For My Birthday: Lily Vail’s Apple Pie

Today’s my birthday! And to celebrate there’s … no, not cake.

I like pie. Specifically Apple pie. Specifically the way my mother used to bake them and always made one for me for my birthday. And after she died I made one for myself for every birthday.

Actually, I make a dozen pies every October when the Greening apples are harvested, because those are the apples I like best for pie. I freeze the pies and we eat about one per month so that when the next October comes around again I make a new batch for the year to come.

But you can make apple pie with any apple, just adjust the sugar level accordingly, depending on the apple you use. I prefer a tart-tasting filling, not too sweet that is. That’s why I like Rhode Island Greenings. If you like a tart tasting apple pie, you can use Granny Smith apples (cut the slices thin because they cook better to tenderness that way). Golden Delicious are good pie apples now too, but use a little less sugar and a little more lemon juice. Don’t use McIntosh, they’re too watery. Fuji and Braeburn are better eating apples. They don’t hold up well in a pie. And please, don’t bother with Red Delicious because they have no flavor. 

Here’s my Mom’s recipe. I am already humming with anticipation.

Lily Vail’s Apple Pie

crust:

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon peel, optional

1/2 cup cold butter

1/3 cup cold vegetable shortening

4-6 tablespoons cold milk, juice, water or melted ice cream

apple filling

To make the crust: Combine the flour, sugar, salt and lemon peel, if used, in a large bowl. Cut the butter and shortening into chunks and add the chunks to the flour mixture. Work the fat into the flour mixture until the ingredients resemble crumbs (use your hands, a pastry blender or the pulse feature of a food processor). Add the liquid, using only enough to gather pastry into a soft ball of dough (start with 4 tablespoons). Cut the dough in half and flatten each half to make a disk shape. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it stand at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly flour a pastry board or clean work surface. With a rolling pin, roll one half of the dough on the floured surface into a circle about 1/8-inch thick, making sure the circle is larger than the pie pan by about 1 inch. Place the dough in a 9” or 10” pie pan. Pour the apple filling into the pastry-lined pan. Cut the butter into small pieces and place on top of the filling. Roll out the remaining dough and place it over the filling. Gently press the bottom and top crusts together along the flared edge of the pie pan. For a fluted rim, press your thumb and index finger against the outside of the rim, or crimp it with the tines of a fork or the blunt side of a knife. Cut steam vents in the top crust with the tip of a sharp knife or the tines of a fork. Bake the pie for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown.

Apple Filling:

3 pounds pie apples (Rhode Island Greenings, Granny Smith, Gravenstein, Northern Spy, Golden Delicious, Idared, Stayman, Winesap, Baldwin, Jonagold)

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon butter

Peel and core the apples then cut them into slices. Place the slices in a bowl. Add the 1/2 cup sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and flour and toss the ingredients to coat the apple slices evenly.

Quickie Cooked Salsa

Fish on the grill, sort of. I used a cast iron pan because I can’t find my wire fish basket and anyway, every time I grill fish just on the grids a lot of it falls through and down into the great ash beyond. Besides, cleaning a pan is a whole lot easier than cleaning the grids and/or the wire basket. 

I had set out to buy and grill some tuna but saw a beautiful, thick chunk of wild halibut at the fish store and couldn’t resist it.

You don’t need anything fancy when you grill fish. I just gave it a coat of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt, put it in the pan, closed the cover (the grill was hot). About 5 minutes later I turned the fish and gave it another 5 minutes. While the fish was cooking I made an almost instant salsa to go with it. This sauce would go with almost any plain grilled or broiled fish (or baked or sauteed). I have served this with grilled chicken breasts too.

Quickie Cooked Salsa

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small serrano pepper, deseeded and chopped, optional

2 large tomatoes, chopped

2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and pepper, if used and cook for another minute. Add the tomato and basil and cook for about 4 minutes or until soft. Serve as a bed for grilled fish or chicken. Makes about 2 cups

FridayReads: Our FridayReads

fridayreads:

Sometimes things can get a bit wild here at FridayReads. The pants come off (and sometimes stay off all weekend), our hair comes down, and we let loose with multiple books at a time. Our FridayReads usually don’t fit in just one Tweet so we’ve compiled a list here for your reading pleasure. Still…

reading Great House, by Nicole Krauss, about a desk that belongs to a writer, but it once belonged to a Chilean poet who disappeared during the days of Pinochet. Book is winner of several awards. Interesting writing style. #fridayreads

Banana Bread with Coconut Oil, Chocolate Chips and Kefir

When life gives you bananas, make Banana Bread.

