Marge’s weekend projects

I love spending Saturday and Sunday afternoons in the kitchen. I find it really relaxing to tackle all sorts of projects–from something as simple as clarifying butter to longer-term projects, like making bread or building a savory pot pie. So here’s a snapshot of a few weekend hours as seen through the eyes of Marge.

Saturday afternoon mini-project: Clarifying butter

This is a very easy way to use up a large amount of butter–if perhaps you bought a bunch for a baking project, or you’re like me and you were sure you had run out so bought a pound when you already had half a pound at home. The great thing about clarified butter is it has a higher smoke point than regular butter, meaning you can use it for higher temperature cooking methods like pan-frying. Note: You’ll lose about a quarter of your original butter amount during this process.

What you’ll need:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• heavy saucepan
• ladle
• Mason jar, tupperware container or other container with a tight-fitting lid

Method: Place the butter in a saucepan and melt slowly over low heat. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Then skim the foam from the top with a ladle.

Slowly pour the liquefied butter into a container, discarding the milky solids at the bottom of pan. What you’ve just done is strain out the milk solids that burn quickly along with the water and salt. Keep the clarified butter tightly covered in the refrigerator. It will be good for about 1 month.

Saturday afternoon mega-project: Naan

My sister and I go out for Indian food pretty often. We both love the colorful, fragrant spices and the thoughtful use of vegetables as more of a center-of-plate item than side dish. One of the highlights of going out for Indian food is the stuff you munch on and sip while you wait for your entrée to come out. Cocktails heady with the perfume of fresh ginger, coriander, mint and citrus. Vegetable fritters and meat and vegetable samosas with a tri-colored array of dipping sauces of varying heat levels. And, of course, naan. This bubbly looking flatbread is the perfect vehicle for mopping up sauce from the plate. You can also order it topped (or stuffed) with all kinds of goodies if you like, from caramelized onions to paneer (Indian cheese) to puréed cilantro sauce.

I didn’t get quite that creative in my own recipe, sticking to a few basic toppings: poppyseed, sesame seed, caramelized onion, sea salt and curry powder. But now that I have the base knowledge of how to prepare naan, I will most likely get a little more daring with my toppings next time.

The bread itself is fairly straightforward. I started by mixing AP flour, a warm water-yeast mixture, clarified butter, yogurt, egg, sugar and salt.

I let the dough rise for an hour, and then scaled it into 3-oz. pieces and rested them another 15 minutes before rolling them out.

My favorite part of the process was stretching the bread just before baking. Naan typically appears oblong in shape, so I assumed I’d stretch it into an oval. But after reading about the traditional method, I was surprised to learn that naan is actually formed into a teardrop shape. So I only stretched one side:

Just before baking, I brushed each piece with more clarified butter and added the toppings.

As the naan came out of the oven (which I announced with pride to Sean all 12 times), I resisted the urge to taste each one.

I cooled them and wrapped most of them tightly in plastic wrap and foil and slid them into the freezer. Of course, I saved a few for myself–figuring my hard work deserved a little reward.

Sunday afternoon mega-project: Homemade chicken pot pie

What started as a way to use up a whole roasted chicken last weekend turned into a daylong kitchen affair after I came across a recipe for chicken pot pie in Thomas Keller’s wonderful ad hoc at home cookbook.

Five hours later, after tackling a mountainous pile of dirty pots and pans, scrubbing bechamel drips from the stovetop and scraping off the butter- and flour-crusted countertops, I pulled a golden brown, bubbling chicken pie out of the oven and three friends and I proceeded to devour the whole thing. (It was supposed to feed six.) It was a really rewarding project, and the end result was succulent and truly satisfying.

Here are a few highlights of the epic pot pie project.

I prepared a basic pie crust using a whole lot of chilled butter, flour, salt and cold water.

After mixing it just until it came together, I turned it out on a floured counter, divided it into two pieces–one slightly larger than the other–and formed each piece into a cylinder. I wrapped them in plastic and left them to chill in the fridge for a few hours. Deep breath, rinse butter from hands.

Next, I simmered red potatoes, carrots, celery and pearl onions each in a separate saucepan–after small dicing the first three:

After that, it was time to tackle the bechamel sauce. I began this simple white sauce by whisking together (more) butter and an equal amount of flour, then adding whole milk, while continuing to whisk.

After slowly cooking and reducing over low heat for over 30 minutes, I pressed the thickened sauce through a fine-mesh strainer–this being a fancy pot pie and all.

Then it got a much-needed sprinkling of salt, pepper and cayenne, along with a shower of parsley and thyme.

Then I rolled out my dough, and let it rest another 15 minutes in the fridge before it was time to build the pie.

I tossed together the cooled vegetables and shredded chicken on a baking sheet and piled them into the bottom crust. I then spooned the thick bechamel over the meat and veggies, smoothing it out with a spatula. I carefully placed the top crust on top, and then trimmed the excess dough from around the edges of the pan.

I pressed together the top and bottom crusts with a fork, and cut five slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Don’t ask me why, but for me it always has to be five slits.

I brushed the top with egg wash, and baked the pie for about an hour.

A final note on pot pie: Once you’ve removed it from the oven, allow it at least 10 or 15 minutes to rest before slicing it. This will keep the interior ooze factor to a minimum.

I think this would also be wonderful served as individual pot pies.

Sunday evening mini-project: Repurposing various sized Mason jars into candle holders shortly before dinner guests arrive.

I love Mason jars. They are multipurpose, sturdy and beautiful to look at. My good friend Jacob got really into canning all manner of things last summer, so I became the lucky recipient of various preserved goodies throughout the fall and winter.

Because I shamefully haven’t caught the canning bug, I decided the best use of my assorted Mason jars for the time being would have to be decorative. I bought plain white unscented candles and arranged them in jars of all different sizes in the center of the table. I placed a clear glass pitcher filled with fresh flowers in the center for a splash of color.

I plan to continue piling new candles on top of the melted wax as I burn through them–I think this adds to the lovely, rustic look of the jars.