It's as easy as pumpkin pie

Thanksgiving is not just about dinner; it's an all-day affair in the kitchen. It's a holiday centered on food: on food you eat only once a year, on traditions, on coming together to prepare a feast. So, as you and your family come together for the feast, the last thing you need--as you simultaneously watch the cranberries, the turkey, the stuffing, the breads, and the rolls--is something complicated and time-consuming.

Every year my family and I make this pie on Thanksgiving. It's not what you'd expect. It's not a complex array of ingredients tactfully concocted together and lovingly prepared for hours. It's your average pie made from prepared ingredients, and cooked on the morning of the big turkey day.

This is Libby's famous pumpkin pie recipe. Who's Libby? Oh well. You know the Libby's brand pumpkin purée? Yeah, that's her.

The Recipe:

1 (15oz) can Libby's pumpkin purée
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon*
1/2 tsp ground ginger*
1/4 tsp ground cloves*
2 large eggs
1 can (12oz) evaporated milk
2 pre-made 9-inch pie crusts OR 1 pre-made 9-inch deep-dish pie crust (either plain or graham cracker)

*if you do not have all of these spices readily available, feel free to substitute the cinnamon, cloves, ginger combination with 2 tsps of pumpkin pie spice (available from McCormick)

Preheat your oven to 425'F. Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl. In another, larger bowl, whisk together the eggs and the pumpkin purée, then add the dry ingredients. Slowly add the evaporated milk, whisking after each addition. Place the pie crusts on a cookie sheet to avoid any spillage or leaking. Fill the pie crusts, so that they are 3/4 full and place them on the center rack of the oven. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, and then reduce the heat to 350'F, baking for 40-50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours, serve with whipped cream.

The Buzz : Cocktails for a Toasty Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, entertaining is probably on your mind. Even if you're not hosting the big family dinner, it's a day that will most likely be filled with food, friends, family, and a great deal of careful preparation.

If you're having people over and are in need of some holiday concoctions to keep your guests' bellies warm until the big dinner, take a look at these Thanksgiving and winter cocktails. These cocktails, taken from Martha Stewart's holiday cocktail collection, are sure to tingle taste buds. And, even better, most are non-alcoholic to keep feisty relatives under control.

Apple Pie Spiced Cider

Enjoy the flavor of a favorite fall dessert while the pie is still in the oven. This cider combines the spices found in apple pie for a hearty and warming beverage that can be served with or without brandy.

Serves six

1 1/4 quarts apple cider
3 tbsps firmly packed light-brown sugar
7 whole cinnamon sticks, (6 sticks for garnish)
1 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Ground cloves
Freshly grated nutmeg
Salt
1/2 cup brandy (optional)

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the cider and spices. Bring to a simmer, remove from heat, and add brandy (if desired). Serve in mugs, garnished with cinnamon sticks.

Apple Ginger Sparklers

This drink unites classic fall flavors of ginger and apple into a sparkling, non-alcoholic concoction. For extra flavor, make the ginger syrup the day before.

Serves six

2 cups sugar
1 six-inch piece fresh ginger, finely diced

4 1/2 cups sparkling apple cider
6 cinnamon sticks
6 pieces crystallized ginger

To make the ginger syrup, combine sugar, ginger, and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about an hour. Let cool and strain before using.

For the sparklers, place 2 tablespoons ginger syrup in each of six glasses. Fill glasses with ice cubes, pour in cider, and stir to combine. Garnish with cinnamon sticks and fresh ginger, and serve.

Cranberry Cider

Cranberries are a Thanksgiving standard. In addition to enjoying them in sauces and garnishes, try this recipe for hot cranberry cider.

Serves six to eight

2 oranges
2 quarts cranberry juice
4 three-inch cinnamon sticks
2 two-inch pieces fresh ginger, peeled and sliced lengthwise
Sugar, to taste

With a vegetable peeler or a sharp knife, remove four 3-inch-long strips of peel from orange; set aside. Juice the orange and remove the pulp. In a medium stockpot, combine orange juice, reserved orange peel, cranberry juice, cinnamon sticks, and ginger. Taste, and add sugar if desired. Heat over medium-high heat until simmering. Then, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes. Strain, and discard solids. Serve hot.

