Ham and Mushroom Quiche - Foolproof All-Butter Pastry Tutorial

Pie crust is my "thing," and I make it by all sorts of methods, depending on my mood: food processor, stand mixer, by hand in a bowl, by hand on the worktop, with a pastry blender, with a bench scraper, with my fingers, you name it. Sometimes with water, sometimes milk or soured milk or buttermilk, sometimes egg, sometimes baking powder, vinegar or lemon juice. But always with unsalted butter. I love an all-butter pie crust. 

At one time or another I've made pie crust with shortening, part shortening and part butter, lard, part lard and part butter, even oil. But nothing is better than butter. I've been on a pie kick lately and decided my fingers needed a break, so I'd use the food processor. But I was itching to try something different, and I remembered that I'd heard years ago of a different food processor method but never got around to trying it. So, I adapted my usual (well, most usual) two-crust recipe to that method. And ...

I liked it! So, we've been eating lots of pies around here. Then I decided it had been far too long since I'd made a quiche and, working with what I had on hand, came up with my favorite quiche yet! Ham, onion, red bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, cheddar cheese. You can make substitutions, as long as you keep the total add-ins to not more than 2 cups of cooked items. Otherwise, you won't be able to use all the custard filling, no matter how high you fluted your pie shell; and you know how much I hate food waste!

Rather than tell you here what is so different about this flour-butter paste method, I'll invite you to read the directions for it below. And let me know what you think. Have you tried this method? If not, do! And make the quiche while you're at it. Don't know why, but springtime always seems like the right time for quiche!

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Ham and Mushroom Quiche & Foolproof All-Butter Pastry

The Pastry

(for two pie shells or one double-crust pie)

2 1/2 dip-and-sweep cups (12.5 ounces/354 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour, divided

1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces/227 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices

5 tablespoons (2.5 fluid ounces/74 ml) ice water plus 1 tablespoon (0.5 fluid ounces/15 ml) apple cider vinegar

The Quiche

(makes one 9-inch quiche)

1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

8-ounce package (227 grams) mushrooms, chopped 

3/4 cup (4 ounces/113 grams) julienned ham

1/4 cup (1.25 ounces/38 grams) chopped onion

1/4 cup (1.25 ounces/38 grams) chopped red bell pepper

1/2 medium zucchini (3 ounces/85 grams) sliced

3 large eggs

1/2 + 1/8 cup (5 fluid ounces/148 ml) heavy cream

1/2 + 1/8 cup (5 fluid ounces/148 ml) milk

1/4 teaspoon salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper, divided

1/4 teaspoon marjoram

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 packed cup (4 ounces/113 grams) cheddar (or ...) cheese, shredded

1 Weigh (my kitchen scale) and measure flour, sugar, and salt in 2- to 2.5-quart mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously for about 30 seconds to "sift." With food processor's metal blade in place, scoop out half (1 1/4 cups) the flour mixture into the work bowl of the food processor (another 11-cup food processor). Spread the butter slices evenly over the fairly even flour mixture. Pulse until no dry flour remains and mixture is starting to form clumps of dough, about 25 to 30 one-second pulses. Don't get hung up on counting the number of pulses, just watch for the clumping to begin. With a silicone spatula, spread dough evenly around the work bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining flour and pulse until the dough is just barely broken up, about 5 1-second pulses.

 

2 Transfer the dough back to the 2- to 2.5-quart mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes or so before proceeding. Sprinkle the dough with the water-vinegar mixture and use the spatula to fold and press the dough until it comes together into a ball.

3 Turn the dough out, dividing onto two pieces of plastic wrap and flatten each slightly into a 4- to 5-inch round disk. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days. You can even freeze the dough, wrapped well, for up to a month. To defrost the dough, move it from freezer to refrigerator for one day before using it. Let thoroughly chilled dough stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes for easier rolling.

