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Warm Winter Meals…my go-to’s

I AM FREEZING!

Let’s you and me warm up with some cozy winter meals. I am rounding up a few of my go-to warm recipes that I find myself craving again and again.

Chicken Marbella: This chicken never fails to please…makes the house smell so cozy!

African G-Nut Stew: Savory recipes that call for peanut butter make me swoon.

Green n’ Yellow Risotto: Nothing screams warmth like a piping hot bowl of creamy risotto.

Mushroom Etc. and Sausage Ragu over Polenta: Cheesy polenta + Savory Sausage + Quickly Sauteed Veg

Lasagna! Layered pasta filled with veggies, basil, and ricotta. With a touch of fresh nutmeg for good measure.

Minestrone Soup. Warm broth, hearty beans, crusty bread.

Quiche. The savory pie that can be eaten morning, noon, or night.

Get your ovens preheating and your stove-tops flaming because it is time to warm things up for the cold winter ahead of us.

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Categories beans, cheese, chicken, dinner, eggs, grain, holidays, meat, pasta, peanut butter, savory, soup, tarts/pies, vegan, vegetable

(Rustic) Kabocha Squash Pie

28 Nov

I have an extremely rustic and homemade pie for you. This is a Kabocha Pie. You can call it a Pumpkin Pie if you like. Same thing, really (sort of).

I pre-sliced my pie so that my Thanksgiving guests could easily take a piece without the fuss of cutting it themselves. And of course I did a sloppy slicing job and the pie cracked and crumbled a bit. Hence the rustic homemade look. This pie’s got love in it.

I made the crust for this pie at midnight. Midnight dough making. Can someone please get me out of the kitchen? The next day I roasted my Kabocha squash. Sliced in quarters, seeds scooped out, dabbed with oil, onto a parchment lined baking sheet, and into the oven until super soft.

NOTE: Kabocha squash can be very dry when roasted, much more dry than butternut or pumpkin. Just keep that in mind. Actually, I quite like the dryness for a pie filling because my moisture is coming from my eggs and cream.

I had a few pie crust mishaps. When I went to parbake my crust, I neglected to weigh it down enough (I used rice rather than dry beans or pie weights) and the middle of the crust poofed up like crazy. FAIL. Major fail. I then decided to use some heavy ramekins to weigh down the middle and it worked just enough to barely save my poofy crust.

So my advice is to go buy some dry beans and you can keep them forever for all of your parbaked pie crusts. Do it. Don’t be like me.

Ooo, and remember to try not to beat yourself up if you make a mistake in the kitchen. I do it way too often and then I realize that everything can be fixed and that there can be a lot of beauty in the imperfect.

Kabocha Squash Pie

I love the firm yet silky filling of the pie, the dry sweetness of the kabocha, and the slight tang from the sour cream.

recipe from the traveler’s lunchbox

1 1/2 cups (375 ml) pumpkin or winter squash puree (preferably homemade)

1 1/2 cups (375ml) creme fraiche or sour cream (I used sour cream)

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

pinch ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar

1/2 cup (100 g) white sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 9-inch parbaked pie crust (I used the pate brisee recipe from Sherry Yard’s Desserts by the Yard, but you can use whatever crust you like…The Traveler’s Lunchbox has directions on how to parbake (the paragraph above the actual recipe); and you can use this crust recipe if you like, too)

TO PUREE YOUR OWN PUMPKIN/SQUASH:

I preheat the oven to about 375 degrees F. I simply slice my squash in half, scooped the seeds out, and cut each half again in two. I drizzle with some olive or canola oil or butter and a few pinches of salt. I place the cut sides down atop of a parchment lined baking sheet and into the oven for about 30-40 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork/knife. Alternatively you could wrap your prepared squash in aluminum foil and bake.

For this particular pie, you can just let your squash cool, peel the insides away from the outer flesh, and mash roughly with a fork. Note that your squash does not have to be completely smooth because it will get blended with the rest of the ingredients later. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of puree for the recipe and leave the rest to use for pumpkin soup, pumpkin mac n’ cheese, pumpkin quinoa…!

FOR THE FILLING:

Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place everything for the filling except for the sugars and cornstarch into a blender or food processor. In a small bowl, stir together brown and white sugars with the cornstarch until no lumps remain (I stirred with a fork). Add to the pumpkin mixture and blend until smooth and homogeneous.

Pour the filling into your parbaked crust. Place the pie onto your preheated baking sheet and bake for about 1 hour, until the filling is just set. NOTE: if your crust is starting to brown, you can cover it with a little bit of aluminum foil. Cool the pie and top with whipped cream!

Psst…here are a few snaps of the little pumpkin tartlettes that we made for the staff at work. CUTIES!:

Comments 2 Comments
Categories holidays, pumpkin, tarts/pies

Summer Peach Pie

29 Aug

A double-crusted summer peach pie. Filled with slippery peaches and spiced with a cozy combination of ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

There was no better way to spend my time stuck inside this rainy weekend than to bake a pie.

