Farmers' Market Raspberry Pie

I love raspberry season! There is just something so special about the raspberry. It is delicate and elegant. It's flavor is sophisticated. It's no wonder that it is called the "King of Berries". When raspberries come straight from the farm, or are grown at home, they are even better. Something as delicate as a raspberry is only at its peak of freshness and flavor for a short time. Within hours of being picked, they begin to decline. Raspberries are very prone to mold. Once purchased, they should be used within 2 days, or preserved in some way.

After harvesting raspberries from my garden, or buying them from the farm, I get to work preserving them for future use. The berries that are not eaten fresh, or turned into sauces or jams are Individually Quick Frozen. This helps to maintain them at their peak for months.

My favorite thing to do with fresh raspberries is to turn them into pies. A raspberry pie is a special treat. The only problem is that it's hard to find a good recipe for raspberry pie. Raspberries contain a lot of water. As a result, most raspberry pies come out soupy. It is horribly anti-climactic to see all of your beautiful raspberry filling go running off the crust as you try to serve a piece of pie! I've been there, it's heartbreaking!

After many heartbreaks, I developed the following raspberry pie recipe. The key to this pie's success is arrowroot, and a lot of it. This results in a glossy, ruby-colored filling that stands up straight and tall when sliced. Also, the filling is not cooked before being added to the crust. As a result, the filling is loaded with whole, juicy raspberries, as illustrated by the picture below.

Raspberry Pie

• 24 ounces (by weight) fresh or IQF raspberries
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup arrowroot
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon Tahitian vanilla
• 1 flaky pie crust

Place oven racks to center position, and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out pie crust and line a standard 9 inch, metal pie dish. Place lined pie dish in refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes. While dough is chilling, combine all other ingredients in a large bowl and GENTLY mix together using a large rubber spatula. Be careful not to break up the berries too much. After 30 minutes, GENTLY add filling to the crust, being sure that no arrowroot or sugar remains in the bowl. Level out filling, place pie dish on a baking sheet, and bake pie for 1 hour. Pie should be very bubbly, but be sure that the filling does not start to caramelize around the edges. Depending on your oven, you may need to bake the pie even longer. The key is to be sure that pie is bubbly in the middle. If crust begins to brown too quickly, reduce heat to 325 degrees. When pie is done, it will still be somewhat loose in the center. Remove pie from oven, cool on a rack for 1 hour, and then chill in the refrigerator for 6 hours. The filling will firm up as it chills.
At this point, this becomes a refrigerator pie. It should be stored in the refrigerator, not left out on the counter. It will get moldy! It is also incredibly refreshing when it is cold.

Mushroom Foraging in Maine

At the beginning of July, I was fortunate enough to travel with my boss to his summer home in Bar Harbor, Maine. Bar Harbor is located on beautiful Mt. Desert Island, just off the Down East coast of Maine. It's an enchanting location. Not only is there the rugged Maine coastline to explore, but there is also Acadia National Park with its pristine beauty.

One day, after I had my fill of lobster, seafood, and blueberries, I was walking along an oceanside path on the property. As I was walking along absorbing the natural beauty of the location, I noticed something strange out of the corner of my eye. In amongst the green and earthy colored underbrush, I saw a golden patch of yellow. It seemed so out of place to me that I had to leave the path and see what it was.

Wild Chanterelle Mushrooms that I saw from the path.

To my absolute amazement, I came upon a rocky outcrop teaming with beautiful wild mushrooms. They seemed familiar. "Oh my G-d, I think those are wild Chanterelles!!!" I shouted to the trees. "They must be Chanterelles!" I thought to myself. Being a professional Chef with an undying love affair with French Cuisine, I have seen thousands of Chanterelle mushrooms. I knew in my heart that these were the real thing, but being from Chicago, I had absolutely no experience identifying wild mushrooms. The last thing I wanted to do was to poison myself or anyone else by misidentifying a mushroom! I decided to pick one and try to find someone who could help me to positively identify it.

Close up shot of Wild Chanterelle Mushrooms.

