THANKSGIVING PIES!

Thanksgiving is at Roz's this year and I was assigned dessert.
Apple, Pecan, and a CherryAlmond Tart.
I've been working on the apple for a while now and I think I have got it down...

The Perfect Apple Pie

I love using 4-5 different varieties of apples.  For this pie, I used a couple of Arkansas Blacks, which are great for baking, a couple Granny Smith, a Green Dragon, a Pinata (my fave!) and a Braeburn. The different textures and flavors make for extra appley-flavor.

Reducing the apple liquid helps to keep the pie from being too runny...I hate a runny pie.  The chinese five spice powder imparts a deep, spicy note... If you think it sounds weird, just leave it out, but you should try it once!

For the crust:
I use the vodka pie crust recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated. You can find the recipe below on my coconut cream pie post, but I replaced half the butter with pork lard... extra flakiness!

Roll out the bottom crust and place in pie pan. Return to the refrigerator to chill. It's important to let your crust relax after putting it in the pie pan or it will shrink.

For the filling:
7-8 apples
Juice of one lemon
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp chinese five spice powder
A slosh of apple brandy or cognac (optional)
1 tablespoon tapioca powder
2 tablespoons flour


Peel and thinly slice the apples. Some of the softer apples I cut chunkier for textural variety. Add the lemon juice to keep apples from browning.
Toss with sugar, cinnamon, five spice powder, and liquor.


Let rest at least 3 hours in the refrigerator.


Drain off liquid and reserve.  Place reserved liquid in a small pan and reduce over medium high heat until liquid is thick and syrupy. Let it cool down a bit before returning it to the apple mixture.  Add the tapioca starch and flour, tossing until all the apples are well coated. 


Roll out the top crust, fill the apple mixture then crimp the edges together.  Cut small steam vents in the top, brush with a beaten egg, and sprinkle with sanding sugar.


Bake at 400° 50-60 minutes, or until browned and the juices are bubbling.  If the edge is getting too brown after 30 minutes, cover with a strip of aluminum foil (This is kind of a pain, but it really helps!).

PECAN PIE
This is a Texas tradition and a must at any Thanksgiving I'm gonna be at! Try to use real Texas pecans - it makes a difference.
I like it classic - no chocolate, maple syrup, molasses, etc...
It is really super simple to make.

Again, I'm using the foolproof vodka pie crust, rolled out into the pie pan and re-chilled in the refrigerator.

Filling:

2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups chopped pecans

Preheat oven 375°.

Spread pecans in chilled pie shell.

Mix remaining ingredients and pour over pecans.
Decorate the top with whole pecans if desired.

Bake for 40-50 minutes until filling is set.
So simple.

WILD CURRANT JELLY

So I went on a hike last weekend with some wild food foragers and we picked tons of wild currants.  Who knew there was so much edible food growing in the park??
I made some currant jelly and it turned out awesome!

This is the mashed currants cooking down with a couple star anise pods...it looks like blood!

The jelly turned out the most beautiful blackish purple.  I think April and I are going to go back on Saturday and pick more.  Next month the elderberries will be ripe... Elderberry wine?

CLARE AND I MADE JELLY!

THIS IS HER ROSE AND LAVENDER JELLY

MY COCONUT CREAM PIE OBSESSION

I've made a few of these in the last couple weeks...

The pie crust is from "America's Test Kitchen"

and the filling is a mash up of Emeril Lagasse and Martha Stewart's recipes.

It takes a little bit of planning with all the chilling and pre-baking, but it actually comes together quite easily.

Foolproof Pie Crust

follow the recipe EXACTLY

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled

½ cup vegetable shortening, chilled

¼ cup cold water

¼ cup vodka, chilled

Process 1 1/2 cups of the flour, salt, and sugar in the food processor until mixed well.

Add butter and shortening and process about 15 seconds, until mixture looks like cottage cheese and begins to clump.

Add remaining cup of flour and pulse 4-6 times until mixture is mixed well and broken up.

Dump contents into a mixing bowl.

Add water and vodka. Use a folding motion to press down on the dough until it sticks together. It will look wetter than a usual pie crust.

Divide into two flattened disks, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator at least 45 minutes to 2 days.

Remove chilled pie crust from the fridge and roll out.

