early fall flavors

A friend gave me this recipe a few years ago, for a deliciously different way to prepare the never-ending supply of zucchinis growing this time of year, & a great way to savor the last of the season's sweet corn. I added diced onion & bell pepper for a zesty & sweet counterpoint, as well as smoky "bacon" & a chipotle remoulade to round out all the flavors. 

corn & zucchini fritters

for the fritters
1 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
fresh cracked pepper
combine dry ingredients in a bowl & mix well

2 Tbsp. melted butter, cooled to room temperature
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c. + 2 Tbsp. milk
combine in a smaller bowl & mix well.
add to the dry ingredients & mix well.

1 1/2 c. grated zucchini
2 c. fresh corn kernels
1 red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 slices of crisp cooked bacon, or a vegetarian "bac'n" alternative
add to the batter & stir until well covered & incorporated

heat a deep frying pan with a few Tbsp. of cooking oil ( I used olive).
plop a wooden spoonful of batter onto the hot oil, & press down with the spoon to flatten.
brown each side, pressing down on the fritter with a spatula after flipping.
serve warm with chipotle remoulade.

for the remoulade
1/4 cup mayonnaise - homemade is best
cayenne chili powder to taste (start with 1/2 tsp. & build up to suit your heat level)
2 tsp. fresh lemon or lime juice
fresh chopped cilantro to taste
salt & fresh pepper to taste

peachy keen

Peaches arrived early this year, as did nearly everything else. We got our first batch in our CSA from our local orchard. They were incredibly tender & ripe & great for eating out of hand the first week, then juicy & melting & ready for something else the next.

I found a delicious & simple recipe for peach chutney, substituting umeboshi vinegar for the apple cider variety & leaving out the salt. The resulting sauce is sweet, sour & spicy, & fragrant with fresh ginger & cardamom. Even better, it refrigerates in a sealed jar for up to 6 months, so we'll be able to savour the taste of summer when the snow flies.

recipe here

spice it up

There's still enough chill in the air to make soup sound satisfying, especially spicy & smokey concoctions inspired by warmer climates. Last night we made a big pot of black bean & sweet potato soup, with cilantro, poblanos, red bell peppers, jalapeños & chipotle. We didn't have any sour cream on hand, but a dollop of Greek yogurt did the trick nicely, adding a creamy & tangy counterpart to the spiciness. As a brisk evening wind blew outside, the kitchen filled with steam & delicious aromas, making me feel a tad nostalgic (crazy, I know) for cozy nights & warming winter fare.

I make this soup often, with varying amounts of each ingredient depending on what I have on hand, & what is fresh at the market. This cast of characters has proven to make a tasty & hearty meal, so try out your own version:

mirpoix 

made with a large yellow onion, carrot & celery, to which I add crushed fresh garlic, cumin, smoked paprika & chipotle (I usually add powders, but crushing cumin seed & seeded dried chipotle peppers with a mortar & pestle is marvelous).

sautée

diced poblano (or pre-roast, which is delicious) & jalapeño peppers, add diced red bell pepper nearer to the end

simmer

with water or stock cubed sweet & yukon gold potatoes, oregano, fresh cilantro & pre-cooked or canned black beans, until potatoes are soft. salt & pepper to taste.

takes the cake

Every year when autumn rolls around in Vermont & it's apple harvest time, I mean to ask my mother if she has my grandmother's recipe for apple cake, & every year I don't get around to it for one reason or another. Today we play our final round of croquet with friends, a festive time when the year's champion gets awarded with a traditional champagne-cork trophy, & we share food & spirits in the dazzlingly brisk & colorful autumn air. With loads of apples from our CSA in cold storage, I got a hankering to make apple cake to share with friends & savor the flavor of the season.


