Asparagus & Ricotta Tart

It's finally spring, and the first of the tender asparagus are in (from California!).

I love when I get a purplish bunch with tight ends, like I bought at the produce market last weekend (I swear I did not photoshop the color, that is really what they looked like!).

This is probably the easiest of all savory tarts, and would be a great addition to your Easter brunch menu.

The lemon zest is what makes this different from other asparagus tarts. It imparts a wonderful flavor with the asparagus & ricotta.



I used leftover roasted asparagus from the night before so I didn't have to do much to get this together for lunch.

Asparagus & Ricotta Tart: (makes one rectangular tart, or 4 individual ones)

Defrosted frozen puff pastry sheet

1 large bunch of asparagus, steamed for 3 minutes (or leftover from the night before!)
1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 medium egg
1 cup skim milk ricotta cheese
zest of a whole lemon
salt and pepper

Roll out your puff pastry sheet to either fit a tart pan, or you can just lay it free form on a baking sheet.

Mix the ricotta cheese w/ egg, zest, cheese, salt & pepper.

Spread in the center of the prepared puff pastry and lay cooked asparagus spears on top. You can cut them to fit the individual tarts, or if you are making the rectangular tart, keep them whole.

Bake at 425F for 12-15 minutes.



Best eaten right away.

Passover Seder

Last night was the first night of Passover.

The seder is the dinner where we all gather 'round and read the story of Passover, how Moses freed the slaves from Egypt.
We eat unleavened bread (matzoh), and other symbolic dishes on this important holiday.

Last night was the first seder, and my friend Deborah always hosts the first night. 30+ people, Jews and gentiles alike. Neighbors, friends and family. All are welcome to this celebration.



She moves her furniture out of the living room and sets up a big horseshoe table, and everyone participates in the readings, and everyone eats. (click here for last year's seder).



My job is always to bring the haroset, the fruit and nut spread that symbolizes the mortar that the slaves used to hold the bricks together.

Sounds appetizing, doesn't it?
I promise, it is. It's delicious. I make it with dates, nuts, apples and sweet wine. Click here for the recipe.



Some highlights....there was too much food to mention (or photograph!)

The BEST brisket.....recipe to follow



The tallest person always has to adjust the lighting (that would be my husband)



Matzoh Ball Soup



Gefilte fish



I also bring the macaroons. They are always a crowd pleaser.



This year for some reason, they came out flat! I think it was because I used all natural coconut, the kind that is dried and organic, instead of the usual bag of sweetened coconut flakes that I usually use. Also maybe because I baked them on a rainy day? I know sometimes humidity has something to do with bad baking results.



They were ugly, but still tasted good.

Happy Passover!

Ligurian Style: Trofie w/ Pesto, Potatoes & Green Beans

This is one of my favorite pastas. I crave it.

This is a popular dish in Genoa in the Ligurian region of Italy, where pesto is king.
I use my best Ligurian olive oil to make it authentic, and fresh trofie pasta from Italy from my Italian grocer.

Potatoes, green beans and pasta sound like a strange combination, but I promise you, once you make this, you will crave it too.

You can peel the potatoes, but I leave the skins on because I am lazy.
If you don't have homemade pesto in the freezer from last summer, then it's fine to use a store bought brand.

Pasta w/ Pesto, Potatoes & Green Beans:

1/2 lb. trofie shaped pasta (use gemelli if you can't find trofie)
1/4-1/2 cup of basil pesto (for my recipe, click here)
1/4 cup of pasta water (don't forget to save it before draining the pasta!)
8 small new potatoes, quartered and cubed (peeled or not)
1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed and sliced in half on the diagonal

In a saucepan, boil your potato cubes for approx 9 minutes.
To the same pot, add the green beans and cook another 5 minutes with the potatoes.
(check to make sure the potatoes are fork tender).



Drain the beans and potatoes and add to a large bowl.

Boil the pasta as per directions and drain, saving 1/4 cup of the pasta water.

Add pasta to the bowl with the vegetables.

Add pesto and thin with the pasta water to achieve a nice consistency.
Serve immediately.



I have been known to add peas to this dish too, but I don't think that is authentic!

Enjoy!

Raspberry Clafoutis

I would not consider this baking, it's too easy.

It takes 10 minutes to throw the ingredients together and just pop it in the oven. It's that simple.

Remember I made a cherry clafoutis last summer when cherries were in season?
That is the traditional way, and the French leave the pits in. Ouch. (supposed to taste better).

What is a clafoutis anyway? (pronounced CLA-FOO-TEE)
It's a lovely French recipe for a crepe like batter that is poured over fruit (usually stone fruit), and voila, a beautiful warm, eggy dessert appears after 30 minutes in the oven.

This raspberry version from the March issue of Food & Wine looked like a winner.

and it was!