To my dismay, there was no one on Mt. Desert Island who could help me! I was shocked. Here I was in outdoorsman's paradise, and there wasn't a place for me to bring foraged mushrooms for identification. In Europe, you can bring wild mushrooms to the local pharmacy to be identified. There was no such service to be found. So I kept my little mushroom wrapped in a moist paper towel in the mini bar fridge in my hotel room. I decided that I would try to find some sort of mushroom identifying aid at the local book store. The only problem was that I didn't have time to do it at that moment.

Chanterelle Mushroom on the forest floor.

When I went to work, I told everyone about the mushroom that I had found, and how I thought that it was a wild Chanterelle, and that I couldn't find anyone to help me to identify it, BUT I KNEW THAT I WAS RIGHT! And, I found that when you start talking to people about some wild mushroom that you found, and that you actually picked it, they get VERY concerned. It is amazing how afraid people are of mushrooms. I don't blame them, a misidentification can be deadly. I thought of my own misgivings. If I was so sure, would I be willing to eat the mushroom I picked? I had to admit that without more proof, I WOULD NOT.

Large Chanterelle growing along the road.

A couple of days passed. I started to explore the grounds around the house and found that these golden-yellow mushrooms were growing in several locations. When I would go jogging in the mornings, I would see them growing in certain places along my route. These things were everywhere!
That evening, my boss' mother gave me a present, a National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms. Finally, I would get my answer.

Chanterelle Mushrooms.

I was right! What I had found were indeed wild Chanterelle mushrooms, a Chef's dream come true! The last hurdle in the process was to actually eat my mushroom. I did it! It was raw, it was dirty, it was delicious! From that moment on, I was hooked on foraging for wild mushrooms. There is still a lot to learn, but I now know a wild Chanterelle when I see it!

More Chanterelle Mushrooms.

Pretty soon, I started to notice different mushrooms all over the place. Armed with my field guide, I proceeded to try to identify each one. Most that I found turned out to be edible, but some were not. Now, wherever I go I look for mushrooms. Now, I see mushrooms where I never noticed them before. They are all around us, you just need to know where to look!

Lilac-brown Bolete
This is a good edible mushroom.
It is related to the Cepe, but it is not as delicious.

Yellow-orange Fly Agaric
This is a poisonous mushroom that should not be eaten.
It is not deadly, but it may cause sweating, deep sleep, and disorientation.
Admire its beauty from a distance.

Sauteed Wild Chanterelle Mushrooms

• 1/2 pound wild Chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and torn into quarters or in half
• 1 large shallot, finely minced
• 4 tablespoons finest quality, unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons tart, crisp white wine (Chenin Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc)
• 1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat butter in a large saute pan. Add shallots and saute until they turn translucent. Add torn mushrooms and continue to saute over high heat for 5 minutes. Add wine, and season with salt and pepper. Continue to saute until all moisture evaporates. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

The mushrooms can be served as a garnish, or as their own course. If you actually find wild mushrooms, I recommend serving them on their own because they are a special treat. This recipe can of course be made with purchased Chanterelle mushrooms! Bon Appetit!

BTKW Chef's Garden 2009 Update: French Fingerling Potatoes

Today is a special day! The French Fingerling Potatoes are in, and they are gorgeous! I can't believe how well they did. This was my first time growing this variety and I couldn't be happier with the results. Who knew that buying a bag of fingerling potatoes from Whole Foods, letting them start to sprout, and planting them could result in such a bountiful potato harvest 4 months later? From a 1 pound bag of potatoes, I ended up with about 10 pounds of beautiful, blushing fingerlings. I can't wait to cook these beauties. There is nothing better than a fresh potato straight from the Earth. I like to simply steam them, crush slightly, drizzle with the finest extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with crunchy sea salt. This simple preparation allows one to really taste the true essence of the potato.

Freshly unearthed French Fingerling Potatoes.

French Fingerling Potatoes basking in the sun, waiting to be gathered.

French Fingerling Potatoes of different shapes and sizes.