While I don't have her exact recipe, I do have a cookbook from my grandmother's collection which my mother gave to me, a delightfully dated ring-bound folio with a portrait of the author, a proud woman sporting elaborately coiffed hair & fantastic eyeglasses. Poring through the pages, & with a quick look online where I found a delicious-sounding, traditional recipe, I found the inspiration I needed to omit & add some ingredients to create a version of apple cake perfect for a festive Vermont day.


autumn apple cake
adapted from smitten kitchen & inspired by polish grandmothers

6 apples  I used honey crisp & sansa
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
5 Tbsp turbinado sugar
2 3/4 cups pastry flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup  I used dark
1/4 cup spiced or dark rum, or a combination thereof
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Butter a tube pan

prepare the filling
Peel, core & chop the apples into chunks. Toss with the the cinnamon, ginger & sugar & set aside.

prepare the cake
Sift together the flour, baking powder & salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, rum, sugar, maple syrup & vanilla. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ones, then add the eggs, one at a time, until all ingredients are well incorporated.

assemble the cake
Pour half of the batter into the buttered pan. Spread half of the apples over it; pour the remaining batter over the apples & arrange the remaining apples on top. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until a knife inserted comes out clean.

make the topping
Whip the heavy cream, sour cream & maple syrup together until soft peaks form. Serve on top of a still-warm piece of cake.

wowza.

laced up

Had a productive & enjoyable weekend hiking, seeing friends & catching up at a lovely baby shower, gardening & doing home projects; spent a sunny afternoon in a vibrant little nearby town that has lately been going through an artistic renaissance, exploring the streets & shops, & drinking espresso while browsing books & grazing on delicious, local food. I'm now feeling refreshed & ready to roll up my sleeves & get back to work...

Today some good pals & old workmates came by for coffee & to fête some recent changes in our lives, so I wanted to make a special treat to help celebrate. The Essence of Chocolate, a book chock full of fantastic chocolate recipes from the files of Sharffenberger chocolates, a most thoughtful gift from one of the friends whom we were celebrating, provided the inspiration. I love lace cookies, but had never attempted them before, & since I can never seem to follow a recipe rote, made a few substitutions which I believe worked out just fine. Crisp & chewy lace cookies with a drizzle of bittersweet chocolate are about the best thing I can think of to share with friends over coffee, while sitting in a spring yard bursting with new green. Cheers!

lace cookies
adapted from The Essence of Chocolate

1/2 cup sifted pastry flour
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup steel cut oats
1/3 cup sweet butter, melted & slightly cooled
2 Tbsp whole milk plain yogurt or heavy cream  I used whole milk yogurt since I always have some on hand, & didn't want to run to a shop
2 Tbsp dark amber maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp dark rum
2+ oz. bittersweet chocolate, the darker/higher the cocoa content the better, melted

heat oven to 375ºF
line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt & oats. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the butter, yogurt or cream, maple syrup, vanilla & rum. Stir until well combined & smooth. Slowly add the dry ingredients while stirring until well combined.

Drop 1 tsp of batter in rows on each baking sheet, making sure they are well-spaced since they will spread considerably. I did six per sheet, alternating between two in a row, then one positioned in the center of the next row, then two, then one.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through so they bake evenly.

Let the cookies cool before attempting to remove them, as they are quite delicate.

Melt the chocolate in a doubler boiler on low heat just before using.

When all of the cookies had cooled, I placed them as close together as possible on a sheet of wax paper, & drizzled 72% dark chocolate over the top. Since it was rather warm outside (hooray!), I popped them in the refrigerator to set & await the hungry crowd.

bananas for a birthday boy

This past weekend called for a special treat for a special guy, & a bit of sweetness to give us the fuel we needed to dig out of 12+ inches of new snow. This is the freshest tasting & most scrumptious banana cream pie recipe I've come across to date, with just a few hacks to send it over the top. Cheers!

banana cream pie with maple whipped cream

adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe

1 Pate Brisee   use 1 disc and reserve remaining disc for another use

1/2 cup Turbinado sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

4 large egg yolks

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 cups whole milk   I used Strafford Organic Creamery's Creamline milk

2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter  I used Vermont Creamery cultured butter

3 ripe bananas, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 teaspoons maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 pint fresh blueberries

or

1 Toasted Walnut Crust

instead of blueberries, shave bittersweet chocolate on top of the maple whipped cream layer

prepare the crust

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough into a 14-inch round (1/4 inch thick). Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim dough to extend above edges by 1 inch, fold under, and crimp. Prick bottom with a fork, and freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Cut a large round of parchment paper (about 11 inches), and place in pie shell, allowing excess to extend above edges. Fill with pie weights. Freeze until cold, about 10 minutes.

Bake crust 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Remove pie weights and parchment, and bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes more. Let cool on a wire rack.

prepare the filling

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl. Add egg yolks & vanilla, and whisk until smooth. Bring milk to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup milk to yolk mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. Pour mixture into pan with hot milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture begins to bubble and is very thick, about 6 minutes.

