Thursday, September 30, 2010
Huevos Rancheros
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Lime Tart with Blackberries
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, cut into pieces
Whisk the eggs, sugar and lime juice together in a saucepan until well blended. Cook over medium low heat- stirring constantly- until the mixture thickens into a custard. I was on medium-low heat for 7-8 minutes. I would recommend you start on low, if it takes much longer, gradually increase the heat until it starts to thicken.
Remove the curd from the heat and strained it into a large glass bowl to remove any clumps. Add the butter, let set for a minute until softened and then whisk until smooth. Cover it with plastic wrap so that it is laying directly on top of the lime curd and refrigerate for 3-4 hours. (Can be made the day ahead.)
I decided to roll with a simple graham cracker crust, reminiscent of a key lime pie. It might not be quite as elegant as a pastry crust but I love the contrasting crispy-crumbly texture with the smooth and creamy curd.
Graham Cracker Crust:
1 and 1/2 sleeves of Graham Crackers (I used low fat)
1/4 cup of brown sugar
2/3 of a stick of unsalted butter- melted in the microwave
Break the graham crackers by hand into the food processor and then pulse until they are broken down into even crumbs. Then add the brown sugar and melted butter, pulsing until evenly incorporated. (It should clump together like wet sand when you pinch it.) Spread the crumbs into a 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom (sprayed lightly with non stick spray) and then press into the bottom and up the sides using a metal measuring cup.
Bake the crust at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly golden brown. As soon as you can smell it toasting, its done.
I let the crust rest until just before my dinner guest were to arrive. I then filled it with the lime curd and arranged fresh blackberries over the top. I started with a ring around the outside of the tart and then worked inward, creating concentric circles. (Bon Appetit adds a heap of blueberries in the center as well as a jam glaze for some additional wow factor.)
I stored the tart in the fridge until it was ready to serve. I then removed the tart from the pan (pushing the bottom up and over the edges) and sliced into 8 generous pieces. Hint: Use a very large knife so that you can simply press down to cut versus dragging a knife through the tart. It keeps the filling and berries in place for a cleaner presentation.)
This was the perfect light (kind of) and fresh ending to my dinner menu of Oven Barbeque Shrimp and Grits with Baked Jalepeno Cheddar Grits.
*As I was just linking back to this recipe posted last summer- I saw that I served a Fresh Berry and Lemon Curd trifle with it! Honest to goodness, I'd forgotten. I can say again that it works very well wtih this menu- the freshness and tang of the citrus and berries cuts through the richness of the meal.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
My Favorite Guacamole
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Roast Chicken with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Sauteed Kale
Friday, September 10, 2010
Summer Tomato Bruschetta
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Chicken and Eggplant Parmesan with Roasted Tomato Marinara
I shallow fried the eggplant and chicken in a large skillet over medium high heat. (Nonstick or cast iron would be ideal.) I learned from my good friend Guy (who makes the best eggplant parm I've ever had) that working with thin slices of eggplant (and using very little sauce until its time to serve) prevents the dish from getting soggy. It works like a charm! I used just enough oil to completely cover the bottom of the pan. I used roughly half and half, olive and vegetable oil. Olive oil for flavor, vegetable oil to keep the olive oil from burning.
I coated each slice of eggplant first with flour, second with egg, lastly with breadcrumbs. I then pan fried them for about 2 minutes per side until they were golden brown. Between batches I would set them on a stack of paper towels to drain off any excess oil. (I had to add some additional oil between batches. ) I fried the eggplant in three batches and my oil was looking a little funky by the end so I tossed it and wiped the pan clean, and started fresh with new oil for the chicken. I prepared the chicken in the same way (flour, egg, breadcrumbs) and cooked it for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown.
I used two medium sized baking dishes (9x9ish). In the first, I layered eggplant in the bottom, spooned just a few tablespoons of sauce over the top and scattered a few slices of mozzarella. I then layered more eggplant, repeating with more sauce and cheese. I cut the chicken breasts in half and arranged them in the other baking dish, topping with a few (scant) spoonfuls of sauce and then slices of mozzarella. (I made everything through this step a few hours in advance of my company arriving -it makes a mess and frying can be a smokey ordeal. I then baked everything off just before serving.)
I finished the dishes in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or so until the cheese was melted and everything was heated through. Meanwhile, I prepared a package of whole wheat bow tie pasta and reheated the marinara sauce. I tossed approximately half a cup of sauce with the cooked pasta and served everything family style with lots of extra sauce and freshly grated parmesan cheese on the side. Add to the equation a simple green salad and lots of red wine, and you have yourself a pretty fantastic Soprano's style feast.