This crust is the flakiest ever when served the day it is made. To hold it over for a day, tent with foil and store at room temperature. Can be placed in the refrigerator for up to 2 days – tented of course.
Crust Recipe
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 2 sticks unsalted butter ( 1 cup) cold and cut into small cubes
- 1/4 – 1/2 cups ice water
- 1/3 cup of water
Pulse the flour, salt and sugar in the food processor until combined. Add the butter and pulse until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-size pieces remaining.
Drizzle 1/3 cup of water and blend until mixture holds together when pinched. If this is too crumbly add more water, 1 tbsp. at a time. Do not over process.
Divide dough in half. Transfer to two pieces of plastic wrap; knead two times and form into disks. Wrap in the plastic and refrigerate at least one hour.
Now that is done. Just make a note that this the flakiest when used the same day you make it. Let’s finish this now.
Filling
- 8 Anjou pears, peeled, cored and cut into 3/4 inch wedges
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup diced candied lime peel
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 3/4 tsp. coarse salt
- 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
- flour for dusting
- Pate Brisee (just made)
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 large egg, well beaten
- 1 cinnamon stick
Preheat oven to 375 degrees with the rack in the center. Add a sheet of tin foil on the rack below just in case juices run over.
In a large bowl combine the pears, sugar, lime peel, cornstarch, lime juice, salt and nutmeg.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll one of the disks out to a 13 inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) Fit into a 9 inch pie plate. Pour the filling in the pie shell. Dot with butter on top.
Roll out the second disk to a 13 inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. Drape this over the filling. Trim the overhang to 1 inch and press to seal, then tuck under and crimp with a fork. Brush the top with the beaten egg. In the top, cut 5 slits to allow for venting. Make a pretty design like a leaf. Insert the cinnamon stick to act like the stem. Freeze this 30 minutes.
Bake until the crust is golden on the bottom and the juices are bubbling in the center (about 60-90 minutes). If it is browning too quickly tent with foil or use an edge protector. Remove from the oven to a rack and allow to cool completely. This should take about 4 hours.
Slice and serve. oh no! Too many ahhs and ohhs. Just smile and say thank you. Anyone for more?
Spicy Clams With Linguine For a Special Night
This recipe will serve two, so adjust if having company for dinner.
- 8 oz. linguine
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 minced cloves of garlic
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 18 littleneck clams, scrubbed *
- 1 tbsp. unsalted butter, freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, plus 1 tbsp. thinly sliced stems
- Generous amount of grated Asiago cheese -optional
Bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the water. Drain the remaining water.
Heat the oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds, making sure to stir continuously. Add the wine and bring to a simmer. Increase the temperature to medium-high and add the clams. Cover and cook until the clams open (4-6 minutes). Should any of the clams not open up, be sure to discard.
Stir in the butter, parsley and stems. Add the pasta and toss to coat completely. Add the pasta water, 1 tbsp. at a time until the sauce is loose and creamy. Top with a sprinkle of freshly ground pepper and grated Asiago cheese if you wish.
*TASTE first, then add a little salt if necessary as the clams are naturally salty and you do not want to ruin the dish.
Divide equally into your prettiest bowls, garlic toast and chilled wine. What a date night this could be. Enjoy.
Gift Card Alert
What I am about to explain to you is not a joke. In fact the hidden write up is not known to most of us who received a Visa or MasterCard gift card for Christmas. Don’s daughter says the ‘paper’ that comes with the card was folded about 12 x’s and was unreadable (print waAAAAY too small).
We went out to dinner with Don’s daughter, Carole, in Penticton and used the Visa gift card she and her brother, Trevor, had given us for Christmas. The bill was $9.00 more than the amount of the card, so Don told the server he would pay cash for the balance as well as the tip. Fine. Right? Not so.
The server returned and told us the card was declined. Okay, a little embarrassment here but we paid and left. We double checked the receipt that Carole had (thank goodness) and it showed she has paid the activation charge of $6.50. When we got home Don kept trying to check it out on-line and it kept coming back as invalid.
Next morning, after several calls to Carole (now back in Vancouver) and we were now going to send the card back to them and see if the store would honour the transaction even though the numbers on the receipt and card weren’t matching. Don got through to someone (FINALLY) who told him the phone number on the card was for the USA not Canada and gave him the correct number to call. This he did and it turns out: LISTEN AND LEARN HERE. The deal is the card automatically takes a 15% “gratuity” before you actually get to use the card. So….
If you tip the server/or service they are getting it twice. Here it goes again.
- activation charge at time of purchase (differs depending on dollar amount)
- 15% charge taken before any charges applied to card
- another ‘fee’ if you will, taken when you tip.
If it is a gift card say, to the Bay, or Bentley Luggage that is good. No extra fee taken here.
Best way: Don’t use the Visa or MasterCard gift cards. The only winner is the one who takes the card not uses the card.
Five Ways To Use Hot Peppers For Snacks
For those of you who can eat these peppers, here are five different variations you can serve at your next football or hockey gathering.
Recipe for pickling jalapeno peppers
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 14 cup water
- 1 tbsp. white sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 8 oz. jalapeno peppers, sliced in half, lengthwise
Boil everything together except the peppers. Stuff the jars with peppers and ladle the vinegar into sterilized jars. Seal and let stand overnight before using. Can be refrigerated up to 1 month. Now go ahead with the recipes.
