Tuesday, February 1, 2005

Peach Cobbler

Summertime Peach Cobbler adapted from gourmet.com

6 large peaches, cut into thin slices
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon cornstarch

For biscuit topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss peaches with sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a 2-qt. nonreactive baking dish and bake in middle of oven for 10 minutes.

Make the topping while the peaches bake: Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.

Remove peaches from oven and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Bake in middle of oven until topping is golden, about 25 minutes. (Topping will spread as it bakes.)

*In the future, I might double the topping recipe, as it comes out a bit thin. Not too thin, but if you're looking for something more substantial, I would reccommend doubling it.

Serve with vanilla ice cream, homemade if you have time / are overly ambitious.

Blackberry-nectarine Cobbler

Blackberry-nectarine cobbler, adapted from gourmet.com

1 1/4 cups plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 nectarines, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
3 pints blackberries
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2-cup (or so) vegetable oil
3/4 cup soy milk

Preheat oven to 425°F. Whisk together 1 1/4 cups sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl, then add nectarines and blackberries and toss to combine well. Transfer to buttered baking dish and bake in middle of oven until hot, 10 to 15 minutes.

While fruit bakes, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in another large bowl, then blend in oil with your fingertips or a fork until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk and stir just until a dough forms.
Drop dough onto hot fruit mixture in 6 mounds, then sprinkle dough with remaining 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Bake cobbler in middle of oven until top is golden, 25 to 35 minutes.

Basil Lemonade

Basil Lemonade, from Gourmet

2 cups basil lemon syrup (recipe below)
2 cups cold water
2 cups ice cubes
1 ¼ cups fresh lemon juice

Stir together all ingredients in a large pitcher or bowl. Pour into tall glasses half-filled with ice. For an alcoholic version (which I recommend), add 3/4-cup vodka to the mix before serving.

Makes about 6 drinks.

Basil Lemon Syrup

2 cups water
1 cup granulated sugar
4 (4- by 1-inch) strips lemon zest (I left these out)
2 cups packed fresh basil sprigs

In a medium saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and zest. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat, add the basil, stir to combine, and let stand at room temperature, covered, for 1 hour. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and chill until cold, about 1 hour. Strain the syrup through a sieve into an airtight container, pressing hard on and then discarding the solids.

Makes about 3 cups.

Pissaladière Strips

Pissaladière Strips, adapted, and made vegan, from Gourmet

For filling
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 chopped red bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or basil (I used basil)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 portabello mushroom caps, coarsely chopped
Handful of torn baby spinach leaves

For dough
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup soy milk

Make filling:
Cook onion, bell pepper, mushroom, rosemary or basil, a rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in oil in a heavy medium skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden, about 10 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.

Make dough:
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Blend in the oil with a fork or your fingertips until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) lumps. Add milk and stir with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. Gently knead dough 8 to 10 times with floured hands on a lightly floured surface.

Assemble tarts:
Roll out dough into a 12-inch square (1/4 inch thick) on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Cut into 3 equal strips. Arrange strips 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet and spread with filling, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edges.

Bake until crust is golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack using a large metal spatula and cool to warm or room temperature. Cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces.

• Pissaladière strips can be baked 3 hours ahead and kept, uncovered, at room temperature.