Yay for Yeast!

Saccharomyces Song

I baked a loaf of raisin bread
With dense and hearty whole wheat flour.
I know we’ll scarf down ev’ry shred.

The yeast has formed a foamy head.
I stir in spices, milk that’s sour.
To make a loaf of raisin bread.

And now dried fruits I shall embed.
I knead, then form, then wait an hour
Or two, to let rise ev’ry shred

Of yeast, which on molasses fed.
Now stretch the gluten, raise the power
To make a loaf of raisin bread.

I wait a time still racked with dread,
Busy myself with bowls to scour.
Until I fill the pan with ev’ry shred

Of dough, and place it in its bed--
The oven. Now let us devour!
And there remains no crumb, no shred--
We ate that loaf of raisin bread!


This week I'm excited about yeast--Saccharomyces cerevisiae, if you will. It's not new to me or anything, but come on--yeast is just so cool! It makes dough rise! In my kitchen, yeast made me a fantastic pizza* and a hearty loaf of cinnamon raisin bread. Here's the bread recipe.


Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread
1 tbsp active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (approx 110F)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature or a bit warmer--I used soymilk with about 1 T vinegar stirred in
1/4 cup molasses
2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 - 2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
2/3 cups raisins

In a large bowl, combine yeast and warm water. Let stand for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
Mix in soured soymilk, molasses, salt, cinnamon and whole wheat flour. Stir well. Gradually mix in white whole wheat flour, stirring with a wooden spoon until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, adding a bit more flour as you go to keep it from sticking, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5-7 minutes (it won't get quite as smooth as breads made with other flours, but it will still be a bit stretchy). Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Turn bread out onto a lightly floured surface and gently deflate. Shape into a rectangle, then form into a log by folding the short ends into the center, then pulling the long ends up and pinching them together. Place dough seam-side down into a greased 8x4 inch loaf pan. Let rise for 45-60 minutes.
Bake at 375F for 35-40 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and toasting.
Makes 1 loaf.


*In case you're curious about the pizza toppings, I used the silken tofu pesto from the Fatfree Vegan, a sliced fresh tomato, a handful of chopped dried tomatoes, and a pine-nut "cheese" topping. I'll confess that this was my first try at a faux cheese, and I had my doubts going into it. But it turned out really well, just the thing to put on pizza, in my book!

A Savory Supper Song

for Thai Lime and Lentil Soup

Last night I made a soup of flavors bold.
Desiring that we both be warm and fed,
I filled up our bowls with all they could hold.

The day was cheerless, grey and rainy, cold,
But on the stove there simmered lentils red,
For I had made a soup of flavors bold.

Then later, when the kitchen timer tolled
I added lime juice, nabbed a loaf of bread,
And filled up our bowls with all they could hold.

The spices, stewed, had dyed the dish deep gold;
Made fragrant scents which to the table led.
Last night I made a soup of flavors bold.

Herbs to be chiffonaded I first rolled,
Then sliced and scattered o’er their sav’ry bed.
I filled up our bowls with all they could hold.

And after just one bite, we both were sold.
“Feel free to make this one again,” B. said.
I filled up our bowls with all they could hold.
And then we ate my soup of flavors bold.

The cold and wet weather is setting in around here, which means it's definitely time for soup. This new take on lentil soup was the product of both desperation and inspiration. I really, really wanted a nice, hot dinner, but I also didn't want to make a trip to the store. Lentil soup seemed like the obvious choice--it's simple and can be made with pantry staples. So I reached for the red lentils and a can of tomatoes. Right behind the can of tomatoes, though, was a can of coconut milk, and that got me going in a whole new direction.

Here's the recipe.

Thai Lime and Lentil Soup

1 and 1/2 cups dry red lentils
5 cups water
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
14.5 oz can light coconut milk
1 lime
1 T fresh ginger, sliced
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped into large chunks
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. coriander
12-15 leaves Thai basil, chiffonaded (more if you want a nice garnish)

Bring the 5 cups water and 1 cup of the lentils to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Simmer uncovered until lentils are mushy, about 20 minutes.

In the food processor, puree the ginger, jalapeno, and garlic with the stock until smooth. In a large stock pot, cook the aromatic puree over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Zest the lime straight into the stock pot.

Add the spices and cook about 2 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, whiz the cooked lentils, the coconut milk, and the tomatoes in the food processor. It doesn't need to be a smooth puree, some small chunks are fine.

Pour the lentil mixture into the stock pot and bring up to a simmer.

Add the remaining 1/2 cup of dry lentils and cook, uncovered, for another 15 minutes or so.

Stir in the ribbons of Thai basil.

Slice the zested lime and add the juice of one half into the soup.

Salt to taste, and cook just a few minutes longer, for the flavors to blend.


This really hit the spot on our nasty November night! Try it with some good bread and a green salad for a hearty meal.