peach crunch pie

This pie is so over the top good, it will make you believe in homemade pie again: that the effort and sacrifice is worth it. Sweet peaches studded into a sour cream nutmeg scented custard, and topped with buttery cinnamon streusel? heaven.

And really, for a custard pie, this one is as easy as they come. The custard bakes together in the oven, so that making it is really assembling it. (This is unlike other custard pies that require to cook the custard in a double boiler and then let it cool in the refrigerator.)

I brought this pie to a 4th of July pool party at a friends house. It was such a lovely, relaxed afternoon- Harriet even went swimming for the first time! At the end, we all sat on the patio, eating pie in the shade and it was really the perfectness that you hope for in summer: good people, conversation and relaxation. I was very blessed that our friends opened up their home to us for the day.

So, if you find yourself with a few ripe peaches hanging around, I think this pie would make a splendid send-off to summer to enjoy with friends.

This recipe is from The Fiddlehead Cookbook.

Filling:

1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 egg
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (if you can swing it, fresh ground is best)
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 cups peeled and thinly sliced fresh peaches or nectarines

Streusel Topping:

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (I use pecans for the walnut-averse)
2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup unbleached white flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
4 tablespoons butter, cut into several pieces

1 unbaked single 9-inch pie crust:

My favorite pie crust recipe is Deb Perelman's All Butter pie crust recipe and her tips are very helpful. Find the recipe on here brilliant blog, The Smitten Kitchen, here.

1) Preheat oven to 450 F and place rack in center of oven.

2) For the filling: Stir together sour cream, egg, 1 cup sugar, vanilla extract, 1/4 cup flour, nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in the peaches and pour into unbaked 9-inch pie shell. Seriously, how easy is that? No double burner, no stirring constantly and then chilling the custard. I love how simple this pie is.

3) Bake pie for 10 minutes at 450 F. Then, reduce the heat to 350 and bake for 10 more minutes. I think this initial baking time is just to help the custard cook up a bit before adding the crumb topping.

4) While pie is baking, prepare streusel topping:

Give the walnuts (or pecans) a rough chop. In a large bowl, stir together the nuts, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Cut the cold butter in with either a pastry cutter or a butter knife. The goal here is to chop the butter into pea sized pieces that are coated with the nut-sugar-flour mixture. At some point I usually transition from using the pastry cutter to using my (very clean) fingers to pinch it all together. (This is one of the reasons why you always want to start out with very cold butter. If at any point it starts to soften up on you, pause and put the bowl in the fridge for a few minutes.)

5) Take the pie out of the oven (leave the oven still on at 350 F) and sprinkle the topping evenly over. Then, put the pie back in the oven and bake for 45 to 50 more minutes. The goal is to bake until the majority of the pie seems a little puffed up (the center will not be), the juices are bubbling and the streusel topping is lightly browned. (Usually when I am sprinkling on the streusel topping, I take the opportunity to cover the crust with a piece of tinfoil to keep it from overcooking.)

6. Remove from oven, cool on a rack, and serve at room temperature; or refrigerate and serve cold. Store tightly wrapped in refrigerator. (Please note: it is normal for the filling to appear curdled. It does not impact the flavor at all. Also, should you be fortunate to have any leftovers, a slice makes a killer breakfast straight from the fridge the next day.)

September in So Cal is still summer (therefore, melon sorbet)

In So Cal, we are still in summer (like it or not) and while the rest of the states move on to cooler temperatures, I'll continue to enjoy these last vestiges of summer.

This week, I would like to share a few of my favorite recipes for enjoying the perfection that is summer produce.

Pictured above is a duo of cantaloupe sorbet and watermelon sorbet. I pureed and strained the fruit and then followed my standard sorbet recipe here. The main difference is that I use about 2 to 2 1/2 cups of pureed fruit and add 1/2 to 1 cup of simple syrup for the base mixture.

(Even Harriet was a big fan and as I was so focused on my camera frame, did not realize how close she had snuck up on the photography session until it was too late.)

I really liked the way the sorbet pictures turned out, so here are a few more (and an additional Harriet photobomb).

buttermilk ice cream

This recipe is from Tom Douglas' The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook.

buttermilk ice cream

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup honey

8 large egg yolks

1) Put the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and salt in a large bowl. Place a strainer over the bowl. You will use this setup after you make your creme anglaise.