I do it all the time because I always buy too many bananas. Ed eats a couple of them but the rest get brown and spotty and then no one will eat them.

But everyone loves Banana Bread.

But everyone also knows I can’t leave a recipe alone. I like to tweak and tinker and see if a new version is even better than the last one.

My newest recipe includes coconut oil, because I read that it might be healthy. I had some kefir hanging out in the fridge, so I added that too, for even more moisture. And off course, why not add chocolate chips? 

Banana Bread with Coconut Oil, Chocolate Chips and Kefir

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

2 large eggs

3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed

1/4 cup kefir

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 ounces chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9”x5”x3” loaf pan. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into a bowl and set it aside. Beat the sugar, vegetable oil and coconut oil with a handheld or electric mixer set at medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the bananas and beat the mixture to blend the ingredients thoroughly. Add the flour mixture, stirring only enough to blend in the dry ingredients. Add the kefir, vanilla extract and chocolate chips and stir them in. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for one hour or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan 15 minutes, then invert onto a cake rack to cool completely. Makes one loaf. 

Buttermilk Cole Slaw

An American summer calls for Cole Slaw. Which is very funny when you come to think of it because Cole Slaw is basically a Dutch dish (recipes brought to the Americas in colonial times with the Dutch settlers).

But, Dutch origin or not, this is a dish you can find at delis everywhere across the country. The stuff of summer picnics and July 4th celebrations and weekend barbecues on the deck.

Even my Romanian-Jewish grandmother made Cole Slaw (hand grated, before the days of the food processor).

I have a zillion Cole Slaw recipes. Well, not really a zillion, but a lot. Like I said yesterday about potato salad, I could write an entire book about this stuff. I always tinker with a Cole Slaw recipe and then, voila! I have a whole new recipe.

Like this dairy version that has buttermilk in it. The buttermilk (which you can use to make a smoothie or make biscuits or the best pancakes you ever tasted) gives this Cole Slaw version a nice tangy taste, which is refreshing in the hot weather. We’ve had some of that already, at least here in the east. This week I felt confused that it was still May but felt like July outside.

Btw, I usually shred the cabbage by hand with my big chef’s knife. I like the chunkier pieces you get this way. However, I use the processor (shredding blade) for the carrots and the s-blade for the parsley.

Buttermilk Cole Slaw

6 cups shredded cabbage (about 1-1/4 pounds)

2-3 shredded carrots

1 small grated onion, optional

2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, tarragon or savory, optional

1-1/3 cups buttermilk

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2-3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

pinch or two cayenne pepper

Place the cabbage, carrots, onion, if used, parsley and herb, if used, in a large bowl and toss to distribute the ingredients evenly. In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, mayonnaise and 2 tablespoons of the vinegar and pour over the vegetables. Toss ingredients, sprinkle with salt and cayenne pepper and let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Taste for seasoning, and add the remaining vinegar for more tang, and some salt and cayenne pepper if needed. Makes 8 servings

French Potato Salad

I could write an entire book just about potato salad. I have dozens and dozens of recipes.

My potato salad recipe collection began because this was one of the very very few dishes that my mother made that I absolutely hated. Her potato salad was basically cooked potatoes, chopped raw onion and Miracle Whip dressing. I thought it tasted sour and felt pasty in my mouth. She never understood why I didn’t like it.

But I just didn’t. So I began my search for the perfect potato salad recipe.

What I learned was that there is no such thing. There are dozens and dozens of perfect recipes. Some with vinaigrette dressings, some with mayo-based dressings. Some mild, some spicy. Some with cooked vegetables included, some plain.

Last weekend I had sleepover company and I decided to cook an old fashioned French Potato Salad to have with dinner (burgers, cole slaw, asparagus vinaigrette).

