Cream of the Crop Week 24: Pear and/or Apple Pie

 

Pear (and/or Apple) Pie
by Miriam Meir

This was delicious with the Asian pears from the fruit share, but it would work with apples too, and/or any combination of apples and pears.   

Ingredients
For the crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
12 tbsp (180 gr) cold butter, cut in small cubes 
1 large egg
3 tbsp ice cold water
1/4 tsp salt
For the pears: 
4-6 peeled pears or apples
3/4 cups sugar
string of lemon peel 
1/2 cup honey
For the filling:
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup almond meal (or ground blanched almonds)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Step 1. 
Lightly butter 9-inch pie pan.
Mix flour, salt, egg and butter in food processor for a few seconds. 
Add 3 tbsp ice water and process just until combined. Don't overprocess. 
Roll out dough and place in pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. 
Heat the oven to 350F. 

Step 2.
Bring to a boil 3 cups water, 3/4 cup sugar and the lemon peel. Cook for 20 minutes.
Add the pears and cook 30 minutes. Drain and dry the pears. 
Heat the honey in a pan and glaze the pears, turning the around in the honey for 5 minutes. Let cool.

Step 3.
Take the pie pan out of the fridge, remove plastic wrap, prick the bottom all over with a fork. 
Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool. 

Step 4.
Halve the pears lengthwise and remove pits. Then slice each half crosswise, but don't go all the way through, so that the slices remain attached on the bottom. 
Whip the egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until the mixture pales. Mix in the heavy cream, almond meal and vanilla extract. 

Step 5.
Place the pears on the pie crust with their narrow side facing the center. Pour the mixture between the pears. Bake for 45 minutes. 

Tip 1: So many pumpkins! Cut and peel one, boil and mash it, and add it to your favorite baked mac&cheese recipe along with any chopped herbs from the share. 

Tip 2: So many cabbages! Shred one and mix with ground lamb or beef, add a generous tablespoon or two of good quality mustard - best hamburgers ever! 

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About Miriam
Miriam is a new member of Cream of the Crop CSA. Mom, lecturer, and part-time grad student. Our family's kitchen is broadly mediterranean and inspired by our heritage: Belgian, Israeli, Moroccan and Syrian.

Cream of the Crop Recipe Week 22: Healthy Pumpkin Muffins

 

Recipe of the Week: Healthy Pumpkin Muffins

Healthy Pumpkin Muffins by Miriam Meir For a simple, healthy dinner - or breakfast to go!  Ingredients 2 cups pumpkin cut into 1-inch cubes ¼ tsp each cinnamon, fresh ground black pepper, ground nutmeg, and turmeric 1 cup rolled oatmeal 2 cups yoghurt 1 cup spelt flour, whole wheat flour or almond meal 1 tsp baking powder 1½ tsp kosher salt 2 tsp brown sugar 4 oz crumbled feta 1 large egg ¼ cup plus 2 tbsp olive oil Step 1.  Heat oven to 350. Mix pumpkin cubes in a bowl with 2 tbsp olive oil, ¼ tsp each of cinnamon, black pepper, nutmeg and turmeric, and 1 tsp kosher salt. Roast on rimmed baking sheet for 20 minutes. Step 2. Grind the oatmeal if you like. Mix oatmeal with the yoghurt.  Step 3. Lightly grease muffin pan with butter. Step 4. Mix the flour with 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt, and 2 tsp brown sugar. Step 5. Combine the feta, egg and ¼ cup olive oil with the yoghurt. Mix well, then add to the flour. Mix minimally just until combined. Step 6. Pour the batter into the muffin pan to fill about ¾ of the way. Scoop the pumpkin cubes on top, or mix them with the batter.  Step 7. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden. Note: You can use 1 tsp of Ras El Hanout or pumpkin pie spice mix instead of the spices in step 1.   Tip: Use the second half of the pumpkin for soup! Soften two onions in olive oil, add some chopped garlic, turmeric root, celery, salt and cumin. Add chunks of pumpkin and carrot, and any leftover herbs from your share. Add water to cover and cook for one hour.                                            About Miriam Miriam is a new member of Cream of the Crop CSA. Mom, lecturer, and part-time grad student. Our family's kitchen is broadly mediterranean and inspired by our heritage: Belgian, Israeli, Moroccan and Syrian.

Cream of the Crop Week 21: Tomato Rice

  

Recipe of the Week:  Tomato Rice

Tomato Rice by Nandita Venkatesan A warm and tangy rice dish - goes great as a side! This is also a great use of day old rice Ingredients 1 medium onion ( diced) 5-6 small tomatoes 1/2 cup dices carrots + peas ( optional) 2 cups white rice 1 green chili or jalapeno or 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder  4-5 dried curry leaves 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds. oil, salt, black pepper to taste ( obviously tastes better if you use more :) ) cilantro to garnish Step 1.  Add 1/2 tablespoon of oil to a pot. Slice the green chili or jalapeno in half and let it spurt in the oil.  Add the mustard seeds , fennel seeds, and curry leaves as well. Handy tip: Adding fennel will make it easier to digest onion. Step 2. Add the medium diced onion and let brown. If the onions are browning too fast - add salt to slow the cooking.  Step 3. Once the onions are browned - add the diced carrot and cook for 5 minutes until roasted.  Step 4. Add the finely diced tomatoes. The tomatoes will reduce very thoroughly and you want the mixture to turn into a paste - this will take 20-30 minutes roughly. Half way though, add salt to taste, black pepper, turmeric powder, and any additional red chili powder. You might want to over-season  here because you won't season after you add the rice.  Step 5. Once the tomatoes and onions have browned and look like a nice paste - add the peas and rice. Coat the rice thoroughly until there is no longer any white. Once the mixture is dried, turn off the heat and add chopped cilantro.  Nandita Venkatesan       A recent transplant to the UWS, Nandita enjoys getting involved in her neighborhood and getting outdoors. While she mostly makes Indian food, she loves making simplified versions of dishes that are easy to prepare on weekdays and incorporate local ingredients. Her go-tos are fun and tasty vegetable and lentil stews. Favorite dishes include rhubarb rice, aloo saag, cabbage kootu (a rich and thick cabbage, peas, and carrot stew).