September 30, 2012 · 10:45 pm
When people ask me how I make up recipes “on the spot”, I have to admit that most of my inspiration stems from not wanting to waste food. In fact, over the past 5 years, the only ingredient I can recall throwing out was a single head of lettuce, before heading off on vacation.
Great things can happen when you’re trying to be a thrifty and sustainable cook. Just this week, I came home to find a browning pear and a couple of increasingly shriveled figs. But a few minutes on the stove and some Indian-inspired spices turned these sorry looking fruits into one of the most delicious desserts I’ve ever invented.
Five Minute Spiced Pear and Fig Crumble
Ingredients
- 1 juicy pear
- 2-3 figs
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary (or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary)
- a pinch of sea salt (to taste)
- 2 tbsp of your favorite granola
- 1 tbsp pumpkin or flax seeds (optional)
- greek yogurt (optional)
Instructions
- Just cover the bottom of a small pot with water; bring to a simmer.
- While water is heating, wash and chop pear into small chunks.
- Add pear to simmering water.
- Wash and chop figs; add to pears.
- Add curry, rosemary and salt.
- Stir occasionally until fruit is warm and softened (but not mushy).
- Remove from heat and scoop fruit into a bowl.
- Top with granola, seeds and a dollop of greek yogurt.
**For elegant plating, simply add a small sprig of fresh rosemary.
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Tagged as curry, dessert, easy, fall, fig, food, indian, pear, quick, recipe, rosemary, seasonal, spices, yogurt
May 2, 2012 · 4:22 pm
Making puff pastry certainly isn’t neuroscience, but it definitely is one hell of a workout. Whether you’re female or simply feeble-armed, this technique will facilitate all the flakiness you need, without the aching wrists and shoulder strain.
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The Girls’ Guide to Puff Pastry
Ingredients
- 1 cup Gold Medal flour
- 3 cups King Arthur flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 1 extra large egg
- 1 1/3 cups water
- 1 pound unsalted butter, slightly softened
Instructions
- Mix flour, salt, and 1/2 stick of softened butter in a KitchenAid or other standing mixer, using the blade attachment.
- Crack an egg into a liquid measuring cup. Fill the cup, still containing the egg, up to 1 1/3 cups of water. Add to Kitchen Aid.
- When dough forms, switch to the dough hook attachment and knead for 5 minutes.
- Shape dough into a ball and let rest, covered, for 15-20 minutes.
- While dough is resting, cut the remaining pound of butter into thin slices (about four lengthwise slices per stick of butter).
- Cut a sheet of wax paper 18 inches long and cover with butter slices. Cover with another 18 inch sheet of wax paper. Roll butter into a 12 x 16 inch rectangle, using rolling pin. Chill.
- Roll out rested dough into a large rectangle. Chilled butter should fill up about 1/2 to 2/3 of the dough.
- Place the butter in the center of the dough and fold into thirds.
- Roll out dough again and fold the dough “book fashion” (fold in ends to touch in the center, then close the “book”). Wrap the dough in wax paper and chill.
- Repeat the rolling out/book fold process four more times, chilling the dough in wax paper for 30 minutes between each rolling. Beware butter oozing out of the dough and fold all corners squarely.
- After last folding, chill at least 3 hours before use.
*The credit for this recipe goes to Betty Ann Donegan, long-time cooking teacher and chemist. She uses two different types of flour because the amount of gluten in flour determines the stiffness of the dough. Her recipe allows for a durable but flexible dough.
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Tagged as baking, betty ann donegan, breakfast, cooking, dessert, eat, food, homemade, puff pastry, recipe, technique, tips, tricks
Great things can happen when you’re trying to be a thrifty and sustainable cook. Just this week, I came home to find a browning pear and a couple of increasingly shriveled figs. But a few minutes on the stove and some Indian-inspired spices turned these sorry looking fruits into one of the most delicious desserts I’ve ever invented.
