Spring Luncheon: Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tarts with Blueberry Trifle

Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tarts

• 1 package Dufour puff pastry, defrosted
• olive oil
• 4 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (2 large onions)
• 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1 tsp. sugar
•  salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tsp. chopped chives
• 1/3 cup (about) grated Parmesan
• 4 ounces herbed or plain chevre (goat cheese)
• 1 large tomato, cut into 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices
• a few basil leaves shredded finely

  

  Golden Brown and Savory

  
  

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Use Convection feature if your oven has it.

Caramelized Onions:
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Let them cook slowly for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and beginning to turn golden, and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. Add sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper,  balsamic vinegar, and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Remove from the heat.

Unfold a sheet of pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it slightly with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface. Using a pizza cutter or knife, divide it into 12 rectangles. Transfer rectangles to baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Pastry rectangles ready for Oven

Using a sharp paring knife, score a 1/4-inch-wide border around each pastry rectangle. Prick the pastry inside the score lines with the tines of a fork and sprinkle with grated Parmesan on each round, staying inside the scored border.
Divide the of the onion mixture evenly, again staying within the scored edge.

Crumble goat cheese on top of the onions. Top each with a tomato slice in the center. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, sprinkle a bit more parmesan on top

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown, rotating sheets as necessary. Serve hot or warm.




BLUEBERRY LEMON TRIFLE
 serves 12 

• 1 Pound Cake (plain or lemon) purchased or made from your favorite recipe
• 1 jar Lemon Marmelade
• 4 pints fresh blueberries
• 1 8oz package cream cheese softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream divided
• 1/4 cup Grand Marnier or Triple Sec

1. Rinse Blueberries. Put 2 pints in a food processor and puree. Add sugar to taste, if the berries are not sweet enough. Mix pureed blueberries with whole berries and reserve in a bowl.

2. Cut the cake into 1 inch cubes.

3. Put softened cream cheese into the bowl of an electric mixer with the sugar, and begin to beat. Slowly pour in one cup of cream, and beat until smooth and thick. Spoon in a large dollop of the lemon marmelade.

4. Put remaining marmelade in a saucepan or a microwave-able bowl. Heat either on the stovetop or into the microwave until melted, add in the Grand Marnier or Triple sec. Cool.

Assembly:

In a straight-sided glass bowl, carefully spoon in a layer of the berry mixture. Follow with a layer of cake cubes. Spoon or brush the cake cubes with the marmelade-liqueur mixture. Spoon in a layer of the cream mixture. Repeat layers ending with berries.

Be careful to keep the sides of the bowl as clean as possible, to show off the layers.

Put remaining cup of cream in mixer and whip until stiff peaks form, with about 1/4 cup additional sugar. Spoon over the top (or put in a pastry bag with a star tip and pipe it on if you are feeling fancy). Decorate with mint leaves, flowers, crushed cookie crumbs, or whatever is handy. Enjoy with champagne.

"Barely Legal" Passover Rolls, aka "Uncle Ricky's Popovers"

It seems like (too) long ago that we were blessed with Women's Seders led by the incomparable Debbie Friedman z"l, and during these years we produced a Cookbook called "Passover Recipes and Reminiscences". (Contact me if you want one, I am sure we can come up with something).
This Recipe was submitted by my dear friend Vivian Orbach Smith, and is credited to her brother Ricky.
The process is like making Cream Puffs, and along that line, I amended the recipe with the last step, piercing the puffs to allow the release of steam that would make the inside soggy.

Golden Brown Passover Popovers on baking sheet

passover bagel

Truthfully, these are best immediately after baking, but I know you will have an opportunity to whip some of these us in the coming days. They also do nicely with a bit of egg-salad, chicken salad, or a slice of turkey for a "sandwich". Or maybe you want to get fancy, and make them small and turn them into Profiteroles, with a little ice cream and some chocolate sauce.

Uncle Ricky's Popovers
Makes up to 12 depending on how big you shape them

Preheat oven to 400

1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 (scant) cup matzo meal
4 eggs

Bring oil, water, sugar, and salt to a boil, Remove from heat and add matzo meal, beating well until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Form balls with moist hands, being sure not to compress mixture too much, and carefully place on parchment covered baking sheet, allowing room to spread.
Bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown. When you remove from oven, pierce each in the side with the tip of a sharp knife to release steam.
Serve immediately

Thanksgivvakah Round-Up. How about a Turkey Shaped Challah?

So exciting to think about all the crazy things that you can do with the confluence of Thanksgiving and Chanukkah! What about making this Turkey Shaped Challah, and using it as a Hanukkiah? (Menorah). Just stick some of those birthday candle holders into the "feathers" and you're good to go! The Challah recipe is here. Channel your inner kindergartener, and just roll the ropes of dough into your desired shape, arrange it on parchment baking paper and bake.

Blog-land is positively exploding with good and not so- ideas.

Buzzfeed's Table setting isn't too tacky-- but I don't know about those pilgrim-buckle kippot.

Check out Bon Appetit, whose "anti-test kitchen came up with the worst Thanksgivukkah Menu ever, for a good chuckle (gobble?). And it's not too late to stock up on some holiday themed Chotchkes over at Modern Tribe.

