonnaise
- Fold it into sautéed spinach with onions, and finish with just a touch of cream for killer creamed spinach
- Dribble it onto a hot dog (it’ll remind you of a corn dog)
- Stir it into risotto and finish with Parmesan
- Blend it with vanilla ice cream for a crazy delicious milkshake
- Top tacos or fajitas with it
- Mix it with shredded cheese, a little sour cream, and a jar of drained jalapeños, bake and serve as a LIFE ALTERING dip for tortilla chips
Now your turn. If we can stop ourselves from slathering it on every biscuit and English muffin we see, what else should we do with our corn butter?

 
How about a variation of "glop?" Or olive tapenade.

Remember the Chiarello recipe from way back here? This would be similar. It was called salsa di pamigiano, in T&T appetizers.

Mix the grated parmesan cheese with olive oil, black pepper, garlic if you've got it, a few red pepper flakes--voila-dip.

Olive tapenade: process up the green olives, capers, basil, parsley if you've got herbs. Dip #2

If your roasted tomatoes are sun dried, tomato tapenade would be great-- tomatoes, capers, olives, olive oil, parsley blended together.

Been thinking of making that focaccia again too. Have fun!

M

 
Yeah I like this idea- got another one inside using just what you have on hand

a jar of roasted red peppers
a jar of roasted tomatoes
a can of artichoke hearts (not the marinated stuff)
a small can of black sliced olives OR
a jar of green olive
parmesan cheese
olive oil

chop 'em all up, add fresh basil or oregano and presto......

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top