This is the first story I wrote for the Falmouth Bulletin (now The Bulletin) back in November 2007. The monthly column was titled: "Lessons from Val's Kitchen" Thank you to Craig Salters, my first editor at the paper, for allowing me my first byline.
At the holidays, just call it 'delicious'
by Andrea Norris
 |
| Declan Norris drools over his mom's fruit crisp |
Cobbler, crisp, brown Betty,
I’ve even heard it called a grunt, buckle, slump and how about this one:
sonker! Fall harvest time promises a dish full of an array of apples, all sorts
of pears, cranberries, a myriad of nuts, raisins…oh my! I’m going to call mine
a fruit crisp because I think the crusty, chewy topping is the best part. (I know you are already licking your chops
thinking about the super crispy bits along the edge of the pan.) I’ve done my
best to reduce the amount of butter without sacrificing. O.K., I know this
dessert isn’t all that impressive on its own. It’s what you put with it that
counts. How about some homemade, creamy vanilla ice cream to knock their socks
off? I’m up for the challenge. Even freshly made whipped cream is a treat for
most. We’ll add that too.
What are my credentials? I
grew up in a house of food snobbery, although I didn’t know it at the time and
it wasn’t at all intentional on my mother’s part. What is considered today, a “foodie”
diet and part of the slow food movement, was a way of life and in fact survival
for us back in the 1970’s and 1980’s on Old Meeting House Road in East
Falmouth. My mother, Val still has her organic garden full of fresh fruits and
vegetables and although she doesn’t grow as many varieties as in earlier years,
she still has an abundant crop. Creativity and a knack for learning the “old
way” of doing things was the inspiration behind her cooking. Baking was an imperative
to save money. I was jealous of the kids who ate bologna on wonder bread while I
was “stuck” with homemade jam and peanut butter on thick slices of freshly made
that morning bread. She was always trying new dishes to serve at dinner often
because the ingredients at hand warranted, in fact needed some jazzing up to
mask the fact that we may have had bluefish, quahogs or scallops a few times
already that same week. “Oh the horror!” you may scoff. The horror indeed when
your father, on top of working full time for the electric company, fished part
time and frequently traded with others. Sadly, the days of scallops, bluefish
and even eels (well maybe not the eels) filling the freezer are no longer with
us as my parents enjoy a well deserved, more relaxed lifestyle.
Pretty much everything I
have learned about cooking and continue to learn, is from my mother (aside from
spending many a summer employed in a few fine dining establishments around
Falmouth and Woods Hole.). Some recipes are mine or they may be the victim of
my “doctoring”, but most come from Val and are examples of the best food I have
ever eaten.
Bring on the crisp. Make
this recipe with any type of fruit you like that is in season.
FALL
HARVEST FRUIT CRISP
(Makes
about 12 servings)
Ingredients:
TOPPING
¼
cup all purpose flour
1
cup rolled oats
¼
cup sugar
¼
cup brown sugar
¾
tsp cinnamon
¼
tsp salt
6
tablespoons COLD butter, cut into pieces
3/4
cup chopped walnuts
FILLING
5-6
apples, peeled and sliced (5 cups)
5-6
pears, peeled and sliced (5 cups)
1
cup dried cranberries
¼
cup sugar
1
tsp cinnamon
½
tsp nutmeg
1
tsp lemon zest
Preheat
oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 glass baking dish.
In
a large bowl, mix together the flour through the salt. Using a pastry cutter or
fork, cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles a coarse meal. Lightly
stir in the walnuts. Put aside.
In
another large bowl, combine fruit through lemon zest and mix thoroughly.
Transfer into baking dish. Cover fruit with topping.
Bake
for 30 minutes until browned and fruit juices bubble around the edges. Remove
from oven and cool on wire rack until ready to serve hot or cold topped with
ice cream, whipped cream and a few chopped walnuts and dried cranberries for
garnish.
If you really want to
impress, add the homemade ice cream. Make this up to a week ahead and at least
a day ahead to insure a firm texture. This recipe works great in my Rival Ice
Cream maker Val got for me at Wal-Mart for under $20.00.
RICH,
HOMEMADE VANILLA ICE CREAM
Freeze
canister ahead of time, according to manufacturer’s instructions. (I find 24
hours to be best.)
Ingredients:
5
egg yolks
1
½ cups whole milk
¾
cup sugar
1/8
teaspoon salt
1
½ cups heavy cream (cold)
1
tablespoon vanilla extract
Step
one:
Fill
the bottom of a double boiler with water. Cover and place over medium high
heat. In the top of the double boiler, combine egg yolks, milk, sugar and salt.
Mix thoroughly. Once water is boiling, place top portion of pot over boiling
water and heat egg mixture while stirring constantly. Cook for 15-20 minutes
until mixture starts to thicken and coats the back of a metal spoon. Transfer
to medium sized bowl, cover with plastic wrap and cool in refrigerator for 4
hours.
Step
two:
Set
up ice cream maker. Combine cream, vanilla and cold egg yolk mixture. Turn on
ice cream maker and immediately pour all into frozen canister. Process mixture
according to manufacturer’s directions, churning for 25-30 minutes until the
ice cream begins to solidify. Immediately transfer soft ice cream into a large container
(44 oz or more) for freezing. Freeze for at least 5 hours before serving.
Quick and easy finisher:
THE
REAL DEAL WHIPPED CREAM
(12
servings)
Ingredients:
2
cups heavy whipping cream
2
tsps vanilla
1/4
cup sugar
Combine
ingredients in a stand mixer. Place dish towel over top of entire machine (to
avoid spray). Mix on highest setting for 45 seconds to 1 minute until thickened.
If you are feeling strong, you can whip this by hand with a wire whisk until
soft peaks form.
Andrea
Norris lives in East Falmouth and is currently writing a cook book documenting
her mother, Val’s famously delicious recipes.
Contact
her at: andreaharding311@aol.com
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