Buttermilk Buns, Barbecue Sauce and the Remains of the Day

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Try though I might, I can't ignore the siren's song that screams, "Eat me!", each time the refrigerator door is opened. My leftovers are demanding attention. Given the number of meals that have been made lately, the status of the remains is really not too bad. The problem is that I'm not fond of leftovers and dislike repetition in my meals. Like it or not, those remains must be dealt with or tossed and I don't toss food. I had a goodly sized piece of roast pork that was sliced and warmed in a thick, but quick barbecue sauce. I made this everyday sauce from a few simple ingredients and served some of the warmed pork on homemade sandwich buns. The unused portion of the sauced pork and sandwich buns have been frozen to use for lunch on other days. Neither the sauce nor the buns are fancy and aren't meant for those seeking designer fare, but if you're looking for a fast and easy way to deal with leftover pork or beef, stay right where you are. This quick homemade barbecue sauce is my way of waging war on the condiments that clutter my refrigerator shelves. Bottles of sauce and salad dressings tend to gang up on me - much as cereal boxes do in the pantry - and to prevent that from happening I prefer to make as many of my own condiments and dressings as I can. While it sounds very dramatic, I also make my own sandwich buns. This is not a big deal. I can't find decent ones, so I prefer to make and freeze my own. I usually make three dozen at a time and that one-time effort holds us for several months. The recipe is super-simple but produces delicious rolls that you can shape as you please. Today's feature is a twofer that I think you'll enjoy. Here are the recipes for buttermilk buns and barbecue sauce.

Buttermilk Sandwich Buns...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water
2-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large egg
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup buttermilk powder
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1) Combine water, yeast and sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Whisk in canola oil and egg. Add flour, buttermilk powder and salt. Mix on low-speed until dough forms a ball and pulls away from side of bowl, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm place until doubles in size, about 1 hour.
2) Grease one or two large baking sheets. Turn dough onto a floured surface. Divide dough into 8 portions. Slap or roll each piece into desired shape and place on prepared pan leaving enough space between them to allow them to rise. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to double in size, about 30 to 40 minutes.
3) While dough rises preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake rolls until golden, about 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack for cooling. Yield: 8 sandwich buns.

Everyday Barbecue Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 cup ketchup
1 cup water
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Directions:
1) Combine ketchup, water, vinegar,Worcestershire sauce, sugar, paprika, chili powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, salt and minced garlic in a saucepan.
2) Place saucepan over medium heat and bring contents of pan to a simmer. Cook until sauce thickens and is reduced by 1/4 in volume, about 5 minutes. Use immediately or allow to cool and refrigerate. Yield: 2 cups.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Ellen's Famous Hamburger Buns - Home Cookin' from Ellen's Kitchen
Honey-Oatmeal Dinner Rolls - Salad in a Jar
Buttermilk Dinner Rolls - Michael Ruhlman
Honey Yeast Rolls - Plain Chicken
Kaiser Rolls - One Perfect Bite
Torpedo Rolls - One Perfect Bite

Buttermilk Tarts - Outdoor Wednesday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Walking this angular path began a reverie that led me back to the gardens of my childhood. The homes in that neighborhood sat on small city lots whose gardens were nothing more than rectangular borders that repeated from one house to the next. These beds began with a row of white sweet alyssum that was backed in turn by the tiered support of blue argeratum, gold marigolds and red geraniums. The more creative neighbors managed to insert salvia and snapdragons into the borders and that made the riot of colors even more explosive. Occasionally, there'd be a patch of gem toned cannas, the old Victorian type, that towered over tiny four foot gardeners learning how to weed. To the eyes of a child these gardens were like a box of crayons and gorgeous in the order of their rigid symmetry. They were planted from seed, watered by hand and tended with great care. Buried deep within a woman's genome there must be something that drives the creation of beauty where none exists. These old city gardens were proof of that. They were nursed to life with a dollar's worth of seed in gravel, clay and sand. I've seen lots of gardens and created many of my own but none are as treasured or remembered with such fondness as those of my childhood. It is a tender mercy.



Memories of childhood desserts go hand in hand with those of city gardens. There were puddings and myriad pies of fruit and custard, and every once in a while buttermilk pie, a personal favorite, would appear on the table. The pie, while delicious, is not photogenic, so, I decided to use the buttermilk custard as a base for glazed tarts that look more appetizing. The tarts are covered with a thin layer of fruit preserves to add color and make them sparkle. I really prefer the pie au natural, but if you need eye candy the tarts are a better way to go. Buttermilk pie is the economical precursor to cheesecake. It's bite comes from low-fat buttermilk and sour cream that's been perked up with freshly grated lemon zest. That background flavor that plays on the tongue is cardomom. I love to make this at the height of berry season. It's really creamy and delicious.

