Recipe: Vinegar Pie Crust

Vinegar Pie Crust

Adapted from a recipe by Louise Egert

Yield: one 9 inch double crust pie

Ingredients

2 c unbleached all purpose flour

about 7 oz  (a little more than 3/4 c) chilled vegetable shortening

1 T vinegar

1/4 c whole milk

1 t salt

Instructions 

In a large bowel, combine flour and salt.  Cut in shortening until mixture resembles course crumbs.

Stir in vinegar and milk until mixture forms a ball.

Divide dough in half. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.

Roll out dough between 2 sheets of wax paper. If the crust tears, just pinch it together. It is very forgiving.

Recipe: Foolproof Pie Crust

Foolproof Pie Crust

Recipe Developed by Cook's Illustrated

Yield: one 9 inch double crust pie

Ingredients

2 1/2 c unbleached all purpose flour

1 t salt

2 Tbsp sugar

12 Tbsp cold unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into 4 pieces

1/2 c chilled vegetable shorting, cut into 4 pieces

1/4 c vodka, cold

1/4 c water, cold

Instructions

Process 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogenous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.

Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

Recipe: Purslane Salad with Feta Cheese and Olives

Purslane Salad with Feta Cheese and Olives

Adapted from a recipe by Rosemary Barron

Yield: 2 servings as a main course; 4 servings as a side salad

Ingredients

For the salad:

 2 c purslane leaves and tender stems, coursely chopped

2 ripe tomatoes, seeded, and cut into small dice

1 small English cucumber, cut into small dice

4 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced

1 c flat leaf parsley, coursely chopped

3 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried oregano)

3 Tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped

12 Niçoise or Kalamata olives, coursely chopped

8 oz feta cheese, well drained and crumbled

 For the Vinaigrette:

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Cracked black pepper to taste

Salt to taste

Preparation

In a non-reactive bowl, combine the purslane, herbs, tomato, cucumber, scallions and olives. 

Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, pepper and salt, and pour over salad. Lightly toss together.

Just before serving, mix in the crumbled feta (or sprinkle on top of the salad, if you prefer). 

Recipe: Spinach and Feta Quiche

Spinach and Feta Quiche

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

2 lbs fresh spinach, washed, dried and coarsely chopped

1 small shallot, peeled and finely diced

2 Tbsp olive oil

4 jumbo eggs

1 cup heavy cream (may substitute 1 cup skimmed evaporated milk for low fat option)

8 ounces feta cheese, crumble

salt and pepper, to taste

9 inch pie shell

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375F

In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil until hot, but not smoking. Saute shallot until soft. Add spinach to sauté pan, and cook until wilted. (This will take less than 2 minutes.) When cool enough to handle, squeeze excess liquid from spinach, using a fine mesh colander.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs and cream until well blended.  Season custard with salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange half of the feta cheese on the bottom of the pie shell, followed by the spinach.

Pour the custard over the spinach and then top with the remaining cheese.

Bake the quiche until the custard is golden, puffed and set -- approximately 40 minutes. (The custard is set when an inserted knife comes out clean.)

Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe: Spring Onion Au Gratin

Spring Onion Au Gratin

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients

4 Spring Onions*

4-6 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup dry white wine (or stock), if using less butter

1 1/2 c fresh bread crumbs (about 3 slices of bread)

1/2 grated pecorino romano cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350F

Thoroughly clean the spring onions, taking care to remove all dirt and sand. Trim off the stems and the top of the greens.  Split the onions lengthwise with a sharp knife and placed them cut size down in an oblong baking dish -- alternating the bulbs with the stems.

Pour butter and cream over the spring onions. Shake the baking dish to evenly distribute the liquid. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and place in the oven.  Bake the spring onions for approximately 40 minutes. (Check them after 30 minutes).  The onions are done when a sharp knife can be easily inserted into the thickest part of the bulb.

Remove the baking dish from the oven, and increase the temperature of the oven to 425F.  

In a separate bowl, combine the bread crumbs and grated cheese.  Spread the mixture evenly over the spring onions.  Return the dish to the oven and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the topping is brown.

*This recipe also works very well with fresh leeks.  Again, clean them really well.  They are very sandy.