Bourbon-Chocolate Pecan Pie

The menu is pretty much set. In the fridge are mason jars full of cranberry sauce, cranberry-applesauce, pear sauce, and dulce de batata, a sort of jam made from white Latin sweet potatoes, which we first had at Del Campo and which I replicated with shocking success. In the crisper are bags of diced carrots, onions, and celery, and little bundles of fresh herbs ready to add to round 2 of turkey stock. I've got sweet potato rolls rising on the counter, a turkey and a half dry-brining on the bottom shelf of the fridge, and an assortment of vases, flowers, ribbon, bowls, tea lights, and other random stuff intended to magically self-assemble into a pretty tablescape. (Doubtful.) 

But even if absolutely nothing goes according to plan, we know there will be doughnuts. And more doughnuts. So everything will be okay. And just in case, there also will be delicious, delicious pie.

I tested two pies this past weekend and brought both to a house full of the ultimate taste testers: the hosts of our Thursday night pie/Hanukkah party, and their four children (among the most discerning eaters I know. One's favorite food is pickled asparagus.)

And this, friends, is why we test recipes: all eight of us agreed that while the pies were tasty, they weren't memorable. They weren't worthy of a spot on the Thanksgiving pie table.

One -- an apple custard pie with a rye crust -- was a surprise letdown. I was counting on it being awesome, and it just wasn't. On any other day, it'd be a pie worth making, but with so much else competing for attention on Tday, the pie kind of needs to be amazing.

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The other, fortunately, needed only a few tweaks to go from meh to memorable. And, in a slight wrist-slapping moment, the tweak was actually an un-tweak: I had added some fresh cranberries to Melissa Clark's otherwise-excellent chocolate pecan pie, figuring that the cranberries would offset the pie's likely sweetness. The cranberry flavor was nice, but the texture really disrupted an otherwise fine pie. Out they went. And between you and me, the pie improved significantly on day two. This one, I'm making on Wednesday.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. I hope the holiday brings an abundance of delicious food, cozy warmth, good laughs, and plenty of leftover turkey for sandwiches. Also: latkes. Have a wonderful weekend!

Bourbon Chocolate Pecan PieAdapted from the New York Times

For the crust: 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (150 grams), plus more for dusting 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed 4 to 6 tablespoons ice water, as needed 1/2 tablespoon cider vinegar, mixed in with ice water

For the filling: 1 1/2 cups pecan halves (170 grams) 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (56 grams) 3/4 cup dark corn syrup 4 large eggs 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (100 grams) 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (5 grams) 2 tablespoons bourbon 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse together the flour and salt. Add butter and pulse until the mixture forms chickpea-size pieces. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough just comes together. It should be moist but not wet. On a lightly floured surface, gather the dough into a ball. Flatten into a disk with the heel of your hand. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

On a lightly floured surface, after removing plastic wrap, roll out dough to a 12-inch circle. Transfer crust to a 9-inch pie plate. Fold over any excess dough, then crimp edges. Prick crust all over with a fork. Chill crust for 30 minutes.

While the dough chills, heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line chilled crust with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake until very pale golden, 5 to 10 minutes longer.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Spread pecans on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast nuts, shaking pan occasionally, until fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool.

Make the filling: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter and chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth; cool. In a large bowl, whisk together cooled chocolate-butter mixture, corn syrup, eggs, sugar, cocoa powder, bourbon and salt. Pour the mixture into the prepared crust. Arrange pecans over filling. Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the filling is just set when the pan is jiggled, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove pie from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

Crispy Apple Skins

My friend Jeremy, an excellent cook and compost expert, is back to tell us about a fantastic new chef's snack to make the most of Thanksgiving prep. We made them last night, and...well, it's a good thing I snapped a picture immediately. They're gone.

You'll make these once and never think of peeling an apple the same way again. Seriously.

Thanksgiving is upon us -- Hanukkah, too! -- and if you haven't already done so, there's a good chance that "make apple sauce" is on your to-do list for between now and Thursday. Trust me. When you make that apple sauce, you're going to want to make these dead-simple little treats, too.

Ingredients:

apple skins (any variety) spice of your choice

Steps:

Cover a baking sheet with foil. Preheat your oven to 275 degrees. Make sure your apples are washed and dried.

When you peel your sauce apples, move the peeler from the stem to bottom of the fruit. Press a little harder than you ordinarily might, so as to capture a little bit of the apple's meat along with the skin. You should end up with strips of apple 3/4"-1" wide and 3-4" long, depending what apples you're using.

Lay the skins on the sheet, skin side down, in one layer, with at least a little separation between skins. Leave as is, or sprinkle lightly with whatever spices you like: my kids love cinnamon, my wife and I love cayenne. Experiment!

