Multigrain Brown Rice with Shallots and Poppy Seed
Okay, so I started with the brown rice, which is so good in bread... and of course added polenta, with its homestyle goodness, and a 50/50 blend of WW (Red Fife from Grist & Toll in Pasadena) and BF... then wanted a little something more to really establish a theme, and found some shallots that were begging to be included, and added some poppy seeds for color and a bit more texture. And this is what happened.
Big, sturdy and boisterous, a bit moist (could have left it on the stone in the oven for a few minutes more), but sliced up beautifully and the aroma is so tempting. I'm thinking Panini sandwiches with cheese, artichoke hearts and roast beef.
I love making it up as I go and using anything and everything in the kitchen (but perhaps not all at once) as inspiration. Everyone enjoy your baking this week!!!
Cathy
Comments
Beautiful crumb! What hydration did you use, and how did you ferment (bulk and final)?
for your kind words. I was glad to see the crumb so open, but this was a fairly wet dough and kept wanting to spread, though I slapped and stretched and folded its little heart out. To answer your question, please allow me to break down the ingredients and explain how I approached it, so you all can check my math...
I figured these as neutral hydration
250 g brown rice, precooked
8 g poppy seed
These were autolyzed together
300 g BF
300 g WW
60 g coarse polenta, dry
505 g water
Then during development added
140 g starter at 100% (so 70 + 70)
14 g salt
60 g shallots, raw, chopped ( I figure mostly water, so 50g)
So, add the wets 505+70+50=625
Divide into the drys 300+300+60+70=730 625/730 = 85%
It did feel wet, but I imagine the rice probably absorbed some, so less neutral that I figured.
Sure hope I did that correctly!
Cathy
That is wonderful looking loaf, I bet the flavors meld together. I agree one of joys of baking and cooking in general is making it up as you go and seeing what happens.
Stu
The loaf sat out overnight to cool, meanwhile I would wake periodically to the smells of onion bread. I agree, being experimental is fun, but brings with it a decided element of risk. Fortunately, my baking assistant has nerves of steel, so tolerates my excesses, as long as I take the blame when things go south.
Enjoy your baking, Stu!
Cathy
I share your enthusiasm for using up leftovers especially brown rice or other cooked cereals. Great looking loaf!
Thanks, TS, I like to keep the inventory maintained and hate to throw out, when items can otherwise be purposed. In this case, I cooked the rice specifically to make bread... the 'leftover' rice was added to a soup. Having parents who were born and raised during the Depression, it was part of our upbringing to avoid waste. I appreciate that practice and (hope) I passed it on to my own kids.
Thanks and enjoy your baking!
Cathy
experimention. Looks delicious!
Have to love a multi-grain bread that is a bit out of the ordinary. Lucy got out the Guinness and polenta after Ian's bake and now is searching her pantry for the elusive Japanese black rice . Your bread looks great. Well done and happy baking Cathy.
Cathy: Looks like your combo of tastes came together so well. Love the scoring as well and beautiful crumb. Lovely! Thanks for sharing. Best, Phyllis
This loaf was fun to make and will be more fun to eat. Compliments from you all are a treat, since your own baking is so skilled, I feel lucky to have drawn your attention.
And, dab, feel certain that if there had been a dark beer in the house, it would have gone in... alas it wasn't to be this time, but we'll look forward to seeing what you and Lucy bake up this week!
Cathy