Sassy Southern Cooking with a French Twist

apples

Why I Love My Le Creuset

I have an unusual appreciation for my two Le Creuset Dutch Ovens. I think it’s fair to say I love them. Walking around the Charleston Wine & Food Festival the last few days under the constant assault of sponsor Le Creuset’s orange bags and banners, has given me added cause to ponder just why I so love my Le Creuset.

Cast iron, enamel-coated beauties, they’re loyal, dependable and will last forever, unlike a lot of people (and definitely some men)  I know.  Even though they’re heavy and situated in a very high, inconvenient cupboard, I go to them at least once a week, navigating an awkward step ladder to get there. Heck – I sometimes think I would navigate Everest, or at least try to, to get to my Le Creuset. I know without a shadow of a doubt they would be just behind my cat and dog to rescue if ever the house caught on fire.

I reach for these large pot friends when I need reliability, comfort, and some long-cooked soothing food goodness that makes the house smell soulful and fragrant. That’s exactly what these vessels are made for – braising, or long, slow cooking in liquid with aromats and seasoning, my favorite kind of food. I know that when I’ve made the effort to get out my Le Creuset, I’m in for a few hours of blissful, cooking delight and will be rewarded with something delicious in a few short hours.

They come in happy colors, too, like my French blue and lime green beauties. Once they’ve done their job, a good cleaning and air dry returns them to their clean, practically indestructable state. I once faltered in my loyalty to my fairer Le Creuset Dutch oven cousins, swayed by the similar colors and shapes of a much lower priced copycat variety I saw at a Harris Teeter display a few years ago. I bought a couple of casseroles and one cute, round, petite wanna-be Le Creuset Dutch oven.  Within a matter of three or four uses, their cheap teflon coating was scratched and they’d lost their luster. I still use them, but I bring out my Le Creuset for the big gun cooking, like this delicious braised pork stew to follow. Making it always makes me and my guests very happy. I hope it will you, too.

My trusted Le Creuset Dutch ovens, big blue and bright green delights.

My trusted Le Creuset Dutch ovens, big blue and bright green delights.

Sweet and Soulful Pork and Apple Stew

(Adapted from Southern Farmers Market Cookbook (Gibbs Smith) by Holly Herrick)

(Serves 6)

Boston Butt comes from the tough, working muscles of the pig’s shoulder and is a perfect candidate for braising and an open-ended backdrop for myriad flavorings from sweet to spicy and everything in between. Here, the round, even flavor of the pork dances with the sweetness of the fall apple harvest that lasts long into the winter months. I love a sweet/tart apple, such as a Winesap variety, but mix it up with whatever you have on hand.  Don’t substitute processed cider for fresh, however. It just doesn’t deliver the same results. If you’d like to add a last minute pungency-punch, stir in 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard just before serving. Served over grits, this is the consummate winter or cooler weather comfort food that you’ll remember long after the last spoonful is savored.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 pounds Boston Butt pork shoulder, cut into 2” cubes

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1 teaspoon dried sage leaves

1 medium onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced

2 celery stalks, cleaned and cut thinly

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons All-Purpose flour

2 cups fresh apple cider

1 cup water or chicken stock

2 Winesap apples, peeled, cored and cut into ½” chunks

3 sprigs fresh rosemary bound with a string

In a large Dutch oven or Crock pot, heat the olive oil and butter over high heat until bubbling. Add the pork, sage, and season generously with salt and pepper. Brown the pork well on all sides, stirring occasionally, until the meat is colored a deep, golden brown. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, celery and garlic and cook until just translucent and softened (about 5 minutes), stirring occasionally.

Return the browned pork to the pan. Dust with the flour. Stir to coat and cook through about 3 minutes. Add the cider to deglaze the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir to release all of the browned edges from the pan. Add enough stock or water to cover by a little over half. Add the apples and rosemary bring up to a boil and reduce to a very low simmer over low heat. Cover loosely with a lid and cook until very tender and thickened, 3 to 4 hours. Remove the rosemary bunch and taste to verify seasonings before serving.

