Squash Tart

I know I did a squash recipe last month, but the squash keeps coming so here is a Squash Tart that I made for a friend the other day. The tart shell can also be used for other dishes as well. I also did an heirloom tomato pie in the same shell. As I preferred the Squash recipe this is the recipe I will pass on this month.

1 medium zucchini

1 Paddy Pan

1 yellow summer squash

- all sliced into very thin coins

1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

For the Tart Crust:

1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1.2 cup unsalted butter, well chilled & cut into 14 inch cubes

4-ounce chunk of fresh Parmesan, microplane grated (you should end up with 2 cups loosely packed grated cheese.

2 Tablespoons ice cold water

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Tomato Sauce:

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Pinch of salt

1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

Start by tossing the sliced zucchini and the other squashes with the salt in a medium bowl. Transfer to a colander and let it drain while you make the tart shell and tomato sauce.

Make the tart crust:

Place both flours, butter, and Parmesan in a food processor and pulse quickly about 25 times. You are looking for a sandy textured blend, punctuated with pea-sized pieces of butter. With a few more pulses, blend in the 2T of ice water. The dough should stick together when your pinch it between two fingers. Pour the dough into the tart pan. Working quickly, press the dough uniformly into the pan by pressing across the bottom and working towards the sides and up to form a rim. Place in the refrigerator and chill for 15 minutes.

Bake the tart crust:

Pull the tart out of the refrigerator and poke each a few times with the tongs of a fork. Cover the tart with a square of aluminum foil and fill generously with pie weights. Place on a baking sheet and slide the tart onto the middle rack in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, pull the shell out of the oven and very gently peel back and remove the tinfoil containing the pie weights. Place the uncovered tart back in the oven, weight free, and allow to cook for another 10 minutes, or until it is a deep golden brown in color. Let cool to room temperature before filling.

In the meantime, you can make the sauce. Stir the garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and salt together in a small, cold saucepan. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook until the garlic starts to sizzle just a bit. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, bring to a simmer, cook the sauce down a bit, 10 minutes or so, then remove from heat.

When you are ready to assemble the tart, use a spatula to spread half of the ricotta cheese across the base of the tart shell. Now spoon about half of the sauce over the ricotta and arrange half of the squash in a single layer on top of the sauce. If your squash is still quite wet, press it into some paper towels. I use my fingers for this next part. After spooning the remaining ricotta over the squash, push it around a bit with your fingers so that it forms a layer. Arrange another layer of squash and finish with the remaining sauce. You want the filling to nearly, but not quite fill the pan.

Place the tart on a rimmed baking sheet - in case you end up with an overflow - and bake for roughly 40 minutes or until the tart is cooked through. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Dust the top of this with a bit of Parmesan.

Serves 8

Asparagus Brocolini Salad

Here is a very simple recipe for you this month. While at the market with Dana I purchased a bunch of Asparagus, Brocolini, Radishes, and with a few things I had on hand at home and made a great salad.

Recipe:

Asparagus (about 8 spears)

Brocolini (7-8 flowerets)

Olive Oil

Radishes (7-8 small)

Lemon (Zest and Juice)

Shallot (small)

Pine nuts (1/4 cup)

Dash of Salt

Cut the Asparagus and Brocolini into small pieces about the size of the tip of your finger. Make sure it is well cleaned and set aside.

Slice up the shallot (small size will do), and mix with the juice of one lemon, a dash of salt and 1/4 cup of pine nuts. Set Aside.

Heat up a skillet - very hot - add a dash of Olive Oil. Put the Aspurgus and Brocolini in the pan with a dash of salt. toss well and heat for about a minute. The veggies should take a dark crisp color. Cover and heat for about another minute making sure when you test the veggies it still has a good bite to it. Add the lemon zest and stir in thinly sliced radishes.

Toss the mixture together with your salad dressing and enjoy.

Ratatouille -

A Delicious Inexpensive Dish

This recipe may not be the easiest recipe for ratatouille but the results are sure tasty and the left overs are delicious as well. This might be something that is better made on a rainy afternoon, the simmering vegetables together with the herbs really makes the house smell nice. You can certainly adjust the vegetables to the season. If tomatoes are not in season you may want to add some concentrated tomato paste when doing the tomatoes for added flavor.

Ingredients:

    * 3 medium-sized eggplant, cut into 2-inch cubes
 - I used two eggplant and 2 Chinese eggplant

    * 4 medium-sized zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 2″ pieces
kosher salt


    * 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil


    * 6 medium-sized yellow onions, thinly sliced


    * 4 medium-sized red, green or yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into 1/2″ strips


    * 6 small tomatos, peeled, seeded and quartered


    * 8 cloves garlic, minced


    * 20 leaves fresh basil


    * 1 bunch fresh parsley, stems trimmed off


    * 8 sprigs fresh thyme


    * freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Put eggplant and zucchini in 2 separate strainers and toss each with 1 tablespoon of salt. Allow to drain for 30 minutes. Blot with paper towels to dry.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-low heat in a large skillet. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 15 minutes, then transfer to a bowl and set aside. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to same skillet, increase heat to medium-high, add eggplant, and sauté until golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer eggplant to a large heavy pot with a cover and spoon a layer of onions on top. Add 2 tablespoons oil and zucchini to skillet and sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to pot and cover with a layer of onions. Add 1 tablespoon oil and peppers to skillet and sauté until edges turn brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to pot and cover with a layer of onions.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to skillet, add tomatoes, garlic and basil, lightly crushing tomatoes and cook until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Transfer to pot, add remaining onions, parsley and thyme and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Simmer, partially covered, over low heat, gently stirring occasionally, for an hour and a half. Adjust seasonings, then cook about 30 minutes more.

