ephemeral feast (Page 8)

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Pears are one of my favorite succulent winter fruits known for their distinct shape and texture. Need I mention their health benefits, robust fiber content, or versatility? They can be added to salads or stews, served as a sweet companion to meat or cheese, or baked into a delightful crostada, galette, tart, or in this case, a pie – pear and marzipan pie!

This pear and marzipan pie’s pear filling is only slightly sweetened in order to balance the almond extract-enriched, sugary marzipan which lays atop it. With its flaky, buttery crust, tender filling, and marzipan topping, this pear and marzipan pie will chase your winter blues away. 

ingredients

for the crust

  • 1 cup flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter, cut into ½ inch cubes
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider or white vinegar

for the filling

  • 3 pears, sliced
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

for the marzipan topping

  • 1 cup blanched almond meal or flour
  • ½ cup confectioners sugar
  • 1 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons corn syrup
  • Pinch of salt

crust steps

Place the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and mix to combine. In a separate bowl or measuring cup, combine the water and the vinegar and set aside. 

Sprinkle the cubes of butter into the flour mixture and toss them around. Pinch and press the flour into the pieces of butter until it is combined. The dough will be shaggy and there will be various-sized pieces of butter. Slowly drizzle in the water and vinegar mixture and continue to squeeze the dough together until it forms a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

filling steps

Thinly slice the pears and add them to a bowl. Cover them in granulated sugar and mix. Then add the lemon juice, lemon zest, ginger, and salt. Mix in the cornstarch. Set aside.

marizpan topping steps

Place the almond flour or meal, confectioners sugar, extract, corn syrup, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. The consistency will be sticky, slightly crumbly, and slightly oily. Scrape the sides, turn out the mixture onto a floured surface and shape into a ball. Roll out the marzipan and cut into any shape you would like.

pie assembly steps

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the chilling pie crust from the refrigerator and press it into a pie dish. Bake the pie for ~45 minutes until the marzipan and crust turn golden.

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Crabbies are a tasty creation which, throughout my childhood, my family always served on special occasions or holidays, particularly during the winter months. They are sort of like a deconstructed crab dip, spread on a tangy english muffin and toasted to perfection. Crabbies are classic, cozy, and old-fashioned.

As a child, I remember visiting a B&B in Spring Lake, NJ, sitting down with the proprietors in front of a crackling fire, and being served crabbies. They also served classic popcorn tins which are, in my opinion, one of the most festive winter delights.

My aunt traditionally made crabbies using a soft cheese spread, but my recipe uses cream cheese infused with crushed red pepper to add creaminess and spice.

Serve these delights for a romantic date or as a delectable party snack. I promise, crabbies will never disappoint!

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces / 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 10 english muffins, split with a fork
  • ½ pound lump crab meat

steps

Using a food processor or electric mixer, blend the cream cheese and 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese. Add crushed red pepper. Pulse until the mixture becomes a spreadable paste, much like typical cream cheese but now infused with cheddar. Set aside.

Toast english muffin halves in batches of 2-4 depending on the side of your toaster (if you do not have a toaster, toast them on the rack in the oven at 350°F) and spread with cheese mixture. Top with crab meat and shredded cheddar cheese.

Place all 20 prepared crabbies on a sheet pan and put in freezer. Freeze for at least 1 hour. These will last in the freezer for up to two weeks, so feel free to do this ahead of time.

When ready to cook, preheat oven to 300°F. bake for 20 minutes. Turn on oven broiler and broil for 6 minutes, rotating the pan 180° every 2 minutes so ensure each crabbie is evenly browned. Serve whole or cut in quarters.

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Strudel is a fundamental part of Austrian cuisine as well as its famous coffee culture. Who couldn’t love flaky apfelstrudel (apple strudel) as a delicious breakfast or midday snack with a cup of coffee? I can personally enjoy it any time of day – kind of like its savory relative, cabbage strudel.

