Buttery Sourdough Buns

1/2 cup sourdough starter, fed or unfed
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 large egg
5 tablespoons butter, softened
2/3 cup lukewarm water

4 tablespoons melted butter, divided
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Combine all of the dough ingredients in a large bowl, and mix and knead - using your hands, a stand mixer, or a bread machine set on the dough cycle - to make a soft, smooth dough.

Place the dough in a lightly greased container and allow to rise, covered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until it's just about doubled in bulk.

Gently deflate the dough and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface.

Lightly grease two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans.  

Roll and pat the dough into a rough rectangle approximately 12- by 16-inches.  Melt 2 tablespoons melted butter and mix in the paprika.  Spread the melted butter on the dough rectangle.  Starting with a long side, roll the dough into a log.

Cut the log in 1-inch slices using a sharp knife.  Arrange 8 buns in each greased pan.  Cover the pans and let the buns rise for 60 minutes, until they're noticeably puffy.  Don't let the buns rise for too long; you want them to have enough rising power left to expand nicely in the oven.  Towards the end of the rising time, heat the oven to 350°F.

Uncover the pans and brush each bun with some of the remaining butter, melted.  Bake the buns for 22 to 25 minutes.  They will only color slightly when done.

Remove the buns from the oven, and turn them out of the pan onto a rack.  Brush with any remaining melted butter.  Serve hot or warm.  To reheat, place the buns on a baking sheet, tent lightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 10 minutes in a 350°F oven.

Wrap any leftover buns airtight and store at room temperature for several days.  For longer storage, wrap airtight and freeze.


Makes 16 buns.

From King Arthur Flour

Caramelized Onion Sourdough Biscuits

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small to medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
1 cup sourdough starter, unfed

Combine the butter, onion, and sugar in a pan set over medium-low heat.  Cook the onions, covered, for about 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes; they should be nicely caramelized.  Transfer the onions to a bowl; cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until well-chilled, at least 3 hours.

Heat the oven to 425°F.  Grease or line a baking sheet with parchment.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Work the butter into the flour until the mixture is unevenly crumbly.

Toss in the chives and caramelized onions.

Cut in the starter until the dough becomes cohesive.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and use a bench knife or bowl scraper to fold it over on itself five or six times, until it comes together.

Pat the dough into a 1-inch thick disk.  Use a sharp 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter to cut rounds.  Pat the scraps together, and cut additional biscuits.  

Bake the biscuits for 15 to 18 minutes, until they're just turning golden.

Remove the biscuits from the oven, and serve warm with a little bit of butter.


Makes 8 2 1/2-inch biscuits.

From King Arthur Flour

Cream of Chicken Soup

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 to 2 leeks (white part only), sliced very finely
1 1/4 cups chicken stock
1 1/4 cups milk
2 bay leaves
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 pound chicken breast or thigh meat, sliced
1 tablespoon flour
Pinch of salt
Pinch of ground mace
1 egg yolk
3-4 tablespoons heavy cream

Put 2 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt it, and in it cook the leeks gently until soft.  Meanwhile, put the stock and milk in another saucepan with the bay leaves, garlic, and chicken.  Bring to the boil, turn down the heat, and simmer until the chicken is just tender.  

When the leeks are soft, stir the flour into the leek mixture and cook on low heat, stirring, for a few minutes.  Remove the chicken from the saucepan and set aside.  Pour the milk mixture onto the floury leeks, stirring.  Bring to just below the boil, stirring occasionally.  Meanwhile, shred or finely chop the chicken.  Add the chicken to the leek and milk mixture, and then add salt and mace.  Continue cooking over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.  Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.  If the soup appears to be getting too thick, add additional milk as necessary to thin.  

Using a blender or hand blender, puree the soup.  Rinse out the saucepan, then push the pureed soup through a strainer back into the pan.  Put back on the heat, stirring until hot.  Mix the egg yolk and cream together, and, with the pan off the heat, stir into the soup.


Serves 2.

From How to Eat by Nigella Lawson

Chipotle Macaroni and Cheese with Garlic Bread Crumbs

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs

1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 pound macaroni
2 pounds extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
4 tablespoons chipotle chiles in adobo, pureed

Heat butter and oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides, then cook garlic and bread crumbs, stirring, until crumbs are golden.  Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt.

