Editor’s note:
With family reunions on our doorstep and many visitors in town, the Daily Press is spotlighting several local restaurants and talking to chefs about their approach to the festive season.
The holiday season isn’t just about food. It’s about gratitude, celebration, sharing what we have with loved ones, and generally evoking feelings of warmth and friendship.
It’s a sentiment that Meat on Ocean executive chef Silvano Mestas strives to achieve in his restaurant.
“For me, that means spending quality time with my family and friends. It brings back fond memories of me preparing the holidays for my children; and even into adulthood, the traditions continue,” he said. “It’s the best time of the year!”
While there’s more to this holiday than food, it’s the food that helps define the sensory experience for many.
Mestas believes in the power of cooking to bring people together, as cooking and sharing meals often means putting aside differences to simply enjoy the company of those we love; The spirit of the holidays is truly embodied in those moments when the sense of community and a shared life prevails over individualism.
“It has to be fresh, it has to be a comfort food that everyone can enjoy, it has to be special, and it has to be something you’ll enjoy doing. Food brings families together to celebrate; and if the food is Well? It’s even better!” he said.
No matter how stuffed diners may be following this bonding period, there’s always room for dessert and her warm rustic apple pie recipe doesn’t go to the stomach, but rather the heart. .
“A sweet treat is always perfect when you need a pinch of holiday spirit,” he said. Meat on Ocean’s Warm Rustic Apple Pie provides that nostalgic comfort we all crave this holiday season. With its inviting and warm apple scents, our guests around the world are treated to this classic American dessert. Our recipe is graceful with a touch of elegance and consists of only four ingredients; puff pastry, granny smith apples, melted butter and sugar. The recipe calls for the dessert to be cooked on the stovetop, allowing the apples to achieve that perfect level of caramelization and jam. We then unroll the puff pastry just before baking, this process takes more time and care but is well worth it in the end. After 20 minutes in the oven, this pie is unmolded and placed with the apples face up, then topped with our homemade vanilla pastry cream. Adding a touch of class, we drizzle the dessert with caramel, followed by a sprinkle of powdered sugar just before it is brought to our guests to enjoy.
Mestas encourages home cooks to find meals easier when planning parties and not to over complicate things or lose sight of the joy of cooking. However, for those who don’t want to cook, they can just visit the restaurant. Meat on the Ocean, 1501 Ocean Ave., https://www.meatonocean.com.
Meat on Rustic Apple Pie from Ocean
Ingredients:
• 2oz. Puff pastry
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled
• 2 and 1/4 oz. Unsalted butter, softened
• 2 and 1/4 oz. Sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Powdered sugar (for garnish)
1 scoop vanilla ice cream (for garnish)
Instructions:
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Gather, prepare, measure all ingredients and preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Peel, core and cut the apple into eighths, set aside.
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Cut or roll out a 6 in. circle of puff pastry, set aside.
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Place the butter in a small round cast iron pan and ‘pound’ until it is evenly distributed over the bottom of the pan.
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Sprinkle the sugar over the butter, then arrange the apple pieces in a circle shape on top.
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Place the cast iron with the apples on the stove over medium-high heat and allow to caramelize (about 6-8 minutes).
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Remove the pan from the top of the stove, place it on a baking sheet, cover with the disc of puff pastry and bake at 375F for 15 minutes.
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To serve, invert the pie onto a plate with the apples side up, then top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and powdered sugar.
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