Raspberry Clafoutis:

1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar, + 2 tablespoons
3 eggs
3 tbsp melted unsalted butter
zest of a lemon
1/4 cup milk, + 2 tablespoons
1 pint raspberries (original recipe calls for 3 cups! there would be no room for that many berries)
confectioners sugar for dusting



Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter a 9-inch gratin dish.

In a bowl, whisk the flour, sugar and a pinch of salt. Whisk in the eggs, butter and lemon zest until smooth. Add the milk and whisk until light and very smooth, about 3 minutes.

Pour the batter into the gratin dish and top with the raspberries.



Bake for about 30 minutes, until the clafoutis is set and golden.



Let cool slightly. Dust with confectioners' sugar, cut into wedges and serve.

This would also be great to serve as part of an Easter brunch menu. You can make the batter the night before and bake it on Sunday a.m.

Spring Fling: Risotto w/ Wild Salmon & Asparagus

Though asparagus is available all year long (usually from Peru), spring is really the season when it tastes best.
It starts showing up at farm stands in NJ in late April, and I can't get enough of it.
Produce just tastes better when it is in the season and locally grown.

Wild King salmon is the same deal.
It has a very short season here, and is pricey.
It's denser and drier than Atlantic salmon and is perfect in this recipe.

Risotto is a whole 'nother story.
It's a big pain in the butt.
I never understood the fascination with it.

It's rice. with a lot of liquid. it's creamy.

You have to stand over it and add hot stock, cup by cup, and keep stirring.
Don't answer the phone and make sure you have all of your ingredients out and ready to go.
Mise en place.

Some tips:

I have made this with wild mushrooms (cremini, shitake, oyster), but this time I used plain old white mushrooms, and they were just fine.

Regarding the rice: use a good Italian short grained Arborio rice, it will turn out lovely, and hopefully, not mushy.

Peas are also a lovely addition to this dish, and always remind me of spring.

So, let's think SPRING and maybe it will happen. Soon.

Risotto w/ Wild Salmon, Asparagus, Mushrooms & Peas: Serves 6

12 oz. of Wild King Salmon, skin removed and cut into small dice
3 shallots, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
4 cups of hot chicken broth/stock
1 1/2 cups of Arborio rice
1 lb. wild mushrooms, sliced
1 lb. thin asparagus, woody stems trimmed, and cut on the bias into 1" pieces
1/2 cup frozen peas, defrosted
salt & pepper
1/3 cup good white wine (optional)



You will need 2 pans.
A small skillet for the mushrooms and asparagus and a large saute pan for the risotto.

In the small skillet, heat olive oil and saute mushroom slices and asparagus pieces on high for 5 minutes. Set aside.

In the other larger saute pan, heat olive oil and butter and cook shallots for 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir until well coated with oil. Reduce heat to low.



Add 1 cup of hot stock and stir briefly. Allow risotto to cook until the stock is absorbed by the rice before adding another cup of stock.



Once the liquid is absorbed, add your second cup of stock and continue to stir. Repeat this step 2 more times, 1 cup at a time, until all the stock is absorbed by the rice, about 20 minutes.



The rice will be creamy and look like rice pudding, but should not be mushy.

Now add your salmon cubes and cook for about a minute.



Add your defrosted peas, asparagus & mushrooms.
Don't feel the need to overcook the salmon, I promise it will cook in a minute with the heat of the rice.

Season well with salt and pepper and finish with 1/3 cup of good white wine (I use a Pinot Grigio).

Garnish with parsley and serve immediately in shallow bowls.

Leftover Love: Cuban Sandwich

I don't think I have ever made such good use from the $7. pork loin and leftover roasted potatoes.

Today's lunch made from last night's leftovers, ranks in the top 3 lunches I have ever made.

I was inspired by Bobby Flay after watching his "throwdown" with a Cuban chef from Jersey City, Nick Vazquez. They competed and made Cubano Grande sandwiches.

Of course the Cuban guy won, how could he not?
He roasted a gorgeous whole pork shoulder that he marinated overnight in garlic and citrus and whatever, then roasted it in the oven for 6 hours with a salt crust. Oy.

Vazquez likes kosher dill pickles, Gruyere cheese and Virginia ham.
He used mayo, while Bobby used aioli (homemade garlic mayonnaise).

However you make it, as long as you have the basics, this sandwich is a win/win situation.

I didn't have the long rolls, but the Italian panella worked out just great.

I actually made my own aioli without the egg yolk from Jim Lahy's book MY BREAD.
It was very good, but did not come out the consistency I would've liked. It should've been thicker, instead it was more of a salad dressing emulsion. Next time I will listen to my friend Noel, and use the yolk.

Cuban Sandwich made by me:

Good French bread rolls, or panella Italian bread
Roast pork (leftover from last night)
Ham (I used prosciutto, you can use Virginia ham, or deli ham)
Garlic aioli for spreading on the bread
kosher dill pickles, sliced thin
Gruyere cheese sliced thin

Layer all ingredients on the bread and spread with aioli.



