The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Lazy, simple and utterly delicious Easter Sunday lunch

rossnroller's picture
rossnroller

Lazy, simple and utterly delicious Easter Sunday lunch

Made a pain de campagne first thing, and had some slices for lunch with some of the best smoked salmon I've tasted.

Followed up with a cuppa and a serve of my partner's incredible (and lethally rich) Easter fruit cake, which she made back in November, and has been feeding fortnightly with brandy ever since. We've been away in Thailand for the last month, and she was a bit worried that not feeding it during that time might have resulted in some drying out, but those fears were groundless. Just superb. Unfortuneately, didn't take any pics of the cake. Will do so when we have some more in the coming days, and will post a pic or two.

For now, here's the bread and salmon component of our modest but oh-so-delectable Sunday lunch.

 



BTW, my starter roared back into baking readiness with one feed after sitting in the fridge neglected for the 4 weeks we were away. What a trooper!

 

 

 

 

Best to all!
Ross

Comments

Mebake's picture
Mebake

Yum, Ross! that bread is superb, and the salmon combination looks fabulous.

I hope you enjoyed your trip in Thailand.

rossnroller's picture
rossnroller

Yes, it was a really lovely lunch.

Thailand was great - actually, travelling is always rewarding in all sorts of ways, I find. I still managed to eat something that had me hugging the toilet bowl and calling deep into its depths most of one night. But it's a small price to pay for a lot of delicious street food experiences.

Cheers!
Ross

evonlim's picture
evonlim

home made is always a great treat! 

evon

rossnroller's picture
rossnroller

Yes indeed, you're right on the button. The best food is to be found in the domestic kitchens of the world (oh, and the best of the hawker stalls of SE Asia!).

Cheers!
Ross

yozzause's picture
yozzause

If the cake was anywhere near as good as lunch looks  save me a slice . The slash on your loaf looks very bold and interesting Ross with the exposed dough showing quite a lot of texture.

rossnroller's picture
rossnroller

My partner makes sensational fruitcakes, but she has really excelled herself with this one. Happily, we're going through a particularly good patch with food at the moment!

The bread is my now-standard pain de campagne, and it does eat very well. Comprises mostly organic white flour, with a rye and atta component. Truth to tell, I think this one was slightly underproofed. It sure had an explosive spring! Also sang as it cooled, which is always a bonus.

Cheers!
Ross

hansjoakim's picture
hansjoakim

What tremendous oven spring, Ross! Sounds like you got your trooper just where you want him/her/it; always alert and ready for leavening. Wonderful bread! I guess it needed a couple of feeds first though, right? Or did you spring it right into action after four weeks out in the cold?

I, for one, can't wait for those fruitcake photos. Expectations are high.

rossnroller's picture
rossnroller

Yeah, as per my reply to Derek, I think the bread was a tad underproofed, which would explain that flamboyant spread.

The starter sprang back into leavening action after a single feed. I couldn't believe it. Not even any hooch, after 4 weeks sitting dormant in the fridge. The first bread I made with it off that single feed was as per normal.

You may need to curb your expectations, not because the fruitcake is anything less than spectacular, but because my photography is not up to your lofty standards!I'll do my best!

Cheers!
Ross

Franko's picture
Franko

It's tough to do any better than a good Pain de Campagne and your loaf looks excellent Ross! Love the big open look to it and the airy crumb. Paired with that lovely looking smoked salmon and fresh ground pepper, it's a simple but delicious combination, the very best kind. A Peugot pepper mill you have there Ross? I've had mine for almost 40 years and it's still one the best pieces of kitchen equipment I own.

Cheers,

Franko

rossnroller's picture
rossnroller

Simple, compatible combinations like this can't be bettered. And there's something about bread and fish...!

The pepper mill is an Olde Thompson - an American brand, I think? Like you, I cherish my mill, and have had it for a long time - close on 30 years.

Great to hear from you, Franko.

Ross

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

It must have sang loudly : ) Also a lovely healthy meal.

Sylvia

rossnroller's picture
rossnroller

How did you know?

Cheers
Ross

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

Elegantly simple and delicious no doubt. Now a glass of champagne to go with the Pain De Champagne.....

Nice baking

rossnroller's picture
rossnroller

Too early for champers, I'm afraid. But I'm glad to report we did pop a bot of bubbly that night, which we had with a lovely cheese and crudites platter. The simple quality stuff just can't be beat!

Cheers
Ross

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

Amazing!  Beautiful loaf and pretty crumb!    

Mini

rossnroller's picture
rossnroller

You're right - the salmon seemed grown to order!

Cheers!
Ross

varda's picture
varda

Not so much.   Lovely bread and looks great with the salmon.  -Varda

rossnroller's picture
rossnroller

I knew that word 'modest' wasn't right, but got lazy. Nothing modest about quality food like this. I was referring to the tiny effort that went into assembling the meal, the absence of dressing on the very simple 'salad'...and the simplicity of the combo.

Nice to hear from you!
Cheers
Ross

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

I envy the crackly crust.

I'm fishing for a smoked salmon myself tomorrow to go with a rye.

David

rossnroller's picture
rossnroller

I'm fishing for a smoked salmon myself tomorrow to go with a rye.

Well, you're spoilt over there in the US of A - we have to smoke the salmon after its caught. Ahem...sorry.

Cheers
Ross

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

My sister, Ruth, claims you can always locate the best place to catch smoked salmon by watching for flocks of bay-gulls which circle the migrating schools of smoked salmon.

David

hansjoakim's picture
hansjoakim

I'm wondering whether bay-gulls spot these schools by looking for smoke puffs that migrate through the water column and passively disperse into the atmosphere above, or simply by following the smoky smell of 'em. Perhaps both.

rossnroller's picture
rossnroller

Deeply impressive, Dr Snyder/Ruth. But holey smoke, in the grand old tradition of punning, I'd have thought an accompanying apology was never more obligatory.