Asparagus & Potato Tart

I first saw this recipe in Jamie Oliver's cookbook, Jamie at Home, and instantly fell in love with it. I've been waiting for asparagus to come into season to try out this scrumptious tart. 

If you tend to steer clear of tarts because you feel don't have the time or inclination to prepare a shell, you'll be glad to know that this tart doesn't have one. Instead of a traditional tart shell made of French pastry dough, this one uses fillo dough, which can be found in the frozen food section of any grocery store. The fillo creates a delicate buttery, flaky, and crunchy crust. It takes a little patience to layer the filo sheets and brush them with butter, but the good news is, you don't have to be perfect, and it takes half the time of making the dough yourself. In fact, that's one of the great things about this tart. It's rustic and imperfect and a great basic recipe to play around with. You can add all sorts of things to the potato and cheese base. I've adapted the original recipe a bit and added some garlic and caramelized onions. The onions give such a fantastic depth of flavor to this hearty, potato based tart.

This is a great dish to serve to a few brunch guests, or just for two. It reheats nicely, so Aaron and I had this for breakfast and/or lunch over the course of a couple of days. Accompanied by a simple side of greens dressed in oil and balsamic, and you've got a meal made.

ASPARAGUS & POTATO TART

Adapted from Jamie Oliver, Jamie at Home

Ingredients:

1 to 2 tbsp. olive oil

1 large yellow onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 lb. asparagus, woody ends removed

8 oz. fillo pastry dough, thawed

1/2 c. butter, melted

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1/2 sharp white cheddar cheese

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

8 oz. heavy cream

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg (freshly grated if you have it)

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. When the oil is glistening and hot, add the sliced onions and stir to evenly coat them in the oil. Saute the onions slowly, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. After a few minutes, add a bit of salt and adjust the heat if they are browning too quickly. If the onions seem to be drying out, add a tablespoon of water or a little more oil and stir, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook until the onions are a deep brown color, about 20 to 30 minutes. Add the garlic in the last minute of cooking, and stir to combine. Set onions aside.

While the onions are cooking, place the potatoes in a medium sized pot of boiling salted water and cook for 15 minutes or until cooked through. When the potatoes are done, transfer them to a colander, using a spider or slotted spoon, to drain and cool. Blanch the asparagus in the same water that you used for the potatoes, about 3 minutes. Immediately remove from the water and place in an ice bath to stop them from cooking. 

Begin layering the fillo pastry dough in a greased 9x13 inch oven-proof baking dish. Layer the sheets of fillo pastry in the dish, brushing each layer with melted butter as you go, letting about 1-inch hang over the edge. You want about 8 to 10 layers of fillo pastry. Place a couple of damp paper towels or a clean damp tea towel over the dough to keep from drying out and set aside.

When the potatoes are done, mash them together with the cheeses in a medium sized bowl. In another small bowl, mix together the eggs and cream and stir into the cheesy potato mixture. Add the nutmeg and caramelized onions and stir. Taste to adjust seasonings (this is where you want to add plenty of salt and pepper to taste). Spread the potato base mixture evenly over the fillo pastry shell. Fold in the sides of the fillo pastry and scrunch it together to form a crust around the edge of the potato filling. Evenly lay the asparagus over the filling, gently pressing them down. Brush the edges of the crust with the remaining butter and place in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

Yield: About 6 servings

Chinese Chicken Salad

The dressing for this recipe comes from family friend, Marion Hover. Marion is an excellent cook and I've had the pleasure of eating some wonderful dinners at her home in Sonoma (I can remember one such dinner around Christmastime where the evening ended with us all dancing around the room to Mariah Carey's, All I Want for Christmas. Ok, yeah we had a few drinks in us, but her dinners are always fun). I was lucky enough to have this Chinese Chicken Salad at one such dinner. While I was in college, I emailed her for the recipe and she kindly passed it along. I've been enjoying it ever since.

There is some discrepancy as to the origin of this dish and weather it is authentically "Chinese" at all. Many food historians agree that Chinese chicken salad was most likely invented in California sometime in the 1930s, using Asian inspired ingredients. 

