Cech Mary - Savory Baking: 75 Warm and Inspiring Recipes for Crisp, Savory Baking

Text copyright 2009 by MARY CECH.
Photographs copyright 2009 by NOEL BARNHURST.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form
without written permission from the publisher.

ISBN 978-1-4521-0023-4

The Library of Congress has previously cataloged this title under:

ISBN 978-0-8118-5906-6

Prop styling by
GEORGE DOLESE

Food styling by
GEORGE DOLESE
ELISABET DER NEDERLANDEN

Design by
ELOISE LEIGH

Typesetting by
ELOISE LEIGH

The photographer wishes to thank his assistants:
ANGELINA CANTADA
RENEE DODGE
LUKE GOODMAN

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CONTENTS

DEDICATION

To the man who will try at least one bite of everything I bake and cook, my husband, Elliott.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I am truly grateful for my good friends, loving family, and trusting colleagues who believe in me and have contributed to the reality and success of this book. Without their assistance, support, and instructional knowledge, Savory Baking would still only be a dream.

I thank my agent, Doe Coover, once again, for a successful collaboration with Chronicle Books. I am grateful to Bill LeBlond and Amy Treadwell for their continued belief and editorial support. For additional editorial suggestions, I thank Barbara Schwalm for how easy she made editing appear to me. Her positive attitude and willingness to give me helpful writing suggestions comforted me during my writing process.

To the many recipe testers whose palates, knowledge, and comments brought so many valuable cooking and baking suggestions, variations, and thought-provoking notes to every recipe they tested: I gratefully thank you; it was fun working together! I especially thank Shellie Kark, former chef de cuisine of Cook Street School of Fine Cooking in Denver, Colorado. She brought an ease and enthusiasm to all the recipes she tested. She provided me with an unspoken feeling of comfort as I tiptoed into the less-comfortable territory of savory cooking. Thanks to Sheryl, Peggy, and Marguerite who, with their discerning palates, provided me with texture and flavor suggestions along with sea-level alterations.

I thank all the tasters whom I inundated with samples for months: Barbara, Nancy, Patty, Stephanie, Carol, Debbie, Letty, Paul, and Crystal.

Thank you to Deer Valley Resort and the Sky Lodge resort for understanding the time commitments of a cookbook project; you graciously provided me with flexible schedules, willing testers and tasters, and overall support.

A heartfelt thank-you to everyone for your inspiring enthusiasm; your assistance is reflected within the pages of this book.

INTRODUCTION

while teaching culinary classes across the country, I have observed an overwhelming number of students who love to bake. My baking classes have drawn a large but specific group of eager individuals, mostly sweets-lovers. Other students equally as enthusiastic about cooking seemed to shy away from baking. Why was this? My inquiries told me either the intimidation of baking was overwhelming or not everyone had a sweet tooth. These thoughts subconsciously resonated in me for several years.

i started noticing a subtle and natural transition in my class recipes as sugar and spice began taking a back burner to fresh herbs and other savory ingredients. Pastries took on a new life as I layered, wrapped, and covered them with robust woodsy mushrooms, hearty smoked meats, creamy cheeses, and spring-fresh vegetables and served them with spoonfuls of interesting sauces and condiments. My sweet-tooth pastry world was beginning to transform and intertwine with one of savory offerings for anytime fare. It seemed natural to nibble on cheese pastry sticks with ice-cold champagne at the beginning of a class. Puffy souffls dotted with mushrooms and scented with garlic became a light lunchtime favorite. Students filled classes to try my caramelized onion pizza covered with paper-thin new potato slices and Gruyre.

although sweet pastry baking will always be a big part of my culinary pleasures, I enjoy the creativity and sense of adventure when incorporating savory ingredients into baking and sharing warm-from-the-oven goodies with my students, friends, and family any time, not just for dessert! Savory Baking was created with the intention of bringing baking and cooking together in mouth-watering recipes. It offers all cooks and bakers an opportunity to experience the synergy between the world of cooking and the world of baking. My book fills a niche and satisfies the appetites of every pastry maker and every adventurous home cook who strives to bake successfully.

readers will discover new recipe options, as well as ideas that expand on their own favorite dishes. Pastry recipes usually reserved for dessert and breakfast now take center stage as savory appetizers, entres, snacks, and side dishes. Understanding hectic schedules, I have included tips for preparing and storing recipe components ahead of time, which will make evenings of cooking a breeze.

the tools for success section includes time-saving ideas and lists prepared foods, ingredients, equipment, and cooking and baking techniques, all helpful in creating a pleasant and successful cooking experience. A glossary explains the books baking and cooking terms.

there is a recipe for everyone within my book, from simple Crispy Potato Haystacks (). Explore my book and you will find six chapters containing 72 inviting recipes to engage everyone from the less-experienced cook or novice baker to the more-advanced home cook. I invite you to have fun and make some of these recipes your new favorites.

TOOLS FOR SUCCESS

good-quality ingredients, the appropriate equipment, and the proper techniques are essential elements for creating a successful dish.

I recommend making all of my recipes from scratch with the finest fresh and seasonal ingredients. However, good-quality prepared foods come in all forms and are convenient for todays busy lifestyles. Jarred, canned, frozen, and boxed products line the shelves of the most basic supermarkets and gourmet markets. These prepared foods can help even the busiest cook save time in the kitchen and can encourage home cooking and baking to flourish.