Two of My Favorite Foods Merged

sourdough bread

Sourdough bread…..just fine all on its own.

 

mexican spiced veggies

But what happens when you decide to use the brine from some fabulous Mexican Spiced Pickled veggies instead of water in your bread recipe?

 

pepperjack cheese

And toss in a generous helping of pepperjack cheese?

Spicy Sourdough Bread

Don’t expect much rise….I suspect the pickle just has something to do with it. The dough just smells dangerous.

Spicy Sourdough Bread

The advantage of minimal rise, I discovered, is that I can score it really deep without deflating.

Spicy Sourdough Bread

You can tell by the spaces between the cut lines that it really rose in the oven (it’s called oven spring).

Spicy Sourdough Bread

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.