Potato Mustard Bread

Comfort Food for me is homemade bread sliced while slightly warm from the oven with a bowl of homemade soup. I decided to serve my potato mustard bread with potato leek soup.  I made a small salad but didn't really need it as the soup was filling with a slice of the bread.  If you love the Scandinavian flavors of mashed Yukon Gold potatoes, fresh dill and mustard than you will want to try these together in a fresh loaf of bread.  

This recipe for potato mustard bread is filled with fresh chopped dill and brown mustard seeds.  It makes a beautiful and fragrant loaf of bread fresh from the oven .  I promise it will make your kitchen smell wonderful.  I like it toasted for breakfast, served with smoked salmon, roast beef or cheese.

I've made this bread several times before Patty's Food Blog.  It was on my list of favorite recipes to share here and I am slowly chipping away on that list.  This bread recipes comes from Marcus Samuelsson's 'Aquavit' which is a beautiful cookbook filled with gorgeous recipes and photographs.  Several years ago my daughter Jen and I had dinner at his famous restaurant in New York.  We were impressed and enjoyed  a spectacular meal there, I remember all the glass jars filled with flavored aquavits on the bar.  I tried the one made with cucumber, it was strong and  tasted just like a cucumber.

My small loaf of bread sliced beautifully and just fits on this sweet little plate I found in Arles on a trip to France with my sister several years ago.  Don't you love finding the perfect size dish in your cupboard for serving one of your homemade creations?

Here is the recipe for Potato Mustard Bread

from 'Aquavit' by Marcus Samuelsson

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing the loaf

2 tablespoons brown mustard seeds

1 tablespoon dill seeds

1 package active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

Pinch of sugar

1 cup mashed Yukon Gold potatoes, about 1/2 pound

1 cup chopped fresh dill

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1&1/2 cup-2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup all purpose flour

In a small saucepan bring the olive oil and mustard seed to a simmer over a low heat.  Reduce the heat to barely simmering, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the dill seeds, remove from the heat and cool.

Combine the yeast, warm water and sugar in a small bowl and let stand for 10 minutes or until foamy.

In a large bowl combine the mashed potatoes, fresh dill and salt.  Mix well with a wooden spoon.  Add the olive oil with the mustard and dill seeds, then add the yeast and stir well.  Gradually add the flours mixing until a ball of dough forms.

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.  Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl.  Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise in a draft free place for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.  Grease a 9x5 bread pan.

Punch the dough down and transfer to a lightly floured surface.  Flatten the dough and form into a loaf shape by folding the sides into the middle, pressing the seam to seal and placing seam side down in the prepared pan.

Bake for about 40 minutes until golden brown on top and bottom of the loaf.  The loaf should make a hollow sound when tapped.  Turn the loaf out onto a rack to cool before slicing.  Brush the loaf with olive oil if desired.

I snapped a quick picture of a little bug on my sofa before she flew away.