Cabbage sauteed in olive oil and caraway seasoned with salt and pepper is folded into the paper-thin strudel dough, brushed in butter, and baked until crispy. Cabbage strudel is incredibly inexpensive to make and is deeply comforting.

I always love hearing my mom’s stories about her grandmother rolling out the strudel dough on a large tablecloth and how she would help roll it up. Something about this just makes my soul feel warm. 

Here, I split the dough into two smaller portions to make it more manageable while retaining that classic strudel flavor and texture.

Note about flour: my family always used Hecker’s flour, but any high-protein flour, like King Arthur, will work. 

ingredients

for the dough

  • 1 ¼ cups flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
  • ⅓ cup lukewarm water
  • Flour for rolling out dough

for the apple filling

  • 4 tart, crisp apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ½ cup raisins
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted, divided
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs

for the cabbage filling

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ large head of cabbage (about 2 cups) cut into ½ inch strips
  • 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

for brushing the strudel

4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, melted

dough steps

Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the paddle. Slowly add in the water and 3 tablespoons of the oil and mix until combined. Replace the paddle with the dough hook and knead for 5 minutes until the dough is soft and pliable. Coat a medium-sized bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and place the dough inside. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes to let the gluten relax.

apple filling steps

In a large bowl, combine the apples, lemon zest, sugar, raisins, and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly and let sit.

cabbage filling steps

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the caraway seeds and toast them for 5 minutes, then add the cabbage, salt, and pepper. Let cook, stirring occasionally.

assembly steps

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Divide the dough in half and starting with the first half, roll out as thinly as possible on a lightly flour surface, using a rolling pin. Lift the dough from the surface and slowly and carefully stretch it by rotating it in the air. Place the thin dough on a piece of parchment paper and brush with butter. Cover ⅓ of the surface area with breadcrumbs and layer on the apple mixture. Fold over the sides and slowly roll the dough over itself from the filled side. Place on a baking sheet and brush with melted butter.

Repeat the rolling process with the second piece of dough, place on a sheet of parchment paper, and brush with butter. Then add the cabbage, fold over the sides, and roll up the dough. Place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush with butter.

Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown and flaky. Dust the apple strudel with powdered sugar before serving. Enjoy the strudel hot or cold!

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Save your un-zested citrus peels and candy them in a matter of minutes! Making candied citrus peel is a great way to use every part of the fruit and add delicious sweetness, flavor, and texture to salads, sauces and condiments, yogurt, oatmeal, baked goods, granola. Candied citrus peel can be a perfect companion to a cozy mug of tea, or a fun and delicious treat simply on its own!

Depending on the type of citrus peel, you will need to blanch the peels to remove excess bitterness. This involves boiling them in water for 10 minutes, straining them, then boiling in water once more. Feel free to repeat a third or fourth time, but it may not be necessary.

You can save the simple syrup that the peels cooks in to use for cocktails or you can re-use it to make more batches of candied citrus peel in the future.

ingredients 

  • 2-2 ½ cups of citrus peels (I used clementine)
  • 2 ½ cups sugar, divided
  • 2 cups water
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

steps

Cover the citrus peels with cold water and bring to a boil. Strain and return to the pot. Re-fill the pot with water and bring to a boil once again. Strain and allow to cool briefly.

Meanwhile, place 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of water in a pot and bring to a boil. Stir continuously to allow the sugar to dissolve. Add the citrus peels and simmer for 35-40 minutes.

While the peels cook, mix the remaining ½ cup of sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt in a bowl.

Remove from the syrup with a slotted spoon and place on a wire rack over a baking sheet to allow any excess syrup to drip off. Sprinkle with the sugar and salt mixture and allow to cool completely.

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Worcestershire sauce is complex and layered with its distinct elements of salty, sweet, and umami. You might recognize it from the classic American snack Chex mix. I love to experiment with snack mixes, particularly roasted flavored nuts, like roasted almonds. I find it adds something special to an already delicious and healthy snack, especially when there are both sweet and savory components. Such is certainly the case with these worcestershire brown sugar almonds.

