the question seems a bit silly, doesn’t it? in my last blog entry, i mentioned my quest for the perfect lemon meringue pie. i tried the recipe i got on epicurious.com.
for one thing, i found the recipe a little lacking in direction. it said to roll out the dough but not what to do with the dough before that—no mixing of ingredients or an indication that perhaps i should have gone with the pre-made pie plate in the frozen foods section.
next—and here’s the really fun part—upon pre-heating my oven, i discovered that it was on the fritz. of course. what better time for the oven to crap out than when i’ve got raw pie dough and lemon curd waiting to go?!?
so i had this brilliant idea (and by brilliant, i mean hair-brained). i had just finished grilling two angus steaks for dinner. the grill’s still hot. why not go for it?
first, i grilled the dough in the tin. not too shabby. it came out golden and perhaps a little dry, but not bad for a first try. after cooling, i filled the crust with the lemon curd and topped it off with the beaten egg whites. i popped it onto the grill grates at medium heat (all three burners) and set it for 15 minutes.
et voilà! a third of it was burned. the sides of crust were black and some of the meringue had black highlights like a bad day at the salon.
but, there is a bright side. the lemon curd set and, underneath those villainous blackened edges, the meringue tasted pretty good too.
i think i’m going to try it again. it’s heat, after all. i just have to learn how to tame it. and who knows? maybe i’ve started a new summer trend of grilled pie…or not.
pie
pie. peach pie. pecan pie. any kind of berry pie. steak and kidney pie. shepherd’s pie. quiche! it’s a three letter word with a lot of versatility. a little crust. some filling. add heat and voilà! sustenance in a pie tin.
in the u.s., we’ve got an active pie culture. you certainly see more of it in the south. then, of course, there’s the state fairs in the mid-west and the pie contests that pepper each one.
it may be because, in warmer climates, they have a longer growing season. but in new england in which the growing season is almost over before it begins, you don’t hear too many people hanging around the neighborhood asking if you want to come in for some pie. in fact, pie in this area is mainly associated with holidays: pumpkin pie for thanksgiving; mince meat pie for christmas.
to tell you the truth, i’m not much of a pie person. i don’t think about it when i am looking for a tasty treat. i’ll eat it if it’s there but i don’t seek out pie as a suitable end to a meal.
however, i had some pie just this past weekend. we had some friends over for dinner before we took the kids out to see the fireworks. they brought a berry pie. the crust was flaky, yet moist. the berries, along with some rhubarb i believe, were succulent and ripe. the top crust was a cut out of the nation’s flag (cute, huh?). i surprised myself by wanting to lick the plate.
it made me think of one pie that brings back memories: lemon meringue. my father’s mother made this pie. it was, frankly, the only thing she did really, really well. (she was not much of a cook. she boiled anything and everything beyond recognition into a nutritionless heap.) i would love to tell you that i have that fabulous recipe handed down from generation to generation in faded handwriting with dog-eared corners. but i don’t.
instead, to find the perfect lemon meringue pie, i searched online for a simple recipe. many of them called for added ingredients like ginger or a pecan crust. no, no, no. that’s all wrong. i just want a simple, straight-forward recipe. no frills, just the basics. there are some things you can’t improve on. sometimes, the original is always the best.
i found this recipe on epicurious.com (everyone’s online cookbook). i’m going to try it and see what happens. perhaps this will be my new quest: the perfect lemon meringue pie.
lemon meringue pie
makes 8 servings
pie
pastry dough
5 large egg yolks
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
meringue
5 large egg whites, at room temperature 30 minutes
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 superfine granulated sugar
pie shell
preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.
roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round, then fit into a 9-inch pie plate (4-cup capacity). trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then crimp decoratively. lightly prick shell all over with a fork, then chill 30 minutes.
line shell with foil and fill with pie weights or raw rice. bake until side is set and edge is pale golden, about 20 minutes.
carefully remove weights and foil and bake shell until bottom and side are golden, about 20 minutes more. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 350°F.
filling
whisk together yolks in a small bowl.
whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a heavy medium saucepan. gradually add water and milk, whisking until smooth. bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking frequently as mixture begins to thicken. remove from heat and gradually whisk about 1 cup milk mixture into yolks, then whisk yolk mixture into remaining milk mixture. add lemon zest and juice and simmer, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. remove from heat and whisk in butter until incorporated. cover surface with wax paper to keep hot.
meringue
beat whites with cream of tartar and salt using an electric mixer at medium speed until they hold soft peaks.
increase speed to high and add superfine sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until meringue just holds stiff, glossy peaks.
assemble and bake pie
pour hot filling into warm pie shell and gently shake to smooth top.
spread meringue decoratively over hot filling, covering filling completely.
immediately bake until meringue is golden-brown, about 15 minutes.
cool completely on a rack, 2 to 3 hours. cut with a serrated knife dipped in cold water.
cooks' notes
• it is the nature of meringue pies to "weep" liquid after cooling.
• pie shell can be baked 1 day ahead and cooled completely, then kept, loosely covered, at room temperature.