Squash and Spinach Gratin

For my mom's birthday, I decided to surprise her by cooking dinner and baking her a cake (see the previous post). I decided to make use of seasonal vegetables and make a butternut squash and spinach gratin, based on the recipe from epicurious.com. This dish combines the mellow taste of spinach with butter and onions and pairs it with butternut squash, topped with cream and parmigiano-reggiano. The result is an easy-to-make and hearty vegetable lasagna which is perfectly paired with a light or sparkling white wine.

The Recipe:

15 oz frozen leaf spinach, thawed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 pounds butternut squash (1 large), peeled, quartered, and seeded

First, cook your spinach according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain it of all water and set aside in a bowl. Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in an 8-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, then add the onion and garlic, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the butter, onion, and garlic to the spinach along with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cream and stir to combine.

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 3-quart shallow baking dish (13 by 9 inches--not glass). Cut the squash to separate bulb section from solid neck section, then cut pieces lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices. (This is the hardest and most time consuming step, I promise).

Now, in the manner of making a lasagna, layer squash and spinach mixture in baking dish. For each layer, use about one fifth of squash and one fourth of spinach, beginning and ending with squash. Sprinkle top layer of squash evenly with parmesan cheese and cover with parchment paper. Bake until squash is tender and filling is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the paper and bake gratin until browned in spots, 10 to 15 minutes.

That's it!

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Butternut-Squash-and-Creamed-Spinach-Gratin-236374#ixzz1d9v2ESHQ

The Buzz : The Wall Street Journal goes hunting for the best Pumpkin Beers

Last week, I posted about my one and only experience with Pumpkin Ale, specifically Smashed Pumpkin Ale. To my disappointment, it was not very tasty or very pumpkin-y for that matter, and left a bitter aftertaste.

Yesterday in the cooking section of the Wall Street Journal, there was an article that voiced the same concerns that I had raised with pumpkin ale--its bitterness, acidity, and disconcerting medley of spices.

William Bostwick's article, "Gourd Lovin'", from the October 29th edition of the Journal gives the history of pumpkin ale, which has been brewing since the 17th century, and proposes some ales that stand out of the crowd.

I have reproduced the article below. You can look at the original at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204644504576651132079347592.html?mod=googlenews_wsj . Once again, this is William Bostwick's article from the Journal, and I do not take credit for it.

Gourd Lovin': A new batch of pumpkin beers is proving they're not just a seasonal gimmick

William Bostwick

When the leaves change color, beer store shelves turn orange to match. It's pumpkin beer season, and the trap is set. Each year, we can't resist plucking a bottle or two, but like a bowl of candy corn, their festive hue belies their taste: too sweet, too sour and sodden with perfume-y spice.

It doesn't have to be this way. The best pumpkin beers are the most unexpected. Far from pie-in-a-bottle, they blend in maple syrup, dark chocolate and the vanilla smoothness of oak barrels—dressing the humble gourd in elaborate costumes that buck almost 400 years of tradition.

Long considered the candy-corn of seasonal beers (colorful, but not so tasty), pumpkin beers are starting to prove otherwise. William Bostwick reviews some of his favorites on Lunch Break as Wendy Bounds and Connor Doughtery taste test the brews.

Pumpkin beer is as old as American beer itself. The first settlers from Europe, having braved the wild Atlantic for a strange and tavern-bare land, can't be faulted for slapping beer together from whatever scraps they could find. Into Colonial brew kettles went corn stalks, molasses, tree bark, persimmons and lots and lots of pumpkins. "We have pumpkin at morning and pumpkin at noon," a 1630s ditty ran. "If it was not for pumpkin we should be undone." To some, homegrown beer was not just necessity, but rebellion, a thumbed nose at British imports. But that doesn't mean it was any good.

In fact, it was—and too often still is—awful. Here's why: Sweet and nutty when roasted, pumpkins turn sour when their sugars ferment into beer, giving off an unpleasant cidery tang. In fact, one of the first published recipes for pumpkin beer (from 1771) included an ingredient that was more akin to pumpkin cider: pressed, fermented gourd juice. Brewers hid that taste with a mix of boiled spices like cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. And that's where it all went wrong.

