Professor Butter Beard’s “Portrait of Willem van Heythuysen”
Confidence. I mean the kind of confidence it takes to lean back on a four-legged wooden chair and challenge your viewer to issue a warning. Willem van Heythuysen conveyed such chutzpah in this amazing portrait painted by Frans Hals in 1634. Heythuysen, a successful Dutch cloth merchant, easily reclines backwards in his best finery, from his wide black brimmed hat to his velvet and lace riding jacket and down to his stunning boots with elegant silver spurs. He commands our attention with his riding crop grasped with both hands and a truly enviable manicured handlebar mustache.
Frans Hals is a master of such portraiture. A contemporary of Rembrandt, he exuded a confidence in his artistry featuring daylight with a silvery sheen. Known for his ability to capture the soul of his sitter with his loose painterly brushstrokes, his talent and well-earned reputation allowed him to remain in Haarlem and insist that his customers come to him rather than moving his household according to the fancies of his patrons, as was the practice of other Dutch Golden Age painters. I wonder, as I look through the catalogue of his portraits, if the subtle, half ironic smiles captured with his brush and paint might just be emerging from Hals himself.
This summer, as I wandered through my favorite farmer’s market in Red Bank, I was introduced to another confident soul, this time within the vegetable kingdom. The Honeynut Squash, sometimes referred to as the “mini-me” of its Butternut cousin, has stolen my heart for autumn. Bred specifically for its flavor, it is estimated that a single serving has twice the beta-carotene of an equal amount of other autumnal squash. When roasted and pureed, this newcomer has challenged the pumpkin to a duel over which will have reign over the Thanksgiving pie table. Right now, “mini-me” has an overwhelming lead.
Confidence. It’s all you need.
Butternut and Hazelnut Pie with a Sweet Chili Crust
One 9” pie
Sweet Chili Crust (enough for two pie crusts):
2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup hazelnut flour (I prefer Bob’s Red Mill)
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
8 ounces cold butter
¼ cup ice water
1) Whisk together the flours, sugar, salt and chili powder.
2) With a box grater, grate the cold butter into the dry mix.
3) With a pastry cutter, or your fingers, quickly work in the butter until you have a sandy mix.
4) Add the water and gather the dough into a ball. Cut into two equal portions and them individually in plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes. You will use one portion for this pie and have another ready for your next project!
Honeynut Squash Puree:
1) Peel 6 Honeynut squash.
2) Half the squash, remove the seeds and cut the flesh into 1” squares.
3) Toss the squash squares with 2 Tbsp. olive oil and 1 tsp of kosher salt and roast in a 350 degree oven for 35 minutesuntil fully cooked through and softened.
4) Let the squash cool for 15 minutes and then puree in a blender or food processor. If needed, thin the squash down with 1-2 Tbsp. apple cider to create a thick smooth puree.
5) Portion out 1 ½ cups to use for your pie and save the rest for other projects (squash pound cake or pasta filling!)
For your pie:
½ cup chopped hazelnuts
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
½ tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp dark brown sugar
1 ½ cups Honeynut squash puree
1 cup dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground clove
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp vanilla paste or extract
1 cup heavy cream
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out your pie dough. Form it into your pie dish and chill while the oven comes up to temperature.
2) Blind bake the pie shell for 15-20 minutes until the crust looks dry and is starting to brown. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees.
3) While the shell is baking, melt the butter in a small sautépan with the ½ tsp salt and Tbsp. of dark brown sugar. When the butter has melted, whisk to combine with the salt and sugar. Pour this over the chopped hazelnuts in a small bowl and stir to combine.
4) Whisk together the squash puree and 1 cup dark brown sugar. Whisk in the three eggs, one at a time. Add the spices and vanilla and whisk to combine. Stir in the heavy cream until all is combined, doing your best to not incorporate any additional air.
5) Pour the custard into the pie shell and then scatter the hazelnuts around the edge of the custard.
6) Bake the pie 45-55 minutes until the custard is just set. The custard will puff, but you want to maintain a slight jiggle.
7) Cool the pie on a wire rack to room temperature and serve with maple whipped cream.