I baked this summer peach pie. I bought Haagen Dazs Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. I put the two together on a plate. I licked the plate clean.

Today is my dad’s birthday. Happy birthday, Pops! I love you. I wish you could eat this pie that I made. I am beginning to master the art of writing “Happy Birthday” in chocolate on a plate. This is what I do at work. I write on plates with chocolate. My hand is still a little shaky, so no plate-writing photos yet.

When it comes to pie, I am a big fan of the all-butter crust. Don’t bother with shortening or any other fats. Butter. I always have it on-hand. Butter. Use it. Cube it. Chill it. Love it.

For the filling, I used cornstarch to thicken the fruit mixture. In the past I have also used quick-cooking tapioca (see: Strawberry Rhubarb Pie). The cornstarch worked great for the peaches-they were still super juicy and had just the right amount of viscosity.

For the crust, a small amount of vinegar (or any strong acid) is added to help keep that crust nice and flaky, just the way it should be.

Summer Peach Pie

I heart JOY! she has beautiful descriptions and photos of the step-by-step process

For the Crust:

2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes

5 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons ice cold water

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

For the Filling:

about 3 pounds ripe peaches (I used about 6 peaches)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

scant 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 egg, beaten, for egg wash

2 tablespoons and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, for topping crust before baking

To make the crust, the first thing I do is cube my butter and stick it in the freezer. I also drop a few ice cubes in a glass of water and set it aside. Next, in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Take your cold, cubed butter out of the freezer and, using your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture. Quickly break the butter down into the flour mixture, some butter pieces will be the size of oat flakes, some will be the size of peas. Measure out the ice cold water and stir it together with the vinegar. Create a well in the butter and flour mixture and pour in the water and vinegar mixture. Use a fork to bring to dough together. Try to moisten all of the flour bits. On a lightly floured work surface, dump out the dough mixture. It will be moist and shaggy. That’s perfect. Divide the dough in two and gently knead into two disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To make the filling, wash and slice peaches and put them in a medium bowl (I just used the same bowl that I made the crust in). In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, spices, flour, and cornstarch. Pour the sugar mixture over the fruit, and gently toss together with a wooden spoon. Stir in the lemon juice. Place bowl of fruit in the fridge to rest while you roll the crust out.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place a rack in the center of the oven, and place a baking sheet on the lower rack, just below where you’re going to place the pie. This will catch any pie drippings without making a mess of your oven.

Remove one of the pie dough disks from the fridge. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out into about a 13-inch round. Roll the dough a few strokes, then use your fingers to move the emerging circle around the floured surface. This ensures that the dough isn’t sticking to the work surface. The circle won’t be perfect, that’s ok. Try not to get any tears in the rolled out dough, but if you do, they can be patched together with extra dough. When you roll the dough and you can see it start springing back, that means that the butter is warming and the crust shouldn’t be rolled out anymore. Gently lift the 13-inch round from the floured surface and center in the 9-inch baking dish. Place in the fridge while you roll out the top crust.

Roll out the top crust just as you did the bottom crust, moving the dough across the floured surface every once in a while, and creating a roughly 13-inch circle. Remove the bottom crust and fruit filling from the fridge. Gently pour the fruit filling into the pie dish. Carefully remove the top crust from the work surface and drape over the fruit in the pie dish. With a small knife, trim the crust, leaving about 3/4-inch overhang. With your fingers press the top and bottom crusts together and fold under. Use a fork or your fingers to crimp the edges of the dough. Cut five small slits in the top of the crust so the juices and steam can vent. Brush lightly with beaten egg and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture.

Place pie in the oven and bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven heat to 375 and bake for 45 to 55 more minutes. Remove from the oven when crust is browned and golden, and the juices are bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 2 hours before serving. Place covered in the fridge to store. Pie lasts up to 3 or 4 days.

Comments 5 Comments
Categories fruit, ice cream, tarts/pies

Rustic Almond Plum Galette + Creme Fraiche Ice Cream

2 Aug

Stone fruit is in full swing. Peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots, pluots, apriums, and all sorts of cross breeds like you couldn’t imagine!

I make galettes every summer. A galette is supposed to be rustic, so I don’t feel guilty if the dough is not perfectly and evenly crimped. Here is a quick look back at some sweet galettes that I have made in the past:

Nectarine Galette

(just follow this recipe but use nectarines instead of plums and nix the lemon zest)

Summer Peach and Blueberry Galette with Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Fresh Fig Galette

Today I made you a rustic almond plum galette. The almonds are ground and are spread on the bottom of the dough, underneath the plums. This helps hold all of the juices from the plums inside and adds a nice flavor palate to the open-faced tart. I paired this galette with homemade creme fraiche ice cream. Tangy and smooth, this ice cream is the ultimate hot summer day cure.

The plums offer a nice red hue when baked. They are soft but still hold their shape.

