Fresh Blueberry Pie

May 20, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Each week I follow along with Ina Garten (aka the Barefoot Contessa) and attempt to recreate one of her dishes in my tiny New York City kitchen. The catch? This is my version of cooking school and I’m making these recipes for the first time. I’ll share both my successes and um, challenges, along the way and we’ll see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Easy as Pie”

The Set-up: Ina and Michael The Florist are trading lessons – she’s showing him pie techniques and he’s showing her flower arranging tricks.

The Menu: Raspberry Corn Muffins, Fresh Blueberry Pie, Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

0:44 – Since they’ll need fuel for the baking lesson, Ina is making Raspberry Corn Muffins to get them started.

1:07 – Ina promises that these corn muffins won’t be “dry as a bone” and she’s not messing around – between the eggs, milk, and two sticks of butter about 3 cups of liquid is mixed in.

2:00 – Pro Tip #1: Don’t over mix the muffins or the gluten will develop and make them tough. Pro Tip #2: Use an ice cream scoop (the kind with the trigger) to portion the batter perfectly.

3:39 – We check in with Michael The Florist and he’s prepping to show Ina how to make a “hedge” flower arrangement.

4:26 – Back with Ina to pipe raspberry jam into the corn muffins. I can see that my lack of a piping bag is holding me back from filling things up with jam…

5:11 – Michael The Florist arrives and is immediately handed a freshly baked, freshly be-jammed muffin. I bet they’re still warm and I reeeally wish I had one right now.

9:13 – Pastry Lesson #1: Lighten the flour and level it off in the measuring cup. If you forget how many you’ve put in, start over. (Not that I’ve ever had to do that…)

10:01 – Pastry Lesson #2: Really cold butter, really cold shortening, really cold water. If you’re me you’re wondering how on earth she diced shortening and then you’re remembering that they make it in sticks now. Progress in our time!

11:19 – Pastry Lesson #3: Quickly collect the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic and chill it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to let it relax. Keeping everything cold makes the butter release steam when it hits the hot oven.

12:48 – Now we’re on to the filling of the pies. Ina is working on the Strawberry Rhubarb and Michael The Florist is rocking Fresh Blueberry.

13:30 – Both fillings need a thickening agent to help the fruit and juices stay together in the pie. The Strawberry Rhubarb calls for cornstarch, while the Fresh Blueberry uses flour. I wonder why the difference? This calls for some research…

14:31 – Pastry Lesson #4: Generously flour the surface before rolling out the crust to make sure it doesn’t stick.

15:16 - Pastry Lesson #5: Roll the dough from the center turning the crust periodically to form an even circle.

16:43 – Pastry Lesson #6: If the edge cracks, brush it with just a little with water and press the pieces back together.

17:05 – Pastry Lesson #7: Hold the pie plate you’re using over the rolled dough to help determine if it’s large enough. Then use the rolling pin to help lift the crust into the pan and ease the dough into the bottom. Don’t stretch it!

18:39 – Ina is doing a lattice top on her pie and Michael The Florist is doing a plain top. I still haven’t attempted a lattice top, but it seems far more do-able than it used to.

22:24 – Pastry Lesson #8: Glue the top and bottom crust together with egg wash and then press together with a fork, or by folding the bottom over the top and crimp the dough between two fingers so that it forms a ruffle along the edge.

23:46 – Time for the flower lesson, and in case you’re wondering, Michael The Florist is wearing a peony colored sweater that matches the blooms perfectly.

24:52 – A hedge arrangement seems to be long rectangles of that green foam flower oasis in low trays that are then covered with the flowers like a topiary. And now I want them to make one with boxwood.

25:29 – Flower Lesson #1: Choose a consistent color palette in a variety of shapes and textures. Flower Lesson #2: Place the larger flowers first then fill in with smaller blooms working from hydrangeas, peonies down to garden and spray roses.

26:03 – Flower Lesson #3: To ensure guests can see over the flowers put your elbow on the table and don’t make the arrangement any taller than your wrist. This is a brilliant hack. Flower Lesson #4: Avoid heavily scented flowers like freesia and lilies, they compete with the food!

27:44 – Wedding-ish flowers are done, but instead of cake Ina and Michael The Florist gleefully decide they’ll celebrate with “Pie!!!” instead.

28:57 – A toast with forkfuls of flaky pastry and fruit before Michael The Florist tries to abscond with the rest of the Fresh Blueberry. Ina resists tackling him to the ground, but just barely.