Note: If you're making two pie shells, make the disks the same size. If you're making a double-crust pie, make one disk a little larger for the bottom crust. For a 9-inch double-crust pie (I always use the classic 9-inch Pyrex pie plate), I roll the bottom crust into a 13-inch circle and the top crust into an 11-inch circle. 

4 For single-crust pie: On lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to 13 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch or so thick. Transfer the dough to the pie plate, pressing the dough (but not stretching it) to fit the pie plate, getting down into the corners, with a half- to one-inch overhang (trim with knife or scissors, and save in case you need to patch a little hole after the blind baking). Cover with the reserved piece of plastic wrap and chill for 10 minutes before fluting the edge. Cover and return to refrigerator while the oven heats up. Preheat oven to 375F/190C/Gas5. Line chilled pie shell with a square of foil and fill with pie weights (baking beans, in UK). I use two boxes of ceramic pie weights that store neatly in a 200-gram Twinings tea tin. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove pie weights. Prick the pastry bottom all over with a fork. Bake for another 15 minutes until golden brown. 

For double-crust pie: On lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the bottom crust dough to 13 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch or so thick. Transfer the dough to the pie plate, pressing the dough (but not stretching it) to fit the pie plate with a half- to one-inch overhang (trim with knife or scissors). Cover with the reserved piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate. Roll out top crust dough to 11 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch or so thick and place it on a rimless baking sheet; cover with reserved plastic wrap and refrigerate. Make pie filling. Then assemble pie and bake as directed. 

And now, to the quiche!

5 In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil and cook the mushrooms, ham, onion, and bell pepper, adding more olive oil as needed. Use 1/8 teaspoon of the salt, 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper, and all the marjoram. Be sure all the liquid has evaporated. Cook the zucchini slices separately. Let cool a bit.

6 Preheat oven to 350F/180C/Gas4. Into the fully baked pie shell, put a third of the cheese, half of the ham and vegetables (except the sliced zucchini), a third of the cheese, other half of the ham and vegetables. Pour in the filling. Top with the remaining cheese and the zucchini slices. Set on a parchment-lined 15x10x1-inch baking sheet. Bake for about 50 to 70 minutes, or until it tests done. A slight wobble in the center is fine, but it should not be wet. The reason there's quite a time range given is because of the variables: your oven, how well cooked (moisture removed) the vegetables were, and so on. 

Note: It's always good to keep an aluminum pie crust shield handy in case your edges are overbrowning.

7 Let quiche stand for 20 to 25 minutes before slicing and serving.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees at no cost to you by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

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Swedish Meatball Meatloaf

When a craving for Swedish Meatballs - Svenska Kottbullar struck during a time when it seemed too much of a faff, I worked that recipe into this Swedish Meatball Meatloaf. It gave me all the flavors I was craving, albeit without the "cuteness" of the meatballs.

It was such a doddle, I may never make the meatballs again! Of course I will, when I need that cuteness, but now I can get my Swedish meatball fix even when I need to cut a few corners. Add it to my "streamlined cooking" repertoire. You can even put it together in the morning, then pop it into the oven after work.

Of course, a meatloaf is open to all sorts of variations and substitutions. But please don't skip the allspice and dill. Without those two ingredients, it just couldn't be called Swedish Meatball Meatloaf. Even if you bake with allspice, you might feel a bit hesitant to use it in a meatloaf; but just do it. Trust me, you're going to love it.

Thank you to everyone who commented on my last post and kindly tolerated that I was unable to respond or reciprocate at that time. I'm trying to get back in the saddle now and get back to some sort of normal (awful word, isn't it?).

For those who don't eat red meat, here's my Turkey-Mushroom Meatloaf.

