She was popular and trusted, practice and economical - more like a surrogate mother or grandmother than a series of newspaper editors.

Dorothy Dean influenced the way women of the Inland Northwest cooked for decades - through recipe leaflets, newspaper columns, a telephone hotline and cooking presentations held in a downtown auditorium.

Women who headed The Spokesman-Review's Dorothy Dean Homemakers Service used the alliterative pseudonym for nearly 50 years.

Dorothy Dean, launched in 1935 and discontinued in 1983, would have turned 80 this week.

To celebrate, the Food section asked readers to submit old favorite Dorothy Dean recipes in need of a modern makeover. Local chefs were enlisted for the revamps.

There were far too many submissions to publish. But the Food section appreciates and thanks everyone who participated in the project. Here's a taste of what's coming Wednesday.

 

Savory Tomatillo Pie

From Ryan Stoy of Wandering Table

3 pounds tomatillos, husked and halved

1 ½ tablespoons salt, divided

Olive oil, for sautéing

1 Walla Walla sweet onion, small diced

1 Gala apple, small diced

1 jalapeño, seeded, small diced

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 cups crumbled cotija cheese, plus more for sprinkling

2 cups grated cheddar (or pepperjack for more heat), plus more for sprinkling

1/2 tablespoons black pepper

1 teaspoon Tabasco

1 cup butter, cubed

1 recipe of your favorite double pie crust, pre-baked

Place halved tomatillos into a colander. Season with 1 tablespoon of salt and allow to drain for 20 minutes.

In a small amount of oil, sauté the onions, apples and jalapeño. Once they are well sautéd  and softened, add the tomatillos to the mix. Continue to cook until the tomatillos lose their water and start to break down. Cook until they are very soft.

Remove from heat and fold in the mayo, cheeses, seasonings and Tabasco. Adjust seasoning as needed.

Place half of the cubed butter into each pre-baked pie shell. Add the tomatillo mixture to each pie shell and fill nearly to the top. Sprinkle heavily with the additional cheese and bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 400 or until top is golden brown.

Allow pies to cool completely before cutting. Serve at room temperature, chilled or re-heated in the microwave. Garnish with sour cream, salsa, guacamole cilantro and hot sauce for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.

Makes: 2 pies

Upside-Down Ground Cherry Biscuit Pie

From Ryan Stoy of Wandering Table

1 recipe biscuit crust (See recipe in Wednesday’s newspaper)

1 recipe ground cherry filling (See recipe in Wednesday’s newspaper)

Spray a 6-by-3 (approximately a 2½ -diameter cup) muffin tin with nonstick spray. Take clumps of the biscuit dough and place into the base of each cup in the muffin tin. Fill the muffin cups about ½ way up with biscuit dough. Pour ½ cup of filling into each muffin cup.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes on 400 degrees. The biscuit pies are done when the biscuit dough rises through the filling and feels firm and baked to the touch.

Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes. Using a spoon or spatula, gently run the utensil along the edges of the pie. Place a cookie sheet over the muffins, and flip it over and carefully tap rap the pies out.

To serve, warm the pies in the microwave until very warm and slightly bubbly. Place into the center of a plate, dust with powdered sugar and serve with ice cream or gelato (Stoy recommends olive oil gelato).

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