Pour milk mixture through a large-mesh sieve into a bowl. Add butter, and stir until melted. Fold in bananas. Pour into crust. 
If using blueberries, distribute berries evenly over custard, saving 1/8 cup for topping. 
Place plastic wrap directly on surface of filling to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

prepare the topping

Beat together cream, maple syrup, and vanilla until soft peaks form. Spread whipped cream over filling using a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon.

Scatter remaining blueberries on top of pie.

or

Using a vegetable peeler, shave chocolate at a 45-degree angle, and scatter over pie. (You will only need about 1 ounce of chocolate for the shavings, but it will be easier to shave if you start with a larger piece than you need.)

from here

sweets for the new year

As I watch the newly fallen foot of snow blow wildly across the yard, I'm packaging up a couple of different filled chocolates to help ring in the new year. This year's fare was kept simple: balsamic, fig & port wine conserves folded into a dark chocolate ganache dipped in bittersweet chocolate, & a blackstrap molasses caramel enrobed in dark chocolate with a smattering of French sea salt. The packaging was simple as well: deli style kraft paper boxes & chinese takeout containers, tied up with twine & wrapped in a simple white band.

May your year be sweet!

blackstrap molasses caramels
adapted from an 1881 (no kidding) recipe from the New York Times, enigmatically signed "Fanny"

3 Tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for greasing baking dish
5 oz. chopped bittersweet chocolate
1 cup whole milk
1 cup blackstrap molasses
1 cup turbinado sugar
1 tsp French sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

butter an 8x8 baking dish & set aside. combine the butter, chocolate, milk, molasses & sugar in a pan & cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 248º on a candy thermometer, stirring frequently so the mixture doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. this took at least 40 minutes for me - slow is the way to go.

wearing an oven mitt so you don't get spattered with hot caramel, remove the pan from heat & add the vanilla to the hot mixture. give it a quick mix, then pour it into the buttered baking dish.

after they had cooled to room temperature, I cut it into small squares with a warm, sharp knife. since I planned to dip the caramels in chocolate, I put them back in an airtight container in a cool spot until ready to dunk, nicely separated on wax paper since they are extremely sticky little buggers that cement themselves to their neighbors given half a chance. after dipping in bittersweet chocolate, sprinkle  with a tad of sea salt - I find the saltiness to be a fantastic counterpoint to the sweet molasses, giving it a deep licorice-y character.

ladies who dine

This month the fare was festive, & although the weather an unwelcoming wintry mix of snow, rain & sleet, a few intrepid ladies made the trek into town with a wonderful array of delicious appetizers & small bites.

We had a cozy time grazing & sipping prosecco in our friend's snug & stylish home, getting a tour of the loveliest nursery I've ever laid eyes on (to be occupied any day now by a sweet baby girl), & helping a couple of friends decide which tropical oceanside locale would be their destination for a winter getaway (yes, I'm jealous!).

It being that time of year, I made a couple of loaves of a holiday stand-by: a deep, dark chocolate pâté. Happy holidays - enjoy!

classic chocolate pâté

14 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
5 Tbsp sweet cream butter
1/4 cup powdered sugar
4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
6-8 Tbsp dark rum or 4 Tbsp cognac  I prefer cognac

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate with the heavy cream & butter until smooth & glossy. Sift in the sugar slowly & stir in until fully incorporated. Remove from heat & let cool slightly; fold chocolate mixture into the eggs & stir to mix well. Stir in rum or cognac.

Pour into a small loaf pan that has been buttered & lined with wax paper. Freeze until set. Serve at room temperature with fresh whipped cream, shortbreads & dried &/or fresh fruit. Refrigerate remainder for up to 1 week.

holiday goodness

I hope everyone had a lovely holiday, the beginning of a long, festive & filling season. This pie was a big hit at our house, so I wanted to share it with you.

maple pumpkin pie with a whole wheat walnut crust

1 cup whole wheat flour

4 Tbsp sweet cream butter

1/4 cup toasted walnuts, ground fine

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups fresh pumpkin, or 1 15 oz. can or jar of pumpkin

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground clove

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup whole milk

prepare the crust

cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the ground walnuts. Add the egg & mix until it becomes a dough. Wrap in plastic wrap & refrigerate for at least one hour.