Buttermilk Tarts...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Pastry for a 2 crust pie
4 tablespoons melted butter
3 egg yolks
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
Zest of 1 large lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 cup sugar
Optional: Fruit glaze

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2) Roll pastry on a well-floured surface. If making tarts, cut dough to fit 12 4-inch tart pans. If making a pie, cut pastry to fit a 10-inch deep dish pie pan. Set aside.
3) Combine melted butter, egg yolks, buttermilk, sour cream, lemon zest and juice, salt, flour, cardamom and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
4) Pour into pie or tart shells and bake for 60 to 75 minutes, or until set. Cool on a wire rack. Topped cooled pastry with fruit glaze, if using. Yield: 1 10-inch pie or 12 4-inch tarts.

Recipe adapted from Saveur magazine.

I'm sending this to Outdoor Wednesday, an event sponsored by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer.

Coleslaw with Creamy Buttermilk Dressing

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When thinking about a salad to accompany a picnic or barbecue, coleslaw is arguably everyone's first choice. It's inexpensive to make and easy to assemble. This version uses a package of shredded cabbage and a simple buttermilk dressing that you can put together in minutes. The dressing is wonderful for any salad. If you'd like to wilt the cabbage before dressing the slaw, put it in a colander, toss it with a teaspoon of salt and let it sit for an hour or so at room temperature. Then rinse it with plenty of cold water and pat it dry. If your packaged slaw contains red cabbage be forewarned that it will bleed into your finished salad if allowed to sit too long. You may or may not want that. Here's the recipe for the slaw and the buttermilk dressing.

Coleslaw with Creamy Buttermilk Dressing...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 (10-oz.) package confetti slaw
2 tablespoons finely minced shallots or scallions
1-1/2 tablespoons low-fat sour cream
1-1/2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
1-1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1) Place confetti slaw in a large bowl. Set aside.
2) Place shallots, sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, buttermilk and pepper in a 2 cup jar with a lid. Shake to combine.
3) Pour dressing over slaw and toss to combine. Refrigerate until well chilled. Yield: 4 servings.

Buttermilk Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...No picnic would be complete without something sweet to eat and I've been waiting for an excuse try this mildly spiced cake from Cook's Illustrated. I made the cake to their specifications and the recipe that appears here is an unaltered copy of the one that appears on their website. It produced a light cake with a tang from the buttermilk and cream cheese that's used in its preparation. While the cake is perfect for picnics or homely affairs on the deck, it's not easy to make and the end result is a good, not great, cake. I will make it again but will increase the quantity of spices that I use. Here's the recipe.

Buttermilk Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Cake
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (11 1/4 ounces), plus extra for dusting pans
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 large eggs at room temperature
3 large egg yolks at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (12 1/4 ounces)
2 tablespoons light molasses or mild molasses
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 cup buttermilk , at room temperature
Frosting
5 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 5 pieces, softened
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar (4 1/2 ounces)
8 ounces cream cheese , cut into 4 pieces , softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)

Directions:
1) For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 13- by 9-inch baking pan. Combine spices in small bowl; reserve 1/2 teaspoon for frosting.
2) Heat 4 tablespoons butter in 8-inch skillet over medium heat until melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Continue to cook, swirling pan constantly, until butter is light brown and has faint nutty aroma, 2 to 4 minutes. Add spices and continue to cook, stirring constantly, 15 seconds. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
3) Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. In small bowl, gently whisk eggs, yolks, and vanilla to combine. In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream remaining 12 tablespoons butter with sugar and molasses at medium-high
speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl twice with rubber spatula. Reduce to medium speed and add cooled butter and spice mixture, ginger, and half of egg mixture; mix until incorporated, about 15 seconds. Repeat with remaining egg mixture; scrape down bowl again. Reduce to low speed; add about one-third flour mixture, followed by half of buttermilk, mixing until just incorporated after each addition, about 5 seconds. Repeat using half of remaining flour mixture and all of remaining buttermilk. Scrape bowl and add remaining flour mixture; mix at medium speed until batter is thoroughly combined, about 15 seconds. Remove bowl from mixer and fold batter once or twice with rubber spatula to incorporate any remaining flour.
4) Transfer batter to prepared pan; zigzag tip of metal spatula through batter, pulling it to pan edges. Lightly tap pan against counter 3 or 4 times to dislodge any large air bubbles; smooth surface with spatula.
5) Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 32 to 37 minutes. Cool cake to room temperature in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours.
6) For the frosting: In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar, and reserved 1/2 teaspoon spice mixture at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cream cheese one piece at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add vanilla and beat until no lumps remain, about 30 seconds.
7) Run paring knife around edge of cake to loosen from pan. Using spatula, spread frosting evenly over surface of cake. Sprinkle cake with walnuts, if using. Cut into squares and serve. Yield: 12 to 16 servings.

