Food & Recipes: September 2011 Archives

Julie stops by to talk about concord grapes and share a recipe for grape "hand pies".

Concord Grape Jam
simmer 1 1/2 lb Concord or Coronation grapes with 3 Tbsp. lemon juice for about 10 minutes, until the grapes pop; strain through a sieve and return the grape juice to the pan with 1 cup sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, until the jam reaches 220˚F on a candy thermometer. Cool and refrigerate for up to a month.

Concord Grape Jelly Tarts or Hand Pies
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1/4 cup shortening, chilled and cut into pieces
1/2-1 cup grated old white cheddar or 1/4 cup ground hazelnuts or pecans
2-4 Tbsp. ice-cold water
Grape jelly/preserves, for filling

Make the pastry: in a large bowl or the bowl of a food processor, stir together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter, shortening and cheese or hazelnuts and use a fork, pastry blender, wire whisk or the "pulse" motion of the food processor to blend the mixture until it resembles coarse meal, with lumps of fat no bigger than a pea.

Drizzle the minimum amount of water over the mixture and stir until the dough comes together, adding a little more a bit at a time if you need it. Gather the dough into a ball, flatten it into a disc, wrap it in plastic and chill for at least half an hour, or freeze for up to 6 months if you want a head start on things.

To fill, roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface about 1/4-inch thick; cut into rounds with a cookie cutter or glass rim. Fit into mini muffin tins, pressing up the sides, and fill with a spoonful of jam, filling it only about halfway. Alternatively, make little hand pies (aka turnovers) by putting a spoonful of jam in the middle of each round, brushing the edge with a little beaten egg or milk, and folding it over, turnover-style. Press the edge closed with a fork to seal, and poke the top with a fork. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Either way, bake in a preheated 400F oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden. Remove from the pan while still warm. Makes lots!

On Tuesday's show, Julie and David discussed the fine art of the apple pie.

Here's what Julie brought in for us:

Sautéed Apple Galette on White Cheddar Crust

Crust:
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1/4 cup shortening, chilled and cut into pieces
1/2-1 cup grated old white cheddar
2-4 Tbsp. ice-cold water

Filling:
1/4 cup butter
3 lb tart apples (such as Granny Smith) cut into 3/4? pieces (don't bother peeling them)
1/2 cup sugar
pinch salt

Crumble:
1/2 cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup flaked hazelnuts

Make the pastry: in a large bowl or the bowl of a food processor, stir together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter, shortening and cheese and use a fork, pastry blender, wire whisk or the "pulse" motion of the food processor to blend the mixture until it resembles coarse meal, with lumps of fat no bigger than a pea.

Drizzle the minimum amount of water over the mixture and stir until the dough comes together, adding a little more a bit at a time if you need it. Gather the dough into a ball, flatten it into a disc, wrap it in plastic and chill for at least half an hour. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a 14-inch circle (don't worry about it being perfect); drape over the rolling pin and transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Put the fridge while you make the filling.

Meanwhile in a large, heavy skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat. When the foaming subsides, add the apples and cook until they start releasing their juices. Sprinkle the sugar and salt overtop. Cook for about 10 more minutes, stirring often, until the moisture evaporates and the syrup thickens, and the apples start to turn golden. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl to cool.

To make the crumble topping, blend all the ingredients in a bowl or food processor until well combined and crumbly. Preheat the oven to 375F.

Pile the cooled apples onto the pastry, mounding it the middle and spreading it out to within 2 inches of the edge. Fold the pastry over, letting it fold where it wants to. If you like, brush the folded-over part with a little milk or beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Scatter the crumble mixture over top.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until bubbly and golden. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before sliding carefully onto a cutting board to serve. Serves 8-10.

Fall harvest is well underway in the fields around Calgary. Our food & nutrition expert Julie van Rosendaal joins us with tips on how to take advantage of harvest season - and how to make the perfect "farm hand" sandwich.

David Gray, Anna Maria Tremonti, and Julie Van Rosendaal sampling the Classic Farm Hand Sandwich.

Classic Farm Hand Sandwich
1 loaf round rustic Italian bread, such as ciabatta
basil or sun-dried tomato pesto
roasted red peppers, sliced
soft goat cheese
roasted tomatoes
balsamic vinaigrette
ham or prosciutto
thinly sliced salami
small peppery greens or fresh herbs, such as basil, cilantro, or 
Italian parsley

Slice loaf of bread horizontally and pull out the innards, leaving a 
shell with some of the soft crumb still intact (don't ravage it 
completely). Spread pesto on the bottom crust, and top with red 
peppers. Crumble goat cheese over the peppers and top with roasted 
tomatoes. Drizzle with vinaigrette, then arrange ham or prosciutto and 
salami over top, and drizzle with a bit more vinaigrette. Top with 
greens, then the top crust of the loaf.

Wrap the sandwich tightly with plastic wrap and set a big, even 
weight, such as a cast-iron skillet, on top for at least an hour. When 
ready to serve, slice into 8-10 wedges.