When dough has chilled, roll out on a lightly floured surface & use it to line a 9-inch glass pie plate. Prick the pastry & bake it for 10 minutes in a 400ºF oven. Remove & let cool. Turn the oven up to 425º.

prepare the custard

beat together the pumpkin, maple syrup, eggs, fresh ginger & spices until well combined. Mix in the milk.

assemble the pie

pour the pumpkin mixture into the pre-baked pie shell. Bake at 425º for 10 minutes, then turn down the heat to 350º & bake for 30 more minutes until a knife inserted into the center of the pie comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack. Wonderful alone, or serve with fresh whipped cream or a really nice vanilla ice cream. Walpole Creamery Sweet Cream ice cream is divine.

something for everyone

As a vegetarian who lives with a "pescetarian", for many years we didn't cook fish in our house, rather saved seafood for going out. A hankering to expand our at-home repertoire & experiment with new recipes, while having more control over the quality & source of our food choices recently made us reconsider that approach, & this past weekend we found ourselves at our local fresh fish shop where my husband bought a swordfish steak to take home for his dinner that evening. We collaborated on the sauce, a version of our favorite garlic, ginger & toasted sesame marinade. I made myself a separate little vegetarian feast, a hearty & satisfying adaptation of a classic French stew, & much to our cats' delight, a small piece of the freshly broiled fish found its way into their bowls. The whole house was singing with the merry sounds of full bellies & happy tastebuds that evening!

carbonnade de seitan

2 cups seitan, cut into bite-sized cubes

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp butter

4 Tbsp flour

1 cup vegetable stock

1 large yellow onion, sliced thinly

4 large garlic cloves, crushed

1/4 cup mushrooms, sliced  I used shiitakes

1 bottle of dark beer

pinch sugar

1 tsp vinegar

1 bay leaf

fresh thyme

fresh ground black pepper

chopped fresh parsley

papardelle pasta

optional, though not traditional, but hey, you're making it with seitan anyhow: thinly sliced red pepper; add after you've browned the onion

In heavy dutch oven, brown the seitan cubes in olive oil so that some sticks to the bottom of the pan. When all the seitan is browned, remove & set aside. Lightly brown the sliced mushrooms, then set aside with the seitan. Melt the butter in the same pan & deglaze. Stir in flour and lightly brown. Add onions and sauté until soft and lightly browned. Add vegetable stock & beer. Stir constantly over low heat until well blended and mixture begins to boil. Add sugar, vinegar, bay leaf, & garlic. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the parsley. Return the seitan & mushrooms to the pan. Stir, cover and place in oven at 325ºF for about 1/2 hour. Serve over papardelle pasta.

Serves 2.

maple sesame glaze

4 shallots, sliced thinly

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

1/8 cup tamari

1/8 cup rice wine vinegar

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

4 large garlic cloves, crushed

4 Tbsp maple syrup

2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 tsp fresh lime juice

1Tbsp miso

fresh cilantro leaves

in a bowl, combine the tamari & rice wine vinegar.

toast the sesame seeds over medium-high heat until they are fragrant & a light, golden brown. Set a couple of teaspoons of the sesame seeds aside for sprinkling.

while they are still hot, add the sesame seeds to the tamari & rice wine vinegar mixture & whisk together well; the mixture will sizzle & pop, so be ready!

add the fresh ginger, crushed garlic cloves & mix well. Mix in the maple syrup, toasted sesame oil, lime juice & miso. Set aside for at least one hour so the flavors can mingle.

melt the butter in a small pan with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots & cook, stirring frequently, until they are soft & translucent. Add the tamari, maple syrup & rice wine vinegar mixture & lower the heat to medium-low & gently cook until mixture bubbles & thickens slightly. Pour over freshly broiled swordfish or tofu steaks & broil for one more minute, watching carefully so it doesn't burn or over-cook. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds & fresh cilantro leaves & serve immediately.

autumn orchard pizza

Figs are another favorite of mine, an elegant little fruit that lends itself to both savory & sweet combinations, mellowing either of those options with a rich, complex sweetness & wonderful combination of textures. For a couple of recent social events that called for something festive yet easy to make & serve to a crowd, I created this autumn pizza with dried figs, whose character is distinctively more nutty & fall-like to me. Made from local, seasonal ingredients (with the exception of the figs!) the fragrance & tartness of the apples, sweet nuttiness of the maple syrup caramelized onion & saltiness of the gorgonzola from Boucher Family Farm (a Vermont blue cheese, like Bayley Hazen, would work extremely well, too) complimented the taste of the fig wonderfully. And yes, I do believe it could be called "rustic"...

