Pioneer Vinegar Pie

Martha Stewart Living

SERVINGS: 8

• Test-Kitchen Piecrust
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup light-brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/6 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 cup plus 1 teaspoon water, divided
• 3 large eggs, divided
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar or sanding sugar
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

PREP: 35 MINS / TOTAL TIME: 3 HOURS 25 MINS

Roll out 1 disk of dough into a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate, and trim edge of dough to rim. Roll out remaining disk of dough to a 12-inch round. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate, along with dough in pie plate, until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water; remove from heat. Whisk in brown sugar, flour, spices, salt, vinegar, and 1 cup water. Lightly beat 2 eggs, and whisk into mixture. Return bowl to pan of simmering water, and cook, stirring often, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour filling into crust, and place top crust over filling. Trim excess, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold under bottom crust. Press to seal, and crimp as desired. Beat remaining egg with remaining teaspoon water; brush top of pie with egg wash, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Use a sharp knife to slash 6 vents radiating out from center of pie. Bake pie until golden and surface has puffed, about 45 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 45 minutes. Serve slightly warm with ice cream.

Spinach and Fontina Strata

Martha Stewart Living

SERVINGS: 8

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt, divided
• 2 pounds spinach, stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Unsalted butter, for dish
• 1 pound challah loaf, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 8 ounces young Italian fontina cheese, grated, divided
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/3 cup), divided
• 8 large eggs, divided
• 2 2/3 cups whole milk, divided

PREP: 30 MINS / TOTAL TIME: 10 HOURS  10 MINS

Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Fill pan with as much spinach as will fit; cook, stirring, adding remainder a handful at a time as space allows. When all the spinach is wilted, stir in pepper and nutmeg. Drain spinach in a sieve. When cool enough to handle, squeeze excess moisture from spinach by hand.

Butter a 3-quart baking dish. Place a third of the bread in a single layer in dish. Top with half the spinach mixture and a third of the cheeses. Repeat layering with a third of the bread, remaining spinach mixture, and a third of the cheeses, then top with remaining bread.

Whisk together 6 eggs, 2 cups milk, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and carefully pour over bread. Cover with parchment, and gently press down with hands until egg mixture soaks through top of bread. Cover parchment with foil, and refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, remove strata from refrigerator, uncover, and let stand 30 minutes. Whisk together remaining 2 eggs and 2/3 cup milk, and pour over strata, gently pressing between layers of bread with a spoon or spatula to ensure that egg mixture seeps to bottom. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake until puffed and golden brown in places, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

Spice-infused Milk

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm two cups whole milk with aromatics, stirring once or twice. Cover pan and let spices steep in milk for 1 hour. Strain and reheat if necessary. Or refrigerate, covered, for up to 3 days; reheat gently before serving.

OATMEAL
3/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
OR 1 cinnamon stick
OR pod / seed 1/2 vanilla bean

MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE
1 or 2 dried chilis (ancho or chipotle)
1 stick cinnamon
pod / seed 1/2 vanilla bean
[Mix with cocoa]

CHAI TEA
thin slice ginger
6 whole cloves
3 star anise
18 light crush cardamom pods
2 sticks cinnamon
[Mix milk with black steeped black tea]

Lax Pudding

Martha Stewart Living

SERVINGS: 10

CASSEROLE

• 3 pounds medium russet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped, and stalks reserved
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, divided, plus more for dish
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 1/4 pound gravlax (sliced 1/8 inch thick)
• Freshly ground white pepper, for sprinkling
• 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

DILL BUTTER

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

PREP: 40 MINS TOTAL TIME: 2  HOURS  40 MINS

Casserole: Place potatoes in a large pot, and cover with 2 inches water. Add salt and dill stalks. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until you can just pierce potatoes with a fork, 7 to 10 minutes. Pour off water, and discard dill stalks. Place paper towel across top of pot (not directly on potatoes), and let potatoes steam and cool 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel potatoes, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saute pan, and saute onion until softened, about 10 minutes.

Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Layer potatoes and gravlax, beginning and ending with potatoes, sprinkling each layer with chopped dill, sauteed onion, and pepper.

Whisk together eggs, half-and-half, and cream; season with pepper. Pour egg mixture over potatoes and gravlax, and dot with remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Bake until golden on top and bubbling around the edges, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Dill butter: Meanwhile, mix all ingredients together, and roll into a log.

Let casserole cool slightly, 5 to 10 minutes, and serve warm with dill butter.

Swedish Meatballs

Martha Stewart Living

These meatballs, drizzled with cream sauce, are light, juicy, and quick to disappear. You can also serve them as a main course, with mashed potatoes, lingonberry sauce, and quick-pickled cucumbers.

YIELD: makes 72

MEATBALLS

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1/4 pound ground pork
• 1/4 pound ground veal
• 1 cup finely ground fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 1/2 cups boiled, peeled, and mashed potatoes (from 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes; use a ricer for best results)
• 1/4 cup grated onion (from 1 small onion)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

CREAM SAUCE

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

PREP: 1 HOUR / TOTAL TIME: 2 HOURS

Meatballs: Stir together eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix in ground meats, breadcrumbs, potatoes, and onion with your hands. Cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Form meatball mixture into 1 1/4-inch balls, and place on a rimmed baking sheet.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil. Working in batches (do not crowd skillet), brown meatballs all over, about 30 seconds on each side. Transfer to another rimmed baking sheet, and bake 20 minutes.

Cream sauce: Meanwhile, add cream to drippings in skillet, and simmer until reduced by half, 25 to 27 minutes. Add soy sauce, and simmer until sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper. Transfer meatballs to a platter, and drizzle with cream sauce. Serve with beets, cucumbers, and lingonberry sauce.

Chanterelle Toasts

Martha Stewart Living

YIELD: makes 16 toasts

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 1 pound chanterelle or other fragrant mushrooms, ends trimmed, stalks and caps cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 8 slices white Pullman bread, crusts removed and bread toasted and cut into 1-by-3-inch strips

PREP: 25 MINS TOTAL TIME: 25 MINS

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat, and cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add cream, a little at a time, and cook, stirring, until cream coats the back of a spoon and mushrooms are thoroughly coated. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon onto toasts, and serve immediately.

Perfect Instant Ramen

Adapted from Roy Choi's "L.A. Son"

Yield: 1 serving

•     2½ cups water
•     1 pack Shin Ramyun (or another brand of instant ramen)
•     1 egg
•     ½ teaspoon butter    
•     1 tsp soy sauce
•     2 slices American cheese
•     ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
•     ½ scallion, green part only, thinly sliced on a bias (optional)

Prep Time: 5 minutes / Cook Time: 8 minutes / Total Time: 13 minutes

In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the ramen noodles and cook for 2 minutes, then add the flavor pack and soy sauce.

Cook for another 3 minutes, then turn off the heat and crack in the egg, but do not mix it in. Pull the hot noodles gently over the raw egg and allow the egg to poach, about 3 more minutes.

Carefully pour the ramen into your serving bowl of choice, making sure not to break the egg.

Add the butter, cheese and sesame seeds to the bowl and stir gently to incorporate. Top with the chopped scallion (optional) and serve.

My Notes: Easy to make and satisfying, although a bit heavy. I skip the sesame seeds and onion and added the soy.


MXF