A brewer I know says that if you can taste a single ingredient in a beer, there's too much of it. Beer is a tippy boat: paddle too hard and it flops into the deep. Belgian wheat beers are regular offenders, tasting occasionally like coriander or orange-peel soup. With pumpkin beers, the opposite happens. Few are one-note—no nutmeg soup here—but their pumpkin-pie potpourri can be even more intense than a single, overemphasized spice. Call it the Candle Shoppe Gestalt: The blend of scents is worse than any individual offender.

And yet that pumpkin-spice canon, established centuries ago, has persisted ever since, analogous now with the season itself. Thankfully, that's changing, as brewers bring new ingredients, wild yeasts and, yes, a subtler spice rack to this style of brew. It's high time for another rebellion in beer: a pumpkin ale that actually tastes great. Here are five that are leading the way.

1. Dogfish Head Punkin Ale, 7% ABV: Named after the bizarre tradition of Punkin Chunkin, in which catapults hurl gourds across a Delaware field, Dogfish Head's classic is a dry, meaty brown ale. The pumpkin provides body-building starch, the spices are restrained and a touch of brown sugar dries the beer out so it snaps like brittle toffee and crunching leaves.

2. Jolly Pumpkin La Parcela, 5.9% ABV: The American masters of wild yeast live up to their name, finally, with a pumpkin beer. Of course, it's so much more than that: a nose of mulled cider, dusted at the finish with cocoa; a sour bite, not from pumpkin but from wild bacteria; and toasted, even slightly burnt, spice to tie it up.

3. Uinta Oak Jacked, 10.31% ABV: Part of Uinta's Crooked Line series of special releases, Oak Jacked takes the Salt Lake City brewery's Punk'n Harvest Pumpkin Ale, bumps up its strength to 10.31% (get it?) and ages it in oak barrels for six months. The originally perfume-y beer bulks up and mellows out, its spices hidden behind a velvet wave of vanilla-streaked liquor.

4. The Bruery Autumn Maple, 10% ABV: The best pumpkin beer in the patch isn't a pumpkin beer at all. Fall tradition for these SoCal brewers means staying up all night to roast 600 pounds of sweet potatoes for every batch. They bring a nuttiness and yes, a slight cidery sourness, but it's wonderfully offset by earthy molasses, maple syrup and a fruity Belgian yeast.

5. Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale, 5.6% ABV: More spicy than spiced—this ale from Portsmouth, N.H., is bracing and bitter. Less aromatic than most, with more noticeable hops, it's not an obvious pumpkin beer, but not quite anything else. Who says autumn can't also be refreshing? This is the only pumpkin beer that rightly comes in a six-pack.

Mixed Messages

So, for those of you who are not in the New York metropolitan area, it's snowing. It's also October 29th and before Halloween.

My pumpkin made this face when he looked at the weather out the window. I made a similar face.

Talk about a Halloween fright!

A New York City Halloween: Chocolate Rats

It's Halloween time in the city, and that means all kinds of spooks and scares. If you're throwing / going to a Halloween party this weekend, you might consider these ironic and creepy treats--chocolate covered strawberries made to look like rats.

They're easy to make, and promise to spook your guests.

This recipe and photo come from Kitchen Daily.

The Recipe:

20 large strawberries
40 sliced almonds
2 3.5-oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate bars, coarsely chopped and melted
40 slivered almonds
20 2-inch pieces of black licorice laces

Line a baking sheet with waxed or parchment paper. Trim a small piece from one side of each strawberry so they can rest flat on waxed paper. Insert 2 sliced almonds about 1 inch from pointed end of strawberry to make the ears on the rat. Repeat with remaining strawberries.

Insert a fork into the wide end of a strawberry. Holding the strawberry on fork, spoon the melted chocolate over the fruit to coat, allowing any excess chocolate to drip off. Place on baking sheet. While chocolate is still wet, arrange 2 slivered almonds to create eyes, then place licorice pieces at the bottom of the wide end of the strawberry to form a tail. Repeat with remaining strawberries, chocolate, almonds, and licorice. Chill until firm.

Boo!


Read more: http://www.kitchendaily.com/recipe/chocolate-dipped-rats-149369/#ixzz1c5utlmhD

The Buzz : Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin Ale

With the onset of the chill fall weather, I saw more and more ads popping up for various pumpkin-flavored ales. Mostly, I was curious--what did pumpkin ale taste like? was it a good thing for ale to taste like pumpkin? would it even taste like pumpkin anyway?

