Fried Fresh Blueberry Pies

Ingredients for the filling:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup water
4 cups fresh blueberries, stemmed and rinsed
1 T unsalted butter

Ingredients for the pastry:
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 T solid vegetable shortening
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
shortening, for frying

vanilla ice cream

Preparing the pies:
In a large saucepan, over medium heat, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Mix until blended. Stir in the water and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Remove from the heat and pour over the blueberries. Add the butter and mix well. Cool completely. Sift the flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the shortening and with your hands or a fork, mix until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. Gradually add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix until a smooth ball forms. Cover the ball of dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Remove from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each dough piece into a thin round about 5 inches in diameter. Put about 1/4 cup of the blueberry mixture in the center of each round, fold the dough over, and crimp the edges together with a fork. Preheat the oil to 360 degrees F. Fry the pies in batches, 2 to 3 at a time, until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Serve each pie on a serving plate with a scoop of ice cream

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Nancy's Lattice Peach Pie

Type your summary here.Ingredients:
1 package refrigerated pie crusts, or favorite recipe for 2 crusts
6 cups thinly sliced, pared ripe peaches
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 T all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 T unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Preparing the pie:
Roll out 1 pie crust to fit your pie plate.

Roll out the other pie crust to fit into a 12-inch circle. Cut fourteen 3/4-inch wide strips. Refrigerate until ready to use. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Sprinkle the sliced peaches with lemon juice. Combine sugar, flour, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl and add to the peaches, tossing lightly to combine. Turn the mixture into the pastry-lined pie plate. Dot with the butter pieces.

Moisten the edge of the pastry slightly with cold water. Arrange 7 pastry strips across the filling; press ends to the pastry edges. Place the remaining 7 strips across the first ones, at right angles, to make the lattice. Press ends to the pastry edges. Fold the overhang of the lower crust over the ends of the strips to make a rim.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until the peaches are tender and the crust is golden.

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Raw Mushroom Salad

Ingredients:
1 pound large button mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned and thinly sliced
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-ounce piece parmesan

Preparing the salad:
In a medium salad bowl, mix together the mushrooms and parsley.

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil and lemon juice until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Add the oil mixture to the salad bowl and toss until all the ingredients are coated. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the parmesan on top.

Serves 4

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Polenta And Sausages

Serve this alongside a layered vegetable torte and a robust zinfandel.

Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
4 good-quality sweet Italian sausages
1 cup medium-to-coarse cornmeal
salt
1/2 to 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, or to taste
2 T butter
freshly ground black pepper.

Preparing the sausages:
Put oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add sausages and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Set aside.

Preparing the polenta:
Put cornmeal in a medium saucepan along with 1 cup water and whisk well to make a slurry; continue whisking mixture to eliminate any lumps. Put pan over medium-high heat, sprinkle with salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, whisking frequently and adding water as needed to keep mixture loose and free of lumps, between 3 and 4 more cups. If mixture becomes too thick, simply add a bit more water; consistency should be similar to sour cream.

Polenta will be done in 15 to 30 minutes, depending on grind. Add cheese and butter. Taste and add salt, if necessary, and lots of pepper; serve topped with sausages.

Serves 4

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Jean-Georges's Fried Rice

Ingredients:
1/2 cup peanut oil
2 T finely chopped garlic
2 T finely chopped ginger
salt
2 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts only, rinsed and dried
4 cups day-old cooked rice, preferably jasmine, at room temperature
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons sesame oil
4 teaspoons soy sauce.



Preparing the fried rice:
In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and brown. With a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels and salt lightly.

Reduce heat under skillet to medium-low and add 2 tablespoons oil and leeks. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very tender but not browned. Season lightly with salt.

Raise heat to medium and add rice. Cook, stirring well, until heated through. Season to taste with salt.

In a nonstick skillet, fry eggs in remaining oil, sunny-side-up, until edges are set but yolk is still runny.

Divide rice among four dishes. Top each with an egg and drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil and 1 teaspoon soy sauce. Sprinkle crisped garlic and ginger over everything and serve.

Serves 4

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Fried Peach Pies In Cinnamon Crust

Ingredients for the filling:
1 cup sugar
4 cups fresh (or frozen and thawed) peach slices, peeled
4 whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 T fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup cornstarch

Vanilla bean ice cream, for serving

Ingredients for the crust:
2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting the work surface
3 T sugar, plus extra for sprinkling the pies
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 T cream cheese, diced and chilled
9 T solid vegetable shortening, chilled, plus more for frying
4 to 6 T ice water

Preparing the pies:
In a large saucepan, over medium heat, combine the sugar, peach slices, cloves, and nutmeg. Mix until blended. Bring mixture to a boil; turn down heat and allow mixture to simmer until the peaches are softened, 20 to 25 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the peaches from the saucepan and place in a small bowl. Reserve 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the peach liquid in the saucepan and discard the rest. Return the peaches to the saucepan.

In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice and the cornstarch. Whisk cornstarch mixture into the peach mixture, stirring until combined. Bring mixture to a boil and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to keep from sticking; mixture will be very thick. Transfer peach mixture to a clean bowl and chill for 1 hour, or until completely chilled.

