THE FEASTS OF TRE-MANG

These recipes are excerpted from The Feasts of Tre-mang–real food from the imaginary island.

Please try one and let me know what you think by clicking on the post heading!

Sourdough recipes take time. Start Zannis Jad-zum late in the day for baking the following day.

2 cups sourdough starter

1 ½ cup warm water

5 cups flour

1 tbsp sugar or maple syrup

3 ½ teaspoons salt

3 teaspoons olive oil

1 large finely chopped leek (1 ½ – 2 cups)

½ tbsp salt

pinch black pepper

2 tbsp herbed butter

1 ½  cups chevre cheese

1. Make dough. In a large mixing bowl, mix sourdough starter, water, 4 cups flour and maple syrup well.

2. Cover with moist towel and let rise at room temperature for 8-12 hours until doubled in size.

3. Add 1 cup flour, salt and olive oil. Knead well on a floured surface. Push an index finger into the dough. If the indentation disappears, the dough is well-kneaded.

4. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and leave covered to rise until bulk increases significantly. This may take 3-6 hours. Sourdough cultures have variable temperaments. If the dough hasn’t risen after 6 hours, be sure it is in a warm spot and come back for it later!

5. Make filling. In just enough olive oil to keep the filling from sticking to a pan, sauté leek.

6. Sprinkle with ½ tbsp salt and a pinch pepper.

7. When cool, add leek to Chevre. Cream cheese may be substituted for Chevre. Mix well.

8. Pull dough into 16 pieces and form into balls. On a well-floured surface, knead each ball for 1 minute then roll into 6-inch disks.

9. Add filling. Place 2-2 ¼ tbsp of leek-cheese filling onto dough-disk and spread to three inches—leaving an inch of dough around the outside. Fold edges of dough into the middle over the filling, being sure to overlap and pinch together well to make a good seal.

10. Place buns on well-oiled baking sheets. Cover with oiled plastic wrap or well-floured towels and let rise in a warm place for 1-3 hours.

11. Preheat oven to 400° F. Bake loaves for 15 minutes.

12. Remove loaves and, with a toothpick, poke several holes into the tops to vent. Spread a thin layer of herbed butter (see recipe) or olive oil on loaves. Remove from baking sheets and place directly on oven rack and continue baking for 10 more minutes or until browned. 25 minutes total.

13. Remove and let cool completely before eating.

Notes:

Tre-Manners loved baking but would not have recognized the tidy little packages of dried yeast we now rely on. Instead, they used sourdough starters, yeast cultures living in a very wet dough. Starting your own takes days but can easily be kept indefinitely if cared for. Instructions for keeping sourdough starters can be found in many cookbooks or on the Web. Some sourdough cultures have been handed down for generations. If you have a friend or family member with a sourdough starter they will probably be happy to save you the time of starting your own.

Pomegranate bergamot curd with goat cheese and sourdough makes a perfect snack. Photo by Morgan Bellinger

Consider doubling or even tripling this recipe because Pomegranate Bergamot Curd disappears quickly. A small jar makes a unique gift.

3 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
5 drops bergamot oil
½ cup pomegranate syrup
6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted softened butter
3 tbsp lime juice

1. In a sauce pan combine eggs, sugar, and bergamot oil. Whisk until sugar dissolves.

2. Add pomegranate syrup, butter, and lime juice.

3. Melt butter by whisking constantly over medium heat. When curd thickens and begins to simmer, remove from heat and continue whisking for one minute. Pour into jar and refrigerate. Enjoy on bread or scones.

Notes:

This recipe will work without the bergamot oil, but will lack a unique bouquet. If bergamot oil is unattainable try replacing it with ¼ teaspoon ginger.

Growing wild all over the island, pomegranates were made into syrup for use year round. Gezzer is one of the many recipes which took advantage of this delicious fruit.

Storm Chowder Pie wraps the flavors of the sea in a flakey crust. Photo by Morgan Bellinger

Pamatala Jad-zum: Storm Chowder Pie

These pies will make you wonder why chowder isn’t always served in a delicious crust. Very filling, Pamatala Jad-zum are a meal unto themselves.

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons salt

½ cup chilled shortening

1 ¼ sticks cold butter

6-8 tbsp ice water

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1 ½ tbsp fresh sage chopped

7 cloves garlic crushed

1 tbsp fresh oregano chopped

1 ¾  cups broth (fish broth is best but any broth will do)

1 lbs skinned, de-boned salmon filets

½ lb shelled shrimp

1 cup cream

½ cup dry chopped wakame seaweed

1. Make the pie dough. In a large mixing bowl combine 2 ½ cups flour and salt. Cut into this the shortening and butter. Using hands or a pastry machine, mix in half of the butter and shortening at a time until dough is crumbly and pea-sized. Add just enough ice-water to keep dough together. Do not overwork the dough.

2. Divide the dough into plum-sized balls. Cover and chill.

3. Make the chowder. Heat butter, olive oil, sage, garlic, and oregano in a soup pot. Just as the garlic begins to brown, stir in 2 tbsp flour. Stir well to avoid lumps, adding more oil if necessary.

4. Add broth, salmon, shrimp, cream, and seaweed. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Cover until fish is cooked and flakey. Salt to taste. Remove chowder from heat and set aside.

5. Prepare the pies. Preheat oven to 400° F. Grease a muffin tin and roll dough balls into flat discs. Press one disc into the muffin form, ladle chowder into it and cover with another disc. Cut away excess dough for re-use. Crimp edges and slit vents with a sharp knife. Repeat until all dough is used.

6. Bake at 400° F until chowder boils and tops are golden and flakey (30-40 minutes). Let cool for 5 minutes; remove from forms and garnish.

Notes:

Pamatala Jad-zum will accommodate almost any seafood — consider clams, crab, or scallops. The seaweed in these pies evokes a storm-tossed sea but can be replaced with spinach.