Apple Galette

I grew up on an apple orchard, so I know my apples! And this time of year is the absolute BEST for fresh, crisp, juicy, flavorful apples. (None of that mushy mealy stuff!) The farmers markets are brimming with them right now, and lots of orchards offer picking. This dish is a more savory version of my recent apple and honey galette, so you can see the full recipe with how-to pics there. A galette is a free-form pie and the recipe does not need to be exact— here are the basic instructions:

On a baking sheet, spread slices of Brie on a round of pastry/pie dough (1 small cheese wedge, approx 6 oz). Top the cheese layer with a fan of thin apple slices (1-2 apples), then sprinkle with the dried herb mixture Herbs de Provence, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Pinch up the edges of the pastry before baking for about 25 min at 350°F, until the crust is golden. You can substitute Brie with any soft cheese and feel free to try it with other herbs like rosemary or thyme as well.

Enjoy!

By Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast

Happy Weekend

It’s a sunny, crisp fall day here in the woods and it’s Friday, so I am baking Challah for Shabbat Dinner tonight. This weekend I plan to relax a bit and do a little painting in my studio and outdoors- the fall colors are getting so gorgeous! I love this time of year when the citrus starts to fruit (in CA, anyways)…my Meyer Lemons are growing by the day! I am also growing hops to make beer with next summer (and the vines wilI hopefully turn into a canopy over my picnic table).

I hope you all have time to stop by the farmers market this weekend for some fresh flowers and find a moment to relax with a warming cocktail. I’ll be curled up by the fire with my favorite cinnamon spiced cold weather drink, The Skylonda (click here for the recipe).

By Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast

Caper Crostini

Crostini are great for entertaining, and this caper/shallot mixture can be made ahead of time. Burrata just makes everything better, so the combo of these ingredients is absolutely delish! Burrata is like a super soft fresh mozzarella that comes in water in a tub (you can get it at Trader Joe’s). If you can’t find it, use any soft cheese. You could simply use onion instead of shallots as well. I sliced the baguette and drizzled with a bit of olive oil (optional) on a cookie sheet before broiling in the oven. Yum!

By Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast

Caramelized Onion Pizza

I loooove onions that are slow cooked with balsamic vinegar. Red or white onions work. Cook them at a medium/low temperature for a long time, at least 20 minutes, until all the liquid is gone and they start to get very soft and a little golden/caramelized. If they need more time, you can always add more balsamic vinegar. Throw the onions on top of a (store-bought?) pizza dough with a little cheese and bake in the oven. (For a non dairy version you could just use sauce, or even pesto).  I like to drizzle mine with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper before serving.  Yum!

By Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast

Chard Tart

This Chard Tart could also be considered a free form quiche or galette. No matter what you call it, it’s pretty great for breakfast, lunch or dinner! Slice the chard thinly and throw those stalks right in the mix as well (they are so pretty!). If you like your shallots (or you could use onion) more caramelized, you can cook those first (on medium) and throw the chard in for the last few minutes. Make your own dough or buy some from the store. I used whole wheat pizza dough, but for something a little richer, you could use pie crust. Enjoy!

By Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast