Mom’s Apple Pie

Apple Pie

Election season is now in high gear. Fortunately, so is apple season, so we can drown out the candidates and the nonsense with a big slice of homemade apple pie.

Besides, election season ends. But you can freeze an apple pie for up to a year.

My mother, who made fabulous apple pie, taught me the tricks to perfect pie crust. First, she said, use as little liquid as possible for the dough, because that’s what makes the crust so flaky.

She also didn’t use ice water, like most recipes say to. She used milk or sour cream and sometimes orange juice or even melted vanilla ice cream. The crust was incredibly delicate, crumbly and rich.

She also had this important caveat:”don’t kill the dough!” and I hear her warning every time I roll some out. She meant, roll the dough gently, don’t press too hard or bang it. It’s dough, not clay so you don’t have to batter it to death to get it smooth.

Warning in mind, every September I make an annual trek to a nearby farm to get the kind of apples she always used: Rhode Island Greenings. I’ve tried to make a pie as good as hers using other apples but nothing can compare to these. Unfortunately, you have to search them out. Stores do not carry them as a rule. I’m lucky that I only have to travel about 45 minutes to get my annual load — a bushel. I make about a dozen pies and a few other goodies like Apple Brown Betty.

The pies last almost the entire year in the freezer. We always eat one just after the first one cools down from baking. The next one at Thanksgiving, then New Year’s. The rest depend on who’s coming to my house and when.

Here’s my Mom’s recipe. If you can’t get Greening apples, use Newtown Pippin, Northern Spy, Idared, Stayman, Winesap or Jonathan. Or a mixture of any of these. Golden Delicious are fine, but a little sweet. If you use Golden Delicious, cut back a tablespoon or two of sugar. Lots of people use Granny Smith apples, but I don’t like the texture of these apples when they’re cooked.

Mom’s Apple Pie

Crust:

• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into chunks

• 1/3 cup cold vegetable shortening

• 4-5 tablespoons liquid (water, milk, yogurt, juice, etc.)

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and shortening and work the fats into the flour using your fingers or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor). Add the minimum quantity of liquid and work into the ingredients to form a dough, using the remaining liquid if necessary (or pulse in the food processor until a ball of dough forms). Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest for at least 30 minutes before rolling. Makes enough for 2-crust 9 or 10-inch pie

Apple Pie Filling

• 3 pounds pie apples, peeled, cored and sliced

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon butter, cut into pieces

• 2 tablespoons milk, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the apples in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Add the sugar, cinnamon and flour and toss the ingredients to mix them evenly. Roll out half the dough and fit into a 9 or 10-inch pie pan, leaving an excess overhanging the edge. Spoon the filling into the pan. Dot the apples with the bits of butter. Roll out the remaining dough and place it on top of the apple filling. Gather the top and bottom crusts at the edge of the pan and either press them with a fork to seal them together, or roll them slightly and press down to seal the edges, then flute the edge using your index finger and thumb. Cut holes in the dough using the tip of a sharp knife. Brush the surface of the top with the milk, if you like a darker crust. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Makes 8 servings

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Tagged: apple pie, pie, apple recipes, dessert

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Poached Plums, a Quick Dessert for the Holidays or Whenever

Italian style prune plums are now bountiful at the market and I am thrilled about that even though whenever I see the first batch I know that summer is really over.

These plums are just okay to eat our of hand but give their all if you cook them. Fortunately, you can make them into some fabulous dessert in less than 20 minutes. So, even though tonight is a holiday for me, I am off to the local farmer’s market at 10:00 this morning to get a few pounds and poach them.

Prune plums aren’t around for long. Only through September. My Mom used to love them, especially if they were stewed and served with a thick syrup. Her mother served that dish frequently when we came to visit and my mother always wondered how she could find the plums to cook. It wasn’t until years went by that my grandma confessed she just opened a can of Del Monte’s.

I also LOVE stewed prune plums. Plain or with ice cream or sorbet. Here’s a recipe. You can see how easy it is and how good this is as a last-minute dessert. It’s easy for me to find lemongrass, so I use that as a seasoning, but orange or lemon slices make a nice substitute. Here’s the recipe from my book, Hip Kosher.

By the way, if you have the time, strain the poaching fluid and boil it down until it is thick and syrupy. Great “sauce” for the plums.

Clove and Lemongrass Poached Plums

1/2 cup sugar

16 whole cloves

outer leaves from 1 large stalk lemongrass OR 1 slice fresh orange or lemon

2 pounds Italian prune plums

Place the sugar, 1-1/2 cups water, cloves and lemongrass leaves in a large saucepan. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer the ingredients for 10 minutes. Add the plums. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the fruit skins split and the plums are tender. Let the plums cool in the syrup. Serve plums plain, with some of the poaching liquid (strain it first) or with ice cream or sorbet. Makes 4-6 servings

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Cooking a Whole Brisket

In the world of Jewish holidays, September means brisket. It’s what’s for dinner.