autumn orchard pizza

one pizza crust, as per your favorite recipe  I used a simple whole wheat flatbread crust
1/4 cup dried black mission figs, sliced thinly
4 Tbsp honey
dash balsamic vinegar
one large onion, sliced into thin wedges
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp sweet butter
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp sea salt
4 large, firm apples, peeled, cored & sliced thinly  I used pinovas
1/8 cup toasted walnuts, chopped coarsely
gorgonzola or bleu cheese
fresh sage, chopped

prepare the figs
Place the sliced figs in a small saucepan, drizzle with honey, splash with balsamic vinegar, & add just enough water to almost cover them. Simmer until the water & honey become thick & syrupy, & the figs soften & fall apart. Remove from heat & set aside.

prepare the caramelized onion
Heat the olive oil & butter in a pan on medium heat, & add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft & becoming translucent. Add the maple syrup & sea salt, & continue to cook the onions gently for 30 minutes or more until soft & brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat & set aside.

assemble the pizza
Brush the rolled out pizza dough with a little olive oil, & spread the fig mixture evenly over the surface, leaving the edges free. Next, dot the fig with dollops of the caramelized onion, then arrange the sliced apples on top of that. Crumble the gorgonzola on top of the apple layer, then sprinkle with the toasted walnuts & chopped fresh sage.

Bake in a 425ºF oven for about 10-15 minutes until the gorgonzola is melted, & the edge of the crust lightly browned.

ladies who dine

This month... aaah, this month we explored Italy, another absolute favorite of mine, a cuisine whose rich history & wonderful regional variations have always captured my imagination & my taste buds. I must admit I was a bit nervous attempting a new recipe, since one of our lovely dining compatriots is Italian, & a fantastic cook. Her family holds an annual meatball contest, evidence that they take their food seriously. How fantastic is it that her wife has won the top prize for her meatballs a few years in a row now? Obviously, she has found the right partner!

We had a heavenly dinner in their quintessential New England home, a gorgeous & stylish antique cape with many original details, set in what couldn't be called other than a magical piece of land surrounded by old stone walls. Perfectly tender ricotta gnocchi in a roasted tomato & corn sauce, insalata caprese, baked butternut squash & polenta with toasted pine nuts & parmesan, artichoke heart, caper, green olive & fresh garlic pesto, eggplant caponata, ricotta fritters with genoa salami, & award winning meatballs marinara were passed around the long wooden table & thoroughly enjoyed. I think none of us wanted to leave. Oh, & I do believe the cannolis came out alright...

cannolis

adapted from a few recipes, all reportedly passed down through generations by beloved Sicilian Grandmothers

3 Tbsp cold butter, cut into small cubes

2 cups unbleached white flour

4 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 Tbsp unprocessed cocoa powder (optional, though I highly recommend it)

3/4 cup marsala wine

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 egg white, beaten

cannoli molds

2 cups well drained sheep's milk ricotta

you can use cow's milk ricotta for a lighter tasting filling, but if you'd like a more authentic, rich flavor, & have trouble finding the sheep's milk variety, use a 1:1 ratio of cow's milk ricotta & goat cheese (chevre)

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Shaved bittersweet chocolate, or ground toasted pistachio nuts

canola or vegetable oil for frying

prepare the shells

Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir in the sugar, cinnamon & cocoa powder. Add the marsala a Tbsp at a time until well incorporated. Be careful not to over-blend the dough; gentle handling ensure a flaky, light texture. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap & let rest in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface until it is 1/8" thick. Cut the dough into 4" circles with a cookie cutter, or the rim of a drinking glass. Roll the circle with one or two strokes in one direction to make an oval, & place the cannoli mold length-wise across the dough. Fold one side of the dough over the mold, then the other, sealing the edges together with a little bit of egg white.

Deep fry the cannolis in 2" of oil until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel, & gently twist the mold to remove it when they are slightly cooled.