Press into 9" pie pan and then re-chill for at least 30 minutes.

Line bottom of pie crust with parchment and fill with pie weights or beans. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes.

Remove beans and parchment and prick bottom of crust with a fork. Bake another 10-15 minutes until crust is golden brown.

Let cool.

After the crust is cooled, melt approx. 1/2 cup of white (or regular) chocolate chips in a double boiler. When chocolate is melted, spread in a thin layer over the bottom and sides of the crust. Chill again in the refrigerator until the chocolate hardens.

Filling

¾ cups sugar

1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut milk (1 can)

1 ½ cups whole milk

¼ cup cornstarch

5 egg yolks

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup flaked coconut

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon butter

⅓ cup toasted coconut flakes for garnish

whipped cream

In a 1 quart saucepan, combine ¾ cups sugar, coconut milk and 1 cup of the milk. let simmer until milk is scalded.

In a small bowl, whisk the remaining ½ cup of milk and the cornstarch to make a slurry.

In another bowl, beat the egg yolks with the salt. Temper the yolks by incorporating ½ cup of the scalded milk.

Add the yolk mixture and the slurry mixture into the scalded milk and whisk over medium heat until mixture is thickened, about 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and add the coconut, vanilla and butter. Whisk together and let cool down. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap pressed onto the pudding to keep a skin from forming.

When cooled down, pour into the pie crust. Place plastic wrap back on the pie and chill until cold.

Top with whipped cream and toasted coconut.

HAVE YOU TRIED A PINATA?

This is my new favorite apple! I have only found it at Gelson's right now.

Tart, crisp, almost tropical flavors.... Apple heaven!

TORTILLA TART

This recipe sounds crazy but I promise it turns out a perfect little tart that know one would ever know started out as a flour tortilla.

1 burrito sized flour tortilla (or 2 smaller ones)

3-4 tablespoons melted butter

3-4 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons almond meal (optional)

1 apple, pear or plum, sliced thin

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tsp chinese 5 spice powder or cinnamon

pinch of salt

apricot jam, heated and thinned slightly with a dash of water or cognac.

Heat oven to 400°.

Take a rimmed baking sheet with a silpat (or parchment paper) and pour the melted butter out into the middle of the baking sheet.

Spread around to roughly the size of the tortilla.

Sprinkle the butter with the sugar and then dredge both sides of the tortilla in the butter sugar mixture.

Lay the tortilla on top of the remaining butter and sugar. Sprinkle the almond meal on top if using.

Set aside.

Peel and slice the apple or other fruit thinly and toss with the lemon juice, a tablespoon of sugar and spices.

Arrange in a flat pattern atop the tortilla. Dot with small knobs of butter and a little more sugar.

Bake 20-25 minutes until the apples are cooked and browning slightly. I like to turn it once to ensure it cooks evenly.

The butter and sugar should caramelize around the tart and may even burn slightly - this is OK.

Remove from oven and brush the warmed jam on top to glaze the apples. VOILA!

The caramelized sugar and butter turn the tortilla into a delicious crispy tart. Perfect in the morning with coffee!

THE BEST LAMB STEW EVER

3 lbs. lamb blade cut steaks or other stew cut. Pieces with bones are better.

1 tbl. olive oil

2 leeks

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbl. herbs de Provence

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp black pepper

splash of worcestershire sauce

1 tbl dijon mustard

1 tbl honey (or brown sugar)

2 cups canned chopped tomatoes

1 cup white beans (cannellini, great northern, etc...)

3 cups beef broth (or chicken)

grated zest of 1/2 an orange

2 tbl. chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 325°

1. Soak the beans overnight. Drain, rinse.

2. In a dutch oven, saute leeks, onion, and garlic in olive oil until soft.

3. Add spices, herbs, worcesteshire sauce,mustard, honey, tomatoes, and beans. Add broth and bring to a low boil, then down to a simmer. Do not allow the sauce to boil or the beans will be hard.

4. Add meat, cover with lid, and place in oven for 2-3 hours, until beans are tender.

(Remove lid for last hour of cooking to reduce liquid.)

5. Stir in parsley and orange zest. (Be conservative with the orange zest - it is easy to use too much - it should just be a background note.)

Sprinkle with parmesan and drizzled olive oil, and serve with crusty bread.