The Pie Crust Challenge: Making Galettes

One of the challenges that I have yet to overcome is to make pie crust. I’ve always thought that this was a difficult task and I had avoided it like the plague. Most of the single-serve recipes that I have made, I've used crushed graham crackers or better yet, crushed Oreos. Through these years I have successully eluded pie crust challenge. 

However, a couple of weeks ago, we were blessed with a crop of sweet peaches in the farmers market, and I overbought. I did not want to waste this bounty so I thought it was time to make a galette. It would be appropriate to use up the peaches this way and also learn how to make something new and fun.

I’ve seen beautiful galettes in Instagram or in the Food Network magazine and always thought they were simple yet very elegant. It also looked super easy to do.

… if you are using a pre-made pie dough.

However, after looking at the pre-made dough, I decided to make my own. I could not control the ingredients in store-bought dough, and some of the pre-made dough even contains partially hydrogenated oil or lard or ingredients that I cannot pronounce. Besides, I still have most of the ingredients at home so it would be less expensive.

In my search, most of the basic pie crust recipes seem to be very similar. I decided to use the one from Williams-Sonoma since you can never go wrong with that, right? However, I had a slight variation – I had whole wheat pastry flour, and I thought this would be an appropriate place to use it.

For the filling, I thought all I needed were the peaches. These guys were picked at the peak of the season and were sweet enough that they can stand on their own. However, sugar is recommended in most recipes, so I followed. Some recipes use cornstarch, flour, or vanilla. I decided to use the one from Chef Chloe, but adjusted the sugar since my peaches were super sweet, and I usually use less sugar in my recipes anyway. The recipe below has the original proportions, but I only used half. I also did not peel my peaches.

Here's what I had... let me know what you think.

Mad Gourmet’s First Peach Galette

Pie Dough based on Williams-Sonoma’s Basic Pie Dough Recipe

Filling based on Chef Chloe’s Rustic Peach Galette

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp unbleached whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 stick (8 Tbsp) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 3 Tbsp very cold water

For the filling:

• 1/4 cup sugar (You can adjust for sweetness)
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 large peaches, pitted and sliced

Garnishes:

• Confectioner’s sugar
• Greek yogurt or whipped cream

Directions

Making the crust (by hand):

1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt.
2. Using a pastry cutter or 2 knives or your very clean hands (use gloves, if you prefer), cut the butter into the flour mixture until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces no larger than small peas.
3. Add the water and mix with a fork just until the dough pulls together. Do not overwork (not really sure what this means, but I just kneaded it enough until it stuck together).

To make the filling:

1. In medium bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, and cinnamon.
2. Add vanilla and peaches, and toss mixture until peaches are coated.

To assemble and bake the galette

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and fan peaches (ok, I just kinda randomly put it on the crust).
4. Fold the 1-inch border of dough over the edges of the peaches.
5. Transfer unbaked galette to the prepared baking sheet, brush with egg.
6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the peaches look shriveled and crust is lightly browned.
7. Let the galette cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.
8. Top with confectioner’s sugar or Greek yogurt.

Verdict

After making my first pie crust, I am more confident on doing these from scratch. I think the pastry flour added a yummy flakiness to the crust. A touch of confectioner's sugar and Greek yogurt really balanced out the flavors. I also like the fruit to crust ratio: it seems to be a better balance than a pie.

It was really good! We enjoyed it so much that we made another one. Actually, I found a sale on late season strawberries (Yes, I am a sucker for fruit). 

I’m looking forward to apple galettes in the winter and perhaps even savory ones too. Maybe I’ll even make a pie!

Since I love to experiment, I’d like to make a gluten-free version or a vegan one or a gluten-free vegan crust. I guess I have more research and Googling to do. I think Chef Chloe's vegan crust version is a good start.