Final Thoughts:
I’ve been trying to up my pie game this year (2015, The Year of the Pie) and I truly am finding that practice is leading to better results.

This pie making tutorial is right on point for summer – so much fruit, so many pies to make!

Who else thinks that both Ina and Michael The FloristTM will continue to outsource their flower and pie making needs, respectively?

Lessons Learned:
I’ve basically only ever made apple pie, which now that I read it in black and white sounds kind of sad, so Fresh Blueberry Pie was a new challenge and pie crust is always a challenge for me, although I’m getting better! I took a class with Food52’s pie whisperer, Erin McDowell last December and my efforts with this recipe were definitely influenced by the wisdom she shared.

Dough Recipe – Confession time: shortening creeps me out, and while I’ve used it in pie crust before I wanted to try making a crust with butter only. Or, more accurately Erin McDowell’s All Buttah Pie Dough doubled for two 9” crusts.

Dough Mixing – Ina’s technique of using a food processor to mix the dough is amazingly easy, so much better than using a pastry cutter and trying to mix it by hand, although it certainly can be done.

Soggy Crust Avoidance Step #1 – I love fruit pies, but soggy bottom crust, not so much. If you’re with me on this, then I have fantastic news!!! I tried a new technique called par-baking – Erin’s guidance on the subject is detailed here – but in a nutshell it means partially baking just the lower crust (10-12 minutes was about right – you don’t want the edge to get too dark when it bakes again later.)

Soggy Crust Avoidance Step #2 – I also brushed the par-baked crust with egg wash before filling it with the blueberries, a recommended step for further preventing the crust from absorbing too much juice. The result: a crisp, firm bottom crust that has enough structural integrity to hold the slice together! [choirs of angels sing…] It does take an extra step, but for me it’s worth it.

Fancy Top Crust – I admit, I got a little fancy here, again Erin is responsible for giving me ideas, but here’s the good news: this is at least as easy as making a top crust and possibly a little easier. I just rolled out the dough to about the size I’d need for the top crust, then used large star-shaped cookie cutters. I free-form layered the stars on top of the blueberries and brushed each layer with egg wash to help the pieces stick together. That’s it!

Small Kitchen Friendly?
More than most pies, no peeling or slicing required! For the pastry I used a 6 cup food processor, 9” pie plate, measuring cups and spoons, rolling pin, cookie cutter, a utility knife, a small cutting board, pastry brush and a small bowl. Additionally, for the filling I needed a medium mixing bowl, microplane zester, and rubber spatula. Plastic wrap, parchment paper, and pie weights (dry rice or beans work perfectly and can be re-used) round out the necessary items.

The Verdict:
As you can imagine a Fresh Blueberry Pie with a crisp, all buttah crust is pretty darn amazing. The blueberries are perfectly complimented by the gentle zing of lemon zest and turn just this side of a molten blueberry preserve. I served it to friends who had come over for Saturday night cards – we’re channeling our parents and trying to learn bridge. Perfect on it’s own, even more delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Maybe for this weekend or the Fourth of July?

Asian Grilled Salmon

May 13, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Episode: “Fast and Elegant Supper”

The Set-up: Ina’s friend Frank is coming for dinner and she’s cooking up a feast in no time flat.

The Menu: Asian Grilled Salmon, Sautéed Asparagus and Snap Peas, Pear Clafoutis, Zucchini Vichyssoise

0:24 – We’re beginning with theZucchini Vichyssoise, possibly the most difficult to spell recipe ever invented. Seriously, I had to look up 100% of the words.

1:06 – Even though it’s impossible to spell, Ina likes it because soup is an easy made-ahead dish and this one has the double benefit of being served cold. You know, like revenge…

2:45 – Ina is leaving the skins on the potatoes because they’ll be pureed and filtered out when the soup is processed through the food mill. Sounds reasonable.

3:17 – Onward to the Pear Clafoutis which Ina says is basically a pancake with fruit cooked in it. I made one last summer with cherries to mixed reviews – it seems that neither of us are that fond of custards.

4:38 – A little cooking math from Ina – did you know that 1/4 cup is equal to 4 tablespoons? Cue the More You Know star…

5:21 – Ina says that some pear brandies have a whole pear in the bottle which sounds amazing, but how do you get that delicious pear out?

6:13 – Ina confirms that cherries are the traditional fruit for clafoutis, but you already knew that from my post last year.