Look at the great site that Jewish Boston has put together-- lots great ideas and kiddie-fun projects for the holiday!

Joy of Kosher has some ideas that are pretty good.

And I have to say that these pecan-pie rugelah look darn good (if a dairy dessert isn't a non-starter at your house). You could adopt our tradition of Second Dessert though! Do click the link for great recipes there.

And, if what you want is buzz-kill (not buzzfeed) you can sink your politically correct chompers into this true history of Thanksgiving

It's Zucchini Bread Time

Like many other gardeners, my garden exploded in zucchini this week, and since I am hosting both a Bridal Shower and a Baby Shower, I figured some delicious Zucchini Bread would be in order.
Make no mistake, this is really Zucchini CAKE, not bread, and just because it features a well-known vegetable, don't mistake this recipe for something endorsed by your favorite Diet Program.

Feel free to swap any dried fruit for the cherries (cranberries are great, as are cut up dried apricots), pecans for the walnuts, and yes--- it's delicious with a handful of chocolate chips thrown in- but hey-- then you would have to give up your nutritional illusions!

Zucchini Bread 

(Makes 2 loaves or approximately 24 muffins)

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 
• 1 cup dried cherries, cut up if large

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease and flour two 8×4 inch loaf pans or line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Mix in oil and sugar, then zucchini and vanilla.

Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt,

Stir in walnuts and cherries (and/or chocolate chips)

Stir this into the egg mixture.

Divide the batter into prepared pans.

Bake loaves for 60 minutes, plus or minus ten, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Bake muffins 20 to 25 minutes.

Homemade English muffins from Mar Sel at Terranea

Buttermilk English Muffins

We love to spend a weekend at Terranea in the beautiful peninsula of Rancho Palos Verdes. It is a perfect retreat close to LA, and the five restaurants are all terrific, but Mar'Sel, the flagship is one of my favorite locavore restaurants anywhere. Chef Micheal Fiorelli hits it out of the ballpark with every dish, and as soon as the bread basket lands tableside, you know you are in for a treat. The restaurant is famous for the home made English Muffins, served at dinner as well as brunch.
These really are first rate, and not that hard at all to make.
So next time you have breakfast guests (yeah, I know, its summer!) bake these up.

.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
¼ cup lukewarm water
1 ¾ cups room temperature buttermilk
4 cups all purpose flour, plus more as needed
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
Cornmeal as needed
Clarified butter

Directions:
1. Combine yeast and water in a standing electric mixer bowl.
2. Whisk with a dough hook to dissolve the yeast.
3. Gradually add the room temperature buttermilk.
4. Add the flour, sugar and salt, and then turn the mixer to medium speed. Mix until a wet dough forms.
5. Add the room temperature butter one tablespoon at a time.
6. Remove the dough from the mixer and knead for 10 minutes.
7. Place the dough in a lightly greased large mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to rest for one hour.
8. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
9. Dust a work bench with flour. Roll the dough out to about a half-inch thick and using a ring cutter, cut into desired sized circles.
10. Transfer muffins onto a sheet pan lined with cornmeal, leaving a little room between each.
11. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
12. Heat a frying pan greased with clarified butter over medium Iow heat. Slow cook the muffins on each side until they are evenly golden brown.
13. Transfer muffins back to the sheet pan. Bake for approximately ten minutes. Allow muffins to cool, then poke a fork around the circumference of each muffin so they can be pulled apart easily.

Another really simple dinner roll recipe comes from Alton Brown, and these can become Parker House Rolls, Butterflake rolls, or really great burger rolls.
the whole procedure is right here. These rolls use milk and butter for a really rich and delicious result, but you can use this recipe if you want a roll with no dairy, use my Slider Recipe from King Arthur Flour

Beautiful Buns

For the slider rolls I used the famous beautiful hamburger bun recipe from King Arthur Flour. How could I not when I thought of the name! If you know me at all you know what a devotee I am of their products. And recipes. If you sign up on the site for their email list, you will be notified of the Free Shipping promotions a few times a year, which is when I order months worth of baking supplies at a time.
(fair warning: you will be tempted to buy things that you had every intention of using-- like special european flour supposedly perfect for bagels, that take up cupboard space indefinitely.)
What I was looking for was a light, soft buttery roll, suspecting all along that it would turn out to be a challah-like recipe. Sure enough. I might add an egg in the future and use this recipe for a dairy challah (I know, I know...)
Anyway, this site sells hamburger pans, but as usual, I did the research so you don't have to. I tried making them with whole wheat (fail), I tried making them in mini-muffin pans (fail), but what worked was making the dough, rising it, shaping the golf-ball size rolls, rising them, and baking them half way. This is called par-bake. Bake till they feel pretty firm, but before they start to turn golden. Remove from oven, cool well, and freeze. When you want them, fire up the oven, pile them on a baking sheet, and bake until they brown. Depending on the size you made them it will only be about 6-8 minutes. Pretty cool.

