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Chefs at the Market

Michelle Orgill of Lantana! Crème Fraiche Cheesecake with Bartlett Pear Topping

 Michelle Orgill of Lantana demonstrated the use of  seasonal fresh fruit on Cheesecake at the Vineyard Farmers Market on November 4, 2006.

Michelle has been a long time Vineyard Farmers Market supporter and we are so happy she agreed to be a part of our Chef's at the Market Fall Cooking Series! Here is the accompanying recipe from her demonstration.

 6 Bartlett Pears, sectioned and poached in a
reduction of 2c. merlot, 1c. sugar, and 1c.water.
 

Crème Fraiche Filling:

3c. mfg cream

1 tbs gelatin

1c. cream cheese

1c. crème fraiche

6 tbs sugar

1 vanilla bean, scraped

-Bloom gelatin in ½c cream for 5 minutes. (pour cream into shallow bowl and sprinkle gelatin over surface & set timer for 5 minutes!)

while gelatin blooms, heat 1c cream with 1c. cream cheese and stir over medium heat until smooth. When gelatin is ready add to mixture and whisk until the gelatin dissolves (if it doesn’t dissolve completely, return to heat briefly and stir until it dissolves.)

- strain gelatin mix & cream cheese/cream mixture into clean bowl, set aside.

- in mixer with whisk attachment , whip 1c. fraiche, 1 & ½ cup cream, 6 tbs sugar, and scrapings from vanilla bean to stiff peaks.

-fold cream mixture into gelatin mixture and then pour into cracker crust. Chill cheesecake for 2+ hours.

Pumpkin Waffles

by Sharon Alexander
of Upstairs Downtown

One half cup butter
One cup sugar
Two eggs
*One cup pumpkin purée
One and One half teaspoons baking powder
One half teaspoon salt
One quarter cup milk
 
*Pumpkin purée:  Before you start, with a sharp knife, remove rind and seeds from pumpkin and cut into two inch dice. (or wedges if serving slices of poached pumpkin)
Make poaching liquid by mixing in a one to one ratio equal amounts of brown sugar and water (make enough to cover pumpkin in a sauce pan)  To the brown sugar and water mixture, add cardamom, cinnamon and allspice.  (You can be creative and add any spice mixture that you would want to experiment with)  Maybe nutmeg? Or citrus peel?
Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook until pumpkin is fork tender.
 
Remove pumpkin from poaching liquid and purée pumpkin, *save poaching liquid and reduce to a thick consistency for use as a syrup for the waffle.
 
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl (flour, baking powder and salt) set aside.
 
In a separate mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar with electric mixer, add 2 eggs one at a time until incorporated, add in one cup pumpkin purée, then slowly add dry ingredients until incorporated.  At this time you add the milk *enough to give a batter consistency, usually π cup does it.
 
Heat waffle iron according to manufacturer’s directions.  Add batter to waffle iron and bake.  Serve with reduced poaching liquid and gingered cream with toasted pumpkin seeds.  Again, use your imagination fresh fruit that is in season or toasted nuts such as pecans, would be a great accompaniment. 
 

FROM THE KITCHEN OF UPSTAIRS DOWNTOWN
764 P STREET
FRESNO, CALIF
(559) 486-5311