Victoria’s Cherry Pie
Cherry pie is one of my favorite things to eat! Homemade cherry pie is one of life’s treats!
INGREDIENTS
2 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour (Plus More For Dusting)
3 Tablespoons Plus 1 Cup Sugar (Divided)
¾ Teaspoons Salt (Divided)
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Cup (2 Sticks) Butter (Cut Into Small Cubes – Chilled)
7 Tablespoons Ice Water
2 Pounds Fresh & Pitted Cherries
3 Tablespoon Cornstarch
1 Tablespoon Milk
In a large bowl combine flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, ½ teaspoon salt and cinnamon. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter until butter is the size of small peas. To ensure the butter is cold enough, chill in the freezer for a few minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. I you do not have a pastry cutter you can use two knives to cut in the butter. Stir in the ice water with a fork just until combined and the dough holds together. Form the dough into two 5 inch discs. Cover and chill for 1 hour or until cold, but not completely firm.
Preheat the oven to 400° F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough into a 12 inch circle. Transfer to a 9 inch pie pan. In a large bowl, toss together cherries, cornstarch, 1 cup of sugar and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt. Spoon the cherry mixture into the dough lined pan and set aside. On the same lightly floured surface, roll out the remaining disc of dough into a 10 inch circle and cut into ½ inch wide strips. Top the cherry mixture in the pan with the dough strips, weaving them in and out to make a lattice crust and then crimp the outside edge of the crust. If you don’t want a lattice crust you can just make a normal top crust like I have done in the photo above. Brush the crust all over with milk and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Arrange on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Yes, you will have drips so be sure to set the pie pan on the baking sheet. I like to use a pie bird to let out the steam. If you don’t have a pie bird or pie vent then cut slits in the top crust (if you are not using a lattice crust). Bake for 1 ¼ hours or until bubbly and golden brown. Set aside to let cool before serving. Serves 12
Osso Buco
Osso Buco literally means “bone with a hole” and is Milanese specialty of veal shanks braised with vegetables, white wine and broth. There are two types of osso buco, a modern version that has tomatoes and the original version which does not. The original version (osso buco in bianco) is flavored with cinnamon, bay leaf and gremolata. The modern version includes tomatoes, carrots, celery and onions. Gremolita is optional. I am giving you the modern version.
INGREDIENTS
4 (12 Ounce) Veal Osso Buco
3 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Medium Minced Carrot
1 Medium Minced Onion
1Celery Stalk
1 Cup Dry White Wine
1 Cup Veal Stock or Chicken Stock
3 Medium Tomatoes (Peeled, Seeded & Chopped)
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
GREMOLATA
½ Cup Minced Parsley
2 Teaspoons Grated Lemon Zest
3 Minced Garlic Cloves
In a heavy pot (with a lid) combine the butter and the oil in the pot and heat until hot, but NOT smoking. Add the veal and brown well on all sides over medium heat. Transfer the veal to a plate and set aside. Add the vegetables to the pot and cook for 5 minutes until just softened. Return the veal to the pot and add the white wine, the stock and the tomatoes. Season with the salt and pepper. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Then turn the heat to low and simmer for 1 ½ hours. Turn the meat occasionally and add a little additional stock to the pot if necessary. The osso buco is done with the meat is very tender and the sauce is slightly thickened. Transfer the osso buco to a platter and keep warm. Prepare the gremolata by combining the parsley, lemon zest and garlic in a small bowl. Season with the salt and pepper. Sprinkle the gremolata over the osso buco and serve on warm dinner plates. You can serve with saffron risotto, mashed potatoes or a spiral pasta. Serves 4
Beef Stew With Beer
Everything tastes better cooked in beer!
