french onion soup

My dear friend "C" embraces life so, when the reminder for supper club came out and labeled the theme as Tyler Florence, Napa inspired, rustic, localvore and a sparkly NYE redux I giggled but, was not surprised.   Most of us in the group spent NYE in our pajamas with greasy pizza, kids and eyes closed before midnight.  And when I say midnight I mean the east coast midnight even though we are southern California girls.  Pathetic but, that is our reality.  In order to not let an opportunity to sparkle pass us by "C" encouraged us to dress in cocktail attire.  This group loves them some glitter and some good food.  Cocktail hour started with a woo woo cocktail, artichoke fritters and crostini.  Tyler Florence can really throw down some vodka, butter, oil and down right yumminess.

The table was localvore inspired with fresh artichokes, oranges and succulents from the farmers market.  Very rustic, local, and beautiful.  Each place setting had a quote from Tyler which started with "family is the people you spend a great deal of time with, care for and trust...a two-way street".  The quote was perfection for this group as I know in my heart I could call any of them at any time and they would be there for me.  They feel like family and even though we could have spent the evening munching on the amazing osso buco over creamy polenta with serious and deep conversation we choose to talk about completely ridiculous things like if you could be any celebrity who would you be.  Love the family of friends I have choose in life.

I made the french onion soup which was good but, I would increase the onion a bit, decrease the broth a bit and let the soup sit and cool a bit to let the flavors meld a bit more.  It definitely tasted better when I reheated it to serve at the house.  French onion soup is a bit rustic and comforting yet decadent and delicious in one little bowl of love.

french onion soup
adapted: tyler florence

1/2 cup unsalted butter
4 large onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 fresh thyme sprigs
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup red wine
3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
1.5 -2 quarts beef broth
1 baguette, sliced
8 ounces grated gruyere


Directions

Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25-30 minutes.

Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5-10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.

Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn't burn, and cook for 8-10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls, top each with 2 slices of bread and top with cheese. Put the bowls into the oven under broiler to toast the bread and melt the cheese.

dobos torte

The theme of supper club this month was your heritage.  How fun is that?  My dad's side of the family is Hungarian.  Many of the recipes my grandmother was known for were Hungarian.  My father recently passed along to me  a Hungarian cookbook my grandmother got from church. This little book is such  family treasure.  I sat down and read it cover to cover using my laptop to google ingredients and recipes along the way.  There were so many things I had never heard of so, I could not get a visual or flavor profile.  I attempted a coffee cake from it for Carter's birthday.  To say it was a lot of work is an understatement.  Dessert was my contribution for this round of supper club.  When googling Hungarian dessert the cake that most often comes back is the dobos torte.  There was a recipe for it in my grandmother's book but, there were many ingredients that I was not sure on and it had measurements like a block, a good amount and well when you are making and tasting something for the first time (at least in my kitchen) you need more guidance.  After making this cake I am questioning if any Hungarian cooking skills were passed down to me.  I really love Hungarian food but, it is not easy to make.

Here is what I learned ...

When making this cake make sure you have an extra dozen eggs on hand.  My first attempt at this cake was a flop.  I put all of the batter in an 12x17 sheet pan and it did not cook evenly.  

Soak your cake batter pan immediately.  The yolk mixture turns to a spackle that is very hard to get off.

The caramel layer in my opinion did not add anything.  I burnt the caramel which may have been the issue.  When you burn caramel in your pot add hot water and bring to a boil and the hardened mess will loosen up.

Use good chocolate for the frosting as it is the flavor you will taste. 

Google is rad.  If you ever try to make this google the dobos torte and read a few recipes as it was challenging

This cake is really very very good.  Not only is it beautiful looking but, it tastes really good.  The layers are light and spongy and have a custard flavor.  The frosting is not overly sweet there is a good cake to frosting ratio.

Loving supper club and all of my cool girlfriends who sit around the table with me on those nights.  Cheers to our Irish, German, Hungarian and Russian meal.

dobos torte

source: smitten kitchen

Cake layers:
7 large eggs, separated
3 large egg yolks
1 pound (3 1/2 cups or 455 grams) confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for dusting racks
3/4 cup (94 grams or 3 1/3 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Frosting:
1/2 pound (8 ounces or 227 grams) semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 pound (2 sticks or 226 grams) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Caramel layer (optional)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon water

Prepare two 13x9 cake rimmed sheets.  Please note you can use various cake pans depending on the shape and or amount of layers you want to achieve. Line the bottom of each with a sheet of fitted parchment paper, and coat with a butter-flour spray.  

