Easy Bread

15 oz bread flour (or half bread flour, half whole wheat)
1 t dry yeast
1 T granulated sugar
1 t salt
12 oz lukewarm water

In a medium-sized glass mixing bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Stir in the water, and mix until all of the flour is mixed in, and the dough is "shaggy." Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place 18 to 24 hours.

After the dough has risen, stir it down and let it rest for 15 minutes. While the dough is resting, grease a bread pan (5" x 9" x 3"). Spread 1 T flour on a cutting board or counter top. Turn the rested dough onto the floured board. Sprinkle another tablespoon of flour on the dough. Gently knead and shape the dough into a loaf and place it in the bread pan. (The dough may be very soft and somewhat sticky.)

Cover the loaf with a floured paper towel. Set it aside in a warm, draft-free place and let it rise for a couple of hours.

After the bread has risen, adjust the oven racks, so that one rack is near the bottom of the oven, and the other rack is in the center of the oven. Place a cast-iron skillet in the oven, and set the oven temperature of 450°F. When the oven is heated, bring 2 c water to boiling. Remove the skillet from the oven, and carefully pour the boiling water in the skillet, Place the skillet back in the oven on the bottom rack. Place the bread pan on the middle rack. Bake for 30 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Remove the skillet from the oven. Continue baking the bread for another half-hour. Remove the bread from the oven, and turn it out of the bread pan onto a rack. Cool the bread completely before slicing.

Piquant Sauce for Fish or Whatever

2 T olive oil
juice of 1/2 lime
2 t fish sauce or Worcestershire Sauce
2 t Tabasco or hot sauce
3 T ketchup
2 t prepared mustard
2 t brown sugar
1/4 t black pepper
1/4 t smoked Spanish paprika (optional)
6 pimento-stuffed green olives, coarsely chopped
2 t capers, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan, and heat until bubbly. Serve either hot or cold. Refrigerate leftover sauce.

Braised Pork Neck Chili

4 T oil, divided
1 large sweet onion
1 green pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2-1/2 lb meaty pork neck bones
1/2 t kosher salt
1 c red wine or tomato juice
2 medium cans diced tomatoes (no-salt)
1 small can yellow corn
1/2 t black peppercorns, crushed
1 dried ancho chili, ground
1 dried guajillo chili, ground
1 t dried basil
1 t dried oregano
1-1/2 t sugar (to taste)
2 T vinegar (to taste)
1 can black beans
1 can small white beans

Heat 2 T oil at medium heat in a large dutch oven. Add the onions, peppers, celery, and carrots, and saute for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove the vegetables to a bowl.

Add the remaining 2 T oil to the dutch oven, and raise the heat to medium high. Place the meat in the dutch oven, meaty side down, and brown for 3 - 5 minutes. Salt the meat. Turn the meat, and brown for another 3 minutes. Remove the meat to a plate, and lower the heat to medium. (If necessary, cook the meat in two batches.)

Immediately deglaze the dutch oven. Add the meat and sauteed vegetables to the dutch oven. Stir in the crushed peppercorns, ground chilies, basil, and oregano. Add the sugar and vinegar to taste.

Cover the dutch oven and place in a 250°F oven for 2 hours. Take the chili out of the oven and remove as many bones as possible from the stewed meat. Add the two cans of beans, cover the dutch oven, and continue baking for another 2 hours or more.

Before serving, remove remaining bones, connective tissue, and gristle from the meat. Serve the chili over rice, or with cornbread.