That's it. Stick 'em in the oven, and check in on them in a half hour so. The skins should be starting to curl up into little straws. Pull them out when they've curled enough to feel rigid, but haven't yet started to brown, usually 40-45 minutes total. Take note: they won't be crispy yet. Use your fingers to gently knock the skins off the baking sheet and onto a cooling rack. They'll crisp up almost immediately as they start to cool, and be ready to eat in just a few minutes!

There are a bunch of reasons I love these things, beyond the fact that they're delicious. For starters, they're super easy. They come out perfectly crispy every single time, and the crunch you get when you bite into it is extraordinarily satisfying. They're 100 percent good for you. And maybe my favorite part? They reduce waste and create food in one yummy little package!

I'm a sustainability entrepreneur (shameless self promotion: Compost Cab), and I can't help think that we might be onto something here. In fact, I kind of want to market these as a healthy snack for kids-of-all-ages called Apple Skinz. That's right -- they're so good I want to sell them at Whole Foods. Who's with me? Make them for yourself, then let's talk!

Thanks to Rivka and NDP for giving me a space to share this gem. Wishing everyone a peaceful and meaningful Thanksgiving, and if there are candles in your future, a very happy Hanukkah!

What I'm Reading, Thanksgiving Edition

Here's what I've been reading, from various corners of the web.  Happy weekend!

• This beautiful Dansk baking dish was on major sale (as in 70% off) at CB Outlet last weekend – might want to check the one nearest you. I can’t wait to roast a chicken in it.
• Love these napkin ties, DIY of course, from Martha.
• Why don’t we eat turkey eggs?
• Leah’s mulled apple cider sangria looks like a great way to kick off this year’s meal.
• If you’re feeling strong and open, read this beautiful, heartbreaking piece from Ariel Levy about her Thanksgiving in Mongolia. Bring the tissues.
• This will make a happy home on my table the week after Thanksgiving. (Why not?)
• When the holidays end and we can take a vacation, I’ll be heading here. (Can’t believe it took the Times this long to cover!)
• Cooking I can do, but tablescapes are not my thing. This guide just became my bible. (Via Food52)
• We received this Madeira as a wedding gift (hi, Beth!), but I didn’t realize until recently that I love it not only in tarts but in a glass, after dinner. Serve this to your guests after the Thanksgiving feast and you will see some very happy—if very full—faces.
• I haven’t loved the NYT’s new multimedia features that much (though the SNL feature is a notable exception), but they did a really stellar job with their Essential Thanksgiving Guide. One essential recipe in each major category, a few variations for the adventurous (or bored), presented in a straightforward manner. Very helpful.
• While we’re at it, Sam Sifton’s lovely little book on Thanksgiving will guide you expertly through the next 7 days.

What about you? Share in the comments. Have a great weekend, friends.

Cauliflower and Hazelnut Salad with Sherry-Maple Dressing

The seasons have turned, haven’t they? The pretty little pint of greenhouse cherry tomatoes on my counter notwithstanding, DC’s got a case of cold wind and short days that puts me in the mood for stew and hot cider.

But first, before I wind down on salads for weekday lunch, I want to share a good one that makes the most of fall produce and that I think you’ll enjoy serving all winter long.

Tell me you’re shocked that it comes from Yotam Ottolenghi; I don’t believe you. The new king of vegetables has struck again, and this time, there isn’t a drop of tahini or yogurt in sight. (That might surprise you.) The dressing is a simple concoction of sherry vinegar and maple syrup, which slicks a big pile of roasted cauliflower, celery, parsley, pomegranates, and toasted hazelnuts. Doesn’t it just sound like fall?

You won’t want to miss this one. Especially since later this week, you just might feel the urge to make a certain pie.

Stay tuned, friends.

Cauliflower and Hazelnut Salad with PomegranatesAdapted from Jerusalem, by Yotam Ottolenghi

1 head cauliflower, broken into bite-sized florets 5 tablespoons olive oil 1 large celery stalk, sliced thinly on the bias 5 tablespoons hazelnuts 1/3 cup parsley leaves 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar 1 ½ teaspoons maple syrup ¼ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon allspice Flaky salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread cauliflower on the baking sheet in a single layer, drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle lightly with flaky salt and pepper, and bake for 35-40 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until cauliflower is golden brown in spots.

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet lined with fresh parchment paper, and toast for about 15 minutes checking at the 10-minute mark) until uniformly golden brown. Let hazelnuts cool, then wrap hazelnuts in a towel and rub back and forth to loosen and remove their papery skins. Chop coarsely.

Meanwhile, make the dressing: Whisk remaining 2 tablespoos olive oil, sherry vinegar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and allspice in a medium bowl. Add ½ teaspoon flaky salt and a couple grinds of pepper and stir to combine.

In a large bowl, combine cauliflower, hazelnuts, pomegranate, celery, parsley, and dressing. Stir to incorporate, and serve.