Preheat oven to 450°F and place a rack in the center of your oven. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat 10 egg yolks for a few minutes at high speed, until pale and lemon-colored. Reduce speed and gradually add sugar, then increase the speed and beat the yolks and sugar until thick and glossy. Scrape bowl occasionally with rubber spatula. Reduce speed again and gradually add flour; increase speed mix for 5 minutes more, then mix in lemon juice. Scrape bowl again with a rubber spatula. In a separate bowl with cleaned beaters, beat the 7 egg whites with a whisk attachment until they hold stiff peaks. Stir a few heaping spoonfuls of the whites into the egg yolk mixture to loosen it, before folding in the rest of the whites in three additions. The batter will transform from a dry paste to a spreadable, foamy batter.

Spread your batter in prepared pans. Use a cup or a scale to evenly measure the batter between the two pans.  Bake each pan for 5 minutes, or until golden with some dark brown spots. Thicker layers may take up to 2 additional minutes. When layer is baked, remove it from the oven and flip it out onto a cooling rack that has been dusted with a small amount of confectioners’ sugar. Carefully, gently remove parchment paper then flip cake back onto another lightly dusted cooling rack to finish cooling. It’s best to cool the layers right side up; the tops are the stickiest part.  Repeat with remaining layers. Layers will cool very quickly. Trim edges of cake, if needed, to make even shapes or divide larger rectangular pans accordingly.

Melt chocolate until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter until soft and smooth, scraping frequently. Add vanilla and 3 egg yolks. Add sugar and cooled chocolate, beating until thoroughly mixed and scraping as needed.

Place four strips of parchment or waxed paper around the outer edges of your cake plate. Place first cake layer on plate and spread chocolate on top and to edges with an offset spatula. I used my tablespoon cookie scoop and used 2 scoops per layer.  Repeat with remaining layers (or all layers except one, if you’d like to do a decorative caramel layer), stacking cake as evenly as possible. Once fully stacked and filled, you can trim the edges so that they’re even.

Spread chocolate on outside of cake in a thin coat, just to cover and adhere the crumbs to the cake. Place cake in fridge for 30 minutes (or freezer for 5 minutes) to set the chocolate. Spread chocolate more thickly and smoothly to make a final exterior coat of frosting. Remove paper strips.

Lightly grease a sheet of parchment paper. Place last cake layer on this sheet. Use a cookie cutter of your choice, cut desired decorative pieces and set aside. Combine the sugar and water in a small, heavy saucepan and swirl it until the sugar melts and begins to turn a pale amber color. Quickly and carefully, pour this (you’ll have a bit of extra) over the prepared cake layer and spread it evenly with an offset spatula. Leave in place, then cool completely. Arrange caramel pieces over cake.  Chill cake until needed.

oven roasted kalua pig

Hawaii is a happy place for me.  When planning vacation I often feel like Hawaii is a cop out.  A cop out only because it is a guaranteed good time.  You know exactly what you are getting when you go there.  Amazing weather, beautiful beaches, relaxation, happy people, money and a language you understand, healthy fresh food, intoxicating smells ... and drinks.  All of that is awesome and sometimes you need a vacation where you are not getting thrown an adventurous curve ball every day.  No family vacation this summer.  We are doing the staycation.  Fun but, I want to get on a plane and wear a lei around my neck.  It was my turn to host supper club this month so, I did what any girl stuck at home would do and brought a Hawaiian night here.  We had a luau supper club which we had amazing weather for and had fruity cocktails in the backyard with crab won tons and tuna poke.  Hawaiian margaritas resulted in lots of happy girls and language that was very loud and less easy to understand as the night progressed.  We were on vacation!  Those drinks and calories don't count right? Dinner was kalua pig one of my most favorite island meals.  With the pig we had coconut mango rice and cabbage slaw followed by pineapple upside down cake.  Another wonderful night filled with good food and good friends.  So happy to realize how easy it is to make kalua pig.  I am definitely bringing Hawaii home more often.  Aloha.

