Fresh Cranberry Pie with Pecan Crumble

November 26, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

Cranberry pie. Is there a more perfect distillation of the Thanksgiving spirit than an entire pie packed with bright, tangy fruits who wait all year for this one Thursday in late November? It’s their time to shine - like the cranberry’s 21st birthday, New Year’s Eve, and Christmas all wrapped up in one extravaganza of eating. That’s what we have here, my friends. A pie that is aaaaalll about the cranberry, no shame in that game.

But first, let’s talk about perfection in an imperfect world. Wait a minute!? You thought this was a post about pie! Well it is in a way, because I almost didn’t post this pie. I had #piecrustissues, even after nearly 11 months of practicing, and I was dissapointed and more than a little frustrated not to be presenting a glorious specimen of pie craft worthy of a Martha Stewart dessert table. Unfortunately, somewhere during the blind-baking stage the edges puffed out and inflated all the carefully crimped and pressed edges beyond recognition. I blame an under-weighted pie and perhaps a slightly too cool oven. Either way, it’s pretty annoying to discover that several hours of preparation have yielded an underwhelming result.

I filled it with the ruby red cranberries anyway, dutifully pulsed the brown sugar-butter mixture into streusel and figured I’d just try again another time and skip a post for the week. Then as I thought about it, I realized that homemade pie, regardless of how wonky, is still something to be thankful for and appreciated! Even if it didn’t turn out as planned; my cranberry pie is still fruit and sugar and buttery crust – it’s what’s on the inside that counts and the effort it took to try in the first place.

So, here we are friends – thankful that there is pie in the world, but most importantly that there are family and friends to share it with. I hope that’s the case whereever you are too. Happy Thanksgiving!

For the similarly pie-challenged, may I offer this piece: "I Made Pie with Saveur's Food Editor and Here's What I Learned" by Marian Bull? If nothing else it’s very Zen and may help you and your dough relax.

Fresh Cranberry Pie with Pecan Crumble (yield: one 9-inch, standard pie)

Crust Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups (155 grams) all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons (6 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) fine sea or table salt
1 stick (4 ounces or 115 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/4 cup (60 ml) very cold water, plus an additional tablespoon if needed
1 egg (for egg wash)

Filling Ingredients:
5 cups (24 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 to 2 more tablespoons, if desired, to taste
3 teaspoons orange zest
2-3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Crumble Ingredients:
2/3 cup rolled oats or 1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light or dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon coarse or sea salt
3/4 cup pecans, preferably toasted
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Serving Ingredients:
Powdered sugar, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream

Crust Instructions:
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt to combine.

Add the diced butter, tossing the cubes in the flour to coat. Cut the butter into the flour until it is the size of walnut halves (for a flaky crust) or peas (for a mealy crust).

Make a well in the center, and add the water a few tablespoons at a time and mix with a rubber spatula just until the dough comes together.

Form the dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic and chill well before rolling, forming, and baking.

When the dough is chilled and rested, roll out to about 10” round. Carefully ease the pie crust into a 9-inch standard (not deep dish) pie plate, making sure not to stretch the dough at all, or it will shrink as the pie bakes. Trim edge to fit and prick the bottom of the crust with a fork, then place a piece of parchment paper over the pie crust. Cover the parchment with pie weight, dried beans, or uncooked rice making sure the weights extend up the sides.

Bake at 425 degrees F for 10-12 minutes until just lightly golden brown. Check the bottom through the glass.

Remove the pie weights and parchment and allow to cool while you prepare the filling.

Reduce the oven to 400 degrees F.

Filling Instructions:
Place all of the ingredients in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Cook for 5-7 minutes until some of the cranberries have begun to break down and release some of their juices. Continue to cook for 5 more minutes, stirring occassionally until the filling is loose and just pourable. Set aside off the heat and allow the filling to cool for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the crumble topping.

Crumble Instructions:
Place the whole oats in the bowl of a large food processor and grind them to a powder.

Next, add the toasted pecans and pulse until the mixture is a coarse meal. Add the remaining ingredients except the butter, pulsing a few times to loosely combine.

Pour the melted butter through the feed tube, pulsing until crumbles form.

Assemble, Bake, Serve:
Brush the par-baked pie crust with egg wash, then fill with the cranberry mixture. Sprinkle the streusel topping over cranberry filling in large crumbles.

Bake the pie for 45 to 50 minutes at 400 degrees F, until the berry juices are bubbling enough that they seep into the crumb topping.

If pie begins to brown too quickly, cover top with a piece of foil for remaining baking time. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Serve warm or at room temperature with a sprinkling of powdered sugar, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream.