A word of caution: when removing the cannoli shells from the oil, remember that they are hollow & you must carefully tip out the hot oil that is inside before removing them!

prepare the filling

Combine the ricotta (& chevre, if using) & vanilla. Add the powdered sugar gradually, tasting often & adjusting the sweetness to your taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

assemble the cannolis

When the shells have drained & cooled & you are ready to serve them, pipe the filling into the center, & dip the ends in the chocolate or crushed nuts. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

rustic goodness

Our apple CSA arrives weekly, meaning we have been eating a lot of apples out of hand, & coming up with new ways to cook & enjoy them. So far we have savored Sansas, Honey Crisps & Galas, & look forward to this week's Pinovas.

I don't know about you, but when I hear the word "rustic" attached to a recipe, my ears perk up & I imagine a hearty, stick-to-the-ribs dish that isn't fussy, but big on flavor & personality. I made this apple tart with some of the Galas we had left from last week, the succulent locally grown ginger we picked up at the farmer's market over the weekend, & some dates I had left over from a cheese plate, & decided it deserved the "rustic" moniker. Happy Autumn!

rustic gingered apple, date & nut tart

1 cup whole wheat flour

4 Tbsp chilled sweet cream butter

1/4 cup toasted walnuts & toasted almonds, ground finely

1 tsp cinnamon

2 eggs, lightly beaten

8 large apples, peeled, cored & sliced thinly

2 Tbsp freshly ground ginger (I suggest young ginger, which is juicier & has a more fruity taste)

dash fresh lemon juice

4 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup raw sugar

2 Tbsp raw honey

1/4 cup dried dates, pitted & cut into strips

dash cinnamon

prepare the crust

cut the butter into the flour with a pastry blender until it resembles a coarse meal. Stir in the ground nuts & cinnamon. Add the eggs, & mix until a dough is formed. Gather the dough into a ball, & place in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface until you have a circle 1/8" thick, then use it to line an 8" tart tin. Prick the pastry, line it with parchment paper & baking beans, & bake at 400ºF for about 10 minutes.

prepare the filling

toss the apples with the sugar, ground ginger & lemon juice. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over low heat, then add the honey. Stir the butter & honey mixture into the apple mixture, being sure to coat all of the apples well.

assemble the tart

line the bottom of the pre-baked tart shell with the dates, then layer the apple mixture on top. Arrange the top layer of the apples, if it pleases you. Sprinkle with cinnamon & bake at 400ºF for about 30 minutes, until apples are soft & the crust edges are browned. Serve with vanilla ice cream, or fresh whipped cream.

plum day

One of my favorite flavor combinations is plum & walnut; I can polish off (& have on many an occasion) a 750g tub of Liberté yogurt in that very flavour combination & still feel like I could have just a little bit more. So when Scott Farm sent us home with a 1/2 peck of the sweetest deep purple jewels, a walnut & plum galette appeared as a vision in my head... & then happily in my belly!

Rustic Walnut & Plum Galette
a mash-up of a few different recipes

1 1/4 cups + 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour, plus some for rolling

1/2 cup very cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/4 cup + 3 tbsp + 1/2 tsp sugar, plus some turbinado for dusting

1/2 tsp kosher salt

4-6 Tbsp ice water

1/4 cup whole walnuts, toasted

5 to 6 firm plums, halved, pitted, & sliced thinly

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 egg, lightly beaten

Prepare the crust
In a large bowl, stir together 1 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 tsp sugar, & salt.  Add the butter & cut in with a pastry cutter until mixture resembles a coarse meal.  Add ice water 1 Tbsp at a time & stir with a wooden spoon until dough is crumbly, but holds together when squeezed.  Be careful not overmix! Shape dough into a disk, then wrap it in plastic wrap & refrigerate it for at least 1 hour.

Prepare the walnut meal
Grind the toasted walnuts, then stir together with 3 Tbsp sugar, & 2 Tbsp of flour.  Set aside.

Prepare the plums
In a large bowl, toss the plums with the lemon juice, then toss with 1/4 cup sugar & 1 Tbsp flour.  Add more sugar if it appeals to you & set aside.

Prepare the galette
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 14 inch round, about a 1/4 of inch thick.  Transfer to a parchment-lined cookie sheet & spread the walnut mixture over dough, leaving a two-inch border.  Arrange the plums on top of the walnut mixture.  Fold & pleat edge of dough over fruit.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Brush crust with egg wash & sprinkle galette with a couple Tbsp. of turbinado sugar.