I'm going on a picnic and I'm bringing Buttermilk Spice Cake. My letter is B.

Blackberry Sherbet - A Three Ingredient Wonder

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite... Is it ice cream, gelato, sherbet or sorbet? There're a lot of names for frozen desserts, but do you know the difference between them? Here are the basics. Ice cream is a frozen mixture of cream, milk, flavorings and sweeteners. Air is introduced to the mixture during the whipping process and up to 60% of its volume is air that will give it a light and fluffy texture. Ice creams are divided into categories depending on how much butterfat they contain. A premium ice cream has an 11% to 15% butterfat content. Regular ice cream contains 10% to 11% butterfat. A light ice cream contains 50% less fat or 33% fewer calories than the regular ice cream. Gelato is Italian style ice cream. It differs from American ice cream in the amount of air that is beaten into it during the whipping product. Gelato contains less air than it's American counterpart (20% air for gelato and up to 60% air for ice cream). As a result it is denser and more intensely flavored than ice cream. Sorbet is made from fruit purée that is whipped and frozen and can include additional herbs and flavorings. It contains no milk or cream. Sherbet is a fruit based ice that has milk added for creaminess, but, by law, it can contain no more than 2% butterfat. Today's recipe is a sherbet that's made from a blackberry purée and buttermilk. This cream has an intense berry flavor. While it breaks my heart to say this, this sherbet is really not for children unless they are outdoors and wearing swim suits. It melts quickly and it will stain. The sherbet uses just 3 ingredients and can be made without an ice cream freezer as long as it is kept very cold. The recipe comes from Taste of Home magazine.

Blackberry Sherbet...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
4 cups fresh or thawed frozen blackberries
1 to 2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups low-fat buttermilk

Directions:
1) Place berries in bowl of a food processor; cover and process until smooth. Add 1 to 2 cups sugar (dependent on your sugar quotient) to puree and process until well combined. Strain mixture, discarding seeds and pulp. Stir in buttermilk. Transfer to a 9 x 13-inch dish. Freeze until edges of mixture begin to firm, about 2 hours. Stir and return to freezer. Freeze until firm, about 2 hours longer.
2) Just before serving, scrape mixture into bowl of a food processor; cover and process until smooth. Scrape mixture into 8 (6-oz.) bowls and serve. Alternatively, return to 9 x 13-inch pan and freeze again. Scoop into bowls with an ice cream scoop. Yield: 8 servings.

Lemon Buttermilk Ice Cream and Candied Lemon Zest

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This week's buttermilk extravaganza continues with a figure friendly dessert that will set your tongue tingling from the combined bite of lemon and buttermilk. You may even be able to claim this ice cream is good for you. Here's why. Cultured buttermilk is lower in fat and calories than regular milk because its fat has already been removed to make butter. It's also higher in potassium, vitamin B12 and calcium and it's more easily digestible than whole milk because of its lactic acid content. The best part of all this is that there are just 2.2 grams of fat in a cup of buttermilk. So, if you have to name your poison this is probably a good one to pick. Having said all that, it means nothing if it doesn't taste good. This tastes good and it's easy to make. I like to garnish it with candied lemon zest. While the zest adds gorgeous color and intensifies flavor, it's a nice, not necessary, addition. I think you'll love the simplicity of this ice cream. It's a decade old creation from Roxanne Gold. Take a look.

Lemon Buttermilk Ice Cream...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, strained
1 quart low-fat buttermilk
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1) Place sugar in a medium-size bowl. Add zest and lemon juice to sugar. Mix well. Add buttermilk and salt. Stir until sugar dissolves. Chill for 4 hours or overnight.
2) Transfer to an ice cream mixer and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. If not used immediately, transfer to a storage container and freeze.
Yield: 8 (1/2-cup) servings.

