cooking for fun

The Air is Clearing

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It is so very nice to finally awaken to fresh clean smoke free air. Another day at last in my studio enjoying putting paint on a 36″ x 36″ canvas. With time in my studio and time in my kitchen life is good. I called the “The Air is Clearing”, as I could almost see the sky become blue during the day.

When I am not painting I seem to be cooking and made this Plum, Nectarine and Blackberry Galette in the morning.

My friend Reed really liked I think, as this was what was left after breakfast…

The recipe is in one of my earlier posts, and it is so easy and so delicious, you should make one. The last one I made with peaches and blackberries. I like to add a little cinnamon on top and four or five dabs of good butter, with an egg wash and a little sugar on the crust. I use Italian Joe’s Pie Crust recipe, as it is moist, flakey and goes together easily:

Italian Joes Pie Crust

Ingredients:

3 cups (375g) Plain Flour (unbleached and unfortified)
2 tbsp Sugar

I tsp salt

2 sticks (220g) of Butter 
(small cold cubed)
1 beaten Egg mixed with
3/4 cup Milk (cold)

  1. Mix flour, sugar & salt to evenly distribute the dry ingredients
  2. Place mixture into a large bowl ( He uses a food processor, but I prefer doing by hand.
  3. Add cold butter cubes with the flour mix and use cold bakers knives or your fingers until it transforms into small pea-sized crumbs
  4. Add egg and milk mixture mixing by hand or cold utensils until the mixture comes together or take the mixture out to the work surface
  5. Make a well with the flour crumbs mixture adding the egg and milk mixture in the well and lightly handling the mixture by hand or utensils.
    (do not knead)
  6. Incorporate all ingredients together to form a dryish dough
  7. Wrap it well with cling film & refrigerate for 1 hour
  8. Roll out the dough split it in half for two pie crust and roll it out bigger than the pie dish
  9. Fit the rolled out pie dough in the greased and floured pie dish making sure pie dough is press all around the crevices of the dish so it doesn’t sink in or collapse when cooking.
  10. Cut around the edge of the pie dish and refrigerate again for 20 before egg washing it and filling it with pie filling and cooking in the oven.
    Enjoy!

I put the second half of the pie dough in plastic wrap, then use my Seal A Meal to seal it before I freeze it till I need it.

The Air is Clearing

Potato | Spinach Galette

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2

Since I had already made the pie crust and there was enough for two, I thought a savory galette might be good.  I am staying with a friend while waiting for my new home to close escrow next week, and we both love to cook.  I was looking online and found a recipe for potato galette.  We have been trying to order our food online with the COVET 19 and she sort of accidentally ordered way too many potatoes.  So instead of nine potatoes, she received nine pounds of potatoes.  How to creatively use more potatoes.

Use the other half of the pie crust recipe that I made yesterday:

Ingredients:

 

3 cups (375g) Plain Flour (unbleached and unfortified)
2 tbsp Sugar

1 tsp Salt

2 sticks (220g) of Butter
(small cold cubed)
1 beaten Egg mixed with
3/4 cup Milk (cold)

 

HOW TO PREPARE PASTRY:

  1. Mix flour, sugar & salt to evenly distribute the dry ingredients
  2. Add cold butter cubes with the flour mix and work with hands or pastry knives until it transforms into small pea-sized crumbs
    (Use cold utensils )
    3) Add egg and milk mixture till the mixture comes together
  3. Make a well with the flour crumbs mixture adding the egg and milk mixture in the well and lightly handling the mixture
    (do not knead)
  4. Incorporate all ingredients together to form a dryish dough
  5. Wrap it well with cling film & refrigerate for 1 hour
  6. Roll out the dough split it in half for two pie crust and roll it out bigger than the pie dish
  7. Fit the rolled out pie dough in the greased and floured pie dish making sure pie dough is press all around the crevices of the dish so it doesn’t sink in or collapse when cooking.
  8. Cut around the edge of the pie dish and refrigerate again for 20 before egg washing it and filling it with pie filling and cooking in the oven.
    Enjoy!

