Christopher Engel's Seared Goat Cheese Pierogi

Chef Christopher Engel’s Seared Goat Cheese Pierogi
melted cherry tomatoes, ramp butter nage
serves 4 people

Pierogi Filling

12 oz fresh goat cheese (chèvre)
4 oz quark cheese or sour cream
1 pinch lemon zest
1 pinch EVOO
Salt & pepper, to taste

1. Mix all ingredients together and season to taste. 

Pierogi Dough

1 cup flour
1 egg yolk
1 pinch of salt
1/4 cup boiling water

1. Combine all ingredients and mix together until it forms a ball. Cover and let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
2. Roll dough to about .3 cm thick. Cut in circles of approximately 7 cm diameter.
3. Place filling on half the circle, fold over, and press edges together. Slightly dampen the edges with water to help seal, if necessary.
4. Fill a large saucepan about ¾ full with water, add oil and salt for cooking and bring to a boil.
5. Add perogies and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to keep from sticking for about 5 minutes (until they rise to the surface of the water). Remove with slotted spoon.
6. For finishing: sauté in a frying pan with a touch of butter.

Melted Cherry Tomatoes

8 oz cherry tomatoes
1 pinch EVOO
1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
1 oz basil leaves
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 pinch salt, sugar, black pepper 

1. Blanch your tomatoes in boiling saltwater for about 30-45 seconds. Shock blanched tomatoes in ice water and gently remove the skin from the flesh using a small paring knife.
2. Mix all ingredients together. Be very gentle to keep the peeled cherry tomatoes intact.
3. Assort your seasoned tomatoes on a baking tray and bake 1.5-2 hours at 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ramp Butter Nage

3 lb plum tomatoes
1 pinch salt, sugar and pepper
1 lb ramps, green part only
6 oz butter
1 garlic clove
1 oz basil 

1. Wash and dry the ramps. Mix the room temperature butter, ramps, and a pinch of salt together in a blender until you have a beautiful green smooth mixture. 
2. Then place the mixture in the fridge as it needs to be ice cold when adding into the nage.
3. In a blender, mix the plum tomatoes with salt, sugar, and pepper. Strain with a towel over a bowl to collect the clear juice. You can gently squeeze it out to speed up the process.
4. Reduce your tomato juice slowly with salt, pepper, garlic and basil to about a third.
5. Strain the reduced stock again and blend the ice cold ramp butter into the nage using a hand blender.

Garnish

Easter egg radish
Borage flower (starflower)
Affillia Cress