Rewritten and slightly adapted from Deb Perelman’s Cranberry Pie with Thick Pecan Crumble via Smitten Kitchen.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, assuming you have a food processor or the patience to mince pecans. For the crust I used a large mixing bowl, pastry cutter, rubber spatula, a kitchen scale, liquid measuring cup, rolling pin, and chef’s knife. For the filling I used a medium sauce pan, microplane zester, rubber spatula, and measuring cups. To make the streusel I needed a large food processor and measuring cups.

The Verdict:
TBD pending Thanksgiving dinner. I’ll report back!

Reading Material: Pre-Thanksgiving Edition

November 20, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Reading Material

Maddie pup in Central Park, New York, NY | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Maddie pup in Central Park, New York, NY** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Thanksgiving is everything that’s best about the holidays – there’s a great dinner, no shopping stress, and plenty of time to nap in front of the fire in between movies and board games. One of my all time favorite memories is of Thanksgiving a few years ago when everyone was home at the same time – a rare occurrence now that my siblings and I are married and/or scattered across the country. There was a giant snowstorm prompting a cabin fever initiated sledding party on the giant hill behind the house, which naturally lead to hot chocolate spiked with ancient booze of unknown provenance from the liquor cabinet. Sabra crème de cacao, even if it’s from a dusty bottle, tastes amazing in homemade cocoa.

The one drawback is city traffic insanity – nothing like sitting at a standstill on the West Side Highway to put a damper on the spirit. So, Mike, Maddie, and I will make the great migration “over the river and through the woods” Tuesday night. Cross your fingers that we make good time! I’m on point to help with dinner and after the wonderful Friendsgiving we attended last weekend I’m thinking very seriously of re-creating the menu. The only thing I’m leaving out from the traditional spread is green bean casserole. It might draw some flak from Mike’s direction but I’m hoping with the Winter Greens Gratin on the table he won’t notice….

Whether you’re a host or a guest, I’ve collected some Thanksgiving-appropriate reading material to help you prepare for your own festivities. Happy Thanksgiving!

Reading Material:
I can only imagine the sorrow of the people who lost loved ones or were touched by the terrorist events in Paris last weekend, so it’s heartening to see Parisians fighting back by holding tight to their cultural touchstones. #tousaubistro (via Eater)

If Thanksgiving had a fairy godmother it would clearly be Ina Garten arriving in a swirl of kosher salt and fresh herbs. Hamptons Magazine has the inside scoop on how she prepares. Or you could watch her Food Network special with Bobby Flay…not that I’ve had it on repeat or anything.

Most of us will be grocery shopping this weekend for the great cooking marathon that is Thanksgiving. Food52 has some advice for surviving what is sure to be a hectic day at the store without forgetting a key ingredient.

We’ve all been there: Thanksgiving morning dawns and the bird is still solid as a rock. What to do!? The Kitchn has some wisdom on how to handle frozen turkeys.

Are you spending time with family over the holidays? Probably a good moment to brush up on back issues of Dad Magazine so you’re prepared for the dinner table conversation. Applicable to uncles and fathers-in-law. (via The Toast)

A brief pause during this most American of holidays for another piece from Eater on the Great British Bake Off. I am seriously Jonesing for more GBBO and it is killing me that PBS only has 1.5 seasons. Cruel!

Winter Greens Gratin

November 19, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

It’s easy in the frenzy of holiday preparations to get caught up in more, more, more – more butter, more options on the sideboard, more going crazy trying to make everything perfect. I’ve been trying to resist being caught in that trap this year and focus instead on less. Not less care, just redirecting my effort into singular dishes that make a meal feel special. If it can be made ahead leaving more time on Thanksgiving Day for watching parades, playing board games and hanging with my family; even better.

This Winter Greens Gratin fills the bill on all accounts, but I won’t lie – it does take a voluminous amount of fresh kale and mustard greens, like possibly all the kale in Brooklyn. It’s a little intimidating at first, but slowly the mountain is tamed down to a manageable amount and then stirred together with cream steeped with garlic and thyme. Thankfully (intentional pun alert!) ninety percent of the prep can be done a day or two ahead and then layered in a baking dish to find it’s way into the oven at the appropriate moment. Mischief managed.

Winter Greens Gratin (serves 8-10)

Ingredients:
3 pounds (2 large bunches) lacinato kale
2 1/2 pounds (2 medium bunches) mustard greens
Kosher salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
1 cup coarsely grated Gruyère
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, divided, plus 7 sprigs thyme
1 cup (2 large) thickly sliced shallots
1 tablespoon unsalted butter plus more for dish
2 cups half and half
7 garlic cloves, smashed
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice cubes.

Wash the kale and mustard greens carefully to remove any sand. Strip the leaves from the stalks and roughly chop in large pieces keeping the two types of greens separate.