9:32 – Time to puree the vichyssoise and finish the soup. Ina has a well documented love of the food mill, but I have honestly never used one. They seem a little cumbersome for a small kitchen.

10:59 – Now for the main event: Asian Grilled Salmon. Ina can’t remember how many times she’s made this, but from her tone it’s probably in the neighborhood of a metric ton.

11:20 – Apparently the marinade is used in two ways – first to flavor the fish ahead of cooking and then later as a sauce.

12:45 – As if the marinade working overtime weren’t enough, Ina says that this recipe makes great leftovers so she always makes extra. Efficiency!!

13:56 – The soy sauce in the marinade is what makes this Asian, but I’d also love to try it with grated fresh ginger. I bet that would be really good too.

14:18 – Now that dinner is 90% finished Ina has left the premises and Miguel has arrived to set the table.

15:03 – Florist Pro Tip from Miguel: if you don’t have a flower frog, make a grid over the opening of the vase with scotch tape to hold the flowers in place.

19:17 – Back to prep the fruit for the Pear Clafoutis. Firm, but ripe pears are best and Ina has buttered and sugared the pan.

20:30 – Ina has placed the sliced pears in the dish to make a gorgeous pattern, which reminds me a lot of the process for Apple Cake Tatin.

21:55 – Even though this is called Asian Grilled Salmon it turns out that Ina is cooking indoors. Good news for me since an actual grill is out of the question right now.

22:24 - Sautéed Asparagus and Snap Peas are the side dish Ina is serving along with the salmon. Relevant to your interests: they’re both in season during late spring/early summer, so basically right now.

23:41 – In case you’re wondering, this does count as a green vegetable in my book and I bet the combination is great with the salmon.

26:32 – The salmon is coming off the grill pan and Ina suggests placing it skin-side down on a platter so that the reserved marinade/dressing/sauce poured over it will be absorbed.

27:11 – A final drizzle of sauce, a final flip of the vegetables, and the vichyssoise is ladled into the most charming little tureens and sprinkled with a few snips of chives.

28:40 – Ina’s guessing that dinner will be so elegant that her guests won’t realize how easy it was.

29:12 – The Pear Clafoutis goes over well – it’s Miguel’s particular favorite – and everyone agrees to come back, even if dinner is Chinese takeout.

Final Thoughts:
Ina’s recipes, while fairly simple, do take a little doing and a fair amount of time, so I love it when she cooks something that’s really quick!

I am seriously thinking of tinkering with that marinade recipe and making a ton of different versions of grilled salmon - can I get some taste-testers?

I wonder if Ina feels terrific pressure when she has guests – the expectations of dinner prepared by the Barefoot Contessa must be pretty high.

Lessons Learned:
absolutely love salmon but since I’ve started cooking it at home I’ve never tried marinating it, which seems like a serious gap in my repertoire. Asian Grilled Salmon is seriously simple (just 5 ingredients including the salmon) and takes about 15 minutes to prepare not counting the marinating time.

Flavor - One of the primary things I learned is how much flavor can be developed with truly minimal ingredients. I want to cook simply, but I still feel the urge to keep adding and adding when perhaps a more limited list would work just as well. Something to keep in mind….

“Grilling” – I put that word in quotes due to my lack of charcoal (Webers aren’t really conducive to apartment living.) However, as Ina demonstrated this recipe is 100% doable without a grill or even a grill pan, the cooking time (5 minutes per side) is exactly the same, so don’t let that a lack of grilling equipment hold you back! Definitely turn on the exhaust fan, or rig one up with a small fan in the closest window – this lets off a lot of smoke and sizzle.

Tools – This is a time when a fish spatula (metal, slim, very flexible) would have been helpful, if you have one definitely bust that baby out and use it. I made do with a standard spatula, but I’m coveting this one from Kuhn Rikon that combines sturdy stainless steel and a silicone edge. Trust the Swiss for perfection, right?

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Oh yes. I used a cast iron grill pan (a sauté pan would work too), a glass baking dish for marinating, a metal spatula, small cutting board, chef’s knife, small bowl, measuring spoons, and a tablespoon for mixing. That’s it!

The Verdict:
The flavor in Asian Grilled Salmon is A-mazing and belies the simplicity of the marinade and the amount of effort required. I made this for a midweek dinner and both Mike and I were in heaven. The reserved marinade has the perfect amount of salt from the soy sauce, a little heat from the mustard and is begging to be the dressing over a pile of baby spinach, roasted asparagus or broccoli. Ina was definitely telling the truth – this dinner is fast and fabulous.

