Apple Pie Bars With Cognac

Apple Pie Bars with Cognac

Skip pastry with these easy, rustic and perhaps superior apple pie bars.   The cooked down apples release their sugars into a mix of lemon juice and Cognac creating an elevated filling suited for celebrations rounded out with a crumbly topping.

Ingredients:

Cognac Kissed Apple Pie Filling

6 medium apples, a mix of tart and sweet, such as Gala and Granny Smith, about 907 g

2 tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (80 mL) granulated sugar
1/4 tsp (1 mL) fine sea salt
3/4 tsp (4 mL) cinnamon
4 tsp (20 mL) Cognac
1/2 tsp (2 mL) fresh lemon juice

Crumb Crust                      
1 large egg
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
1/2 tsp (2 mL) almond extract
2 1/2 cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
1/2 tsp (2 mL) fine sea salt
13 tbsp (195 mL) cold, unsalted butter, cubed and returned to fridge

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C) and line a 9 × 9-inch (23 x 23-cm) square baking pan with parchment paper.

To make crust, in a small bowl, whisk the egg, and vanilla and almond extracts to combine and set in the fridge to chill.

To the bowl of a food processor fitted with the S-blade, add the flour, sugar and salt and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the cold, cubed butter overtop, secure the lid, and pulse again until the butter is dispersed throughout and the largest piece is smaller than a pea.

Remove the egg mixture from the fridge and pour it overtop of the flour mixture. Pulse one last time to combine. The dough should hold together when squeezed.

Remove 13/4 cups (425 mL) of the crust mixture into a bowl and transfer to the refrigerator.

Press the remaining dough into the bottom of the prepared pan, prick it with a fork and bake for 15 minutes. The edges will be lightly golden.

Meanwhile, prepare the apple pie filling. Peel, core and thinly slice apples. Place them in a large bowl and sprinkle with the flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon; toss to combine. In a small bowl, stir together the Cognac and lemon juice. Drizzle it over the apples and toss once more.

Spread the apples and the juices evenly overtop of the par-baked crust. Sprinkle with the reserved chilled crust mixture, breaking off bits so it resembles a crumble. Press down gently so crumble sticks lightly to the apples.

Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C)

10. Bake, rotating halfway through, for 50 minutes more, or until the topping is golden brown and the apples are soft. Remove from oven and allow it to cool to room temperature before serving. Serve alone, or with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and a dusting of icing sugar. Leftover bars will keep in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Makes 16 bars

Chicken Breasts With Mushroom Cream Sauce

Chicken Breasts With Mushroom Cream Sauce

Ingredients 
1 1/2-2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
5 tablespoons butter, divided
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
kosher salt
ground black pepper
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup cognac
1 cup whipping cream 

Directions:
Pound chicken breasts lightly to about 1/2-inch thickness.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of butter; allow to melt.

Add chicken breasts in a single layer. Sprinkle with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Brown on each side for 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to pan; allow to melt. Add mushrooms and minced shallot, plus a pinch or two of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Stir in beef broth and cognac, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a steady simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes.

Stir in cream, bring back to a steady simmer. Bring to a low simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to low. Season to taste. 

Return chicken breasts to pan, turning to coat in sauce. Cook on low until chicken is done through.

Serve warm garnished with fresh parsley.

Steak Au Poive

Steak With Pepper

• YIELD:Makes 4 servings
• ACTIVE TIME:25 minutes
• TOTAL TIME:45 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 (6- to 8-ounce; 170 to 225g) boneless medallion steaks, such as filet mignon
• Kosher salt
• 1 ounce (30g) whole black peppercorns, plus more as needed, divided
• 3 tablespoons (45ml) vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon (15g) unsalted butter
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1 medium clove garlic
• 1/2 large shallot (about 1 1/2 ounces; 40g), minced
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) brandy or cognac
• 3/4 cup (175ml) homemade chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 cup (175ml) heavy cream or 6 tablespoons (90ml) crème fraîche (see note)
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) Dijon mustard

Directions

1. 1.
   Season steaks all over with kosher salt. Set on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and allow to air-dry, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. 2.
   Meanwhile, crack peppercorns into rough halves and quarters. You can use a pepper mill set to its coarsest setting (though not all pepper mills will crack coarsely enough); a mortar and pestle (though some peppercorns will jump out as you try to crush them); or, perhaps best, a large mallet, meat pounder, or skillet to crush them (wrap the peppercorns in a clean kitchen towel first to contain them).
3. 3.
   Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread cracked peppercorns on a plate or in another shallow dish and firmly press one side of each steak into the pepper to encrust it in an even layer. Set each steak aside, peppercorn side up. Reserve any remaining cracked peppercorns. (Exactly how much pepper adheres will depend on the dimensions of the steaks. You should have some pepper remaining, but if not, you can crack more to completely coat one side of each steak.)
4. 4.
   In a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add steaks, peppercorn side down, and cook until peppercorns are well toasted, about 3 minutes. Carefully turn steaks, trying not to break the peppercorn crust. Add butter, thyme, and garlic and cook, basting steaks with a spoon, until steaks are well seared on the second side. Remove from heat.
5. 5.
   Transfer steaks to a rimmed baking sheet. Using an instant-read thermometer, check the internal temperature of the steaks; if they've reached 125°F (52°C), they're ready to be served medium-rare. If they haven't reached their final doneness temperature (which will depend heavily on the dimensions of the steaks), transfer to oven and continue cooking until the correct internal temperature is reached. Either way, allow steaks to rest for 5 minutes once the final doneness temperature is reached.
6. 6.
   Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from skillet and discard garlic and thyme. Add shallot and any reserved cracked peppercorns, return to medium heat, and cook, stirring, until shallot is tender, about 2 minutes.
7. 7.
   Add brandy or cognac. (To prevent an unexpected flare-up if working over gas, you can turn off the burner, add the alcohol, then reignite the burner.) Cook until raw alcohol smell has burned off and brandy has almost completely evaporated.
8. 8.
   Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer, stirring and scraping up any browned bits. Whisk in cream or crème fraîche, then simmer, stirring often, until sauce has reduced enough to glaze a spoon. Whisk in mustard. Season with salt.
9. 9.
   Arrange steaks on plates and pour sauce on top. Serve with French fries, mashed potatoes, or other sides of your liking.