 

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Easy Peasy Apple Walnut Tart

Of late, I’ve become increasingly sensitive to waste.  Wasted clothing, wasted time, wasted paper, and especially wasted food. Most Saturday mornings I go through my fridge to assess what I need to shop for that day. This involves cleaning out food that’s “past due” and that horrible sensation of throwing out and wasting what was once perfectly good food.

I’ve always hated doing this, my mother taking the motto of “waste not, want not” to epic proportions (she even re-uses underwear!),  but in a world where so many are in need from the ravages of storms, disasters, poverty and more, it seems even more reprehensible.

So, when I saw three forgotten Winesap apples I had  picked up at the farmers’ markets several weeks ago were starting to soften and fade, I refused to render them refuse and instead, decided to turn them into a tart. I also had some prepared frozen puff pastry in the freezer left over from recipe testing for a book I wrote on tarts, so there was yet another reason to make it happen.

With holidays on the horizon and Thanksgiving coming in two weeks, this tart is delicious and incredibly easy to make. In fact, it comes together in less than 30 minutes, and could be prepared while the turkey is resting and baked while everyone’s digging into their Thanksgiving feast, simultaneously perfuming the air with its heady aromas.

Normally, I’m not a fan of prepared pastry, but prepared puff pastry is so complicated to make and increasingly delicious prepared.  I say, go for it! I like Pepperidge Farm best. All you have to do is remember to defrost it over-night in the refrigerator or set aside 40 minutes for it to thaw at room temp. Tart/sweet, nutty, and rife with the aromas of cinnamon and vanilla, a warm slice of this tart practically begs for a generous scoop of best-quality vanilla ice cream. You can prep and assemble it a few hours ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator before backing. Bon appetit!

Easy Peasy Apple Walnut Tart

Easy Peasy Apple Walnut Tart

(Makes 6 servings)

3 apples (suggest a tart/sweet variety like Granny Smith or Winesap), peeled, cored, halved and thinly sliced

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup light brown sugar

Seeds scraped from two fresh vanilla pods (or 1 TBS vanilla extract)

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Generous pinch salt

Generous pinch ground nutmeg

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 sheet thawed prepared puff pastry

Egg wash: 1 yolk mixed with a splash of cold water and a pinch of salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 4 pats

Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking pan with a sheet of parchement paper. Gently unfold the thawed pastry and place on the parchment, pressing with fingertips to gap any holes in the creases or elsewhere. Combine the apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg and walnuts in a medium bowl, tossing well with your hands to coat evenly. Arrange in the center of the puff pastry, spreading the filling out to all but the last inch of pastry. This should be left “naked,”  as it will puff around the filling to form the edges of the tart. Smooth out the filling with your fingers or a wooden spoon so it is even and about the same thickness all around. Scatter the butter pats on top of the filling, spacing evenly.  Prepare the egg wash in a cup and brush the naked edges of the tart lightly with the wash, being careful not to let it slip under the pastry and onto the paper.

Bake in the center rack for 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Cut and serve with a fat scoop of delicious ice cream. (Note: This tart is also delicious at room temperature or cold).

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A Crunchy, Creamy Slice of Apple Love

Touring last Saturday’s farmers’ markets with visiting friends on a crisp, cool, picture-perfect morning was a pure, indulgent delight.  As if that wasn’t perfect enough, I spied the very first apple bins of the season at Owl’s Nest booth, including the ultra-crunchy, slightly tart Winesap apples I have loved since I first discovered them about six years ago. I literally squealed and did a little happy dance, I was so surprised to see them.

The fact is, I love fall’s cool days and nights and apples are one of the best ways to celebrate the season. Tart Granny Smith apples play with a cool, silky butterscotch pudding in this tart, which is drizzled with warm caramel to top it all off.  The pudding and caramel require careful attention, but the end taste-results are well worth it.

Adapted from Tart Love, Sassy, Savory and Sweet (Gibbs Smith, October 2011) by Holly Herrick.

Butterscotch and Caramel Apple Tarts

(Makes 2 tarts, approximately 10 servings)

Super-silky and delicate butterscotch (a beloved southern dish) forms the first layer of this delightful tart. It’s topped with see-through-thin slices of skin-on Granny Smith apples, which provide a protective layer for the hot caramel that tops it all off.