FILLING

2 potatoes ( I used Yukon) slice thinly with a Mandolin (1/8″ thick)

4 TB unsalted butter

1 Yellow onion ( I had half a red and a shallot) so used those

Bacon – you pick how much, but be cooked and cut up (Maybe 2 slices)

Spinach = (one big bunch) cooked down with garlic

1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano Shredded Cheese

Egg wash – one egg whisked with a little water

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons chopped chives

3 tablespoons white vinegar

Freshly ground black pepper

Flaky salt, for topping

 

HOW TO PUT IT TOGETHER

  1. Directions

    1. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 25 minutes.
    2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
    3. Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Working in batches, fry the potatoes, flipping once, until just tender and beginning to brown around the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the potatoes to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain, then remove the paper towel. Sprinkle the potatoes with the chives, 2 tablespoons of the vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently to combine.
    4. Roll your pie dough out into a 13-inch circle and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Whisk the egg with a splash of water in a small bowl and brush it onto the dough, leaving a 2-inch perimeter. In the center of the dough, layer up the toppings in this order: half the onions, half the Parmesan cheese and then half of the potatoes, in a fanned even layer. Top with the remaining onions, remaining cheese, the other half of the potatoes and any additional chives or black pepper from the bottom of the pan. Brush the edges of the crust with egg and then fold them up around the potatoes. Brush the outside edges with egg and sprinkle with flaky salt.
    5. Bake until the pie crust edges are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Sprinkle the top of the galette with the remaining tablespoon of vinegar before serving.
Potato | Spinach Galette

Beef Wellington modified to Pork Loin Wellington

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IMG_6853

Reading Fine Cooking magazine a couple of days ago, they had a wonderful recipe for Beef Wellington.  I had a nice Pork Loin in the freezer and thought I might try it, using the same idea.  This sounds quite complicated, but with a few changes it doesn’t take that long and really isn’t that much work.  The pork came out incredibly tender.

The Madeira sauce was delightful.  My lovely husband likes to help do the dishes and before I could grab it, the rest of the sauce went down the drain.  He didn’t know it was part of the dinner to save. I couldn’t really get mad, as he is definitely not a cook and did not realize the sauce had been cooking for over an hour, maybe two to get to the right consistency.

Classic Beef Wellington Recipe

By Sophie Grigson

Servings: 8

If Britain has a holiday culinary showstopper; it’s got to be beef Wellington. This triumphant marriage of beef tenderloin, sautéed mushrooms, and rich chicken liver pâté (or truffles and pâté de foie gras, if you want to break the bank), rolled first in tender crêpes and then in buttery puff pastry, makes a grand centerpiece. Carved at the table and paired with a classic Madeira sauce, it’s a delicious and decadent meal.

Ingredients

For the duxelles

  • 1 oz. (2 Tbs.) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 Tbs. vegetable or sunflower oil
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
  • 1-1/2 cups finely chopped portobello mushrooms (from 4 large caps; remove the stems and gills before chopping, preferably in a food processor)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

For the Madeira sauce

  • 6 cups beef stock,
  • 1 cup Madeira I prefer Sandeman
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 oz. (2 Tbs.) cold unsalted butter, diced

For the crêpes – I just used puff paste

  • 2-1/4 oz. (1/2 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 oz. (2 Tbs.) unsalted butter

For assembly

  • 3 lb. center-cut beef tenderloin, trimmed, side muscle removed I just used my Pork Loin and it was so tender and delicious!
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. vegetable or sunflower oil
  • 2/3 cup chicken liver pâté, home made or store-bought Recipe below
  • 1 lb. puff pastry,  thawed overnight in the refrigerator if frozen
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 tsp. unsalted butter, softened

Preparation

Make the duxelles

  • Heat the butter and oil in a 10-inch skillet over low heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring often, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, stir well, and raise the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have cooked down to a thick, almost black mixture, about 15 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Stir in the parsley; then transfer to a small bowl and cool completely. (The duxelles can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months.)

Begin the Madeira sauce

  • Bring 6 cups of the stock to a boil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and boil until reduced to 2 cups, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the Madeira and continue boiling until the liquid is again reduced to 2 cups, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (The sauce can be prepared to this point up to 1 day ahead. Finish the sauce just before serving the Wellington.)