Press down in a panini press or grill pan with heavy lid. Flip over and cook until all components are melted together.

WOWIE.

Oh yeah, and here is the potato salad recipe that I made with the leftover potatoes from last night.

While the potatoes are still warm, toss them with a tablespoon of French grainy mustard, a little olive oil and 1 tbsp of white balsamic dressing.
Sprinkle w/ fresh parsley and refrigerate overnight.



This was the perfect accompaniment to the Cuban sandwiches.

Whoever thought leftovers could be so good?

Easy as Roast Pork

Here is yet another way to make the other white meat.

This pork will come out succulent and delicious. If you can find the pork on the bone, even better.

It's the fennel and rosemary that make the crust of the pork so delicious, so don't think about skipping these key ingredients.

Another Good Recipe for Roast Pork Loin:

2 lb. pork loin
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp fresh rosemary
1 tbsp fennel seeds
kosher salt & pepper
1 onion, sliced
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
any vegetable you like (brussels sprouts, potatoes or carrots are a good choice)

Make a paste out of 3 cloves of garlic and 1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary. Chop and mash it together until it becomes a paste. Add a tablespoon of fennel seeds to the paste.



Season your pork loin with lots of kosher salt & pepper and sear on all sides in a heavy Dutch oven until its forming a nice crust, about 3 minutes per side.

Turn off the stove and add the herb paste to the top of the pork loin with a spoon so you don't burn yourself.
Add the sliced onion to the pan and the white wine and chicken stock.



Add the potatoes and other vegetables on top of the onion and around the pork loin.
Drizzle all with olive oil and season the vegetables with kosher salt and pepper.

Bake uncovered in a 350F oven for about 40 minutes. I use a meat thermometer and when it reaches 155-160F, I take it out and let it rest about 8 minutes until the juices redistribute.



Slice and place on a platter with the cooked vegetables.
Add your gorgeous pan sauce to the meat.

Easy as 1,2,3.

Southwestern Salad w/ Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

I love the Southwest, and this salad reminds of its flavors.

This is an easy salad that you can layer in a glass trifle bowl if you have one, or line up the ingredients in a row, like I did.

The cilantro lime vinaigrette is drizzled on at the end.

We loved this dressing, and I will be using it for other salads during the warmer months ahead.

No rules to this salad, I used what I had on hand.

Southwestern Salad:

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 bag of frozen corn, defrosted
1 red onion, chopped
1 lb. cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 heads Romaine lettuce, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced

You can use different beans or other colored peppers, green onions are also a good idea.

Using the biggest platter that you have, line up salad ingredients in rows or mix all together in a large salad bowl.



Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette: (adapted from Eating Well)

1 cup packed cilantro
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
zest of a lime
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Pinch of minced garlic (I used half of a clove)

Puree cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, orange juice, salt, pepper and garlic in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and toss just before serving.



Enjoy!

What's for Dinner? Red Snapper Livornese

I told you that I would be back in the kitchen today.

Here is a simple, weeknight dinner that takes no time at all.

Red snapper filets looked good at the fish market, and I decided I hadn't had a Livornese sauce in forever.

Livornese, has nothing to do with liver. It is a sauce rich with tomatoes, olives and capers and comes from a fishing town in Italy called Livorno!

This peasant sauce can be used on anything really, but I have always seen it paired with snapper.

Usually red snapper is sold by the pound as a whole fish, with the head and tail still on, so you will have to pay for the weight of the whole fish, before your fish monger beheads and filets him for you.
Kind of a waste, but what are you going to do?

I would recommend using a non-stick skillet for this dish, even though I don't like them as a rule.
I happen to have a commercial grade large non-stick pan for omelets and fish, otherwise these pans should never be used for searing or everyday cooking.

Red Snapper Livornese: (from memory from an Italian joint above a pool hall called Giusseppe's in Orange, NJ.....long gone) Serves 2

2 Red Snapper filets
1 14 oz. can of Italian cherry tomatoes (chopped tomatoes are fine too)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 onion, sliced thin
handful of kalamata olives, chopped
handful of capers
1/2 cup of white wine
kosher salt & pepper

Score a few X marks on the skin side of the filets and season your fish with kosher salt & pepper.



In a large heavy nonstick skillet, heat some olive oil.
Cook the fish skin side down for 5 minutes. Skin will be nice and crispy.



Carefully flip fish over with a fish spatula and cook for another 3 minutes or so and transfer to a platter. Tent with foil to keep warm.

In the same pan, add another tablespoon of olive oil and cook your garlic and onion until softening, about 3 minutes.

Add the can of tomatoes w/ juice, white wine, olives and capers.
Simmer this mixture for about 5 minutes, breaking up the tomatoes, until it is forming a nice sauce.



Spoon sauce over fish filets and garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.
Great served over couscous or rice.

Enjoy!