BEAUTIFUL BUNS
    •    1 cup lukewarm water
    •    2 tablespoons butter or margarine
    •    1 large egg
    •    3 1/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
    •    1/4 cup sugar
    •    1 1/4 teaspoons salt
    •    1 tablespoon instant yeast
    •    *For best results (a smooth, slightly soft dough), use the smaller amount of water in summer (or in a humid environment), the greater amount in winter (or in a dry climate); and something in between the rest of the time.
TOPPING:
    •    3 tablespoons melted butter
1) Mix and knead all of the dough ingredients — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — to make a soft, smooth dough.
2) Cover the dough, and let it rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until it's nearly doubled in bulk.
3) Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into pieces about the size of a golf ball. Shape each piece into a round ball; flatten slightly. Place the buns on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and let rise for about an hour, until noticeably puffy. 
4) Brush the buns with about half of the melted butter. 
5) Bake the buns in a preheated 375°F oven for 15 to 18 minutes*, until golden. Remove them from the oven, and brush with the remaining melted butter. This will give the buns a satiny, buttery crust.
6) Cool the buns on a rack.
 *see note above about par baking.
More good advice from King Arthur: 
Brushing buns with melted butter will give them a soft, light golden crust. Brushing with an egg-white wash (1 egg white beaten with 1/4 cup water) will give them a shinier, darker crust. For seeded buns, brush with the egg wash; it'll make the seeds adhere. And, feel free to add the extra yolk to the dough, reserving the white for the wash.

Buttermilk Biscuits or Strawberry Shortcake

Now, I can't claim any old Southern heritage, and, growing up, biscuits were popped out of a blue paper cylinder, but I just LOVE buttermilk biscuits. I also love strawberry shortcake, and this recipe does "double duty", as it works perfectly for either.

Here is my favorite recipe. It makes enough for a brunch party, but you can halve it easily, and end up with 6 huge biscuits, or 8 normal sized ones.
Do you have buttermilk in your fridge? Probably you don't, but you have options. The recipe works with plain-old milk, half and half, and also plain yogurt. You can also keep dried buttermilk powder in your pantry forever-- follow the directions on the package-- or you can make your own buttermilk by mixing one cup of milk with 1 1/2 teaspoons of white vinegar. Let it stand for 5 minutes, it will bubble up a bit, stir it up, and... voila a cup of buttermilk.
The biscuits pictured above had about a 1/2 tsp. of thyme leaves and a handful of shredded cheddar added.

Since the recipe makes a LOT of biscuits, I like to mix up the dry ingredients and work in the butter, then remove half of the mixture and store in the freezer in a storage container for another batch that will only need the buttermilk to be stirred in. See, I am not totally against "processed food". Just make sure you label the contents, and... if you store the mixture in a seal-able bowl, you can just stumble into the kitchen in the morning, turn the oven on to heat and dump the buttermilk right into the storage bowl, and mix it up quickly!

 INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 sticks chilled unsalted butter, cut into thin slices
• 1 1/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in large bowl to blend. Using fingertips, rub butter into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk and quickly stir until evenly moistened. (don't overwork the dough, or the biscuits will toughen). Use a lightly oiled 1/4 c. measuring cup or an ice-cream scoop to drop biscuits onto baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until biscuits are golden brown on top, about 15 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve warm with butter, and your favorite honey or jam.

New Brunch Idea: Let's Just Call it French Toast Souffle (and not share the details)

French Toast (which in France, is actually called "pain perdu" or lost bread) is one of the truly great culinary inventions. I have been thrilled to see it gain its rightful glory recently apart from its usual brunch-tastic role.  A current favorite restuarant in St. Barth called Le Bistroy served up this deliciousness for dessert:

Le Bistroy St. Barth Pain Perdu aux Fruits Rouges

The problem with making French Toast for a crowd, and by a crowd I mean more than two or three people, is that to make it right you really have to cook it

very very slowly 

without crowding the pan or griddle

in lots of butter- that you CAN NOT allow to burn

 This recipe is guaranteed delicious for brunch, lunch, or even dessert. It is good hot, warm, or at room temperature. You can assemble it the night before, and allow it to stay, well covered in the refrigerator until the next morning.

Ingredients:

1 loaf of Challah or Brioche sliced into 1" cubes

1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk

6 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 Tbs butter

Turbinado or raw sugar for topping

(optional blueberries, raspberries, apples or chocolate chips)

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Pour condensed milk into a bowl and mix with eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Add bread cubes and gently mix.

Allow bread to absorb the liquids, adding up to 1/2 cup milk if mixture seems very dry.

Put butter into the 9 x 13 inch pyrex baking dish into the oven to melt. 

Remove from oven, spread bread mixture evenly in the pan. (add optional fruit or chocolate at this point) and sprinkle generously with the Turbinado sugar.

Bake uncovered for about an hour or until it is puffed and golden brown. Serve with maple syrup, whipped cream, or additional fruit.

A LUNCHEON OF SMALL PLATES WITH ERICA JONG, BEAUTIFUL BUNS, BETTER THAN SEX CAKE, SHOOTERS AND SLIDERS

Yesterday I had the pleasure of celebrating the publication of Erica Jong's newest book, Sugar in My Bowl: Real Women Write About Real Sex, and hosting a bevy of amazingly accomplished and beautiful women to benefit the wonderful Westport Public Library's Summer Reading Programs. As you can see, I took the liberty of linking you to the "support the library" page, in case you are inclined to further the success of my favorite local institution's terrific programs.