 

oven roasted kalua pig

source: bon appetite

1 5 pound boneless pork butt roast
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Hawaiian alaea sea salt 

3 frozen banana leaves, thawed and washed
6 cups water, divided
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke

Preheat oven to 350°F. Using small sharp knife, cut 1/4-inch-deep slits 1 inch apart all over pork roast. Rub 2 tablespoons sea salt all over pork. Unfold 1 banana leaf on work surface and place pork roast atop leaf. Fold up leaf around pork, enclosing completely. Repeat wrapping pork in remaining 2 banana leaves, 1 at a time.

Tie with kitchen string to secure, then wrap roast in foil. Place pork in roasting pan; pour 4 cups water into pan. 

Roast pork in oven until very tender when pierced with fork, about 5 hours. Monitor the roasting pan to see if more water needs to be added.  Unwrap pork and cool slightly. Shred pork and place in large bowl. Bring remaining 2 cups water and remaining 2 teaspoons salt to boil in small saucepan. Add liquid smoke; pour over pork and stir to blend. Let stand 10 minutes to allow liquid to flavor pork. Serve.

french martini

I have not posted all week.  It has been one of those weeks.  I am so glad it is Friday.  I should be posting some amazingly yummy and adorable patriotic sweet treat but, I am not.  Instead I give you something that is not even American.  I promise I love this country.  I promise you I will be out celebrating this weekend.  The fourth of July is my favorite holiday.  Because it has been a craptastic week I give you this non-American amazing martini.  When 5:00 hits I will have one of these in hand.  I will relax and be completely prepared to tie one on this weekend.  A happy and safe holiday to all.   Is it 5:00 yet?

french martini

adapted: barefoot contessa

    * 2 ounces fresh pineapple juice
    * 2 ounces GOOD cold vodka (kettle one or grey goose)
    * 12 ounce chambord

yields: two amazing martinis

Combine the ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Fill a martini glass with ice and pour the cocktail over the ice.

couer a la creme with raspberry sauce

Couer a la creme.  Did you take French?  Do you know what that mean?  Until last week I had not a clue.  That is what supper club is for.  To learn and try new things in the kitchen.  Couer a la creme translates to heart of cream.  It is a combination of cream cheese and cream that drains and thickens over night.  You get the taste of cheesecake with only 1 1/2 blocks of cream cheese rather then 4 blocks and no baking.  The results of this dessert looks and tastes like you worked much harder then you actually did.  Impressive and delicious.  This would be perfect for Valentine's Day or adjusted for a savory flavor in the fall.  I am already thinking about a pumpkin sauce.  If you don't have a couer a la creme dish you can use a seven inch sieve.  I am glad I took a picture of it before I left the house because by the time we ate the dessert I am not entirely certain my focusing skills were top notch.  Thanks Ina you have made entertaining elegant, tasty and simple.

couer a la creme with raspberry sauce
source: barefoot contessa

12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
Raspberry and Grand Marnier Sauce, recipe follows
2 half-pints fresh raspberries


Place the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the beater and bowl with a rubber spatula and change the beater for the whisk attachment. With the mixer off, add the heavy cream, vanilla, lemon zest, and vanilla bean paste.  Start the mixer on low until ingredients are incorporated.  Bring the mixer up to high speed and beat until the mixture is very thick, like whipped cream.

Line a 7-inch coeur a la creme dish with fine cheesecloth so the ends drape over the sides and suspend it over a bowl, making sure that there is space between the bottom of the dish and the bottom of the bowl for the liquid to drain. Pour the cream mixture into the cheesecloth, fold the ends over the top, and refrigerate overnight.


To serve, discard the liquid, unmold the cream onto a plate, and drizzle Raspberry and Grand Marnier Sauce around the base. Serve with raspberries and extra sauce.


raspberry sauce:


1/2 of a  half-pint fresh raspberries
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur


Place raspberries, sugar, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 4 minutes. Pour the cooked raspberries, the jam, and orange liqueur into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until smooth. Chill.

palmiers

Supper club theme this month was Ina.  I love Ina so, I was totally stoked for this meal.  I love Ina so much that I am going to do a week of Barefoot Contessa here on my blog. I have made quite a few things from her lately.   The meal did not disappoint.  We had shrimp, baked fontina, butternut squash salad, zucchini gratin, beef bourguignon, palmiers, and coeur a la creme.  There were so many recipes I had never tasted before and they were all over the top good.  We got to celebrate the new home of our hostess and good friendships.  After writing out the menu and considering how much I ate and drank that night it is a surprise that I could hoist myself over a 7 foot wrought iron fence at midnight.  Yep that's right.  That is how this girl ends a special evening with crystal and china.  Jumping a fence.  Waking up the next morning with bruises on my leg and my biggest concern being did I rip my new red j brand skinny jeans in the jump!  Will I ever grow up?  I hope not.