INGREDIENTS
3 Pounds Beef For Stew
¼ Cup Olive Oil
3 Cups Sliced Onions
3 Cloves Crushed Garlic
2 Tablespoons Unbleached Flour
2 ¼ Cups Light Beer
2 ¼ Cups Dark Beer
2 Allspice Berries
1 Bay Leaf
¼ Teaspoon Thyme
3 Peppercorns
Place the olive oil in a heavy pot and heat until hot. Make sure that the oil is not smoking. Add the beef and brown all sides. Remove the beef to a platter and set aside. Add the onions and garlic to the pot and brown. Stir occasionally. Sprinkle the onions and garlic with the flour and cook for another 3 minutes. Gradually add the beer and reduce the heat. Cook slowly uncovered for 25 minutes. Make an herb bundle by combining the allspice, bay leaf, thyme and peppercorns in a piece of cheesecloth. Secure with kitchen twine.
Add the beef back to the pot of cooking liquid. Add the herb bundle and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Next uncover the pot and cook uncovered for another 30 minutes. When done remove the herb bundle. Serve with a side of mashed potatoes. Serves 6
Cornish Game Hens With Herbs & Butter
INGREDIENTS
2 Organic/Free Range Cornish Game Hens
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Freshly Ground Pepper
¼ Pound Unsalted Butter
5 Minced Shallots
1 Teaspoon Rosemary
1 Teaspoon Thyme
2 Tablespoons Chopped Parsley
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Cut each hen in half and sprinkle all over with salt & pepper. Set the hens aside to bring to room temperature. Melt the butter in a small pan, over medium heat, and add the shallots, rosemary and thyme. Stir well and let bubble for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and place hens in a flat baking pan skin side up. Baste with the butter sauce. Bake for 50 minutes. Baste every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with parsley. Serves 4
Baba Ghanoush
INGREDIENTS
2 Small Eggplants (1 Pound Each)
2 Thinly Sliced Garlic Cloves
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4 Teaspoons Fresh Lemon Juice
¼ Cup Tahini (Sesame Seed Paste)
½ Cup Plain Yogurt
½ Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Preheat oven to 400° F. With a knife, cut slits all over eggplants and insert garlic slices in the slits. Place the eggplants in a baking pan and roast for 1 hour until the eggplant is collapsed and tender. Remove from the oven and cool enough to handle. Cut the eggplants in half. Scoop out the flesh and place in a colander se over a bowl. Discard the skin and let drain 10 minutes.
Transfer the eggplant to a food processor with a knife blade attached. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add the cumin, tahini and yogurt, pulsing to combine. Spoon into a bowl and cover & refrigerate up to 4 hours. Serve with toasted pita bread wedges. Makes 2 cups
Gazpacho
Often described as a liquid salad, gazpacho descends from ancient Roman concoction based on a combination of stale bread, garlic, olive oil, salt and vinegar. As Romans labored to build roads and aqueducts across Spain in the scorching heat, this creamy soup replenished them with the necessary salt and vitamins lost through physical exertion. Later, shepherds and farmers added vegetables to make it more hearty and satisfying. Because tomatoes and bell peppers were not indigenous to Spain, these ingredients were not added to the soup until after Spain’s discovery of the New World. Since that time, gazpacho has remained relatively unchanged. We are grateful for such an unpretentious soup designed to quench the thirst evoked by the unrelenting Spanish sun.