Creme Fraiche Ice Cream right out of the machine, super soft and creamy

I still can’t believe that I am turning on the oven in this insane New York summer heat, but it is all in the name of rustic pies and good eats.

Now excuse me while I go wipe the sweat off my forehead and dip into some homemade dessert…

Rustic Almond Plum Galette

from KissmySpatula, check out her gorgeous photos!

1 1/4 cups + 3 tbsp all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1/2 cup very cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup + 3 tbsp + 1/2 tsp sugar, plus more for dusting
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2-4 tbsp ice water
1/4 cup whole, skin-on almonds, toasted
5 to 6 firm plums, halved, pitted, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
zest of half a lemon
1 egg, lightly beaten

In a food processor, combine 1 1/4 cups flour, butter, 1/2 tsp sugar, and salt. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ice water, 1 tbsp at a time. Pulse until dough is crumbly, but holds together when squeezed. Do not overmix. Remove dough from food processor and shape into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, wipe bowl of food processor clean and add almonds, 3 tbsp sugar, and 2 tbsp of flour. Pulse until ground to a coarse meal.

In a large bowl, toss the plums with 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tbsp flour and zest of half a lemon. Taste and add more sugar for desired sweetness and set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 13-14 inch round, about an 1/8-1/4 of inch thick. Transfer to a parchment-lined cookie sheet (preferably without sides) and spread almond mixture over dough, leaving a two-inch border. Spread and arrange plums on top of almond mixture. Fold and pleat edge of dough over fruit. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Take your galette out of the refrigerator and brush the crust with egg wash and sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoons of sugar. Bake until crust is golden and underside is cooked through, about 60-70 minutes, checking after 30 minutes and every 10 minutes thereafter. Allow to cool before slicing.

Creme Fraiche Ice Cream

adapted from David Lebovitz and Crispywaffle

1 cup milk (preferably whole milk or 2%)

2/3 cup sugar

1/8 t. salt

5 large egg yolks

2 cups creme fraiche

First, make the custard. Warm the milk, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan over medium low heat until it’s steaming. Pour the milk over the egg yolks, whisking the whole time. Add the milk/egg mixture back to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula. When the mixture thickens (at around 190 F) and coats the back of the spatula, pour the mixture through a strainer into a bowl. Chill the mixture in the fridge for a few hours until cold.
When ready to freeze in the ice cream maker, stir in the creme fraiche. Chill in the ice cream maker as directed and the ice cream is thickened, about 20 minutes.

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Categories fruit, ice cream, tarts/pies

Quiche Me!

28 Jun

WHAT?! I used heavy cream, butter, and cheese all in one dinner dish? Yes, yes I did. I managed to throw in some dark leafy greens and mushrooms to ~~balance out my heart attack~~ give this dish a nice color/texture/flavor/vitamin boost (I also roasted some asparagus to serve as a side).

This savory pie is called a quiche.

You’re house will smell amazing. You are going to have all the neighbors knocking at your door. You are going to (want to) pick at the cheesy top and buttery crust. You are probably going to go back for seconds. You can totally use whatever veggies you want and you can totally add bacon or salami or sausage to this. You can eat this for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and/or a snack. You can bring this to a party. You can make it for yourself.

Pie crust. Cheese. Deep colorful vegetables. A meal for the gods.

Quiche Me! Crust (Pate Brisee)

From SmittenKitchen, originally from Martha Stewart

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, cold and cut into small cubes

2-3 tablespoons ice cold water

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.

With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Form dough into a single ball, flatten it into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator, and chill at least 1 hour. Dough may be stored, frozen, up to 1 month.

Quiche Me! The Filling: Onion, Mushroom, Kale

Makes 1 8-inch tart pan

1 recipe pate brisee (see above)
1 onion, sliced thin
balsamic vinegar, to taste
about 6 white button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped
1 cup heavy cream (or whole milk)
2 eggs
1/4 cup grated Gruyere, Swiss, and/or Jarlsberg cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Roll out your chilled crust as quickly as possible on a lightly-floured surface until is about 2 inches large all around than your pie pan. Either reverse the dough onto the rolling pin and unroll it over the mold or fold it into quarters and lay it over the mold, unfolding it. Press the dough lightly into the bottom of the pan, lifting the edges and working it gently down into the mold. Trim off excess dough and press the edges into the pan. Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork at 1/2-inch intervals.

Bake your crust for about 9 minutes in the oven. Pull it out, sprinkle with a bit of cheese and let it cool while you prepare your filling.

Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

Saute your onions in some olive oil and add some salt. Add a dash of balsamic then set your sauteed onions in a bowl. In the same pan you just used, add the mushrooms. Add a tiny pat of butter and saute until starting to get golden brown. Add the kale and stir. Add back the onions.

Mix together your cream and eggs. Add some black pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg. Add your sauteed veggies. Pour into your pan and top with more grated cheese.

Set on a sheet pan and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, until puffed and golden.