A perfect fall dessert - Ginger Peach Pie with a Pecan topping

Per the request of many, here is the recipe for the peach pie. 

Because:

• I had little time to plan (the peaches were quite ripe)
• It was too late to go to the store for the things I needed to make a pastry crust
• I hadn't worked with peaches before
• I couldn't check the flavor of the fruit (needed everything for the pie).

I decided to prepare the filling before I made the pie crust.  So I pulled out my new 12" saucepan and got started:

Filling
Method 1 (if you don't have a good feel for what the results will be)
In a saucepan:

• 2-3 lbs of ripe fresh peaches (depends on ripeness - riper peaches will have a higher water content which will evaporate while cooking)
• 1/4-1/2 cup of brown or natural sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoon of dried ginger (easier, what I used and gives a milder taste), or (1/4 cup of fine shredded fresh ginger (preferred)
• Add water to float the fruit in your saucepan.

Bring to a mild boil and simmer covered for the first 45 minutes to meld the flavors then remove the lid and continue until the fruit is thoroughly cooked and a thick syrup forms (about an hour or possibly more).   Stir frequently throughout the process to avoid burning the fruit or the sugar.    Once you remove the lid, start taste testing the syrup adding salt, ginger and lemon juice in small increments (1/4 teaspoon for the salt, 1 teaspoon for the lemon juice and 1/8 cup (1oz for raw ginger or 1/4 teaspoon for the powdered ginger) until it taste the way you want it.  This will vary depending on the ripeness of the peaches, freshness of the lemon juice and the quality of the ginger you are using.   For a tarter pie, you may want to add as much as 3 tablespoons of lemon juice.  When done, set aside to cool while you work on the crust.

Method 2 (If you are very confident - this will actually produce a better product)
Make the crust first then add all the ingredients (but use no water!!!).   Sprinkle the the spices and sugar over the peaches before applying the topping.


Crust
I used a pre-made graham cracker crust for mine, but it would actually be better with a nice pastry crust - I recommend this one from the Martha Stewart website if you have a food processor (my sister Celene who makes great pastries recommended this to me): 

http://www.marthastewart.com/254603/pate-brisee-pie-dough

She says that it never fails and you can prep and freeze it for later use.


Topping
I used an old favorite here pecan/praline

1 package of chopped pecans
1 stick of unsalted butter (broken into small pieces)
1/2 cup of brown or natural sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
 - optional -
1 teaspoon of vanilla


In your food processor:
Put the pecan chips in first and pulse the power (about 5-10 seconds at a shot) until you have fine chips.
Throw everything else in and pulse the power  until everything is well mixed, but stop before it gets creamy.

For a graham cracker crust:
Set the oven for 375.

For a pastry crust
Set the oven to 400.

Assembly
Place filling in the crust and then, starting from the edges, working towards the center,  ladle on the nut mixture.  Spread to cover as uniformly as possible and make sure that it seals the outer edges.

Put the pie in the oven.  If you have a pastry crust, reduce the heat to 350 after 15 minutes.  Let it bake until the topping turns a nice medium to dark brown (but not till it's burnt).

Serving suggestions:
This goes very well hot,  with vanilla ice cream a la mode.  Or a wedge of sharp cheddar cheese.  A nice chilled German dessert wine (Auslese, Berentroppenauslese, Eiswein), or a chilled pear brandy will also go well.

Enjoy!  Let me know how your attempts worked out.

A great little restaurant

If you happen to be traveling in the area of Valparaiso, IN or going to the Chesterton Dunes, consider stopping for a bite of lunch at dish (http://www.dishrestaurant.net/). 

This pleasant little eatery, located at 3907 N. Calumet in Valparaiso, does a great, inexpensive lunch for under $9.00.  Service is friendly, and given the size of the crowd (barely an empty table at 1:30PM, so not a regular lunchtime crowd), quite fast.  The makeup of the crowd tells you that this place is a local favorite.

They have a box lunch of the day, with soup, sandwich, salad and a dessert.  All ingredients are fresh, and wonderfully flavorful.  Special dietary needs are handled with no difficulty.  The bread is delightful too.

In addition to the sandwichs, are a number of nice dishes which you can see on their website (link above).

As for my first visit, I had the Ham and Jarlsburg Swiss Sandwich with a few adjustments (Dijon mustard and a ciabata).  Lettuce was crisp, the swiss was flavorful and the ham, was not greasy in the least.  The house chips were excellent.  Quite a step up from the local sandwich shop chains.  Looking forward to my next visit, and hopefully a dinner stop at dish.

