Strawberry Pie

  

Strawberry season in East Hampton is in July.  Make this when they are in season!

(Reprinted copyright 1988 Country Desserts by Lee Bailey)

Serves 8

Sweet Crust:

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

5 tablespoons ice water

1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening, chilled

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into bits

Filling:

Approximately 1 1/2 quarts fresh berries 16oz.

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Whipped Cream:

1 cup heavy cream, whipped and flavored with

            1 tsp. vanilla extract

To make the crust, sift together the flour, salt, and sugar.

Remove 1/3 cup of this, place in a small bowl, and add the ice water.

Stir to make a paste, and set aside.

Add the shortening and butter to the balance of the flour and cut in with 2 knives or a pastry blender (this may also be done in a food processor).

Combine with the paste, and mix until dough can be shaped into a ball.

Place ball of dough between 2 sheets of wax paper and flatten slightly.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface.

Place in a pie pan, and trim, leaving 1/2 inch all around.

Fold edge under and then crimp.

Place a sheet of foil on top of the pastry and weight it down with dried beans.

Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until edges begin to firm.

Remove foil and beans, and continue baking for another 10 minutes, or until golden.

Carefully loosen edges.  When almost cool, slide off onto a serving plate and set aside.

(I have left the piecrust in the baking dish at times).

Mash enough berries to fill 1 cup (approx. 8 strawberries).  Cut balance in 1/2 saving a perfect berry for the top for garnish.

Combine the crushed berries, sugar, cornstarch, and water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil.

Continue cooking for about 2 minutes over low heat until mixture is thickened and clear.

Stir in the butter and cook until melted, and then allow to cool slightly.

Place the halved berries in the baked crust and pour the cooked ones over them.

Shake the serving plate gently so the glaze seeps down around the raw berries.

Chill for a few hours, and then serve topped with whipped cream.

Ratatouille

Went to France with friends and had a fantastic trip.  I consumed an  insane amount of food and wine which is my favorite kind of vacation.  Since I went to Provence for the very first time, I thought I would include my Ratatouille recipe to my blog using Herbs de Provence.

Serves 8-10

1 eggplant, peeled and sliced

3 tablespoons olive oil, more if necessary

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 red onion, cut into 1” pieces

1 zucchini, cut in ½ lengthwise and sliced

1 red pepper*, cut into 1” pieces

1 yellow pepper*, cut into 1” pieces

2 cloves garlic, peeled and kept whole

28 oz. can crushed or diced tomatoes (or if you can find POMI pureed tomatoes)

2 bay leaves

Dried herbs – basil, parsley, thyme to taste or if you have it Herbs de Provence

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Remember eggplant can be bitter so go through process described in eggplant parm recipe - peel, slice, place on paper towel and sprinkle kosher salt on each slice, wait approx. 2 minutes and wipe, flip over and again add salt on each slice, wait approx. 2 minutes and wipe again.

Cut eggplant into approx. 1” pieces.

Sauté olive oil and butter in pan.

Sauté your onion, peppers and zucchini approx. 3-5 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl.

Sauté your garlic and eggplant in same pan for approx. 3-5 minutes, adding more olive oil as needed.

Add the zucchini mixture to the eggplant mixture.

Add tomatoes, bay leaves, and herbs -start with ½ teaspoon each to taste or if you have it add some Herbs de Provence – it’s fantastic.

Cook on low for approx. 15 minutes.

Remember to take out whole garlic cloves and bay leaves- your guests will appreciate that.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

*If you like green peppers, add one.

Chicken Marsala

Spent the weekend around Princeton University and although my 3 sons didn't go there, I couldn't help to wish that one of my grandchildren would attend one day.  My father used to say to me, "Babe, dreams are for free so you might as well dream big."

Here is a recipe that is great for tailgate parties because it's a real crowd pleaser and you can make it in advance.  My mother cut boneless chicken cutlets into 2" pieces instead of pounded cutlets.  This way works well for a crowd.  She served it at my little brother's UCLA tailgate parties.  Only the Sillletti's would have Chicken Marsala for a college tailgate party!

Serves 6

6 chicken filets* (have butcher pound thin – or do my mother's  version and cut into 2" pieces)

Salt and pepper (use sea salt - it’s the best and white pepper if you have it)

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons flour, more if necessary

8 oz. white button mushrooms, thinly sliced

3/4 cup Marsala wine (dry - you can use sweet if that’s all you have)

1 cup veal (or chicken) demi-glace (available in specialty stores or your butcher may carry it)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temp)

1 tablespoon flat leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped for garnish

Season chicken scallops on both sides with salt and pepper.

In a large sauté pan, heat the canola oil and olive oil.

Dredge in flour, shaking off excess.  I shake in a zip lock bag.

Add chicken to pan and sauté for about 1-2 minutes each side.

Take pieces out and continue with others - keep scallops warm on a plate.

Add mushrooms to pan and sauté until soft.

Place chicken back in pan on top of the mushrooms.

Add Marsala wine and cook for about 2 minutes.

Add demi-glace and shake pan to thicken sauce.

Add butter and shake pan again to emulsify sauce.

Scatter parsley over for garnish

*Could substitute veal filets for chicken but be careful to not overcook the veal.