2) To make the creme anglaise, put the cream, sugar, and honey in a saucepan and scald- bring to just below the boiling point until it begins to steam and little bubbles appear around the edges- stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

3) Meanwhile, put the egg yolks in a bowl and whisk until the yolks are pale yellow. Gradually add a ladle of the scalded cream to the bowl of yolks while whisking to warm the yolks. Pour the warmed yolks into the saucepan with the cream mixture and return to medium heat, stirring until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Immediately pour the creme anglaise through the strainer into the buttermilk mixture. Set the bowl over a large bowl of ice water and stir to combine. When cool, cover the bowl and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. 

4) Churn and freeze the chilled custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container. Cover and freeze for several hours or overnight until firm before serving. 

strawberry rhubarb crisp with buttermilk ice cream

I adore rhubarb. It is just one of the reasons why I think Nigella Lawson and I would be good friends. I love it as much for it's sour tang as it's perfect pinkness. I read in a book once that every recipe should have salty and sweet but what really elevates it is the addition of acid. It is a sour brightness that makes all the other flavors dance around on our palettes. Rhubarb contains the sweet sourness all on it's own.

In childhood memories, rhubarb seemed to grow in every backyard in the neighborhood. Our own house had a much neglected plot of it that appeared on it's own every summer. Cutting across the yard on our way to a friends house we would stumble into it and it was kind of like 'Oh yeah, the rhubarb is back again.' Such is the magic of childhood. Nowadays I sometimes feel like the only reliable returning element in my backyard is ants.

But here is a dish of summer nostalgia perfection- strawberry rhubarb crisp. I mixed it up a bit by capping with a scoop of homemade buttermilk ice cream. The labor was not lost. The cool creamy tangy ice cream softened and puddled on the warm sweet crisp.

The crisp recipe is from Barefoot Contessa's 'How Easy Is That?'

strawberry rhubarb crisp

4 cups fresh rhubarb, 1-inch diced (4 to 5 stalks)
4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved, if large (I cut into quarters, I prefer for the berries to sort of melt into the crisp)
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest (I omitted- the juice is enough citrus flavor for me)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup quick-cooking (not instant) oatmeal, such as McCann's
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2) For the fruit, toss the rhubarb, strawberries, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and the orange zest together in a large bowl. In a measuring cup, dissolve the the cornstarch in the orange juice and then mix it into the fruit.

3) Pour the mixture into an 8 x 11-inch baking dish and place it on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

4) For the topping, in the bowl of an electric mixture fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, salt, and oatmeal. With the mixer on low speed, add the butter and mix until the dry ingredients are moist and the mixture is in crumbles.

5) Sprinkle the topping over the fruit, covering it completely, and bake for 1 hour, until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown.

6) Serve warm with buttermilk ice cream (recipe here).

Jackie's maple syrup ice cream with walnuts and espresso

As if it is not clear by now, I love food. I love eating it, making it, shopping for it, talking about it and writing about it. I also love thinking about how memories of previous meals influence a recipe or cause a food idea to come together. So, how did it come to be that I am sharing with you a dessert for maple syrup ice cream with walnuts and espresso?

One of my favorite books ever, is Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi. It is a wonderful memoir from a literature professor about living and teaching in Iran. In the book, the author describes eating one of her favorite desserts, ice cream with cold coffee and walnuts. Small details like this are part of what make it such a wonderful read.

Cold coffee with ice cream is a real treat. I first enjoyed it at a restaurant in India. Big scoops of creamy sweet vanilla ice cream was served in a tall highball glass, submerged in cold, smoky dark coffee. It was not blended up, but rather like a coffee version of a root beer float.

I grew up eating a lot of ice cream. My parents owned a pizza and ice cream parlor. Eating pizza and ice cream, for us, was not reserved for special occasions- it was a regular part of our lives. This became even more true once I was old enough to work summers in the restaurant. For breakfast, almost every day, I would have a slice of hot plain cheese pizza topped with a large slice of fresh tomato. In the late afternoons, when the restaurant would quiet down a bit, I would sometimes catch my Dad taking a break from the heat of the pizza ovens by taking a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and drizzling birch syrup over it. Birch syrup is like maple syrup, except it was made from local birch trees. The sticky dark birch syrup against the cool vanilla ice cream has a similar flavor profile as the cold coffee and ice cream. (Sadly, the birch syrup company went out of business a few years back. My husband and I, however, still have quite the stockpile of their syrups. In addition to their classic birch flavor, they also made syrups from local berries: cherry, blueberry, etc. High-bush cranberry is my husbands absolute favorite.)

