Rhubarb Pie with Vodka Crust

prep: 40 minutes, plus 1 hour resting in refrigerator

bake: 35 to 40 minutes

serves 8

for the vodka crust you’ll need…

2½ cups flour

2 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch slices

½ cup cold solid vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces

¼ cup vodka, cold

¼ cup cold water

for the rhubarb filling you’ll need…

1¼ cups sugar

4 Tablespoons arrowroot (find it in the spice aisle of the grocery store)

¼ teaspoon salt

5 cups rhubarb, cut into ¼-inch pieces

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon demerara sugar (optional)

let’s get to it…


Mix half of the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor for 2-seconds. Add the butter and shortening and pulse about 10 to 15 times or until the dough looks like cottage cheese and there is no loose flour. Scrape the bowl and then add the remaining flour and pulse 5 or 6 times. 

Remove the dough from the food processor and place in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the vodka and water over the dough and fold until the dough sticks together and all of the liquid is absorbed. Divide the dough into 2 balls and flatten into 2 4-inch disks. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. 

While the dough is resting, mix the sugar, arrowroot and salt together in a bowl. Add the rhubarb and lemon zest and toss gently to combine. Set aside.

After the dough has rested, move oven rack to the lowest position and place a baking sheet on the rack. Preheat oven to 425°F.

Dust the rolling pin and work surface with flour. Remove one dough disk from refrigerator. Roll dough in a circle to a uniform thickness (about ⅛-to-¼-inch thick), about 1-inch larger than an upside down 9-inch pie plate. (Turn the pie plate upside down on the dough to measure it). Place rolled-out dough into pie plate and press gently into form of plate. Trim excess (but don’t throw it away!), leaving about ½-inch overhang.

Pour the rhubarb mixture into the pie plate.

Dust the rolling pin and work surface with flour one more time. Roll dough in a circle to a uniform thickness (about ⅛-to-¼-inch thick), about 1-inch larger than an upside down 9-inch pie plate. Cut out flowers or shapes with a small cookie cutter. Place second rolled-out dough on top of rhubarb mixture, being careful not to tear the dough where you made cutouts. Roll up and pinch the edges so you have a nice thick fluted edge (use the extra trimmed dough if necessary).

Brush half of the beaten egg on top of crust. Place the little cutout shapes on top of crust. Brush with remaining egg mixture and sprinkle with demerara sugar if using.

Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until top is golden brown and the rhubarb is tender (poke a skewer through one of the holes in the crust to check). If crust browns too quickly, cover with a piece of foil. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack at least 1-hour.

Cherry Pie Ice Cream 

prep: 1 hour
freeze: 4-5 hours

serves 8

for the ice cream you’ll need…
2 cups whole milk, divided
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon conrnstarch
3 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
1¼ cups heavy cream
⅔ cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 can (21 ounce) cherry pie filling

for the streusel you’ll need…
½ cup light or dark brown sugar
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ pound (1 stick) butter, chilled and cut into ½-inch cubes

let’s get to it…
Whisk 2 tablespoons milk and the cornstarch in small bowl; set aside. In medium bowl, whisk the cream cheese and salt until smooth; set aside. Fill a large bowl ice and water.
Boil the remaining milk, cream, sugar, corn syrup and vanilla in a large saucepan on medium high heat for 4-minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the milk and cornstarch mixture. Return to heat and boil for 1 minute until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
Whisk the hot mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Pour mixture into a 1-gallon Ziploc freezer bag and seal tightly. Submerge into the ice and water and chill 30 minutes to 45 minutes.
Pour the chilled mixture into a frozen ice cream canister or machine and spin until thick and creamy. When thick and creamy, stir in the cherry pie filling. Spoon ice cream into a storage container, press a piece of parchment paper directly on the ice cream and freeze for at least 4 hours.
Place oven rack in the middle of the oven. Heat oven to 350°F.
Mix the sugar, flour and cinnamon until blended. Quickly rub the butter into the flour mixture with fingers until the mixture looks like coarse sand.
Spread mixture on an ungreased baking sheet. Break up any large pieces. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally so mixture doesn’t burn. Mixture should be toasted and brown. Cool at least 20 minutes.
Spoon ice cream into individual bowls. Sprinkle with struessel just before serving.