Rao's Famous Lemon Chicken

April 22, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Episode: “Restaurant Rules”

The Set-up: Ina’s cooking restaurant dishes at home and getting some tips from her chef friends.

The Menu: Prosciutto Roasted Bass with Autumn Vegetables, Skillet Brownies, Rao’s Famous Lemon Chicken (Pollo Al Limone), Peas and Prosciutto

0:44 – Ina says she typically avoids restaurant style cooking at home because it’s just too complicated. Amen. There’s a reason chefs and professional cooks need so much training!

1:26 – She’s breaking the rules today with a simplified version of a dish she had at Spago in LA: Prosciutto Roasted Bass.

2:15 – First up, roasting a ton of root vegetables – parsnips, carrots, potatoes, and butternut squash.

3:03 – Now Ina is wrapping squares of sea bass in sheets of prosciutto. Why is it that anything “wrapped” immediately seems special?

4:26 – Oh to be Ina’s assistant, treated to dinner at Spago at the end of every book tour.

5:39 – Final step is melted butter flavored with rosemary and lemon. I trust that literally anything doused in this concoction would taste amazing.

6:01 – Time to plate, the roasted fish placed on a bed of root vegetable and dressed with the flavored butter sauce. Now, Barbara, we feast!!

10:28 – Ina says she first tried Skillet Brownies at the Standard Hotel in New York and couldn’t believe she hadn’t thought of the idea herself.

11:15 – Random Side Note: I love recipes with odd measurements, like the sugar (1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon) here. Maybe this is faulty logic, but it tells me that it’s been tested and tested until it’s Baby Bear level “just right.”

12:32 – Time to bake the brownies and Ina has the most adorable miniature cast iron skillet. Seriously, these babies are ridiculously charming.

13:47 – While the brownies bake we get some kitchen tips from chefs: Kevin Penner recommends covering scales with plastic wrap to prevent cross contamination, Oliver Quignon suggests a new take on plating an iceberg & blue cheese salad.

14:09 – A few more – Julia Turshen uses tongs as a press to juice citrus; Joe Realmutto sautés dried herbs in olive oil to release their flavors before de-glazing with the tomatoes.

15:11 – Brownies are out of the oven – a little underbaked, so they’re still super gooey – and Ina’s serving them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Honestly, people would pass out from the cuteness (and the sugar high) if you served brownies this way.

19:36 – Field trip time! Ina is in East Harlem at the legendary Rao’s, notable for the cooking, but also it’s old-fashioned approach to dining. One seating, not open on weekends, and tables are held for regulars – you can see why a reservation might be just a wee bit challenging to secure.

20:48 – We’re in the kitchen with Frank Pellegrino, the restaurant’s owner to learn how to make a family recipe (70 years!!) called Rao’s Famous Lemon Chicken (Pollo Al Limone).

21:14 – The cooking takes place in stages, first broiling the chicken, then making a vinaigrette type sauce with lemon, garlic, oregano, and red wine vinegar.

22:37 – Frank says “we don’t do complicated.” The chicken goes under the salamander/broiler for 2 minutes and “voila, lemon chicken.”

23:19 – Ina gets a taste (natch) and says it’s so, good, so lemony. I’m intrigued by the red wine vinegar…

27:34 – We’re back with Frank to make Peas and Prosciutto which starts with sautéed garlic and onions. I’m on board.

28:23 – Now comes the prosciutto into the pan and I can see why Frank says this is their most popular vegetable. Then the peas are stirred into the cooked onions and then everything gets a ladle of chicken stock.

29:05 – This dish is pretty unusual - somewhere between a vegetable side dish and soup.

29:40 – Ina and Frank belly up to the bar to chat and eat, and laugh and have a fabulous time.

Final Thoughts:
Ordering dishes in restaurants that I know I can’t make at home – fancy technique, unique ingredient, etc. – is always my strategy.

I like Ina’s approach to drawing inspiration from restaurants but in a simplified version.

One year to get a table or thirty-five years I’m still jealous of Ina eating at Rao’s!

Lessons Learned:
I decided to make Rao’s Famous Lemon Chicken (Pollo Al Limone) because I can never have enough chicken or lemon or lemon chicken in my life, and, because I’d never cooked an entire chicken under the broiler.

Chicken Cooking – First lesson, make sure the broiling drawer and/or oven is super clean or you’ll fill your kitchen full of smoke like I did. Not so good. When broiling isn’t an option, turn the oven up to 500 degrees. I dried the skin with paper towels and used a cast iron skillet to get the kind of heat retention and sear I was looking for. Problem solved!