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Swedish Meatball Meatloaf

(Serves 6)

The Meatballs

About 4 slices (4.75 ounces/135 grams) good sourdough or white bread for 1 1/2 packed cups fresh breadcrumbs

1/2 cup finely minced onion
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces/118 ml) milk
1 large egg
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 pound 85% lean ground beef
1 pound ground pork

The Sauce

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups lower sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt (you'll likely add a bit more after tasting)
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/4 cup heavy cream or sour cream

The Garnish

Sour cream
Chopped dill, fresh or dried (NOT optional, dill MAKES Swedish Meatballs or Meatloaf!)

1 Use a food processor to make perfect fresh breadcrumbs. Cut four slices (you might need another slice or two, depending on your bread) of good sourdough or white bread into four to six pieces. You only need to remove the crust if it's coated with seeds. Process until it becomes breadcrumbs. Don't worry about overdoing it; it's pretty foolproof. You should have 1 1/2 cups,* fairly firmly packed. Add crumbs to a 4-quart mixing bowl.

* And the weight of my 1 1/2 packed cups of fresh sourdough breadcrumbs was 4.75 ounces/135 grams, so next time I will know to use that amount of the same bread so as to not have any leftover crumbs.

2 In small skillet or saucepan, heat oil and cook onion until softened, about 10 minutes. Add to crumbs in mixing bowl.

3 Add salt, pepper, allspice, milk, egg and Worcestershire sauce to bowl. Mix well. Add ground beef and ground pork, and mix well (but do not overmix). Just use your impeccably clean hand to mix, if you like.

4 Preheat oven to 400F/205C/Gas6. Line a 13x9x1-inch quarter sheet pan (or, if you don't have a quarter sheet, a 15x10x1-inch baking sheet pan) with foil or baking parchment paper (you will regret it if you don’t!). Form meatloaf mixture into a 9x5- or 10x4-inch loaf on the lined pan.

5 Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until it reaches a temperature of 165F/74C on an instant-read thermometer. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. While the meatloaf is baking, start the sauce.

6 In a 2-quart saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, cooking and stirring to make a smooth, browned roux. Don't rush it; get the roux browned. Add beef broth and cook, stirring, until smooth and thickened. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and allspice; simmer for 10 minutes, then set aside. Ten minutes before serving, stir in cream or sour cream. Heat on low for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

7 Garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream and a generous sprinkling of dill. Of course, fresh dill is prettier (I used dried, which as you can see is not as photogenic, because I have no dill in the garden just now), but the dried tastes wonderful as well.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support.

Jean

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Slow Cooker Barbecue Pork Ribs

I'd been thinking for months about trying barbecue pork ribs in the Instant Pot pressure cooker, but then my friend Jo mentioned cooking some in the slow cooker mode. So that's what I decided to do.

I usually do my wonderful Oven Barbecue Pork Ribs, but I didn't feel like running the oven on such a hot day; so it was the perfect time to try this. 

The "Normal" Slow Cook setting of the Instant Pot (or Low setting for most slow cookers) for 10 hours cooked them to tender perfection, and then a couple of 3- minute stints under the broiler developed the sticky, crusty finish.

Of course, barbecue ribs (slow cooker or otherwise) are like meat candy, so I don't eat a large serving or have them very often. 

Mr Delightful was really happy with these ribs, so I'm going to be making them again. All part of what I call my Streamlined Cooking! Are you a rib fan? No need to wait for grilling weather!

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Slow Cooker Barbecue Pork Ribs

I think the 6-quart Instant Pot could easily hold 6 pounds of ribs.

(Serves 3 or 4)

The Ribs

4 pounds (1.8 kilograms) pork back ribs

The Dry Rub

1/4 cup (1.75 ounces/50 grams) dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground dried chiles (I make a little mixture of my own)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

The Barbecue Sauce

(Makes about 1/2 cup)

1/3 cup organic ketchup

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons country Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1 In a small bowl, stir together all the barbecue sauce ingredients; cover and refrigerate.

