A Rustic Pie for Dinner

The original recipe for this galette (rustic pie) came from Food and Wine Magazine, many long years back. I've been making it over these years, with wonderful results every single time. It does not contain meat, but my husband and I enjoy it enough that meat is not missed. It is filled with all sorts of wonderful flavors, wrapped into a pie pastry and baked. A nice green salad on the side and it's a meal. 

Leek & Mushroom Galette with Goat Cheese

While we have traditionally served it as 4 to 6 meal portion size pieces, it can be served as an appetizer portion, divided into 8 to 10 portions. While we have traditionally eaten it as lunch or dinner, it would also be excellent served for brunch or lunch.

The original recipe did not call for mushrooms, but my husband absolutely loves mushrooms, and I also like them a lot, so I added them in. I chose to use white pepper instead of black pepper, and more fresh thyme by far. Nutmeg is another addition I have found excellent with these flavors. 

Obviously, the better your pie crust, the better the overall flavors will be. I heartily suggest making Never Fail Pie Pastry. It makes 3 or 4 single pie crust portions, but the remainder can be divided into zip-top bags and frozen until needed. It is simple to thaw for an hour and use for any pie-making needs. It is preferable to use a third of the recipe, for a 10-inch sized pie portion, but you can make do with a fourth of the recipe for a 9-inch sized pie if needed, as I did here.  

Leek & Mushroom Galette with Goat Cheese

Leeks?

If you have never used leeks before, they have a far milder flavor than onions. They are of the same genus allium as are onions, shallots, garlic and chives. Instead of forming into bulbs, as with onions or shallots, leeks form a tightly bundled sheath of leaves. In order to keep the lower parts white, they are "trenched" with soil piled up around their base while growing. This also leads to the real possibility of finding mud or grit inside between some of the leaves.

When using leeks, use only the white and lighter green portions, as the dark green portions are much tougher and bitter flavored. The tops can be saved to flavor stock. Once the root end is cut off, and there is a nice white and light green cylinder, cut the cylinder down its length and then fan the leaves under running water to release and clean out any mud or grit. Once clean, slice them across the cylinder into ⅛ to ½-inch pieces, as needed.

Well browned mushrooms - Leeks sliced and sauteed

Galette?

A galette (for this purpose) is just a pie made in a "rustic" manner, meaning "free-form," not placed into a pie plate. The dough is rolled out to a diameter that will accommodate having a 2 to 3-inch border folded up, pleating as needed, to cover the edges of the filling. This can be done with sweet or savory fillings, though the amount of liquids must be kept low, with no deep pan to contain them. 

Leek & Mushroom Galette with Goat Cheese

Serves 4 - 6 as a meal; 8 - 10 as an appetizer 
 

Leek & Mushroom Galette with Goat Cheese

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
¼ teaspoon salt
6 large leeks (5 - 6 cups, sliced) leeks,
    white and light green parts only
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves 
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 large egg, beaten lightly
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped
1 pie pastry for 10-inch pie
¾ cup goat cheese crumbles

Heat a large skillet and add in the 2 teaspoons of oil and butter. Add the sliced mushrooms and sprinkle the ¼ teaspoon salt over the mushrooms. Saute, tossing frequently over medium heat until all the liquids have evaporated and the mushrooms are a deep golden color. Pour the mushrooms into a bowl and set aside. Return the skillet to the heat.

Add in the 2 tablespoons butter and the leeks and thyme leaves, adding in ½ cup of water. Cook over low heat for about 15 minutes until the leeks are very tender. Raise the heat slightly and add in the white wine, cooking quickly until it is mostly evaporated. Stir in the cream and cook quickly until reduced slightly, about 3 minutes. Season with the ½ teaspoon salt, the white pepper and nutmeg, then set the pan aside to cool slightly.

Reserve aside 1 tablespoon of the beaten egg. Stir the remaining egg, 2 tablespoons of the parsley and the reserved mushrooms into the leek mixture.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. On a clean surface strewn with flour, roll out the pastry to a 14-inch circle. No need for perfect edges. Set the dough onto a baking sheet or pizza pan that will accommodate a 10-inch diameter galette. Pour the leek and mushroom mixture into the center, leaving at least 2 or 3 inch border of dough all around. Sprinkle the goat cheese over top. Begin lifting the edges of the dough over the edges of the filling, pleating the dough as needed to make a rough circle. Brush the outside of the pastry with the reserved egg. Bake the galette for about 30 to 35 minutes, until golden. Cool slightly and sprinkle with remaining parsley before cutting and serving. 



