Autumnal Fare – or how we ate the photoshoot props

So, during the course of the photoshoot,  I was dispatched to get apples.  Not just any apples, but those with the right proportion of red and yellow.  And not just a few, but several pounds worth.  These are they, after several days of steady munching from my boys.  That’s still a lot of apples.

We also styled my kitchen with leeks, two really extraordinarilly good-looking leeks.  They sat in my refrigerator rebuking me for my laziness, until I finally did this with them.

And not be to forgotten we have these beauties here:

You are also seeing one of my husband’s favorite wine bargains – Windy Lane merlot.  It really is a lovely wine for the price.  But I digress.  Here is how we ate the props.  All recipes courtesy of Epicurious.com my go-to for quick recipes, shopping lists, and menus.  If you haven’t checked it out yet, you should, especially since Gourmet is closing up shop.

Apple Crisp

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/8 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/8 cups packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cup walnuts (5 ounces), toasted , cooled, and finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and softened
4 1/2 pounds sweet-tart apples such as Gala
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar, or to taste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 12- by 9- by 2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish (3 to 3 1/2 quarts.
Stir together flour, oats, brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl, then blend in butter with your fingertips until mixture forms small clumps.
Peel and core apples and cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges, then toss with lemon juice, granulated sugar, and flour in a large bowl. Transfer to baking dish, spreading evenly.
Crumble oat topping evenly over apple mixture and bake until topping is golden and apples are tender, about 45 minutes. Cool slightly and serve warm.

Pear Tatin

1/2 cup walnuts
4 pounds firm-ripe pears (preferably Bosc; about
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
pastry dough – ready made is fine

Preheat oven to 425°F. Coarsely chop walnuts and in a shallow baking pan toast in middle of oven until a shade darker, about 4 minutes. (Leave oven on.) Peel, quarter, and core pears.
In a deep 12-inch heavy skillet melt butter and sugar, stirring occasionally, and boil 1 minute. Add pears and cook over moderate heat, turning pears occasionally (be careful not to break them) and gently stirring syrup, until pears are glazed and syrup begins to thicken, about 20 minutes. Stir in rum and lemon juice and simmer, turning pears and gently stirring frequently, until most of syrup is evaporated and pears are tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Arrange pears, cored sides up, in a 10-inch (1 1/2-quart) glass pie plate and sprinkle with walnuts.
On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out dough into a 12-inch round (a scant 1/4 inch thick) and drape over pears. Tuck edge between pears and rim of dish and with a knife cut several steam vents in pastry. Bake tart in middle of oven 20 minutes, or until juices are bubbling and crust is golden brown.
Have ready a rimmed serving plate slightly larger than pie plate. Let tart stand 5 minutes.
Invert serving plate over pie plate and, wearing oven mitts and keeping plates firmly pressed together, invert tart onto serving plate. Serve pear and walnut tart warm or at room temperature

Potato and Leek Soup

In a large heavy saucepan cook the leeks in the butter with salt and pepper to taste, covered, over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are softened but not browned. Add the water, the broth, and the potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice, and simmer the mixture, covered, for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. In a blender purée 1 cup of the soup, stir the puré into the remaining soup with the parsley, and season the soup with salt and pepper.

Yum.

Kristin