2 In a small bowl, stir together all the dry rub ingredients.

Note: This is the part where I would tell you about peeling the tough membrane off the bony side of the ribs, but my friend told me she didn't bother and it made no difference with the slow cooker method, so I skipped it. However, I am accustomed to doing that and may, or may not, do it next time. 

3 Apply dry rub all over. Roll the rack of ribs up like a rug, meaty side out, and place it on its edge in the inner pot of the Instant Pot. If cooking two racks of ribs, place the largest coil in the pot--it will move itself out to the sides of the pot--then put the other coil in the center.

Note: May be made ahead to this point, refrigerated and finished the next day.

4 Put on the optional Instant Pot glass lid, or use the pressure cooking lid with the steam release handle turned to Venting. Select the Slow Cook program. Within 10 seconds, press Slow Cook to set temperature to Normal. Within 10 seconds, press “+ or –“ to set time to 10 hours.

5 Move your oven rack to 6 inches below your broiler. The top position in my oven is 4 inches below the broiler, but I think I'm less likely to burn things at the slightly lower level! Turn the broiler on High. Place the ribs on a foil-lined 18x13x1-inch half sheet pan. Using about half the sauce, lightly brush the underside (bony side) of the ribs with a little sauce, and brush the meaty side of the ribs with the rest of the half. Broil for about 3 minutes (you'll have to be the judge of that!).

6 Take the pan out of the oven, and brush the top of the ribs with the remaining half of the sauce. Broil for another 3 minutes (again, you'll have to sort the timing out with your broiler).

7 Let the ribs rest for 5 minutes before cutting apart. 

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Split Pea Soup with Ham - Instant Pot or Not

Split Pea Soup served with either homemade bread or biscuits, or a well-made grilled cheese sandwich, makes a satisfying meal any time of year, though it's often thought of as a cold-weather food.

I used to make a big production of sauteeing the celery, carrots and onion first; but I discovered several years ago that the soup is just fine when you skip that step, and I haven't looked back. Part of my Streamlined Cooking. 

Perhaps because of the very long cooking of the stovetop and slow cooker versions, and the pressure cooking of the Instant Pot, all the flavor is drawn from the vegetables without precooking them.

It's one of my all-time favorite soups, but Mr Delightful is not a soup fan, so I get to eat the whole pot. Planning to have it for breakfast today as soon as I get this posted! Are you a soup fan?

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Split Pea Soup

(Makes 6 servings)

2 1/4 cups (16 ounces/454 grams) green split peas, washed and drained

6 cups (48 ounces/1.42 litres) water
1 cup chopped celery (2 large stalks)
1 cup chopped or coarsely grated carrots (2 large carrots)
1 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1/3-to 1/2-pound (5.33 to 8 ounces/151 to 227 grams) piece of a fully cooked ham
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon thyme leaves
3/4 teaspoon marjoram leaves
1 bay leaf

Garnish: sherry, sour cream, creme fraiche or plain yogurt and something green

For slow cooker: Cook on Low for 8 hours.

For stovetop: Increase water to 2.5 quarts. In at least a 4-quart pan (I use a 5 1/2-quart Dutch oven), combine all ingredients (except garnishes, of course). If you are going to puree the soup (I do not), vegetables can be just roughly chopped and ham added after the pureeing. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, loosely covered, for about 3½ hours (or up to 5 hours, depending on the peas), stirring occasionally. Remove ham, chop it or shred it using two forks and add it back to soup. Remove bay leaf and adjust seasoning. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish.

For Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker:

1 Put in all the ingredients at once. Give it a stir. Put the lid in place and turn the steam valve to Sealing. Press the Pressure Cook key. Leave the indicator lights on High Pressure and Normal temperature, and change the cooking time to 17 minutes. Press lit Keep Warm key to cancel that feature.

Note: It can take 20 to 25 minutes to reach working pressure. This varies with the amount and temperature of the ingredients in the pot. 

2 When the beep sounds, unplug Instant Pot. Set a kitchen timer for 25 minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally, then do a quick release by turning the steam valve to Venting.

