Thanksgiving food variations

[hrj]

Tried some variations on a few dishes this year.

Pecan Pie The pecan pies have always seemed a bit too thin on pecans and too thick on pie, so I tried it with chopped (rather than whole) pecans and somewhere between two and three times the recommended volume. Also one more egg than the recipe calls for (for a total of three, I believe) to try to avoid the tendency of the filling to run out the cut edges. The nut increase worked, but the filling still ran. I'm working off a base of the recipe on the Karo syrup bottle, but maybe I need to back up and do more research.

Cranberry relish This was just an improvised variant. (My more usual atypical cranberry dish is a mousse.) Juice a large orange. Cut the skin off and remove all the white pulp, then cut the rind into very thin strips and chop. This is because the Maine brother evidently owns neither a grater or zester. To the juice and zest, add one bag fresh local cranberries. Also about 1/4 cup brown sugar (there not being any white sugar in the house for some reason). Start simmering over a very low heat because you want to sweat the moisture out of the berries before the oj cooks off. When it starts liquifying, add a good solid dash each of ginger and cinnamon. Cook, covered, until a good stir breaks up every last berry.

Comments

[onalark.livejournal.com]

I personally love this pecan pie recipe, from Cooks illustrated. You can use any pie crust recipe you want, but I would recommend following the egg yolk wash step, though, as it helps to seal the crust for all that liquidy filling.

This makes a slightly liquid pie. I would say "pleasantly liquid", as it isn't pouring out, but it does ooze. It needs about 4 hours to set up, and is quite good with either dark or light maple syrup.

I have made it twice, and it always gets much love when people try it (even the ones who are dubious at its lack of corn syrup).

Maple-Pecan Pie

If you want warm pie, cool the pie thoroughly, then cut and warm it in a 250-degree oven for about twenty minutes. More liquid than corn syrup, maple syrup yields a softer, more custardlike pie. Toasted walnuts can be substituted for pecans.

Ingredients

Pie Shell
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour , plus extra for dough and rolling surface
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter , chilled, cut into 1/4 -inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening , frozen, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg white , chilled, thoroughly mixed with ice water (about 2 tablespoons) to equal 1/4 cup
• 1 large egg yolk , beaten with 1/8 teaspoon water
   
Filling
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup maple syrup , pure, preferably Grade B or Grade A dark amber
• 1 1/2 cups whole pecans (6 ounces), toasted and chopped into small pieces

Instructions

1. For Pie Crust: Mix flour, sugar, and salt in food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter and shortening over dry ingredients and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, 10 to 15 seconds. Turn mixture into medium bowl.
2. Sprinkle egg white mixture over flour mixture and, with blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together. Shape dough into ball with hands, then flatten into 4-inch disk. Dust dough lightly with flour, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
3. Roll dough on lightly floured surface into 13-inch circle and transfer to 9-inch pie pan, preferably glass. Press dough into corners and sides of pan, being careful not to stretch dough. Trim edges of dough to make 1/2-inch overhang. Tuck overhanging dough under so that folded edge is flush with rim of pan. Flute edge.
4. Chill shell until firm, about 1 hour. Prick sides and bottom with fork and line entire shell with heavy-duty aluminum foil, pressing foil firmly against shell and extending it over fluted rim. Prick foil with fork and return shell to refrigerator while oven is heating.
5. Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake, pressing once or twice with mitt-protected hands, if necessary, to flatten any puffing, until crust is firmly set, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until bottom begins to color, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven, brush sides and bottom with egg yolk, and return to oven until yolk glazes over, about 1 minute longer. Remove from oven, and set aside while preparing the filling.
6. Lower oven temperature to 275 degrees. Place pie shell in oven if not still warm.
    
7. For Pie: Melt butter in medium heatproof bowl set in skillet of water maintained at just below simmer. Remove bowl from skillet; mix in sugar and salt with wooden spoon until butter is absorbed. Beat in eggs, then maple syrup. Return bowl to hot water; stir until mixture is shiny and warm to the touch, about 130 degrees. Remove from heat; stir in pecans.
8. Pour mixture into warm shell; bake until center feels set yet soft, like gelatin, when gently pressed, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer pie to rack; let cool completely, at least 4 hours. Serve pie at room temperature or warm, with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.