Next big challenge: pizza dough

Kale in my Smoothie

At one of our recent potlucks, the topic of smoothies came up. A friend of mine mentioned that he tried a kale smoothie and how he did not like it (to put it mildly).  He was attempting to be healthy but it did not end too well. He had an almost green juice with kale, spinach and a bunch of other nice healthy greens, but it did not meet his expectations. Poor thing.

I mentioned to him that I also am not quite ready to make the green juice plunge yet. I know greens are really healthy for me, but I prefer munching on my veggies. I must be part rabbit. However, I do love kale. In addition to that, in spite of my affinity for greens, I feel that I still do not get enough veggies daily. I did find a yummy way to sneak (i.e. hide) it in my smoothie and happily shared secret with him.

Just a brief background, I started switching to smoothies because I wanted a more natural booster in the morning. Also, coffee on an empty stomach is starting to give me some issues and my chai mix can be loaded with sugar. A smoothie seems to be a good alternative. Plus, I get nutrients which I don’t normally get in my cup of java. 

Here’s what I shared with my friend. As far as I know, he has not tried it yet, but I love it. Hope you enjoy!

Mad Gourmet’s Avocado-Banana-Kale Smoothie

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 1/2 medium avocado
• 1 banana (sliced, preferably frozen)
• 1 cup of milk (I use almond milk)
• 1 cup of kale
• 1 tsp of honey or agave (if you want it vegan)
• 4 ice cubes
• Chia seeds (optional, for garnish or to add to the blend)

Directions

• Place milk, ice and frozen banana in a blender. Chop. (I have an older blender, so I do this in batches)
• Add kale and avocado and chop.
• Stir until smooth.
• Pour into a glass, garnish with chia seeds. Serve immediately.

Verdict

I love this smoothie in the morning. The almond milk gives me the protein boost, Avocado for the healthy fats, banana for the potassium and other vitamins, and kale for more vitamins and fiber. I can hardly taste the kale but that distinct texture is still there and frankly, the texture contrast makes the smoothie more interesting (although it’s not that smooth).

Half of my serving for later... 'gater!

I have just recently been using local honey to help with my seasonal allergies. I can vouch that this works (for me - look ma, no sneezes). However, if you want to have a truly vegan meal, agave is my choice of sweetener. For an added Omega-3 boost, I would sprinkle some chia seeds on top or blend it with the smoothie.

Sometimes, I would vary the milk and use coconut milk or a blend. This is primarily because I feel a bit guilty about using too much almonds given the drought situation in California. I figure routinely switching my almond milk up helps in its own (little) way. I do love almond milk though.

Also, to minimize my dishwashing and help with the drought, I use my measuring cup as my smoothie bowl. Don't worry, it gets washed in hot water in the dishwasher.

Lastly, I admit that I still like a solid breakfast. Since I am in a rush in the morning, I would have half of my smoothie almost first thing (after my lemon water, which I do have first thing). Around mid-morning, when things more or less settle down, I’ll have a small serving of oatmeal (usually overnight oats) with nuts and fruits or a small (often healthy) muffin. This routine works for me and keeps my energy up in the morning. Added bonus: I have another smoothie for the next day (it also keeps well in the fridge). 

I almost… almost replaced my coffee with this routine. Now, it's my just my occasional afternoon java boost.

Parchment-steamed Salmon with Tomatoes and Onions

Well, hello again! I am back! I hope.

My intermediate hula classes are done and hopefully, I can get back to a semi-normal routine, whatever that means. I think there are more expectations now from my hula teacher, now that I am officially an `olapa (hula dancer). My martial arts teacher is probably expecting me back too, and of course, there is that day job “work” thing.

Sigh…

I do need to get my blogging legs… err, fingers back. Blogging is one of my creative outlets, and I do enjoy writing. I find by writing more, I get to practice constantly, and my communication at work and life improves (although the style is different). Writing also stirs up the creative juices in my head, and opens up other avenues. Lastly, I get to research the ingredients and methods that I am blogging about, which makes me a better cook.

