In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and sugar. Place the strawberries in a large bowl and sprinkle the flour mixture over it. Mix thoroughly.
Fill the pie with the strawberry mixture, then repeat the rolling-out process with the other crust, and place it on top of the filling. Seal the two crusts together around the edges, and flute the crust. Using a sharp knife, cut four or five 2-inch slits in the top crust, to ventilate the pie. Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the pie with just enough of the beaten egg white to cover it. Sprinkle the top crust with a small amount of sugar.
Bake the pie in the lower third of the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then slide the cookie sheet underneath the pie and lower the heat to 350°. Continue to bake the pie until
Remove the cookie sheet and place the pie on a rack. Allow it to cool
Serve with best-quality vanilla ice cream.
10–12 SERVINGS
Primavera Pasta Salad
8 ounces pasta
? cup chopped fresh scallions
? cup grated fresh daikon
2 cups halved best-quality fresh cherry tomatoes
? cup finely chopped cilantro
? cup (or more) vinaigrette (see recipe)
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook the pasta and drain it, but do not rinse it. Allow it to cool to room temperature, stirring gently from time to time to keep it from sticking. Mix the pasta with all the chopped vegetables in a large serving bowl. Add vinaigrette until every ingredient is lightly dressed (not slathered). Add more tomatoes, cilantro, or scallions to taste. Salt and pepper to taste. Chill. This salad is best served within 5 hours of being prepared.
4 SERVINGS
? cup best-quality red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
? to 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
? teaspoon salt
? teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup best-quality olive oil
Whisk together vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in the oil to make an emulsion. Whisk again before adding ? cup (or a bit more) to the salad. Refrigerate unused vinaigrette.
Party Pork Chops
4 1-inch-thick pork chops
5 cups water
? cup kosher salt
? cup sugar
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crumbled
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Rinse the pork chops with water and pat them dry with paper towels.
In a large bowl, whisk together the brine until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Place the pork chops in the brine, cover, and brine overnight in the refrigerator.
Drain the brine. Rinse chops in cold water and let stand in cold water 10 minutes. Pat dry.
Whisk together the marinade ingredients. Place pork chops in the marinade and allow them to marinate for 1 hour. (While the pork chops are marinating, you can make the apples; recipe follows.)
Preheat the oven to 375°. On the stove, heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat, then pour in 2 tablespoons oil and let it heat until it shimmers. Sear the chops for about 2 minutes on each side (until well caramelized), then flip and do the other sides for 2 minutes. You can either remove them from the pan and place them in a roasting pan, or, if your skillet can be placed in the oven, roast them directly in the pan.
Roast the chops until a thermometer indicates their interior temperature is 145°. While the chops are roasting, reheat the apples. Serve immediately.
4 SERVINGS
Party Apples
6 Granny Smith apples
? pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
? cup packed dark brown sugar
? cup cognac
Core, peel, and slice the apples. In a wide frying pan or Dutch oven, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter and add the apple slices. Over medium-low heat, cook and stir the apples until they begin to soften, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove them to a bowl. Melt the remaining butter in the pan and add the brown sugar. Over medium-low heat, stir until the sugar dissolves.
Return the apples to the pan, place the pan over medium heat, and stir occasionally until the apples are hot. Either serve immediately or cool and briefly reheat at serving time.