I went to Whole Foods at Columbus Circle last week, and asked their beer stocker what he would recommend. Whole Foods had a good selection of 6 or 8 different pumpkin options. I opted for a large bottle (to share) of Shipyard Brewery's Smashed Pumpkin Ale. It's presumably called "smashed" because of it's very high alcohol content--9.5% for ale.

I was excited to see what the flavor would be, and so a friend and I cracked one open and took a go.

It was a very full and heady beer with a strong taste, that was almost spiced. It had good foam, and did, indeed, give a good buzz. The pumpkin taste, however, was different than I anticipated: there was definitely a pumpkin aftertaste (in a good way), but it fell short of my expectations.

So, in conclusion: good, tasty beer, but not very pumpkin-y.

The gentleman at Whole Foods also recommended Pumpking Ale, which he said had a good flavor. So, perhaps it's time to try that next!

Hallow--eek Treats!

If the chill in the air and the strange tombstones in your neighbors' front yards hasn't tipped you off yet, Halloween is getting close. I didn't realize how close until this evening, when I noted my lack of a costume or preparation for a fun fall holiday.

To make up for my lack of preparation, I will be gearing myself, and perhaps you, up throughout this week with ideas for spooky sweets and terrific treats to celebrate Halloween. So, get on your costume, whip out the mixer, and get cooking!

Herbed White Bean and Sausage Stew

As I mentioned in a previous post (i.e. the Butternut Squash in Puff Pastry), I went through a phase where I religiously made the New York Times' Dining Section recipe on Fridays when I got out of class, and had the time to challenge myself in the kitchen.

The following recipe for a hearty bean and sausage stew comes from the October 29, 2010 edition of the Times. This recipe combines filling Great Northern beans with sweet sausage in an aromatic and warming stew that is sure to keep the fall and winter chills away. My apartment had yet to have heat (the outdoor temperature is now a balmy 47' F), and so I was in need of something to take the chill from my bones and warm my stomach. This did the trick.

The nice thing about this recipe is that you do not need to soak the beans due to the long cooking time. Also, if you're short on time, try using white beans from a can instead. This cuts the cooking time and preserves most of the flavor. In addition, while the original recipe calls for Italian sweet sausage, you can also make this leaner by using turkey sausage or by using vegetarian meatballs. The beans and herbs provide more than enough flavor, and allow for variation!



Make sure to check out the original recipe and article on the New York Times site: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/03/dining/03appe.html?ref=dining

The Recipe:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, sliced 3/4-inch thick
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 medium carrots, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 pound dried Great Northern beans, rinsed
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 thyme sprigs (or 1 tbsp dry thyme)
1 large rosemary sprig (or 2 tsps dried rosemary)
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a very large stockpot, head the olive oil over medium heat before adding the sausage. Brown until cooked through, about 7 minutes, and transfer to a plate.

In the remaining oils, add the tomato paste and cumin, and cook until dark golden, about 2 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the beans, 8 cups water, salt, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf. Bring to a boil before reducing the heat to low and simmering gently until the beans are tender, about 2 hours. You can add more water if needed to make sure the beans remain submerged.

When the beans are tender, return the sausage to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle into warm bowls and serve drizzled with additional vinegar and olive oil.

Now that doesn't sound too bad, does it?

Photo credit of NYT

Elegant Autumn Desserts : Spicy Maple and Pumpkin Flan

For those of you who did not read my post from this past weekend, I had the real treat of taking a cooking class at the Institute of Culinary Education in the Flatiron District of Manhattan. The class, entitled Elegant Autumn Desserts and taught by executive pastry chef, Vicki Wells, covered many sophisticated autumn desserts that look fantastic but are relatively simple to make.

As promised, I am re-making each of the desserts from the class at home to (a) see if they work in a non-magical cooking class setting, (b) eat them again, and (c) share them with you.

The first of these desserts in this series is the Spicy Maple and Pumpkin Flan, which was probably my favorite.

This flan is not difficult or time consuming, but does take a few tricks to make it work. The result is an incredibly smooth and subtle maple and pumpkin flavor that is to die for.

The Recipe

For the flan molds:

1 cup sugar
1 tsp heavy cream
1 tbsp butter
2 tsps rum

First, set up about 8 small ramekins in a deep baking pan so that they are ready when you pour in the caramel.