On the culinary side, it was a bit of a challenge to come up with a light lunch I could do with a lot of help from friends and library volunteers that could be quickly served to almost 125 people standing in the garden, without hindering the social aspect which I believe to always be the draw of such events. Of course, the talented and always-provocative Erica Jong was delight.  I felt challenged by the  subject matter to provide sensuous tastes, as well as my usual healthy, local, fresh focus. And my sustainable party-goods initiative. Here's a Link to one of my sources for those who asked. Branch: Sustainable Design. The glasses are Govino.

Everything was served in mini, sustainable, individual portions. These were either passed in baskets, or available on a central buffet. It worked quite well. This would be  a wonderful menu for a Shower, A Baby Naming, a birthday, or a Mother's Day get together. Also some great ideas in here for picnic food.)

For the dessert, my first thought was to do a Tres Leches Cake, as I have been dying to try the recipe in Barbara Sibley's Book that I cooked from in my last post. But I kept having the nagging feeling that there was some dessert I had read about with "sex" in the title. I lazily googled "sex cake". This was not a good idea. You might be surprised at the number of businesses that provide, ahem, anatomical pastries of great, cough, verisimilitude. I won't link for our younger readers. But if you are curious (or demented) look for exotic in the company title.

Anyway, I digress. There is a cake called Better Than Sex Cake. I made this, as well as the Tres Leches. I loved the combo, sort of the same idea, but in Vanilla and Chocolate versions. I served teeny-tiny bites. Lets just say that both recipes call for large quantities of Sweetened Condensed Milk, a personal embarrassing guilty pleasure. There are many versions of this cake. You can google these yourself (google Better Than Sex cake, not Sex Cake, remember) I don't profess to have produced the definitive version. Was it better than sex? Well-lllll, you can decide that for yourself. I guess it all depends, doesn't it.

Menu

Iced Carrot Ginger Soup Shooters with microgreens

Devilled Egg Salad Sliders

Caper-Lime-Tuna Sliders

Olive Focaccia, sun-dried tomato and marinated mozzarella skewers

Watermelon Feta Mint Salad

Edamame Chick Pea Cucumber Salad

Tomato and Peach Salad

Better Than Sex Cake

Tres Leches Cake

Strawberry Melon Blueberry Skewers

CARROT GINGER LEMON SOUP

1/16-1/8 cup butter
1 1/2 cups onions, chopped
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed garlic
1 1/4 lbs medium carrots peeled and chopped, about 3 cups 
2 seeded chopped tomatoes  
1 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
3 cups vegetable stock
2  Tbs fresh lemon juice
4 Tbs sour cream  one small carrot peeled and grated
PROCEDURE:
Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.
Add onion; sauté 4 minutes. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 2 minutes.
Add chopped carrots, tomatoes and lemon peel; saute 1 minute.
Add 3 cups stock and bring to boil.
Reduce heat, cover partially and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 20 minutes.
Cool slightly. Puree in batches in blender, mix in lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. This keeps well, can be served hot or cold, and is even better the next day.
Serve hot or cold garnished with Micro-greens or Pea Shoots if desired.

Beautiful Buns

For the slider rolls I used the famous beautiful hamburger bun recipe from King Arthur Flour. How could I not when I thought of the name! If you know me at all you know what a devotee I am of their products. And recipes. If you sign up on the site for their email list, you will be notified of the Free Shipping promotions a few times a year, which is when I order months worth of baking supplies at a time.
(fair warning: you will be tempted to buy things that you had every intention of using-- like special european flour supposedly perfect for bagels, that take up cupboard space indefinitely.)
What I was looking for was a light, soft buttery roll, suspecting all along that it would turn out to be a challah-like recipe. Sure enough. I might add an egg in the future and use this recipe for a dairy challah (I know, I know...)
Anyway, this site sells hamburger pans, but as usual, I did the research so you don't have to. I tried making them with whole wheat (fail), I tried making them in mini-muffin pans (fail), but what worked was making the dough, rising it, shaping the golf-ball size rolls, rising them, and baking them half way. This is called par-bake. Bake till they feel pretty firm, but before they start to turn golden. Remove from oven, cool well, and freeze. When you want them, fire up the oven, pile them on a baking sheet, and bake until they brown. Depending on the size you made them it will only be about 6-8 minutes. Pretty cool.

BEAUTIFUL BUNS
    •    1 cup lukewarm water
    •    2 tablespoons butter or margarine
    •    1 large egg
    •    3 1/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
    •    1/4 cup sugar
    •    1 1/4 teaspoons salt
    •    1 tablespoon instant yeast
    •    *For best results (a smooth, slightly soft dough), use the smaller amount of water in summer (or in a humid environment), the greater amount in winter (or in a dry climate); and something in between the rest of the time.
TOPPING:
    •    3 tablespoons melted butter
1) Mix and knead all of the dough ingredients — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — to make a soft, smooth dough.
2) Cover the dough, and let it rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until it's nearly doubled in bulk.
3) Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into pieces about the size of a golf ball. Shape each piece into a round ball; flatten slightly. Place the buns on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and let rise for about an hour, until noticeably puffy.
4) Brush the buns with about half of the melted butter.
5) Bake the buns in a preheated 375°F oven for 15 to 18 minutes*, until golden. Remove them from the oven, and brush with the remaining melted butter. This will give the buns a satiny, buttery crust.
6) Cool the buns on a rack.
 *see note above about par baking.
More good advice from King Arthur:
Brushing buns with melted butter will give them a soft, light golden crust. Brushing with an egg-white wash (1 egg white beaten with 1/4 cup water) will give them a shinier, darker crust. For seeded buns, brush with the egg wash; it'll make the seeds adhere. And, feel free to add the extra yolk to the dough, reserving the white for the wash.

