This is a gem from The St. Paul Farmers' Market Cookbook from Ken Goff's time at the Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup yellow onion, chopped ¼ cup sliced leeks (white part only) 4 large tart apples (I used Granny Smith), peeled and quartered 2 cups chicken broth 1 sprig fresh rosemary, about 1½ inches long ¼ teaspoon dried thyme 1 small bay leaf 1½ teaspoons salt 3 cups milk 4 small Russet potatoes, peeled and sliced ⅛ inch thick 8 ounces Brie cheese, rind removed, cut into pieces salt and ground pepper to taste
1. In a soup pot with a heavy bottom, melt the butter over medium-high heat until it foams. Add the onion, leek, and apple. Stir to coat them, then reduce heat to medium and cook until onions are softened, about 8 minutes.
2. While onions are cooking, combine the milk and potatoes in a separate heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, reduce to medium-low, and cook slowly, stirring frequently, until the potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes.
3. When onions are softened in the first pot, add the chicken broth, rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, and 1½ teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
4. When potatoes are tender, add them to the pot with the onions and apples. Puree in batches in a blender (or use an immersion blender in the pot), adding pieces of Brie gradually while blending just long enough to incorporate. Add salt and pepper to taste.
½ cup Crisco Butter flavored all-vegetable shortening, chilled and cut into small pieces
½ cup cold unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
½ cup cold water
Cooking spray
1 egg yolk and 1 teaspoon water for egg wash
Preheat oven to 425F degrees. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add shortening and butter. Using a pastry blender, cut in the shortening and butter until the mixture resembles course meal.
Drop by drop, add the cold water. Mix in with the finger tips not hands as the palms will warm the dough. Continue mixing water in until the dough begins to hold together without being sticky but not crumbly. Divide dough into two pieces and place one piece of dough in plastic warp. Press down to form a disk. This will make rolling out easier after chilling.
Lightly spray a deep 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Roll out second piece of dough and place in pie plate, allowing the excess pastry to hang over the edge. Lightly brush sides and bottom of crust with egg wash. Chill in refrigerator for 10 minutes before filling. Makes pastry for 9-inch double-crust pie.
Filling:
6 cups apples (Jonathan, Jonagold, Winesap, Pippin, Granny Smith), peeled and sliced
1-2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, about ½ a lemon
½ cup light brown sugar, packed well
½ cup white sugar
¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon, preferably Chinese Cassia
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or paste
4 tablespoons heavy cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 450F degrees. In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle apple slices with lemon juice. Set aside. In a medium mixing bowl combine light brown sugar, white sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix well and add to apples. Using a spatula, toss gently to blend. Add vanilla and cream.
In a large heavy bottom skillet melt butter. Add apple mixture and cook about 8-10 minutes or until the apples have begun to soften. Remove from heat and gently spoon into prepared pie crust. Set aside and prepare topping.
Topping:
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 ounces of pecan brittle or 2 toffee bars, crushed
Vanilla sugar
In a medium mixing bowl combine flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender or a fork, mix in the butter until crumbly. Stir in the crushed toffee bar or pecan brittle. Sprinkle over pie.
Roll out remaining pastry. Cut slits in pastry to allow steam to escape. Lightly brush egg wash around edge of pie (this will act like a cement bond between the top and bottom crust). Cover pie with top crust and trim overhang. Turn edges under flush with the rim; crimp all around to make a stand-up edge. Crimp decoratively. Brush top of crust with egg wash.
Bake pie at 450F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and bake for an additional 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with vanilla sugar. Cool on wire rack. Serves 8-10
6 lady fingers, chopped into small pieces in a food processor
6 large firm baking apples (Gala, Cortland, McIntosh, Jonathan, and Haralson), cored but not peeled
3 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
½ cup good quality apple cider
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Preheat oven to 400F degrees. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the brown sugar, dried fruit, nuts, and lady fingers.
Place apples in a baking dish, pie dish or baking pan and stuff their cavities with the fruit and nut mixture. Place a piece of butter on top of the stuffing.
Pour apples cider and maple syrup into the bottom of the baking dish and the apples. Bake until tender about 25-35 minute, basting every 5-7 minutes.