Enough of blog talk, let's get back to food.

What I would like to share with you is one of my favorite way to cook fish these days. For those who follow me in instagram, you probably know what that is. It’s cooking “en pappilote" in French or “al cartoccio” in Italian or simply “in parchment”.

It’s so easy and involves minimal cleaning. These first two is a huge plus these days.  Most importantly though, the fish remains moist the next day (if it lasts that long). It’s also a low-fat way of cooking since I don’t really need to add oil in the mixture. If I have whole grains cooked for the week, all I need to do is prep a salad or cook some veggies with the fish. Easy!

The other plus is that I found a way to cook it in the microwave (translate: it's fast).  I saw this techcnique while browsing through Shape Magazine. Unfortunately, I could not find that recipe online anymore, but this recipe from SimplyRecipes.com is very close (It also gave me some background on that dish. Merci beaucoup!). I kept the recipe the old-fashioned way: clipping it...does anyone still do that?

I experimented on the ingredients and loved the method.  I would vary the fish and veggies and most of the time the results were good. My only fails so far has been overloading the parchment with veggies. I find that this upset the flavor balance.  

What I am sharing with you is a slight variation of a recipe that I frequently used when I was first starting out. I had a furnished apartment, but almost no cooking utensils. If I remember correctly, the  only things I had were a hand-me-down rice cooker, some spoons, a fork, some plates and a glass. Back then, I did not use parchment and am now quite embarrassed to share what I used. But needless to say, this is a better method of cooking this recipe and sharing this recipe brings me back to those early simpler days.

I do have a one (or two) more Maddification from my that old recipe. In this recipe, I used salmon instead of a lighter fish (like sole or tilapia). My husband always says that salmon is what I eat most of the time (Not true, but it is my favorite fish). 

I also do not remove the skin in this recipe; I just remove the scales. Love the skin! I use my knife to gently remove it. Our fish guy will not do it unless I am buying the whole fish.

Here’s what I have…Hope you enjoy!

Parchment-steamed Salmon with Tomatoes and Onions

Based on the Parchment-steamed salmon with Fennel from Shape Magazine, December 2014

Ingredients:

• 2 six ounce (6 oz) salmon fillets, skinned or with skin (remove the scales, if using skin)
• 1 Roma tomato, sliced (you can use any tomato, about 1/4 cup)
• 1/4 onion (about 1/4 cup)
• Salt and pepper, to taste 
• Special equipment: parchment paper, split (for two servings). Make sure it is enough to wrap the onions, tomatoes and fish.

Directions:

1. Season salmon with salt and pepper.
2. On two pieces of parchment paper, add the onions (bottom), salmon (middle) and tomatoes.
3. Fold sheets over to close, and roll and crimp edges to form sealed packets.
4. Microwave packets on high for 4 minutes. Open  a corner of a packet (carefully, steam can be very hot) and check that the salmon flakes at the touch of the fork. If not, microwave in 25-second intervals until cooked through.
5. Serve with rice or quinoa, and a green salad if you want more veggies.

  

Verdict

I love this recipe. It uses few ingredients and again, simple prep and minimal clean-up. I would encourage you to experiment with veggies, perhaps see what’s in season and see how it turns up. My rule really is to make sure there is sufficient moisture, particularly for microwave cooking.

Just for reference: I also have tried these recipes below. They were delicious!

The original recipe slightly modified: Salmon with Fennel and Lemon

Salmon with Carrots, Potatoes, and olives. I think I based this on a recipe from The Chew, most likely from Mario Batali. I think my husband is right - I love Salmon!

Going simple: Tilapia with Lemon and Grape Tomatoes. I put fresh parsley to finish.

Bon appetit! 

Misua Soup with Meatballs, California style

Blogger’s Note: Apologies for the long absence. I’ve been meaning to write this for a while now but my intermediate hula classes, some travel, and life was taking up most of my time. However, I am determined… yes, determined to write my soup post before the weather become warmer. So here goes…

I finally found a blog-worthy recipe and had time to write! Hooray! It was about time since the weather is getting warmer and I still want to write about soup. I feel that my year needs a soup post or two.