While I love steak, it’s nice to explore other foods as well. This recipe is a twist of a Spicy Green Beans and Tofu recipe I discovered on the web. For some reason I decided to try the spices together with Egg Plant and Tofu and loved the result.

Spicy Egg Plan with Baked Tofu and Mushrooms

1/4 cup clarified butter or vegetable oil 
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 
2 small green peppers, (such as jalapeno or serrano), stems and seeds removed, minced 
2 teaspoons turmeric powder 
2 teaspoons ground cumin 
1/8 teaspoon cayenne 
1 Egg Plant - cubed
1/2 pound Mushrooms - sliced
1/4 cup water 
1 1/2 teaspoons salt 
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/3 cup cubed baked tofu (baked Tofu can be found a Trader Joe’s)

Cut the Egg Plant in cubes and soak in salted water for about 30 Minutes - then thoroughly dry the cubes.

In a large saute pan, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic slivers, peppers, turmeric, cumin, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until the garlic begins to turn golden, about 2 minutes. Add the egg plant, sliced mushrooms, baked tofu, water, salt, and stir well. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the egg plant is tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the sesame seeds and cook uncovered, stirring, until toasted, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat and adjust seasoning, to taste. Serve hot.

It must be Wednesday as I am thinking of what recipe to put up. I am trying to stay seasonal so tomatoes are out and I have some great recipes using the tomatoes that friends gave me in the fall. You will have to wait on them.

One of my favorite ways to prepare chicken seems like a great option, and here measures aren’t really important. Here is what you will need

Chicken Breasts
Olive Oil
Butter
Flour
Salt
Fresh Rosemary
1/4 cup Orange Juice or Lemon

Cut the chicken breasts into fingers. I like about 1/4 inch slices
In a small dish or bowl mix the flour with a pinch of salt and pepper. Even better, place the flour mixture into a plastic bag - this will be like shake and bake when we were kids. Place the Chicken Fingers into the bag and shake until the chicken is coated with the mixture.
In a skillet melt about a little butter combined with Olive Oil
Once it is hot place the chicken into the skillet and cook through - about 2 - 4 minutes a side. Once well browned add the rosemary and deglaze the pan with the orange juice or the juice of one lemon. The juice will thicken with the chicken fingers. 

Serve - either over a potato, or with a salad. You will be surprised how easy this is as well as how tasty

Enjoy

 Brussels Sprout Salad Recipe

This month I wish to share a recipe for Brussels Sprouts - call me crazy but I am one of the few people that actually like Brussels Sprouts and I like to try and sneak it into dinner when I have company. Before they know what they are eating they usually comment on how good they are. This is a simple recipe for raw Brussels Sprouts - shredded and finished (I like the way waiters talk in fancy restaurants) with hazelnuts, a sharp aged cheese and a light dressing of olive oil and fresh lemon juice. For this salad only use very fresh bright green Brussels Sprouts.

1 1/2 pound brussels sprouts, freshest you can find

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1/3 cup fresh chives, minced

2-3 big pinches of salt

1 1/3 cups hazelnuts (also known as Filberts), smashed just a bit and toasted

2 ounces hard, salty, aged cheese, shaved (pecorino, dry aged jack, Parmesan, etc)

Shred the brussels sprouts with a mandolin or a knife. Shortly before serving place the shredded sprouts in a salad bowl and toss gently with olive oil, lemon juice, thyme, chives, salt and hazelnuts. Season to taste but keep in mind the cheese will add a salty element to the salad. Add cheese and toss.

Serves 4.

What is Quinoa?

I discovered Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) while in Peru and found it is a great substitute for Rice. I love rice, it is just nice to have an alternative. Quinoa is very high in protein which contains a balanced set of essential amino acids making it an unusually complete source of protein. I is a good source of dietary fiber, phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is also gluten free.

I tried this recipe below and was really astonished at how much I enjoyed it. I hope you will give it a try.

1 cup organic 1% low fat milk, or you may substitute soy milk
1 cup water
1 cup organic quinoa, (hs note: rinse quinoa)
2 cups fresh fruit - I use whatever is local and seasonal
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted*
4 teaspoons organic agave nectar (this is similar to honey and quite good)

Combine milk, water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat; let stand covered 5 minutes. Stir in fruit and cinnamon; transfer to four bowls and top with pecans. Drizzle 1 teaspoon agave nectar over each serving.

Serves 4.

*While the quinoa cooks, roast the pecans in a 350F degree toaster oven for 5 to 6 minutes or in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes.

This is one of my favorite recipes, and it is so easy too.

Get one Chicken, clean it out and cut it in half. I use my Kitchen Shears, but I am a bachelor and can do things like that.

I then drizzle oil over the chicken and season it with Salt, Pepper and either Tarragon or Thyme.

Broil under high for 20 minutes each side - it will come out with the skin well cooked.

Let it rest and I serve it with Brown Rice and a Salad.

Do not throw away the drippings in your pan, you can deglaze the pan then save the drippings, once it cools just remove the fat from the top. I will use these drippings in future recipes.