Pear Galette with Goat Cheese and Baklava Filling

This can be a rather expensive dessert if you have to buy all of the ingredients. I make a simple acid-coagulated, whole-milk “ricotta” from our goat milk for this dish. A slightly-tangy chevre would be even better, but I don’t always have it made in advance. A pound is a LOT, but I’ve made it with less and can’t really taste it. But use less if you must. 

 

You will end up with 2 crusts (or 3 if you’d like to make the galette smaller). I make this quantity because it’s easiest to add a stick of butter, then weigh out the same amount of lard on the butter wrapper. I prefer a crust made from half lard/half butter, but I’d opt for all lard rather than all butter, as a butter crust is very soft and difficult to work with, especially if it’s for a pre-baked pie crust. I render our lard from our American Guinea Hogs’ leaf fat.

About this time of year, I clean out my pantry of last year’s products and replace anything with a delicate shelf-life. This is especially true of nuts, which tend to go rancid (and I won’t store them in the freezer!). I order 5-10# bags of walnuts, pecans and almonds from Purcell Mountain Farms every year. I generally get enough fine particles from the “flaked almonds” I can sift them out for a couple batches of this galette. I prefer pecans, but I’m out until I order more. This was mostly almonds with some walnuts added.

I use a lot of Chinese 5-spice powder around here! Pumpkin-pie spice or plain cinnamon is an acceptable substitute if you don’t keep 5-spice on hand or want to mix your own. If you don’t have pineapple sage in your garden, just skip it. It is a mint that tastes pretty much exactly like pineapple. If you have other favorite herbs that are complimentary to sweet dishes, feel free to use them in small amounts – like mint, holy basil, rosemary. We happen to have tons of pears right now – substitute apples for the pears if you prefer.

And sorry for not weighing out all the ingredients. I’m just not going to do it for single-serving recipes using such tiny amounts of some things. Weights are provided for some ingredients, like flour and butter.

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Prepare crust. This is enough to roll about 14” round  (or 15”x12” rectangular) and will make 2 crusts – one for now, one for later. It is imperative that the ingredients be COLD, especially the lard. I weigh out what I need and set the lard (and the bowl containing the flour mix) in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes before adding it to the flour mix. You should be able to chop the lard with a knife without it melting.

Crust: (Makes 2)
*3 cups (425 g) all-purpose flour
*3 tablespoons sugar
*3/4 teaspoon salt
*1/2 pound (225 g) butter/lard or combo
*1/2-3/4 cup cold water
*Egg wash: 2 egg yolks with a few drops of water added

-Make the pie crust the usual way, divide the dough in half, flatten them into disks, wrap them in plastic wrap or put them in a plastic bag. Roll out just before using.

Pear Filling (apples may be used):

*4 large pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
*Juice/zest of ½ a small lemon
*1” piece ginger, peeled and grated
*3 tablespoons brown sugar
*3/4 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*1 teaspoon vanilla
*2 tablespoons pineapple sage, finely chopped
*splash sweet wine or cider (just enough to moisten ingredients)

Baklava Filling (reserve ¼ cup final product for topping):
*2 cups raw nuts (walnut, pecan, almond, pine nuts), any combination, chopped finely

(This will give you about 1 1/2 cups finely chopped nuts)
*1/4 cup (40 g) brown sugar
*1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
*1/4 teaspoon salt

Additional ingredients:
*1 pound (450 g) whole-milk ricotta or feta cheese
*1/4 cup (appx) honey/maple syrup
*1 tablespoon pineapple sage, finely chopped
*Reserved ¼ cup Baklava for topping

Preheat oven to 425. Roll out crust, adding as much flour as necessary to keep from sticking. Transfer to parchment paper for final rolling and shaping. Brush dough with egg wash. Transfer parchment to a baking sheet or peel. Layer ingredients onto dough in the following order:

*Ricotta Cheese
*Pineapple Sage
*Baklava Filling
*Drizzle on Honey/Maple Syrup
*Pear Filling
*Remaining Baklava Filling (1/4 cup)

Fold dough over edge of filling. Apply egg wash to edges of dough. Bake at 425 for 45 minutes. Raise oven heat to 450 and bake another 15-20 minutes, or until edges are brown. Remove parchment from baking sheet and place on rack to cool. For best results, let cool completely before cutting. Serve with Crème Anglaise or Vanilla Ice Cream, if desired.

Butternut Squash Stuffed with Ricotta and Multi-Grain Pilaf

This is one of those recipes where you can go wild with the variations. Be flexible, there are no rules -- the important thing is to use what’s seasonal. Right now we have pears out the wazoo, and as we raise pigs, sheep and goats, there are always various forms of cheeses, and smoked/preserved meats.  In this case, meat is a condiment and can be left out altogether. Jerky or biltong could also be used. I have a friend making a smoked vegan jerky that would be wonderful in this dish, though I would stir it into the squash filling last rather than adding it to the liquid ingredients. You can order it here: https://www.facebook.com/Maggi-Vegan-Jerkee-871448736343844/

Right now I have some smoked fatback (the smoked version is called “ruckenspeck” and the non-smoked version is salt pork). Macon is actually mutton bacon. It is salted/cured/smoked just like pork bacon and doesn’t taste substantially different but has a chewier texture, which is why I add it to liquid in this recipe – in order to soften it up a bit.

