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
- 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
- Combine all ingredients and mix together until it forms a ball. Cover and let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- Roll dough to about .3 cm thick. Cut in circles of approximately 7 cm diameter.
- Place filling on half the circle, fold over, and press edges together. Slightly dampen the edges with water to help seal, if necessary.
- Fill a large saucepan about ¾ full with water, add oil and salt for cooking and bring to a boil.
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- Mix all ingredients together. Be very gentle to keep the peeled cherry tomatoes intact.
- 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
- 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.
- Then place the mixture in the fridge as it needs to be ice cold when adding into the nage.
- 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.
- Reduce your tomato juice slowly with salt, pepper, garlic and basil to about a third.
- 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