Cherry Pies & Deadly Lies
Page 33
Grandma Jenn’s Classic Door County Cherry Pie
Makes one 10-inch pie (can be used in a 9-inch pie as well)
No kidding—this basic, old-fashioned cherry pie is good enough to win a cherry pie bake-off without your having to sleep with the judge … unless, of course, you want to (wink, wink). It seems ridiculous, but the secret to baking a fabulous cherry pie is all about the cherries. A good, tart baking cherry is essential. You don’t need a secret pie-contest-winning cherry tree at your disposal like Grandma Jenn. All you need to do is take a trip to an orchard that grows tart cherries. They’ll have what you need. At the Bloom Family Orchard, we also pit and flash-freeze our cherries to preserve that fresh-picked flavor. Grandma Jenn does this as well, and actually prefers to use frozen cherries for this recipe. However, if fresh or frozen cherries aren’t available, bottled or canned from any grocery store will do.
Ingredients
For Grandma Jenn’s Flaky Crust:
1½ sticks chilled butter
⅓ cup chilled vegetable shortening
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
½ cup ice water
For Grandma Jenn’s Fabulous Filling:
6 cups of fresh or frozen tart cherries
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or ½ teaspoon concentrate
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon milk, to brush over top crust
1 tablespoon sugar, to sprinkle
Make the Crust
Dice the butter and the vegetable shortening and put in the refrigerator to chill.
While the butter and shortening are chilling, place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Fit the mixer with the stir attachment and add the chilled butter and shortening.
Mix until the butter and shortening are the size of peas.
Next add the vinegar to the ice water and stir. While the machine is still mixing, pour in the liquid and keep mixing until the dough begins to form a ball.
Turn the dough out on a floured cutting board and shape into a ball, being careful not to work the dough too much.
Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and chill for about thirty minutes.
When the dough is ready to handle, sprinkle cutting board with flour so dough won’t stick and cut the dough in half.
Using a rolling pin, roll half the dough into a large circle about a quarter of an inch thick, making sure the surface of the cutting board has enough flour so the dough won’t stick.
Once the dough is rolled out, fold it in half and place in the bottom of the pie plate. Roll out top crust and set it aside.
Time to Make the Filling!
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Place cherries in large saucepan over medium heat. Add the teaspoon of lemon juice, cover, and stir occasionally. After a few minutes, the cherries should start releasing juice. Keep covered and remove from heat.
In a small bowl, mix sugar and cornstarch together until combined. Pour this mixture into the warm, juicy cherries and mix well. Return the mixture to the stove and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously until the liquid loses its cloudy appearance and becomes thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in the butter.
Pour cooled cherry filling into the prepared pie crust.
Using a pastry brush, moisten the edges of the bottom crust with a little water. Place top crust on and flute the edges of the pie.
Make a slit in the middle of the top crust to vent steam.
Brush on a thin layer of milk over top crust, then sprinkle with sugar.
Place pie on baking sheet, cover the edges of the crust with tin foil, and place in the middle rack of the preheated oven.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil from edges and bake another 20 minutes until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool.
When pie has set and is ready to be served, plate a generous helping and serve with a scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream!
Edna Baker’s Bribe -Worthy Chicken Pot Pie
Serves 8 to 10
While I don’t generally condone outright bribery, it’s not a bad idea to have at least one resolve-weakening recipe in your arsenal—just in case you need it. Edna’s chicken pot pie is that recipe—a rich, savory chicken stew topped with a golden flaky crust. It’s comfort food at its best, and I’m sure if Edna found out how Grandma Jenn “accidently” snapped a picture of this recipe during a Cherry Cove Women’s Club meeting at her house, she’d be furious. So don’t tell Edna. But seriously, a recipe this good shouldn’t be squirreled away and kept under lock and key. It should be shared. So go ahead and try it yourself. Just don’t invite Edna over for dinner when you do.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
Ask yourself, do you want to make individual pot pies in oven-safe personal dishes, or do you want to make a family-style pot pie? If you want to make individual pot pies, I recommend doubling the crust recipe below.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
⅓ cup butter cut in small cubes and chilled
⅓ cup shortening, chilled
6 to 7 tablespoons ice water
For the Filling:
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 cups chicken broth
1 heaping tablespoon of minced garlic
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 celery ribs, cleaned and finely chopped
Table salt and pepper
10 oz. cremini mushrooms, washed,
stems trimmed and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons tomato paste
4 tablespoons butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves
1 cup frozen baby peas
Make the Crust
In mixing bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Add chilled butter and shortening. Cut into flour until shortening is the size of small peas. Add ice water and continue mixing until soft dough forms. Turn dough onto floured cutting board and form into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator.