3 When the float valve drops down, carefully remove the lid. If the peas are not done, put the lid back on, turn the steam valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 1 to 3 additional minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Note: The soup can be kept in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Once cooled or chilled, I like to put 2 1/2 cups of soup in my favorite 3-cup glass storage container and pop it in the freezer for two servings of soup on another day.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Baked Beans from Scratch - Instant Pot or Classic

Aunt Sissy's Baked Beans came to mind last month for two reasons: 1) Summer would be starting, and that's Baked Bean Season around here; and 2) It was the ninth anniversary of her death and I was enjoying fond memories of her. She was a very capable woman and quintessential homemaker, skilled in all the domestic arts.

Ever since I got an Instant Pot in December, I've wanted to adapt her recipe to the electric pressure cooker. If you don't have one, do make these beans Aunt Sissy's way at the post Baked Beans - From Scratch. But I think my Instant Pot version is identical, and there's no need to presoak the beans.

Usually at the end of the natural pressure release time, I take the inner cooking pot out of the Instant Pot to either cool or serve. This time, for some reason, I left it in place and learned a valuable piece of information. 

When I took the inner pot out over an hour later to put the "cooled" beans in the refrigerator, they were not cool. Leaving them in the turned-off and unplugged Instant Pot had kept them piping hot for over an hour! 

These beans are a must for every summer barbecue, and I hope you'll try them soon, either way.

Baked Beans from Scratch - Instant Pot

(Makes 8 servings) 

6 slices (about 6 ounces/170 grams) bacon, chopped

1/2 cup finely minced onion (1 small onion)
1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) navy or small white beans
3 1/2 cups (28 fluid ounces/828 ml) water
3 tablespoons (1.31 ounces/37 grams) dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons (2.1 ounces/60 grams) unsulfured molasses
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 to 1 1/4 cups ( 8 to 10 fluid ounces/237 to 296 ml) ketchup

1 With Instant Pot on Saute function, cook chopped bacon until crisp. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot. Add chopped onion, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Be sure to scrape up all the brown bits on the bottom, adding a bit of the water if needed, to free up all that flavor and to make sure your Instant Pot won't give you the Burn signal. Turn it Off.

2 Rinse and pick over beans to remove any debris. Add beans to Instant Pot along with all remaining ingredients. Stir everything up. 

3 Put the lid in place and turn the steam valve to Sealing. Press the Pressure Cook key. Leave the indicator lights on High Pressure and Normal temperature, and change the cooking time to 45 minutes.

Note: It can take 20 to 25 minutes to reach working pressure. This varies with the amount and temperature of the ingredients in the pot. 

4 When the beep sounds, turn it off by pressing Cancel. Set a kitchen timer for 25 minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally, then do a quick release by turning the steam valve to Venting.

5 When the float valve drops down, carefully remove the lid. If the beans are not done to your liking, put the lid back on, turn the steam valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for additional minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Note: The cooked beans can be kept in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Note: Check out Instant Pot Pinto Beans post for more info about the vagaries of dried bean cookery!

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Pork Chops and Apples

Pork Chops and Apples is a well-remembered dish from my childhood, but I make it differently. My mother browned the pork chops and made the sauce/gravy on the stove, then transferred everything to a big yellow oven-proof bowl that easily held 12 pork chops and lots of apples. 

Now I have the bowl, a vintage 1960s Pyrex 4-quart nesting mixing bowl. Though I rarely use it—somehow it seems more precious than other more delicate and valuable items that were my mother’s—I enjoy getting a glimpse of it now and then in the deep, high cupboard over the refrigerator.

Separated in age from my three (all older) siblings by a 6-, 9- and 10-year gap and having parents with their own stresses and strains, my early and middle childhood days were often quite chaotic. But whatever else went down on any given day, it all stopped for dinner. Food was what brought the family together.