Sauce Prep – Just a little bit of mincing, juicing, and measuring; all standard cooking techniques. The recipe as originally written requires two different pans, one for broiling the chicken the first time and a separate pan to cook the chicken in the sauce. I love a pan sauce, and it’s simpler to use the same one so I did. Frank will probably come and hunt me down for messing with his recipe, but I stand by my choice.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, 100%. I used an 8 inch cast iron skillet, tongs, a medium cutting board, chef’s knife, liquid measuring cup, measuring spoons, and a table fork for whisking. That’s it!

The Verdict:
Mike and I both love a good roasted chicken, but the sauce is what really sets Rao’s Famous Lemon Chicken (Pollo Al Limone) apart. On the surface it’s incredibly simple and really not terribly fancy – dried herbs, some lemon, etc. – all ingredients that are accessible to the home cook at a moment’s notice. The combination, however; is greater than the sum of its parts. I served the chicken straight from the skillet and we both found ourselves going back to the proverbial well to soak up more with every bite. Addictively delicious and I will never cease to be amazed at the magic of red wine vinegar. Don’t skip it! Do make this recipe!

Crispy Pork Schnitzel

April 20, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

I can only think of two occasions when I’ve eaten schnitzel in restaurants, but both were memorable. I’ll also admit that the first time I tried it I wasn’t overly impressed – it seemed a little heavy and not overly flavorful, but Mike won major points by ordering it in a restaurant on an early date just so I could try it, even though it was August and he probably would have preferred something else.

Not an especially auspicious beginning, but fast forward several years to our trip to Vienna last spring. Our Austrian friends confidently recommended dinner at Figlmüeller a restaurant famous for their schnitzel, and I figured there was no better time to try it again than in the heart of schnitzel territory. The schnitzel was in a word: glorious. Deeply flavorful, about the size of a medium thin-crust pizza, and perfectly accompanied by fresh lemons and a glass of gewürztraminer – the experience rekindled my interest in German food.

Brief nerdy side-note: wienerschnitzel is a protected term and means specifically schnitzel made with veal. The word schnitzel is broader and encompasses both pork and veal. Similar to say, Champagne vs. sparkling wine.

Crispy Pork Schnitzel (serves 4)

Ingredients:
4 (4-6 ounce) boneless pork loin chops
1 1/2 cups plain dry breadcrumbs
1 large egg
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon water
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
1 lemon, cut in wedges
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
kosher salt
ground black pepper

Instructions:
Trim the boneless pork loin chops of any fat before placing them between two large sheets of plastic wrap. Use a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat mallet to pound each piece until it’s about 1/4 inch thick. Generously sprinkle both sides of the pork with salt and pepper.

Measure out the flour and breadcrumbs onto two large plates. On a third large plate, carefully beat together the egg and water to create an egg wash. Dredge each piece of pork in the flour, followed by the egg wash and lastly the breadcrumbs. Gently press the breadcrumbs to help them adhere to the egg wash.

Place the breaded pork on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and rest in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. This step will help the breadcrumbs to adhere and prevent them from falling off during the frying process. It also gives you a few minutes to clean up and start heating the oil – multi-tasking!

Next, pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Carefully place two pieces of breaded pork in the hot oil at a time. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. Remove the cooked schnitzel to another parchment lined baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while the second batch sautés.

Drain the cooked schnitzel on a paper towel briefly and serve immediately with lemon wedges and a sprinkle of parsley.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Fairly, assuming you have enough large plates. I used a rolling pin to flatten the pork loin chops, three dinner plates, two baking sheets, one medium sauté pan, a small cutting board, a chef’s knife, metal spatula, and both dry and liquid measuring cups and spoons. An instant read meat thermometer offers peace of mind.

The secret weapon of this recipe: clear plastic wrap. It turns your counter into another plate and prevents contaminating a clean. Second runner up: parchment paper. Makes clean up easy and helps keep the breading crispy in the oven.

The Verdict:
Mike and I both have German/Austrian blood, respectively, running in our veins, so maybe that’s why we liked this so much? But really, who doesn’t like tender meat in a crispy coating lightly dressed with lemon juice? Schnitzel is perfect with a simple arugula salad, and extra bonus: a short cooking time coupled with a breading process than can easily be done ahead of time means dinner can be on the table in well under an hour. Works for me!