Devilled Egg Salad

Make or (purchase a good quality, not terribly mayonnaise-y) Egg salad. Add copious amounts of chopped fresh dill, hot sauce (tabasco type) dijon mustard, and smoked paprika. Taste. Add more hot sauce. Stuff into small or large Sandwiches, (or cherry tomatoes that have been hollowed out and drained on paper towels). Another Egg Salad idea-- Truffle Salt!

Tuna Salad with Capers and Lime
Make (or purchase good quality, not terribly mayonnaise-y) tuna salad. Add capers, splash with lime, add freshly ground black pepper and a bit of smoked salt if you have it. Smoked Paprika also works deliciously

WATERMELON FETA MINT SALAD

This concoction tastes a lot better than it sounds, you really should try it. Just keep in mind that it isn't one of those "improves with age" salads. If you are contemplating making it ahead, prepare the melon and refrigerate. The macerating onions are good for a couple days, and quickly assemble the rest of the ingredients before serving.

• 1 small red onion
• 2-4 limes, depending on juiciness
• 1 medium size sweet, ripe seedless watermelon
• 1/2 lb. feta cheese
• handful fresh Italian parsley
• big handful fresh mint, chopped
• 4-5 Tablespoons good olive oil
• Black pepper, freshly ground
• (optional: pitted sliced black greek olives, balsamic vinegar)

1) Cut the watermelon into small chunks or, if you have one, use a melon-baller to create adorable spheres. Put in bowl with accumulated juices
2) Slice the onion in half the long way, then into thin slices, put in a bowl with lemon juice to soften. You can also use a sweet onion and balsamic vinegar for a mellower taste.
3) Crumble Feta into bowl with melon, top with onions, pour olive oil over, add olives if you are using them

4) Rinse fresh mint and parsley, chop coarsely and add. Grind pepper to taste
5) Turn gently with hands or spoons to mix.

CHICK PEA, EDAMAME, AND CUCUMBER SALAD 

Have you discovered frozen shelled edamame in the supermarket (Trader Joe's, Whole Foods). What a delicious and healthful addition to all kinds of salads. This is basically an Israeli Salad that adds Chick Peas and Edamame. It's so filling and yummy it can be a great vegetarian meal.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, parsley, oregano, marjoram or a combo
Salt and  pepper
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
1 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed
1 seedless cucumber, peeled cut in quarters lengthwise, diced
6 radishes chopped
½ small sweet onion chopped
 1/2 cup shredded or chopped carrots
1 chopped red, yellow, orange or green sweet pepper

1) In large serving bowl, combine oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, mint, salt, and pepper. Add chickpeas; toss to coat. As they are cut and chopped add the rest of the veggies.

2) Cook Edamame following package directions, cool and add to salad.

3) Season with salt and pepper to taste. This is even better the next day, and is great to take on a picnic or pot-luck.

Olive Focaccia and Mozzarella Bites
I used the fabulous Olive bread from our local Wave Hill bakery, but you can use any good bread you can find, or bake the one from the Pioneer Woman linked above. These would be such a great hors d'oeuvre, or snack to take on a picnic or to the beach.

1 Olive or rosemary Foccacia, Ciabatta, or other artisan bread
1 mozzarella ball
sundried tomatoes
fresh herbs (basil, parsley, oregano, rosemary)
Olive oil
small bamboo skewers 4-6 inches in length

1) Cut the mozzarella into half- inch cubes. Put in a bowl with a sprinkling of olive oil, fresh herbs, and a good grind of pepper. Herbs de Provence would work really well also. This can be done ahead.
2) Cut the bread into bite size squares, and cut a pocket horizontally half-way through.
3) Drain the Sun-dried tomatoes on paper towels and cut in half.
4) Tuck dried tomatoes and cheese in the bread chunks and thread onto the skewers. Garnish with a stuffed olive if desired.


Make ahead sandwich hints:
Use toothpicks to keep sandwiches neatly closed.
To keep sandwiches from drying out, line a basket or tray with a napkin (paper or otherwise), and arrange sandwiches closely together. Wet a paper towel and wring out most of the water. Lay the damp towel over the sandwiches, and cover closely with plastic wrap. Keep at cool room temperature for an hour at most in hot weather, but keep in mind that the refrigerator will harden fresh bread.

Today is a great day for the perfect Eat-At-Your-Desk Snack.

Oh, my god, I have so much work to do, I have exiled myself to Soho, where, armed with nothing but a huge box of tissues because I have a runny nose, and a $40 Canal Street space heater because its freezing in here, I have chained myself to the computer. I will meet deadlines. I need food.
I love Gourmet Garage, one block away. (This does not mean I want it one floor below me. Really.)
So I put together the perfect snack, lunch, or breakfast from my staples. Sometime we can debate if this is the easiest or the most difficult snack to have. And let's not bring "local" into the debate at this particular moment. Or Kidneys.

