TK dinner ~ September 2014

Little sign written by our 9 year old before she left on her date for the evening.

And then people started arriving and we started serving.

First up were these little bites of Phyllo filled with goat cheese, herbs and fresh strawberries.

Confession - these made an appearance because I had leftover cheese mixture from the mushrooms (below) AND,  since I was already making a GIANT mess with Phyllo dough (Good God what a mess) I decided I might as well make those cute little cups - and then fill them with stuff. (that all makes sense right?)

Next out went roasted mushrooms served with the same goat cheese concoction garnished with fresh chives. 

Carrot soup with curry and coconut milk and the cutest little carrot curls.

Then Plum, Radicchio salad with a lemon mustard vinaigrette 

(Is it just me? Every time I use the word vinaigrette I have to google how to spell it? .....sigh.....)

Main course for the evening was good ol' fashioned steak and potatoes.

Flank steak with a spicy Chimichurri sauce and thin slices of red onion.

Steak was served with Roasted potatoes done with cumin, coriander, caraway seeds and cinnamon.

And a little plate of fresh radishes and baby turnips served with more chimichurri sauce.

Finally it is time for dessert!

Lemon meringue Phyllo plates.

These were served with brownie bites (I had a friend attending who demanded something chocolate - I will refrain from naming her here on the world wide web) 

And spiced molasses cookies.

Whew.

Thank YOU to elizabeth d photography for some of the photos above!

Until next time!

caramel sauce

In the photo above, there are several jars of Pear jam which I will get too shortly. But that jar on the bottom left? BEST Caramel Sauce EVER. My favorite recipe to use. The one I always have in the refrigerator. The sauce that is served with apples, and pears, and cookies, and cakes, and sometimes enjoyed with a spoon, secretly, when no-one is looking (not so much of a secret anymore is it?) 

What else can I tell you about this? I feel caramel sauce - as is the case with many other things but especially my favorite caramel sauce - is a matter of practice, and may take a couple of attempts. As you are cooking it, it will seem like it's taking forever. Then all of a sudden you start seeing that gorgeous amber color and you're all excited. Then within the next nano-second you smell it burning. And then it's a mad dash to get the heavy cream (carefully) in there and calm things down. But then that cream bubbles up like a creature out of Star Trek and you're wondering why you didn't just purchase the cute little jar at the grocery with the gingham checked lid.

Does it still smell like it's burning? You probably burnt it. And the family is going to ask "why does it taste like it's burnt?" And then they may refuse to eat it. And then you're going to toss the entire thing in the trash. And then a few days later you're going to try again and it's going to be perfect. Moral to this little peek into my first few attempts? Practice. It is completely worth the effort and expense to make your own caramel sauce. There will be no turning back after you do this. And the fresh vanilla beans that will require an entire week's paycheck? Just do it.

Here's how.

YOU WILL NEED:

2 cups of sugar

1/2 cup water

1 vanilla bean - split - seeds scraped 

1 cup of heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon good salt - preferably fleur de sel

TO DO:

Sugar into a large saucepan - pour the water around it.

Add the vanilla bean and seeds and cook over medium high heat.

Stir only until the sugar is dissolved.

Continue to cook without stirring until you get a deep amber color.

Should only be 7 to 8 minutes.

Swirl the pan occasionally to even out the color (cooking).

Remove from the heat and add the heavy cream.

Let the bubbling calm down.

It might look like one big glob of weirdness at this point.

It's okay.

Return to the stove and cook over medium heat stirring constantly.

That big glob will go away.

Cook until smooth.

Remove from heat.

Discard the vanilla bean.

Stir in the fleur de sel.

Let cool.

Sneak as many tastes as you can before anyone gets home.

OR...serve over this pear cake

Here's a link to the cake above (click here for Gateau de Poire)

note:

there is a post-it in my recipe binder that says this caramel sauce was found in an old issue of Epicurious magazine...okay...good luck if you go searching for it :-)

gateau de Poire

It's that time of year again. Pears! Four cases of these beauties! (yikes)

Actually it feels a touch early to me this year. I thought I usually started this madness in late August - but maybe I am just not remembering correctly. 
The whole 'Pear, Peach, whatever fruit' episodes come about because I have a friend, who has a mother, who works at a job where she gets tons of stone fruit. Every year we are the lucky recipients of whatever she is able to throw our way. Right now it's all about pears and I have been in a frenzy in the kitchen trying to use them up. I've decided to avoid canning this year 
(i know...dumb...) 
(And especially dumb since we all know I will eventually be canning!)
But right now it's been all about cakes and jams.
Here's the favorite so far.

Gateau de Poire - Pear Cake.

I love this cake. 

Maybe because it's not too sweet? Maybe because of that to-die-for that crispy outside edge? Maybe because it's actually pretty quick to make and requires no fancy shmancy ingredients? Or maybe because the fruit choices are somewhat interchangeable depending on what is flooding my kitchen? Whatever it is, I hope you try this one. 

And grab your springform pan.

YOU WILL NEED:

12 tablespoons butter - divided.

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour.

6 firm pears.

1 cup + 2 tablespoons of sugar.

1 tsp baking powder.

1/2 teaspoon salt.

1 lemon - zest and juice.

3 large eggs.

TO DO:

Peel, core and chop 4 of the pears. I like big chunks.