Banana and Toffee Ice Cream Pie

prep: 1 hour
cook: 30 minutes
bake: 10 minutes
freeze: 4-5 hours

makes one 9-inch pie

for the ice cream you’ll need…
3 ripe bananas
2 cups whole milk, divided
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon conrnstarch
3 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
1¼ cups heavy cream
⅔ cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces chopped English toffee, divided

for the pie crust you’ll need…
1¼ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch slices
1/4 cup cold solid vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces
2 tablespoons cold vodka
2 tablespoons cold water

let’s get to it…
Puree the bananas in a food processor or blender until smooth; set aside.
Whisk 2 tablespoons milk and the cornstarch in small bowl; set aside. In medium bowl, whisk the cream cheese and salt until smooth; set aside. Fill a large bowl ice and water.
Boil the remaining milk, cream, sugar, corn syrup and vanilla in a large saucepan on medium high heat for 4-minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the milk and cornstarch mixture. Return to heat and boil for 1 minute until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
Whisk the hot mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Whisk in the pureed bananas. Pour mixture into a 1-gallon Ziploc freezer bag and seal tightly. Submerge into the ice and water and chill 30 minutes to 45 minutes.
Pour the chilled mixture into a frozen ice cream canister or machine and spin until thick and creamy. When thick and creamy, stir in half of the chopped English toffee. Spoon ice cream into a storage container, press a piece of parchment paper directly on the ice cream and freeze for at least 4 hours.
Mix half the flour and salt in a food processor for 2-seconds. Add the butter and shortening and pulse about 10 to 15 times or until dough looks like cottage cheese and there is no loose flour; scrape bowl. Add remaining flour and pulse 5 or 6 times.
Remove dough from food processor and place in a medium bowl. Sprinkle vodka and water over dough and fold until dough sticks together and all liquid is absorbed. Flatten dough into a 4-inch disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. (You’ll still be able to see little pieces of butter in the dough).
Move oven rack to the second lowest position. Heat oven to 450°F.
Dust rolling pin and work surface with flour. Remove dough disk from refrigerator. Roll dough in a circle to a uniform thickness (about ⅛-to-¼-inch thick), about 1-inch larger than an upside down 9-inch pie pan (or individual pie plates if using). Place rolled-out dough into pan and press gently into form of plate. Use excess dough to mend any sports or holes in dough. Prick the bottom and sides of the dough so you can “blind bake” the crust.*
Bake for 1o minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes.
Spoon ice cream onto cooled pie crust. Top with remaining chopped English Toffee. Return to freezer for 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

*Blind baking, also called pre-baking, is baking a crust without the filling. You do this when the filling has a shorter bake time than the crust. Also helps the crust from becoming soggy. You can prick the bottom and sides of the crust so it keeps its shape during baking. A better idea is to line the unbaked pie crust with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie-weights. Dried beans or lentils work well, too.

Ceviche

prep: 30 minutes
refrigerate: 4 hours

about 6 servings

you’ll need…
1 pound fresh, skinless firm-fleshed ocean fish, cut into 1-inch dice
1¾ cup fresh squeezed lime juice, divided
2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
½ cup onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt, divided
2 cups water
½ cup red peppers cut into thin 1-inch sticks
¼ cup jalapeños cut into thin 1-inch sticks
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon olive oil

let’s get to it…
Place fish, 1½ cups of lime juice and 1 teaspoon garlic in a large sealable bowl. Make sure fish is completely covered by the juice (I sometimes use a saucer to press down on the fish). Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours. The fish is ready when it is opaque. Drain and discard lime juice and garlic.
While fish “cooks,” toss together onions and ½ teaspoon salt; cover with water and let rest 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Pat dry.
Place fish, onions, red pepper, jalapeños and cilantro in a large bowl.
Whisk the remaining ¼ cup lime juice, 1 teaspoon garlic, ½ teaspoon salt and olive oil together in a small bowl. Pour over ceviche and gently stir to coat fish. Refrigerate until ready to serve.