A sweet and savoury bread treat
Cathy Barrow tries her hand at whipping up something savoury to enjoy with a glass of sherry or wine.
Following weeks of indulgences, my husband declared that he planned to reduce his sugar intake. Commendable, but it messed with my baking, which is something I do not only for work but for relaxation. With a familiar, albeit retro, appetiser in mind – dates stuffed with goat’s cheese – I set out to make a savoury tea cake that would fit a sugarreducing objective.
Tea cake: Two words that evoke date loaves made by my grandmother. They were studded with walnuts and heavy with brown sugar. Not only did she slather dense slices with cream cheese and serve it to her mah-jong group, she often wrapped up a loaf as a hostess gift for nearly every occasion.
Banana bread falls in this category, as does zucchini bread. But while these and other quick breads are delicious for afternoon snacking, I wanted something much more savoury, more appropriate for nibbling alongside a glass of sherry or wine, rather than a cup of tea.
Using my grandmother’s date loaf recipe as a guide, I went the quick-bread route. I used olive oil instead of butter, took out the sugar, added cornmeal for heft and caramelised onions for oomph.
The additions of chives, rosemary and parsley made the loaf attractive, studded with flecks of green, and served to clarify the expectation: Here is a savoury interpretation of a classic loaf. It can be disquieting to bite into something savoury when expecting it to be sweet, after all.
I felt the quick bread needed pancetta even though my sugar-reducing spouse is a vegetarian, because it cried out for a salty, textural balance as a counterpoint to the sweet dates. I can also report that the pancetta and goat’s cheese are complementary compatriots. To maintain harmony in my household, I made one version pancetta-free and it, too, was delicious. We each had a quick bread we could call our own, and sugar-reducing intentions remained intact.
I’m planning to try a combination of dried figs and a sharp cheese next. Surely a dried pear and cheddar loaf would be welcome – even apricots and feta, with a handful of chopped pistachios. For now, the options seem endlessly inspiring. And sugar-free. 10 servings
Use a sweet, golden olive oil, the more buttery the better. Bitter, green oils are too strong for this bread. You’ll need a 20cm x 10cm loaf tin.
Make ahead
The flavours develop even more after the bread rests for a day, wrapped in foil and refrigerated. Reheat gently for 10 minutes at 160 degrees Celsius if you wish to serve it warm. It’s delicious toasted. Leftovers are good for up to four days.
cup pancetta, chopped into pea-size pieces medium onion, minced cup) cups all-purpose flour cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder 1
teaspoon kosher salt
12 pitted dates, chopped into pea-size pieces (about 1 cup)
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves 2 teaspoons minced fresh chives cup extra-virgin olive oil cup whole milk
3 large eggs
About cup fresh goat’s cheese, crumbled into pea-size pieces
Preheat the oven to 180C. Coat the inside of your loaf tin with cooking oil spray. Line a plate with a paper towel.
Cook the pancetta in a dry skillet over medium heat until crispy, about eight minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pancetta to the lined plate to drain. As needed, pour off all but about a teaspoon of the rendered fat in the pan, then return to medium heat and add the onion. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until wilted and lightly browned in spots. Remove from the heat.
Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the chopped dates and fresh parsley, rosemary and chives. Use your fingers to break up the sticky pieces and coat them with the flour mixture. This will help keep those solids from sinking to the bottom during baking.
Whisk together the oil, milk and eggs in a liquid measuring jug until well incorporated. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in the oil mixture. Use a spatula to gently stir and combine the liquid and dry ingredients. When there are no white streaks remaining, stir in the crispy pancetta, cooked onion and goat’s cheese until evenly distributed.
Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin . Bake (middle rack) for 55 to 65 minutes, until the cake has risen to form a golden brown crown and a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Turn out from the pan on to a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving, or cool completely before storing. – Washington Post
I felt the quick bread needed pancetta even though my sugarreducing spouse is a vegetarian, because it cried out for a salty, textural balance as a counterpoint to the sweet dates.
This recipe is from Bring It!, by Cathy Barrow, a Washington cookbook author