Food & Wine USA - (10)October 2020

100 OCTOBER 2020

Bourbon-Pecan-Apple Pie with

Cinnamon Whipped Cream

ACTIVE 15 MIN; TOTAL 1 HR 25 MIN,

PLUS 3 HR COOLING

SERVES 6 TO 8

Alexander Smalls spikes his sticky-sweet

pecan pie with just enough bourbon to

add a boozy kick that accents the sweet

chunks of apple and cuts through the car-

amelly filling. Fuji apples are perfect for

this pie; they become tender while retain-

ing their texture.

1 (9-inch) refrigerated piecrust

4 large eggs

1 cup light corn syrup

3 / 4 cup granulated sugar

1 / 4 cup unsalted butter, melted

2 Tbsp. (1 oz.) bourbon

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 / 2 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 / 4 tsp. plus a pinch of ground

cinnamon, divided, plus more for

garnish

1 / 8 tsp. ground nutmeg

11 / 2 cups pecan halves

1 cup chopped (about^1 / 2 -inch pieces)

peeled Fuji apple

1 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Fit piecrust in a
   9-inch pie plate; crimp edges as desired.
   Refrigerate 15 minutes.


2. Whisk together eggs, corn syrup, sugar,
   butter, bourbon, vanilla, lemon zest,^1 / 4
   teaspoon cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large
   bowl until well combined. Stir in pecans
   and apple. Pour into chilled piecrust.


3. Bake in preheated oven until filling is
   mostly set but jiggles slightly, 55 minutes
   to 1 hour. Transfer pie to a wire rack; let
   cool completely, about 3 hours.


4. Beat heavy cream and remaining
   pinch of cinnamon with an electric mixer
   fitted with the whisk attachment on

medium-high speed until soft peaks form,

about 1 minute. Slice pie; dollop slices

with whipped cream, and garnish with

additional cinnamon. —ALEXANDER SMALLS

Buttermilk Macaroni and

Cheese with Baby Kale

PHOTO P. 95

ACTIVE 25 MIN; TOTAL 1 HR 15 MIN

SERVES 6 TO 8

A quick sauté renders baby kale leaves

perfectly tender, allowing them to almost

melt into the buttermilk-enriched bécha-

mel in Alexander Smalls’ mac and cheese.

For the smoothest sauce, make sure the

dairy is at room temperature before add-

ing, and whisk it in thoroughly.

8 oz. uncooked cavatelli pasta or

other small shell-shaped pasta

¼ cup plus 2 tsp. kosher salt, divided

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

5 oz. baby kale (about 5 cups)

1 tsp. black pepper, divided

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 cup whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup buttermilk

8 oz. mild cheddar cheese, shredded

(about 2 cups)

8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese,

shredded (about 2 cups), divided

2 large eggs, beaten

1. Cook pasta according to package direc-
   tions, adding^1 / 4 cup salt to boiling water.
   Drain; set aside.


2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in a
   large (12-inch) ovenproof skillet over
   medium. Add kale by handfuls, stirring
   to wilt in between additions. Season with

(^1) / 2 teaspoon salt and (^1) / 4 teaspoon pepper.
Place kale on a paper towel–lined plate to
drain. Wipe skillet clean.

3. Melt butter in skillet over medium. Add
   flour, and cook, whisking constantly, until
   mixture is very lightly browned, 1 to 2 min-
   utes. Gradually add milk and cream,
   whisking to combine. Add buttermilk,
   whisking constantly, until completely
   incorporated. Cook over medium, whisk-
   ing constantly, until mixture is smooth,
   thickened, and gently bubbling, 3 to 5
   minutes. Remove from heat, and gradu-
   ally whisk in mild cheddar and 1 cup sharp
   cheddar until melted and smooth. Whisk
   in eggs; fold in cooked pasta and drained
   kale. Season with remaining 1^1 / 2 tea-
   spoons salt and remaining^3 / 4 teaspoon
   pepper. Sprinkle evenly with remaining
   sharp cheddar.


4. Bake in preheated oven until lightly
   brown and bubbling around the edges, 20
   to 25 minutes. If desired, broil 1 to 2 min-
   utes to brown the top. Let cool 10 minutes
   before serving. —ALEXANDER SMALLS

WINE Crisp, zesty Oregon Pinot Gris: 2019

Maison Noir O.P.P.

Sautéed Green Beans with

Toasted Benne Seeds

PHOTO P. 95

TOTAL 15 MIN; SERVES 6 TO 8

Toasting the benne seeds, or white ses-

ame seeds, before stirring them into the

final dish adds layers of nutty flavor that

permeate the whole dish, while stock

infuses the green beans with rich flavor.

11 / 2 Tbsp. benne seeds or white sesame

seeds

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic

2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

11 / 2 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed

1 / 4 cup unsalted vegetable stock or

chicken stock

11 / 4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 / 2 tsp. black pepper, plus more to

taste

1. Cook benne seeds in a small skillet over
   medium-low, stirring often, until lightly
   toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.


2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high.
   Add oil, garlic, thyme, and rosemary;
   cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant,
   about 45 seconds. Add green beans;
   cook, tossing often, until heated through,
   about 1 minute. Add stock. Cover and
   reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring
   occasionally, until beans are tender and
   bright green, 6 to 8 minutes. Uncover;
   stir in salt and pepper. Cook, uncovered,
   until liquid completely evaporates, about
   1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in benne
   seeds; add salt and pepper to taste.
   —ALEXANDER SMALLS

“Summertime”

KATHLEEN BATTLE

“This brilliant lullaby twist

of nostalgia goes well

with dessert and a single-

barrel whiskey, bourbon,

or brandy. The passion of

Battle singing Gershwin’s

classic is simply that:

classic!”

“Come Sunday”

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER

“Dee Dee’s lyrical voice

is engaging, easy, and

gentle. Unobtrusive yet

inviting. This is the per-

fect song to enhance the

ambience.”

“What’s Going On”

MARVIN GAYE

“Marvin Gaye is soulful

rapture, smooth and

sassy, fresh. His tunes

make everybody com-

fortable, relaxed, and

ready to mingle. This is a

feel-good song!”

ALEXANDER SMALLS’ DINNER PARTY PLAYLIST

FAVORITE SONGS FOR DINING

GET THE FULL PLAYLIST AT

FOODANDWINE.COM/ALEXANDER-SMALLS-PARTY-PLAYLIST