Green Onion/Scallion

Wild Rice & Green Onion Bread

October  5, 2011
0
0 Ratings
  • Makes 2 hearth loaves
Author Notes

This a variation on a recipe I received when in culinary school myself, and have long since lost. So we started with the recipe for Lavender-Thyme Bread, and made some changes. The results were even better than we anticipated, and it is utterly gorgeous. This is a rugged, rustic-looking loaf with enormous character. —Montana Culinary Students

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Ingredients
  • 20 ounces warm water or whole milk, or half of each
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 4 ounces olive oil
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 heaping tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 6 1/4 cups unbleached bread flour
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 2 teaspoons sea or kosher salt
  • 1 cup cooked wild rice, cooled
  • 1 bunch scallions, trimmed, diced, lightly sautéed, cooled
  • Additional flour, about 1/4 cup
  • Canola oil to lightly oil the proofing bowl
Directions
  1. Using water will give you a looser crumb, whereas milk will give you a tighter one and a bit richer flavor. Milk will raise the calorie count, where water will lower it. Use whichever you prefer. Pour your liquid of choice into the bowl of a mixer. Add the honey, olive oil, lemon zest and thyme leaves.
  2. Add the bread flour, instant yeast, and salt. Using the dough hook, mix on low speed until dough comes together and leaves the sides and bottom of the bowl. Have a little flour and water to hand in case you need to adjust the balance. Once the dough comes together, turn off mixer and cover the top of the bowl with a piece of plastic (which you will reuse). Let the dough rest for 15 minutes. This is called an autolyse. It allows the gluten to continue to absorb water and gliadin to continue to form without the stress and heat generated by kneading.
  3. While the dough is resting, sauté the scallions in a bit of olive oil and some salt. When tender, spread out on a plate and refrigerate to cool.
  4. When the rest period is over, remove plastic and turn mixer on to low speed. It should stand right up and come to attention. Allow to knead for a couple of minutes, then stop the mixer and pull off a walnut-sized piece of dough. Round it up between your palms, then gently begin teasing it down over your fingertips. You are testing the dough for a windowpane. You want to see how thin you can get the dough without it tearing. The strength of the windowpane tells you how well you have developed the gluten, which is what will give your bread is structure. If you don't get a strong windowpane, continue kneading on low speed for another couple of minutes, then test again.
  5. Stop the mixer and add the cooled rice and scallions. Add 1/4 cup flour, then begin mixing on low speed again. You may need a bit more flour if the ingredients seem reluctant to be incorporated. When they are fully incorporated (yes, it's ok if the dough is sticky at this point), stop the mixer.
  6. Oil or pan spray a bowl large enough to contain the dough when doubled. Turn the dough into it and turn it over once. Cover with your piece of plastic and allow to rise at room temperature until nicely doubled. This is a heavy dough, so this may take over an hour.
  7. When finished rising, turn dough out onto a floured work surface. Divide it in half. Shape each into a round or oval and set on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Sprinkle the tops of the loaves with flour and drape the piece of plastic over them. Allow to rise again at room temperature until you can gently poke them, and the dough retains the indentation of your finger.
  8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Just before placing loaves in oven, use a serrated knife to carve some decorative slashes in them. Place in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through. Bread is done when it reads 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
  9. Remove your gorgeous loaves from the oven and allow to cool on a rack so that the bottoms don't get soggy. Serve with just about anything you can imagine. I have a feeling this would make a dynamite Thanksgiving stuffing.

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13 Reviews

boulangere April 27, 2014
Thank you so much for featuring this bread; it continues to be a great favorite.
My P. November 13, 2011
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I made it last weekend for the Food52 potluck. I made a few changes- opted for water over milk, replaced the thyme with rosemary, omitted the honey and increased the cooking temp. It turned out fabulous! I love the texture of the rice and the aromatic herbs and lemon. Here is a link to my version of the recipe.

http://mypantryshelf.com/2011/11/11/forbidden-rice-and-green-onion-hearth-bread/
boulangere November 13, 2011
Wow, how great to been vicariously to a Food 52 party! I'm so glad you liked the recipe, and love your variation - thanks so much for passing it on, along with your kind words.
Ms. T. November 7, 2011
What a great recipe. My Pantry Shelf made this for a Food 52 potluck this weekend and I was lucky enough to taste a slice--yum! What delicious texture and flavor.
Bevi October 7, 2011
How beautiful!
Montana C. October 7, 2011
Thank you, Bevi.
growinggourmand October 6, 2011
MOIST MOIST MOIST... this is what first came into my mind as i sank my teeth into it! Loved the crunch of the rice and carmely flavor that the onions provided!! I'm adding this to my list of favorite breads that we have made in class so far!
meatball October 6, 2011
that bread is so moist and delicious, i love the texture, biting into this bread is such a treat with the onions and wild rice. the various textures compliment your palate:) and OH how gorgeous it looks, befor and after baking.
boulangere October 5, 2011
Can't get to the Edit function here for some unknown reason, but want to add that the chewy quality of the crust was a total and most welcome surprise. kdubu wants to make the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich from this.
hardlikearmour October 6, 2011
Oh! Grilled cheese on this bread would be heaven!
boulangere October 6, 2011
On the weekend agenda.
kdubu October 5, 2011
tasted this right out of the oven, it has a wonderful mild onion flavor with an intriguing crunch. I'd like to try it with beef and horseradish!
boulangere October 5, 2011
oh yea, me too. When, please?