Poaching Truffles

Summer Truffles (Tuber aestivum)

Black Perigord/Winter Truffle (Tuber melanosporum) season is over, and now it is time for the lesser Summer Truffle (Tuber aestivum). Don't get me wrong, I smile when I see any truffle, but sometimes the summer variety can be a little lackluster. There is nothing in the world like the Perigord Truffle, which is why it is so expensive - $70.00 per ounce, compared to the Summer Truffle at $14.00 per ounce. This difference in price and desirability is due to the fact that the flavor and scent of the Perigord Truffle is far superior to the summer variety. The Perigord Truffle is a thing of legend, the Holy Grail of the Fungus Kingdom. Like all of nature's finest treasures, it has a short season. They are only available fresh from late autumn through the winter, with January being their peak month.

When the supply of Winter/Perigord Truffles dries up, the Summer Truffle appears on the market. Their official season is from June to November. They look like their more famous cousin on the outside, but inside they are usually white and they do not have the same intoxicating fragrance. They can still be used the same way that Perigord Truffles are used, but they are not as memorable. They are almost place holders in a recipe, standing in for the resting Diva.

To help the Summer Truffle attain a place of dignity, it needs a little help. The best way to do this is to poach them in a flavorful mushroom and madeira stock. This not only helps to improve the flavor and texture, but it also helps to preserve the truffles for a considerable time. This technique can also be used to preserve Perigord Truffles during their season.

Here is a recipe for a flavorful truffle poaching stock. To help reinforce the truffle flavor, I like to add Winter/Perigord Truffle juice. This product is expensive, but it is worth the investment. You can obtain truffle juice from D'Artagnan.

Poached Truffles

For the mushroom stock:

• 2 cups mushroom stems
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1 tablespoon chopped carrot
• 1 tablespoon chopped celery
• 2 cups water
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 6 black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons Madeira

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, and simmer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, strain stock being sure to press on solids to obtain as much liquid as possible. Return liquid to stove, and reduce stock to 1 cup.

To poach the truffles:

• 1 cup mushroom stock
• 1/4 cup Winter/Perigord Truffle juice
• 2 tablespoons Madeira
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 6 fresh truffles, cleaned

Place stock, juice, Madeira, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer. Add the cleaned truffles and turn heat down to lowest setting. Gently poach the truffles for 20 minutes. Remove the truffles from the poaching liquid and place them in a sterilized, sealing jar. Pour the poaching liquid over the truffles, being sure that they are completely submerged. Allow to cool to room temperature, seal jar, and store in the refrigerator. As long as the truffles are submerged, they can be stored for up to 6 months.

Use the poached truffles in your favorite recipes, and also use the poaching liquid as it is packed with great flavor. Just remember, be sure to save enough liquid to keep your truffles completely submerged.

BTKW Chef's Garden 2009 Update

The Summer is flying by! I was out of town for 2 weeks and returned to a garden brimming with produce that was ready to be picked. Everything is doing well except for the tomato and pepper plants. We have had an unusually cool growing season in the Chicago area, and the tomatoes developed some sort of fungal disease. The leaves are just shriveling up and dying. The plants are loaded with fruit, but I don't know if they will have the strength to ripen. I may have to pick early. The pepper plants are just stunted and spindly from the cool temperatures. From what I have heard, this is happening in New England as well.

Not all is bleak however, the cold crops are thriving! The cabbages, broccoli, and cauliflower are doing incredibly well. All of my herbs are thriving, and the onions are starting to come in. The raspberries have also started coming in. They are fragrant and sweet. Everything else is coming along at a normal pace for this time of year. It is nice to see all of my hard work start to pay off!

So, here's a rundown of what I harvested today:

• Raspberries
• Cabbages
• Rainbow Swiss Chard
• Cauliflower
• Bush Beans (Green, Purple, and Yellow)
• Shallots
• Yellow Onions

Stat tuned for further garden updates!

The cabbages are doing very well. These giant beauties are so sweet!

First batch of yellow onions!