For Christmas, my sister bought me a copy of The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook. It is a collection of recipes from the celebrated Tom Douglas Seattle bakery. (If you watched this past season of Top Chef Seattle, you saw quite a bit of Tom Douglas.) While perusing the book, I saw this recipe for maple syrup ice cream. It reminded me of my Dad's predilection for birch syrup and vanilla. It is quite possibly the easiest ice cream recipe ever (no eggs, no need to cook a custard base) and has all the wonderful flavors of smoky sweet maple syrup.

After I made the batch, I was thinking about how to best serve it. All alone or as a topping for another dessert? I decided to do a spin on espresso con affogato, the Italian dessert of dumping a shot of hot espresso over cold ice cream. This time, as a nod to Azar Nafisi, I topped the maple syrup ice cream with a bit of chopped walnuts first.

The resulting dessert would be a perfect end to a brunch or light dinner. Mostly, for me, the enjoyment of it is in pulling together, in a single bite, different strands or experiences in my life: time spent with my Dad in the restaurant, a trip to India, and a favorite book.

Recipe from Tom Douglas' Dahlia Bakery Cookbook (Jackie is Tom Douglas' wife)

Jackie's maple syrup ice cream

2 cups cold heavy cream
3/4 cup cold milk
1 1/4 cups pure maple syrup, preferably grade B
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1) Put the cream, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt in a bowl and, using a whisk, mix lightly, just enough to combine everything well. Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

2) Transfer the ice cream to a container. Cover and freeze for a few hours or overnight, until the ice cream is firm.

My final step: rough chop a few walnuts and sprinkle over a few small scoops of ice cream. Fresh brew a shot of espresso or strong brewed coffee. Pour the hot coffee over the ice cream.

lunch (on a good day)

toast + ricotta cheese + halved grape tomatoes + salt & pepper
toast + avocado mashed with lemon juice and salt

This all adds up to a cheery lunch break. I love a nice little open face sandwich.
Here are two more of my favorites: tuna and hummus, caramelized onion jam tartine 

mint ice cream

Even all by itself, this would make a refreshing and light dessert. 

The color is not quite green- more lemongrass or light pistachio. I attribute this to the number of egg yolks in the custard. 

A note I have learned about making ice cream: when things are warmed up, the flavors appear much stronger. For example, after making this ice cream custard, but before freezing it, when I first tasted it, it seemed far too minty and sweet. I panicked a little bit. However, once frozen, the mint and sweetness are perfect.

The recipe is from Martha Stewart. 

mint ice cream

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups whole milk

pinch of salt

2 bunches fresh mint

1 cup sugar

8 large egg yolks

1) Combine the cream, milk and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and add the mint. Remove from heat and let steep at least 1 hour and up to overnight (I think I steeped it for 5-6 hours) Covered in the refrigerator.

2) In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar and yolks; set aside. Remove mint from cream mixture, and discard. Bring the milk mixture just to a simmer. Using a measuring cup or ladle, slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg-yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Keep adding milk mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time until it has all been added. (Be patient with yourself during this process. The goal is to avoid making mint flavored scrambled eggs.)

3) Pour mixture back into saucepan, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes. The custard should retain a line drawn across the back of the spoon with your finger. Pour through a fine sieve into a medium bowl set in the ice bath. Stir occasionally until cooled. Cover and transfer to refrigerator until chilled at least 1 hour and up to overnight. 

4) Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturers' instructions until set but not hard. 