Working in batches, drop 3-4 generous handfuls of the chopped kale into the boiling water. Use tongs to stir the leaves and cook for about 3 minutes. Transfer the kale with the tongs into the bowl of ice water and let cool for 1 minute. Remove the leaves from the ice water with your hands and squeeze as much water as possible from the leaves. Set aside on a cutting board, and repeat the process until all the kale is cooked.

Repeat the same process with all the mustard greens, cooking in the boiling water for 2 minutes per batch. Coarsely chop all the greens; you should have 6 cups tightly packed leaves. Discard the ice water and combine the kale and mustard greens in the bowl by loosening with your fingers. Set aside, or refrigerate in a food storage container.

Next prep the bread crumbs and cheeses in a mini food processor. Heat oil in a deep, 12 inch skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and crispy, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl allow to cool for a few minutes, then stir in Parmesan and 1 teaspoon thyme leaves. Set aside, or store in an airtight food storage container at room temperature.

***Greens and breadcrumbs can be made up to 2 days ahead.

To prepare the sauce, wipe out the skillet and melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring often, until slightly softened and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer shallots to the bowl with greens.

Add half and half, garlic cloves, and thyme sprigs to same skillet; bring to a simmer. Cook until mixture is thickened and reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 10-12 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs and garlic cloves; stir in nutmeg. Season the mixture with kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste.

Pour the sauce over greens in bowl and toss with a fork to evenly coat the greens and shallots in the cream.

Lightly butter a 3 quart baking dish and spread the greens mixture into the dish. Sprinkle with the grated Gruyère, then top with the toasted breadcrumbs. Cover the dish with foil.

***Gratin can be assembled 1 day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake until filling is hot, about 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10-20 minutes until cheese is melted, edges are bubbling, and breadcrumbs are golden brown. Garnish with the remaining 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves.

Lightly adapted and re-written from Bon Appétit’s Winter Greens Gratin.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
A challenge to your small kitchen cooking skills, but doable if you clear the decks before starting. I used a large sauce pan, a deep sauté pan, a mini-food processor, two large bowls, a medium baking dish, and a large cutting board. A pair of tongs, measuring spoons, a chef’s knife, microplane grater, a rubber spatula, and foil will round out the kit. Food storage containers will make life easier and save the need for both bowls.

The Verdict:
Winter Greens Gratin blends the best of creamed spinach with the crisp topping and sharp tang of homemade mac and cheese. The proportion of greens to dairy is perfect and as a result the herbaceous flavor of the kale and mustard greens is highlighted, not masked by the garlic-y cream sauce and cheeses. The toasted breadcrumbs add a little crunch and texture. I made this as a contribution to a Friendsgiving dinner last weekend and the emptiness of the baking dish told the tale. No one will have to be reminded to eat their greens with this gratin on the table.

Reading Material: Friendsgiving Edition

November 13, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Reading Material

Image: Laura Messersmith — Image: *Laura Messersmith*

This week was better than last in the Dept. of Getting Stuff Done, fewer Internet rabbit holes ensnared me, the cooking was focused, my props mostly behaved themselves during their time in the limelight, and this weekend we have a Friendsgiving party to attend. Yay!

As you might imagine I’ve been plotting and scheming what to make since we received the invitation with a mental Pinterest board about seventy-five items (25% of which were pies) that would be a-mazing to make. Overkill, much? Probably a good thing our hosts put together a list of assignments or I might have showed up with everything from appetizers and dessert to the bird itself…

With my role clearly defined – two sides (this Herbed Butternut Squash & Apple Mash and a Winter Greens Gratin I can’t wait to share with you) and some assistance with turkey roasting – I did find some time to peruse a few Internet items. Here’s what caught my attention this week.

Reading Material:
A timely and relevant question in all entertaining moments, but particularly in times of high-pressure cooking: what to wear? The New Potato has some thoughts on Friendsgiving outfits.

Am I the only one who mainlined The Great British Bake-off when Netflix released it a few weeks ago and then searched madly for more seasons? GQ has perfectly distilled my thoughts on why the show is so good.

And while we’re at it, The Toast continues to kill it with their list of horrifying desserts on GBBO. Just a small slice of “treacle and desperation tart” for me, thanks.

Cooking TV presenter, Rachel Khoo, who knows what it’s like to cook in a small kitchen first hand, summarized her essential cooking tools. Do you agree with her list? (via Food52)

The New York Times notes that written recipes have evolved over time - as a writer, reader, and follower (sometimes) of recipes it resonated. Do you prefer direct and to the point, or a bit more story along the way?

I haven’t made it to Sadelle’s in Soho yet, but Bon Appétit says it’s like something out of a Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel. They had me at “whimsy.”