At least that’s what I hear from most of the Jewish people I know and what I read in the papers.

My mother wanted to make brisket but none of us liked brown meat. We are steak eaters and, when it comes to beef, the rarer, the better. So she gave up on brisket and made a turkey during the High Holidays.

My kids — and their kids — won’t eat brown meat either. UNLESS it’s barbecued. Then there’s never enough of it. So I make brisket, Texas style, grilled and crispy-edged.

The problem with brisket is that even though it’s high on flavor, it can be TOUGH if you don’t cook it right. Most of the recipes I’ve seen say to braise it in the oven at 350 degrees.

Okay, there’s the usual fight about whether to put the meat in the oven or on the cooktop, but I don’t want to get into that one.

Either way, the best way to come out with meat that’s soft, but not mushy, firm enough but not chewy is this: brown the meat first if you like (I never do), season it to taste (I use garlic, black pepper and paprika), smother it with sweet onions (I use Vidalias but common yellow onions are fine). Seal the top with a lid (I use aluminum foil) and place it in a cold oven. Turn the heat to 225 degrees. Go to sleep. Wake up and it’s done. The meat cooks magically while you are in bed.

I love the smell of brisket in the morning.

Of course, this is good only if the brisket is large. I buy a WHOLE one, both first and second cuts, because it feeds a lot of people and has much more flavor. It also has more fat, which bastes the meat and makes it tender and even more flavorful (you can get rid of the fat after you cook the meat). And it is less expensive per pound. A large one also holds together a lot better on an outdoor grill.

If you only buy the flat, first cut, follow the same procedure but don’t let it cook for 7-8 hours. Maybe 4 or 5.

The point is: COOK IT SLOW AT A LOW TEMPERATURE.

For brisket lovers, you don’t have to do anything else, though it’s better to cook the meat the day before, separate the meat from the gravy and refrigerate everything. The fat comes to the top and you can remove and discard it. Then slice the meat, put it into a baking dish, cover it with the sauce and onions and heat it through.

For my family, I brush the meat with barbecue sauce and cook it slowly on the grill until it’s crispy on the outside.

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Great review!

This was a terrific review, Ronnie. Made us want to run right over to Restaurant Jean-Louis.  And we’re in California! My food memory of lemon sorbet “intermezzo” was from our 1965 wedding. I don’t actually remember any of the food at our wedding (after someone would come over to congratulate me or look at my ring or just schmooze, I’d turn around and the plate that had been set in front of me was gone).  But I clearly remember the lemon sorbet intermezzo. Probably the only thing I got to eat!  Would have remembered squab leg intermezzo, but that was then, and this (Restaurant Jean-Louis) is definitely NOW…

Submitted by Carol Selkin (carol_selkin@sbcglobal.net):

Kugel Challenge

Rosh Hashanah = kugel. Really, old fashioned, traditional kugel has got to be one of the most popular dishes for the Jewish holidays, even for people who on all other days would prefer things like crispy fish with yuzu dipping sauce or grilled chicken with kumquat and papaya relish.

But what kind? Kugels come all ways.

Basically though, they’re either sweet or savory.

My mother always told me that sweet, dairy kugels weren’t very good. In our house the kugels were salty and crispy and filled with juicy mushrooms and soft, golden onions. I never had a sweet kugel until I was fully grown and married and went to my friend Susan’s house and tasted one. OH MY GOODNESS it was so good that when I woke up the next morning, before I even poured my coffee I called my mother to yell at her.

What was she thinking?! This stuff is really really really delicious.

I published Susan’s recipe in several of my food articles over the years, attributing it to her of course, although I have since learned that Susan got it from Linda, who got it from someone else … The recipe hasn’t exactly gone viral on YouTube, but it is well known throughout my community.

Hear this, anyone who likes egg noodles and stuff like cream cheese with sugar and butter and sour cream and crispy cornflake crunchy toppings — try this and let me know if you’ve ever tasted a better kugel!

If you have, can you please send me the recipe??

Susan/Linda’s Sweet Noodle Kugel

• 1 pound wide egg noodles
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese at room temperature
• 1/4 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups dairy sour cream
• 6 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup raisins, optional
• 2 cups crushed frosted corn flakes (or plain corn flakes)
• 4 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the noodles in lightly salted water until al dente (not quite done). Drain and set aside. In an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until thoroughly blended. Add the sour cream and blend it in completely. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in the cinnamon and raisins, if used. Pour the mixture over the noodles and toss to coat all the noodles. Place in a 9”x13” baking dish. Combine the frosted flakes and melted butter. Sprinkle the coated flakes on top of the noodle mixture. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the top is crispy. Makes 8 servings

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judging cheesecakes

Submitted by summer47

Thank you so much for you response.  It is very helpful.  The contest is on Monday, Labor Day.