Make the crêpes This is where I used Puff Paste

  • In a large bowl, whisk the flour and salt. Make a well in the center, break in the eggs, and add 1/4 cup of the milk. Gently whisk the eggs and milk, gradually incorporating the flour. Slowly whisk in the remaining milk to make a smooth batter. (The batter can be covered and set aside for up to an hour at this point.)Melt the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Swirl the pan to coat with the butter; pour the excess butter out into a small bowl. Whisk 1 Tbs. of the melted butter into the batter. Reserve the rest for greasing the pan between crêpes. Increase the heat to medium high and pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the skillet. Swirl so the batter thinly and evenly coats the base of the pan.Cook until the crêpe is spotted with brown on the underside, about 1 minute, then flip and cook the other side until lightly browned, 30 seconds to 1 minute more. Repeat with the remaining batter, greasing the pan off the heat as necessary. Transfer the crêpes to a plate, separating them with sheets of parchment, and cool. You’ll need 4 crêpes.

Assemble and bake the Wellington

  • Remove the beef from the refrigerator about an hour ahead so it has time to lose its chill. Pat the beef dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until very hot. Sear the beef until it is evenly browned all over (don’t worry about the ends), 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the beef to a baking sheet and cool.In a medium bowl, mash the pâté and the duxelles with a fork until they form a soft paste.Lay 4 crêpes on a clean work surface, overlapping them just enough to give you a 13×13-inch roughly square surface. Dot the pâté mixture over the crêpes, then use an offset spatula to spread it evenly across the crêpes’ surface.

    Place the tenderloin in the center of the crêpes and carefully wrap them around the filet, pressing and molding them into place. Trim off any excess crêpe at the ends.

    If using store-bought puff pastry that’s packaged as 2 sheets, fuse the sheets together by slightly overlapping them and lightly rolling over the seam until adhered.

    On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to a 13×16-inch rectangle (for store-bought puff, roll in the direction of the seam).

    Transfer the wrapped beef to the center of the pastry and tuck any crêpes that have come loose back into place. Bring the pastry up around the beef, smoothing out any air pockets. Brush some of the beaten egg along the bottom edge of the seam and then press gently to seal; trim off any excess. Seal the pastry similarly at the ends.

    Lightly grease a large baking sheet with the butter. Lift the Wellington onto the sheet, seam side down. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes and up to 3 hours. (If refrigerating longer than 1 hour, let the Wellington sit at room temperature for 1 hour before baking.)

    At least 20 minutes before baking, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 475°F.

    Brush the Wellington with the remaining beaten egg. Using a sharp knife, score the surface of the pastry with diagonal lines, being careful not to cut all the way through the pastry. Put the Wellington in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 425°F. Roast for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 400°F and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the Wellington registers 135°F for medium rare, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a carving board and let the Wellington rest for 10 minutes.

    Meanwhile, finish the sauce: Heat the sauce in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. When it begins to simmer, reduce the heat to low and whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time. Do not allow it to boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

    Thickly slice the Wellington and serve it with the sauce.

Make Ahead Tips

There are several components to a Beef Wellington, but you don’t have to make them all in one day. Here’s how to spread out the work:

2 days (or up to 2 months) ahead: Make and chill (or freeze) the beef stock, duxelles, and puff pastry.

1 day ahead: Begin the Madeira sauce. Make the crêpes. Defrost the beef stock, duxelles, and puff pastry, if necessary.

Up to 5 hours ahead: Let the beef sit out at room temperature for 1 hour before searing.

Up to 4 hours ahead: Sear the beef; assemble and chill the Wellington.

Up to 1-1/2 hours ahead: Let the Wellington sit out at room temperature before baking.

Up to 1 hour ahead: Bake the Wellington and let it rest before carving.

Before serving: Finish the Madeira sauce.

BeefWellington-40011-main

Here is the photo of the Fine Cooking Beef Wellington

Chicken Liver Pate’

I just buy a container of chicken livers, throw them in some water and cook throughly. Put them in the cuisinart, add a lot of butter, garlic (4-5 cloves), salt and pepper and leave on everything is creamy.  Be sure to do this when the livers are still hot, so all the butter melts.  I use at least one whole stick!  Yummy on crackers with a bit of cheese too!

Served the pork with curly yams, just sautéed in butter and a simple salad.  Delish
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Beef Wellington modified to Pork Loin Wellington