• lemon meringue pie is best the day it is made but keeps, covered and chilled, 2 days.
in the u.s., we’ve got an active pie culture. you certainly see more of it in the south. then, of course, there’s the state fairs in the mid-west and the pie contests that pepper each one.
it may be because, in warmer climates, they have a longer growing season. but in new england in which the growing season is almost over before it begins, you don’t hear too many people hanging around the neighborhood asking if you want to come in for some pie. in fact, pie in this area is mainly associated with holidays: pumpkin pie for thanksgiving; mince meat pie for christmas.
to tell you the truth, i’m not much of a pie person. i don’t think about it when i am looking for a tasty treat. i’ll eat it if it’s there but i don’t seek out pie as a suitable end to a meal.
however, i had some pie just this past weekend. we had some friends over for dinner before we took the kids out to see the fireworks. they brought a berry pie. the crust was flaky, yet moist. the berries, along with some rhubarb i believe, were succulent and ripe. the top crust was a cut out of the nation’s flag (cute, huh?). i surprised myself by wanting to lick the plate.
it made me think of one pie that brings back memories: lemon meringue. my father’s mother made this pie. it was, frankly, the only thing she did really, really well. (she was not much of a cook. she boiled anything and everything beyond recognition into a nutritionless heap.) i would love to tell you that i have that fabulous recipe handed down from generation to generation in faded handwriting with dog-eared corners. but i don’t.
instead, to find the perfect lemon meringue pie, i searched online for a simple recipe. many of them called for added ingredients like ginger or a pecan crust. no, no, no. that’s all wrong. i just want a simple, straight-forward recipe. no frills, just the basics. there are some things you can’t improve on. sometimes, the original is always the best.
i found this recipe on epicurious.com (everyone’s online cookbook). i’m going to try it and see what happens. perhaps this will be my new quest: the perfect lemon meringue pie.
lemon meringue pie
makes 8 servings
pie
pastry dough
5 large egg yolks
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
meringue
5 large egg whites, at room temperature 30 minutes
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 superfine granulated sugar
pie shell
preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.
roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round, then fit into a 9-inch pie plate (4-cup capacity). trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then crimp decoratively. lightly prick shell all over with a fork, then chill 30 minutes.
line shell with foil and fill with pie weights or raw rice. bake until side is set and edge is pale golden, about 20 minutes.
carefully remove weights and foil and bake shell until bottom and side are golden, about 20 minutes more. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 350°F.
filling
whisk together yolks in a small bowl.
whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a heavy medium saucepan. gradually add water and milk, whisking until smooth. bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking frequently as mixture begins to thicken. remove from heat and gradually whisk about 1 cup milk mixture into yolks, then whisk yolk mixture into remaining milk mixture. add lemon zest and juice and simmer, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. remove from heat and whisk in butter until incorporated. cover surface with wax paper to keep hot.
meringue
beat whites with cream of tartar and salt using an electric mixer at medium speed until they hold soft peaks.
increase speed to high and add superfine sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until meringue just holds stiff, glossy peaks.
assemble and bake pie
pour hot filling into warm pie shell and gently shake to smooth top.
spread meringue decoratively over hot filling, covering filling completely.
immediately bake until meringue is golden-brown, about 15 minutes.
cool completely on a rack, 2 to 3 hours. cut with a serrated knife dipped in cold water.
cooks' notes
• it is the nature of meringue pies to "weep" liquid after cooling.
• pie shell can be baked 1 day ahead and cooled completely, then kept, loosely covered, at room temperature.
• lemon meringue pie is best the day it is made but keeps, covered and chilled, 2 days.
clambake?
i went to a clambake this past weekend. it was run-of-the-mill and not too exciting from a culinary perspective. (albeit, it was fun and it marked the end of a season as president of a non-profit organization, but still. ubiquitous steamers. lobsters. corn that wasn't in season. rolls that barely passed as bread. you know the drill.)
the experience started me thinking. what would it take to have a REAL clambake? you the kind: beach front. fire pit. seaweed. i want the full monty of clambakes. what will it take to accomplish that in fairfield, connecticut? we're new england! ok, granted. many consider us just a suburb of new york, but that's beside the point.
i’m sure there will be a permit involved and all sorts of other town-related firey hoops to jump through. nothing short of police and fire safety will be involved. (if I invite the cops and the firemen and entice them with a great menu and enough wine, will it be less of a hazard?)
we shall see what we shall see. stay tuned for my quest for a real new England clambake…
the experience started me thinking. what would it take to have a REAL clambake? you the kind: beach front. fire pit. seaweed. i want the full monty of clambakes. what will it take to accomplish that in fairfield, connecticut? we're new england! ok, granted. many consider us just a suburb of new york, but that's beside the point.
i’m sure there will be a permit involved and all sorts of other town-related firey hoops to jump through. nothing short of police and fire safety will be involved. (if I invite the cops and the firemen and entice them with a great menu and enough wine, will it be less of a hazard?)
we shall see what we shall see. stay tuned for my quest for a real new England clambake…
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