I found this recipe in an advertising paper (The Midweek) and tried
it. It was a little bit salty to me, but I'll quote it exactly and
recommend that the amount of baking soda and salt be reduced.
Otherwise it was quite good and reminiscent of the real homemade
Boston Brown Bread of my youth. (Notes in parentheses are my own)
Steamed Boston Brown Bread <T> (optionally vegan)
1/2 cup rye flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda (try a scant teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon salt (try 1/4 teaspoon)
1/2 cup buttermilk (or plain soy milk + 1 teaspoon white vinegar)
1/3 cup molasses (I used black strap molasses)
1/2 cup raisins or currants or sultanas
Have two quarts (2 liters) boiling water and a pot with a rack and a
tight fitting lid. (I had no rack and it came out fine.) Stir dry
ingredients together, mix milk and molasses together, add to dry
mixture. Add raisins and mix all together.
Wipe inside of can with paper towel that has a few drops of oil on it.
Pour batter into can (leaving 1/2 inch [12 mm] space for expansion).
Wrap can tightly in foil. (I double wrapped it.) Place can in pot [on
rack] with enough boiling water to come half way up the can. (I just
floated the can in the water.) Cover and cook over low heat, water
just barely bubling.
Steam about two hours. Bread is done when a stick inserted into center
of can comes out clean. (I didn't try that, just steamed it for two
hours and it was fine.)
Remove can from water and let stand 5 minutes. Push out of can and
slice. (I served this with Boston style baked beans, whole wheat
macaroni and soy cheddar, and an Yves hot and spicy veggie hotdog.)
(The recipe calls for a one pound (450 gram) coffee can or two smaller
cans. I found that the whole thing fit into a 15.5 fluid ounce stewed
tomato can.)
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Neal Pinckney <> Healing Heart Foundation <> Makaha, Hawaii <> AH6HM
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