You will now need to caramelize the sugar. This can be a tricky task, especially if you have not made caramel before. I will give you one warning I wish I had had when I first made caramel last year: DO NOT TOUCH IT. EVER.* Put your sugar in a saucepan and add just enough water to moisten it. This will not be much. You do not want to bathe the sugar, just to make it damp. Then put it on the stove over medium heat and let it warm. You will not want to stir it with a spoon because the sugar will solidify. Just make sure to swirl the pan often, to move the mixture around. The mixture will soon start to develop big bubbles and will then very suddenly start to turn color. While the sugar is cooking, prepare your cream, butter, and rum and have them on standby. As soon as the sugar turns a caramel brown, remove it from heat and add the other ingredients. Swirl and let it combine. Then, pour a small amount into the ramekins (about 1/2") and let them cool and set.

For the flan:

1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
5 egg yolks
5 tbsps sugar
1-1/2 ounces maple syrup
3-1/2 ounces canned pumpkin
1/8 tsp Green Mountain maple extract (available at Fairway!)
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 300' F.

Dry roast the spices in a medium saucepan. You will just need to heat them for a few seconds, until they release an intense aroma. As soon as this happens, add the cream and milk and whisk. Add half the sugar and bring to a boil, whisking. Then remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the yolks very well with a whisk. Add the other half of the sugar, the maple syrup, and the maple extract.

Temper the cream to the yolk mixture. Pour in a little of the cream and whisk well before adding another small amount. Do this until it is all combined. Add the pumpkin and stir very well, until smooth. Strain and remove the foam.

Pour into the caramel filled molds. Now, create a water bath with boiling water. The water should go 1/3 of the way up the ramekin sides. Bake them until they are set and no longer jiggle. Let them in room temperature and transfer to the fridge when cooled slightly.

When ready to serve, turn the ramekin over a plate and tap to release the flan.


*Sugar's boiling point is much higher than water, so not only is it scalding, but it will also solidify, while still scalding you, which makes it impossible to get off before severe damage is done. I was dumb. Learn from me.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Last night, I made homemade risotto for the first time. But, as a twist, I decided to make not just any old plain risotto, but a butternut squash risotto (for those of you who are keeping count, this is 6 squash down, 2 to go). Isabelle had recommended this to me, and I was very excited to give it a shot.

This risotto is very simple to make, but takes a little time. Don't worry, though, it's most definitely worth it!

The Recipe

1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) chicken broth, mixed with 1/2 cup water and heated
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

First off, melt your butter in a medium to large saucepan (you will be adding both rice and many cups of chicken broth to this, so make sue you have room) over medium heat and add your squash, along with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until te edges of the squash start to soften and they become very slightly mushy.

Add rice and stir so that it is mixed in well with the squash. Add wine; cook until almost all liquid has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Now, reduce the heat to medium-low or low and add 1/2 cup hot broth mixture. Cook, stirring, until almost all liquid is absorbed. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until liquid is absorbed before adding more, 35 to 40 minutes total.

Right before you serve, add the Parmesan, sage, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Serve immediately.

It's that simple!

This was a really lovely risotto, though I think that next time, I would perhaps try adding some paprika instead of pepper. That might give it a really nice touch. Other than that, this was a great risotto with a lot of texture and flavor, spicy but subtle. I would definitely make it again!

Elegant Autumn Desserts at the Institute for Culinary Education

Yesterday morning, I had the pleasure of attending my first class at the Institute for Culinary Education, located on 23rd street between 5th and 6th avenue. As I had been getting more interested in baking and cooking, and as I had been devoting more time to it recently, I became interested in finding recreational cooking or baking classes in the city that would (a) get me out of the house, (b) let me meet new people, and (c) let me learn some very valuable kitchen skills.

But where was I going to find these cooking classes that I had in mind? I Googled it.

The Institute for Culinary Education offers a full range of recreational cooking classes for those interested in cooking, baking, wine and bar-tending, and cheese.

The class that caught my eye was "Elegant Autumn Desserts" taught by chef Vicki Wells, the Executive Pastry Chef at Buddakan who has worked with Sarabeth’s Kitchen, Hotel Plaza Athenée, Maxim’s, Montrachet, Rakel’s, Metro, El Dorado Petit, Le Bernardin and Trattoria Dell’Arte.