With the well-rounded combination of Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and smoked paprika, these sweet and savory nuts check every flavor box.

ingredients

  • 3 cups whole raw almonds
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

steps

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place almonds in a large bowl and add Worcestershire, brown sugar, paprika, and salt. Mix until combined. Pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cook for 30-35 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to evenly distribute the almonds, until they are golden and caramelized.

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Valentine’s day is such a fun holiday, a reason to celebrate love. My family always made a big deal about Valentine’s day, with my dad preparing a special dinner for my mom, sister and I, as well as beautiful flower arrangements and cards. My mom always gave my sister and me a fun festive gift and we always wore red or pink.

These days, I still love to celebrate the Valentine’s day season, and though I made these lemon cookies with strawberry glaze Valentine’s day in mind, they can really be enjoyed any time of year. I love the speckles in the glaze from the freeze-dried strawberry powder and the overall “pink frosting flavored” vibe. The lemon cookies pair so well with the delicious strawberry glaze.

ingredients

for the cookies

  • 2 ¾ cups flour
  • 2 tablespoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract

for the glaze

  • 1 ½ cups confectioners sugar
  • 4-5 tablespoons milk
  • 3 teaspoons freeze-dried strawberry powder (I made my own by grinding up freeze-dried strawberries)

cookie steps

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle, beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the lemon zest and beat in for another 2 minutes. Add the egg and almond extract and beat until combined. Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix on low until the dough is evenly combined.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to ⅓ of an inch thick. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cookies just slightly start to turn golden. They will seem soft but will solidify more as they cool. Let cookies cool completely before glazing.

glaze steps

Combine confectioners sugar, milk, and strawberry powder in a medium-sized bowl. Stir vigorously to evenly incorporate.

Dip each cookie in the glaze and let any excess drip off the side. Let dry on a wire cooling rack until the glaze hardens. 

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Red cabbage is delicious, hearty, and brilliantly reddish-purple. I love it as a bright veggie amid winter greyness. Not only is red cabbage vibrant, but it is actually quite versatile, healthy and very inexpensive. I grew up eating it prepared in the classic Austrian/German way (rotkohl), which is shredded and braised with apple, vinegar, and onion sort of like a sweet sauerkraut. I love to eat it this way. I also love roasted red cabbage.

Roasted red cabbage is minimally bitter; as it cooks, it releases the sweetness hidden in its purple leaves. Caraway adds a nutty layer of flavor which complements the classic pairing of apple and blue cheese. You never would have thought red cabbage could taste so delicious!

ingredients

  • 1 head red cabbage, cored and chopped into 1-2 inch strips and wedges
  • ¼ cup + 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons caraway seeds
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 3 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 shallot, sliced
  • ¼ cup fresh breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • ¼ cup blue cheese, crumbled
  • 1 apple, diced
  • ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped

steps

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the chopped cabbage in a large bowl and add the salt, 1 teaspoon of the pepper, ¼ cup of the olive oil, and the caraway seeds. Mix to combine and pour out onto a baking sheet. Leave space on about ¼ of the baking sheet and add the sliced onion and shallot. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil.

Roast in the oven for about 45-50 minutes. The cabbage will be soft but still chewy.

While the cabbage roasts, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a skillet and add the breadcrumbs, oregano, and remaining teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Toast for 5 minutes until golden.

Remove the cabbage from the oven and serve warm, topped with apple, blue cheese, breadcrumbs, and fresh dill.

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My boyfriend’s mom received a bunch of ginger and the biggest Spanish onion I have ever seen in her misfits market order, so she commissioned me to make it into marmalade. She loves anything and everything ginger and famously incorporates it into much of her delicious cooking. I love peppercorn in a marmalade or jam to offset the sweetness, so that is how this recipe for ginger onion black pepper marmalade was born!

Dicing the onion as opposed to cutting it into strips allows it to sort of dissolve into the background and form a solid base on which the vibrant ginger strips can shine.

