peach-blackberry pie

A couple of weeks ago, I got an insane craving for pie. Maybe compulsion is a better word. I started dreaming of pie morning, noon and night. 

But not just any pie. I wanted a slice of pie with a golden, shattering crust. And a perfectly set sweet-tart filling. It was going to have to be homemade.

So on a rare rainy Sunday, I got to work rolling dough then headed to the farmers market to scout the perfect fruit. The peaches from Collins Orchard are stupidly good this year; I mean juicy, honeyed, fragrant, peachy perfection. So I knew peaches were going to have to get involved. I decided to throw in a handful of inky blackberries and a hint of ginger and anise to deepen the flavors and bring the whole thing together.

After slicing and rolling and shaping and chilling and baking, I sat down to a really fantastic slice of pie. I’m proud to say it’s one of the best I’ve ever made. It took the better part of an afternoon. But we all know good things can’t be rushed.

And one bite of those fragrant peaches nestled beneath a flaky, buttery crust affirmed all the glory of summer. Long, hot days. Dips in the lake. And peach pie. Just the way it was meant to me.

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Peach-Blackberry Pie

• 1 recipe flaky pie dough (see below)
• 3 lbs firm-ripe peaches (about 6 large)
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
• 2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch, divided
• 9 tablespoons sugar, divided
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¾ teaspoon ground anise
• Pinch salt
• 8 oz blackberries (about 2 cups)

Flaky Pie Dough

• 1 lb + 2 oz (4 cups) all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt

• 8 oz (2 sticks) butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled

• 5 oz (1/2 cup +2 tablespoons) lard, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled

• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

• 3/4 cup cold water

• 3 tablespoons cream or milk

• 1-2 tablespoons turbinado, demerara or sanding sugar (regular old sugar will work, too)

*NOTES: I wanted to sidestep the slick, gelatinous filling found in the worst sort of peach pies (remember when canned pie filling was a thing?). I’d never made a peach pie before, so I rummaged around on the interwebs for some pointers. Here’s what I discovered:

Peaches can release a lot of juice once you sprinkle sugar on them. If your peaches give off a lot of liquid, you’ll need to pour some off before baking to avoid a soggy crust and loose filling.

Cutting your peaches into large slices (about 1 inch) limits surface area and also helps limit the amount of liquid they give off.

Also: Lots of recipes say you need to blanch and peel your peaches. I don’t recommend it. I think it gives the peaches a slightly slimy mouthfeel. Plus leaving the peels on gives your filling beautiful blush tones.

Prepare the crust according to this recipe.

When you are ready to bake the pie, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425°F.  

Cut the peaches into slices about 1-inch thick and place in a large mixing bowl. Gently toss with the lemon juice and ½ cup of the sugar. Set aside to rest for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, pour off the juice from the peaches and measure it. You should have about ½ cup of juice. If you have extra, discard it. Toss the peaches (and ½ cup juice) with two tablespoons of the cornstarch, the ginger, anise and a pinch of salt. 

Place the blackberries in a medium mixing bowl and toss with the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons of the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of sugar. (You can add a bit more sugar if your berries aren’t super sweet.)

To fill the pie crust, pour half of the peach slices onto your well-chilled or frozen bottom crust. Arrange half of the blackberries over the peaches. Top with the rest of the peach slices and then the rest of the blackberries. Cover your fruit with your top crust then bake according to the directions here.

Allow your pie to cool a bit and firm up before slicing. Leftovers keep best covered at room temperature overnight. If you need to keep your pie for more than a day, cover tightly and store in the fridge. 

P.S. I highly recommend having a slice of this pie for breakfast with a strong cup of coffee. 

warm potato, kale and octopus salad with chorizo vinaigrette

In May, I was in Portugal for a photography workshop with the super-talented women behind Little Upside Down Cake and Local Milk. Sanda and Beth offered guidance and encouragement as we chased light and shadow through the winding streets of Lisbon. I learned a lot. And connected with a group of inspiring, creative women from around the world.

After the workshop, I wandered Lisbon and Porto solo, scouting unique restaurants, shops and markets to share on my upcoming culinary tour. Which resulted in me falling more in love with Portugal than ever. It’s funny to think how a tiny country I’d never dreamed of visiting two years ago, has fast become one of my very favorite places.

There are so many reasons to fall for Portugal. The light, for one. There’s something about the clear, bright light and the way it casts deep shadows. It’s so unlike the soft, cloud-filtered light we have in Seattle. 

The architecture in Portugal is another. It is at once incredibly grand--baroque churches and towering castles--and slightly down-at-heel. The country is full of peeling, timeworn monuments to its history as a renaissance super-power of the high seas. 

The people also make Portugal easy to love. The Portuguese have a slightly reserved but warm and generous spirit. Everyone I met was eager to help me out when I got lost or share information on where to find the best salt cod fritters or traditional egg pastries. 

And the food. 

I almost don’t have words to describe how much I love the food in Portugal. Maybe because, unlike with the cuisine of France or Italy or Spain, I harbored no high expectations for the food of Portugal. It’s excellence was a total surprise. 

Portugal is a country of creamy soft-ripened cheeses and expertly cured meats. The most amazing fresh sardines I’ve ever had, charred and smoky from the grill. Salty-crisp cod fritters. And everything anointed with the country’s superlative gold-green olive oil. 

The ubiquitous pastel de nata (egg custard tart) is a thing of beauty still warm from the oven with a cup of strong coffee.  And I had something called a pão de deus--a fluffy brioche with a creamy layer of coconut under a golden, crisp coconut top--that almost brought tears to my eyes it was so good. 

