Do you love pleasing your partner? I am delighted when I can conjure up something that I can make instead of purchasing, like this Greek Spring Salad. It is similar to one Jim, my husband, loves to order at his favorite restaurant. Spring is the time for lighter eating, and I love pairing a salad with fresh bread or delicious croutons. Today I am going to show you some tips on making French bread to compliment the salad.  The secret is in the steam. 

Recipe for Spring Greek Salad:

  • 1 bag of Spring Salad Mix or one head iceberg lettuce (more crunch but less healthy)
  • ½ purple onion, sliced thinly
  • 1/3 to ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives
  • 1 or 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (don’t use a cheap cheese, it pays to buy quality)
  • 1/2 cup Newman’s Own Caesar Dressing (oil-based, not creamy)

I like to make my salad dressings, but I am thinking of how busy we all are in spring so getting a healthy salad ready is more important than the finer details. Mix the salad fixing together and toss with the dressing right before serving.

Recipe from an old cookbook for French bread:

I use this recipe for French bread in early spring when the furnace is on low, and I want to warm the kitchen. How? This dense bread takes one hour to bake.

1 cup hot water

2 1/4 teaspoon dry active yeast (one packet)

1 teaspoon sea salt

 3 -4 cups all-purpose flour (I use bread flour)

½ tablespoon sugar (white)

½ cup yellow cornmeal

1 tablespoon butter

Put the hot water in a bowl and add salt, sugar, and butter. When the liquid is cooled to lukewarm, add yeast. Stir briskly to blend yeast into liquid. Turn on the mixer on low, and slowly add 3 cups of flour. This is a stiff dough, so use your dough hook if you have one to mix it. I always hand knead the dough to make sure the gluten is working. When the dough is smooth and elastic, put in a greased bowl.

I keep some special towels that I found at Buchheit just for bread. A clean, lightweight tea towel is essential for the rising of this bread. I moisten one of my “bread towels” and cover the dough with it. Let rise the bread rise in a draft-free spot until double in bulk. Turn out on lightly floured board and shape into a long slender loaf. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet which has been sprinkled with the ½ cup cornmeal.

Here comes another great tip for making the best French bread:

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch

½ cup cold water (cold water will “take” the cornstarch without making lumps)

Mix and pop into the microwave or cook until clear. Let cool. When the dough has doubled, shape into a long slender loaf and lay it upon the cornmeal that you have scattered over the surface of the cookie sheet. Brush with cornstarch mixture and allow to rise until very light. If the dough seems dry, brush with cornstarch mixture. Right before baking slash top with a sharp knife. When you’re ready to bake bread, place a pan of boiling water in the oven on the top shelf.  The secret to great French bread is baking it with steam.  Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

You can also make hard rolls with this recipe by shaping the dough into rolls and brushing with cornstarch mixture.  Slash tops with a very sharp knife or razor blade.

Be blessed!
Annie May