When apples are tender, transfer them to a serving platter and over with a flour sack cloth or foil to keep warm. Pour the pan juices into a small heavy bottom saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer the mixture until it becomes syrupy and reduces to a sauce, about 10 minutes. Serve over apples with caramel sauce. Serves 6
Caramel Sauce
8 ounces white sugar
2 ounces water
3/4 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 ounces heavy cream
4 ounces milk
Combine the sugar, water, and juice in a heavy bottom saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cook the syrup to 320F-340F degrees on a candy thermometer. Toward the end of the cooking time, turn the heat to very low to avoid burning the sugar or letting it get too dark. It should be a golden color.
Remove from the heat and cool for 5 minutes.
Bring the heavy cream to a boil over medium-high heat. Add a few ounces of the boiled cream to the caramel. Stir and continue to add the cream slowly. Return to the heat and stir until all the caramel is dissolved. Let cool completely. Stir the milk into the cooled caramel to thin it before pouring over baked apples.
Monday, September 28, 2009, 05:50 PM CST
[General]
Stephanie and I got to participate in the City Pages Iron Fork Amateur competition on Saturday while we broadcase the Weekly Dish LIVE from Surdyks. The mystery ingredient was Chicken.
The winner of the amateur contest will compete 10/15 in City Pages Iron Fork professional event against Scott Pampuch (Corner Table) Sami Wadi (Saffron) Le Cordon Bleu has a student competing ans there is a mystery chef. (get tickets at www.citypages.com)
There were 4 contestants:
Emily Noble (blogger of www.90saladsin90days.com) and her generous friend who sent me this great video re-cap of the event. Emily came in second place with Qunioa balls filled with cheese and chicken breast stuffed with spinach and egg noodles.
Craig Johnson who won the event with a weiner schnitzel and cabbage. Craig is part of a local mens cooking club that has been cooking since the 1940's.
Jesse Morse is an amateur chef who works at Toro and he made an amazing roast chicken and potato gratin with Thyme.
Carrie Obry (blogger and local writer) had a super cute taco made with a cheese Frico and a roast leg with a wine reduction.
The event was super fun and this video captures it nicely.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009, 05:46 PM CST
[General]
Cristalino Cava, Extra dry - Spain - 8.49
Value brand of the year by Wine and spirits magazine. lemon and tart apple flavors. Sweet, bright perfect for Mimosas or Bellinins.
Snoqualmie - US Washington State - 2007 - Sauuvignon Blanc - $6.49
Fruity, great value, if I saw the person who priced this I would have to tell them they have under priced it. Great for cooking and drinking after.
Twin Fin - US California - Pinot Grigio - 2007 - $8.99
Screw Cap. Fruity, dry, thirst quenching. Cool, Crisp great really cold and they have cool pacakaging and website at www.twinfin.com
Big House Red - US California - 2006 - $8.49
Big House Red claims to be a blend of Sangiovese, Corignone, Syrah, Barbera, Mourvèdre, Petite Verdot, Montepulciano, Zinfandel, Tannat, Aglionico and Charbono. Or basically all the leftover, used-up, resquashed remains from other, higher-priced wines. It's a perfect wine for somebody like me, who seeks out a good bargain. The New York Times ranked this in their top 10 under $10.
Gascon - Argentina - Malbec - 2008 - $9.99
Hint of Cassis, dark currant, vanilla, and a hint of leathery tobacco. This Argentinean Malbec is a good wine all in all, and for all of those who are looking for a pair with this wine, don't look for seafood or steak, but maybe a prime rib or chocolate dessert. Picked by Wine guy at Surdyks as a great deal.
Ravenswood Vintners Blend - US California - 2007 - $9.99
Great fruit and a fantastic value. Plum, Rasberry, peppery with vanilla and clove. Great for meat, Barbeque and chili.
Red Truck - Cabernet Sauvignon - Sonoma California -2006 - $9.99
Hearty with notes of dried cherry. Given an 86 by Wine Spectator Magazine. Introduced a mini-barrel available at Sams Club or online. This innovative new package uses bag-in-box technology (the bag and FlexTap) but places them in a fun plastic barrel like three bottles of wine.
A wine you can brag about as being about the best value in the store. Borsao comes from Spain and is a blend of 75% Garnacha and 25% Tempramillo. Upon opening the bottle I got a whiff of cinnamon and cherry. On the palate it's light and fruity and medium dry.It's not just a fruit bomb, however. There is touch of pepper and the finish is very smooth and clean.