Enjoy this ginger onion black pepper marmalade as a sauce for chicken, fish, or meat or spread it on a crusty piece of bread with some yummy cheese.

ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 1 2×4-inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced into thin strips
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

steps

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and add the diced onion and 1 tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes then add the sliced ginger. Cook for another 5-7 minutes until onion and ginger begin to soften. Add the water and sugar and cook on medium-high for 30 minutes, making sure to stir the mixture as it bubbles.

Add the remaining tablespoon of black pepper and the 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Spoon into mason jars and cover with lid while hot to allow the seal to form. 

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Pierogies, the classic Polish dumplings, are one of my favorite foods in the entire world. They remind me of childhood, family, and holidays. We would have them for special meals and celebrations, at the annual church picnic, or for ordinary weeknight dinners. No matter the occasion, one thing for sure was that when pierogies were around, people were happy. They are simply that magical. 

One day I will write a proper ode to pierogies, but for now, here is a foolproof recipe which will yield classic, delicious pierogies, time after time. I have included a simple potato and cheese filling, but other options are sauerkraut, sautéed onions, Twaróg (Polish pot cheese), or farmer cheese. These are traditional fillings, but certainly feel free to improvise!

ingredients

for the dough

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 5-6 tablespoons water
  • Extra flour for rolling out dough

for the filling

  • 3 medium-sized yukon gold or russet potatoes, peeled and chopped roughly
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded

for the topping

  • 1 red onion, sliced
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • ½ cup dill, chopped

filling steps

Fill a large pot with water. Add the potatoes and salt and bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are fork tender. Drain in a colander and mash in a large bowl. Add the butter and cheddar cheese. Mix until filling is combined. Set aside.

dough steps 

Place the flour, eggs, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook or a large bowl if you prefer to knead by hand. Add 5 tablespoons of water and knead the dough until blisters appear. The dough should be soft and not too sticky.

Divide the dough into two parts, working with one at a time. Roll dough out as thinly as you can, but not enough to see through or break, about ⅛ inch. Use a round shape (I used the top of a mason jar lid) to cut out circles. 

Spoon about a tablespoon of filling into the center of the circle, dip your finger in a bowl of water and run it along one side of the circle. Fold one side over the other side and pinch it closed. Wetting the edges helps the dough meld together.

Place the pinched pierogies on a baking sheet dusted with flour and let sit for 5-10 minutes to dry out a bit before cooking.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Boil each pierogi for 2-4 minutes, the pierogies will float to the top when they are finished cooking.

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On cold winter days such as today, I find myself seeking comfort wherever I can, be it in a warm bath, relaxing, cozy clothing, hot tea, an early glass of wine, or satisfying food. And what food is more comforting than pasta? Introducing: rigatoni with escarole and sausage.

Rigatoni with escarole and sausage includes a full serving of greens nestled alongside nuggets of sausage and chewy rigatoni. Escarole is technically a chicory which can be eaten either raw or cooked. My parents always made it when I was younger braised in simple stock or bouillon. Throwing it into a hearty dish of pasta with sausage creates a delectable meal.

For me, rigatoni with escarole and sausage evokes cozy comfort, perfect for a chilly winter night. Escarole and sausage sort of reminds me of the timeless duo of broccoli rabe and sausage. The bitter escarole balances the rich sausage in this harmonious pasta dish.

ingredients

  • 1 pound of loose sweet or spicy sausage, or sausage removed from the casing and broken into ¾-inch balls
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1 head of escarole
  • 8 ounces rigatoni
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • Grated parmesan

steps

In a large skillet, brown the sausage until nearly cooked. Add the crushed red pepper, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Make room in the center of the skillet and at the garlic. Cook until it browns.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al-dente, 6-7 minutes.

Tear apart the escarole leaves and add to the skillet. Cook until the leaves are tender, about 10 minutes.

Drain the pasta and mix in the olive oil then add to the skillet. Mix to combine and top with chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese.