Puff Pastry Cheese Straws & Sweet-Savory Dipping Sauce

Puff Pastry Cheese Straws

Ingredients
1 pkg Puff Pastry (two sheets)
1/2 c Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Sweet-Savory Sauce

Ingredients
2 c sugar
1 c water
1 c red wine
1 t oregano
1/2 t rosemary
1 t smoked paprika

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Prepare two baking sheets with a layer of  aluminum foil covered by parchment paper.

Thaw puff pastry per package instructions. Separate sheets. Coat counter or table top with parmesan cheese and unfold one sheet of pastry on it. Lightly cover the top of the pastry sheet with more parmesan cheese. Roll out to about 1/8" thickness. With a pizza wheel or long knife, slice the pastry into 1/2" wide strips. Twist each strip 6-8 times, fold in half and place on a baking sheet leaving about 1/2" between each strip.

Bake each sheet for 10-12 minutes until puffed and the cheese is browned. Remove from oven and cool.

In a large saucepan, put sugar in the pan over medium-high heat. Whisk constantly until the sugar melts completely.  Continue heating to caramelize the sugar to a mahogany brown color. Just when the first puffs of smoke start, remove from heat and CAREFULLY add 1/2 c water. THIS WILL BOIL AND SPLATTER THE HOT SUGAR. BE VERY CAREFUL! When you can safely begin whisking again, stir all of the water into the sugar.  Put the pan back on the stove to heat, whisking constantly.  When the mixture returns to a simmer, add the red wine and spices.  Simmer to reduce slightly for 20 minutes or so.

Serve both the pastries and sauce together. To serve, put a couple Cheese Straws on a small plate and drizzle sauce over them.

Oatmeal Soda Bread

Ingredients
2 c rolled oats (ground into flour in food processor)
2 1/4 c flour
1 3/4 t baking soda
1 1/4 t salt
1 3/4 c buttermilk
mixed seeds - caraway, poppy, etc.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Prepare large loaf pan (9x5x3): coat inside with butter or oil.  Cut parchment paper to length of pan and fit into pan.  coat paper with butter or oil.  Set aside.

Grind rolled oats into a fine powder in food processor.  Add to a large bowl along with flour, salt, and soda and sift together well.

Add buttermilk all at once, and mix until dough just holds together.

Dump dough onto a floured surface, add flour if needed and knead until the dough is uniform and can be formed into a ball without cracks or fissures.  Form into an ovoid shape slightly smaller than the pan and fit into the pan.

Cut diagonal slices both ways across the top.  Coat with extra buttermilk.  Sprinkle the top with mixed seeds.

Bake on middle rack for 50 minutes.  Bread should sound hollow when thumped and have a nicely browned hard crust on top.

Slightly modified version of recipe found at http://www.101cookbooks.com/