When I returned home, I found myself missing the flavors of Portugal. So I put together this salad  to remind myself of my time in Lisbon and Porto. It is not a traditional dish by any means. But it has all the classic Portuguese flavors I love: kale, chiles, silky potatoes dressed in olive oil, tender grilled octopus and--perhaps best of all--smoky chorizo.

It’s my own little ode to the flavors of that sunny country by the sea.

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Potato, Kale and Octopus Salad with Warm Chorizo Vinaigrette

• 2 cups stock or water
• 1 small onion, peeled and quartered
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 small dried chile (or a large pinch of chile flakes
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon coriander seed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional to season
• 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
• 1 small octopus (mine weighed 3 ¾ lbs), cleaned
• 1 lb. new potatoes
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed
• Generous pinch chili flakes, or to taste
• 3 oz Spanish- or Portuguese-style cured chorizo, cut into very thin matchsticks
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 small bunch kale (I like Lacinato kale), stems removed and torn into 2-inch pieces
• ¼ cup hot or sweet pickled peppers, cut into rings or roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons parsley leaves
• ¼ cup whole mint leaves

*NOTES: If you live in Seattle, you can buy excellent quality octopus at Wild Salmon Seafood Market. 

I like Mama Lil's pickled peppers, but any hot or sweet pickled pepper will add the kick you need to balance the chorizo and olive oil.

Combine the stock, onion, bay, chile, peppercorns, coriander, ½ teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed stock pot or Dutch oven. Bring to the boil over high heat. Add the octopus and bring the liquid to a simmer. Reduce the heat to maintain a bare simmer, cover and braise the octopus until it is very tender, about 90 minutes.

Remove the octopus from the braising liquid and set it aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, cut the tentacles from the body. Arrange the octopus on a platter or sheet pan and place in the refrigerator to cool completely. (You can braise the octopus a day in advance if you like.)

While the octopus is braising, cook the potatoes. Place in a large saucepan with enough cold water to cover by 1 inch and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to the boil over high heat then reduce heat and cook at a simmer until the potatoes are very tender, but not falling apart. The time will vary based on the size of your potatoes, but start checking after 8 minutes. Drain, but do not cool by running under cold water. Set aside.

Heat the remaining 6 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat in a large saute pan. Add the fennel seed and chili. Cook for one minute then add the chorizo. Cook until crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove the chorizo strips with a slotted spoon. Set aside. 

Place the minced garlic in a medium bowl. Add the hot oil and spices from the saute pan along with the lemon juice, sherry vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper and whisk to combine. 

Cut the warm potatoes in half and place them in a large mixing bowl. (If you let them cool completely, they don’t absorb the dressing as well.) Toss the potatoes with the kale and ¼ cup of the vinaigrette. 

Heat a grill or grill pan to high heat. Toss the octopus with one tablespoon of the vinaigrette. Grill until the octopus is slightly charred and crisp. When it’s cool enough to handle, slice the octopus  into 2-inch pieces.

Add the grilled octopus to bowl with potatoes and kale. Add the pickled peppers, herbs and reserved chorizo. Toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding the rest of the vinaigrette and more salt and pepper if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 4 main-course servings.

honey-watermelon cocktails with a vanilla salt rim

We’ve been having a full-on, sweltering, no-joke sort of summer here in Seattle. I’ve lost track of the number of days the temperature has peaked above 90°. Whether or not to buy an air conditioner is a hot topic of conversation. And you can actually swim in the (normally frigid) ocean this year.

I’m not complaining (well, maybe a little bit) because for once, it actually feels like summer in Seattle. There’s no ambiguity this year; summer is happening. It is undeniably time to get your beach-game on, grab your flip-flops and gather your people together for an impromptu picnic or barbecue.

And it’s definitely time for watermelon.

Sweet, ripe, juicy watermelon is summer by the slice.

There have been Seattle summers where carving fat wedges of watermelon under grey skies and pouring rain would have felt...wrong. But this year, I’m buying watermelon after watermelon, in celebration of all this sun.

So this week I wanted to share a recipe for a watermelon cocktail that’s just right for a summer gathering with friends or family. It’s dead easy to make. Just whiz some watermelon in the blender, juice a few limes, stir together a honey simple syrup and you’ll be pouring up this bright summer cocktail in no time.

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Honey-Watermelon Cocktails with a Vanilla Salt Rim

• ½ cup honey (I used wildflower honey)
• 2 tablespoons coarse salt
• 1 vanilla bean
• 4 cups strained watermelon juice (the approximate yield of 1 mini seedless watermelon)
• ½ cup freshly-squeezed lime juice
• 10 oz. (1 ¼ cup) gin
• 2 limes, cut into wedges, for garnish

*Notes: I used Maldon sea salt (because it's my fave) and Hendrick's Gin (because its floral notes work really well with the watermelon, honey and vanilla). But feel free to experiment and see what you like.

First, make a honey simple syrup by combining the honey and ¼ cup boiling water in a heatproof bowl or measuring cup. Stir until the honey is completely dissolved. Set aside to cool.

Make the the vanilla salt while the simple syrup is cooling: cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise with a sharp paring knife. Use the knife to scrape out the vanilla seeds and rub them into the salt until they are evenly distributed.

Make the cocktail base by combining the watermelon juice, lime juice, 6 tablespoons of the simple syrup and the gin in a mixing bowl or pitcher. Whisk to combine. (The cocktail base can be stored for up to 3 days, covered, in the fridge.)

To assemble cocktail: Pour some of the honey simple syrup into a small plate with a lip. Transfer the salt to a similar plate. Dip the rim of a lowball or stemmed cocktail glass into the simple syrup then place the glass in the vanilla salt and turn to coat the rim evenly. Fill the glass with ice, fill with cocktail base and garnish with a lime wedge.

Makes about 8 cocktails.