A great easy meal

My Austrian grandmother used to make this dish a couple of times a year, particularly when we had a family get-together (she had nine kids).  It was inexpensive, didn't take a lot of the cook's time, was very healthy, and quite filling.  It is based on that old pickeled standard, sauerkraut, which is just about the healtiest thing you can eat for your gut.

Sauerkraut, split peas, polish sausage and potatoes
(never did find the proper name for this)

1 16 oz package of split peas
1 jar of sauerkraut
1 16oz can of new potatoes
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 lb of polish sausage (Slotkowski's or my favorite Maruszczak's)or ham
1/4 cup of onion or 2 tablespoons of dried minced onions.
1/4 tsp of salt
dash of pepper

This can be done in a crockpot overnight, or in short stages, depending on your whim.

Crockpot (1 1/2 -2 qt)
1. Take the peas, put 8 oz in your crockpot.  Add salt.  Cover.  Let sit for at least 10 hours.
2. The next morning, chop up the onion (you can substitute 1/4 cup of water and dried onions).
3. Drain potatoes and sauerkraut.
3. Slice the cooked sausage (cook it if not already cooked per package directions) into 1/2 inch slices.
4. Add all ingrediants.  Add sufficient water to insure that everything is covered (the leftover sauerkraut juice can be used for this and adds some more vitamins).
5. Set heat to high.  let cook for 1.5-2 hours.

Stove top
1. Take the peas, put 8 oz in a pot.  Add salt.  Cover.  Let sit for at least 10 hours.
2. The next morning, chop up the onion (you can substitute 1/4 cup of water and dried onions).
3. Add onion and oil to peas.  Let simmer 20 minutes.
3. Drain potatoes and sauerkraut.
3. Slice the cooked sausage (cook it if not already cooked per package directions) into 1/2 inch slices.
4. Add all ingrediants To a sufficiently large pot.  Add sufficient water to insure that everything is covered (the leftover sauerkraut juice can be used for this and adds some more vitamins).
5. Cover.  Set heat to medium until it starts to simmer.  Reduce heat, let simmer for 1.5-2 hours.  Stir about every 15 minutes, forcing a bottom to top transistion.


The potatoes and peas add flavor and starch to the meal and also mitigate the smell and acidic taste of the sauerkraut, without damaging the healthful benefits.

Options:  Add 1 crushed garlic clove.

Almondine - a nice addition to a dish

Been away a while dealing with the Taxman and other things.  Among other things, I took a week and visited my brother and his family recently and did a little cooking for them.  Dinner was a London broil with a nice au jus, new potatoes and green beans almondine.

My sister in-law has a nicely stocked kitchen, but it is stocked differently than mine.  Scrounging through her spice rack, came up with the following:

Marinade for London Broil

1/4 cup of red wine (local sweet)
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1    tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 package of onion soup mix
1 teaspoon of basil
1/4 tablespoon of vinegar

Popped the steak in a 1 qt Ziploc bag and poured in the marinade.  Placed in a large bowl in case of leaks and then left it in the fridge overnight.  The next morning, took it out around noon and left it on the counter until 3:30 to get the steak nearer to room temperature (important).


Au jus
Drained the marinade into a pot.  Added:

1/4 cup of red wine (same as before)
1/4 cup of water
1/4 cup of brown sugar
2 bouillon cubes (as we didn't have drippings)
3 bay leaves
1/8 cup of minced dried onions
2 tablespoons of butter (again, because of no drippings)
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

Heated to a boil and let simmer, reducing for about 45 minutes until thorough cooked. 

Went over very well, even with the kids.

Almondine
Not quite the standard, but again, came out quite well.

1 6oz package of almond chips/slices
1/4 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1/4 cup of wine (red or white, depending on which you are using for the main course)
1/4 cup of brown sugar
2 tablespoons of butter

Place all components into a saucepan, brought to a boil and then simmered for about 30 minutes (until a syrup forms).

Note that these measurements are for what I had at hand.  You can plan with the minor adjustments in the last 10 minutes of cooking until things taste the way you want.

We had some almondine left over, so we used it for dessert (pound cake with berries and whip cream).  It also goes well in a green salad with berries and mandarin oranges.

And back to the grindstone...

Been away from the blog for a while now.  Apologies for that, but Uncle Sam and taxes come first.  For those of you interested on both the IT comments and the other stuff, be aware that I am moving all the IT related postings to a new site which will focus strictly on IT.  That site can be found at http://jlovonit.blogspot.com/.  Over the next few days, I will move all of the existing IT posts to that site.  The rest will remain here.