Fresh Vegetables with Honey Vinaigrette

Mother's Day now has taken on a deeper meaning for me.  With my sons off to college and my mother passing away, I get very philosophical on Mother's Day.  I found myself rereading The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.  I like to read it every so often to get a perspective on what's important in life.  Now that it is finally spring I thought I'd add this recipe I learned in Florence.   While I'm cooking I always choose music that relates to my mood and what I'm working with.  Today while making this dish I listened to John Mellencamp sing "Save Some Time To Dream".   I hope you enjoy this recipe.

What is so wonderful about this healthy vegetable dish is that it can be served warm or room temperature.

Experiment - if you have broccoli or cauliflower in your home add those as well.

Serves 8

3-5 potatoes, peeled and cup in 1/4

3-5 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced

8-10 asparagus, discard bottom part and cut in 2” pieces

10 green beans, cut off ends and cut in 2” pieces

1 green onion, cut in 2” pieces

1 tablespoon of chopped parsley

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey - the thick kind

1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar

2/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Boil water with some salt in it and throw in vegetables:

            Potatoes and carrots for 10 minutes

            Add asparagus for 5 minutes

            Add green beans for last 3 minutes

Strain vegetables until completely dry.

In a blender mix the spring or green onion with parsley, soy sauce, honey, oil, vinegar.

Blend until creamy - add salt only if needed.

Toss vegetables with this wonderful green dressing.

Low Country Seafood Chowder

I visited New Orleans for the first time this weekend.  What a sensual city, between hearing great jazz musicians, tasting delicious fattening food, and watching the degenerates like myself stumbling down Bourbon Street, man I had a good time!

This is one of the soups that they serve at Augusta with corn bread on the side - it’s so incredible.  I served this for a dinner party one night and I think I added too much sherry.  Between the sherry in the soup, the amazing wine we served, and cognac afterwards, we had the most hysterical game of Scattergories into the wee hours…

Serves 16-20

3 slices of smoked bacon diced

1 1/2 cups onions diced

4 stalks of celery diced

1 1/2 lb. fish fillets boneless and skinless (grouper or cod) cut in 2” pieces

1 lb. sea scallops (if large cut in 1/2 or quarters)

1 lb. shrimp peeled, deveined, tail off

1/2 lb. crawfish meat (or crab meat) (if you can’t find - leave out)

1/2 cup sherry (pale dry)

1 1/2 cups potatoes, Idaho, peeled and diced

1/2 quart fish stock (use chicken if fish is unavailable)

1 quart heavy cream

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon thyme (fresh)

2 tablespoons dill (fresh)

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Cornstarch/water (as needed to thicken)

Sauté bacon in a heavy soup pot until very crisp but do not burn.

Add the onions and celery and sauté 5-8 minutes until onions begin to caramelize.

Add the fish fillets, scallops, and shrimp and cook until they just begin to turn opaque.

Add the sherry and ignite to burn off the alcohol residue.

Remove seafood with a slotted spoon and keep warm.

Add the potatoes, fish stock, heavy cream, and bay leaf.

Bring soup rapidly to a boil then reduce to a simmer until potatoes are cooked (about 15 minutes).

Add crawfish (or crab meat) and the reserved seafood to the cream mixture and simmer until fish is cooked through and begins to flake apart.

Add fresh thyme, fresh dill and cayenne pepper.

Adjust seasoning to taste and thicken with a mixture of cornstarch and water. 

Rack of Lamb

This Easter I plan to make a Rack of Lamb.  Here is a killer recipe.

When my boys were little their Grandmother would watch them eat these and be amazed.  She would say to me, “Megan, your boys eat lamb chops like other children suck on lollipops!”

1 8-rib lamb rack

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fresh flat leaf Italian parsley

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 garlic clove, crushed

Fresh ground pepper

This is enough for 2 people - I find we can all eat about 4 per person and each rack comes with 8 ribs so increase your amounts according to your number of guests.

Always take your meat out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.

Whisk all ingredients together.

Coat lamb rack on both sides.

Broil 5 minutes each side.

Turn oven to 400 degrees.

Bake for 10-15 minutes (for rare).  Turn over 1/2 way through.

Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before carving.

Careful not to make these too rare - I find if you are doing more than 1 rack in the oven you need to adjust this recipe.  For instance, I made 3 racks last night - I broiled on 1 side for 10 minutes - turned over and broiled on the other side for just 5 minutes and then turned oven from broil to 400 degrees and cooked another 10 minutes.  They were perfect!

Cream of Chicken Soup

Spring is here and it's time for the Augusta National Golf Tournament.  They serve this soup with corn bread on the side - oh, man is it good.

Serves 10-12 people

1/4 cup butter

1/2 small onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2  tablespoon flour

2 quarts (8 cups) chicken stock*

1 pint (2 cups) heavy cream

1/2 lb. (approx. 1 boneless chicken breast) cooked and diced

Kosher salt and white pepper

Sauté onion, celery, and carrot in butter until tender, do not brown.

Add Dijon mustard and cook for 1 minute - whisk.

Add flour and cook for 3 minutes on medium heat - whisk.

Add stock gradually, whisking until thickened and smooth.

Simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Strain soup into another pot (this step is not crucial if you don’t mind vegetables in soup).

Finish soup with heavy cream and add chicken meat.

Season with salt and white pepper to taste.

*Of course, homemade chicken stock is the best but I don’t know many people who make their own chicken stock - hell, I don’t even do that!