We had leftovers. So we ate the potato salad with breakfast the next day (smoked salmon and bagels, whitefish salad). It turned out to be a very good, welcome idea.

Who knew?! Potato Salad for Breakfast!

FRENCH POTATO SALAD

2 pounds small red potatoes        

lightly salted water

6 tablespoons white wine or chicken or vegetable stock

1 large shallot, finely chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

1-2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs, optional

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

6 tablespoons olive oil

2-3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Place the potatoes (with their skins intact) in a saucepan, cover with lightly salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain under cold water and peel, if desired. Cut the potatoes into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl. Pour in the wine, shallot, parsley, herbs, salt and pepper. Toss gently. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, wine vinegar and mustard together. Pour over the potatoes and toss. Let rest at least 1 hour before serving. Makes 4-6 servings

Blueberry Crisp

What’s one of the best things you can do with boxed breakfast cereal? Use it as crust for fruit crisps!

My Mom used cereal crust over apples and when I went to visit my parents on cool autumn days the perfume of this dish baking in the oven would reach me all the way out past the garage. As soon as I opened the car door I’d know I was in for a really good treat for dessert. 

She served the dish still warm, with cold cream on top.

Those were good days.

When I wrote my last cookbook, Hip Kosher, I decided to include My Mom’s special recipe but use it with blueberries, not apples. And this week, when I saw some good looking blueberries on sale, I decided to make that dish for my weekend company. I used Raisin Bran, rolled oats and almonds.

This was a big hit. 

Btw, for variety, you can make a simple change by adding some sliced peaches.

BLUEBERRY CRISP  

2 pints fresh blueberries

1/3 cup sugar

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup bran flakes or raisin bran

1/2 cup quick cooking or rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped nuts such as almonds, cashews or pecans

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter or margarine

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the blueberries, sugar, flour, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and lemon juice in a 6-quart baking dish. Set aside. Crush the cereal flakes slightly and put them in a bowl. Add the oats, nuts, brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and toss ingredients to distribute them evenly. Pour in the melted butter. Mix until the dry the ingredients are coated with the melted butter. Place the cereal mixture over the fruit. Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is crispy and brown. Let cool slightly but serve warm (may be rewarmed). Serve plain or with cream, ice cream, whipped cream, or sorbet.

Makes 6–8 servings.

Wheatberry Salad with Tomatoes and Olives

Can you grill dairy foods?

That’s a dilemma (sort of) this weekend as we celebrate two holidays at once! For Jews, it’s Shavuot. For all Americans, it’s Memorial Day, the unofficial start of the grilling season.

As far as the food stuff goes, Shavuot is the “dairy” holiday. When we eat all things cheese (as well as other dairy products), especially cheesecake. 

But, except for a few items, like grilled halloumi cheese, which is quite delicious (cut the cheese into strips, coat them with olive oil, stick them on a skewer and grill them until they’re crispy on the outside), we don’t grill most dairy products.

However, we can grill fish and eat them with other dairy products.

Or grill meat and eat some wonderful side dishes (and save the cheesecake for another time during the holiday).

This wheatberry salad fits perfectly into both holiday meals. It is a substantial side dish, you can make it ahead and it can be either dairy or non-dairy (leave the cheese out, substitute nothing or some other vegetable of tofu). You can make this into a meat-based salad too — add some cut up grilled chicken or beef, etc.

Matter of fact, this is a good, healthy salad choice for the entire summer.

My kids love when I make this kind of salad. This is the young generation’s way to eat now. Less meat, more whole grains and veggies. You can use this salad as part of a vegetarian meal.

Also, just as you can leave out the cheese, you can make this dish with a different grain (like barley or quinoa). Use different herbs. Play around with the recipe and invent on your own. Cook the grain according to the directions on the package. The rest, as the great sage Hillel said, “is commentary.”

