(MOSTLY) TRADITIONAL DOUBLE-CRUSTED APPLE PIE
2 large granny smith apples
1 large pink lady apple
3 large golden delicious apples
1/4 c sugar
2 tbsp honey (optional)
fresh juice from one lemon
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp cardamom
1 – 2 tbsp flour
sweet crust recipe, chilled (pate sucree)
butter, to brush
egg white, to glaze

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Peel, core and cut the apples into chunks. The pink lady and granny smith chunks should be smaller than the golden delicious chunks. Put all of the apples into a large bowl with the lemon juice, spices, flour, sugar and/ or honey. Set aside.

Divide the crust dough in half. Roll out each half on a cool, lightly floured baking surface with a chilled rolling pin. Gently pick up the first half of the dough and drape it into a deep pie plate. Arrange it so that it lays smoothly against the pan. Brush the bottom of the crust with a little bit of egg white or butter and poke it a few times with a fork (but do not pierce the crust all the way through).

Scoop the apples into the bottom crust, leaving excess liquid in the bowl. Make sure that the apples do not have too much space between them and that they form an attractive mound. Then, drape the top crust over the pie filling. Crimp the edges together with a fork or pie crimper and trim the excess crust. Cut a few vents in the top so that hot air can escape.

Brush the top with egg white and bake until the crust is golden and the apples are done. You can test the apples by inserting a knife through one of the vents. They should be soft, but not mushy.

TARTE TATIN
Try to find pretty looking, evenly rounded apples for this recipe, as part of the allure of this pie comes from its attractively arranged (and highly visible) apple slices. When it is finished, it is very sweet, so I recommend serving it in small slices with fresh, unsweet or very lightly sweetened whipped cream.

8 tbsp European style butter
turbidano or light brown sugar
3 large golden delicious apples
2 large pink lady apples
fresh lemon juice
unsweet crust recipe, chilled (pate brisee)

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Roll out your crust into a 12″ round, slide it onto a cookie sheet and slip it into your fridge to chill.

Peel, core and slice the apples into 6ths, lenthwise. This is an ideal job for an apple corer/ slicer. After that, cut the pink lady slices in half (so that they are 12ths). For ease in the next step, separate the golden delicious and pink lady slices into different bowls.

Melt the butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the bottom and stir frequently. When it has begun to dissolve, arrange the apple slices in a circle around the outside edge of the pan, alternating one golden delicious and two pink ladies. The two apples cook at different rates, which is why the extra slicing and alternating is important. Fill the center with more apples. You may have a few slices left over.

Turn the heat up to high and cook until the apple juices mingling with the sugar and butter turn to a deep amber color. This should take 10-15 minutes. At this point, take the pan off the heat and flip the apples with a fork. Put the pan back on the heat and cook for another 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat (this time you can turn off the stove) and top the apples with your chilled crust. Tuck the edges of the crust into the pan, being careful not to burn your fingers.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until the crust is browned.  Allow the tart to cool on a rack for 20 minutes. Then (and this is the exciting part) loosen the edges with a knife and in one decisive action, flip the tart out onto the serving plate. I found that the best way to do this was to hold the plate to the pan with a couple of potholders and flip them together. If any apples stick to the pan, put them back into the tart where they should be and serve warm or at room temperature.

Cranberries might just be my favorite fruit. While it’s hard to beat the warm sultry sweetness of a ripe peach in the middle of summer, something about the crisp tartness of the cranberry really makes me happy. I will eat them in almost anything. Beyond muffins with orange zest, cranberries are fantastic in stuffings and sauces or even alone. (I know I’m in the vast minority by thinking that they are delicious – if puckery – on their own.) So, at a time when you may still be able to get cranberries in the supermarket (or maybe you have some left over),  I bring you this post-Thanksgiving post dedicated to cranberries. This year I made huge batches so that I could have left over jars of these “sauces” glittering like rubies in my cupboard. Although I like them that much, the recipes here make a reasonable quantity.

BASIC CRANBERRY SAUCE
This is really more of a jelly.

1 lb cranberries
2 c sugar
2 c water

1. Rinse and pick through the cranberries in a colander to remove any leaves, stems or rotten berries

2. Combine the ingredients in a large sauce pot and bring to a boil. Boil until all of the berries pop and mash them thoroughly with a potato masher.

3. Strain through a colander lined with cheese cloth or a fine sieve over a large bowl. Squeeze the skins to release and catch all of the juice. Return to the pan and boil for another 5-10 minutes, until the mixture feels like a thick broth.

4. Pour into sterile jars and cool. You may choose to finish canning these properly or just to stick them in the fridge once they are cool.

SPICED CRANBERRY CHUTNEY
1 c lightly chopped cranberries
1 c peeled, coarsely chopped, tart baking apples (I used Pink Lady, but Granny Smith would be good too)
2/3 c firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c water
1/4 c minced onion
1 tbsp peeled, minced fresh ginger
1 tsp curry powder
1/8 – 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/8 – 1/4 tsp salt

1. Combine everything in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Uncover and simmer for a few more minutes to thicken the mixture.

