Best Forest Spread And Pate Platter With Sliced Baguette Recipes

MUSHROOM DUXELLES AND PATE PLATTER WITH SLICED BAGUETTE

Steps:

• Heat a skillet over medium heat. Finely chop the mushrooms in a food processor. Add oil and butter to the skillet, then shallots and mushroom bits. Season with ground thyme, salt and pepper and saute until the mushrooms are deep brown, about 6 minutes. Deglaze pan with the sherry.
• Transfer this mushroom duxelles to a serving dish and place on a platter alongside the storebought pate. Garnish tray with sliced baguette, cornichons, capers and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
• Enjoy bread rounds with a slather of pate topped with mushrooms.

TOASTED BAGUETTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Slice the baguette diagonally into 1/4-inch slices. You should have 20 to 25 slices. Place the slices in 1 layer on a baking sheet. Brush each slice with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Bake the toasts for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are crisp and browned. Serve at room temperature.

OLIVE AND GARLIC SOFT CHEESE SPREAD WITH WHOLE-GRAIN BAGUETTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
• Place olives in food processor and grate in garlic, add cream cheese and ricotta cheese. Pulse the cheese and olives into a fairly smooth spread. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with hazelnuts. Toast the bread on a baking sheet 5 to 10 minutes to lightly crisp. Surround the spread with bread, pita crisps and celery.

LOBSTER FONDUTA ON BAGUETTE

Steps:

• Cook the lobster with the Chablis in a large pan, covered, until the lobster is cooked through and the flesh is white throughout, about 10 minutes. Remove the lobster from the pan.
• Clean and dice the lobster and set aside. Place the shells back in the pan and add 3 cups water. Cook the lobster stock for 1 hour. Strain the stock into a saucepan, then reduce the lobster stock a bit.
• Add butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the mushrooms with some salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms start to soften and brown, about 10 minutes. Add the reduced lobster stock, heavy cream, half the truffle, cooked lobster, lemon juice and some salt and pepper. Heat until combined and set aside.
• Preheat the broiler. Cut the baguette in half lengthwise, scoop out the flesh inside, then butter lavishly. Toast the baguette in the broiler until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
• Cut the baguette into thick slices and arrange on a board. Fill a serving bowl with the fonduta. Garnish with the remaining half truffle.

THE BAGUETTE

Steps:

• Combine the yeast and the warm water in a small bowl and stir with a fork to dissolve the yeast. Let stand for 3 minutes. Combine the flours and salt in a large bowl. Pour the cool water and the yeast mixture over the flour, and mix with your fingers to form a shaggy mass. Move the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 4 minutes. It should be supple and resilient, but not too smooth at this point. Let the dough rest on the work surface for 20 minutes, covered with plastic wrap or a light towel. (This rest period is the autolyse.)
• Knead the dough for 6 to 8 minutes. Don't overknead it: The dough should be smooth, stretchy, and resilient. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it in the bowl to coat with oil, and cover it with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature ( 75 to 77 degrees F) for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until nearly doubled in volume.
• Gently deflate the dough and fold it over itself in the bowl. Reshape it into a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise for 1 1/4 hours or until it has nearly doubled again. Gently deflate the dough again, reshape into a round, cover, and let rise for about 1 hour. Place the dough on a very lightly floured surface and divide it into 3 equal pieces (about 10 ounces each). Gently stretch one piece into a rectangle, leaving some large bubbles in the dough. Fold the top third down and the bottom third up as if you were folding a business letter. Now form the loaf into a log by rolling the dough over from left to right and sealing the seam with the heel of your palm. Fold the dough over about 1/ 3 of the way each time, seal the length of the loaf, then repeat. You want to gently draw the skin tight over the surface of the baguette while leaving some air bubbles in the dough. Seal the seam, being careful not to tear the skin of the dough or deflate its airy structure. Set aside on the work surface to relax before elongating it, and repeat the shaping process with remaining pieces of dough.
• Now elongate each baguette, starting with the first one you shaped, by rolling it back and forth on the work surface. Begin with both hands over the center of the loaf and work them out to the ends until the loaf reaches the desired length. (Don't get carried away, or the baguettes won't fit in your oven!) Place the finished loaves on a peel or upside down baking sheet lined with parchment paper and generously sprinkled with cornmeal or on a baguette pan. Cover the loaves with well oiled plastic or a floured cloth and let rise for 30 to 40 minutes until the loaves are slightly plump but still not doubled in volume. The final rise is short, because you want the baguettes to be slightly under proofed; this will give them a better oven spring, resulting in loaves with a light, airy crumb and more flared cuts.
• Thirty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Place a baking stone in the oven to preheat, and place an empty water pan directly under the stone. Use a very sharp razor blade or lame to make 3 to 5 slashes, depending on the length of your loaves, on the top of each baguette. The cuts should run from one end of the loaf to the other, rather than across it, and the blade should be held at a 30 degree angle to the loaf so that the cuts pop open in the oven. Be careful not to press down too hard, or you may deflate the loaves. Using a plant sprayer, mist the loaves.
• Gently slide the loaves onto the preheated stone, or place the baguette mold in the oven. Pour 1 cup of very hot water into the water pan and quickly close the oven door. After 1 minute, mist the loaves and oven walls 6 to 8 times and close the door. After 2 more minutes, spray the loaves and the oven walls again.
• Bake for 12 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and bake for 25 to 30 minutes longer until the loaves are golden brown and crisp. Move them to a rack to cool.
• Enjoy your baguettes still slightly warm with some soft, ripe French cheese and a glass of wine.
• Note: If cake flour is not available, you can use the same amount of unbleached allpurpose flour, but cake flour will give the baguette a lighter texture.

PATE BAGUETTE SANDWICH

Steps:

• Place the baguette half on a flat work surface and slice it in half lengthwise. Spread the inside of each half with 1 tablespoon of butter and then spread the bottom half with mustard. Lay on the slices of pate and then pile on the lettuce leaves. Place the top half of baguette on and cut in half, if desired.

ROASTED VEGGIE PLATTER

Steps:

• Place the vegetables in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Drizzle with salad dressing and sprinkle with herbs; toss to coat., Bake, uncovered, at 425° for 15-20 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

VEGGIE PATE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Lightly grease an 8x8 inch baking dish.
• In a food processor, blend all the ingredients until they are almost smooth.
• Transfer mixture to the baking dish.
• Bake for 1 hour, or until lightly browned.