The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (86 page)

3.
Cook until a paring knife slides easily into the pears, meeting slight resistance, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool in liquid 30 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pears to a large bowl; cover with parchment paper. Cook the liquid over medium heat until syrupy, about 15 minutes; discard the vanilla pod and ginger. Let cool. Serve 2 pear halves in each bowl; spoon the syrup over the pears.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE
PER SERVING: 235 CALORIES, 1 G FAT, 0 MG CHOLESTEROL, 50 G CARBOHYDRATE, 10 MG SODIUM, 1 G PROTEIN, 5 G FIBER

red currant fool

SERVES 4 TO 6

4 tablespoons (¼ cup) unsalted butter

3½ cups fresh red currants (about 18 ounces), stems removed

¾ cup sugar

1½ cups heavy cream

1.
Melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium heat, and stir in the currants and sugar. Cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved and the currants have softened, about 5 minutes.

2.
Remove the skillet from the heat, and lightly crush the fruit with the back of a wooden spoon. Don’t mash to a puree; some texture should remain. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, and cool completely in the refrigerator before proceeding.

3.
In a small bowl, whisk the cream until it holds soft peaks. Set aside ½ cup fruit mixture. Gently fold the whipped cream into the remaining fruit mixture, leaving it marbled. Serve immediately in individual bowls, garnished with a spoonful of the reserved fruit mixture.

southern-style individual peach cobblers

MAKES FOUR 6-INCH COBBLERS

To make one 10-inch cake, melt 2 teaspoons butter in the skillet before adding the batter, and bake for 35 minutes.

2 pounds firm, ripe peaches (about 4), pitted and cut into 8 wedges each

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1½ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 4 teaspoons

½ cup milk

1 large egg

1.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, toss the peaches with ¼ cup sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, remaining ¾ cup sugar, and remaining ½ teaspoon cinnamon. In another bowl, whisk 4 tablespoons melted butter with the milk and egg. Whisk the butter mixture into the flour mixture.

2.
Melt 1 teaspoon butter in a 6-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, remove from heat. Pour one-quarter of the batter into the skillet. Spread the batter evenly over the bottom. Spoon one-quarter of the peach mixture over the batter. Repeat with three more skillets. Transfer to the oven, and bake until the cobblers are set, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven; let cool slightly. Serve warm in the skillets.

warm nectarine turnovers

MAKES ABOUT 18

If at any point the dough gets too soft to work with or begins to shrink, refrigerate for 15 minutes before proceeding.

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

½ cup ice water

1¾ pounds large, ripe nectarines (about 4)

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup honey

2 to 3 cups vegetable oil, for frying

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

1.
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Using your fingertips, work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Pour in the ice water; toss lightly, gathering the dough into a ball. Dust the dough with a little flour, and flatten it into a disk. Seal the disk in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

2.
Halve the nectarines lengthwise, and discard the pits. Leaving the skins on (to give the filling a pretty rose color), chop the fruit into ½-inch chunks.

3.
In a large, heavy skillet, place the nectarines, granulated sugar, and honey, and fold together. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring, until the mixture is thick enough to hold its shape in a spoon, about 25 minutes. Transfer the filling to a bowl; let cool.

4.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough as thinly as possible (about
¹
/
₁₆
inch thick). With a 4-inch fluted cutter, cut the dough into as many rounds as possible. Gather the scraps into a ball, and roll out the dough as before. Again, cut out as many rounds as possible.

5.
Place about 1 tablespoon filling on the lower third of each round. Moisten the edges of the rounds lightly with cold water. Fold the rounds in half over the filling, and press the edges together tightly. Seal the edges with fork tines dipped in flour.

6.
Preheat the oven to the lowest setting. Line a shallow baking dish with paper towels, and place in the heated oven. In a large, heavy skillet, add enough oil to reach 1 inch up the sides, and place over medium-high heat. When the oil registers 350°F on a deep-fry thermometer, cook the turnovers, turning them occasionally with tongs or a slotted spoon, until they are crisp and golden, about 4 minutes total.

7.
Transfer the cooked turnovers to the lined dish in the oven to drain. Keep warm until all the turnovers are cooked. Dust the warm turnovers with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.

berry brown betty

SERVES 4

3 cups fresh raspberries (red and golden, if available)

1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 cups fresh brioche bread crumbs (about 6 ounces)

¹
/
₃
cup packed light-brown sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Sweetened whipped cream, for serving

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl, mix all but ¼ cup berries with the lemon juice, and set aside to macerate. Brush 4 6-ounce ramekins with 1 tablespoon butter; coat the inside of each with granulated sugar, and set aside.

2.
In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, and set aside. Sprinkle the brown sugar, flour, and nutmeg over the raspberries, and gently toss to combine. Divide one-third of the bread crumbs evenly among the ramekins. Top with half the berries, and then with another third of the bread crumbs. Repeat with the remaining berries and bread crumbs. Gently press down on the layers.

3.
Bake until the crumbs are golden and the berry juices are bubbling, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let cool 5 minutes.