To Summer47: Are you a judge?

I’d love to hear about it. Good luck!

food contest

summer47:

I am looking for anyone who has already developed criteria for judging cheesecakes in a bake-off.  I would like to know how you based your decision for a winner in such a contest.

I looked back at my notes on the cheesecake contest I judged (with two other people). We based our decisions on the following criteria:

1) Appearance: was there any effort to make the cake look appealing? Was the effort overdone? Were there cracks/decorative extras (such as chocolate curls)/flowers, etc. Did the cook put the cake onto or into something unique (such as a basket). Was there something unique about the appearance? Was the cake attractive? Was the color right?

2) Texture: did it cut smoothly or crumble? Was it appropriately smooth and creamy? Was it too light and fluffy, too dense and heavy, too firm, too dry? Were extra texture ingredients appropriate (e.g. chocolate chips, blueberries, fruit toppings, chocolate frosting)? Did it feel good on the tongue?

3) Flavor: did it taste like cheesecake or were the other ingredients too dominant? Was it sweet enough? Too sweet? Were the seasonings/enhancers (such as vanilla extract) subtle or overwhelming? Were any extra flavors appropriate (chili powder for a savory cheesecake; fruit, nuts, etc.)? Was there an aftertaste? Did the cake have a pleasant aroma?

4) Style and Creativity: were there unique flavors, texture additions or decorative touches?

We gave each cake a number from 1 to 10 in each category. The ones with the highest points were the winners. We had one cake that was gorgeous and got high marks for appearance, but it was both too sweet and overwhelmed with white chocolate and also too dry, so it got low points for flavor and texture. The winning entry (first place) looked beautiful (though not as gorgeous as the other I mentioned), it also cut well: smooth, creamy and tender-firm, with sufficient moisture. The cheese melted on the tongue; the chocolate and vanilla were evenly balanced, as was the tangy-sweet quality of the cheese. There was a unique quality in the sour-cream topping. So this cake got high marks in every category.

Hope this helps. If you are holding a contest, I’d love to know how it works.

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September Fresh Tomato Sauce

Anyone else feel that yesterday it was summer but the word September changes everything?

It’s hot and muggy. The hottest summer on record around here. And yet all of a sudden turning the page in the calendar makes me feel as if the season is over.

When I hear “September” I think back-to-school. I remember being a kid and buying new black and white notebooks and loving the feeling of writing on the thick right hand side. I hope I liked my teacher. I got new shoes. Thick sweaters that I wouldn’t wear for months.

When I hear “September” I know the food is about to change too. Purple prune plums for pie and poaching rather than the hard, sour red ones that refresh so well on a hot day. Tomatoes past their prime for eating, but perfect for sauce. The last of summer’s green tomatoes firm and bright and ready for frying. Huge zucchini, the last remnants of someone’s garden. My basil and mint are starting to decline. The dill has withered. The rosemary has seen better days.

September means it’s time to get the best of late summer produce and use up what’s left of my herbs. I just got back from our local Farmer’s Market with a load of stuff. After I finish this note the first thing I’m going to cook is tomato sauce, eat some with dinner and pack the rest into the freezer to keep summer alive later.

September Fresh Tomato Sauce

2 pounds tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, peeled and chopped

1 large clove garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the tomatoes, cook for 20 seconds, then drain the tomatoes under cold water. Pierce the tomatoes near the stem end with the tip of a small, sharp knife, then peel back to remove the skin. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and squeeze each half to remove the seeds. Chop the tomatoes and set them aside. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes and basil and sprinkle the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-30 minutes or until it reaches the desired texture. Makes enough for one pound of pasta.

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Food Digest: Honeymoon, Day 3 -- Chinese food for dinner

8:30 p.m. Aug. 13, 2010 — Chinese restaurant, Venice, Italy.

After a romantic gondola ride, and on our last night in Venice, we ate at — where else — a Chinese restaurant. (Last year, when the Missus and I were in Ireland, we tried a local Chinese place, just for fun. Now it’s turning into a…

My husband and I also used to eat Chinese food wherever we traveled. Ordered Chinese take-out up to our hotel in Sydney once. It was fabulous.

Unfortunately, once we went to a recommended Chinese restaurant in Copenhagen. Unfortunately the Spring Rolls had been fried in bacon fat. Think about that one.

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