One Slice "Balthazar Pain de Seigel" (exactly what it says on the Garage Label)
One slice ripe Saint Andre or Explorateur cheese
Five ripe raspberries.

Toast bread. Spread cheese. Smoosh raspberries.
Pour Sumtra.
Get back to work.

Pumpkin Bread

Today is a great day to start Thanksgiving Prep, by baking Pumpkin Bread, or Cranberry Bread, or both!
Snack on one today, then wrap it well in foil, and freeze it for Thanksgiving, or bring it to work, or send it off to someone you love.

A couple of years ago, Amanda and I had a great time making this with Stella and Juliette. It is easy and fun to make, and totally yummy. And non-dairy, making it very versatile. The recipe makes three loaf pans if you use the disposable foil or paper ones, or two if you use full size (mine are pyrex) ones. They also work very well in muffin or mini muffin tins.
disposable paper bake pans

Ingredients:
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 16 oz can solid pack pumpkin
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour 2 or 3 loaf pans depending on size.
Beat sugar and oil in a large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin.
Sift flour, spices, baking soda and baking powder together in a large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in two additions. Mix in walnuts if using.
Divide batter equally between pans. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, and bread start to pull away from the side of pan, about 1 hour and 10 minutes for two breads in the large pans.
Allow to cool on racks. Can be frozen directly in disposable pans.

UPDATE:
A couple of footnotes to the above post.
First, and most important: It is often a problem getting the middle of a large pumpkin bread to cook sufficiently without the edges being overcooked. This problem is easily solved by baking it in a ring pan, such as the paper one here:

These paper baking rings are available from baking supply sources like King Arthur Baking Company.

Two: Lisa Friedland suggested adding chocolate chips, and was happy with the result, I wanted to make some of the breads without nuts for Emily, so I divided the batter. One loaf plain, one with walnuts, and one with dried cranberries and walnuts.

A Tasty and Refreshing Summer Lunch Menu

100 in the shade? Don't fret. Yesterday we hosted our lovely French Friends from Montpellier, Lyon, and Lot, and despite that cruelly oppressive heat, we all happily munched our way through this tasty, easy to prepare menu.

Cool Cucumber and Avocado Soup with Tomato-basil guacamole
Evil Quesadilla Bread
Tomato Peach Salad with Mint and Red Onion
Grilled Ratatouille with fresh corn
Smoked trout and salmon Platter with assorted olives, capers, lemon and scallion
Fresh Herb Cream Cheese
Devilled Eggs
Assorted Tapenades and Hummus spreads with crusty bread

Dessert:
Pecan Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream
Chocolate Almond fudge


Cucumber Soup
1 large English hothouse cucumber, peeled, diced (about 2 1/2 cups)
2 1/2 cups low-fat (1%) buttermilk, or plain yogurt
1 avocado, quartered, pitted, peeled
4 tablespoons chopped red onion
Handful of fresh basil, chopped

1/2 cup seeded chopped tomato
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
4 tablespoons plain nonfat yogurt
Combine cucumber and buttermilk in blender. Chop 1/4 of avocado; set aside for salad. Cut remaining avocado into chunks. Add avocado to blender; then add 2 tablespoons red onion and 1 tablespoon basil. Blend until very smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover; refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
Mix reserved avocado, remaining 2 tablespoons onion and 1 tablespoon basil, tomato and lime juice in small bowl. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover soup and tomato salad separately and refrigerate.) Ladle cucumber soup into 4 bowls. Dollop each with 1 tablespoon yogurt; top with tomato salad and serve.

Quesadilla Bread
This recipe is from Thrill of the Grill. So I guess it could rightfully be listed under my great-recipes-of the 1980's. I first had it at Cathy Collins' house, and she said the same thing I say to you now. I know that when you see the ingredients you will shriek and never want to be my friend again, but this makes an enormous amount. Its enough for a restaurant. I just never figured out how to make it smaller, and the pan it calls for (a half-sheet cake pan) is one of my kitchen standbys (standbies?). So here it is, make it or not....

1 cup pastry flour
2 cups all all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp fresh cracked pepper
12 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
1 pound butter, melted
3 cups grated sharp cheddar
1 1/2 cups sour cream

1. preheat oven to 375, grease a 12 x 17 inch baking pan
2. sift flours, baking powder, salt, set aside
3. beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks
4. beat egg yolks and sugar together until light
5. fold into the whites,
6. working steadily, fold in the dry ingredients, melted butter, cheese, and finally sour cream
7. pour batter into greased pan and bake for 20-30 minutes until the entire top of the bread is golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean
8. Let bread cool completely, then turn it out onto a wire rack and cool completely. 

Can be made ahead, and cut into squares or sticks, and, if desired toasted, grilled or re-heated in oven to serve hot, or just serve cold.

