Cooking with Heller Coley Reed!

Welcome to Cooking with Heller Coley Reed!

The idea for this blog came about when we all, globally, went into lockdown. Suddenly, there was time, and a real need, to comfort ourselves and find purpose in our days. Several of us at Heller Coley Reed found solace in cooking some of our favorite recipes. They run the gamut from appetizers to desserts, many prepared too many times to count, and all served with love.  This month, just in time for holiday celebrations, two timeless appetizers are featured that are easy and tasty.  Have fun!

Cheese Sables

Ingredients:

2 cups (9 oz) unbleached all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/8 tsp baking powder
14 TBS (7 oz) cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups (3 1/2oz) finely grated sharp Cheddar
1/2 cup (1 1/2 oz) finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
1 egg yolk mixed with a pinch of paprika and 1/2 tsp water, as a glaze
Kosher or sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions:

Put the flour, salt, cayenne and baking powder in a food processor. Pulse
to combine. Add the butter and pulse again until the butter is in small
pieces, six to eight 1-second pulses. Add the cheeses, pulse again, and
finally, add the egg and pulse until mixture just starts to come together.

Dump the dough on an un-floured surface. Sprinkle nuts (if using) on the
pile of dough. Knead by lightly smearing the ingredients together as you
push them away from you with the heel of your hand until the dough is
cohesive. Shape the dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for two
or more hours to let the butter firm.

Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven. Heat the oven to
400. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/4” thick.
Stamp out shapes or cut shapes with a knife. Arrange 1” apart on two ungreased
baking sheets. Re-roll scraps once and stamp again.

Brush the slices with the glaze and sprinkle lightly with the finishing salt.
Bake until golden brown and thoroughly cooked inside, about 14 min,
rotating the baking sheets from front to back and top to bottom about
halfway through. To test, break one in half and look to see if the center still
looks doughy. If so, cook for a few more minutes, but be careful not to over
bake. Let cool on a rack and store only when completely cool.

Yields approx 43 2-inch hexagons, plus scraps. The dough keeps for two
days in the fridge, and for months in the freezer (thaw in fridge before
using).
——————————
“Every year, Heller Coley Reed is proud to be one of the sponsors of the
Palisades Village House Tour in NW DC. The first year we participated,
there was a food tent and local musicians in the park at the end of the day.
Sort of potluck, volunteers brought food to share. These savory cheese
snacks had a little bite and were addictivve, and after 4 years of begging for
the recipe, I am now able to share!”

——- Leigh Reed

Crab & Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:

1 TBS butter
1/2 cup finely minced onion
2 8 oz pkgs cream cheese
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp horseradish sauce
1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
5 dashes Tabasco sauce
1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 lb fresh crab meat, cartilage removed (I’ve done a whole lb too!)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a sauce pot saute the onion in the butter until soft but not brown. Add
the cream cheese and stir it over low heat until it is soft. Add the
Worcestershire, horseradish, Old Bay, and Tabasco. Stir until well blended.
Fold in the artichoke hearts and crab meat.

Pour the mixture into a shallow baking dish, similar to the size of a 9-10”
pie plate. Sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over the top.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. The cheese should be golden
brown on top and the sides should be bubbling.

Serve with sliced baguette or pumpernickel or fresh veggies.
——————————
“Not gonna lie, this recipe is straight from Clyde’s Restaurant Group. I
always want more of this when I go to Clyde’s but was brought up to share.
So when I found their recipe years ago I glommed on to it and don’t feel
badly when I don’t share.”

—–Lisa Clark