18 Days

It's true! It hasn't rained in Seattle for 18 straight days, I think it's a record! There's a sun buzz in town..the farmers market is bursting with spring produce and lovely peonies, lillies, begonias and irises. Everywhere you turn, someone is enthusiastically digging in their garden planting an heirloom tomato or staking a bean plant. The women at work, normally clad in jackets and boots have abandon their usual and are walking around in sandals, with new pedicures and sleeveless sundresses. I even have an extra skip to my walk. Wow, have I become a Seattlelite and not realize it?!?!

My CSA box brings me spring onions and was calling out to be cooked in a special way. I dug up a recipe from a Donna Hay magazine. Do you know her? She's a fabulous cook and author from Australia. I've been following her for a few years now, and love her take on simple but delicious food.

I don't know why I'm so intimidated when using yeast. Maybe it's baking in general, it's just the unfamiliar to me which makes it the more exciting, eh? I liked the consistency of this savory bread. I followed the recipe pretty closely and I was very happy with the results. The one small change is that the bread baked for closer to 30 minutes instead of the 20 min, as instructed in the recipe.


Again, substitution is a great possibility for next time. I may use the baby leeks so prominent at the farmers market, with a little gruyere on top. Oh, I only waited about 35 minutes for the bread to double in size before I popped it in the oven. I then went out to the deck with a tall glass of lemonade to enjoy the rest of the 18th sunny day in Seattle.

Spring Onion Tray Bread
From Donna Hay, Spring Issue 29

8 spring onions, halved
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp caster sugar (superfine)
2 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp caster sugar, extra
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
3 cups plain all purpose flour, sifted
1 tbsp olive oil, extra
1 tsp sea salt

Place the spring onions oil, vinegar, and sugar in a small bowl and toss to coat. Set aside.

Place the yeast, extra sugar, milk in a bowl and mix well to combine. Set aside in a warm place for 5 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface. Place the flour, extra oil, and salt in a bowl and make a well in the center. Add the yeast mixture and stir with a butter knife to form a dough. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 4-5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Press the dough into a lightly floured 7x11 inch rectangle slice tin and press the spring onions into the dough. Cover with a clean damp cloth and set aside to prove (set in a warm place for the dough to rise) for 45 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 390 degrees fahrenheit. Bake the bread for 20 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack. Serves 6.