Black-bean chipotle layer "pate" with gluten free atole baguette: Daring Cooks June Challenge

The Daring Kitchen is making me nostalgic. People just keep throwing French food challenges my way, and I am forced to long for our short but magical days in the French Riviera. I used to love perusing the local food artisans; I would oogle the food, and I have to admit - this American loved pate. Unfortunately Jason doesn't feel the same way. So, when we got this months Daring Cook's challenge - I had a conundrum.




Our hostesses this month, Evelyne of Cheap Ethnic Eatz, and Valerie of a The Chocolate Bunny, chose delicious pate with freshly baked bread as their June Daring Cook’s challenge! They’ve provided us with 4 different pate recipes to choose from and are allowing us to go wild with our homemade bread choice.

Did I make the liver based pate I loved so much, and then be left with a bunch of pate to eat on  my own, or did I go with the vegetarian recipe? How daring am I? Well apparently not, because in the end I decided to do a riff on the vegetarian version I know would fly at a potluck.

For the pate, I used the cilantro from my CSA box for inspiration, combined with a black bean and chipotle puree and a roasted chili and pepper layer.

For the bread, I wanted something with a deep corn flavor. A few weeks ago at the farmer's market I found some local atole - a roasted cornmeal that is used for a comforting hot drink. The resulting bread had a subtle toasty corn flavor, had well developed bready flavor from the long fermentation and it had bubbles - yes it had bubbles folks - and it was gluten-free... yes miracles do happen.

Gluten-free atole baguette
Adapted from Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day


Ingredients

2 1/4 cups GF bread flour (I used half of my pizza flour blend and half Jules gluten-free blend)
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup atole
2 t xanthan gum
2 t guar gum
2 t kosher salt
2 cups room temperature water
2 eggs, room temperature
2 T honey
1 packet yeast

Mix together flour, cornmeal, atole, gums, yeast and salt. Mix together water, eggs and honey and add to dry ingredients. Using a stand mixer or your hands, mix together until well blended. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 2-3 hours, then store in fridge for at least 24-72 hours.

When ready to bake, remove from fridge. On a piece of parchment, shape into a baguette shape - mine made 5 baguettes. Top with atole. Cover loosely and allow to sit for 60-90 minutes. 30 minutes before baking preheat oven to 425 degrees with a broiling pan on one rack. After the oven is fully heated, place the baguettes on the parchment directly on a baking stone if you have one. Otherwise, bake them on a cookie sheet. Place 1/2 cup of water in the broiler pan and immediately close the door. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until they are golden brown and an instant read thermometer reads 210 or 212 degrees. Allow to cool before cutting them.


Black-bean chipotle layer "pate"

Layer 1: Chipotle black beans

2 cups black beans
1 chipotle pepper in adobo
1 large clove garlic
salt to taste
lime juice

Puree all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Spread in the bottom of a plastic wrap lined container of your choice. I used a 4 cup square tupperware container. 

Layer 2: Roasted chili layer

2 ounces roasted chili peppers (i used anaheims)
5 ounces roasted sweet peppers
4 ounces feta cheese

Puree all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Spread on top of the black beans. 

Layer 3: Cilantro pepita "pesto"

2 cups cilantro
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup roasted pepitas (de-hulled pumpkin soup)
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
salt to taste
olive oil
lime juice to taste

Puree all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Spread on top of the roasted peppers.

Chill for at least 4 hours. Then  unmold and serve with baguette.