Provolone Melt

Ingredients

ciabatta (see recipe below)
sliced tomato
fresh washed spinach
provolone cheese
italian dressing
pepper


Instructions

cut the ciabatta into sandwich-sized hunks and slice it in the middle (hoagie-style). add a layer of provolone, several slices of tomato and spinach leaves, lightly douse with italian dressing, add one or two layers of provolone, sprinkle with pepper and cover with the top piece of bread.

toast in an oven on "broil" for about a minute, or until the cheese has melted. remove and enjoy!


***I'm going to try adding a few sprigs of sweet basil from my garden next time I make this***

Ciabatta

INGREDIENTS

Starter
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
1/2 cup water
1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour


Mix all of the ingredients until well-blended. Cover the starter and leave it at cool room temperature for 12 to 16 hours; it will become very bubbly.

Dough
all of the starter
3/4 cup water
2-2 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

INSTRUCTIONS
Combine the starter with the remaining dough ingredients. Mix vigorously until the dough begins to hold together (about 4 minutes); it should be very slack (wet).

Place the dough in a lightly floured bowl. Let it rise for 1 hour, then gently deflate it. Let it rise another hour, then turn it out onto a liberally floured worktable and sprinkle lots of flour on top. Flatten the dough to about 3/4-inch thick and and cut it into two pieces, each about 4 x 10 inches. Cover the loaves with heavily oiled plastic wrap and let them rise on well-floured boards or parchment.

Preheat oven to 425. Transfer the bread to a floured baking and bake the ciabatta until it's a deep golden brown, approximately 18 to 20 minutes.

***Adapted from a King Arthur Flour recipe.

tom yum gai (hot and sour soup)

Ingredients:

2 cups water
handful pearl mushrooms
bamboo shoots (small can)
handful chopped carrot
2 kaffir lime leaves
3 small limes
chili powder
curry powder
ground fresh chili paste
salt

Instructions:

bring water to a boil. crush lemongrass with a butter knife, tie and put in the boilinig water with the lime leaves. simmer for five minutes, then add the vegetables, curry powder to taste, a scant pinch of chili powder, ditto with the salt. simmer low, adding water if necessary if too much boils off.

place the chili paste and lime juice in the bottom of a bowl (to taste) -- i use about 1 1/2 tsp of the paste and the juice of one small lime. remove the lemongrass and lime leaves from the soup, pour it into the bowl.

serve with a tall glass of citrus mint iced tea and follow up with korma masala.