Mary Brown Malouf

Chef Jeff Masten never meant to be king of pies. When he opened Left Fork Grill, he planned to serve cheesecake, pudding and layer cake along with pie as part of his comfort food menu. But word of his pie prowess spread, and he now serves 12 to 14 different pies every day. Savvy regulars know to get in orders for their favorite slice even before they’ve decided between corned beef hash or meatloaf for the main meal.

Chef Jeff Masten, the Pie Man

 

Tips from the Pie Man

• Always use a glass pie plate, not metal.
• If available, try to use MacIntosh apples.
• After you lay the bottom crust in the pie plate, rap the pan sharply on the cutting board to make sure the dough is fitted to the plate.
• Use unsweetened frozen fruit.
• Use scissors to cut off the excess bottom crust and don’t cut off too much.
• Brush the edge of the bottom crust with water before laying on the top crust to create a strong seal between the two.
• Brush the top crust with an egg beaten with a few tablespoons of milk for a shiny, brown finish.

Jeff Masten’s Pie Crust

• Makes one 9-inch pie crust. For a 2-crust pie, double the recipe.
• 1 cup flour (Masten only uses Gold Medal flour, unbleached. His mother told him to.)
• 1/3 cup lard
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 to 4 Tbsp. water
• Chill the lard at least 4 hours. Sift flour and salt together. Cut the lard in pieces. Add half the lard to the flour and cut in with a pastry blender until it looks like corn meal.
• Then add the other half of lard and cut it in, leaving the pieces bigger. (“The first blending stirs up enough gluten to make the crust hold together; the second ensures flakiness.”) Masten spins the stainless steel bowl as he cuts the fat and flour together.
• Using a fork, stir in water, dribble by dribble, until the dough clumps. Knead lightly and briefly on a floured board. Shape into a flat round and let rest while making the filling. Roll out the dough.
• Tips: Chef Masten sifts in the flour and salt, then cuts in the lard before adding ice water just until the dough forms a ball easily. He rolls it out on a floured board, places it in a glass pan. Apple slices are mixed with a tablespoon or so of flour, plus sugar and spices, then spooned into the crust so they mound up. He brushes the edge of the bottom crust with water, unfolds the top crust over it, pressing it to seal. Then he places the pie on a can so he can turn it as he trims and crimps the crust. Finally, he vents the crust and brushes the top with a mixture of milk and beaten egg for a shiny finish.

How I make my pies

• Cut 1 stick of butter into teaspoon-sized chunks. Put it in the freezer. Be sure you have some ice water.
• Put the clean, dry bowl and blade of your food processor in the fridge. Heck, if your kitchen is really hot, put your 1 cup of flour in the fridge, because cold is the first key.
• Pulse 1 3/4 cups flour and 1 tsp. salt in the processor. Add the butter and pulse on and off for a few seconds at a time, until the mizture is crumbly. With the processor running, dribble in drops of ice water. The second the dough starts to clump, stop the water and turn off the processor. Form dough into a flat ball, wrap it in plastic and let it rest in the refridgerator at least half an hour. That’s the second key.
• Roll it out, using as little flour as possible, to 1/4 inch thick. Fold in quarters, drape over a pan, and cut the edges.
• Slice 5-6 cups of peaches. Mix in 3/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup raspberries. FollowMasten’s instructions (above) for filling and topping the pie, then bake it for 10 minutes at 450, lower oven to 350 and bake for 30-35 minutes. Serve warm.

Upside Down Pie, by Les Madeleines’ Romina Rasmussen

The classic version is, of course, French. Tarte tatin is an upside-down apple pie. Les Madeleines’ Romina Rasmussen makes hers with carmalized apples flambéed in brandy in puff pastry.

• Line a 9-inch pie plate with foil. Smear 2-3 Tbsps. softened butter over foil.
• Press 2/3 cup toasted sliced almonds and 1/3 cup light brown sugar into butter.
• Cover with bottom crust, then fill and cover with top crust. Seal, flute, and prick.
• Bake at 450 for 10 minutes; lower heat to 375 and bake 35-40 minutes. Let pie cool completely before turning out and removing foil.

