recipe #8: pie in the park, or how i fell in love with raclette cheese.

a couple weeks ago, i used the wonderful pie in the park event as an excuse to try a savory pie. this year, the fundraiser was to help SCRATCHbread furnish their new retail space (click here for food porn, warning: not safe before lunch) and was an incredible, tummy-rubbing success.

i love x 1000 mushrooms and the idea to make a wild mushroom pie hit me mostly because i was craving them that day. i am still not great with crusts yet (although i did add white truffle oil to mine to compensate and blow some minds) but was more excited about the filling anyways so hit up my favorite spots – east village cheese and essex market – for fresh goods and went to work.

recipe #8: wild  mushroom and raclette cheese pie

soundtrack: phosphorescent’s here’s to taking it easy

ingredients: 3 shallots, 3 cloves chopped garlic, 4 cups wild mushrooms, 1/2 pound raclette cheese, 1/4 cup white wine, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup sage and thyme, olive oil.

directions: first i caramelized three medium shallots with olive oil and white wine, then added three cloves of chopped garlic with more oil. next, i added fresh thyme and sage, and then enough ‘shrooms to fill the entire skillet: an assortment of portobello, shitake and crimini. i took it down to a simmer and added enough white wine to help them absorb the fresh flavors, adding salt and pepper to taste. i removed the mixture and let it sit covered in the fridge to really get the full flavor effect. i made and baked the crust separately using the recipe from sam’s birthday.

the next day, i dropped the mushroom mix into the skillet again only this time added 1/2 pound of cubed raclette cheese. i had never had it before but upon learning that it was a easy-melting, earthier version of gruyere couldn’t wait to try it. it was perfect. i saved some for pasta later. i also added about 1/4 cup heavy cream and then quickly put it in the crust and covered it so i would be forced to stop “testing” it.

as with most of the pies, it didn’t last long. it didn’t win an award but fellow mushroomheads were appreciative of the dish and i do think it was one of the best things i’ve ever made and that this recipe is going to make an excellent whole-wheat pasta dish someday very (very) soon.

recipe #4: spaghetti and meatballs.

this year, i spent valentines day with 9 amazing people and (1 amazing dog) in a creepy/cool home tucked away in the vermont mountains. i love these folks because we could spend four days cooped up laughing about 80s workout books and 3-D dog pictures without feeling crazy. on the final night, maddy, josh, rizan (in spirit) and i teamed up to prepare the ultimate meal of homemade comfort for the group: spaghetti & meatballs. ahem, meat-hearts.
recipe #4: spaghetti and meatballs.
the soundtrack: frank sinatra – nothing but the best (although my rad sous chefs let me cook to a playlist no one wanted to listen to instead)  
ingredients: 1 lb ground chuck, 4 slices of dried bread – ripped up into small pieces, 2 eggs, 1 cup mushrooms, 1 medium sweet onion, 1 clove garlic, olive oil, 4 jars of pasta sauce (okay so we cheated), 4 boxes of whole wheat spaghetti, salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary and basil.
the plan: cut up onions, mushrooms and garlic into tiny pieces. in a skillet, sweat onions over low heat in olive oil until carmelized, then add mushrooms and garlic, salt and pepper until cooked. mix ground chuck, eggs, breadcrumbs and mushroom/onion mixture together in a bowl as well as oregano, rosemary and basil. next, heat sauce in a soup pot over low heat. make balls of meat mixture (or hearts, if you’re maddy) and in an olive oil-coated skillet, brown until cooked halfway through and then dump into the sauce and let cook for about 45 minutes. cook pasta when sauce and meatballs are about 15-20 minutes away from being done. then serve, enjoy and make as many “that’s what she said” jokes as possible.