John

White Chocolate Mousse

This is a sinful favorite.  If done properly, it can last for a number of days in the refrigerator (though expect to see some separation).  It also makes an excellent alternative to plain whipped cream, being more flavorful and filling - so less is needed per serving (for those large parties or dinners). 

A note on white chocolate:
Real White Chocolate has as one of its main ingredients cocoa butter - in fact, that is what it is, typically with vanilla, emulsifiers, sugar and a touch of salt thrown in.  If you don't see cocoa butter in the first 3 ingredients on the label, find another brand.   White chocolate chips usually do not contain an appropriate amount of cocoa butter.  The cocoa butter is what gives this dessert component it's richness and staying power (plus whatever health benefits it has to offer).

A few notes on whipping cream:
To successfully whip cream every time, do the following:
1. 10-15 minutes before starting, place the whipping cream in the freezer.
2. If there is room, put the metal (usually aluminum) in the freezer too.  If you don't have the room, half fill the bowl with ice cubes and let it sit on the counter.  Dump the ice, drain and wipe dry before adding cream.
3. Cream of Tartar will help you keep those hard earned stiff peaks keep more than an hour, and at higher temperatures.   It doesn't take much, though how much depends on other ingredients.



White Chocolate Mousse

1. Acquire:
a. 2 Pints of whipping cream
b. 4 bars of white chocolate (do not use chips!!! - see above).
c. Sea salt
d. Vanilla
e. Cream of tartar
2. Place cream in freezer for 15 minutes and place ice in mixing bowl to prep
3. Melt white chocolate in small pot (see option 2 below)
4. Whip cream until the peaks are very stiff cream of tartar, ¼ teaspoon of salt and  1 teaspoon of vanilla.  Option: add 2 oz of Kahlua or Baileys Irish Cream.
5. Slowly blend chocolate mix into the cream.  When the mixture stands on its own (starts to break into fragments),  you are done.
6. Place in a container and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Options:
1. Raspberry melba sauce:
a. Take 1 package of Birdseye frozen raspberries in a sweetened sauce and put it blender with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 4 oz of a berry brandy (your choice, blackberry works well). 
b. Pour sparingly over your dessert.
c. (For extra points, press the pureed mix through cheese cloth to remove the seeds.)
2. Bittersweet chocolate:
a. Take a small non-stick pot (or double boiler if you have one, break up bittersweet chocolate bars (as needed, 4 should be sufficient) and place in pot.  Turn burner (preferably gas) on to lowest flame.  Hold pot over the flame (off the burner), or insert in double boiler  so it heats slowly and uniformly to melt the chocolate, stirring at least once a minute (push unmelted chocolate down into the melted chocolate to speed melt).  Keep warm and melted until serving where you can drizzle it over the mousse and Raspberry sauce.  If you have a food warmer, that can be used, or turn the oven on to 350, the heat on the stove top should be sufficient to keep the chocolate melted.
A surefire winning presentation is the following:

• Place your favorite frozen fruit around the bottom and sides (about 2/3s way up) a sherry snifter.
• Add the white chocolate mousse to cover the fruit
• Drizzle melted bittersweet chocolate over the mixture
• Cover with the Raspberry melba sauce.
• Place in frig until ready to consume.

This makes a sweet finish to a spicy meal.  Serve with a good chilled German Auslaise wine.


Next recipe:  Roast Beef ala John (apologies)

Roast Beef ala John (au Jus)

The most important component of any meal involving beef is the prep work.  What you do to bring out the best for the piece depends on the cut, fat content and marbling of the piece itself.  Many things can be done to increase tenderness (pummeling/tenderizing), marinading, use of specific ingredients (wine, suet, butter or vinegar), bagging (using a paper bag or aluminum foil) and cooking duration.  The most important factor however, is to keep the beef moist.  No matter what you do, a dry piece of beef will be tough.  So how can the novice cook (who is probably already panicking about the sides, appetizers and dessert), guarantee that the beef will be moist and flavorful, without trebling the caloric content?  Some ideas:

1. Choose a good cut of beef, well marbled, without a thick layer of fat.  My favorite, though expensive, is the boneless ribeye roast.  This is a well marbled cut, with little sinew to deal with.  Also as a single piece (as opposed to a rolled roast), you don't have the potential issue of the roast unrolling on you.
2. Proper preparation is also key.  If you decide that you want to add flavor, choose a mix of ingredients that will compliment the beefy flavor.  Some examples:

