Fruit to suit the harvest season’s best recipes
Peter J. Thompson/National PostWhy bother with regular ol' blueberry pie when you can put together this hot mess of deconstructed pie? See below for Bonnie Stern's can't-miss recipe.
This is one of the best times of the year for fruit, and I always buy too much. So I eat lots fresh, and then use it in savory recipes as well as desserts. Here are two savoury ideas plus a modern take on blueberry pie.
APRICOT SALAD WITH ALMONDS
If you can’t find apricots use two plums or one peach or nectarine.
-6 cups salad greens
-3 fresh apricots, halved, pitted and sliced
-1 tsp finely chopped fresh tarragon
-4 oz mild, creamy blue cheese (eg Cambozola), broken into pieces
-1/4 cup toasted or candied almonds or pecans
Dressing:
-1 tbsp apricot jam
-1 tbsp each lemon juice and sherry vinegar
-1/2 tsp kosher salt
-1 small clove garlic, grated or pressed
-1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1. Arrange lettuce in a serving bowl. Top with apricots and tarragon.
2. Whisk jam with lemon juice, vinegar, salt, garlic and mustard. Whisk in 1/3 cup oil.
3. Just before serving drizzle enough oil on salad to coat (keep any extra in the refrigerator) and toss well. Top with cheese and nuts.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
If you can’t find apricots use two plums or one peach or nectarine.
-6 cups salad greens
-3 fresh apricots, halved, pitted and sliced
-1 tsp finely chopped fresh tarragon
-4 oz mild, creamy blue cheese (eg Cambozola), broken into pieces
-1/4 cup toasted or candied almonds or pecans
Dressing:
-1 tbsp apricot jam
-1 tbsp each lemon juice and sherry vinegar
-1/2 tsp kosher salt
-1 small clove garlic, grated or pressed
-1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1. Arrange lettuce in a serving bowl. Top with apricots and tarragon.
2. Whisk jam with lemon juice, vinegar, salt, garlic and mustard. Whisk in 1/3 cup oil.
3. Just before serving drizzle enough oil on salad to coat (keep any extra in the refrigerator) and toss well. Top with cheese and nuts.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
GRILLED PIZZA WITH PEACHES, BOCCONCINI AND SERRANO HAM
I never thought I would like fruit on pizza until I tasted a similar one at The Pie Plate Bakery and Cafe in Virgil, just outside Niagara-on-the-Lake. If you do not have access to a barbecue, place dough and toppings on a baking sheet and cook in a preheated 425F oven for 8 to 10 minutes until browned.
-1/2 lb pizza dough
-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-1 tbsp pesto (homemade or store-bought)
-4 oz bocconcini, broken into pieces and drained (or grated smoked mozzarella)
-2 oz thinly sliced Serrano ham or prosciutto
-1 peach, halved, pitted and sliced
-handful arugula
1. Roll dough into a thin circle. Brush both sides with olive oil. Immediately place on a hot barbecue and grill about one minute per side. Lower heat to medium and turn off heat on one side. Transfer dough to the turned off side.
2. Spread dough with pesto. Arrange cheese, ham and peaches on top. Close lid and cook 7 to 9 minutes longer until cheese melts. Do not burn. (Or transfer grilled crust to a baking sheet, add toppings and bake in a preheated 400F oven for 8 to 10 minutes.)
3. Top pizza with arugula and serve.
Makes 3 to 4 servings
I never thought I would like fruit on pizza until I tasted a similar one at The Pie Plate Bakery and Cafe in Virgil, just outside Niagara-on-the-Lake. If you do not have access to a barbecue, place dough and toppings on a baking sheet and cook in a preheated 425F oven for 8 to 10 minutes until browned.
-1/2 lb pizza dough
-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-1 tbsp pesto (homemade or store-bought)
-4 oz bocconcini, broken into pieces and drained (or grated smoked mozzarella)
-2 oz thinly sliced Serrano ham or prosciutto
-1 peach, halved, pitted and sliced
-handful arugula
1. Roll dough into a thin circle. Brush both sides with olive oil. Immediately place on a hot barbecue and grill about one minute per side. Lower heat to medium and turn off heat on one side. Transfer dough to the turned off side.