Sugar snap peas showed up at the market the other day and I thought they would make a lovely edition to this salad. Occasionally, I also like to throw in a handful of fresh bean sprouts, but the Asian market on my street was sold out. For a bit of crunch, I like to use fried wonton wrappers. If you prefer to omit the wonton wrappers and are trying to save time, peanuts are a nice alternative (not to mention healthier) and add a nice bit of texture. This salad is a great way to transform  leftover chicken into a meal, which I often do, cutting your cooking time in half. 

CHINESE CHICKEN SALAD

Dressing recipe courtesy Marion Hover

Ingredients:

For the salad:

10 wonton wrappers, cut into ½-inch strips and separated 

½ lb. sugar snap peas

1 large head romaine lettuce (or 2 romaine hearts), chopped or torn into bite size pieces

2 to 3 cups grilled or roasted chicken, cut into bite size pieces

1 or 2 dried red chili peppers, crumbled (or 1 fresh pepper, minced)

Vegetable or canola oil for frying

For the dressing:

1½ tbsp. smooth peanut butter 

2½ tbsp. vegetable or canola oil

½ tbsp. sesame oil

2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce

2 tsp. rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp. sugar

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 tbsp. chopped green onions

1 tbsp. chopped cilantro 

For the salad: 

In a medium sized saucepan, heat ¾ to 1-inch of oil to 350 degrees F on a fry/candy thermometer. Fry 10 to 12 strips at a time until golden and crisp. Remove using a slotted spoon or spider and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with sea salt. Continue frying the rest of the strips in the same manner.

In a medium pot of boiling salted water, blanch the sugar snap peas for about 1 minute, until tender and crisp. Immediately transfer the snap peas to an ice bath to stop them from cooking. Once cool, strain, pat dry, and set aside. 

Place the lettuce in a large bowl along with the sugar snap peas and chicken. Pour dressing over salad (to taste) and toss to incorporate. Garnish with crumbled (or minced) red chili peppers and fried wonton strips (if using).

For the dressing:

In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk the peanut butter, vegetable oil, and sesame oil together until well blended. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour the oil and peanut butter mixture into the vinegar mixture in a slow steady steam, whisking constantly. Taste to adjust seasonings. Don't be afraid to play around with this recipe. 

Yield 4 servings

Ice Cream #3: Strawberry

Something joyous caught my eye the other day at the farmer's market. At first I could only smell their intense perfume wafting through the air, but when I turned around, I saw them sitting in their sweet little cartons, glistening in the sunlight. Strawberries! I know no better way to celebrate their arrival than by making strawberry ice cream. I've always liked strawberry ice cream, but I fell in love with it after making it in my own kitchen. What could be better than strawberries and cream? The two were made for each other!

I bought a carton of strawberries and surprised Aaron later in the afternoon when he got home from work. After waiting all winter long for the return of these beautiful berries, we sat at the table smelling their intensely sweet aroma and savoring each bite (I just hope the neighbors weren't watching because I'm sure we looked a little crazy). Sharing strawberries is hard enough, but sharing a bowl of homemade ice cream between the two of us becomes next to impossible, even if we have two spoons. It's childish really. But there are worse things to fight over than a bowl of ice cream. The solution: two bowls all to ourselves!

I've been using this recipe for strawberry ice cream for a number of years now. It's one of those things I'll make over and over again all summer long, and never tire of. A spring and summer classic.

STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM

Slightly adapted from Saveur, Issue 12

Ingredients:

1 pint fresh strawberries (about 12 oz.), hulled and thinly sliced

1/3 cup sugar plus ¾ cup 

Juice of half a lemon

1½ cups whole milk

1¼ cups heavy cream

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

¼ tsp. sea salt

¼ tsp. vanilla extract

Combine strawberries, 1/3 cup sugar, and lemon juice in a small mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Bring milk and cream just to a simmer over medium heat. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, ¾ cup sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. To temper, lightly whisk ½ cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture, then slowly add all of the egg mixture to the remaining cream mixture, whisking constantly. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 to 15 minutes. 

Strain the mixture though a fine mesh strainer into a clean mixing bowl. Stir in vanilla extract and stir the custard over an ice bath until cool. Refrigerate until completely cold (can be made a day in advance).

Slightly mash strawberries, then stir into the custard base and pour into an ice cream maker. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. 

Yield: About 1½ qts.