On to these palmiers.  I was really excited to make these.  Growing up when we went to a bakery these were the cookies I would pick.  I always wanted the elephant ears because they were one of the biggest cookies in the display case and they tasted awesome.  I always thought they would be difficult to make but, seriously they take 5-10 minutes prep and once you have the folding technique down you are home free.  I love that you can customize these with different sweet and savory flavors.  I can't wait to explore some savory versions.  Now how easy is that?

palmiers

source: barefoot contessa

2 cups granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

2 sheets puff pastry, defrosted (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Combine the sugar and kosher salt. Pour 1 cup of the sugar/salt mixture on a flat surface such as wooden board or marble. Unfold a sheet of puff pastry onto the sugar and pour 1/2 cup of the sugar mixture on top, spreading it evenly on the puff pastry. This is not about sprinkling, it's about an even covering of sugar. With a rolling pin, roll the dough until it's 13 by 13-inches square and the sugar is pressed into the puff pastry on top and bottom. 

Fold the sides of the square towards the center so they go halfway to the middle. Fold them again so the two folds meet exactly at the middle of the dough. Then fold 1 half over the other half as though closing a book. You will have 6 layers. Slice the dough into 3/8-inch slices and place the slices, cut side up, on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. 

Place the second sheet of pastry on the sugared board, sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar mixture, and continue as above. (There will be quite a bit of sugar left over on the board.) 

Slice and arrange on baking sheets lined with parchment.

Bake the cookies for 6 minutes until caramelized and brown on the bottom, then turn with a spatula and bake another 3 to 5 minutes, until caramelized on the other side. Transfer to a baking rack to cool.

fava bean and goat cheese dip

Is a fava bean worth the double peel and shuck?  I wasn't sure when I decided to make a fava bean based appetizer for supper club this month.  Fava beans require a lot of work.  The labor intensive peel, shuck, parboil and pop out of pod is the kind of work that seems like a mindless Sunday afternoon activity that includes sitting on the porch watching you kids play in the sunshine while sipping sweet tea. Unfortunately I don't have a porch and we don't have sunshine so, I did this in my kitchen watching my kids peering out the glass doors leading into the backyard frowning at the gray sky and rain clouds.  The bright green color of the fava bean pushes you into spring even if the sky is gray.  The bean has a buttery and nutty taste and pairs nice with other spring flavors such as garlic and lemon.  Not only do they taste good but, they are packed with nutritious things like fiber, iron and protein.  This creamy dip tastes great spread on a crostini or on crunchy fresh vegetables.  I also spread some on sprouted bread with a poached egg for dinner the next day and it was delicious.  This was a great start to our Easter feast supper club meal.  It was another fun and tasty night with amazing friends and I can't think of a better way to jump into spring.

fava bean and goat cheese dip

• 2 pounds fresh fava beans, shelled (~2 cups)
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice (~1 lemon)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Remove the outer shell from the fava beans.

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the shelled beans, simmer for 5 minutes. Remove beans from the hot water and place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and to shock the beans into maintaining their bright green color. When the beans have sunk to the bottom of the bowl of ice water, take them out and remove the outer pod.

Place garlic, beans, lemon zest, lemon juice and water in a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Stream in a tablespoon of olive oil while puréeing.