In your stand mixer - place the flour, baking powder, salt and 1 cup of the sugar.

Zest the lemon into this mixture and give it a light stir.

Set aside.

In a large skillet melt 2 tablespoons of the butter.

To this pan add the chopped pears + juice from half of the lemon + the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.

Medium to medium high heat.

Give it all a good stir and cook about 15 minutes - until the pears have softened but are still firm and until there is almost no liquid left in the pan.

Stir frequently to make sure the guys on the bottom don't get too crispy.

While the pears are cooking, melt the remaining 10 tablespoons of butter and let cool slightly.

Prep your spring form pan. Either butter and flour the inside really well - or use a nonstick spray.

Oven to 350 - middle rack.

Peel and slice the remaining 2 pears.

You need these to make the top all pretty (this is also totally optional)

I only wanted the pieces that were about the same length and pretty for decorating. The pieces from the sides that are too small, I chopped these in half and threw them in with the pears on the stove (no waste)

Use the last half of your lemon over the tops of these pears and give them all a rub - just make sure they are all coated with lemon juice. This helps to keep the fruit from turning yellow/brown ick.

Set aside.

Back to the stand mixer - give all that stuff a good mix. 

Add the eggs. 

Mix well.

Add the melted butter.

Mix just until most is incorporated.

There may be a little butter floating around the edge and that is fine.

Finish mixing the batter by hand.

Time to assemble the cake!

Scoop the cooked pears into your prepared pan.

Pour the batter over the top.

Level it out as best you can.

Arrange your pear slices all around the top.

Skinniest parts of the sliced pears need to be in the center.

Wide part of the pears on the outside edge.

Into the oven this goes for 35 minutes.

Check the center with a toothpick - a little crumb sticking to the toothpick is a good thing.

Remove and let cool for a couple hours IN the springform pan.

Serve with salted caramel sauce (recipe up soon)

Enjoy!

Lemon Meringue Phyllo plates

My lemon induced cooking spree continues. But I am almost out of this last batch of curd so there will be a break soon.

Honestly, Phyllo dough is one of my least favorite things to work with in the kitchen. Phyllo sheets everywhere - butter drippings everywhere - a fine layer of sugar dust everywhere. It's all a bit bothersome. 
But these little plates get such rave reviews I have to occasionally suck it up and make them for my guests. And then of course, all memory of my earlier angst is gone as everyone is gobbling up dessert and smiling so lovingly at me for providing such a wonderful little treat.


Anyway, try these. They are lovely to look at and even lovelier on the tongue.

I think I originally saw this in a magazine somewhere. I cannot remember which one or how long ago. But this is my variation of what I do remember.


YOU WILL NEED:

3 sheets phyllo dough
1 or 2 sticks of butter - melted
a brush for brushing the sheets with the melted butter
about 1/2 cup of sugar
1 jar lemon curd (recipe to follow)


For the MERINGUE:
3 egg whites - at room temperature
2 tablespoons sugar
pinch of cream of tartar


LEMON CURD:
zest from 3 lemons
juice from 4 lemons (should have almost 1 cup)
2 sticks butter 
1 1/2 cups sugar (i prefer superfine sugar but the regular works also)
4 large eggs
4 teaspoons cornstarch


MAKE THE CURD FIRST.
Preferably a day ahead to ensure it sets and firms up.

note: you can also use a store bought curd. It will be just fine.


LEMON CURD:
Combine butter, lemon juice and the cornstarch in a pan. 
Cook on medium heat until the butter is melted - occasionally whisk the mixture to make sure the cornstarch gets cooked in. 
In a separate bowl blend the eggs and sugar thoroughly. 
Temper the egg mixture with about a cup of the butter mixture.
Slowly pour in the rest of the butter mixture while whisking the entire time (check out my posting on Lemon Curd filled cookies - better explanation there)
Return the entire mixture to the pan and cook on medium low heat about 10 minutes - stirring almost constantly. 
Mixture will thicken.
Strain into an airtight bowl and store in the refrigerator until needed.


THE PHYLLO SHEET PLATES:


oven to 375


On a large work surface lay your first sheet of Phyllo. 
Brush with butter working from the center out to the edges - this seems to be the best way for me to NOT rip the thing to shreds! 
Lay a second sheet of Phyllo on top of the first and repeat with the butter brushing but then sprinkle a fine layer of sugar all over the top. 
Then lay your third sheet on top of these and repeat with the butter and sugar. 

Carefully slice the sheets into squares - about 3 inches wide/square. 
Carefully arrange these little squares onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. 
Bake about 6 minutes at 375 or until tops are golden brown. 
Let cool completely.

note: make sure to trim your parchment paper so it lays completely flat in the tray - otherwise the phyllo pieces around the edges get a little crazy curve on them which I found to be most annoying.


MERINGUE:
Egg whites into the bowl of a standing mixer. 
Mix until foamy and starting to turn white - add the pinch of cream of tartar - mix another minute or so - then slowly pour in the sugar. 
Mix until firm peaks.


Set your oven to broil.

Carefully spread about a tablespoon of lemon curd on top of each phyllo square - then add about a tablespoon of the meringue to the tops of this. 
Every square on your sheet should have lemon curd and meringue. 
Back into the oven under the broiler just until the tops of your meringue are browned. 
Once out make little stacks of two then serve.