I was finally able to make a successful Maddification of one of my favorite soups. I actually saved this one for last because I thought this would be the easiest (and I obviously overestimated my cooking abilities). I really should have started with this.

I found a really good base in PinoyCookingRecipes.com for Misua Soup with Meatballs. Misua are very delicate wheat noodles used in the Philippines mostly for soup. You can find these in Asian grocery stores. There really is no good substitute for misua in our regular grocery stores, unless you find one with an extensive Asian section. You may be able to substitute pho noodles, but its not quite the same.

The soup contains pork-based meatballs and noodles: fairly straight forward. However, part of my goals was to make misua soup healthier. The base recipe has very little veggies and of course, I wanted to add nice veggies in it. The misua that my grandmother used to make usually has patola but I could not find it here in California (in spite of the huge Filipino community). I could not even find it in the Filipino store. Also, when I lookup what patola is, the translation is zucchini. I don’t think that is correct… the consistency is not the same. Even though it’s back in season, I refuse to add zucchini. I feel that it is a cop out.

Because of my dilemma, I decided to healtify the meatballs instead. Mushrooms were the most obvious choice to add because since they have a consistency similar to meat. It's filled with Vitamin D and we can always use more of that. I chose some nice portabella mushrooms to add to the pork.

Looking at the fridge, I was inspired to add kale. It would give the meatballs an additional nutritional boost and texture. It would not be made in California without kale, right?

The last unintended upgrade was to use shallots instead of onions. We thought we had onions, but did not find it. By using shallots, we have more antioxidants. iron and potassium. They also have a milder flavor than onions.

Here’s what I have. As always, let me know what you think.

Misua soup with Meatballs, California-style

Based on Misua Soup With Meatballs in PinoyCookingRecipes.com

Ingredients

Meatballs:

• 3/4 lb of ground pork
• About 1 cup of kale, minced
• 1/4 cup portabella mushrooms, minced
• 1/4 cup scallions, minced
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper to taste
• flour for dredging
• cooking oil for frying 

Noodles, broth and garnish:

• 3 cups of water
• 100 grams misua noodles (Half the package)
• 1/2 tsp fish sauce
• green onions, sliced for garnish

Directions: 

1. Combine pork, kale and mushrooms, and 1/8 cup of the shallots and eggs. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Shape into 2" balls and roll in flour.
3. Fry until brown. Set aside the meatballs. 
4. Remove excess oil from the pan. Leave at least 1 Tbsp of cooking oil.
5. Saute garlic and remaining onion. 
6. Add the water and let it boil.
7. Add the fried meatballs, fish sauce and misua noodles.
8. Cook for until noodles are soft (about 5 minutes). 
9. Serve hot and garnish with green onions, and enjoy! 

Verdict

I really love this soup. Even with the Maddifications, the original flavor, I think, was not really sacrificed. It still reminded me of the misua soup that my grandmother made. The fact that it is healthier is a big bonus! Maybe I can add zucchini next time… in the meatballs.

The green onions also added a good layer of flavor. But perhaps because of my exposure to Vietnamese soups, I added some lime and yes, Sriracha. That took it up another notch!

One tip though: Because misua is extremely delicate, I would suggest only cooking the noodles that you will be enjoying. When stored, the noodles do not maintain the same consistency and can be a bit (ahem) unappetizing. I think this explains why my grandma kept the broth and meatballs in the refrigerator... and why some of the meatballs disappeared (Hey, I also had several cousins living with us).

Hope you try this and enjoy.

P.S. I did the meaty part of the writing in the Philippines while I was visiting my Dad. I had more time then, because we spent a lot of time just hanging out at home. Perhaps, I was inspired... even though I was just writing on my smart phone.