Transfer mixture from food processor into a bowl. Mix in the goat cheese until well combined. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

queso de cabra al horno

Spanish supper club.  Think sangria, empanadas, paella, potatoes, mushrooms, almond cake and more and more sangria.  My neighbor Erin hosted this month and as expected she made the night so special and her decor was over the top.  She has this amazing ability to truly transform a room into the theme of the evening.  She sent us some links to spanish tapas menus and I originally thought I wanted to do a dish with manchengo and serrano ham but, then when I saw this bubbling, gooey goat cheese mound surrounded by tomatoes I was hooked.  This appetizer is so easy to throw together and really is delicious.  I am a sucker for melted cheese and crusty bread.  Tapas are my type of meal because I love lots of bites of little dishes.  Everything was really good and some how the meal came together perfectly again.   The sangria got us a bit rowdy and of course the conversation got crazy and loud. We had some really exciting things to celebrate and it was so fun to be with this group of friends.  They all really embrace life.   I am fairly certain we may have traumatized Erin's kids and husband with our silly antics and banter.  I walked home well after 2:00 in the morning with Erin laughing and chasing me down the street ... fairly certain that is a sign of way too much fun had.

queso de cabra al horno (baked goat cheese)

1 tablespoon chopped garlic (~2-3 cloves)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 lbs crushed ripe tomatoes (canned)
1 tablespoon dried italian seasoning
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
8 oz goat cheese, room temperature
fresh parsley for garnish

crusty baguette (warmed and slice) 

In a medium sauce pan, over low heat, saute the garlic in olive oil. Add the sherry vinegar and the crushed tomatoes.
Bring the tomato mixture to a simmer and add the sugar and dried italian seasoning.
Simmer the tomato sauce about 5 minutes and season it with the salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Form the goat’s cheese into an even sized disk shape.  Put the disk of cheese in the center of souffle dish.
Spoon the sauce around the disk of cheese careful not to cover the cheese.
Bake at 425 degrees (~25-30) until the sauce is bubbling hot and the goat’s cheese in browned and softened.  Last 10 minutes warm bread in oven.
Serve with sliced crusty baguettes or your favorite dipping bread. 

* Can warm bread with olive oil and garlic. 

 

savory bacon and kale bread pudding

The supper club theme this month was Victorian Christmas.  Yep think about that for a minute.  Still don't know what to make of that.  Google it and you will come up with delightful menus filled with oysters, mutton, goose, smelt and plum pudding.  Nothing coming back in my google search for a side dish was screaming make me make me.  I found a menu in a back issue of food and wine for a modern Victorian Christmas ... jackpot!  The sides were brussel sprouts (yum), tomato and goat cheese gratin and a kale bread pudding.  Kale has been intriguing me lately as I learn to cook it.  I had fresh kale from my farm fresh delivery so, kale bread pudding it was.  I needed to do a bit more research and I found a savory kale bread pudding by the beloved Tartine bakery in San Francisco.  Mention of Tartine and San Francisco and I was sold not to mention this version had bacon in it as well.  I think we all hesitantly prepared our dishes and came not expecting much from the menu.  Honestly I think secretly we were all just hoping it wasn't gross.  Boy was I shocked ... the menu was elegant, decadent, amazing and could be served for any holiday and the guests would have been impressed.  We had pomegranate martinis, fresh oysters, brie en croute, roast, yorkshire pudding, brussel sprout gratin, bread pudding and a berry and white chocolate trifle.  Seriously delicious.  We sat down to this elegant meal after a martini or two.  We devoured the meal, drank wine, recalled our top three Christmas memories and some where things went a new direction.  We sat down as proper ladies and left the table crazy girls headed to create a dance party in costumes.  I am still unclear how things moved this direction.  What I do know is this.  I wore a leather dress and a tiara.  I danced on the hostesses coffee table.  I took silly pictures.  I had a great time.  I love my supper club.  Cheers to the Victorian Christmas!

savory bacon and kale bread pudding

adapted: tartine

12 oz day old country or french bread
One leek, white portion thinly sliced
4 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 1/2 cups cream
pinch nutmeg
pinch cayenne pepper
pinch smoked paprika
4 strips bacon
Fresh thyme, chopped
1 bunch kale; chopped
1 1/2 cups Gruyere (divided)

Freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the bread into 1 1/2 inch cubes.  

In a cast iron skillet, cook bacon until lightly crispy. Set aside. Using 2 tablespoons of remaining bacon grease, saute leek until soft, about 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside when done, reserving the skillet (no need to wash).

In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs and salt until well blended. Add the milk and cream and whisk to combine. Then add the nutmeg, pepper, cayenne and paprika. When well mixed, add the bread, bacon, thyme, kale, leeks and 1 cup cheese. Mix well and pour back into the skillet (Note: if you don’t have a skillet use a greased baking dish, instead). The custard should come up to the top but not cover the highest pieces of bread.

