When it comes to suppers, we believe in staying ahead of the game. So, as the soup & bread evenings beckon us, we decided to get our hands on some top of the pops artisan breads in the city and bring out the Masterchef in us. We ended up with five recipes that will stay with us for all times to come!
Here’s our trail of #DSSCFave breads across Delhi & our experiments with those.
French Peasant
Taking a post dinner stroll in the lanes of Khan Market, ruing the not-so-appetising sandwich we just ate, we chanced upon Artful Baker nestled quietly up a few stairs. Stopped, looked at each other, looked at the café, and the slight frowns were turned upside down. Halting right outside this artisan bakery was an instant answer to our prayers- we could do-over our taste buds’ experience by whipping up a mean sammich ourselves! While their macarons and mille feuille were hard to look away from, we focussed on the task of the night and placed our bets on their loaf of French Peasant – a countryside bread, with a crispy crust & kernels of cracked wheat lending it a distinct nutty flavour. Playing with this dough for the first time, we chose a rather innovative recipe to prep it with, as for the results, let’s just say we’ve had three repeats already!
Prep time: 25 minutes
Caters to: Two gobblers
Raid your larder for:
For the sandwich
½ red, green, and yellow bell peppers each
1 onion
1 small eggplant
50 grams yellow squash
40 grams leek
50 grams zucchini
50 grams broccoli, cut into florets
Salt & pepper to taste
2 to 3 tbsp oil
Few Lettuce leaves
3 to 4 slices of brie
For the spread (made by mixing all ingredients together)
2 tbsp plum chutney
3 tbsp cream cheese
Tabasco, salt, and pepper to taste
For the marinade (made by mixing all ingredients together)
1 tsp red chilli flakes
1 sage leaf
2 basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
A small bunch of rosemary, chopped
Cook away:
1. Take the bell peppers, eggplant, squash, and zucchini and grill each on both sides
2. Add all the herbs and olive oil to these vegetables
3. Now put these in the marinade and let it stay for 10 minutes
4. Grill two slices of French Peasant
5. Spread the mix on the slices and top it with lettuce leaves
6. Now add the vegetables on top of the lettuce
7. Add 2 to three slices of brie
8. Serve cold or heat ’n’ eat, as desired, and ad a side of chips!
Find them at: The Artful Baker, Shop 13-B, Khan Market, New Delhi.
Ciabatta
With our French Peasant success triggering off a hunt for delectable breads to experiment with, we landed at Di Ghent. The café never disappoints, it’s almost a sin to go to this quaint cafe and not have their waffles, they taste as delicious as they look. And it’s not just the waffle game that they’ve aced-we never forget to pair it with their super coffee. Their authentic tastes will transport you to your own mini-Belgium! As these treats were cleared off our table, we decided to go home with their Ciabatta and see how we can turn the ‘slipper’ bread into Cinderella’s glass sandals (Ciabatta means slipper in Italian, owing this name to its flat and oval shape). The bread has a crusty exterior, covering a light and porous interior-this reminded us of a fluffy pizza crust, and you guessed it- pizza ciabatta it was!
Prep time: 20 minutes
Caters to: Four gobblers
Raid your larder for:
4 large garlic cloves, crushed
350 grams tomato puree
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tsp oregano flakes
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp sugar
450 grams mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced & drained
2 cups rocket leaves (or any other greens tot waste)
4 ciabatta rolls
Cook away:
1. Cut the bread horizontally into two halves
2. Put the olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan
3. Stir for about 1 minute, till the garlic turns a golden colour
4. Turn off the stove and add tomato puree. Stir the three together
5. Add the sugar, oregano, 1 tsp kosher salt and mix
6. Turn on the stove and cook until the mix starts to bubble (2 to 3 minutes)
7. Take the pan off the stove and let it cool
8. Now spread 1 tsp of this paste on the inside of both halves of the bread
9. Line both halves with equal amounts of cheese
10. Drizzle some olive oil, garnish with salt to taste
11. Top it with rocket leaves (or any other greens)
12. Join the two halves together firmly and serve
The taste of a pizza and the goodness of a sandwich-the awesomeness doesn’t end there. If your gang’s showing up the next day or you just know you’re going to feel lazy, make these a day in advance & refrigerate-they stay as good as new!
Find them at: Di Ghent Café, 208, Level 2, Cross Point Mall, DLF Phase 4, Gurgaon.
Focaccia
After a day full of meetings making us dart across the city, we needed some comfort sweets. And who better than Defence Bakery to cure the obsession. Serving some super cakes, bakes & savoury bites since decades, they find a fan in all true blue Delhites. Demolishing their Chocolate Fudge cake unabashedly, we were fixed on their Focaccia for our next bread session. The Italian bread is topped with herbs, cheese, and vegetables, with a chewy crust to wrap it all in. Picking up our date for the night, off we went, but not before digging into their Phily Cheesecake (guilt? What is that?). With all the work making us want to let loose, we chose to do away with planning and make a sammie as we go along!