BBQ Baby Back Ribs

Growing up in California, authentic BBQ sauce was never on the menu (even if I was offered a dish with BBQ sauce as a kid, I was too picky to eat it). Dating a Southern boy quickly changed that, and I'm so grateful it did! The first time I made homemade BBQ sauce in my own kitchen, I couldn't believe how flavorful it could be. This past Memorial Day, Aaron and I rolled up our sleeves (with lots of paper towels close at hand) and indulged in these outstandingly messy ribs. I couldn't resist accompanying them with baked beans, collard greens, and freshly baked cornbread. 

Naturally, the first time I attempted making BBQ ribs for Aaron, I was a bit nervous, seeing as he's from Texas. I know many people have their own idea of what BBQ sauce should be depending on where they're from. Generally, they don't take this lightly; I think some people feel as strongly about a particular style of BBQ sauce as they do politics or religion. As I did a bit of recipe searching, I soon found myself completely overwhelmed by the vastly different styles of regional BBQ sauce (there are four recognized types of BBQ sauce in Texas alone, which include: East Texas, Central Texas, South Texas, and West Texas). I had opened a giant can of worms! To make things more confusing, hard and fast "rules" for each type of regional BBQ sauce were often broken in "authentic" recipes I came across, or the lines were continuously blurred. The solution? I came up with my own version for a rub and settled on Pat and Gina Neely's BBQ sauce from their family's original restaurant in Memphis and their cookbook, Down Home with the Neelys, which isn't Texan at all. 

Since many Texas style BBQ dishes are heavier on beef rather than pork, such as beef brisket or beef ribs, I thought Aaron would prefer beef ribs. It turns out, he's more fond of pork ribs, as that's what he predominantly grew up on. I love pork ribs too, so I've appeased us both and used them here (although this sauce would be great with beef ribs as well). The tomato-based Memphis style BBQ sauce provided below is thick, sweet, and slightly tangy. I like my BBQ sauce this way, as I'm not a big fan of the overly vinegary based sauces.  They're a bit too tangy for my taste (I know, now someone has a personal vendetta against me). I've barely adjusted this recipe, and I find it's well balanced and doesn't overpower that heavenly pork flavor. At the end of the day we know what we like (we're the ones eating it after all), and for us, this BBQ sauce is just the ticket. Did I mention, these ribs are fall off the bone, finger lickin' good?

BBQ BABY BACK RIBS

Ingredients:

2 slabs pork baby back ribs (about 4 lbs. total) see notes below

For the Rib Rub:

¼ cup paprika 

1½ tsp. cayenne

2 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp. garlic powder

1½ tbsp. onion powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

2 tbsp. smoked sea salt

1 tbsp. kosher salt

1½ tsp. dried oregano

1½ tbsp. dried thyme

2 oz. white sugar (about ¼ cup) or 2 oz. dark brown sugar (about ½ cup packed)

For the Barbeque Sauce: 

Slightly adapted from Patrick & Gina Neely, Down Home with the Neelys

2 cups ketchup

1 cup water

3 oz. brown sugar (about ¼ cup plus 3 tbsp.)

3½ oz. white sugar (about ½ cup)

1½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1½ tsp. onion powder

1½ tsp. dry mustard powder

1 oz. smoked paprika (¼ cup plus 1 tbsp.)

1 oz. lemon juice (about 3 tbsp.)

1 oz. Worcestershire sauce (about 2 tbsp.)

4 oz. apple cider vinegar (about ½ cup)

1 oz. light corn syrup (about 2 tbsp.)

Season with smoked salt and cayenne to taste

Rinse the ribs in cold water and dry using paper towels. Place the ribs on a cutting board and using your fingers, remove the silver-skin (the thick white membrane) on the bone side of the ribs and discard (you can also have your butcher do this for you). 

In a medium sized bowl, thoroughly whisk all of the rib rub ingredients together. Generously season both sides of the slabs with rib rub. Place ribs side by side on a drying rack placed over a baking sheet (double lined with aluminum foil on the bottom) “curl” side up, meaty side down. Cover tops of ribs with two sheets of aluminum foil and seal well all around the baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Remove ribs from refrigerator and allow to rest for 30 minutes to an hour at room temperature. Bake undisturbed for 2½ to 3 hours (switching the position of the pan halfway through cooking), or until ribs are very tender. Meanwhile, prepare your BBQ sauce. 

