The Demise of Gourmet

The one little treat I allowed myself on moving to the US was some food magazine subscriptions. An annual one can be had here for about $15, it certainly beats €5+ per issue back in Ireland. They do come filled with direct marketing blurbs but they just go straight into the bin in my house. I went for Bon Appetit, Saveur and Gourmet. I'd only received one issue of Gourmet when the news came that Conde Nast were to halt publication, I guess Bon Appetit was the more profitable of the two magazines in their stable. Personally Gourmet has always been my favourite, the one I purchased every time I travelled across the Atlantic. They have also published some nice anthologies of writing from the first 60 years of the magazine, one of which focused solely on articles about Paris. The one issue of Gourmet I did receive was the Thanksgiving one, with its multiple variations on the theme from traditional to vegetarian. I stuck with the traditional for my first Thanksgiving and made this pecan pie.

The quantities below make enough for one full 9" pie (to bring to Thanksgiving dinner) and two mini ones (for next day leftovers!)

Pecan Pie
adapted from Gourmet magazine Nov 2009

dough
1 1/4 cups flour
1 stick butter, cold and diced
1/4 tsp salt
ice water, 3-5 tbsp

• rub butter into flour until it resembles breadcrumbs
• stir in salt (no sugar needed, the filling is sweet enough)
• add the water, starting with 3 tbsp, until dough just comes together
• wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 mins
• remove from the fridge and leave for 5 mins before rolling out
• roll out into a circle and fit into a 9" pan, trim the edge of the pastry
• use leftover pastry to line two small pie dishes
  
• chill in the fridge for 30 mins while you make the filling
  

filling
1 stick unsalted butter
1 2/3 cups light brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
3 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp orange zest
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs, beaten lightly
10 oz pecans halves

• preheat oven to 180 C
  
• melt butter in a pan on the hob, add sugar and whisk until smooth
• remove from the heat and add the corn syrup, vanilla, zest and salt
• whisk in the eggs
• scatter pecans over tart shell and pour mixture over them
• bake until filling is set in the middle, about 50 mins
• leave to cool before slicing
  

One for These Winter Days

This pie is perfect for those cold, rainy winter days. All it needs on the side is some steamed broccoli or carrots. Curl up in front of the fire and tuck in.

Beef and Chorizo Pie
adapted from 'Favourite Recipes from Books for Cooks 4, 5 & 6'
serves 6-8
This recipe makes either six 350ml (or eight 250ml) individual pies or else one large one.

filling
1 tbsp olive oil
200g chorizo, sliced
1kg stewing beef
2 onions, sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp tomato puree
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried thyme
250ml red wine
250ml chicken stock
S+P

pastry
175g unsalted butter, cubed
milk, approx 100ml
350g flour
1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
salt
1 egg, to glaze

• put flour, salt, baking powder and butter in a food processor until it looks like breadcrumbs
  
• add milk and process until pastry comes together
• knead pastry for a few mins
• wrap in cling film and refridgerate for at least 30 mins

• in a heavy pot warm the olive oil and add the chorizo
• cook until the orange paprika oil runs out, about 5 mins
• remove chorizo and set aside
• increase heat and add the beef until browned
• remove beef from the pot
• add the onion and cook until soft and golden
• add the garlic and cook for a minute
• add the four and cook for a further minute
• return the meats to the pot and add the tomato puree, paprika and thyme
• pour in the wine, bring to a simmer and add the stock
• cook over a gentle heat (or in the oven at 160C) for about an hour until the beef is tender
• transfer to a bowl and leave to cool

• preheat the oven to 190C
• roll out the pastry until it is 0.25cm thick
  
• fill you pie dishes with the beef filling and top with pastry
• crimp the edges of the pastry with a fork, brush with egg glaze and pierce a hole in the centre to allow the steam to escape
• small pies will take 20-25 mins to cook while the large one will take about 40 mins
  

I Hear it's Raining in Ireland

Here are some pictures to cheer you up. They are of the market in Tashket, Uzbekistan taken by my dad while he was on a work trip. The variety and colours of the produce is simply amazing.

Grilled Summer Vegetables

There are a couple of Farmer's markets here in Houston. My favourite is the Bayou City Market, it's a producers only market and everything must come from a 150 mile radius. As a result the produce is truly seasonal, on our first visit every veg stall was teaming with courgettes and squash of all shapes and sizes. This dish of summer grilled vegetables quickly became a favourite in our house. I usually make a full batch and then mix half with some grilled chicken and cooked pasta for the following day's lunchboxes.


Grilled Summer Vegetables

Serves 4 as a side dish

500g courgette / small squash
olive oil
2 peppers

Dressing:
mix together the following ingredients in a large shallow bowl:
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp mint, chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
4 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

• grill the peppers until the outsides are black and charred, this can be done under the grill but I just place them directly on the gas hob. Don't be nervous, they should be black all over.
  
• place the peppers in a Ziploc bag (or a cling-film covered bowl), seal and leave too cool
• slice the courgettes and squash lengthwise into 2-3mm thick slices
• brush with olive oil and season
• heat a ridged pan over a high heat, brush with olive oil
• griddle the courgettes and squash in batches until charred on both sides
• as you remove them from the pan place straight into the bowl containing the dressing
• remove the charred skin from the now-cooled peppers, chop and add to the bowl
• toss well to coat everything in the dressing