4.
Invert the ramekins onto serving plates. Remove the ramekins, and top each dessert with whipped cream; garnish with reserved berries.

blackberry-peach trifle

SERVES 6 TO 8

Unsalted butter, room temperature, for the baking dish

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for the baking dish

1 pound ripe yellow peaches (about 3)

1 pound ripe white peaches (about 3)

1 pound fresh blackberries (about 3 heaping cups)

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

3 cups heavy cream

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1¼ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F, with the rack in the center. Butter and flour a 9 × 13-inch baking dish; set aside. Prepare an ice-water bath in a large bowl; set aside. Fill a large saucepan two-thirds full with water; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Score the bottom of each peach. Gently put the peaches in the simmering water. Using a slotted spoon, remove the peaches from the water when the skin easily peels away from the flesh, 1 to 2 minutes. Plunge into the ice bath until cool enough to handle; peel immediately.

2.
Cut each peach into 8 slices. Cut one-third of the slices in half crosswise (makes about 1½ cups), and set aside. Place the remaining slices in a medium covered bowl, and set aside. In another medium bowl, combine the blackberries and 2 tablespoons sugar. Set aside to macerate, stirring occasionally.

3.
In a small bowl, whip 1 cup cream until stiff peaks form; set aside for the batter. Whip the remaining 2 cups cream, and refrigerate.

4.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, lightly beat the eggs. Add the remaining ¾ cup sugar, and beat until the mixture is pale and thick, about 3 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Into a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Gently fold the reserved whipped cream into the batter in 3 additions. Pour the batter into the prepared dish; spread evenly.

5.
Scatter the reserved peach pieces and one-third of the blackberries over the batter. Bake until the cake is golden and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely.

6.
To assemble: Cut the cake into 6 pieces. Place 3 pieces in the bottom of a straight-sided glass serving bowl or compote. Spoon half the fruit (and berry juice) over the cake. Spoon half of the refrigerated whipped cream over the fruit. Repeat with the remaining cake, fruit, and cream. Drizzle the remaining berry juice over the trifle.

tropical fruit salad

SERVES 8

1 pineapple (about 5 pounds), peeled, cored, and cut crosswise into thin slices

1 papaya (about 1 pound), peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut crosswise into thin slices

1 star fruit, cut crosswise into thin slices

2 tablespoons sugar

½ cup fresh lime juice, plus 3 tablespoons grated lime zest strips, for garnish (4 to 6 limes total)

Light rum (optional)

Arrange the pineapple on a large platter. Top with a layer each of papaya and star fruit. Sprinkle the fruit with sugar, lime juice, and rum, if desired. Garnish with lime zest.

macerated berry and crème fraîche parfait

SERVES 4

The rich, tangy crème fraîche and a bit of vinegar cut the sweetness of the berries. You can use vanilla ice cream in place of the crème fraîche.

12 ounces assorted berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries

2 tablespoons superfine sugar

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 8-ounce container crème fraîche

Amaretti biscuits

1.
Combine the berries in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with the sugar and vinegar. Let sit, stirring occasionally, until the berries soften and start to release juices, about 30 minutes.

2.
Layer the berries with the crème fraîche in parfait glasses. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 3 hours. Just before serving, sprinkle with crumbled amaretti biscuits.

caramelized pineapple with vanilla ice cream

SERVES 6

This dessert relies on the same browning and deglazing techniques used for savory dishes. Many fruits benefit from a quick sauté, and their natural sugars—brought to the surface as juices evaporate—aid in the caramelization process. If you prefer not to use rum, you can substitute more pineapple juice.

½ cup dark rum

½ cup pineapple juice

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 ripe pineapple, peeled, sliced into ½-inch-thick rounds, cored

½ cup sugar

Vanilla ice cream, for serving

1.
Combine the rum and pineapple juice in a glass measuring cup. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until foaming. Add half of the pineapple slices, and cook until well browned on both sides, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a baking pan.

2.
Sprinkle the pan with ¼ cup sugar; cook until the sugar caramelizes to a golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.

3.
Turn the heat off or hold the skillet away from the heat, and carefully add ½ cup rum mixture.

4.
Turn the heat on or return the pan to the heat, and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping loose any caramelized bits on the bottom of the skillet. Simmer the sauce until reduced and slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl, and set aside. Wash the skillet, and repeat. Cut the pineapple slices, and serve over ice cream drizzled with warm sauce.

classic rhubarb fool with farm-fresh cream

SERVES 6 TO 8

1 pound red rhubarb (about 9 stalks), leaves discarded, stalks cut into ½-inch pieces (about 4 cups)

1 cup sugar

3 cups heavy cream

1.
Put rhubarb, sugar, and 2 tablespoons water into a medium saucepan. Cover, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir once; cook, uncovered, until rhubarb has completely softened, about 8 minutes. Cool slightly.

2.
Transfer rhubarb mixture to a food processor, and purée until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl. Refrigerate rhubarb purée until cool, about 30 minutes.

3.
Beat cream with an electric mixer or by hand until soft peaks form. Gently fold rhubarb purée into the whipped cream in 2 batches, leaving some streaks remaining. Spoon into glasses.