Make the Filling
Preheat oven to 450°F if making individual pot pies.
Preheat oven to 375°F if making in 11x14 baking dish.
Bring chicken, broth, and minced garlic to simmer in covered Dutch oven or large stock pot over medium heat. Cook until chicken is just done, 8–12 minutes. Transfer chicken to large bowl. Pour broth through a fine mesh strainer into liquid measuring cup and set aside. Do not wash pot.
Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in empty Dutch oven over medium heat. When oil is hot, add onions, celery, and carrots. Add ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Cover and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. While vegetables are cooking, shred chicken into small bite-sized pieces. Transfer cooked vegetables to bowl with chicken and set aside.
Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in empty Dutch oven over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have released their juices, about 5 minutes. Remove cover and stir in soy sauce and tomato paste. Increase heat and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to bowl with chicken and vegetables. Set aside.
Heat butter in empty Dutch oven over medium heat. When melted, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk in reserved chicken broth and milk. Bring to a simmer, stirring to loosen browned bits on bottom of pan. Raise heat t
o medium and continue to simmer, stirring continuously until sauce fully thickens. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and parsley.
Add chicken-vegetable mixture to sauce. Add peas.
Place mixture in baking dish/dishes.
Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out crust, making a 12x16 rectangle for the baking dish, or five-inch circles for individual pots. Place dough over rim of dish and flute edges, sealing the dough to the dish. Poke a hole in crust to vent steam. Place pots/baking dish on cookie sheet.
For individual pot pies, bake in 450°F oven for 12–15 minutes. For 11x14 baking dish, bake in 375°F oven for 30 minutes, or until crust is a light golden color. Let cool ten minutes before serving.
Acknowledgments
To these stars in my personal universe, without whose light this author would still be wandering in the wilderness:
The gracious Sandy Harding, agent extraordinaire, for taking that first leap of faith and following it up with a whole lot of patience. Terri Bischoff, Sandy Sullivan, and the entire talented staff at Midnight Ink for their love of books, humor, and vision.
Robin Taylor, cherished friend, antique collector, whisky aficionado, and creative soul whose encouragement and enthusiasm for my work is partially responsible for the preceding pages. Jane Boundy, cherished friend and joyous spirit whose passion for yoga is inspiring, but not quite enough, and who never fails to make me laugh.
Debbie and Todd Coy, for the adventures, the Friday night dinners, and all the entertaining character name suggestions. My coworkers at the reference desk—Hey Girls!—and the entire amazing staff at the historic Howell Carnegie Library. You are the heart of our community and great people to know.
Dave and Jan Hilgers, the best parents in the world, seriously! I wouldn’t be who I am today without your love, laughter, guiding wisdom, and love of cherry pie. Jim, Dan, and Matt, my three amazing sons, and the most loving, intelligent, adventurous, and hysterically funny millennials I know. Feed your passions, cherish the ones you love, and never give up on your dreams.
And to my dear husband, John, the wind beneath my wings. Always and forever.
About the Author
Darci Hannah is the author of two previous works of historical fiction, The Exile of Sara Stevenson and The Angel of Blythe Hall (Ballantine). When she isn’t whipping up tasty treats in her kitchen, she’s hard at work writing. Cherry Pies & Deadly Lies is her first mystery.