Top the pudding evenly with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and lightly pepper. Bake about 1 hour, or until custard is set. Serve pudding hot or at room temperature.

yigandes me spanaki

Opah!  Opah in Greek is a declaration of celebration or joy.  Supper club was Greek theme this month and after my work week and knowing the ladies I would be spending the evening with I was running to dinner and screaming opah down the street as I left my house.  I love my kids but, mama needed some ouzo.  I counted on the company being good but, I had no idea how amazing the meal would be.  Everything from the ouzo heavy greek goddess martinis to the sweat and nutty baklava was down right delicious.  I had a side dish.  I wanted to stretch the bounds a bit and try a traditional greek side.  I love the combination of spinach, leeks and feta so, I was drawn to this recipe.  Many of the side included yigandes beans which are basically a large lima bean.  The fact that this incorporated the bean as well intrigued me.  My box this week happened to include spinach, leeks and tomatoes which was nice to be able to include farm fresh ingredients.  The side dish was good and definitely had the greek flavors.  Next time I will up the spinach slightly and possibly another tomato for a bit more liquid.  The recipe said 1 hour and 30 minutes cook time but, after an hour it was done and possibly a bit too dry.

yigandes me spanaki: 
spinach, bean and feta casserole

adapted: about.com

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of fresh spinach (or16oz frozen chopped spinach)
• 1/2 pound of yigandes beans
• 1 leek, just the white stalk; finely chopped
• 1 bunch of green onions; finely chopped
• 1/2 bunch of fresh dill, thick stems removed, finely chopped
• 6 oz of feta cheese; crumbled
• 2 large ripe tomatoes; seeded, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 1/2 cup of dried bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoons of sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

* Soak the beans in a large bowl of water overnight. The next day, drain and transfer to a large soup pot. Cover with cold water (at least 3 times as much water as beans) and bring to a boil over high heat. When a full boil is reached, reduce heat and cook at a slow boil for 1 hour. Transfer to a colander to drain and set aside.

* Clean spinach well, trim roots, and discard any damaged leaves. Chop coarsely and put in a large bowl or plastic tub. (If using frozen defrost and let drain in a colander).

* Taking one handful of spinach at a time, squeeze gently but firmly over the sink to remove most excess liquid, and place spinach in a colander. When all the spinach has been squeezed, toss with salt and set aside to drain. 

* Preheat oven to 340°F.  Oil an medium roasting or baking pan (with 2 1/2 inch sides).

* In a large bowl or plastic tub, combine spinach, onions, leeks, dill, and 1/2 the feta cheese. 

* Distribute 1/2 the spinach mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Add the beans to make an even layer, and place the remaining spinach mixture on top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, then add the chopped tomatoes. Sprinkle with pepper. Pour oil over the top, and finish with an even dusting of bread crumbs. 

* Bake for about 1 hour.

Remove from oven and let sit for 20-30 minutes before serving. This dish is generally served warm or at room temperature.

peach cream cheese tart

Nantucket table was the theme of supper club this month.  I have never been to Nantucket but, I grew up in Connecticut so, I had an idea of the fresh summer flavors that would need to be captured in my dessert.  A trip to the local farmers market produced a large bag of peaches.  I let them ripen on the counter in the sun all week and the result was fragrant, sweet, juicy peaches.  The smell reminded me of warm summer days running around the neighborhood in shorts with tan skin and a ponytail in my hair.  Stopping the summer play only to bite into a peach and just letting the juice run down your face.  I love raw peaches but, I have an aversion to cooked fruit.  This started in my childhood and has grown worse as I have gotten older.  The jelled mixture clinging to the fruit just is a texture I can't get past.  The aversion stretches out to pies, jelly, yogurt with fruit the list goes on and on.  One point of the supper club is to learn new cooking techniques and try new things so ... I decided I would push myself and make a cooked fruit dessert.  I like that there was a base of lemon zest crust and cream cheese.  It was a good thick, sweet, tangy base.  I chilled the dough overnight and then let it warm up for about 20 minutes on the counter before rolling it out.  It appeared like it was going to be hard to roll but, once I started the process the dough got loose very quickly so you have to move fast.  The fact that I have no air conditioning and our house is 80 degrees inside probably did not help.  The peaches even with the apricot jelly glaze were not overly gooey and actually baked into the cream cheese which made them a bit more sturdy rather than a pie filling consistency.  There are several steps to making this dessert but, they are all quite easy and the results are worth it. 
Peach Cream Cheese Tart
Adapted: Pastry Queen