Food was what brought 

the family together.

The cooking of older food writers she liked, such as Patience Gray, Elizabeth David and Julia Child, was inspired by their travels. But my mother never felt the need to travel. Her food took her anywhere she wanted to go. From the best of British and American cooking to the most complicated Chinese dishes, she was an inspired cook.

Had she been just an average cook, or a "good plain cook,” I wonder if her food would have had the same power to bring everyone together around that big table in the very middle of the kitchen. I doubt it. (Two essays that fit well with this post: Life Lesson in a Flame-Colored Pot and The Pork Chop Incident.)

So here it is: my stovetop Pork Chops and Apples. I had to make it up as I went along because my mother stopped making it once there were no longer six (and often more) at the dinner table, which was before I started writing things down as she cooked. They don’t taste like her pork chops, but they taste good!

This takes about 45 minutes from start to finish and can be made ahead (details in the directions below) for busy nights. Great with Perfect Mashed Potatoes and a vegetable or two.

Pork Chops and Apples

(Makes 3 servings)

The Apples

2 medium (about 6 ounces/170 grams each) Golden Delicious, Granny Smith or other good baking apples
2 tablespoons (1 ounce/28 grams) unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

The Pork Chops

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
3 5-ounce 3/4-inch-thick boneless loin pork chops (pastured pork)
3/8 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (1 fluid ounce/30 ml) brandy
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups (12 fluid ounces/355 ml) lower sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
1/4 teaspoon thyme

1 Don’t peel the apples. Quarter them and with a paring knife, cut out the core from each quarter. Slice each quarter into 3 slices.

2 In 12-inch skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and sugar; stir in the apples. They should be sizzling. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until caramelizing a little. With slotted spoon, transfer apples to a plate.

3 Add the teaspoon of oil to the pan and swirl it around. Place the chops in the hot pan, sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Over medium to medium-high heat, cook for about 5 or 6 minutes until well browned. Turn, season with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook for about 5 or 6 minutes until well browned. Transfer to a plate.

4 Add the butter to the skillet. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in brandy, then balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan. Then whisk in broth, marjoram and thyme. Simmer and stir until thickened, about 5 minutes or so. Or longer—as long as it takes for the sauce to be nicely thickened and the flavors concentrated.

Note: This dish may be made ahead to this point and the pork chops, apples and sauce all refrigerated separately. Twenty minutes or so before serving, thoroughly heat up the sauce in the skillet. Add the pork chops and apples to the skillet, cover and simmer until heated through. 

5 Return chops and apples to pan, along with any liquid that collected on the plates. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Simmer over very low heat, covered loosely, for about 10 minutes to warm them through. Taste and adjust seasoning.

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Jean

Sheet Pan Beer Brats Dinner

Sheet Pan Beer Brats Dinner came to mind as I was perusing the offerings at my favorite meat shop. I love shopping there because it is pristine and all the meat is local, grass-fed (or pastured), sustainable and produced by farmers who practice good animal stewardship. I had the sheet pan dinner concept in the back of my mind and was looking at the chicken when I spied the brats.

I did not grow up eating bratwurst. I grew up avoiding processed meats, so rarely even had a hot dog. But a couple years ago I walked into this shop when one of the owners was making brats—Wisconsin-style with coarsely ground pork. They make all their own sausages with the best ingredients. So I took home four “homemade,” unprocessed brats and haven’t looked back since.

A sheet pan dinner is what I call streamlined cooking. And there are at least a few days a week when dinner really needs to be streamlined. It’s such an easy way to get lots of different vegetables into your diet because they all cook together. Cabbage wedges would’ve been good with this, and I’ll do that next time.

I do a lot of wine reductions but have never even heard of a beer reduction. It was just going to go against my grain to pour that beer down the drain, though, so I thought I'd make a little sauce out of it. Love it!

For more streamlined cooking, Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner. 