Heat oven to 350 F.  Melt butter in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan over moderate heat, then add flour and cook, whisking, 1 minute.  Gradually whisk in milk, cream, and mustard and simmer, whisking occasionally, 3 minutes.

Cook macaroni in a 6- to 7-quart pot of boiling salted water until just tender.  Drain in a colander and transfer to a large bowl.  Stir in white sauce, cheese, chipotles, and salt to taste.  Fill a 3-quart shallow casserole dish with macaroni mixture.  Sprinkle with bread crumbs.  Bake in middle of oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

(Macaroni and cheese may be made 2 days ahead, put into casserole, cooled completely, and chilled, covered.  Do not add bread crumbs until ready to bake.  Baking may take longer than 30 minutes.)


Serves 8 to 10.

From Gourmet

Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream

5 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
2 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1/2 cup chopped peeled carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery or celery root
2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried sage leaves
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups apple cider
2/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream
Chopped fresh chives

Melt butter in a heavy, large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add squash, leeks, carrot, and celery or celery root; saute until slightly softened, about 15 minutes.  Mix in apples, thyme, and sage.  Add stock and 1 cup cider and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Cover and simmer until apples are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.  Cool slightly.

Working in batches, puree soup in blender.  Return soup to pan.  Boil remaining 1/2 cup cider in a heavy small saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes.  Cool.  Place sour cream in a small bowl.  Whisk in reduced cider.  (Soup and cider cream can be made 1 day ahead.  Cover separately and refrigerate.)

Bring soup to simmer.  Mix in whipping cream.  Ladle soup into bowls.  Drizzle with cider cream.  Top with chives.


Serves 8.

From Bon Appetit

Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash

2 small acorn squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds and center fiber scooped out

2 tablespoons butter

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 large onion, diced

1 pound chicken sausage, diced

1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs

1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup molasses or maple syrup

Heat oven to 375°F.  Melt 1 tablespoon butter and brush on insides of squash halves.  Place squash cut-sides-up on a baking sheet.  Cover the squash with foil and bake for 45 minutes. 

Meanwhile, melt remaining tablespoon butter in cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper and onions; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add sausage and cook until lightly browned. Mix in breadcrumbs, broth, pepper and salt.  Add additional seasoning to taste.

Remove squash halves from oven, and mound sausage mixture in center of each.  Brush sausage mixture and squash with molasses or maple syrup. Replace in oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until squash is cooked through.

Serves 4.

From Bon Appetit, with many changes

Dijon and Cognac Beef Stew

4 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, finely diced
3 shallots, chopped
1 to 1 1/2 pounds beef chuck, in 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Cognac
2 cups unsalted beef stock
1/4 to 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into half-moon slices

3 to 4 large yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 pound mushrooms, stemmed, cleaned and quartered

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a Dutch oven or a large heavy pot over medium-low heat.  Add onion and shallots. Cook until softened but not browned, about 10 to 15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a large bowl.

Add 2 more tablespoons butter to the pan. Dust beef cubes with flour, and season lightly with salt and more generously with pepper. Shake off excess flour, and place half the cubes in the pan. Cook over medium-high heat until well browned, almost crusty, on all sides, then transfer to the bowl with onions. Repeat with remaining beef.

Add Cognac to the empty pan, and cook, stirring, until the bottom is deglazed and any crusted-on bits come loose. Add stock and Dijon mustard. Whisk to blend, then return meat and onion mixture to pan. Lower heat, cover pan partway, and simmer gently until meat is very tender, about 1 1/4 hours.

Add carrots, and continue simmering for 20 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for another 20 minutes, or until both carrots and potatoes are tender.  

As the stew cooks, heat 2 tablespoons butter in medium skillet over medium-high heat, and sauté mushrooms until browned and tender. When carrots and potatoes are tender, stir mushrooms into stew. Simmer 5 minutes, then taste, and adjust seasoning. Serve hot.

Serves 4.

From Regina Schrambling in the New York Times, via Smitten Kitchen, with a few changes