The class was limited to 10 people and was spread over four hours on a Saturday morning. The price was reasonable, considering the time in the kitchen, the price of the materials, and the fact that you got to take bags of goodies home.

Within our four hours we made a Warm Apple Cider Cake with Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream, Spicy Maple Pumpkin Flan with Gingersnaps, Pears Poached in Pinot Noir, Double Chocolate Shortcakes with Oven-Roasted Cranberries, and a Warm Greenmarket Apple Charlotte with Clove Molasses Ice Cream.

Each one was relatively simple to make, and came out looking and tasting divine. Each used tools and ingredients that are easily available and that shouldn't be too much of a drain on the budget.

The Cider Cake was built on a great basic recipe that takes a normal spice cake and adds onto it with variations of the liquid used. While we used bourbon, you can substitute any alcohol or even coffee as the liquid. The cake was filled with a tangy cider reduction and topped with bourbon vanilla ice cream, which was so good that I might invest in an ice cream machine.



The Pumpkin Flan might have been my favorite of all the desserts. It incorporated the welcome fall flavors of maple syrup and pumpkin into a smooth flan topped with a caramel layer and sauce. The flan was served with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a gingersnap as garnish.



The Chocolate Shortbread tasted very similar to a chocolate mousse that Alex makes. It took a chocolate shortbread biscuit which was then topped with cranberries and chocolate pastry cream. This was another dessert that I could never tire of eating.



The Apple Charlotte was a variation on a French apple upside-down tart, which was made with a brioche crust and filled with caramelized apples and apple compote. A perfect version of an apple tart for fall.



I will undoubtedly be attempting these recipes again over the next few weeks, and with each attempt, I will post the recipe for the desserts I have described above. So, stay tuned, and get hungry!

Also make sure to check out ICE's list of classes at : http://rec.iceculinary.com/

Vegetable Quiche à la Vati

I was first introduced to this delicious quiche two years ago by my former roommate, Marisa, who is a vegetarian. Marisa had first seen the recipe in an English vegetarian cookbook, but had altered the recipe over the years until she and her family had found a perfect variation. The recipe below is the Vati family variation, for your enjoyment.

The quiche combines roasted butternut squash and red onions with a sprinkling of spinach and a flavorful filling. It's fairly quick and easy to make, and can be served fresh out of the oven or as a leftover.

This will serve 6-8 people.



The Recipe:

1lb butternut squash
1 red onion, cut into small wedges
2 Tbl olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbl parsley, chopped
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp rosemary
1 premade pie crust
1 3/4 oz spinach, blanched
1 Tbl grated parmesan cheese

Preheat your oven to 375' and line a baking sheet with tin foil. Take your squash and cut it lengthwise, then cut it into fairly thin horizontal slices. Place them in a single layer on the sheet and add the coarsely chopped red onion. Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat. Cook for 30 minutes on one side, and then turn for the final 30 minutes.

Whisk together the eggs, cream, milk, and herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Grease a loose-based fluted flan tin or 9inch cake dish. Place pie crust inside and press to sides.

Arrange the vegetables over the base of the crust, and pour the egg mixture over the vegetables before sprinkling with parmesan.

Bake for 35-40 mins or until the filling is golden brown and set.

Butternut Squash and Mushroom in Puff Pastry

Last year when I was in school and had a large, beautiful kitchen, I fell into the habit of making the New York Times' Dining Section recipe each Friday when I got out of class and had the time to challenge myself in the kitchen.

One of the best recipes I ever made was from the November 5, 2010 edition of the Times--a butternut squash and mushroom wellington. It was an ideal fall recipe: warm, mellow, rich, and delicious. Today, to celebrate the first day of Fall, I decided to give the recipe a reprise, with the added pleasure of using my own squash (for those of you who are keeping track, I have used 3 squash and given 1 away; 8 remain, so stay tuned for more squash recipes!).

The recipe takes fragrant cremini mushrooms and pairs them with butternut squash that is cooked in butter and caramelized with maple syrup. Shallots, thyme, white wine, and goat cheese make these pastries to die for.

The Recipe:

4 tablespoons butter
1 small butternut squash (1 1/4 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped
3/4 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and roughly chopped
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (14-to-16-ounce) package puff pastry
1 cup crumbled goat cheese

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment or tin foil.