Candied Lemon Zest...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
4 lemons
2/3 cup water
2/3 cup sugar + sugar to coat zest strips

Directions:
1) Wash lemons thoroughly. Trim zest from lemons using a vegetable peeler. Cut wide strips, being careful not to cut into the white pith layer below. Cut zest strips lengthwise to create thin julienne strips.
2) Place julienne strips in a small sauce pan and cover with cold water. Cook over medium heat until water comes to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 6 minutes.
3) Remove from heat, drain strips and then return them to sauce pan. Add water and 2/3 cup sugar. Bring mixture to a simmer. Continue to cook over low heat until lemon strips turn translucent. Sugar water will begin to thicken. Cooking time will be approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
4) When done cooking, remove strips from the pan and spread out on a sheet of wax paper. Separate strips on wax paper so they are not in clumps. Cool slightly. Roll in additional granulated sugar to coat. Yield: 8 servings.

Buttermilk Cluster with Blue Poppy Seeds and Blue Ribbons for Blue Monday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It was one of those calls you wish could be frozen in time. The words aren't as important as the excitement they engender. Our oldest grandson, heading to middle school next year, had just received a President's Award at his graduation ceremony. He's not yet old enough to be cool, so you could hear the excitement in his voice as he talked. I swear I could hear him smile and it didn't take much imagination to picture the crooked grin on his face as we were speaking. Next came his brother who dutifully reported his "boring" grades. I was thrilled, not by the grades, but by the measured and balanced way in which these two special guys have achieved their personal best. It was a blue ribbon day for the boys and their parents. Kudos and kisses for all. You get to stay in the will.

The developer of this buttermilk cluster also deserves a blue ribbon. Excellence should be recognized in all pursuits and this recipe is a winner. It's a great place to start our buttermilk bonanza - the bonanza being a series of recipes that will expose you to more buttermilk than you ever dreamed existed. If you are looking for a soft and delicious roll for large gatherings, this recipe has your name on it. The rolls are easy to make and when served warm from the oven they'll enhance your reputation as a cook and hostess. The recipe is one of the many standouts from the book Country Breads of the World. The only alteration I've made was to increase amount of buttermilk and honey called for in the original recipe. I also used blue poppy seeds as the topping for my rolls. Yes, these seeds do come from the opium poppy, but - and it is a big but - the seeds that are bought and sold come from mature capsules that no longer contain narcotic substance. Only unripe seed capsules contain the milky substance from which opium is extracted. Having said that, do not eat foods that contain or are sprinkled with poppy seeds before taking a drug test. False positive results have been reported and there's no reason to beg trouble that can be avoided. The blue poppy seeds used in baking are minuscule kidney shaped gems that impart a sweet nutty flavor to breads, cakes and pastries. They are very popular in European cooking and, while their primary use is for baking, the seeds can also be crushed to extract their flavorful oil. If poppy seeds put you off, use sesame seeds or serve the cluster without a topping. Here's the recipe for truly outstanding dinner rolls; they're just waiting for you to pull them apart.

Buttermilk Cluster with Blue Poppy Seeds...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
6 to 6 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/2 tablespoons salt
2-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon lukewarm water
2 cups warm buttermilk
2 tablespoons honey
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water
1 to 2 tablespoons seeds (poppy, sesame) or grains (cracked wheat, wheat bran, rolled oats)

Directions:
1) Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Combine warm water and yeast in a small cup and allow to proof for 10 minutes.
2) Pour yeast, buttermilk, and honey into flour mixture and mix well. If dough is so dry that some of flour won’t stick, add a bit more buttermilk or water. If the dough is too sticky to knead, more like a batter, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time, until correct consistency is achieved.
3) Knead by machine or hand for approximately 10 minutes. Return dough to bowl, cover, and set aside to rise until dough has doubled in size, approximately 90 minutes.
4) Divide dough into 16 pieces. Shape each piece into a neat ball and place in a 12-inch round dish or a 12-inch spring-form pan close together. Cover again with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set aside to rise again for 45 minutes to an hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
5) Uncover rolls and brush gently with egg wash. Sprinkle with seeds or grains, if using. Bake for 30 minutes, or until are firm and spring back when tapped. Transfer to a rack and cool for 15 minutes. Remove from pan. Serve warm if possible. Yield: 16 rolls.

Other Recipe Links

Buttermilk Cluster at The Fresh Loaf

Buttermilk Cluster at Toxo Bread

I'm send this to Smiling Sally for her Blue Monday event.