James Beards Zucchini Bread Food

JAMES BEARD'S ZUCCHINI BREAD

Steps:

• Beat the eggs until light and foamy. Add the sugar, oil, zucchini, and vanilla and mix lightly but well. Combine the flour, salt, soda, baking powder, and cinnamon and add to the egg-zucchini mixture. Stir until well blended, add nuts, and pour into two 9 x 5 x 3 inch greased loaf pans. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 1 hour. Cool on a rack.

JAMES BEARD'S BASIC HOME-STYLE BREAD

Steps:

• Add the yeast to 1/2 cup of the warm milk, along with 2 tbl sugar, and stir well until the yeast in completely dissolved. Allow the yeast to proof.
• Place the remaining milk, butter and salt in a bowl. (Beard liked a lot of salt, and I would use less). Stir in the flour, 1 cup at a time, with a wooden spoon.
• After the third cup, add the yeast mixture. Continue stirring in flour until the mixture is rather firm, which should take about 4 to 5 cups.
• Remove the dough to a floured board and knead, adding more flour as necessary, until it is supple, satiny and no longer sticky.
• Butter a bowl and place the dough in it, turning to coat all sides with the fat. Cover and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Deflate the dough by punching firmly two or three times, return to the floured board, and knead 4 to 5 minutes more.
• Divide into two equal parts and shape into loaves. Place in well-buttered 9x5x3 in loaf tins, cover, and let rise again until doubled in bulk.
• Slash the loaves with a sharp knife and brush with lightly beaten egg white or water.
• Bake in a 400 deg. oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped with the knuckles.
• Remove the loaves from the pans and put them back in the oven a few minutes longer to become crisped.

ZUCCHINI AND WHITE BEAN CAESAR

Steps:

• Tear ½ small loaf crusty bread (such as country-style, ciabatta, or baguette) into 1" pieces (you should have about 4 cups). Heat ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add bread and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown and crisp on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Whisk together 2 large egg yolks*, 2 large garlic cloves, finely grated, 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, and 3 tsp. Dijon mustard in a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, gradually pour in ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, starting drop by drop and increasing to a steady stream. (To keep the bowl from sliding as you whisk, set inside a snugly fitting saucepan or wrap a damp kitchen towel around base of bowl to stabilize.) Whisk until mixture is emulsified and achieves a consistency between heavy cream and mayonnaise. (Alternatively, you can use a food processor, first pulsing egg yolk mixture together, then running the motor while you gradually stream in oil.)
• Finely chop 3 oil-packed anchovy fillets, then sprinkle with salt and use the side of your knife to mash into a paste; scrape into egg yolk mixture. Add 1½ oz. Parmesan, finely grated, ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. kosher salt, and lots of pepper; whisk to combine. Taste dressing and season with more salt and pepper if needed (dressing should be pretty assertive-we're about to add lots of bread, zucchini, and beans).
• Place croutons, 1½ lb. zucchini (about 6 medium), shaved into ribbons lengthwise with a vegetable peeler, and one 15.5-oz. can white beans (such as cannellini, butter, or navy), rinsed, patted dry, in a large bowl; drizzle with dressing and toss gently to coat.
• Divide salad among plates and top with more Parmesan and lemon zest, season with more pepper, and drizzle with more oil if desired. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over. *Raw egg is not recommended for infants, the elderly, pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems...or people who don't like raw eggs. Just use coddled egg yolks instead if needed.

JAMES BEARD'S OLD-FASHIONED MEAT LOAF

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meats, onions, carrots, and spices. Mix well.
• Add in the eggs, milk, bread crumbs, and mix well.
• Place half of the mixture on a greased, shallow baking pan. Place hard boiled eggs (without shells, of course) end-to-end in a line through the loaf. Place remaining amount of mixture on top and form into a loaf with your hands.
• Place strips of bacon atop loaf in an attractive criss-cross pattern.
• Bake at 350 F for 90-120 minutes, depending upon how thick you have formed the loaf.