Wheatberry Salad with Tomatoes and Olives

1 cup wheatberries

3 cups water

1 15-ounce can (drained) black beans

1 large avocado, cut into chunks

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 cup halved grape tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1 cup chopped cheese or meat (optional)

1 fresh serrano pepper, deseeded and finely chopped

2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves

1/3 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vingar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Place the wheatberries in a large saucepan and add the water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 50-60 minutes or until the wheat is tender. Drain any remaining liquid and place the wheatberries in a bowl to cool. Add the black beans, avocado, bell pepper, tomatoes, red onion, cheese or meat if used, serrano pepper and oregano and toss to distribute ingredients evenly. In a small bowl whisk the olive oil, wine vinegar, mustard and cumin. Pour over the salad and toss the ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let the salad stand at least 30 minutes before serving.

Makes 6-8 servings

Kale Gratin

Kale is king these days. I’ve been reading all about things such as crispy fried kale and kale chips and braised kale and of course, kale soup.

All delicious. And it’s healthy too. Calcium. Vitamins A, C and K (sounds like New York subway lines). Also one of those cabbage descendants that may have anti-cancer effects.

I never heard of kale, growing up. The only cabbage we ate was in Aunt Goldie’s special soup and also the sauerkraut we put on top of our hot dogs.

But now, as I said, kale is king. Like other cabbage cousins, it can be acrid so you have to treat it right. If you overcook it, it can smell up the entire kitchen. But if you undercook it it doesn’t taste right.

I buy kale a lot because I like to experiment with recipes, especially with ingredients that weren’t familiar from my childhood.

But Ed has always hated my kale concoctions.

Until this one: Kale Gratin. It looked so appealing to him he actually asked for a piece (I was saving it to be rewarmed for another meal). And then he asked for seconds!

A miracle.

We finished the rest the next day (10 minutes in a preheated 400 degree oven).

Enjoy this, kale lovers!

Enjoy this, everyone celebrating Shavuot. It’s the cheese dish I will be serving instead of my usual Spinach Pie this year.

Kale Gratin

1 large bunch kale

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 cup half and half cream

1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2-3 tablespoons plain, fresh or dry bread crumbs

1 tablespoon butter

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut off and discard the hard stems from the kale. Discard discolored leaves. Wash the leaves carefully and cut them into 3-4 pieces. Place the leaves in a large saucepan, add about 1 cup water and cover the pan. Cook on medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes or until the leaves are soft and wilted. Press the water out of the leaves. Chop the leaves into small pieces and place in a lightly greased baking dish. In a bowl, beat the eggs and mustard until combined. Stir in the cream and blend ingredients thoroughly. Stir in the Swiss cheese and some salt and pepper to taste. Pour the mixture over the kale and stir to distribute the kale evenly in the dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top. Cut the butter into small pieces and use them to dot the surface of the gratin. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the top is crispy and golden brown. Makes 4-6 servings

Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies

Is this any time to be eating cheesecake? I mean, just when the weather is grand and we are beginning to think about what we will look like in a bathing suit soon?

Well, yes, if you don’t eat the whole cake and maybe you cut down on other high-calorie items or maybe work out a little longer. Indulgence is fine, IMHO, as long as it doesn’t get to be a habit.

And yes, if you will be observing Shavuot next weekend. This Jewish holiday celebrates the giving of the law (Torah) to the Israelites after the Exodus from Egypt. But somehow, for celebration sake anyway, there’s usually a cheesecake involved. Scholars say it may have to do with the Israelites’ flight from Egypt to the Holy Land, which is described as the land of “Milk and Honey.”

I think this year I will serve a different kind of cheesecake: Brownies with Cheesecake. In fact, they are already in my freezer for the company I am expecting.

Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies

1 cup butter

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate

2-1/2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped nuts, optional

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 8-ounce package cream cheese

Lightly grease a 13”x9” baking pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter and chocolate together in a large saucepan set over low heat (or in the top part of a double boiler set over barely simmering water). When the butter and chocolate have melted, blend them and stir in 2 cups of the sugar and 3 of the eggs. Whisk ingredients thoroughly. Add the flour, salt, nuts (if used) and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and stir in the ingredients with a large wooden spoon. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until thoroughly blended. Spoon blobs of the cream cheese mixture on top of the chocolate batter. Cut through the cheese, making swirls in the chocolate mixture. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool. Cut into bars with a sharp knife dipped into hot water. Refrigerate. Makes 24-36 pieces