To make the crust, sift together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the chilled cream cheese and shortening and, working with your hands or a fork, mix until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time and gently mix until the dough begins to stick together. Form dough into a round disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Remove from the refrigerator and divide the dough into 8 equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each dough piece into a thin circle, about 6-inches in diameter. Place 1/4 cup of the chilled peach filling into the center of each dough round. Fold the dough over, making a half-moon shaped pastry, trim any excess dough leaving a 1/2-inch edge around the filling, and crimp the edges together with a fork. Chill pies for 30 minutes.

In a large heavy skillet, melt vegetable shortening to a depth of about 1/2-inch. Heat the shortening to 350 degrees F. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with paper towels and sprinkle sugar lightly over the paper towels. Fry pies in skillet, in batches, until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to the paper towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle the tops of the pies with sugar. Serve immediately with vanilla bean ice cream.

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Citrus Salad

Ingredients:
2 blood oranges or tangerines
1 pink grapefruit
1 navel orange
salt
1/2 small red onion or 1 shallot, chopped
3 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon honey
lime or lemon juice to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly chopped tarragon or a pinch dried.

Preparing the salad:
Peel citrus, removing as much pith as possible, and slice into wheels. Remove any pits, layer fruit on a serving dish, sprinkle with salt and garnish with chopped onion.
Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, honey, lime juice and tarragon until well combined; taste, adjust seasoning as needed and drizzle over salad.

Serves 4

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Braised Short Ribs Over Penne

Ingredients:
4 pounds beef short ribs
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
5 Roma tomatoes, cut into eighths
1 cup red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
3 T Dijon mustard
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 pound penne pasta
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped fresh flatleaf parsley

Preparing the short ribs:
Place an oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Season the ribs with salt and pepper. In a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or ovenproof stock pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. In batches, add the ribs and brown on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the ribs and set aside. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine and mustard. Bring the mixture to a boil and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Return the ribs to the pan. Add the beef broth, cover the pan and place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours until the meat is fork-tender and falls easily from the bone.

Remove the ribs from the cooking liquid. Using a large spoon, remove any excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Using a ladle, transfer the cooking liquid in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is smooth. Pour the sauce into a saucepan and keep warm over low heat. Remove the meat from the bones. Discard the bones. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into small pieces. Stir the shredded meat into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and place in a large serving bowl. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the sauce and add to the pasta. Pour 1 cup of the sauce over the pasta. Toss well and thin out the pasta with more sauce, if needed. Sprinkle the pasta with Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley before serving.

Serves 4 to 6

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Red Beans And Rice With Pickled Pork

Ingredients for pickled pork:
2 cups water
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup kosher salt
6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 T sugar
2 T yellow mustard seed
2 T hot sauce
1 T celery seed
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
8 ounces ice
1 1/2 pounds fresh boneless pork butt, cut into 2-inch cubes

* * * * * * *

Ingredients for red beans:
2 T vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium green bell peppers, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces pickled pork, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 quarts water
1 pound red kidney beans, rinsed and picked of debris

* * * * * * *

Ingredients for the rice:
3 cups water
1 1/2 T unsalted butter
2 cups long-grain rice
1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparing the pickled pork:
Combine all of the ingredients except the ice and the pork in a 2-quart non-reactive saucepan, set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and maintain a simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the ice and stir. Place the pork into a 1-gallon zip top bag and add the cooled pickling liquid. Remove as much air as possible; seal the bag and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 days, turning the bag occasionally. Use within 2 weeks or remove from the pork from the brine and freeze.

Makes about 1 1/2 pounds

* * * * * *

Preparing the beans:
Place the vegetable oil in a 7-quart Dutch oven and set over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, salt and pepper to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions and celery are semi-translucent and the bell peppers are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the pickled pork, bay leaves, thyme, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, water and beans to the pot and increase the heat to high. Cook, stirring frequently until the mixture comes to a boil, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat slightly to maintain a steady simmer and continue to cook for another 30 to 40 minutes or until the beans are tender and the sauce is thickened to your liking. If you prefer an even creamier texture, mash some of the beans with a potato masher.

* * * * * *

Preparing the rice:
Prepare rice during the last 30 minutes of cooking the beans. Place the water into an electric kettle and bring to a boil. While the water is coming to a boil place the butter into a 3-quart saucepan, set over medium heat. Once the butter begins to bubble, add the rice and stir to combine. Add the salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Carefully pour the water over the rice and stir to combine. Decrease the heat to the lowest setting, cover, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve the beans over the rice.

Serves 8

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Real, Better Ramen

Ingredients:
pinch of salt
1/3 cup soy sauce, more to taste
1/3 cup ketchup or 3 T tomato paste and a pinch of sugar
1 T rice wine vinegar, more to taste
a few drops dark sesame oil
scallions, sliced on the diagonal
1 pound egg noodles (spaghetti), preferably fresh.

Optional: a squirt of sriracha or other sauce, or a dried red chili to taste; slices of beef or tofu or shrimp or chicken or whatever you'd like to round it out as a more substantial meal

Preparing the ramen:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. In a smaller pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil; once boiling, reduce heat so water bubbles gently.

To the smaller pot add soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, sesame oil if using and sriracha or chili, along with a pinch of salt. Stir and let simmer.

Add egg noodles to large pot; fresh noodles will be ready in just a couple of minutes; dried will take longer. When tender but not mushy, drain. Taste broth and add more soy, salt, vinegar or heat as you like. Divide noodles into bowls and pour hot broth over all. Top with sliced scallions.

Serves 4

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