To Cook or not To Cook?
Shall I tantalize your taste buds...
with from-scratch Golabki or some fancy-sweet-treat
like Walnut torte with French Lemon Butter Cream
pulled from our dear Pani Stasha's treasury?
Or should I shock and appall you
with the twelve hundred or less calories
a day of raw foods that I actually eat?
Perhaps a small sampling of both...
is what we will feed!
*
Here is the beloved family dessert
commonly turned to for comfort
—The Regal Charlotte—
("Szarlotka po Królewsku")
This is in essence a deluxe apple pie!
INGREDIENTS FOR THE CRUST:
2 cups sifted unbleached flour
2 heaping spoons of powdered sugar
1 tsp real vanilla
1 tsp fresh lemon zest
1 egg yolk *
1 stick of butter salt or not, chopped**
1 - 2 Tbsp of water if dough is too dry
IF VEGAN...
* the yolk may be omitted
**1/4 canola oil may sub for butter
Combine all dry ingredients thoroughly
add all wet ingredients, mixing quickly
if using butter it's important not to over work the dough!
place the dough in a covered bowl or in wax paper into freezer for 1 hour
(or just place outside if it's winter! or refrigerate over night if you have no freezer)
After chilling, cut the dough in two, approximately...
slightly larger portion for bottom crust roll out on wax paper... roughly
and transfer with the wax paper into an ~9" square or rectangular pan
press up sides approximately 1" and even out the crust with fingers
On another wax paper roll out other portion into a flat top for the pie
transfer to another same sized pan making sure there are no edges
lightly pierce both crusts with a fork in a pretty pattern for faster baking
place in a preheated 350 degree F oven for ~30 min or till lightly golden edged
(if you do not have two pans, or have a small oven, bake one at a time)
Meanwhile prepare the filling and topping...
INGREDIENTS FOR THE APPLE FILLING
6 apples (granny smith, golden delicious, gala, a mix is good... not macintosh or roma!)
2 - 3 Tbsp of sugar depending on type of apple and your sweet tooth
2 - 3 Tbsp of water
1 tsp of real vanilla
peel and chop apples into nice forkful size chunks, bigger and smaller pieces
place in pan with bit of water, turn on medium heat, cover with lid to begin poaching
after about 5 - 7 minutes sprinkle with sugar and add vanilla mix and cover again
continue to poach for about 7 - 10 or until fork easily pierces the fruit
Meanwhile for the topping...
INGREDIENTS FOR THE MERINGUE
4 egg whites
4 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
When the crust is baked and the apples are ready whip the meringue
by placing all four egg white in a bowl and beating first at low speed
then at higher speed as the whites begin to foam... gradually add sugar
and vanilla...
Assemble the Szarlotka thusly...
On the crust traditionally finely chopped walnuts are sprinkled, but
of course omit if allergic or not to taste!!!
...then the apples are placed over this and evenly compressed... next place the top crust
the top crust can be flipped and peeled from the wax paper or you can sometimes slide it
if you place the top on a cutting board and push with a long broad knife...
(if it cracks no biggie! no one will see the top thanks to the topping of fluffy meringue)
with spatula or spoon cover crust with meringue nice and evenly
place back in oven reducing heat to 250 F
the edges of the meringue should begin to golden in ~15 - 20 minutes
Allow to cool fully before serving!
It is the lemon zest and walnuts that make this version "Regal."
(without these the dessert is simply called a Szarlotka and it is still delicious :)
Amount of sugar may certainly be adjusted according to your taste preference.
& here is the typical no fuss meal I had for dinner tonight...
—Chilled Apple Edamame—
4 average apples (I happened to have 3 small red del. and 1 tiny granny smith)
1 lemon juiced
10 min. leaves of Escarole (my favorite green)
3 leaves of Romaine
2 leaves of Iceburg
1 package of frozen shelled Edamame (I had a 10.5 oz, but 10 - 12 as available)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp turmeric
dash of black pepper
pinch of sea salt
wash dry chop greens
wash peel and chop apples
place in bowl with still frozen (but not clumped!) edamame (hence the chilled part!)
add cinnamon and pepper toss lightly
sprinkle with salt
add lemon juice
sprinkle with turmeric (I don't stir, as it looks and tastes nice on top, but you can...)
and as simply as that! enjoy with spoon or fork :)
This meal is approximately 830 calories, 135 g of carbs, 40 g of protein, 18 g of fat
this is my main meal of the day... for breakfast/lunch/brunch? I had 2 oranges and a handful of grapes ...and yes it is joked that I eat like... "a rabbit."
* this dish may of course be served over steaming brown rice or quinoa to be equally delicious and more filling depending on your caloric needs; avocado goes good too :)
Well that is a look into my kitchenette! Currently I am enjoying a cup of chamomile tea which is a favorite beverage (...it elevates my mood... I read somewhere that chamomile is just as popular as coffee in Italy and it has some nice nerve soothing properties including easing away tendencies towards insomnia :)