Lemon Zest Tart Crust:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
2/3 cup (11 tbsp) chilled unsalted butter
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chilled heavy whipping cream (more as needed)

Cheese Filling:
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt


Fruit Topping
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
5-6 large peaches, pears, or apples

Glaze
1/2 cup apricot jam
2 tbsp brandy
4 tbsp water


To Make the Tart Crust:
Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the flour, salt, sugar, and lemon zest in a large bowl on low speed about 30 seconds. Cut the chilled butter into 1/2-inch pieces. Add the butter to the flour mixture and combine on low speed about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, until the mixture looks crumbly, with bits of dough the size of dried peas.
Whisk the egg with the cream and add to the flour mixture, mixing on low speed until the dough is just combined. Continue mixing for 10 seconds longer. If the dough is too dry to form a ball, add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time. Gently mold the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Roll the dough out to 1/8-inch thickness on a generously floured flat surface. Fold it over the rolling pin and gently transfer the dough to a 10-inch tart pan. Press it lightly into place.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
To Make the Filling:
Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl on medium speed until fluffy. Add the mascarpone and vanilla and beat on medium speed until combined. Add the eggs and beat on medium-high for about 1 minute. Add the flour and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the unbaked tart crust.
To Make the Fruit Topping:
In a medium bowl, stir the cinnamon and sugar together until combined. Peel and pit the peaches, or peel and core the apples or pears, and slice all but one of them.  Dice the remaining peach. Coat the sliced fruit in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Arrange slices around the outer edge of the pie.  Coat with the remaining diced pieces in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Spoon the diced fruit into the spaces between the fruit slices so that the cream cheese filling is completely covered.
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes.
To Make the Glaze:
About 10 minutes before the tart is finished baking, stir the apricot jam, brandy, and water together in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Continue heating until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
Remove the tart from the oven and brush the glaze over the top. let cool at least 1 hour before serving. When completely cool, this tart may be tightly covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Serve at room temperature.

brisket with vidalia onion puree

The idea of a supper club has been bouncing around in my head for months.  I just have this crazy passion for food, cooking, entertaining and well ... eating.  I knew I must have some girlfriends out there that share this interest.  I was able to assemble the perfect size group of 7 gals to test out this supper club concept.  We would each made one dish that corresponded to the theme that the hostess picked.  Since I was the instigator I hosted the first supper club and well can you guess what I picked?  Southern comfort!  This club is suppose to push you a bit and get you to try new dishes so, I tackled a brisket which I knew I liked but, always felt a bit overwhelmed by.  The result ... brisket is easy and yummy.  All it takes is time to allow it to cook.  I also learned from my brisket research you want to ask the butcher for the first cut which is the leanest part of the brisket.  I learned a few things and had fun and isn't that what life is all about.  So lucky to have friends that will allow me to indulge in my passions, a good meal and great conversation.

The southern comfort table ... tried to decorate without buying anything so, all items were found in the house.  Feels good to be able to do with less, use what you have and stop my constant urge to buy.

brisket with vidalia onion puree

Source: Bon Appetit Y'all by, Virginia Willis

2 tbsp canola oil
1 (4 lb.) beef brisket (preferably first cut)
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
3 vidalia onions, thickly sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp Hungarian paprika
2 bay leaves
12 oz dark ale/beer
2 cups beef stock

preheat oven to 375.

Heat oil in dutch oven over medium high heat.  Pat the brisket dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Sear the brisket on both sides 8-10 minutes total.  Remove to a plate.

Decrease the heat to medium, add the onions and stir constantly, until they begin to soften and turn color (~7 minutes).  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (~1 minute).  Add the paprika, bay leaves and brisket to the dutch oven.  Add the beer and stock and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Cover and place in oven.  Bake until tender (~2.5 to 3.5 hours).  Note: 40 minutes per pound is a good estimate.

Remove brisket and transfer to a cutting board.  Discard the bay leaves.  In the dutch oven using an immersion blender puree the onions until smooth.  Taste sauce and add salt and pepper to taste.

Slice brisket against the grain and serve with onion sauce.