5) Transfer the soft ice cream to a plastic container, freeze at least 4 hours and up to overnight. 

cucumber water

Note: I originally published this last August. This week, it has been so ridiculously hot, I felt it was appropriate to re-post. Maybe this will become an annual August beat-the-heat note? :)

I made this recently in the midst of an awful heat wave. Okay, so it was less of a heat wave and more of just what we call summer, but I do not think that makes me accept or love it any more. I felt a bit like those crazy sand people characters from Star Wars, only I was hiding in an air conditioned cave all day. I emerged in the morning and evening to water my garden. Every day, when I gave my tomato plants a good soaking, I'd wish them good luck and Godspeed.
When it is so hot, I crave simple, refreshing, pared down flavors. Enter cucumber water. It is delicate and lovely and seems somehow very refined. This also helps with the crankiness from the heat.
I first made this cucumber water for a trio of girlfriends, when we met together in my living room for a weekly writing club. They are all so clever and creative, I felt inspired to share something a little bit quirky and intriguing for a refreshment. It was very informal but wonderfully encouraging experience. We are now scattered all about the country and whenever I make this I think of those talented ladies and toast to them.

This idea is from Martha Stewart Living Magazine.

Cucumber Water

To flavor drinking water, add subtly aromatic slices of English cucumber (which are virtually seedless), instead of the usual lemon wedges. Float the thin rounds in a pitcher of chilled water. Garnish each glass with cucumber, too.

(even reading the recipe is somehow cooling, isn't it?)

chocolate sorbet

As summer days give way to back to school shopping and eventually thoughts of fall, I want to offer up one more frozen treat recipe. I really love my ice cream maker and will make ice cream and sorbet year round but, naturally, this is the season when I crave it. I am also including some pictures of my ice cream maker because, frankly, it is too adorable!

 My husband bought it for me as a 2nd anniversary present and I was so thrilled. I like it's cheery red color. But I love any kitchen appliances. Do you remember the scene from "Father of The Bride" where the whole wedding is almost called off because the groom buys the bride a blender? I first saw that as a kid and even back then I thought she was crazy.

I have learned many things from The Barefoot Contessa and one of them is to be conscious of flavor- for example, that chocolate things should really taste like chocolate. I know that sounds a bit silly, but think about it, haven't there been times when you've tasted something supposedly "chocolate" only to taste just sugar? Ina Garten talks about "turning up the volume" in her cooking and I think this sorbet is a great example of that. It does not have any cream in it but the cinnamon and espresso give a rich full roundness to the chocolate. The result, I feel, is more refreshing than chocolate ice cream. Do not panic, I still love chocolate ice cream, but I feel strongly in giving this sorbet a try.
Also, there is little to match the magic of pulling homemade sorbet out of the freezer to offer a friend (or yourself).

Chocolate Sorbet

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup very good cocoa powder (Ina recommends Pernigotti)
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups water
1/4 cup brewed espresso (1 shot)
1 1/2 tablespoons coffee liqueur (Ina recommends Tia Maria, I have a bottle of Starbucks coffee liqueur that only sees the light of day when I am making this)

 1) In a large saucepan, mix the sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in 2 cups of water and the espresso. Cook over low heat until the ingredients are dissolved.

2) Off the heat, stir in the coffee liqueur. Transfer to plastic containers and refrigerate until very cold.

3) Freeze the mixture in an ice cream freezer according to manufacturer's directions. The sorbet will still be soft; place it in a plastic container and freeze for 1 hour or overnight, until firm enough to scoop.

homemade frozen yogurt

I love frozen yogurt. Growing up my parents had a restaurant that also served frozen yogurt and ice cream. To this day I dream about the New York Blueberry Cheesecake frozen yogurt we used to have there. It was gorgeously purple and tangy creamy sweet.
I think it is that same sour tangy-ness that makes me love this frozen yogurt. It is not overly sugary and the flavor is similar to that of the currently trendy Pinkberry. It is icy, refreshing and has that whole sour sweet thing going on. And honestly, making it could not be more easy. Add a few sliced berries? bliss.
The recipe (if we can call it that, so simple) is from Sunset magazine.

Tart-n-Tangy Fro-Yo

32 ounces (about 4 cups) plain nonfat frozen yogurt
about 3/4 cups sugar

1) In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt and sugar until sugar dissolves. Taste and add more sugar if you like.

2) Spoon mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Transfer yogurt to a container and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

peach and blackberry crisp

Mercy, is this good. It is good out of the oven with vanilla ice cream puddling around it and, like so many things I love, it is good for breakfast the next day with a dollop of greek yogurt (or with more vanilla ice cream!).

