Steamed Black Bread Recipes

BLACK BREAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve coffee in 1/4 cup warm water. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine remaining 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons warm water and molasses. Sprinkle yeast over top, stir, and let stand 5 minutes.
• Add honey, flours, cocoa, and salt to yeast mixture. Attach bowl to stand mixer fitted the dough-hook attachment and beat on low speed 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-low and beat until dough is smooth and slightly tacky, about 3 minutes (or knead by hand 15 to 20 minutes).
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface; knead by hand, turning dough over, 4 to 5 times before shaping into a ball. Transfer dough, smooth-side up, to a lightly oiled large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Set one half aside, loosely covered with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Shape remaining half into a 9-inch rectangle, with a short side parallel to work surface. Fold top third of dough towards center, then fold bottom third of dough on top, pressing gently to seal. Turn dough 90 degrees and repeat folding process, pinching seam and sides closed. Place seam-side down and roll dough back and forth with palms of hands to form a loaf about 12 inches long with tapered ends. Repeat shaping process with remaining half of dough. Sprinkle a clean cotton cloth with cornmeal and place loaves on top, spacing about 6 inches apart. Loosely cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees, with a pizza stone on rack in lower third and a skillet or baking pan on lowest rack, 30 minutes. Transfer loaves to a pizza peel or unrimmed baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Brush tops with egg white. Using a lame (baker?s blade), razor blade, or serrated knife, make four diagonal cuts, 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep, across each loaf. Slide loaves from peel onto stone. If not using a stone, slide loaves onto a parchment-lined baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Quickly pour boiling water into preheated skillet to create steam. Bake until loaves are dark brown and hollow-sounding when tapped on bottoms, about 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer loaves to a wire rack; let cool completely.

RUSSIAN BLACK BREAD

Steps:

• Place ingredients into the bread machine in order suggested by the manufacturer.
• Use the whole wheat, regular crust setting.
• After the baking cycle ends, remove bread from pan, place on a cake rack, and allow to cool for 1 hour before slicing.

BOSTON BROWN BREAD

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• 2. Generously grease a 1-quart pudding mold or 1-pound coffee can. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir in the molasses and milk. Fold in the currants.
• 3. Fill the mold or coffee can with batter. It should come up about two-thirds of the way. Cover the top with foil and tie securely with a string to make it airtight.
• 4. Place in a deep baking pan and fill the pan with boiling water, to come halfway up the side of the mold.
• 5. Place in the preheated oven and allow to steam for 2 hours, checking the water level after 1 hour. Add more boiling water if needed. Check by sticking a skewer into the bread; it will come out clean when done. Remove string and foil and allow to cool for 1 hour before unmolding.

SPICY STEAMED MUSSELS WITH GARLIC BREAD

Steps:

• Brush 1 teaspoon oil onto each slice of bread. Toast until brown and crisp. Rub both sides (one side if using baguette) with whole garlic. Cut bread in half on the diagonal. Heat remaining 2 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook sliced garlic, scallions and salt, stirring occasionally, until scallions and garlic color slightly, about 5 minutes. Add mussels, tomato puree, wine and pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until mussels open, 1 to 2 minutes. (Discard any mussels that don't open.) Uncover pan and add herbs; toss to combine. Divide mussels evenly among 4 bowls and spoon broth over them. Serve each with toast.

STEAMED BLACK BREAD

Steps:

• Use a canning kettle, and invert the wire rack. Fill with water to just below the wire rack. Bring to a boil on top of the stove.
• In a large bowl, mix together molasses, oil, milk, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Stir in white and graham flour. Divide batter into two 1 pound coffee cans. Place a double thickness of aluminum foil over top, and secure with rubber bands.
• Keep water at a slow boil, and steam for one hour.

STEAMED BROWN BREAD

Steps:

• You will need 2 empty cans such as the ones in which fruit or tomato sauce come. Or you can use a mold.
• To prepare them, grease and flour generously.
• Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
• Add buttermilk and molasses while mixing on low.
• Stir in raisins and mix only enough to distribute.
• Pour into prepared cans or mold. (Should be about 2/3 full).
• Cover with foil and secure with string.
• Place cans on a wire rack in the bottom of a large pot.
• Pour boiling water into the pot to reach about half way up the cans but not enough to float them.
• Put lid on pot and steam for 3 hours, checking water occasionally to make sure there is enough.
• To remove breads from cans, the bottoms of the cans can be "opened" with a can opener and the breads can then be pushed out. They come out more easily when the bread is still warm.

STEAMED FISH IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE II

Steps:

• Mince together the shallot or yellow onion, chili (if using), garlic and ginger.
• In a small bowl, combine fermented black beans, sugar, soy and sesame oil and stock. Mash beans with the back of a spoon to soften and break down.
• In a saute pan with a tight fitting lid, over medium heat, saute shallot/garlic mixture in a small amount of oil for 2-3 mins or until translucent.
• Add the black bean mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened. Add the wine and half the cilantro.
• Place the fish on top of the sauce and cover the pan with the lid.
• Cook until fish flakes easily.
• Top with the remaining cilantro and green onion and serve over rice or quinoa.