pecan pie

This has been on my board.  Then the please was added.  Pecan Pie :).  PLEASE.  With a please that big, what can you do?  Even if it is April?

I had never made on before so I found  a recipe for a pecan tart by a baker I trust.  I changed it to pie.  I took a suggestion from another cookbook author and prebaked the crust.  That seemed to help a lot.  Since  I was making the cassoulet at the same time, I used my little convection oven.  I was surprised how well it worked.  

So now I have a pecan pie recipe.  I might try others but this is quite good.  It got the seal of approval from the Tall Short Person who was the one who put PLEASE on the board.

pecan pie

1 cup flour

8 tablespoons butter

a pinch of salt

2 tablespoons water

2/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons molasses

2/3 cup light corn syrup

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons very good scotch

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 tablespoons melted butter

2 cups pecan halves

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a small bowl, put 1 cup flour and a pinch of salt.  Mix.  Cut in the butter until it resembles coarse corn meal.  Sprinkle with two tablespoons water and mix together.  It should come together in a ball.  Especially if you press a bit.  If not, add another tablespoon of water.

On a floured surface.  Turn out the dough.  Bring together and knead three times (I am not kidding, less is more).  Roll out into a circle.  It will be less then a 1/4" thick and a bit fragile.  Fold it into quarters and transfer to a pie pan.  I had a 9" pie pan.  Spread out the dough.  Patch any holes.  Cut off the over hang on the edge (make pie crust cookies) and flute.

Bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  My day was such that I let my pie crust cool.  Remember, I was also making cassoulet.  I think that was a day I made granola and bread too......  Just a normal Sunday.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a bowl, mix all the other ingredients together but the pecans.  Place the pecans in the pie crust and spread evenly around.  Pour the custard mixture over the pecans.

Put the pie in the oven.  Bake about 40 minutes.

The pie will be puffed and brown when it come out of the oven.  Maybe even bubbly.  Let cool so it will hold together when you cut it.  If you do not, it is not like I did not warn you.

The Tall Short Person was very happy with this.

cassoulet

This is such a horrible picture of the cassoulet but I think it gives the impression of how fast this was served and eaten.  I think the smell alone started to drive my family crazy.  This made a lot.  But for how much work it was, that is a good thing.  I am told that I can make this again.  Especially with the mashed sweet potatoes and apples.  There was a pie afterward too.  That is coming.

cassoulet

Note:  adapted from local milk

confit pork shoulder, meat strained from the fat

seasoned white beans

tomato wine sauce

1 pound meaty bacon

duck confit, meat strained from the fat

Dice the bacon.  Cook it until crispy. 

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large heavy casserole, put a layer of beans.  Sprinkle a layer of bacon.  Sprinkle a layer of pork conift.  Spoon a layer of the wine sauce.  Repeat, ending with layer of beans.  Lay duck legs over the top.  Put in the oven for bake for another hour.

In the original recipe, there was extra stirring, fat, and bread crumbs.  I simplified and this was awful tasty.  I served it with the mashed sweet potatoes and apples.  A small plate went a long way because it was so rich but lovely.

Well worth the work.

tomato wine sauce

My weekend did not turn out as I had hoped.  I ended up in bed on Sunday.  Allergies had swollen my sinuses so bad that I had a migraine.  My teeth hurt.  I am still getting my energy back but I can say today is so much better then yesterday.

This is the last part of the cassoulet.  I would say this tomato wine sauce is good enough to put on pasta or dip bread in but maybe I am just crazy.  

tomato wine sauce

Note:  adapted from local milk

1 28 ounce can whole roasted tomatoes, seeded and chopped, reserving the liquid

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

1 teaspoon thyme

3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 bay leaf

1 can oil packed anchovies

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1 cup white wine 

In a large pot, put the olive oil and heat.  Add the onions.  Let start to brown.  Add the tomatoes.  Let them get started to bubble.  Add the garlic, thyme, bay, anchovies, salt, and paprika.  Let cook and meld and maybe even brown the bottom of the pan a bit.  Add the reserved tomato juice and wine.  Turn down to a simmer and let cook for a bit.  The recipe said until there was 2 cups but I did not cook it down that much.

I also kept this very rustic.  The recipe said to blend it and I did not.  Try it over some pasta.  Really.  You can make this a couple days ahead of time for the cassoulet.

life

I will get back to the cassoulet recipe but I wanted to share my garden.  I have been enjoying the flowers I grew.  You may bet a lot of flower pictures.

Today is a day of errands and working on projects.  I have to ball a skein of yarn while there are not little fingers around to help.  I hope to get some time in the garden today.  Small Mister likes to help and I slowly get work done.  And mabye a row or a skate?  Much of the afternoon is going to be in my rocking chair handstitching another dirt bag mattress.  After this one, there are two more to go.

Maybe I should build my self that camper....

the cooking of the white cassoulet beans

Tea and homemade granola.  A pretty good lunch.  And I am looking at a nap soon.  I think that sums up how I feel today.  A bit tired.  A bit mellow.  Bread is started.  The weather is lovely which means I hope to have some time in the garden with Small Mister today before I cook dinner.  There is skating for me tonight.  Which is another reason for a nap.

But on to the beans for the cassoulet.  The reason I got started on the cassoulet was that I was sent some lovely white cassoulet beans from Rancho Gordo.  We like beans enough that we are part of their year of beans.  I get beans I know we like and I get beans we have not tried.  I think of it as a lovely win.  They sent some heritage cassoulet beans with one of the last boxes.  I had never tried a cassoulet which is what started this whole process.

The beans came together so well for the cassoulet.  They are good enough to eat alone.  I actually stole a couple of scoops for our breakfast the day I made the cassoulet.  So good!  Full of flavor.  I will make these again.

white beans for cassoulet

Note:  adapted from local milk

1 lb white cassolet beans, dried

2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon  thyme

2 bay leaves

5 coriander seeds

a few whole cloves (2-3)

1 medium carrot, chopped

½ a medium onion, chopped

2 small leeks, cleaned and chopped fine

½ head of garlic, peeled and minced

1 tsp  salt 

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ancho pepper

1/4 teaspoon chiplote pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

Rinse and pick over your beans.  In a large pot, put the beans and cover with water by about four inches.  Let soak over night.  The next day, pour off the water.  Rinse.  Put in a slow cooker.  Cover with water.  Cook for 6 to 8 hours on low or until soft and cooked through.

In another large pot, put the oil and heat over medium heat.  Add the onion and leeks.  Let brown.  Add the carrots.  Stir a bit and let soften.  Add the garlic.  Stir.  When the garlic is golden, add the thyme, bay, coriander, cloves, salt, pepper, ancho, chipolte, and paprika.  Add the beans.  Make sure there is enough liquid to cover well.  Bring to a boil.  Turn down to a simmer.  Let simmer about 45 minutes.  Turn off and let cool.

If you are not making the cassoulet on the same day, store the beans.  Snitch a few for another meal!