Bake at 350º until crust is golden & underside is cooked through, about 60 minutes.

cooking weather

Last week we were such wretched creatures while waiting out the heatwave that we did not cook much, if at all. The turn in weather has made us re-enter the kitchen with renewed vigor. Last night's dinner of a leek tart, & mixed greens with roasted beets, chevre & a maple balsamic vinaigrette helped us take care of some of the vegetables that had been patiently waiting in the refrigerator & garden. The edges of the tart got wonderfully carmelized & set off the creamy filling nicely.




Leek & Thyme Tart
adapted from The Greatest Vegetarian Cookbook by Nicola Graimes


for the filling
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 leeks, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp fresh or 1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp ground mace or nutmeg
sea salt & freshly ground pepper


for the crust
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp cold butter
6 Tbsp milk


prepare the filling
Heat the butter & oil in a medium-size frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the leeks & cook for 10-12 minutes until soft & golden. Season with thyme, salt & pepper. Remove from heat & let cool.
Beat the egg & yogurt together, stir in the  salt & cayenne. Set aside in cool place.


prepare the crust
Sift the flour, baking powder & salt into a bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add the milk & stir in lightly with a wooden spoon to make a dough.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface & knead lightly.
Pat out the dough into a 9-inch round. Transfer to a 9-in springform pan.


assemble the tart
Cover the dough with an even layer of the prepared leeks. Pour in the yogurt mixture & spread evenly over the leeks. Sprinkle the top with freshly ground mace.


Bake for 30minutes at 425º F until golden brown. 
Leave the tart to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Slip a knife between the tart & the pan to loosen, then unmould on to a plate.






Balsamic & Maple Vinaigrette
  
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 large garlic clove, crushed
freshly ground black pepper


Whisk the ingredients together well in a bowl.  Transfer to a bottle or jar, & let marinate on the counter for about 1 hour. Shake well before using.
Delicious drizzled over roasted beets & goat cheese.

a most satisfying weekend

We had originally planned to go out of town, but staying at home over the long weekend proved to be a brilliant move, indeed. We did miles of hiking, watched a few Agnés Varda documentaries in the pleasantly brisk evenings (what a welcome change from the soupy nights of just last week!) with a glass of wine in hand, saw some friends play music, dove in to some creative pursuits, & cooked & ate to our hearts' content. By the end of the weekend we felt very rested, & as though we had some accomplishments under our belts.

One of our favorite summers'-end meals is a simple potato & green bean dish from the coast of Bretagne. Both hearty & light tasting, the mellow & buttery potato along with fresh crisp beans allowed us to really appreciate the pungency of our home-grown parsley, which, like the basil, grew madly in the hot & humid weather.

Fritattas are a staple in our house, & traditional Sunday morning fare if we don't go to one of our favorite brunch spots in a nearby town. A tomato, parsley, red onion, garlic & boursin rendition hit the spot, & was made entirely with produce from our garden or local farms.

And seeing as summer is quickly slipping past, cooking out felt like a must, it being a holiday weekend & the weather being so incredibly fair. We made another favorite, grilled vegetable kabobs (fondly referred to as "sticks" in our household, this iteration with soy "beef") with a garlic, ginger & toasted sesame marinade.

Cheers - enjoy the last bits of summer!

Garlic, Ginger & Toasted Sesame Marinade

Each time I make this marinade, it is slightly different as I don't measure anything, so the proportions vary. So far I have not been disappointed with the outcome, so don't be afraid to experiment & find your own perfect balance of flavors.

olive or canola oil

rice wine vinegar

toasted sesame oil

soy sauce

crushed fresh garlic

grated fresh ginger

chili paste, or a finely diced hot pepper of your choice

pinch of sugar

sesame seeds, if you fancy

Green Beans from the Brittany Coast

from From a Breton Garden by Josephine Araldo

1 1/2 pounds string beans, cut in 1/2-inch lengths

1/2 pound very small new potatoes, peeled (I never peel mine, & am pleased with the results)

1 small bunch scallions or 2 shallots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 Tbsp. butter

1/4 cup chopped parsley

salt (I use French sea salt for a crunchy counterpoint) & freshly ground pepper

Blanch the vegetables in boiling salted water, first the green beans until just tender, 4 to 6 minutes, then the potatoes until they can be pierced easily with a fork. Drain the vegetables when they are cooked and reserve.

While the vegetables blanch, sauté the shallots & garlic in the butter until limp. Add the blanched vegetables to the shallot/garlic mixture. Stir to coat with butter, adding to taste. Toss in the parsley and season with salt & pepper. Serve very hot.