INGREDIENTS
1 Large Cucumber
2 Red Bell Peppers
1 Yellow Bell Pepper
4 Medium Tomatoes
1 Red Onion
3 Minced Garlic Cloves
3 Cups Tomato Juice
¼ Cup White Wine Vinegar
¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Halve and seed the cucumber, but do not peel it. Core and seed the three bell peppers. Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes and red onion into 1 inch cubes. Reserve a small bit of each vegetable to put in at the end so that the soup has some crunch. Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Do not over process. After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. The longer the gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop. Serve anytime, but especially on a hot summer day. Serves 4
Italian Meatball Sandwiches
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Ground Sirloin
¾ Cup Bread Crumbs
2 Teaspoons Dried Italian Herbs
3 Minced Garlic Cloves
2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Parsley
2 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Beaten Egg
4 Italian Rolls
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
½ Teaspoon Salt
14 Ounces Red Sauce (See Victoria’s Sunday Gravy)
8 Slices Provolone Cheese
Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a medium bowl, gently mix by hand the ground sirloin, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic, parsley, Parmesan cheese and egg. Shape into 12 meatballs and place in a medium sized baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the Italian rolls in half lengthwise and remove some of the bread from the inside to make a well for the meatballs. Brush with olive oil and season with the garlic powder and salt. Put the Italian rolls into the oven during the last 5 minutes of the meatballs time to toast. While the bread toasts, warm the red sauce in a saucepan over medium heat. When the meatballs are done, use a spoon to transfer them to sauce. Spoon sauce and meatballs onto the Italian rolls and top with the slices of Provolone cheese. Return to the oven for 3 minutes to melt the cheese. Cool slightly and cut in half. Serves 4
Santa Fe Burgers
INGREDIENTS
2 Pounds Ground Sirloin
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper
Santa Fe Salsa
Combine the ground sirloin, salt and pepper in a medium sized bowl. Using your hands mix well. Form into six patties and refrigerate until ready to grill. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill and lightly spray the grill rack with vegetable oil cooking spray. The coals should be hot. Grill the burgers for about 5 minutes. Flip the burgers and grill for another 4 or 5 minutes. Serve with Santa Fe Salsa. Serves 6
Santa Fe Salsa
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Chopped Tomatoes
2 Seeded & Chopped Yellow or Red Bell Peppers
1 Cup Cooked Corn Kernels (Fresh or Frozen)
3 Finely Chopped Green Onions
2 Seeded & Chopped Jalapeno or Serrano Chilies
1 Minced Garlic Clove
4 Tablespoons Finley Chopped Cilantro
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lime Juice
2 Teaspoons Malt Vinegar
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Combine the tomatoes, peppers, corn, green onions, chilies, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, vinegar and salt in a glass or ceramic bowl and gently stir to combine. Let the salsa stand for about an hour to let the flavors blend. Serve or cover to refrigerate for several hours. Let the salsa reach room temperature before serving. Makes 2 cups
Victoria’s Sunday Gravy
INGREDIENTS
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Cups Chopped Onion
3 Cloves Minced Garlic
¼ Cup Minced Parsley
3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
3 Sprigs Fresh Oregano
1 Bay Leaf
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/3 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
28 Ounces Crushed Tomatoes (1 Can)
28 Ounces Whole Peeled Tomatoes (3 Cans)
6 Ounces Tomato Paste (1 Can)
In a large cooking pot heat the olive oil over medium flame. Add the onions, garlic, parsley, thyme and oregano. On medium heat sauté for 2 minutes until translucent, but not brown. Add tomatoes and tomato paste along with the salt and pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes and then add the meatballs. Simmer for 2 hours. Remove herb stems and serve. Serves 8
Victoria’s Italian Meatballs
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Ground Sirloin
1 Pound Ground Pork
1 Pound Ground Veal
5 Slices Italian White Bread
1 Cup Whole Milk
¼ Cup Fresh Chopped Parsley
2 Cloves Minced Garlic
2 Teaspoons Salt
1 ½ Teaspoons Fresh Ground Black Pepper
3 Eggs
½ Cup Olive Oil
Combine sirloin, pork and veal in a large bowl. Soak the bread and milk together in a separate bowl. When the milk is absorbed add the bread mixture to the meat mixture. Next add the parsley, garlic, salt, pepper and eggs. Mix well and roll into 2 inch balls. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and fry over medium heat. Make sure to cook about 10 meatballs at a time so not to overcrowd the pan. Repeat as many times as necessary until all meatballs are cooked to browned and cooked all through. Serve over Victoria’s Sunday Gravy. Serves 8