3. Pour into clean canning jars and cool and keep in the fridge or can properly.

1 lb mixed chopped potatoes (I use fingerling, red skin, and purple)
3/4 cup chopped feta cheese
one bunch chopped green onions
4-5 grated carrots
1 red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
small handful chopped fresh dill
Black pepper
Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
3–4 tbsp lemon juice (depending on how tangy you like it)
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 clove finely chopped garlic

Boil the potatoes until tender.  In a large bowl add feta, carrots, green onions, pepper, dill and pepper to the potatoes and mix.

Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and then pour over the potato salad.

Ingredients
1 recipe for single pie crust
1 pint fresh Black Mission figs, sliced thinly
handful coarsely chopped walnuts
1/3 cup honey
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cardammon

Layer the sliced figs onto the crust, followed by the chopped walnuts.

In a small saucepan heat the honey on low and stir in the cinnamon and cardamon.  Drizzle over the top of the pie.

Bake at 350 degrees about 20 minutes or until the crust is cooked.

How to cook everything : 2,000 simple recipes for great food (Book, 2008) [WorldCat.org].

This is the cookbook I’m going to tell you a little about.  But, first of all, let me point out that I’ve been a member of this blog since 13 February 2009 and this is my first post. I apologize to all of you.

So, to the book.

I haven’t always been a fan of Mark Bittman. There was some talk over on his blog about how small his kitchen is and he did a follow up article. I thought he was full of crap but he really DOES have a small kitchen (as small as any I’ve ever had) and has some really spectacular recipes. I picked up How to Cook Everything from the library this fall and use it all the time.

The recipes are simple to follow and require less time than some from New Best Recipe (which I still adore, by the way). I made Bittman’s Anadama bread. I’ve never made bread by hand before this (well, technically, I did work at a folk dance camp where I made bread for 150+ but that’s an entirely different experience). He includes good illustrations and basic instructions on things like quartering chickens, brining, deep-frying and  more. I’m going to purchase it for my home!

I started making this when I worked at Brighter Day in Savannah. They make a number of different variations in the deli (as well as a multitude of other tasty things) which I have adopted at home. The thing I like about baked tofu is the way that it firms up. It isn’t at all wobbly, and you don’t even have to press it because the moisture evaporates in the oven. This dish isn’t a meal in and of itself, but it goes well with green, grain or bean salads and other sorts of small tapa-like sides.

1 block extra firm tofu
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp cardamom
2 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander seed
2 tbsp garam masala
2 tbsp hulled sesame seeds
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper

1. Cut the tofu into 3/4 inch cubes.

2. Combine and toss in a bowl with the oil and then all of the other ingredients. The tofu should be pretty well coated with spices, so if you need to add more than the amounts I’ve given, don’t be shy.

3. Spread the cubes out in a single layer on a baking sheet, making sure there is enough room between them.

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 F.  Remove the tray from the oven and flip the cubes (they should be starting to brown). Return to the oven for another 15-20  minutes.

Serve hot, cold or at room temperature.

I used to really hate mushrooms, but Matt loves them, so I’ve been making an effort and warming up to them slowly. In spite of this, I wasn’t sure about the flavor or strength of shiitakes, so I talked to the farmer a little bit. I also asked my brother about them (he’s a chef). Armed with a little more information, I headed into the kitchen. Here, I have to admit that I am a little bit of a mycophobe. Every time I chop mushrooms I wonder if they are really the type they’re supposed to be and if I am going to poison us by cooking with them. I recognize that this is irrational, but it’s true. After my first bite of this risotto, which was improvised but based on an existing recipe, my fears (mostly) melted away and I exclaimed, “I think I love shiitake mushrooms.” I hope you will love them this way too.

2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp butter
3 leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5 oz. fresh or rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, chopped into 1/4 – 1/2 inch pieces
2 1/2 c wild rice mix (I got mine, a blend of about five varieties – from the bulk section of my health food store)
6-8 c veggie broth
1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Melt the butter with the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and saute until they are soft. Add the garlic and mushrooms stir for a few minutes, until the mushrooms are softer and have deepened a little in color. Meanwhile, heat the broth separately.

Pour in the rice and stir until it is completely coated in butter.

Add the broth in 1/2 c increments, stirring frequently/ constantly between each addition. The broth from the previous addition should be absorbed before you add more. If 6-8 c of broth is not enough liquid, add hot water to supplement.

When the rice is still slightly al dente, turn off the heat and add the Parmesan.

Serve hot.

A few notes: This is much more filling than it looks. We are both good eaters and each of us finished only half of what we served ourselves. Also, wild rice + risotto = very long cooking time. Make sure you have a few hours to set aside for this. It’s worth it, though. I promise.

1 c dried chick peas, soaked and then cooked (I think this works out to about two small cans’ worth…)
4 cloves garlic, crushed or diced
1-2 tbsp olive oil
a few sprigs of fresh lemon thyme
1-2 bay leaves
1 large ripe tomato, chopped
a handful of pine nuts
juice from 2-3 lemons
1/2 c roughly chopped fresh parsely
salt & pepper, to taste

1. In a skillet over medium heat, saute 3 of the 4 cloves of garlic in the oil. When it is just beginning to brown, add the chick peas and stir.

2. Add the tomato, thyme and bay leaves, as well as the pine nuts. When the juice from the tomato is beginning to evaporate, add the lemon juice and parsely.

3. Cook, stirring frequently, until the juice has reduced by half. Then, add the parsely and the last clove of garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about another two minutes before serving.