Tomato Peach Salad
for 8 people

Cut an assortment of 4-5 tomatoes, yellow, red, cherry, whatever into chunks
Cut 4 peaches into chunks
roughly chop a handful of fresh mint (1/4 cup packed leaves)
if desired mix in some thinly sliced celery, or a bit of red onion
add a healthy dose of Olive oil, some balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.
Mix and let sit for an hour or two to meld flavors.
If you have any left over, buzz in the blender for a delicious gazpacho


Improvisation: Grilled "Ratatouille" with corn
Go to the farmers market and buy some fresh and delicious vegetables, eggplant, summer squash, zucchini, red onion, tomatoes. Slice them up big enough that they won't fall between the grates on your grill, sprinkle with olive oil
Heat up the grill and grill vegetables till slightly charred. cut in chunks. put in bowl with some olive oil, vinegar, and whatever fresh herbs you have/like, like oregano, thyme, marjoram, chives.
Grill or steam young corn and cut off the cob, mix in with vegetables.

Insanely Easy Chocolate Fudge or Hot Fudge Sauce
This is so easy its almost a joke. Great for late night chocolate cravings. If you pour it into a greased 8x8 inch pan and let it cool it becomes fudge. If you want fabulous hot fudge for ice cream sundaes, just cool slightly.
Melt a pound of chocolate in microwave, or double boiler. (whatever chocolate you have- chips, bars)
Stir in a can of condensed milk, a tbsp of vanilla, and 3 Tbsp of Karo Syrup if you have it otherwise leave it out.
Pour into greased pan and sprinkle with roughly chopped almonds or walnuts if you like nuts.

More Tea Party Recipes- Sandwiches

First Some Hints about making Tea Sandwiches:

 
Choose a selection of fillings and breads that will be interesting on the platters and on the palates.
For planning purposes, figure on 4 to 6 cut sandwich servings for each person. 

Consider some bread-less options.

Choose the best-quality white or wheat bread available. Supermarket choices include Pepperidge Farm "Very Thin" loaves that come in white and whole wheat. A French "Pain de Mie" is considered the standard, and if you want to try making it yourself you can check out this blog entry: home baked pain de mie. There are also those little breads made by Rubschlager that are easily available. I just don't understand why they always seem to be to hard.

Never serve end slices. Freezing the bread before cutting and then spreading makes for easier handling.

Bread slices should be lightly buttered (use unsalted) no matter what filling you use. . Butter should be at room temperature before spreading. Sandwiches will not become limp and soggy as readily if you spread the butter to the edge of the bread.

Cut the crusts off the bread with a long, sharp knife after the sandwiches are filled, or cut them into shapes with cookie cutters (sharp, thin tin ones work best.) This keeps everything neater.

Since tea sandwiches should be delicate, cut each sandwich in half on the diagonal or into thirds or fourths before serving. 

Garnish the sandwiches with chopped fresh herbs like parsley, dill, sprouts, or slices of stuffed olives.

Making Sandwiches Ahead of Time :

If you need to make tea sandwiches in advance you will have to figure out how to keep them from drying out. You can stack the uncut sandwiches, wrapped in wax paper and refrigerate, or complete and garnish the sandwiches on the platters, covering them loosely with a sheet of wax paper and then place a damp kitchen towel over the wax paper (never place a damp towel directly on top of the bread because the sandwiches will become soggy. Refrigerate until serving time.

When ready to serve, remove from refrigerator. Uncover sandwiches immediately before serving. 

Some Recipes 

Cucumber Sandwiches are a tea-time standard. I love the traditional ones- nothing but bread, butter, and thinly sliced english cucumbers, but if you are not strangled by tradition, I highly recommend this variation.

Cucumber Mint Tea Sandwich

1/2 seedless cucumber, peeled and very thinly sliced (about 32 slices)
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, rinsed, dry, and chopped fine
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup cream cheese, room temperature 

2 Tablespoons sugar
16 slices best-quality white bread
Salt to taste

Place cucumber slices on a clean kitchen towel (or paper) pressing firmly to remove excess water.

In a small bowl, combine mint, butter, sugar, and cream cheese; spread on one side of each slice of bread. Lay cucumber slices onto the buttered side of 8 slices of bread. Sprinkle with salt. Top with the remaining slices of bread, buttered side down.

Carefully cut the crusts from each sandwich with a long, sharp knife. Cut the sandwiches in half diagonally and then cut in half again. Decorative shapes can be made with cookie cutters.

Yields 8 whole sandwiches or 16 halves or 32 fourths. 

Goat Cheese and Watercress Tea Sandwich

16 thin slices cinnamon-raisin bread,

2 (5 1/2-ounce) logs soft fresh goat cheese (such as Montrachet), room temperature
1/2 cup chopped watercress leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup  pecans or walnuts, toasted until fragrant, finely chopped
Watercress sprigs (for garnish)

In a medium-size bowl, mix fresh goat cheese and chopped watercress; season with salt and a small amount of finely ground fresh pepper. Spread mixture evenly over 8 bread slices. Top with the remaining sliced of bread.

Carefully cut the crusts from each slice of bread with a long, sharp knife. Cut the sandwiches in half diagonally and then cut in half again. Decorative shapes can be made with cookie cutters.

Roll cut edges of each sandwiches in the softened butter.

Place pecans on plate. Dip buttered edges of sandwiches into pecans, gently pressing the pecans into the butter.