The cheese is a simple, acid-coagulated, whole-milk, goat cheese. I haven’t personally tried this with tofu, but I see no reason why it wouldn’t work.  However, I would most likely dry the squash flesh a bit in the oven before adding a more liquid product to it. Cilantro is out of season here right now, but we have Holy Basil and (Nom! Nom! Nom!) Pineapple Sage. Both have some wonderful health properties and are complimentary flavors to sweet fruits. Pineapple Sage is a mint with floral/citrus tones and is not sage-flavored at all. Highly recommended in the relish and it makes a delicious tea as well.

I do love Purcell Mountain Farms’ products. The Multi-Grain Blend contains brown sprouted rice, wheat berries, spelt, bulgur, farro, buckwheat groats and pearled barley. It cooks in about 20 minutes. I invert a mortar on top of the saucepan to create a little pressure, which makes it cook a bit faster. As you will only use half the recipe in this dish, save the remainder for another use -- a pilaf as a side dish for another meal, or it's delicious with cream and honey for breakfast. You can order this grain blend, along with many others, here: https://purcellmountainfarms.com/index.php

Butternut Squash Stuffed with Ricotta and Multi-Grain Pilaf

*1 (2-2.5#) Butternut Squash, halved and baked until tender
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*1 cup Multi-Grain Blend (Purcell Mountain Farms), rinsed (or use brown rice)
*2 tablespoons fat or oil
*2 cups water, broth or stock (I used pork stock)
*1/2 teaspoon salt or handful salty meat (ham, bacon, macon, etc)
(***You will only use half of this mixture for this recipe!***)
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*2 tablespoons oil or fat (or handful salt pork, bacon or fatback)
*1 small onion, finely chopped
*1 clove garlic, minced
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*1/2 – 3/4 cup ricotta cheese or soft tofu
*2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, melted
*2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
*Salt, white pepper to taste
*Finely chopped (or dried) herbs (I used sage and rosemary)
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*Handful chopped nuts (pecan, walnut, pine nuts)
*Grated or sliced Swiss or Gruyere cheese (optional)

Halve squash, scoop out seeds and bake, uncovered, flesh side down in oven for 45 minutes, or microwave for 12-15 minutes. I prefer doing this the day or night before.

Rinse grain/rice and drain. Melt fat or oil in heavy skillet on medium-high heat, add grain and saute, stirring frequently until slightly browned, about 5 minutes. If using meat, add it to the skillet as well. Meanwhile, bring 2 cups water/broth/stock to a boil in a small saucepan with a lid. Add salt if not using meat. Add grain to liquid, cover tightly and simmer until done, stirring occasionally and adding a little more liquid if necessary. (Follow package directions for rice or other grain blends if using that.)

Saute onion and garlic in oil/fat until translucent. If using fatty meat, render a few minutes first.

When squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh with a spoon, being careful not to tear the skin. Leave about ½” of flesh intact near the skin. Add melted butter or coconut oil or reheat the squash with the butter/oil in the microwave. Add cheese or tofu, sweetener, herbs and salt.  Add HALF the grain blend, along with the onion mixture. Stir/mash well with a fork then fill the squash shells with the filling. Sprinkle with nuts and if desired, top with cheese. Place squash halves on baking sheet or oven-safe platter and broil in upper third of oven preheated to 450 until browned, or about 10 minutes. Serve with Sweet Pear Relish or applesauce/apple butter.

Sweet Pear/Apple Relish

*2 large pears or apples, peeled, cored and chopped
*Juice/zest from half a small lemon
*1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey
*1 large orange or 2 tangerines, zested, then peeled and chopped (mango/peach may be substituted or added)
*1 medium onion, finely chopped
*1 small hot pepper, finely chopped (optional but good!)
*1 teaspoon grated ginger
*1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder (or pumpkin pie spice)
*Handful chopped cilantro, mint, basil or pineapple sage
*Pinch of salt

Macon -- Mutton Bacon

AGH Smoked Fatback and Onion

Creole Beans and Rice with Pickled AGH Pork

A variation on that old Cajun classic “Red Beans and Rice” using pickled American Guinea Hog pork and Snowcap Beans. 

Before I post the recipe I want to go ahead and address the inevitable food safety comments that will come up about raw pickled pork. (Cause there’s always some fear-mongering, concerned soul with no common sense who thinks they are smarter than everyone else!) THERE ARE NO FOOD SAFETY ISSUES USING A STRAIGHT VINEGAR SOLUTION. This was a classic way to preserve FRESH, raw pork in a hot, humid climate before refrigeration and without commercial canning methods. I am providing this additional info because, as a prepper, I can attest to the fact that even unrefrigerated “Pickled Pork” has a pretty long shelf life, though the quality is best when fresh (used within 10 days).  If you google “Pickled Pork” you will see there are 2 variations and endless opinions about how to do it.