Sheet Pan Beer Brats Dinner

(Makes 4 servings)

The Brats and Vegetables

4 bratwurst sausages (about 5 ounces each)
1 12-ounce bottle Newcastle Brown Ale
2 medium orange-flesh sweet potatoes (about 22 ounces/624 grams total), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
About 3/4 pound broccoli and cauliflower florets
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon mixed with 1/8 teaspoon salt 
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper

The Sauce

The beer reduction
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Pinch (1/16 teaspoon) crushed red pepper flakes

1 Pierce the sausages six times each with a toothpick or a few times with a knife. Put them in a wide saucepan with the beer. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Leave the brats in the beer until you place them on the baking sheet.

2 Preheat oven to 400F/205C/Gas6. Line an 18x13x1-inch half sheet pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. In a 1.5- to 2-quart bowl, toss sweet potato slices with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Lay out the slices at one end of the baking sheet. Sprinkle them evenly with the cinnamon-salt mixture.

3 In that same bowl, toss the broccoli and cauliflower florets with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Spread them out at the other end of the baking sheet. Put the beer-boiled brats in the center of the baking sheet. Sprinkle the broccoli, cauliflower and brats with salt and pepper.

4 Bake for 30 minutes. In the meantime, strain the beer into a glass measuring cup and wipe out the saucepan. Pour the beer back into the saucepan. Bring it to a boil, and adjust the heat to keep it at a slow-ish boil until it is reduced to 1/2 cup. Just pour it back into the glass measuring cup from time to time to check it. When it’s down to 1/2 cup, whisk in remaining ingredients.

5 Drizzle sauce over all, or let each person sauce his own plate. 

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Jean

Pork Loin Roast with Gravy - Slow Cooker

Boneless Pork Loin Roast is so easy and, more important, so good in the slow cooker. Not that I don’t love a fall-apart braised hunk of meat some times, but this isn’t it. This is just like a roast that comes out of the oven. You know, roast it, rest it while you make the gravy, then slice it into tidy slices.

And, with summer coming on, I will be so glad to be able to make a roast dinner without having to run the oven and heat up the place!

Sometimes I put a good sear on the roast before putting it in the slow cooker, but this time I just wanted to throw it in there and see what happened. Though it perhaps doesn’t look as pretty without that initial sear, it tastes every bit as good. 

You don’t add a lot of liquid. Just 2 teaspoons of lite soy sauce and 1/3 cup of wine. I usually use red, but this time I used a white that I’d been wanting to open. Set the slow cooker on low and go about your business for 6 hours. The roast will be perfectly tender but make neat slices.

Simple gravy. Dinner’s on the table. No muss, no fuss. And I’m cool as a cucumber.

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Slow Cooker Pork Roast with Gravy

(Serves 4 to 6)

2 pound boneless pork loin (not tenderloin) roast
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 medium onion, halved and separated

1 large stalk celery, cut into 4 pieces

2 carrots, cut into 4 pieces

1/3 cup drinkable dry red or white wine

2 teaspoons lite soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon marjoram

1/4 teaspoon thyme leaves

Pinch cayenne
Slurry of 2 tablespoons flour in 3 tablespoons water

1 Coat roast with mixture of flour, pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Brown in oil. Or not! (Though I do love that brown crusty appearance when I have the time to do the browning.)

2 Place in slow cooker with onion, celery and carrots.

3 Pour wine and then soy sauce over the roast.

4 Sprinkle marjoram, thyme, cayenne and 1/4 teaspoon salt over the roast.
5 Set slow cooker to Low for 6 hours.

6 Remove roast to cutting board to rest, tented with foil, for 20 minutes before slicing. Remove vegetables. They’re there for flavor, not a sufficient quantity to serve, so I set them aside for a “cook’s treat.”

7 Strain sauce (there will be about 1 1/4 cups) into 1-quart saucepan. Stir in slurry to thicken the sauce; simmer for 5 minutes.

Jean