Jalapeno Stuffed Peppers
- 10 pickled Jalapeno peppers
- 2 slices bacon
- 3 tbsp. cream cheese
- 2 tbsp. chopped fresh mint
Seed the peppers. Cook the bacon until crisp and then finely chop.
Stir in the cream cheese with the mint. Stuff the peppers with the mint mixture and top with the chopped bacon. Broil on a baking sheet for 1-3 minutes. Serve warm.
Pickled Chilies
- 7 oz. red chili peppers
- 2 shallots, cut in half
- 2 slices bacon
- 3 tbsp. cream cheese
- 2 tbsp. chopped, finely, cilantro
Seed the chilies, add the shallots to the bacon and cook making sure not to burn the shallots. Remove from the heat and chop fine.
Mix together the cream cheese and cilantro well. Stuff the chilies with the cheese mixture, top with the bacon shallot mixture. Broil on a baking sheet for 1-2 minutes.
Pickled Pepper Caesar
- 2 cups Clamato juice, chilled
- 1/2 cup Vodka
- 1/4 cup pickled pepper brine
- Lemon rounds, thinly sliced
- saucer with celery salt for rimming glass
- 1 celery stalk each glass
- 1-2 pickled jalapeno peppers, each glass for garnish
Stir the Clamato juice with the vodka and brine along with the lemon rounds in a large pitcher filled with ice cubes. Rim glasses with celery salt and pour the mixture into each glass. Garnish with a celery stalk and a pickled pepper.
Pickled Banana Pepper Caesar
- 8 oz. banana peppers, seeded
- 1 tbsp. pickling spice
- 1/4 cup pickling brine
Mix these together and use instead of the jalapeno peppers in the above recipe.
Pickled Scotch Bonnets
(be sure to warn your guests on this one)
- 5 oz. scotch bonnet peppers, seeded
- 4 bay leaves
Add these to a jar of scotch bonnets and use in either the Caesar drink or as the stuffed peppers, making sure to remove the jalapeno or banana peppers to continue with the recipes.
Note: Be sure to wear rubber gloves when working with the peppers and do not touch your eyes.
Grape Panzanella Salad
This is a lovely yet light salad. Great for getting back on track.
- 4 slices Italian bread
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, halved
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp. honey
- ground fresh pepper
- 1 cup green seedless grapes, halved
- 1 cup red seedless grapes, cut in half
- pint of multi- coloured cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 log of goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped fine
- 1/4 cup toasted pecans
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Brush 4 x 1 inch slices of day old Italian Bread with 2 tbsp. olive oil. Spread out on a baking sheet and bake until toasted, turning over once. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Cut a garlic clove in half and rub the cut side on the toasted bread. Chop the bread into bite-size pieces. When done, it should measure about 5 cups.
Whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar with the honey in a large bowl. Season with a sprinkle of ground pepper. Add the grapes and tomatoes, tossing to coat.
Divide the bread cubes onto 4 salad plates. Spoon out the grape mixture over the bread, Sprinkle the goat cheese over the top along with the basil and toasted pecans.
This is delightful.
Cauliflower Gratin
Before the cost of cauliflower goes through the roof, buy one and make this. It is so truly yummy you won’t want to miss out.
- 1 cauliflower, cut into small florets – 8 cups
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- salt and ground pepper
- 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp. flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 tbsp. grated Asiago cheese
- 1 1/2 cups finely grated Gruyere cheese
- pinch of grated nutmeg
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a bowl, toss the cauliflower with the olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Lay out on a baking sheet and roast, turning once, for about 20-25 minutes.
Reduce the temperature to 325 degrees. Melt the butter over medium heat and add the flour, stirring for one minute to cook off the flour, slowly whisk in the milk/cream until it begins to simmer. Whisk constantly for about 10 minutes, until it thickens . Remove from the heat and add the Asiago cheese, nutmeg and 1/2 of the Gruyere cheese.
Spray a 2 quart baking dish with Pam and pour the cauliflower in. Sprinkle the remaining Gruyere cheese over the top and bake for about 25 minutes.
You could also substitute the cauliflower with Broccoli. Be adventurous and use half and half.
Orange, Trout and Avocado Salad
Okay…so you forgot to set your scale back 10 lbs. before Christmas Season began but never mind, this will put you back on track. It is easy and delicious
This salad will serve 4.
- 2 skinless trout fillets (8 oz. each, 1 inch thick)
- Sea salt, freshly ground pepper
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 scallion, trimmed and sliced very thin
- 2 large oranges, peeled, white pith removed and segmented
- 1 large, ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced
- 2 cups of baby arugula, spinach, stems removed , break into small pieces if some are too large to be eaten politely.
- 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- zest from lime
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season lightly with salt and pepper and place in a baking dish large enough to hold both fillets. Drizzle with 1 tbsp. olive oil and sprinkle half of the scallion over the fillets.
Bake until opaque in center (about 10-12 minutes). Transfer to a plate and let cool.
Break the trout into pieces, dividing evenly among the 4 plates. Trop each with the orange segments, avocado and greens. Season with remaining oil, lime juice and a sprinkling of zest.
In a word….yummy!