Prep time: 20 minutes
Caters to: Six gobblers
Raid your larder for:
For the sun-dried tomato spread
8 sun-dried tomatoes
230 grams cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp basil leaves (chopped fresh or dried, as per preference)
2 tbsp sour cream
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp garlic powder
For the sandwich
1 focaccia bread loaf (12 inches in diameter)
250 grams mozzarella cheese
12 slices of tomatoes
30 thin strips of roast chicken (optional)
Red onion rings (optional)
Cook away:
For the sun-dried tomato spread
1. Boil water in a small bowl
2. Once boiling, turn off the stove and add the sun-dried tomatoes to it
3. Let it sit for 30 minutes and drain after that
4. Chop the tomatoes finely
5. In a separate bowl, mix the remaining ingredients for the spread
6. Stir in the chopped tomatoes to this mix
7. Refrigerate for 1 hour
For the sandwich
1. Now cut the focaccia into half
2. Spread the tomato paste on the insides of the halves
3. Add the cheese and tomato slices (if making with chicken, add the strips at this stage)
4. Top with onion rings and fresh basil to taste
5. Press the two bread pieces together
6. Serve with a tall glass of cold coffee to go with the tangy palate.
Find them at: Defence Bakery, 34, Defence Colony Market, Defence Colony, New Delhi.
Sourdough
We’re talking artisan, but artisan and homemade-now that’s called levelling up! Our Masterchef streak had us knocking at Red Moon Bakery’s door. Tucked away in Okhla, the kitchen is run by the very much in love Anna & David. They love to bake a storm for the capital, in their words. With their Bagel Dogs and Apple Crumble Pie sitting happily in our tummies, we concede we’d love to be caught in the eye of this storm at any given time! After much deliberation we opted for their Sourdough, the golden hued bread with a thick & blistered crust; letting our inner chef take over with some eggy goodness playing on our minds.
Prep time: 25 minutes
Caters to: Four gobblers
Raid your larder for:
8 slices of sourdough
2 tbsp spring onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
4 tbsp mayonnaise, more to taste
6 medium sized eggs
Salt & pepper to taste
2 cups of ice cubes
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 iceberg lettuce, shredded
1-2 tbsp mustard sauce (optional)
1 Sliced tomato (optional)
Cook away:
1. Place eggs in a big saucepan, so they all fit in a single layer
2. Cover these in cold water and bring to a boil on medium heat
3. Cook the eggs for 5 minutes, the yolk should stay slightly soft
4. Move the eggs to a new bowl and run cold water over these
5. While pouring the cold water, smash the eggshells with a spoon gently
6. Add two cups of ice cubes and water to cover the eggs completely
7. Peel the eggs and rinse under running water
8. Put the peeled eggs back into the ice water until chilled
9. Now transfer the eggs to a dry bowl
10. Mix the mayonnaise, salt, pepper, lemon juice, spring onions, parsley, paprika, and mustard
11. Chop the eggs and add to this mixture
12. Gently fold all the ingredients together
13. Place the salad on four slices, and top it with tomatoes
14. Press the remaining four slices on top of these and serve
15. It’s best served cold, add some toasted walnuts to pack a punch.
Find them at: Red Moon Bakery, W-41, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase 2, New Delhi & 011-40534797.
Pumpernickel
If it’s all things breads & bakery, we can’t leave behind the French experience. L’opera recreates the French café experience right in the heart of Delhi. Picking a favourite is hard, but we might just order their verrines when choosing our last meal on this planet. Having devoured their Lemon Tart and Macchiato, the day dreaming culminated and we come back from Paris to Delhi. Their skill extends beyond the culinary treats of France, and with the motto exploration fuelling us, we went beyond the French and Italian breads and put our trust in the German Pumpernickel. It was going to be our last bread innovation for the week, which meant going crazy with the creation-thus leading to the rye bread being topped seasonal radishes!
Prep time: 20 minutes
Caters to: Eight gobblers
Raid your larder for:
8 slices of pumpernickel
1/8 tsp salt
230 grams neufchâtel cheese or cream cheese
1 tbsp chives, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp dill, chopped
Pepper to taste
1 bunch of radishes
Cook away:
1. Cut the radishes into thin, circular slices
2. Whisk the cheese until it’s light and smooth (take out of the refrigerator 30 min before beginning)
3. Add dill, chives, salt, and pepper and mix until just combined
4. Remove the crust from bread slices and cut it into small squares (the size of tea sandwiches)
5. Spread the layer of the mixture on the slices and top it with the sliced radish
6. Serve as an open sandwich
7. These are best had with a hot cuppa tea.
Find them at: L’opera, 5-B, Khan Market, New Delhi. (See other locations).
Stevie’s tip: Whip up a self-made mayonnaise quick ‘n’ easy, just follow these steps,
Prep time: 5 minutes
Caters to: 5 gobblers
Raid your larder for:
1 medium sized egg
2 tbsp vinegar
½ tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp mustard powder or mustard oil
1 cup oil (extra virgin olive/canola/sunflower)
¼ tsp black pepper, powdered
Cook away:
1. Take a bowl and break the egg in it
2. Add in all the remaining ingredients and mix
3. Whisk together till the mixture has a thick consistency
4. Add 1 tbsp of oil and beat to make it thicker
5. Continue this process till the cup of oil is used
Now that we’ve introduced you to a non-boring side of breads, we’ll accepting thanks in the form of indulgent bread breakthroughs.
Featured Image Courtesy: blog.bettys.co.uk