Crust options

• Freeform: The French call it a galette, and you can, too. Instead of fitting your dough to a pie plate, make a freeform tart. Roll out the dough and place it on a baking sheet. Heap the filling in the middle, leaving several inches of crust bare around the perimeter. Fold those edges up, pleating as you go and leaving a center portion of the filling uncovered. Dot that filling with butter and bake.
• Handpies: Particularly popular in the South, where they are often fried. Roll out smaller disks of dough, put a few tablespoons of filling just off-center, then fold the circle of dough in half. Be sure to brush with water and seal well. Brush with egg wash and bake.
• Purchased: If even the thought of making your own crust makes you want to lie down and cry, never mind. Frozen dough is fine. The dough you put in the pan yourself is better than the stuff that is sold in the pan. But anything is better than a no-pie existence.

The parallel trends of craft beer and artisanal cocktails have crossed streams: “Hoptails,” cocktails using beer as a mixer, are the latest twist on libations. Combining the personality of a cocktail with the food-friendliness of beer results in a beverage that’s eminitely drinkable. As craft beers continue to rise in popularity, bartenders are increasingly concocting beer cocktails in Utah and nationwide.

MICHELADA

This hoptail is famous as a summer quaffer. Here’s our version of the Michelada, a Mexican beer and tomato cocktail.

INGREDIENTS

Juice of 1/2 medium lime
Ice
Mexican beer, such as Corona
1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. tomato juice
1 tsp. hot sauce, such as Tabasco
1/2 tsp. Maggi or soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
Smoked salt, for rimming the glasses
Green onion brush, lime wheel and cherry tomato for garnish.

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix lime juice, Worcestershire and hot sauce together. Rub the rim of a glass with cut lime, then dip in smoked salt. Fill glass with ice, pour in tomato mixture and fill glass with beer. Garnish.

Sweet-and-sour pork from China Star in Roosevelt

As promised in our May/June 2015 issue, here are writer Billy Yang’s recipes for chow mein and sweet-and-sour sauce, along with editor Mary Brown Malouf’s go-to recipe for orange chicken.

Chow Mein

2 tsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into thin strips
12 oz. chow mein noodles, cooked
2 Tbsp oil
1 small nappa cabbage, cut into thin strips
2 baby bok choy, cut into thin strips
5 oz. water chestnuts, drained and sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
2 green onions, chopped

Combine the 2 tsp. soy sauce, the rice vinegar, and the sesame oil in a small bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat thoroughly. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a wok or large skillet. Add the chicken and stir fry until cooked, then remove it.

Add the rest of the oil, then add the cabbage, bok choy, water chestnuts and garlic. Stir until vegetables start to wilt. Add the chow mein noodles and cook until hot, then add the soy sauce and oyster sauce and toss well. Add the chicken and toss to combine.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Salt and pepper
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
4 tsp. cornstarch, mixed with 4 teaspoons water
1 cup canned pineapple chunks, drained with 1/2 cup reserved juice
3 Tbsp. light brown sugar
3 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup onions

Cook red and green peppers for about 1 minute. Stir in pineapple chunks, juice, sugar, vinegar and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer until sauce begins to reduce. Stir in cornstarch mixture and bring liquid to a simmer. Cook until thick, about 5 minutes. Toss with cooked chicken or pork chunks and serve over rice.

Orange Chicken 

(4 servings)

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. sesame seeds
1 green onion, sliced
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. orange zest
1 tsp. Sriracha or chili oil
1/2 tsp. ground ginger

In a large bowl, whisk together chicken broth, orange juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, orange zest, hot sauce and ginger.

In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and 2/3 cup of the marinade; marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to an hour. Then drain the chicken from the marinade, discarding the marinade.

Heat remaining marinade in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir together 2 tablespoons cornstarch combined with 2 tablespoons water. Bring marinade to a boil and stir in cornstarch mixture gradually. Cook, stirring frequently, until thickened about 1-2 minutes; keep warm.

Working one at a time, dip the chicken into the eggs, then dredge in remaining 1 cup cornstarch, pressing to coat.

Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan or wok. Add chicken, a few pieces at a time, and fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; discard excess oil.

Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced green onion. Serve with rice.

Ceviche de Camarones

Serves 6

1 1/2 lb. raw, medium-sized tiger prawns, shelled and de-veined
Fresh-squeezed lime juice (enough to submerge prawns)
Salt and pepper
8 ripe roma tomatoes, diced
1 large white onion, diced
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
Fresh whole jalapeño chiles, seeded and diced (optional)
Juice of 1 large orange
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
Lemon juice to taste

Remove tails and slice prawns into thirds. Submerge prawns in lime juice, add salt and pepper and let marinate for 3 hours. Mix all diced vegetables with prawns. To finish, add the orange juice, olive oil, cilantro and lemon juice. Keep refrigerated and serve with chips or crackers. Garnish with whole boiled shrimp or a sprig of cilantro.

Hickory Smoked Pulled Pork

Serves 6–8

8 lbs. pork butt roast
Dry rub (recipes follows)
2–3 lbs. hickory chips, soaked several hours in water

1. Prepare grill for indirect heat. Sprinkle handful of soaked wood chips over coals, or place in smoker box of gas grill. Place pork roast on grate over drip pan. Cover grill, and cook pork at least six hours or until internal temperature reaches a minimum of 195 degrees. Check hourly, adding hot coals and hickory chips as necessary to maintain heat and smoke.

2. Remove pork from heat, and place on cutting board. Allow meat to rest about 20 minutes, then shred into bite-sized pieces using two forks.

Texas Brisket

Serves 6–8

8 lbs. beef brisket
Dry rub (recipe follows)
10 cloves garlic, peeled
2–3 lbs. mesquite chips, soaked several hours in water

1. With point of small knife, make slits all over brisket and insert garlic cloves. Rub brisket with dry rub. Follow directions for cooking pulled pork, using mesquite instead of hickory chips.

2. Let meat rest for 20 minutes before slicing. Serve on buns with a slice of onion.

Dry Seasoning Rub

Makes 1/2 cup

1/8 cup paprika
1 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp. white sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. celery salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder

Mix all ingredients. Use for barbecuing and smoking meats.

Easy-as-Pie Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

2 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. butter, cut in chunks
2 Tbsp. shortening, chilled
3/4 cup half and half

Place flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a food processor. Pulse a few seconds until mixed. Add butter and shortening and pulse until mixture looks like cornmeal.

Dump it in a mixing bowl and stir in the cream until a ball forms. Pat dough out 1/2” thick and cut with large biscuit cutter, or drop by large spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet, and then pat into shape.

Bake about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Slice strawberries and sprinkle with sugar. Let sit several hours. Add a touch of balsamic vinegar to enrich the flavor of early-season berries, spoon between shortbread layers and then on top. Finish with whipped cream.

Preserved Cherries 

• 1 pound sweet cherries, pitted
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• pinch of nutmeg
• ¼ tsp. almond extract
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup maraschino or other cherry liqueur

Combine everything but the cherries and the liqueur in a saucepan and bring to a full boil. Reduce heat and add the cherries. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and add the liqueur. When cool enough to handle, transfer cherries and liquid to clean jars and refrigerate, uncovered, until cool. Cover tightly and refrigerate up to two weeks.

Halibut with Quinoa Salad

Serves 4

4 6-oz. halibut fillets
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups quinoa
4 cups vegetable stock
1/2 tsp. sea salt
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup diced zucchini
1/4 cup diced yellow squash
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup edamame, shelled
1 Tbsp. diced shallots
1 tsp. chopped garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. favorite extra virgin olive oil to finish

Rinse the quinoa in cold water twice. Put the vegetable stock and quinoa in a heavy pot and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and lay out on a sheet pan to cool.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In an ovenproof pan, sear halibut in oil until golden brown on one side; flip and place in oven for 8–10 minutes or until done.