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Swoon For this Apple Fritter Loaf

I saw a recipe online for "Pull Apart Apple Fritter Bread"; I even re-posted it on Facebook. It looked and sounded absolutely wonderful . . . except for the fact that it used one of those tubes of store-bought biscuits. I used to really love those biscuits, but as time went on, I began to react badly to the amount of sodium in most pre-packaged foods. This catapulted me even farther into the creed of "make everything from scratch," myself. I was already mostly there, after learning to cook in Guatemala in the 1970s, when there were no frozen foods, very few canned foods and almost nothing else pre-packaged. Returning to the States I reveled (for a while) in all the bounty of foods available. Once the reaction to sodium set in, I tried to stick to using foods where I could read the labels.

My Apple Fritter Loaf, ready to serve

The kind of recipe calling for one of those tubes of biscuits would be completely out, for me. I saw other recipes where a cake of a sort was used, mixing in the apples and sugar. This sounded better. I have one recipe for Luscious Bundt Coffee Cake that is just my most favorite. Unfailingly tender and moist and packed with flavor, I used a modified version of this recipe to create my own Apple Fritter Loaf.

To define "Apple Fritter," I mean the ones sold in many grocery bakeries, some gas stations and various other places. Those irregular lumps of fried goodness, with little apple bits and cinnamon, and drenched in glaze. Yum! I used to love eating those things! I even found a recipe that sounded like it might just come out like those store bought apple fritters, too. However, the catch is that I absolutely abhor deep frying. I do not abhor the results! I love French fries, apple fritters, and once in a great while, fried chicken. I just hate the mess of grease that spatters and fills the air, coating everything in a sticky film. And cleaning up afterwards, with the spent oil. I never know what to do with it. So I just do not deep fry anything at all. One of my foibles, I guess. 

Apples given to me today

Last Fall I was given so many apples I didn't know what to do with them all. I used my peeler/corer/slicer and made bags and bags of apples to freeze for either pie or my Best Apple Crisp, Ever. I bagged some smaller amounts for other uses like the Butternut Squash and Apple Soup recipe I posted yesterday and this Apple Fritter Loaf. Aside from my Best Apple Crisp, Ever recipe, I have never found any apple recipe that came close to that goodness . . . until now. I will most certainly be making this recipe again, and really soon, too. It is apple season right now, and I just received my first bag of apples today. A couple of these will go into my next batch. I took the loaf I made yesterday to a luncheon today. I had not tasted it, so I was really praying this experiment was a good one. It would be excellent as a breakfast or brunch item, or as a dessert at any time.

I needn't have worried; it was most spectacularly fantastic. Best of all, though I grant you I have not had a store bought apple fritter for years now - this loaf tasted like those apple fritters in my memory. Here is what I did:

Apple Fritter Loaf

Apple Fritter Loaf

Makes one 9 x 5-inch loaf; 8 to 12 slices

APPLES:
2 cups apples, peeled, cored, chopped very small
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon allspice

SUGAR TOPPING:
¼ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

CAKE:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1½ teaspoons vanilla

GLAZE:
½ cup confectioners' sugar
pinch salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
milk or cream to make a not-too thick glaze

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 on Convection). Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. I lined the pan with parchment, though I believe it was not needed. Still, insurance!

In a small bowl, combine the apples with the 2 tablespoons of sugar, the cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Mix well and set aside.

In another small bowl, combine the sugar topping ingredients and set aside.

Make exaggerated figure-8s in the batter with a table knife

In another bowl, whisk together the first 4 cake ingredients and set aside. In a mixer bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, until well combined, and then add the sour cream and vanilla and mix well. Pour in the dry ingredients in about 3 batches, mixing well after each addition.

This batter is relatively thick. Using a spatula or a large spoon, place about half the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing it to the edges. Top this evenly with half the apple mixture. Place bits of the remaining cake batter on top of the apples and smooth as well as possible. Top evenly with the remaining apple mixture.

Hot from the oven with half the glaze

Now sprinkle the Sugar Topping over top of the apples. With a table knife or icing spatula, make exaggerated figure eights all along the loaf, letting the knife touch bottom. This swirls the topping as well as the apples all through the cake, giving the apple fritter look and consistency. Bake the loaf for 50 to 60 minutes. It should test done with a toothpick or knife just as with any cake.

While loaf is baking, mix together the Glaze ingredients. Once out of the oven, drizzle the hot loaf with half the glaze, allowing it to soak in, as shown at right. Save the remaining glaze for when the loaf has cooled completely and drizzle it over top.

My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Recipe Revision and a Great Fruit Salad

I have been asked to do a cooking demonstration for the local museum in late June. The title of the class is "Summer Patio Brunch". I looked up brunch recipes a couple of months back when I was first approached about this and came up with some things I felt at the time were good ideas. And - they probably are good ideas, but things happened and ideas changed.

