AWARD-WINNING Almond-Scented Chess Pie!

February was a busy month! So busy, in fact, that I didn't get to post any of the recipe entries I had started, because I was waiting to take photos for them. I didn't want to post a recipe without photos, because photos are half the fun! So, I'm planning to catch up on my recipe photos and get my other posts up here soon. 

Now it's halfway through March, and even though I've been quiet on my blog, I've still been cooking! On Saturday I entered a pie competition in Claremont, California. It was held on the 15th, the day after pi(e) day on 3/14. I decided to be a little crazy and enter 4 pies in the competition, which meant I was baking for hours on pi(e) day and even into the morning of the 15th. There were three categories to enter: fruit pies, cream pies, and custard pies. I made blueberry pie, key lime pie with coconut-scented whipped cream, "Heisenberg" pumpkin pie (with a cracked caramel topping), and my winning pie was almond-scented chess pie. It earned 2nd place in the custard category, and I was really thrilled because I had never entered a pie contest before, and there were a lot of pies being judged! 

In time I hope to post recipes for all of the pies I entered because I think they all came out great, but first I'm posting the recipe for the pie that won a prize. I don't believe in secret recipes, so anyone who wants to try this pie should definitely give it a shot, because it's incredible. The fact that it was also the least-attractive pie I submitted yet won 2nd place told me the judges must have really liked it! It's hard to nail down a good description of the flavor, but I think it tastes sort of like a mix of amaretto, flan, and those buttery Chinese almond cookies. If you're at all a fan of almond flavor and custards, this pie might make you black out. 

Because so many pies had to be tasted, the judges only sampled small amounts from each pie, which meant that after the winners were announced, everyone got to try the pies! Big portions of my chess and blueberry pies were missing before the public even got to them, so I guess the judges really liked them. So, despite the fact that I was too busy baking 4 pies to take photos of the process this time around, I did manage to take a couple of photos of the winning pie, which should be enough to go with the recipe. 

I really recommend the vanilla beans if you're already going to be making a pie from scratch, but vanilla extract will work, too. 

Head here for my favorite recipe for a perfectly flaky, all-butter pie dough (makes 2 crusts). 

 Ingredients: 

1 pie crust, unbaked 

½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature 

1 2/3 cups sugar 

4 eggs 

1 ½ tablespoons cornmeal 

¼ cup half and half, cream, or evaporated milk 

1 tablespoon white vinegar 

1 vanilla bean, OR 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

½ teaspoon almond extract 

sliced almonds (in the baking aisle next to cake mixes and chocolate chips, not snacking nuts) 

good pinch of salt 

Toss a stick of butter on to the counter to soften for at least a couple of hours before you start cooking, OR, microwave on super low power, around 20%, for 1 minute, then let the butter rest in the microwave for another minute. Yes, believe it or not, my microwave has a setting for softening butter, and amazingly, it does NOT melt it! I was skeptical, too, but it's the real deal. 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Using a sharp paring knife, run the blade lengthwise along the vanilla pod, split it open, and scrape the vanilla beans out with the knife. Beat the softened butter, sugar, almond extract and vanilla beans together. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl for 1 minute, then add the eggs to the sugar and butter mixture and beat thoroughly to combine. Add the cornmeal, cream, vinegar and salt. Set this mixture aside. Place about 3 tablespoons of sliced almonds into a small frying pan, and lightly brown them over medium heat for just a few minutes, stirring frequently. They should be lightly toasted, so remember to watch them and make sure they don't burn! Remove the toasted almonds from the heat and let them cool for 2 minutes. 

Meanwhile, line a pie tin with the pie crust, and place the unbaked crust onto a cookie sheet for easy removal from the oven later. Pour the filling into the pie shell about 2/3 of the way up, then lightly scatter the toasted almonds on top. Bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees, then lower the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 40-45 minutes. The filling expands and puffs up quite a bit, so it will overflow if you fill the crust too high. The pie may seem a little wobbly in the very center when it's done, but that's actually perfect. It should end up a nice golden brown color all over, and when you slice it you will be greeted by a sunny, bright yellow filling with visible specks of vanilla!

If you do bake the pie for too long, don't worry too much. It's extremely hard to dry out a chess pie. I can't wait to make this pie again soon for friends, and I really hope you give it a try.

Brussels Sprouts, Pimped Out!

Brussels sprouts are a notoriously-abused vegetable, which, through no fault of the humble sprout, causes some people to swear them off entirely. I've served this dish to notorious vegetable-haters and picky eaters, as well as people who were pretty sure they weren't that fond of the brussels sprout but put up with it from time to time. But when I serve this, everyone wants some and they actually finish it. I find myself not even wanting to cook brussels sprouts any other way after trying this! One problem with seasoning brussels sprouts is that it's very difficult to penetrate the center of the sprout. This is fixed by slicing the sprouts as if they were small cabbages. There can be a slight bitter taste that the cook must overcome, which is why brussels sprouts will sometimes be balanced with something sweet or savory, like a little brown sugar or balsamic vinegar. Bacon is a popular addition to brussels sprouts, and this recipe is no exception. However, if you'd like to stay vegan, omit the bacon and switch the butter for olive oil.


Ingredients:

about 25-30 fresh brussels sprouts (select small ones for less bitterness)
1 sweet onion
4 strips of bacon
1 1/2 cups fresh mushrooms (oyster, baby portobello, shiitake)
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp good balsamic vinegar
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper


Start by dicing your onion into bite-sized pieces, and cook them in a large pan over low heat with 1 1/2 tbsp of butter, 1/2 tbsp olive oil and a dash of salt. 

Stir occasionally and make sure they don't scorch. You want them to slowly turn brown and sweet. Next, begin cooking your bacon strips until firm and crispy using whatever method you prefer (microwave, stove, oven are all fine). The bacon should be crispy enough to chop easily. Some people may prefer to cook the bacon first and then cook the vegetables in the bacon fat, but I actually prefer to cook it separately. Sometimes the bacon grease can get too hot and taste a little scorched if you're not really careful, but experiment and see what you like. When the bacon is done, chop it into bits and set it aside. Remember to keep checking your onions.

Meanwhile, rinse and inspect your brussels sprouts, using a good knife to remove any funky brown spots that you don't like. This part isn't actually too important but it might make you feel good, and that's all that matters. Slice the brussels sprouts as thin as you can and set them aside. Remember to go check your onions! 

Next, dampen a towel and wipe any specks of dirt from your mushrooms. Rinsing mushrooms isn't the best method because they can act like sponges and retain too much water. Slice them up and set them aside. 

When the onions are starting to turn a golden color, add the mushrooms, along with the remaining butter and olive oil and another dash of salt and pepper. Cook the onions and mushrooms over medium heat for another 5 to 10 minutes, adding extra olive oil if necessary. You can't really overcook the onions and mushrooms at this point because they're pretty forgiving vegetables. Add the brussels sprouts to the onions and mushrooms and cook for an additional 7-10 minutes, or until they begin to wilt and change color. This is also when you should add your bacon. 

Your brussels sprouts should be tender but remain crunchy, and they're difficult to overcook using this method. Lastly, add the brown sugar and balsamic, adding additional salt and pepper to taste.  

 

With the help of things like brown sugar and bacon, any bitterness is completely cut out and it's as if you turned brussels sprouts into some kind of vegetable candy. I figure if this dish can't get you to like brussels sprouts, then nothing will! I hope you give it a try and enjoy it as much as my family does.