The Perfect Pie for the Holidays: Apple-Pear-Cranberry Pie with PecanCrumble

Bonjour!

It's been ages since I've posted. (Sorry!) I started a new job not too long ago and it's proving to take up quite a lot more of my time than I anticipated, thus I'm a bit behind on the blog. I'm still active on Instagram (@Gourmess) and Facebook (@PetiteGourmess) so if you miss me, make sure you follow/like me there.

And, since we're a week away from Thanksgiving, I thought I'd dig out one of my old favorites and share it here again. It's been four years since its debut, so I think it's time for a reminder.

So, without further ado, here is my absolute favorite holiday dessert: Apple-Pear-Cranberry Pie with Pecan Crumble. It has nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and Calvados in it, plus lots of butter and brown sugar, and tons of fall fruits. It's delightful and much more interesting than Pumpkin Pie. You can get the recipe here.

You can thank me later. After all, it is the season of giving thanks. (Wink!)
xoxo

Purple Peppers!

Chris made a wonderful discovery at the local Farmer's Market: Purple Bell Peppers!

These beauties have a delicate, light green flesh and a not-too-sweet, peppery flavor. And, since they are purple, they are a nice match visually with eggplant (my favorite of late).

At first, I thought the peppers were too pretty to eat, but I changed my mind. I tossed them in a lovely stir-fry with tofu, carrots, eggplant, fresh green beans and sesame seeds. It was delicious to eat and the rainbow of colors was lovely on the plate. Who said cooking isn't a form of art?

Edible art!

Purple Pepper Stir-Fry 
Ingredients:
1TBS dark sesame oil
2 tsp olive oil
11/2 cups carrots, chopped
2 tsp extra dark soy sauce
1 14 oz.  package of tofu (I used Lite-Firm), drained
1 cup fresh green beans, ends trimmed and cut into thirds
2 purple peppers, stem removed, seeded, sliced and chopped into bite-sized pieces
3 small eggplants, ends removed, sliced and diced
1-2 chili pepper pods, seeds removed (or 1 tsp red pepper flakes)

2 tsp white sesame seeds

2 tsp black sesame seeds

1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 TBS regular soy sauce
2 tsp mirin rice wine (optional)
I TBS minced ginger
2 tsp minced garlic

Minimal MESS/ingredients/clean-up: Category 2 

To Do:

• In a large skillet or wok, heat the oils over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, carefully add the carrots and cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring every minute or so.

• Slice the drained tofu into even, bite-sized pieces, about 1 x 2 inches and add to the pan with the carrots  and 2 tsp of dark soy sauce, stirring gently and cooking about 5 minutes, until lightly browned.

• When the carrots seem tender but still have a bit of crunch, add the beans, eggplant, peppers and the seeded chili peppers, and cook about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

• While the veggies are cooking, whisk together the hoisin, soy sauce, mirin (if using), ginger and garlic in a small bowl.
• Lower the heat to medium-low, and stir in the sauce.
• Let simmer about 10 minutes until sauce has reduced a bit. Remove chili pods if using, and serve over brown rice or rice noodles.

xoxo

Meatless Monday: Crispy Tofu with Spring Vegetables

We're not big meat eaters at Chez Gourmess. Don't get me wrong, a great burger or a juicy steak is a wonderful treat -- but those delights aren't on our weekly menu. But what is? Tofu, at least once a week. And not just for Meatless Monday, although that's a pretty good excuse to make the recipe below, tonight.

If you haven't tried tofu yet, what are you waiting for? When seared in a bit of sesame oil, the combo of crispy outside and creamy inside is to die for. Just add the veggies in your crisper and some simple Asian seasonings -- you can't really go wrong. (Tofu is pretty hard to screw up.) 

Note: I like to buy my tofu extra firm and the whole block -- not cubed, so I can slice it to my preference/recipe. Another trick is to drain/press it before use to prevent soggy tofu, which nobody likes. To do this, place the tofu on paper towels and top with a layer of more towels. Press down gently to remove water, then replace paper towels. Place a plate or small cutting board weighted down with a can of soup (or whatever you have) on the top layer of new towels, and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Then, toss the towels and use the tofu.