The original recipe for this included raspberries, but blackberries were on sale and I was short a peach. So, I doubled the amount of blackberries and a complete success it turned out to be- the purple streaked berries mingled with the soft honey muskiness of the peaches. This of course is to say nothing of the buttery heaven crisp topping.

Please please try this. It makes enough to feed a crowd but less people also just means more leftovers.
This recipe from The Barefoot Contessa.

Peach and Blackberry Crisp

4 to 5 pounds firm ripe peaches (10 to 12 large peaches)
zest of 1 orange
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cups plus 2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pint blackberries (here the recipe originally called for 1/2 pint raspberries)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick cooking oatmeal
1/2 pound cold unsalted butter, diced

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the inside of a 10x15x2 1/2 inch oval baking dish

2) Immerse the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, then place them in cold water. Peel the peaches and slice them into thick wedges and place them in to a large bowl. Add the orange zest, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons of flour. Toss well. Gently mix in the raspberries. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. If there is a lot of liquid, add 1 more tablespoon of flour. Pour the peaches into the baking dish and gently smooth the top.

3) Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, salt, oatmeal, and the cold, diced butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the butter is pea-sized and the mixture is crumbly.

4) Sprinkle the crisp mixture evenly on top of the peaches and raspberries (or blackberries). Bake for 1 hour until the top is browned and crisp and the juices are bubbly. Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator and reheat in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until warm.

southern pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw

I love food's ability to build connections and establish moments.  One of my favorite things is asking people to describe their favorite meal. It is the most fun to see a person's eyes shine and watch how with animated gestures they describe their comfort dish -perfect bite- food memory.

In college, a friend from Missouri described this sandwich- tender shredded pork, swimming in a vinegary slightly sweet sauce and piled on a soft roll. I did not grow up with this kind of food and am not much of a meat eater, but her description of this sandwich made me crave it too.

I think this is a perfect summer meal with coleslaw and chips. Nothing too fussy, no pretention, just honest good food. The kind of food I like to serve friends.

Also, this is probably the only coleslaw I would serve friends. I may have coleslaw trauma from childhood (why pineapple? why raisins? and why leaving it in a car for four hours before the potluck?). This salad is straightforward- crisp cabbage, shredded carrot, vinegar spiked mayonaise dressing. It is a nice accompaniment to the pulled pork sandwich and is heaven when piled on top.

The pulled pork recipe is from Everyday Food magazine and the coleslaw is The Barefoot Contessa. 

Southern Pulled Pork Sandwich

1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
coarse salt and ground pepper
3 pounds boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), cut into 4 equal pieces
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 soft sandwich rolls, split
Store-bought barbeque sauce for serving (optional)

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in lower and upper positions. In a small bowl, combine sugar, cayenne, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. (I actually do not think I put that much salt in. If you are more comfortable with less than a tablespoon, feel free to reduce the amount as well.)

2) Place pork in a 5 quart dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot; rub with spice mixture.

3) In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, garlic, and 1/2 cup water; pour over pork. Cover pot, and place in oven on lower rack. Bake until pork is very tender and separates easily when pulled with a fork, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

4) Moisten shredded pork with the pan juices. When serving, may I recommend potato bread rolls? Their texture seems just right. Also, a varied selection of barbecue sauces along side for topping the sandwiches is fun.

Vegetable Coleslaw

1 pound white cabbage (1/2 small head)
3/4 pound red cabbage (1/2 small head)
5 carrots
2 cups good mayonaise
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons celery seeds
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

(The Barefoot Contessa recipe calls for shredding the vegetables in a food processor. As always, I include the original recipe instructions below. However, if you do not have a large food processor, please feel free to do what I do: finely slice the cabbage by knife and then shred the carrots on the large holes of a box grater.)

1) Fit a food processor with the thickest slicing blade. Cut the cabbages into small wedges and place horizontally into the feed tube. Process in batches. Next, fit the food processor with the grating blade. Cut the carrots in half and place in the feed tube so they are lying on their sides. Process in batches and mix in a bowl with the grated cabbages.

2) In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, vinegar, celery seeds, celery salt, salt and pepper.

3) Pour enough of the dressing over the grated vegetables to moisten them. Serve cold or at room temperature.