My Original Ham & Blue Cheese Bread Pudding

First, I had created a Ham and Blue Cheese Bread Pudding one day recently and it came out so good that I decided this would also be a very suitable brunch (or even breakfast) dish. Much can be done ahead, making it wonderful if you have friends or family coming over. Any time things can be made or partially prepped ahead makes entertaining so much more fun. Thinking about the Ham & Blue Cheese Bread Pudding, I decided to make it a simpler recipe, using more common ingredients that might please more people. I substituted regular black pepper for the pink peppercorns, I used Feta cheese instead of Blue, and I used white raisins instead of currants, though regular raisins would also work perfectly. Otherwise the recipe is the same as the one from April 29th.

Ham & Feta Bread Pudding with White Raisins

I had thought about cheeses that would substitute well in that recipe and my first thought was Gruyere. Unfortunately, the only Gruyere available locally now costs over $13, so I scratched that idea, though I still think it may have been the very best flavor pairing. Of course, cheddar would work perfectly, and who doesn't like a nice cheesy casserole with cheddar cheese all melty inside? It just occurred to me that a nice Hollandaise Sauce drizzled over the bread pudding would really make it a classy brunch.

Then I got thinking about something to serve along with the Bread Pudding. I had found a recipe I wanted to toy around with, but it just happened that evening Bobby Flay did a fruit and vegetable salad in his Brunch @ Bobby's program. I did not pay attention to the "recipe", nor did I look it up. But I did really like the sound of the combination. He used Cantaloupe, Mango, Pineapple, Jicama, Cucumber and Strawberries. I kept that combination in mind when I made a salad of these ingredients. I need to have exact measurements to give the class, so I decided to make things really easy and use 1 cup of each fruit or vegetable. I dressed the fruit and veggies with a little salt and lime juice and a chiffonade of mint. I invited my sister-in-law over and we taste tested. It was good, so i will be using these recipes for the class. These ingredients are guidelines. Other things could be added or substituted. I think Green peas would be great in here, as well as fresh, raw asparagus. Switch a few things out. Blueberries would be great. Just run with it! As for the portions, I counted 1 cup as a portion. If you need more servings, or larger servings, just multiply accordingly.

Fruit and Vegetable Salad

Makes six 1-cup portions

Fruit and Vegetable Salad

1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
1 cup fresh mango slices
1 cup cantaloupe balls
1 cup strawberries, halved
1 cup cucumber, sliced
1 cup jicama, in matchsticks
¾ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
1 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint chiffonade

Combine all the fruits and vegetables and toss with the salt, lemon or lime juice and the mint. Serve immediately.

DO AHEAD: If you are having a summer brunch and need to plan things ahead so you are not up at the crack of dawn prepping, consider cutting the pineapple the day before and storing in a lidded container or zip-top baggie in the refrigerator. Likewise prep the cantaloupe balls, mango slices and jicama and refrigerate each separately. On the morning of serving, prep the cucumber and strawberries, juice the lemon or lime and chiffonade the mint. Set all these aside and combine the ingredients no more than 30 minutes ahead for best freshness. 
 

Cut off top and bottom - slice off outer skin - peeled pineapple - slice off fruit on either side of core - core in the center

When I was creating hand-out recipe sheets for these recipes, I was also thinking about many people's unfamiliarity with cutting up a jicama, pineapple or mango. Many people still have never done these things, so I was taking quick shots with my phone while I prepped, to demonstrate how it is done. Above is a sequence showing the cutting of a pineapple. I will be demonstrating this in person at the Summer Patio Brunch event, but  even when it is seen, having photos at hand help for a novice. I certainly appreciated photos when I was first learning to cook.

A Mango - peeling - cutting along seed - the narrow seed - the component parts

Mangoes have become more common these days, but if one has never had one in hand, it is good to know that there is a rather large and flat seed inside. When cutting the fruit, this seed needs to be kept in mind. And then there is the jicama. 
 

Jicama - cut in half - peeling the skin off

If you have never had jicama, it can be as small as an orange or as large as a small melon. It is a vegetable with a thick skin that must be removed. If it cooperates, a small cut at one end will allow the skin to be pulled off. Use a potato peeler for any stubborn spots. The jicama flesh is somewhat juicy and very crisp. To me, the flavor is reminiscent of fresh green peas, though I have heard many descriptors for its flavor. It makes a wonderful addition to a veggie tray with a dip alongside. It also is wonderful as a scoop for hummus.

Try out these recipes together; they make a most lovely meal, whether breakfast, brunch or dinner.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.