Combine all of the sauce ingredients (except for the smoked salt and cayenne) in a 4 qt. saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Reduce temperature to low and simmer, uncovered, for at least 2 hours. After 2 hours, taste to adjust seasonings, adding a little smoked salt or cayenne if desired (remember there's cayenne in your rub, so easy does it). 

After about 2 hours, remove the ribs from oven and peel off the foil so the ribs are exposed. Carefully flip the ribs, using tongs, so that the "curl" side is down, and the meaty side is facing up. Using a pastry brush, coat the meaty side of the ribs with BBQ sauce. Return to the oven uncovered (meaty side up), until the sauce is thickened and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Check to see that the meat easily pulls away from the bone. Remove the ribs from the oven and set aside to cool briefly before cutting into 4-bone sections and plating. Serve with more barbecue sauce on the side, if desired. 

Yield: about 6 servings of ribs (a serving equals about 4 or 5 ribs) and about 1 qt. of BBQ sauce

Notes:

• Freeze any leftover BBQ sauce for later use.
• If you prefer a slightly less sweet BBQ sauce, reduce both the brown and white sugars by 1 oz.
• Living in a 4th floor apartment I don't have access to an outdoor grill, but I've had excellent results cooking ribs in the oven. To achieve that coveted smoky flavor, I love using smoked salt in the rib rub, and a bit in the BBQ sauce too. It's a great salt to have on hand, which I like using on everything from fish to beans, or any place where you want some smokiness. You can find smoked sea salt, such as black smoked or applewood smoked at specialty spice stores or online.
• Baby back ribs are also known as back ribs, loin ribs, or Canadian back ribs. This particular cut is taken from the top of the rib cage between the spine and the spare ribs, below the loin muscle (see diagram below). 
• There are a few different cuts of pork ribs, which can often be a bit confusing. I find it's easier to understand various cuts of meat by looking at them visually on a diagram, such as the one below:

source

Ice Cream Challenge #2: Real Mint Chip

Here's my second installment of the ice cream challenge I've set for myself (well, actually that Aaron set for me, mostly for his benefit). This recipe comes from the wonderful David Lebovitz, former pastry chef at Chez Panisse in Berkely, California. If you haven't checked out his blog, I highly suggest that you do. He shares a wealth of knowledge from working many years in professional kitchens. I absolutely love his recipe for real mint chip ice cream. If the only thing you associate with mint ice cream is the bright green artificially-colored store-bought stuff, then this recipe will change your distorted view forever.

This ice cream is made by steeping fresh mint leaves in a mixture of hot milk and cream. This allows the mint to infuse itself in the creamy mixture and produce a natural pastel-green color in the final product. This ice cream is extremely delicate and slightly herbaceous. Nothing you buy in a store will ever come close. 

I always liked mint ice cream as a kid, but (call me crazy) was always turned off by the chunks of chocolate. Maybe the quality of the chocolate wasn't that good, but I always felt it either overpowered or got in the way of the creamy minty base. Lebovits' technique of swirling the melted chocolate in layers over the ice cream, and then breaking it up with a spoon, creates perfect little bits of chocolate that easily melt in your mouth and don't distract from the delicate minty flavor. Perfection in every bite, not to mention delightfully refreshing. 

REAL MINT CHIP ICE CREAM

Recipe courtesy David Lebovitz, davidlebovitz.com, as adapted from The Perfect Scoop

Ingredients:

1 cup whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

¾ cups sugar 

Pinch of sea salt

2 cups packed fresh mint leaves (about 2 bunches of mint)

5 large egg yolks

4 to 5 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

In a medium sized saucepan, over medium heat, warm the milk, 1 cup of heavy cream, sugar, salt and mint. Once the mixture is hot and steaming, remove from heat and cover. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour to infuse the mint flavor.

Remove the mint by pouring the mixture through a strainer, pressing the mint with a spatula or spoon to extract as much mint flavor and color as possible (you can also use your hand to squeeze the mint). Discard the mint.

Over low heat, re-warm the infused milk. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, then very slowly pour 1 cup of the warm mint mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly. Scrape the warmed yolks back into the saucepan. 

Cook the custard over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. If using a thermometer, it should read about 170 degrees F. 

Pour the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream into a large mixing bowl, and place a strainer over the top. Pour the custard through the strainer into the cream, and then stir the mixture over an ice bath until cool. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard and place in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. 