• Rosemary - the classic viand spice
• Thyme - particularly good with tomatoes in the recipe
• Basil - another aromatic classic
• Cinnamon - to add spiciness, particularly for a sweeter preparation
• Parsley - to kill the smell of onion and garlic (but not the taste!)
• Garlic - my favorite add-in to just about everything - particularly if fresh roasted
• Onion - adds a bit of citric flavoring to the piece and it plays nice with most other ingredients.
• Anchovies (e.g. Worcester sauce) for a bit of saltiness.
• Wine - a Cab, Merlot for a roast or a Sautern or Marsala for medallions.  Other alternatives are beer, sherry or saki.  This really determines the tone for the piece.  It is a good idea to serve the same wine with the meal.
• Natural or brown sugar, molasses or honey - adds sweetness, some good nutrients, and seals the piece without forcing you to sear it.
• Wasabi - another spicy favorite
• Paprika - for a mild heat.
• Black/White pepper - to sharpen the flavor with minimal heat.
• Olive oil - used to meld flavors
• Mushrooms - provides a nice textural contrast, and also a complimentary meatlike flavor
• Carrots - a bit of sweetness and adds some texture.
• Potatoes- absorbs some of the fatty juices, and adds some starch
• tomatoes - a bit of sweetness and along with some acid to help break down the fat.

Given the above, here is my entry for the lazy cooks perfect beef roast.

1. Acquire a good quality boneless ribeye roast.  Allow about 6 oz per person.  This should be done the day before your dinner.  Put the roast in the fridge.
2. Allowing 20 minutes per lb for cooking time, add 4 hours to warm and 20 minutes for the after cooking, and remove the roast from the fridge.  Rinse it, and place on a wire stand in a roasting pan.   Let it warm to about room temperature.  This will prevent unpleasant surprises later.
3. Take a large mixing bowl.  Add the following ingredients for the coating:
• 1 package of Knorr onion soup mix
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons of Worcester sauce
• 3 tablespoons of minced garlic (I use Christophers)
• 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
• 3 fresh basil leaves (or 2 cubes frozen)
• 1 teaspoon of fresh minced parsley (if you use the frozen, use 1 cube)
• 1/2 teaspoon of thyme
• 1 teaspoon of minced/powdered rosemary
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon of paprika
4. Mix, adding enough of a good Cabernet (I like TJ's ) to form a paste.  I like to use an old opened bottle for this.  Typically, this will be 1/2 to 1 cup.  Save some for the au jus.
5. Let sit for a bit so the flavors can meld.
6. About 30 minutes before it is time to put the roast in the oven, set the oven to broil and then cover the roast all over with the coating.  This is a one time deal.  Put a meat thermometer in the roast, making sure the end in is the center of middle of the roast.
7. Place the roast in the oven.  Immediately turn the temperature down to 350 degrees.
8. Check periodically.  The roast is done when the internal temperature reaches 135 degrees.
9. Remove the roast and let it sit for 20 minutes.  The internal temperature will rise for 10-20 minutes after you remove it from the oven.  Do not cut the roast yet!
10. Place the roast on a serving platter.

The Au jus

1. Take the drippings from the roasting pan and place in a clear measuring cup.
2. Spoon/pour off the upper clear layer (fat).
3. Place the drippings in an appropriate sized pot.
4. Simmer on a medium flame.
5. Add additional flavorings if desired,  and the rest of the wine.
6. Let simmer until an appropriate flavor and consistency is reached, (not thick, but not watery either).  The au jus should have a distinctive and strong flavor, (like if you dissolve a cube of bouillon in 1/2 cup of water), but it should not be as salty.
7. Place in a boat and serve with the beef.

Some nice additions/sides:

• Mild Horseradish
• My Cranberry sauce
• New Potatoes
• Broccoli, green beans or asparagus spears.
• French bread
• Jarlesberg swiss cheese
• TJ's Cabernet

Salt should not be added by the cook.  This will cause the meat to shrink.  Also, the cook almost always adds too much salt if done at the beginning because the ingredients haven't had the opportunity to release their flavors via cooking.

Pepper, for the same reason, should be used sparingly.  I have always felt that bad cooks use pepper to cover their sins and a general lack of imagination.

In general, let the diner add the salt and pepper to taste.  I note that the flavor only improves with a little age.  So hang on to those leftovers, which microwave just fine.

Next recipe:  London Broil