Chef Johns Sourdough Starter Food

CHEF JOHN'S SOURDOUGH STARTER

Steps:

• Day 1: Mix 70 grams flour and 70 grams water together in a container with a lid. Container needs to be large enough to accommodate another 70 grams water and flour. Cover loosely so gases can escape. Leave for 24 hours at 70 degrees F.
• Day 2: Add 70 grams flour and 70 grams water. Stir. Cover loosely and leave for 24 hours at 70 degrees.
• Day 3: Remove half (140 grams) of the starter. Add 70 grams flour and 70 grams water. Stir. Cover loosely and leave for 24 hours at 70 degrees.
• Day 4 through about Day 10: Repeat Step 3 each day until starter smells fruity, yeasty, and is beautifully fermented. You can test this by seeing if the mixture doubles within 2 to 3 hours of feeding.
• Refrigerate until needed. Most people recommend you feed the starter once a month or so (Step 3).
• To make bread using a refrigerated starter: feed it at room temperature for two days. Use your refreshed starter to make bread on the third day. Remember to set aside 140 grams of starter and feed it again before returning it to the fridge.

CHEF JOHN'S SOURDOUGH BREAD

Steps:

• Measure out starter into a bowl. Add water, salt, and bread flour. Mix until ingredients are well blended into a very sticky dough. Cover with aluminum foil; let rest 4 hours at 70 to 75 degrees F (22 degrees C).
• With wet hands, fold dough over on itself 3 or 4 times. Cover with foil and allow dough to ferment for 2 more hours.
• Generously dust a bread form with rice flour (see Chef's Note for banneton substitution).
• Scrape dough out onto a lightly floured work surface (you can use bread flour or all-purpose flour). Shape into a ball with a smooth, unbroken surface, using just enough flour on the surface to keep it from sticking. Transfer smooth-side down to banneton. Pinch together the rougher edges of the surface toward the center to smooth them and maintain the round ball shape.
• Cover and refrigerate 12 hours to slow the fermentation process.
• Remove loaf from the refrigerator and let it rise in a warm spot until the dough springs slowly back and retains a slight indentation when poked gently with a finger, about 3 to 5 hours.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Dust surface of dough with flour. Gently invert banneton over the baking sheet and transfer dough onto parchment paper. Gently brush off excess rice flour. Score the top of the dough about 1/8-inch deep with a sharp knife to create a shallow slit running across the center. Mist entire surface lightly with water.
• Bake in the center of preheated oven until beautifully browned, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Transfer to a rack to cool completely (do not slice loaf while it is still warm).

TRAPPER JOHN'S SOURDOUGH PANCAKES

Steps:

• The night before, take a cup of sourdough starter out of the refrigerator or root cellar, and add flour, whole wheat flour, wheat germ, sugar, and water. Mix well, cover, and place in a warm place overnight. In the morning, remove a cup of the "sponge" and put it back in a jar in the refrigerator. (If you forget this step you won't have any more starter for another day).
• To the remainder, add eggs, oil, and milk. In a small bowl, mix together with a little water, salt, sugar, and baking soda. Stir into the batter and mix just until the ingredients are blended well. Let this sit for 10 minutes. Preheat griddle, grease with butter, and pour or ladle batter onto the griddle. Turn pancakes over as soon as the bubbles begin to pop. Flip over for just a few seconds, and remove pancake from grill to a heated plate. Continue until all the batter is used, then sit down and enjoy a real "Taste of Alaska!" Serve with real maple syrup, birch syrup, or butter and sugar.

SOURDOUGH BAGELS

Steps:

• Mix sourdough starter, warm water, and flour in a bowl. Cover and let sit overnight; the mixture should look bubbly and "spongy" in the morning.
• Add sugar, salt and additional flour. Mix well.
• Knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes, adding additional flour as needed. The dough should be firm. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until double (sour dough takes longer to rise than traditional yeast breads).
• After punching down, divide dough into 12 balls. Make a hole in the middle of each ball with your thumb, and shape into a bagel shape, with a 2" hole in the middle.
• Meanwhile, bring 2 quarts of water to boil on your stove-top. Drop 2 or 3 bagels at a time into the water; boil for 30 seconds, flip bagels over, and boil for an additional 30 seconds. Drain with slotted spoon and place on baking sheet.
• Brush tops with egg white and add additional toppings if desired (poppy seeds, dried onions, etc.).
• Bake at 350 for 35 minutes, turning once for even browning. Bagels are done when they are golden and shiny.