Date Night In: Seafood Pie
Dates of all kinds and sorts happen at the Farm and off it. Sometimes these dates include many and sometimes just one. In fact, the only thing needed for a date is time spent. Meaningful time. In the case of the singular date, the Farmer’s Wife may spend an evening (or morning) (or afternoon) sitting away in a coffee shop, writing all her heart has in it. At other times, the date is with herself and one of the children. Taking each one to their own special places, maybe playing a board game or three over a cup of tea of the bubble variety. And the Farmer takes dates, too. Only his are his kind, done his way. They may start with a hey let’s go back in the woods and cut up that tree. Or a how about a family drive?
Either way, time is spent together and that is always a good thing.
There are, of course, dates between the Farmer and his Wife. These take place on a weekly basis. Sometimes out of the house, in the way of a restaurant meal followed by a trip to a store of some sort to plan out the Next Thing For The Farm. And some dates take place at the Farm itself.
If that is the case, the children are fed and sent on their way.
“How come we only get spaghetti, and you get that?” One asks, seeing the crab and cheese and veggies, all lined up.
The Farmer’s Wife simply smiles and they know. Not only are they having spaghetti for dinner. That dinner will be followed by an early bedtime.
Some grumbling ensues, but not much. Nothing that can’t be ignored.
The Farmer’s Wife goes back to making the Seafood Pie, a favorite of the Farmer.
And this is how it’s made:
Mini peppers are chopped fine, of the red, yellow, and orange sweet varieties—enough to make up a cup. These are placed in a cast iron skillet, along with a heaping spoonful of reserved bacon fat. Because, you see, whenever the Farmer’s Wife makes bacon, and that’s fairly often, she pours the leftover fat into a crock, and sets that crock in the fridge, so they may have the flavor of the bacon on the odd days when the bacon itself is absent. A sweet onion is also chopped fine, equaling a half cup. This is placed with the peppers, along with three minced cloves of garlic. The pan is set to heat and its contents stirred until it sizzles a bit and smells like heaven. A half cup good white wine (the Farmer’s Wife likes wine of the Riesling variety) is poured over all and cooked a bit. The pan is removed from the heat and half its contents spooned out and placed in a bowl and set aside. The pan is placed back on the heat and two tablespoons flour are added and stirred in. The mixture will look a bit Globish, but no worries. It will all work out just fine. Once the flour has had its time to cook, an eight-ounce bottle of clam juice is added and stirred in and let to bubble. Four ounces cream cheese is set in, as well as a quarter cup freshly grated parmesan cheese. This is stirred until all is smooth (Except for the lumps from the peppers and onions, of course!). A quarter teaspoon salt and pepper are stirred in, as well as pinch of red pepper and one of Old Bay. The pan is taken off the heat and set aside to cool. To the bowl with the reserved peppers/onions/garlic/wine/baconfat (yes, it’s one word), a cup of pulverized butter and garlic croutons is added. It is stirred well and set aside. This will be the Topping.
A pie shell is constructed. You may have your own recipe, and that’s good for you. Feel free to use it. Or you may buy one ready-made. Many do. But, if you want to venture out a bit, the Farmer’s Wife is including her recipe here:
Take four and a half ounces flour (one cup) and add to it a half teaspoon salt. Cut a half cup butter into small pieces, being careful not to touch the butter with your hands as you’re cutting. Place that in with the flour and the salt, and using your pastry blender, food processor, or two forks, cut in the butter until it’s the size of split peas. To this add two to three tablespoons very cold water. Start with the two first. If it comes together, leave it at that. If not, add the third. And by coming together, I mean get your hands in there (Unless you’re using a food processor. Don’t put your hands in that.) and form it into a ball. Once it is, flour your workspace and roll out your dough until it’s big enough to fit into a nine-inch pie pan. Place it in the pan and set it aside.
Now, back to that filling. It should’ve had sufficient time to cool while you were making your crust, if not, wait until it is. Once it is, one pound lump crab meat is added (Or whatever seafood combination you like, provided it’s cooked. The Farmer and his Wife like their crab, so that’s what they go with.) The entire concoction is spooned into the waiting pie shell and smoothed out on top. The crumb topping is sprinkled over it all and baked in a four-hundred-degree oven for forty-five minutes, or until bubbly. Please, whatever you do, let it set a bit before cutting. It may be tempting to dig right in there but trust me you’ll regret it. Your lovely pie will resemble more of a dip. A delicious dip, but still, a dip.
The Farmer’s Wife likes to pass that time by making things a bit fancy by setting out the wine glasses and linen napkins.
It’s a table set just for two, for some time well spent.