Ready to give it a try? Here's an easy and tasty recipe:

Crispy Tofu with Spring Vegetables

Ingredients:

1 14 oz. package extra firm tofu

1 cup carrots

1 cup snow peas

1 bunch asparagus

1 TBS vegetable oil

2 TBS dark sesame oil

1 TBS minced ginger

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 TBS dark soy sauce

1 TBS light soy sauce

1 TBS rice vinegar

2-3 tsp brown sugar

Red pepper flakes

2 TBS sesame seeds 

Minimal MESS/ingredients/clean-up: Category 2

To Do:

• Drain/press the tofu (see above).
• While  the tofu drains, chop the carrots (I used baby carrots) into bite-sized pieces, halve the snow peas, and trim the bottom end of the asparagus, then chop into 1 inch pieces.

• Cut the drained tofu into 1/2 inch thick slices, then cut those slices into 3-inch x 1.5-inch inch pieces.
• Heat the vegetable oil and 1 TBS of the sesame oil in a large rounded skillet or wok until hot.
• Carefully add the tofu pieces and cook about 8 minutes, or until golden brown on all sides, gently shaking the pan once or twice. 
• Remove the tofu from the pan and drain on paper towels.
• Add the garlic, ginger, carrots and asparagus to the pan and cook over medium heat, until tender, but still crisp. Add the snow peas and lower heat to medium-low.
• In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 1 TBS of sesame oil, the soy sauces, rice vinegar, brown sugar, a couple pinches of red pepper flakes, and 1 tsp of sesame seeds until combined, then pour over the veggies.

• Stir together, then return the tofu to the pan and cook 2-3 minutes more, until heated through.
• Sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds and serve with brown rice and extra soy sauce on the side.

xoxo

Slow Cooked Pork Tenderloin with Ginger, Nutmeg, Clove and Red Wine Confit Gravy

I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate. --Julia Child

The weather has been really Spring-like and warm lately--until this past weekend, that is, when the temperatures plummeted and icy, cold rain fell for hours on end, the wind gusting and sending everyone ducking for cover.  

Actually, it's the perfect weather to stay in bed under the covers, unless you were up early like me, pulling your trusty slow cooker/crock pot out of the closet to make some slow-cooked deliciousness.

I had a 2lb. whole pork tenderloin (two pieces) just waiting to be used.  I dusted sides of each loin with white pepper, nutmeg, ginger and stuck a clove in each end.  Then, I smashed and sliced up some garlic cloves and placed them on one loin, topping with the other and tying up both pieces with some kitchen twine.  (Tip: Cut your string long and place vertically on your cutting board, then place the meat on top -and season and stuff from there. It makes it much easier to tie it all up.) Then, I rubbed some olive oil on the meat and added a bit more salt and white pepper and placed it in a large skillet on medium-high heat until it was nicely browned on all sides.

In the meantime, I coarsely chopped two medium yellow onions and smashed two more garlic cloves and placed it all in the bottom of the slow cooker.  I also added about a cup of dried dates and three pieces of crystallized ginger, broken into pieces.  I added the pork on top and then topped with a few spoonfuls of a lovely Spiced Fig & Red Wine Confit spread from 'wichcraft that I bought at Williams-Sonoma a few weeks ago.  On top of that went 2 TBS of unsalted butter, cut into cubes, 2 pieces of bacon (diced) and 1/2 cup of red wine and 1/2 cup of water. I set the cooker to the 8 hour setting and that was it.

Eight wonderful-smelling hours later, I pulled the pork out of the pan to rest (cutting off the strings and fishing out the cloves) and strained the lovely juices into a small pot, discarding the solids.  I heated the juices to a boil, added in about a tablespoon of Wondra, a pinch of salt, a dash of nutmeg and a teaspoon of garlic powder and whisked until it had thickened.  Right before serving, I swirled in 1 TBS of butter into the sauce.  The meat broke apart into wonderful chunks and I served with herbed mashed potatoes.

It was the kind of dinner that warms you from the inside out.   Maybe Spring will be here sooner than you think....  

xoxoxo