Sourdough bread…..just fine all on its own.
But what happens when you decide to use the brine from some fabulous Mexican Spiced Pickled veggies instead of water in your bread recipe?
And toss in a generous helping of pepperjack cheese?
Don’t expect much rise….I suspect the pickle just has something to do with it. The dough just smells dangerous.
The advantage of minimal rise, I discovered, is that I can score it really deep without deflating.
You can tell by the spaces between the cut lines that it really rose in the oven (it’s called oven spring).
By far, the most beautiful loaf I’ve ever baked. A hint of heat but not as spicy as I would have hoped. The first loaf was a bit dense and gummy so I let the second loaf sit for a day or two and it sliced up just fine.
As long as I live, I’ll probably never be able to replicate this recipe. But for those of you that want to try, pickle juice will work in place of the veggie brine (reduce the salt in your bread recipe). I use the Extra-Tangy Sourdough from King Arthur Flour. For the Mexican Spiced Veggies, click on the link.