2. Spread dough with pesto. Arrange cheese, ham and peaches on top. Close lid and cook 7 to 9 minutes longer until cheese melts. Do not burn. (Or transfer grilled crust to a baking sheet, add toppings and bake in a preheated 400F oven for 8 to 10 minutes.)
3. Top pizza with arugula and serve.
Makes 3 to 4 servings
This modern pie is delicious and gorgeous. It’s perfect for people who are reluctant pastry makers as it doesn’t matter what shape you roll the dough — just bake it and cut into pieces as directed. It is also great if you don’t like too much pastry or if you don’t like fruit pies with soggy bottoms! This idea came to me after having an upside down peach cobbler at the Elmdale Oyster House and Tavern in Ottawa.
Pastry:
-1/2 cup cold butter
-1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
-1/4 tsp kosher salt
-6 to 8 tbsp ice water
-1 egg, beaten
-3 tbsp coarse sugar
Blueberries:
-2 tbsp butter
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/2 tsp cinnamon
-2 tbsp raspberry jam or jelly
-6 to 8 cups fresh or frozen wild blueberries
-8 to 10 medium scoops
-vanilla ice cream
-sprigs of fresh mint, optional
1. Grate butter carefully on the largest holes of a box grater. Spread butter on a plate and freeze about 15 minutes. Or, cut butter into tiny bits.
2. In a large bowl combine flour with salt. With your fingertips, mix in frozen butter. Sprinkle 6 tbsp ice water over flour mixture and lightly gather dough together. If mixture is too dry add additional water by the tablespoon. Dough should come together but not be too wet. Knead dough for about 30 seconds and, on a floured surface, roll dough out to about a 10×16-inch rectangle. Transfer dough to a parchment-paper lined 12×18-inch sheet pan. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Prick pastry all over with a fork. Bake in a preheated 425F oven 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and bake 10 to 15 minutes longer until browned and crisp. If pastry has puffed flatten slightly with a metal spatula. Cool on a rack. Cut pastry into rough triangles or wedges. Reserve.
3. Combine butter with sugar, cinnamon and jam in a deep skillet. Bring to a boil. Add blueberries and simmer about 5 minutes. (Reheat just before serving or serve at room temperature.)
4. Spoon about one-half cup blueberry mixture (with some juices) into serving bowls. Top with a scoop of ice cream and about 3 pieces of pastry. Garnish with mint if using.
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Pastry:
-1/2 cup cold butter
-1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
-1/4 tsp kosher salt
-6 to 8 tbsp ice water
-1 egg, beaten
-3 tbsp coarse sugar
Blueberries:
-2 tbsp butter
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/2 tsp cinnamon
-2 tbsp raspberry jam or jelly
-6 to 8 cups fresh or frozen wild blueberries
-8 to 10 medium scoops
-vanilla ice cream
-sprigs of fresh mint, optional
1. Grate butter carefully on the largest holes of a box grater. Spread butter on a plate and freeze about 15 minutes. Or, cut butter into tiny bits.
2. In a large bowl combine flour with salt. With your fingertips, mix in frozen butter. Sprinkle 6 tbsp ice water over flour mixture and lightly gather dough together. If mixture is too dry add additional water by the tablespoon. Dough should come together but not be too wet. Knead dough for about 30 seconds and, on a floured surface, roll dough out to about a 10×16-inch rectangle. Transfer dough to a parchment-paper lined 12×18-inch sheet pan. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Prick pastry all over with a fork. Bake in a preheated 425F oven 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and bake 10 to 15 minutes longer until browned and crisp. If pastry has puffed flatten slightly with a metal spatula. Cool on a rack. Cut pastry into rough triangles or wedges. Reserve.
3. Combine butter with sugar, cinnamon and jam in a deep skillet. Bring to a boil. Add blueberries and simmer about 5 minutes. (Reheat just before serving or serve at room temperature.)
4. Spoon about one-half cup blueberry mixture (with some juices) into serving bowls. Top with a scoop of ice cream and about 3 pieces of pastry. Garnish with mint if using.
Makes 8 to 10 servings
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