Saute the zucchini and squash in 3 Tbsp. olive oil. Reduce the heat to medium and add the quinoa, shallots, garlic, edamame and tomatoes. Add a little more vegetable stock and heat it all through. Finish with a little of your favorite olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Place the warm quinoa salad on the bottom of a shallow bowl. Place cooked halibut on top and season with your favorite olive oil.

Photo by Adam Finkle

In our Mar/Apr issue, we featured Copper Kitchen’s Chicken Soup. Now, we have the recipe so you can enjoy the soup at home.

To see how much the restaurant makes to serve for a full day, look for the amounts in parentheses. 

Brodo:

• 2 quart of chicken stock (22 quarts)
• 1.5 cup of roasted mushroom stems and trim (4 quarts)
• 3/4 cup of parmesan rinds (2 quarts)
• 1/2 cup of onions, rough chop (4 onions)
• 1 carrot, rough chop (4 carrots)
• 1 celery stalk, rough chop (4 stalks)
• 2 slices of kruse cut bacon (10 slices)
• Season salt and pepper to taste

Bring all ingredients to boil, then reduce to simmer. Continue to simmer for 6–8 hours. Strain through fine mesh strainer.

Roasted Chicken:

• 1 piece of whole chickens (16 pieces)
• Seasoning mix:
  1T (4T) grounded fennel
  1T (4T) salt
  1T (3T) dried thyme
  1T (3T) dried rosemary
  1T (3T) dried basil
  1T (3T) dried majoram
  1T (3T) dried sage
• Salt and pepper for taste

Roast on racks at 350 degrees until cooked through. Pull off bone and shred into bite size pieces. Cool.

Sage Dumplings:

• 16 ounces (6 pounds) Polly-O ricotta
• 4 ounces (1.5 pounds) grated parmesan
• A pinch (1/2 pieces) of ground nutmeg
• 2 yolks (12 yolks)
• 2 eggs (9 eggs)
• 1T (4–6T) of salt
• 1/2–2/3 cup (3.5 cups) of all-purpose flour
• 1T (1/4 cup) of chiffonade, fresh sage
• 1/3 cup (2 cups) of semolina

Mix ricotta, parmesan, nutmeg, eggs, salt and sage until well incorporated. Add flour and mix until incorporated. Allow to sit for 4–6 hours. Make 1 ounce balls using hands or scooping. Coat each with semolina. Store on a sheet tray with a layer of semolina under the dumplings.

Carrots:

• 2 cups (4 quarts) of carrots, small and diced

Roast with olive oil, salt and pepper until tender.

Celery:

• 2 cups (4 quarts) of celery, small and diced

Roast with olive oil, salt and pepper until tender.

White Onions:

• 4 cups (8 quarts) of white onions, small and diced

Roast with olive oil, salt and pepper until tender.

Parsley:

• 1T (1/2 quart)
• Mince

Parmesan:

• Grate on microplane

Copper Kitchen is located at 4640 S. 2300 East, Holladay, 385-237-3159

Bourbon-Marinated Pork Tenderloin

Serves 15

4 whole pork tenderloin
2 cups whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon allspice
1/2 cup honey
2 cups Jack Daniel’s

For the pork: Cut pork into desired size for skewer. In a bowl, mix 1 cup whole grain mustard, cayenne, allspice, honey (reserve 1 tablespoon) and 1 1/2 cups of Jack Daniel’s. Place the pork in the marinade and let sit for at least one hour. When ready to cook, skewer the pork and grill on each side for approximately 3–5 minutes. Set aside.

For the sauce: Place remaining mustard and Jack Daniel’s into a mixing bowl and blend. Add 1 teaspoon each of cayenne and allspice, and 1 tablespoon of honey. Serve the sauce as a dip or pour it over the pork. Present the skewers with flair: sticking out of little flowerpots or poking out of a squash or pumpkin.

Variations:

1. Grill pork whole, cool, then chop pork and put into mini taco shells with shredded red cabbage and chopped cilantro.

2. Grill pork whole, cool, then slice thinly and put between small biscuits with a tiny bit of chutney.

3. Grill pork whole, cool, then spread baguette slices with soft goat cheese and top with thin slice of pork. Garnish with a sweet pickle slice.