Food & Wine

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Wednesday, April 2, 2008 Red bean soup a perfect 'go-with' By Judyrae Kruse Herald Columnist Now that we've been introduced to and fallen in love with Portuguese sweet breads, let's take a shot at what is apparently commonly called Portuguese white bread. This is what, I'm pretty sure, Ron Fournier is longing for and what I know for absolutely, positively sure is the type my husband and I have long been after. A mop-and-sop marvel, the round loaves make the ideal go-with for lots of things, but really shine with soups and stews (and, if the weather ever warms up, main-dish salad suppers), because they are just perfect for polishing off the last dabs and dregs of the whatever, so you don't have to embarrass yourself by licking the bottom of the bowl. Happily, longtime Forum helper-outer Dorothy Stanton of Marysville is here to help us get the job done. "I may be able to help with a recipe for Portuguese bread," she writes. "We lived for several years on Maui, and I returned with a handful of small, spiral-bound, fundraiser cookbooks. Since the Portuguese are a significant element of Hawaii's population, their culinary specialties are well represented." Dorothy sent us several different recipes to choose from, so I've chosen the following version, which makes just two loaves, compared to many other recipes that make 10. Two seems to me to be a super starter size, giving us one to eat and one to freeze or share with a relative or friend. (Although, if this is as good as I think it will be, there might not be a loaf left over!) Then, too, for those who don't happen to have a relative or friend handy, or there's no room in the freezer, the recipe comes with a built-in bonus -- it can be halved to make only one loaf. Now, if you just can't wait to try this bread, but are drawing a blank on a suitable soup to serve with it, Dorothy has included a recipe for one of those too. She tells us, "The Portuguese red bean soup is delicious. I make it often, using another sausage (linguesa is not commonly available where I shop), and I usually leave out the potato. "This particular recipe calls for Portuguese spice, which is a combination of 2 parts whole anise, 1 part cinnamon, 1 part cloves and 1 part pepper. I just wing it, with dabs of each to taste." Let's not wait to try: Portuguese white bread 1 cup water or milk 3 tablespoons sugar 2-1/2 teaspoons salt 6 tablespoons shortening 1 cup warm water 1 package dry yeast or 1 cake yeast 6 cups flour, divided, plus extra for kneading and shaping In small saucepan, heat water or milk; remove from heat and stir in sugar, salt and shortening and let cool to lukewarm. Measure into a large mixing bowl the 1 cup warm water and sprinkle or crumble in the yeast, stirring until dissolved; stir in the lukewarm sugar mixture. Add 3 cups of the flour and beat until smooth. Stir in the remaining 3 cups flour. Turn dough out onto lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl and brush top of dough with soft shortening. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour). Punch dough down and turn out onto lightly floured board. Divide in half and let rise for 15 to 20 minutes. Form each half into a smooth ball and place each ball in a greased 8-inch round cake pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour). Bake at 400 degrees about 50 minutes. Makes 2 loaves. Note: For 1 loaf, use 1 package dry yeast or 1 cake yeast and half of all other ingredients; bowl rise about 30 minutes, pan rise about 45 minutes. Portuguese red bean soup 3 ham shanks 1 linguesa (if not available, substitute other sausage) 1 small soup bone 2 cups dried red beans, soaked overnight Water 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce 1/4 teaspoon Portuguese spice (see note) 2 tablespoons oil 1 medium onion, sliced 3 tablespoons minced parsley 2 large potatoes, diced Boil ham shanks, linguesa and soup bone in enough water to cover. When meat is almost done, add beans and cook until done. Add tomato sauce and Portuguese spice. In oil, fry onion slices and parsley until tender. Add to soup. Add potatoes and cook until done. Salt to taste. Other vegetables, such as cabbage, watercress and carrots may be added to this soup. Note: For Portuguese spice, combine 2 parts whole anise, 1 part cinnamon, 1 part cloves and 1 part pepper. The next Forum will appear in Friday's Time Out section.

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