One is a brined product that was packed in salt into barrels (like salt cod -- think 50# or more at a time!) Sometimes saltpeter (sodium nitrate) was added, sometimes not. Sodium nitrite/nitrate are more commonly known as curing salts, #1/#2 respectively, and prevent botulism in low-acid products with some slight differences in how they act on the botulism bacteria in relation to pH over time. Modern brine recipes (for pickled pork) use #1 sometimes more for preserving the pink color of the meat (and to prevent the inevitable complaints about food safety!).  That is not the type of pork I’ll be using here but it’s good information to file away for future use.

The second type is preserved (marinated, actually) in straight vinegar with some salt for flavor (and the salt will help the vinegar penetrate the meat by drawing out the water first). Full-strength vinegar prohibits the growth of botulism bacteria. This was traditionally kept at room temp without processing (water bath or pressure canning) and was perfectly safe to eat, though longer term storage may have a bit of mold growth on the top and any fat left on the meat will go rancid eventually. That is of no real concern because once the vinegar has penetrated the meat, it should be used fairly soon or it will become overpoweringly sour to the point where there is no pork flavor left at all. (I used this method once on porcupine meat and eradicating the flavor was actually a GOOD thing!) The meat will also fall apart completely when cooked if left in the vinegar too long. A little #1 curing salt (sodium nitrite) may be added for the sole purpose of preserving the pink color, but it has no effect on an already-safe product.

One difference I have found using AGH pork rather than lean commercial pork is that it doesn’t soak up the vinegar as fast (probably because of the marbling or the type of fat/finish?) and you can use that to your advantage by cutting the pieces a little smaller to use it sooner (about 3-4 days) or leave it in larger cubes (never more than 2” to be safe!) for 7-10 days (and then dicing it smaller just before cooking). I do keep mine in the fridge because I’m not likely to make more than a couple quarts at a time, which will be about 3# of meat packed loosely in the jars. The pickling spices are optional; I can’t taste them over the vinegar anyway, but it’s a prettier product. This is a great way to use up small bits of trim after butchering, however, the shoulder is the perfect cut of meat for this. The braising cuts will hold up better than the tender cuts in the vinegar.

 

I used some hot-smoked AGH pork belly fat for the smoke flavor because I had it in the fridge – only a little, as that sow had a lot of fat and not much meat. Any smoke flavor will do though. I often put extra hocks and trotters on the grill just for future bean dishes when I smoke a whole piglet. The leftover skin of said piglet will also provide a nice smoky flavor to any bean dish, along with useful collagen. And of course, smoked sausage is awesome; if you have it, go wild and use it freely! Andouille is the classic Creole sausage for this dish.

Any “al dente” bean may be used. (That means one that holds its shape even after long cooking.) The small, red beans traditionally used in this dish do not become as creamy as, for instance, a pinto bean, no matter how long you cook them. The “Snowcap Beans” came from Purcell Mountain Farms and I was very pleased with the flavor and texture. They are big, like a large red kidney bean. I used pork stock to cook the beans because I like to get as much nutrition out of my food as possible, but water is also fine. Of course canned beans may also be used. This can be made on the stovetop or in the crockpot, and I’ll bet an InstaPot would be great for a fast meal. Bon appetit!

Pickled Pork
(makes  about 1 quart)

*1 T mustard seeds
*12 peppercorns
*1 bay leaf
*1 t hot pepper flakes
*4 cloves whole, crushed garlic
*1 T Kosher salt
*1 ½ cups white or cider vinegar
* 1 ½ pounds cubed pork, no bigger than 2” dice

Bring all ingredients except pork to a boil in a small saucepan. Allow to cool. Stir pork cubes in, coating thoroughly. Pack loosely into a jar or bowl, pouring vinegar in between layers, then use a knife or chopstick to remove air bubbles. If you need more vinegar, just pour it on top and stir into the jar. Use in 3-10 days depending on the size of the cubes. Alternately, just toss the salt with the pork, then pour the vinegar over if you want to skip the rest. Premixed “pickling spice” may also be used. Don’t make this hard. :-)

Creole Beans and Rice

*1 pound red beans (or other bean of your choice), soaked overnight
*2 quarts water, broth or stock, or combination
*1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
*1/2 cup chopped celery
*1 chopped bell pepper, any color combo (poblanos are also good)
*1 bunch chopped green onions
*6 cloves crushed garlic, whole
*1/2 cup chopped parsley or 2 T dried
*fresh thyme sprigs (remove after cooking) or 1 t dried
*2-3 bay leaves
*1 T Worcestershire
*2 t Tabasco or Sriracha
*1 pound smoked sausage (or some hocks/trotters/skin/bacon)
*1 ½ pounds Pickled Pork, rinsed and cut into ¾” dice
*salt and pepper to taste
*white or cider vinegar to taste, if needed

Beginning with the beans and water/stock, bring them to a boil while prepping/adding consecutive ingredients to pot. Cook 2-2 1/2 hours on stovetop, or until beans are tender. If using a crock pot, place all ingredients in pot and cook 6-8 hours.  Season to taste with salt and vinegar. Serve over rice. Garnish with parsley, chives or green onions.