A decadent ode to autumn, this tart is surprisingly simple to make.

(Photo by Helene Dujardin)

Take extra care with the caramel. It’s not difficult to make, but it gets dangerously hot once the sugar turns to caramel and can do serious damage to exposed skin. The pudding, caramel, and pastry shells can be made a full day ahead and the tarts can be assembled up to 3 – 4 hours before serving.  Make sure it’s nice and cool when you serve it.

Equipment Needed: Two 13 X 4 X 1-inch rectangular tart pans

Master Sweet Pastry Recipe

2 1/4 cups White Lily all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

Generous pinch sea salt or kosher salt

2 sticks (1 cup) AA grade unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/4-inch cubes

About 3 tablespoons ice-cold water, or just enough to hold the pastry together

For the butterscotch pudding:

2 3/4 cup whole milk, divided

3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt

4 egg yolks

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon molasses

For the caramel:

1 1/2 cups sugar

9 tablespoons cold butter (1 stick plus 1 tablespooon), cut into cmall cubes

3/4 cup whipping cream

1 – 2 large Granny Smith apples, halved, cored, and sliced very thinly, for garnish

 

1 egg wash (yolk, splash water, pinch salt blended together)

Prepare the Master Sweet Pastry recipe.  In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a plastic blade, pulse together the flour, sugar and salt until blended. Add the cold butter and pulse, 40 – 50 times until the butter has broken down into small bits, about the size of tiny peas. Through the mouth of the food processor, gradually incorporate the ice water, until the pastry begins to form a very loose, slightly messy ball in the processor. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a disc, about 2″ high. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or overnight. When you’re ready to roll and bake, preheat the oven to 375F. Roll out the pastry into a large square, and cut into 2 rectangles. Line each pan with the pastry, leaving a slightly elevated border. Refrigerate for twenty minutes. Line the pans with parchment paper filled with dried legumes or pie weights. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights, and brush down the bottom, sides and tops of the tart shells with the pastry wash. Bake another 20 minutes or so, until the crust is completely baked and golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. (Note: This can be done a day ahead. Keep the tart shells in an airtight container once cooled.)

Prepare the pudding. In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup milk, brown sugar, salt, egg yolks, and cornstarch. Whisk until frothy and well blended. Meanwhile, bring the remaining milk up to a boil in a heavy-bottomed, deep saucepan over medium-high heat, watching closely to avoid scalding or spills. As soon as it just bubbles to a boil, gradually stream the warm milk into the mixture in the bowl. Whisk in until well incorporated. Return the mixture to the same pan and place over medium heat. Whisk vigorously for about 2 minutes, until the pudding starts to set. It should be smooth and firm with a pliable consistency. Remove the pans from the heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla, and molasses. Taste and adjust seasoning (especially salt) if desired. Transfer the pudding into a clean medium bowl and refrigerate until fully cold or overnight. Cover with plastic wrap pressed to the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming.

Meanwhile, prepare the caramel. Place the sugar in a medium-size heavy-bottomed pan with high sides. Heat over medium-high heat, gently stirring the sugar to help it melt and start to caramelize. Once the sugar has completely melted, stop stirring. It will caramelize very quickly, bubbling up a bit in the pan (be careful!). Once it has turned a luscious caramel color, remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until it is melted. Very gradually whisk in the cream. Set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, either us it to assemble the tart or refrigerate it in a covered container for up to 2 weeks.

To assemble the tarts, place equal quantities of the cooled pudding in the bottom of the two cooled pastry chells. Using a spatula, even out the pudding so it fully fills the tart shells and is flat and smooth. Slice the apples, then quickly arrange them along the top of the tarts in two rows, forming a kind of layered apple “spine” down the center of each tart. Top with a generous amount of caramel (about 3/4 cup for each tart), brushing with a pastry brush to evenly disperse and to cover the pudding and the apples. Chill the tarts for 2 to 3 hours before serving. Slice and serve on a plate drizzled with extra caramel sauce!

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Bon appetit! Tart Love, Sassy, Savory and Sweet is available in bookstores and online now.

 

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