Arrange sandwiches on platter. Garnish with watercress sprigs.

Yields 8 whole sandwiches or 16 halves or 32 fourths. 

Dill Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches

8 hard boiled eggs**
1/2 cup good mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon finely-chopped fresh dill
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
20 slices best-quality white bread

Peel eggs and place into a medium bowl. Slice eggs and then coarsely mash them with the back of a fork. Add mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and dill; stir until well blended. NOTE: This mixture can be refrigerated, covered, up to two days.

Spread butter onto one side of each slice of bread. Spread the buttered side of 10 slices of bread with 2 tablespoons egg mixture. Top with remaining slices of bread, buttered side down. 

**Put eggs in pan of cold water. Bring to boiling. Cover pan, turn off heat and leave for exactly (egg-xctly) 20 minutes for perfect HB eggs 

James Beard's Famous Onion Sandwich

 James Beard's Famous Onion Sandwich- the Story

8 slices firm-textured white bread, cut into quarters
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large sweet onion, like Vidalia, WallaWalla, or Maui peeled and sliced into paper-thin slices
Sea Salt, Fleur de Sel, or whatever fancy salt you have
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
4 tablespoons of finely chopped chives or parsley

Arrange the bread slices next to one another on a flat work surface. Using a glass or an 1-inch round coo0kie cutter, cut out two (2) small rounds from each sandwich; discard trimmings.

Spread each bread circle with 1 tablespoon butter. Place a thin layer of sliced onions over the butter. Lightly season the onions with salt. 

Assemble the sandwiches with remaining bread slices, pressing lightly to make them adhere.

Spread some of the mayonnaise around the outside rim of each sandwich round. Roll the rim of each sandwich in the chives or parsley to coat completely.

Smoked Salmon Sandwiches on Pumpernickel

 

Smoked Salmon is a very popular and traditional Tea Sandwich Choice. You can vary this recipe by slicing the cucumbers more thickly, and using them instead of bread, producing cucumber-salmon canapes.

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon minced scallion
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill 
1 tablespoon capers drained
1 teaspoon prepared (white)horseradish
Pepper to taste
2 teaspoons butter, room temperature
8 slices pumpernickel bread
sliced smoked salmon
12 cucumber slices, sliced thin

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, scallion, dill weed, capers, horseradish, and pepper; set aside.

Spread butter thinly over pumpernickel bread slices; spread mayonnaise mixture on each bread slice. Divide salmon and cucumber slices evenly over 4 slices of bread; top with remaining bread slices.

Cut each sandwich in half diagonally. NOTE: May also cut in quarters or small rounds (your choice). 

Thanksgiving 2009

Its Turkey Time again!
What is going to be new?

CLASSIC CRANBERRY NUT BREAD


2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 tablespoons shortening
1 egg, well beaten
1 1/2 cups Fresh Cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped nuts

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in orange juice, orange peel, shortening and egg. Mix until well blended. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Spread evenly in loaf pan.

Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely. Wrap and store overnight. Makes 1 loaf (16 slices).

CRANBERRY ORANGE SAUCE

Cranberry-Orange Sauce
2 c brown sugar (plus more for adjusting)
3 c water
1 c freshly squeezed orange juice (about 3 oranges)
zest of the oranges
3 12 oz bags of cranberries
1 Tbs or so freshly grated ginger, 1 Cinnamon Stick, a couple whole cloves
Wash cranberries and check them for stems and/or mushy berries. Combine brown sugar, water, orange juice, and zest in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. When boiling, add the cranberries and return to a boil; they will start to pop open. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10-15 min., til they start to thicken. Carefully test sauce for sweet/tartness and add more sugar as necessary (depending on how you like it). Let cool completely and then refrigerate.

TURKEY GRAVY FOR WHEN YOU SMOKE OR GRILL YOUR TURKEY

2 pounds turkey wings
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, halved
4 carrots, chopped
1 head garlic, smashed
1/2 bunch fresh sage
1/2 bunch fresh thyme
8 black peppercorns
2 tablespoons unsalted margarine or butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Put the turkey wings (or legs) into a small roasting pan and roast them until they are golden brown, about 45 minutes. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, garlic, herbs, and peppercorns and cook for 5 minutes. Add the turkey wings. Pour some water into the roasting pan and scrape up all the browned bits on the bottom; add this to the pot. Cover everything in the pot with cold

water by 1-inch and bring to the boil, skimming any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Strain out the solids and discard. Wipe out the pot and put it over medium heat. Melt the margarine or butter with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and add the flour. Cook this roux, stirring frequently, until it is golden brown. Slowly whisk in the strained stock being careful to work out any lumps. Cook until the gravy has thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

1/4 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1can crushed pineapple, drained
1/4 c. dried cranberries or maraschino cherries if you want
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk (soy milk)
1 Tsp vanilla extract
1 egg

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In 9-inch square pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter. Arrange pineapple over brown sugar. Decorate if desired with dried cranberries or cherries.
2. In medium bowl, beat remaining ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries. (you can do this in food processor but the cake will be more pound-cake like)
3. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake a few minutes so brown sugar mixture can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Serve warm. Store cake loosely covered.