2. In a very large skillet over high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add the squash in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, for 4 minutes. (If squash won’t fit in a single layer, cook it in batches). Stir and continue to cook until squash is golden, 7 to 10 minutes more. Stir in the syrup, thyme, paprika and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook one minute. Scrape mixture into a bowl.

3. Turn the heat down to medium and melt the remaining butter in the skillet. Stir in garlic and shallot; cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and remaining salt. Cook until mushrooms are soft and their juices evaporate, about 10 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook for another few minutes before stirring in the pepper and additional salt.

4. On a lightly floured surface, unwrap the puff pastry. Cut into 2 5-by-15-inch rectangles. When you've done this, move your pastry sheets to the baking sheet to avoid the disaster of transferring them when they are filled with ingredients (which I totally did not do). Spread mushrooms on each pastry rectangle leaving a 1 inch border (the original recipe suggests leaving a 1/4-inch border, but I highly recommend a bigger border so you have more room for wrapping the pastry closed). Spoon the cheese crumbles over the mushrooms, and spoon the squash over the cheese.

5. Brush the exposed borders of dough on each rectangle with a little water or egg white. Fold the long sides up to meet in the middle and pinch together to seal; pinch the ends, too. Carefully turn the pastries over so that they are seam down (otherwise, they will open and explode when you are baking them--not good). Bake until they are puffed golden, and firm to the touch, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, slice and serve.

These are not too difficult, aside from the puff pastry which can be tricksy. Just treat it delicately, and be careful not to break or tug it too much and you should be fine.

Check out the original recipe on the NYT website!: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/10/dining/10apperex.html

Photos courtesy of the New York Times.

A Taste of Autumn : Apple Tarts

Today was a bit of a rough day: I worked on things that I don't care about and had no motivation to do, I didn't leave the house because I didn't have to, and, to put the icing on the cake, I stepped on my mother's laptop which was on the floor and broke the screen (and spent a few subsequent hours planning repairs, shipping, and file back-up).

What made my day better? Listening to She & Him and deciding to put the apples I had bought to good use by making a French style, thin apple tart with an apricot glaze. I recently bought a tart/quiche pan with a removable bottom, so this needed to happen.

The Recipe:

This recipe is based on the Joy of Baking recipe for a French apple tart (http://www.joyofbaking.com/FrenchAppleTart.html), but I tweaked it a bit in the process.

Sweet Pastry Crust:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup white sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup room temperature unsalted butter

1 egg


Apple Filling:

6 medium apples

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1/4 - 1/2 cup white sugar, divided

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, divided


The Glaze:

1/2 cup apricot preserves

1 tablespoon Rum

***

Mix butter and beat until softened. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg, beating just until incorporated. (Don't over mix or the butter will separate and lighten in color.) Add flour and salt and mix just until it forms a ball. Refrigerate about one hour or until firm. Prepare a 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into an 11 - 12 inch circle that is uniformly 1/8 inch thick. Unroll onto top of tart pan and gently press to the sides of the pan. Cover and refrigerate for about 20 minutes, while you preheat the oven to 400 degrees and place rack in center of oven. Place an empty cake pan on the dough to make sure it doesn't puff up. Bake crust for 20 to 25 minutes until crust is dry and lightly browned.

For bottom layer of apples: Peel, core, and slice three of the apples. In a large skillet melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and stir in between 2 - 4 tablespoons of the sugar, the lemon zest, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Add the apples and saute over moderate heat, stirring occasionally for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the apples are soft. Gently mash the apples with the back of a spatula or spoon and stir the mixture until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and let cool.

For top layer of apples: Peel, core, and cut the apples into slices 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) thick. Melt 1 tablespoon (13 grams) butter in a large skillet over medium heat and stir in the other 2 - 4 tablespoons (25 - 50 grams) sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Add the apples and saute until they begin to soften, approximately 5 minutes. Set the cooked apples aside.

Spoon the applesauce mixture into the cooled pre-baked tart shell. Arrange the apple slices in concentric circles over the applesauce, and brush with 1 - 2 tablespoons melted butter. Bake the tart on a baking sheet in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until the apples are nicely browned and soft. Once the tart has cooled lightly glaze the apple slices with warm apricot glaze.