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Sunday, November 29, 2009

The Best Ever Pumpkin Pie


Ok, so I know that Thanksgiving is over and unless you are like me and will make pumpkin pie any time you get the chance, you probably won't be using this recipe until next year. But file it away! I am very comfortable saying it is the BEST EVER pumpkin pie. Why? Unlike most pumpkin pies, it isn't dense, but it is like and fluffy, almost like a mousse. Also, Tucker and I came up with two really cool ways to top it: a creme brulee top, or a praline top... if you want to add anything at all.

Pumpkin Pie
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated

Crust
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (6 1/4 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter , cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup vegetable shortening , cold, cut into two pieces
2 tablespoons vodka , cold (it sounds weird, but just trust me)
2 tablespoons cold water

Filling
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
3 large eggs plus 2 large yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 cup drained candied yams from 15-ounce can (or regular canned yams if you can't find candied ones)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon table salt

1. For the Crust: Process 3/4 cup flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about two 1-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogenous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 10 seconds; dough will resemble cottage cheese curds with some very small pieces of butter remaining, but there should be no uncoated flour. Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining 1/2 cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Flatten dough into 4-inch disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

3. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on generously floured (up to 1/4 cup) work surface to 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang on each side. Working around circumference, ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into plate bottom with other hand. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

4. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch beyond lip of pie plate. Fold overhang under itself; folded edge should be flush with edge of pie plate. Using thumb and forefinger, flute edge of dough. Refrigerate dough-lined plate until firm, about 15 minutes.

5. Remove pie pan from refrigerator, line crust with foil, and fill with pie weights or pennies (I use dry pinto beans, but almost anything works). Bake on rimmed baking sheet 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights, rotate plate, and bake 5 to 10 additional minutes until crust is golden brown and crisp. Remove pie plate and baking sheet from oven.

6. For the Filling: While pie shell is baking, whisk cream, milk, eggs, yolks, and vanilla together in medium bowl. Combine pumpkin puree, yams, sugar, maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in large heavy-bottomed saucepan; bring to sputtering simmer over medium heat, 5 to 7 minutes. Continue to simmer pumpkin mixture, stirring constantly and mashing yams against sides of pot, until thick and shiny, 10 to 15 minutes.

7. Remove pan from heat and whisk in cream mixture until fully incorporated. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over medium bowl, using back of ladle or spatula to press solids through strainer. This is the most important step, don't skip it even though it is time consuming! This is what makes this pie special. Rewhisk mixture and transfer to warm prebaked pie shell. Return pie plate with baking sheet to oven and bake pie for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees and continue baking until edges of pie are set (instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 175 degrees), 20 to 35 minutes longer. Transfer pie to wire rack and cool to room temperature, 2 to 3 hours.

THE TOPPINGS
If you want to top your pie at all (this isn't necessary because it is amazing pie all by itself) these are the two toppings we have made:

Praline Topping
Inspired by Cook's Country

Ingredients
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
Pinch salt
2 teaspoons dark corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Directions
While pie is baking, toss pecans, brown sugar, and salt in bowl. Add corn syrup and vanilla, using fingers to ensure that ingredients are well blended. Bake the pie most of the way -- until it is puffed and cracked around edges and center barely jiggles when pie is shaken. Scatter topping evenly over puffed filling and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake until pecans are fragrant and topping is bubbling around edges, about 10 minutes. Cool pie completely on wire rack, at least 2 hours.

Creme Brulee Topping
Cook the pie and let it cool completely. Shortly before serving, sprinkle white sugar over the top of the pie and then lightly toast with a culinary torch, being careful not to burn the crust. Let cool, serve. NOTE: we tried this with other kinds of sugar and it seems that only plain white sugar will work (others will burn).

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Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Arepas With Black Bean Or Chicken Carnitas Filling

We first learned about arepas when Venezuelan  baseball player Miguel Cabrera came back from the off-season quite a bit heavier than when he left the major leagues. Supposedly the problem was that he went partying too much and ate too many arepas, Venezuelan street food. All we knew is that they were cheesy, fried, and made with cornmeal. That was enough for me, I wanted to try it! We've made them twice now, and they are super delicious and actually really easy!



Arepas
(adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients
1 cup arepa flour (precooked cornmeal, we found this at Market Basket without much trouble)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup water
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions
Toss together arepa flour, cheese, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a bowl, then stir in water and milk until incorporated. Let stand until enough water is absorbed for a soft dough to form, 1 to 2 minutes (dough will continue to stiffen).

Form 3 level tablespoons dough into 1 ball and flatten between your palms, gently pressing to form a 1/4-inch-thick patty (2 1/2 to 2 3/4 inches wide), then gently press around side to eliminate cracks. Transfer to a wax-paper-lined surface. Form more disks with remaining dough in same manner, transferring to wax-paper-lined surface.

Heat oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then fry arepas in 2 batches, turning over once, until deep golden in patches, 8 to 10 minutes total per batch. Drain on paper towels.

Slice the arepas in half and scoop out the soft middle. Fill with a filling of your choice, we did carnitas one time and black beans another time (sorry the recipes are cryptic, they are from Tucker and he doesn't remember exactly how he did them).

Chicken carnitas filling

Put a 2 lb package of skinless chicken thighs in a crock pot with two halved limes, a couple Tbs of salt, a couple Tsps of pepper, a cup of water, and a couple Tsps of cumin. Let it cook on low for 6 hours.

Black bean filling
Saute onions, black beans, garlic, spinach or kale and chili peppers, season to taste with salt and pepper.