While the ice cream is freezing, melt the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Place 2 storage containers in the freezer. When the ice cream has finished freezing, drizzle some of the chocolate all over the inside of the container (you can use a spoon, or for more control, transfer the melted chocolate to a plastic squeeze bottle or pastry bag). Add a layer of ice cream to the container, drizzle with more chocolate, and then quickly stir it in to break up the chocolate. Continue layering the ice cream with more chocolate and stirring as you go (use as much or as little chocolate as you'd like). When finished, cover and freeze the ice cream until firm.

Yield: About 1¼ qts.

Radish & Avocado Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

This past weekend, the farmer's market had some lovely looking radishes that I couldn't resist buying. I find most people think of radishes as being a tasteless, boring vegetable, used more as a garnish, and scraped to the side of their plate. I tend to disagree. I decided I would counter this attitude and feature them as one of the main ingredients in this quick and easy, light and refreshing salad. When sliced thin in salads, radishes add a nice bit of crunch and absorb whatever dressing you combine them with, making every bite delightfully flavorful. 

We were having tacos for dinner, so I thought a cilantro-lime vinaigrette would be a perfect combination with radishes and avocado. If you have a mandolin, slicing the radishes is lightning fast. Crumbled queso fresco or Cotija cheese (a hard cow's milk cheese) are fine accompaniments to this salad, and give it that added Mexican flare. A perfect starter to a spring dinner or main course lunch. We enjoyed this salad so much, I made it again the next day for a picnic in the park! 

RADISH & AVOCADO SALAD WITH CILANTRO-LIME VINAIGRETTE

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

1 tbsp. freshly chopped cilantro

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)

Zest from 1 lime

2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

For the salad:

5 oz. arugula, well washed

1 bunch radishes (about 10 to 12), thinly sliced

2 avocados, cut into 1-inch cubes

Half a red onion, thinly sliced

3 oz. crumbled Cotija or queso fresco

To make the dressing, combine the cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, apple cider vinegar, and garlic in a glass jar (with a tight-fitting lid) large enough to hold the dressing. Pour in the olive oil, place the lid on the jar, and shake vigorously to mix the dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste and shake again to incorporate. Taste to adjust seasonings and refrigerate until ready to use. 

In a large salad bowl, combine the arugula, radishes, avocado, onion, and crumbled cheese. Give the dressing a good shake and pour (to taste) over the salad. Toss to incorporate. Garnish with a sprinkling of sea salt and freshly ground pepper.  

Yield: 4 servings

Notes:

• This salad is also great with the addition of grilled shrimp or chicken.

Simple Rhubarb Bellini

I find Rhubarb is such an overlooked and underappreciated spring vegetable. It's too bad because it lends itself to a variety of culinary uses. Most famously it is paired with strawberries in pie, jams, and crumbles, but it can also be a wonderful addition to seasonal drinks and cocktails.  This recipe comes from Jamie Oliver's cookbook, Jamie at Home, and is originally from the Acorn House restaurant in London. Jamie states in his book that this drink reflects the rhubarb season brilliantly, and I would have to agree.

It's a rather odd vegetable, the rhubarb, seeing as its leaves are toxic. Luckily someone tempted fate and figured out that their stalks are edible! Raw, they are extremely crisp and tart, but when cooked with sugar they become sweet and pleasant. It's fun to take advantage of seasonal "oddities" such as rhubarb, as it makes for special eating (and drinking) that can only come but once a year. The puree only takes a few minutes to make and can be done days in advance. This drink makes for a superb spring inspired drink at your upcoming cocktail party or brunch. 

SIMPLE RHUBARB BELLINI

Recipe courtesy Jamie Oliver, Jamie at Home

Ingredients:

¾ lb. rhubarb (about 3 stalks), finely sliced (leaves trimmed off and discarded)

¼ cup sugar

1 to 2 bottles of sparkling wine, Prosecco, or Champagne 

Combine the rhubarb, sugar, and a couple of tablespoons of water in a small saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for a couple of minutes. Remove the lid and let simmer for 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally. 

Once the rhubarb has reached a thick compote consistency, transfer it to a blender and puree until smooth (or use an immersion blender). Set aside to cool. Give the mixture a good stir and divide the puree between 6 glasses. Pour the sparkling wine over the top, stirring with a small spoon or swizzle stick as you pour. 

Yield: 6 drinks