Peach Pie

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Ingredients:

1 prepared 9 inch pie crust
7-8 ripe medium peaches (pealed and sliced)
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Crumble:
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup flour
5 T unsalted butter, melted 

Preparation:
Peel peaches and slice.  You’ll need 7 cups.  In a large bowl stir the peaches, brown sugar, flour, lemon juice, and cinnamon together until thoroughly combined.  Set the filling aside. 

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Spoon peach filling into the crust, leaving any liquid in the bowl.

Mix all crumble ingredients together.  Sprinkle over peaches.

Place on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.  Turn temperature down to 375 degrees and bake another 30-35 minutes until peach juices are bubbling on the sides and the top is lightly browned.  Place crust protector on crust edges if browning too fast.

Cool pie for 3 hours then serve.

Teriyaki Sauce

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Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/4 cup soy sauce
5 tsp. packed brown sugar
1 Tbs. honey

1/2 tsp. ground garlic
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water

 Preparation:
Combine water, soy sauce, sugar, honey, ginger, and garlic powder in a saucepan over medium heat.  Cook until nearly heated through, about 1 minute. 

Mix cornstarch with cold water and stir until dissolved.  Whisk into saucepan ingredients.  Cook and stir sauce until thickened.  Cool.

Gingersnaps with Ginger Nibs

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Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamon
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup ginger nibs (6 oz.)
Turbinado sugar to roll cookies in.

Preparation:
Heat oven to convection 350 degree.  Cream together butter and sugars.  Add egg and molasses.  In a separate bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.  Add dry ingredients to batter and mix.  Then fold in ginger nibs.  Chill for an hour.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls and roll in turbinado sugar. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.

History:
Recipe comes from the Spice House in Milwaukee.

Crispy Pork belly

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Ingredients:
3 lbs. pork belly
about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
Vegetable oil 

Preparation:
This recipe requires seasoning and refrigerating the pork belly for at least 12 hours before cooking. 

Using sharp chef’s knife, slice pork belly lengthwise into 3 strips about 2 inches wide, then make 1/4 inch-deep crosswise cut through skin and into fat spaced 1/2 inch apart.  Combine 2 tablespoons salt and brown sugar in small bowl.  Rub salt mixture into bottom and sides of pork belly (do not rub into skin).  Season skin of each strip evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Place pork belly, skin side up, in 13 by 9-inch baking dish and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 250 degrees.  Transfer pork belly, skin side up, to lightly greased wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet.  Roast pork belly until meat registers 195 degrees and paring knife inserted in meat meets little resistance, 3 to 3 1/2 hours, rotating sheet halfway through roasting.

Transfer pork belly, skin side up, to large plate.  (Pork Belly can be held at room temperature up to 1 hour.)  Pour fat from sheet into 1-cup measuring cup and add vegetable oil as needed to equal 1 cup.  Put oil in 12-inch skillet. Arrange belly strips, skin side down, in skillet and place over medium heat until bubbles form around belly strips.  Continue to fry, tilting skillet occasionally to even out hot spots, until skin puffs, crisps, and turns golden, 6 to 10 minutes.  Transfer belly, skin side up, to carving board and let rest for 5 minutes.  Flip pork belly on its side and slice ½ inch thick (being sure to slice through original score marks).  Reinvert slices,  I prefer to serve this with baked beans and sliced tomatoes.  It's also good served with white rice and steamed green veggies.  Belly is good topped with a Spicy Mustard Sauce, Sweet Chili Sauce or Tangy Hoisin sauce.

Spicy Mustard Sauce:
Whisk together 2/3 cup Dijon Mustard, 1/3 cup cider vinegar, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 1 tablespoon hot sauce and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce.

History:
This recipe comes from America’s Test Kitchen.

Candied Yams

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Ingredients:
3 lbs. yams
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
8 oz. butter

Preparation:
Peel potatoes and cut into 2-inch cubes.  Place potatoes in large pot, cover with sugar, brown sugar and butter.  Cook over medium heat until potatoes are fork tender (about 20 minutes) but not mushy. Drain yams, return syrup to pan and cook down until slightly thick.

Smoked Salmon

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Ingredients:

Fresh Salmon, scaled, skin on (whole side or 1/2 lb. pieces)

     Marinade

3 cups rock salt

4 cups dark brown sugar

1 Tbs. ground white pepper

2 tsp. grated fresh ginger

2 tsp. ground allspice

2 tsp. crumbled bay leaves

1 tsp. garlic powder

Preparation:

Score salmon skin.  Combine marinade ingredients and place a layer of marinade in a pyrex dish.  Place salmon skin side down.  Completely cover salmon with marinade and pat down.  Cure overnight in refrigerator.

Rinse well and pat dry with paper towels.  Let dry on rack for 2 hours (until surface is tacky).

Place a combination of Luhr Jensen Alder and Apple wood chips in bottom of smoker.  Put salmon on rack in smoker and slowly bring temperature up to 180º and smoke for 8 to 10 hours.  If using a water smoker, smoke approximately 1 to 2 hours.

History:

Gus brings his famous smoked salmon to Pete Gray, Rick Maxa and their guests during their radio show, Let's Talk Hook-Up broadcast yearly from the Long Beach Fred Hall Tackle Show.  During the 2010 show, Gus shared his recipe.

Variation:

Keep the collars and bellies from the salmon and smoke them as well.  The bellies will produce lots of fat so be sure to have a tray under them to catch the drippings.