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Monday, November 23, 2009

Orzo Goat Cheese Risotto With Confit Tomatoes


Orzo Goat Cheese Risotto With Confit Tomatoes
from The Food & Wine Annual Cookbook, 2009


Ingredients
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for poaching
3 plum tomatoes—peeled, quartered and seeded
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
Kosher salt
1/2 pound whole wheat orzo (1 1/2 cups)
3 1/2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1/2 cup soft fresh goat cheese (4 ounces)
1/2 cup tightly packed freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (2 1/2 ounces), plus more for serving
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons snipped chives
2 tablespoons finely shredded basil leaves


Directions
1. In a medium saucepan, combine the olive oil with the tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf and half of the garlic and bring to a simmer. Cook over low heat until the tomatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes. Discard the thyme and bay leaf. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatoes to a work surface and coarsely chop them; reserve the olive oil for another use.  Put the tomatoes in oil with thyme and bay leaf in an 8 inch square pan in a 300 degree oven for 90 minutes. Peel the tomatoes after they are cooked. The tomatoes can be kept at room temperature in the oil for up to a week.
2. In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 5 minutes. Add the pasta and cook, stirring, until golden in spots, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining garlic; cook for 1 minute.
3. Add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock to the pasta and cook over moderately high heat, stirring constantly, until nearly absorbed. Continue adding the chicken stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring and cooking until it is nearly absorbed between additions. The pasta is done when it is al dente and suspended in a lightly thickened sauce, about 17 minutes total.
4. Stir the tomatoes into the pasta. Off the heat, add the goat cheese and Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the chives and basil and serve right away, passing additional Parmigiano-Reggiano at the table.

UPDATE: Tucker didn't use the confit process that was in the original recipe like I thought he did, see above for updated text on how to REALLY confit a tomato.

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Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Cod with Coconut, Lime, and Curry Sauce

This was a really yummy and pretty unique dish. The original recipe had lemongrass, which we didn't have, so Tucker improvised a bit. He served the cod over bok choy, red peppers, and brown rice.

Cod with Coconut, Lime, and Curry Sauce
Adapted from Epicurious


Ingredients
The Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1-inch knob ginger, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Madras curry
3 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup fresh coconut milk, or canned
4 cilantro sprigs
Fine sea salt to taste
Freshly ground white pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

The Cod:
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 7-ounce cod fillets, 1 1/2-inches thick
Fine sea salt to taste
Freshly ground white pepper to taste


Directions
To make the broth, melt the butter in a small sauté pan or wok over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, ginger and curry and sweat until tender and with no color, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat simmer for 15 minutes. Add the coconut milk and cilantro, and simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Strain through a fine chinois and set aside.

Divide the 2 tablespoons of canola oil between the skillets. Place over high heat until oil is just smoking. Season the cod on both sides with salt and pepper. Put 2 pieces of cod in each skillet and sauté until golden brown and crusted on the bottom, about 2 1/2 minutes. Turn and sear on the other side for 30 seconds. Put the pans in the oven and roast until a metal skewer can be easily inserted into the fish and, when left in the fish for 5 seconds, feels hot when touched to your lip, about 6 to 7 minutes.

To serve, reheat the sauce and finish with the lime juice. In each of 4 bowls, place a piece of cod. Pour the sauce over the cod and serve immediately.

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Monday, November 09, 2009

Chocolate Stout Cake


We made this cake for a pot luck because we wanted to bring something unique. People were quite impressed that the cake was made with beer, although it was a very subtle flavor and Tucker thought the cake was a little bit dry. Next time he says he wouldn't melt the butter like the recipe tells you to.


Chocolate Stout Cake
(from Epicurious)

Cake
2 cups stout (such as Guinness)
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)

4 cups all purpose flour
4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups sour cream

Icing
2 cups whipping cream
1 pound bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper. Bring 2 cups stout and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.
For icing:
Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Refrigerate until icing is spreadable, stirring frequently, about 2 hours.
Place 1 cake layer on plate. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake.

I decorated it with some white chocolate leaves dyed fall colors with some food coloring. This is the same technique I used on the Chocolate Kahlua Mocha Cake.  

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Sunday, November 01, 2009

Pumpkin Explosion!



Ok, no pumpkins exploded, but we did make several pumpkin dishes (and carved a jack o'lantern!) in the span of a few short days. I made pumpkin muffins and two different kinds of toasted sesame seeds WITHOUT Tucker's help. Yup, I know how to bake a little bit too. Tucker made delicious pumpkin turkey chili, that was actually more like a stew. Here are our recipes, they are all made from fresh pumpkin which we cut in half, roasted in the oven, and peeled.

Pumpkin Muffins
(very very loosely adapted from Epicurious)
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 cups puréed fresh pumpkin
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Butter muffin pan if not nonstick.
Meanwhile, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together butter, brown sugar, pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
Divide batter among muffin cups and sprinkle with remaining seeds. Bake until a wooden pick comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly on a rack.

DISCLAIMER: these aren't very sweet. If you are looking for a sweet muffin, consider upping the sugar or adding a streusel topping.


Pumpkin Turkey Chili
(inspired by Serious Eats)
The original recipe for this was made with canned pumpkin and ground turkey. While I'm sure that is delicious, Tucker decided to make it with a whole turkey breast and chunks of roasted pumpkin. Of course, since this is an original Tucker recipe, the instructions aren't too specific:

Take turkey breast, pumpkin, kidney beans, onion, dried red peppers, spices and chicken stock and simmer on stove for a few hours. Eat with cheddar cheese.

Toasted Salted Pumpkin Seeds
(from Epicurious)
After we ate all this pumpkin, we had lots of pepitas to eat, yum. I toasted them up two different ways, the one I'm listing here was my favorite and was sooo easy.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups hulled (green) pumpkin seeds 

Instructions
Heat oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then toast pumpkin seeds with salt and pepper to taste, stirring constantly, until seeds are puffed and beginning to pop, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cool completely.

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