Savory Brioche Pockets

Just as I suspected, the word foodie means the same thing as gastronome or epicure. I consulted the Urban Dictionary as my proof. Certainly that would be the place to find clear and accurate information (tongue in cheek).

What does any of that have to do with Savory Brioche Pockets? Rather than answer that question right this minute, continue reading and maybe you can see where all of this is headed.

I saw the movie Julie&Julia or was it vice-versa? I thought it was cute. I own a few Julia Child cookbooks. Honestly, though I never really consult them. I walked away from watching the food network when the "game shows" took over. I don't care who the next food network star is. Well, there goes my credibility with the foodies.

However, watching Julia Child cook on television as a child was charming. I do consider her influential contribution to the cooking industry as one of great proportion. In my opinion, the media needs to return to this style of programming.

While at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, the Bon Appetite exhibit interested me the most.

Look how wonderfully simple her kitchen was. My photos aren't the best but, hopefully you get a sense of Julia Child's kitchen. Functional, organized, and practical. I love that.

Look she has two copies of the Joy of Cooking on her shelf. Also, on her shelf is a copy of her own book. How neat it must be to have a copy of your own cookbook in your kitchen.

I own a copy of Baking with Julia written by Dorie Greenspan. After seeing the exhibit, I came home with the mission of making something from that book.

Onion and potatoes were newly harvested from my garden, naturally I settled on the Savory Brioche Pockets. Fresh ingredients were at my fingertips.

I'm not going to post the entire recipe due to the length of the Brioche making step. I trust that you will be able to find a delicious Brioche recipe. Perhaps Julia's recipe is available online somewhere.

This is a overview of making the pockets.

Savory Brioche Pockets

Makes 12-15

ingredients:

• your favorite brioche recipe prepared to the point just prior to baking, chilled until ready to use.
• the filling recipe as follows

The Filling

• 4 small red potatoes, peeled
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese (um I used mozzarella because that's what we had)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 24 to 30 asparagus tips 2 to 3 inches long ( we harvested broccoli that day so you guessed it, that's what I used)
• sage leaves
• poppy seeds

Steam the potatoes until tender. Drain and mash with a fork. Add cheese and taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool. Everything must be cool before adding to the pockets. Add chopped chives to potato mixture once cooled.

Cook the onions in the butter in a skillet over low heat for 20 minutes until the onions are a caramel color. Set aside to cool.

Cook asparagus drain, dry well and cool.

Remove half of the chilled brioche dough from refrigerator. Working only with one half at a time. On a lightly floured surface roll dough to 1/8" thickness. Using a 4" round cookie cutter, cut out as many circles as possible.

Place 1 tablespoon of caramelized onion on each of the half circles. Top with 2 tablespoons of potato mixture. Finish with asparagus tips.

Remove the remaining brioche dough from the refrigerator and repeat the cutting step, forming the tops to the filling.

Enclose the filling with the brioche circles forming the pockets. Place on parchment lined baking sheets and brush with beaten egg yolk.

Set the pockets aside to rise uncovered at room temperature until puffy about 20 minutes.

Brush the pockets with another coating of egg yolks. Sprinkle with poppy seeds and lay one sage leaf across each pocket.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until browned.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Wow, that was a lot of work wasn't it. I remember saying, "I'll make these again if, someone pays me to do it"

They are lovely. Impressive meal for the next time I have a "foodie" to dinner.