Dinner Snapshot
We had the Devines and Howeys over for dinner. For posterity, I preserved the moment in picture.

And yes, that was the best one of 20 taken.

Alfredo Seafood Sauce with Ham
This is another Frankenstinian creations I made today on the fly. It turned out great... a big hit with the kids.

favorite pasta, enough for 5
olive oil
1 tbs butter
1 tbs flour
1½ cup whole milk
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
1 4-oz salmon filet
10-12 medium-sized shrimp, cooked
½ cup of ham steak, cubed
1 tbs capers
1 tsp lemon juice
salt
pepper

Bring water to boil in 4-quart saucepan and add pasta. Cook until al dente according to instructions. Drain, rinse, and return to pan. Add a bit of olive oil and toss (keeps the noodles from sticking together).

While the water is heating up, add a bit of olive oil to the bottom of a 1-quart saucepan. Melt butter over medium-low heat. Add salmon filet and sauté until filet is medium-rare. Remove filet from pan, break into small chunks, and set aside. Add the butter to the saucepan and melt (again, over medium-low heat). Add flour and a bit of salt and pepper. Stir vigorously until slightly browned and thickened. Add milk and bring just to the edge of a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add Parmesan cheese and stir to melt. Mix in shrimp, capers, lemon juice, ham cubes, and salmon chunks. Return to a very low heat and simmer to keep warm.

You should end up with something like this:

Serve over noodles.

Fresh Herb Twists
I got this recipe out of my favorite baking book, Local Breads by Daniel Leader. It's a great way to use the last of the fall herbs in the garden. The recipe calls for three fresh herbs: basil, rosemary, and thyme. Of these, we have only fresh basil and rosemary. I used dried thyme. If substituting dry stuff for fresh... use only half of the amount called for.

1 tbs fresh basil, coarsely chopped
1 tbs fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped
1 tbs fresh thyme, coarsely chopped
1½ cups water
2 tsp SAF instant yeast
2½ cups unbleached bread flour
¾ cup rye flour
¼ cup olive oil
1½ tsp sea salt

Mix the dough. Combine all of the ingredients except the fresh herbs in the stainless steel bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low speed until a rough dough forms. Let stand 10 minutes.

Prepare the herbs. Coasely chop the herbs and place them in a small bowl. Set aside.

Knead the dough. Using a kneading attachment (dough hook) mix the dough on medium-low speed (4 on a KitchenAid mixer, 5 on a Cuisinart mixer) for 9 minutes. Add the herbs and knead for 2 minutes more until they are well distributed.

Ferment the dough. After kneading, form the dough into a ball. Spray the inside of a square food storer with a little olive oil (or Pam). Place the dough ball into the container and cover. Place container in oven (with oven light or pilot light on) and let the dough rise until it has doubled in size... about 1½ to 2 hours.

Divide and shape the twists. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a rope about 12 to 14 inches long. Lay two ropes side by side and pinch the ends together at one end. Twist the two ropes together and pinch at the other ends to seal. Place loaves on a piece of parchment paper and cover loosely with plastic wrap.

Proof the twists. Let the loaves stand at room temperature until they look pillowy, 30 minutes to 1 hour. The dough is ready to bake when you press your fingertip into the dough slightly and the resulting indentation springs back slowly.

Prepare the oven. Preheat oven to 425°. If using a baking stone, place stone on middle rack and preheat for at least 30 minutes. Also place a cast iron skillet on the lowest rack (to aid with steam generation later).

Bake the twists. Slide the loaves onto the baking stone. Put about a 8-12 ice cubes in the skillet to produce steam. Close the oven door immediately. Bake until the loaves are golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly, then serve warm.

You should end up with something like this: