Caramelized Onion Potato Tart

 

This is one of those recipes with a few humble ingredients that combined together, form an intense blast of flavor that you'll find hard to resist. How can you go wrong when caramelized onions meet potatoes and gruyere cheese? Place those on top of puff pastry and you've got a winner - whether you serve it as an appetizer (watch it disappear in a flash) or as the main part of your meal.

The hardest part of this recipe is caramelizing the onions. Actually, it's not hard. It's just time-consuming. It takes about 1/2 hour of slow cooking to achieve this golden goodness. Your house will smell divine. I always posit that realtors would be advised to tell house sellers to forget baking cookies when prospective buyers are expected - cook some onions instead. 

Use store-purchased puff pastry and you'll be done in a flash. Smear the mixture of heavy cream, seasonings and some of the gruyere cheese over the pastry.

Arrange slices of the cooked potatoes on top of the mixture.

The caramelized onions come next.

Then the gruyere and parmesan cheeses.

Bake it for 25-30 minutes and dig in. The recipe makes enough for 16 appetizer-size slices.

Or for four-five servings as a main course. A salad on the side helps complete the meal and cuts down on the richness of the tart. 

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Caramelized Onion Potato Tart

Adapted from Food And Wine magazine

Ingredients:

• 1 pound medium-size (about 4 ounces each) Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/8-inch slices (I used about a dozen small potatoes since that's all I had on hand, and they worked fine.)

• 2 tablespoons, plus 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

• 2 tablespoons water

• 1 frozen puff pastry sheet (from 1 [17.3-ounce] package), thawed

• All-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 6 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups), divided

• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

• Black pepper

• Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in lower third position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place potatoes and 2 tablespoons of the salt in a large saucepan; add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high; reduce heat to medium, and cook, undisturbed, until potatoes can be pierced using tip of a knife but are still firm, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain well; let stand until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.

2. Return saucepan to medium heat; add oil, and heat until shimmering. Stir in onion and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften and brown around edges, about 18 minutes. Uncover and increase heat to medium-high; stir in  water, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of saucepan. Cook 2 minutes, stirring often, until onion is browned and caramelized. Let stand until cool, about 5 minutes.
   

3. Roll puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface to a 14- x 12-inch rectangle. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bring up the edges all around the perimeter, about 1/2" to form a border. Prick pastry all over using a fork.

4. Stir together cream, thyme, Dijon mustard, nutmeg, and 1 cup of the Gruyère in a medium bowl until combined. Spread cheese mixture in an even layer inside scored border of pastry. Arrange potato slices in overlapping layers over cheese mixture inside border; top evenly with caramelized onions. Top with remaining 1/2 cup Gruyère and parmesan cheese.
   

5. Bake in preheated oven until pastry is puffed and deep golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack, and let cool 5 minutes. Garnish with black pepper and additional thyme. Slice into 16 (3 1/4- x 3-inch) pieces; serve warm or at room temperature.

Candied Upside-Down Blood Orange Cake

 

I've made upside-down cakes plenty of times, including one using blood oranges that I posted years ago here.  They are all visually stunning, and are usually made in round pans. This one however, from Southern Living Magazine, was made in a 9" square pan (I increased the amounts in the recipe and baked it in a larger, rectangular pan seen in the above photo.) The design was different too, since you cut the oranges in half and "stack" them, rather than overlap whole slices in a circle. But what was most different to me were the oranges were cooked in a sugar syrup first, mitigating any bitter taste from the rind. 

They become more like candied oranges -- which redeemed the cake for me. I say redeemed because even though we ate the cake (well, we devoured what was left over from my book group meeting), it had a drawback that I find with all upside-down cakes, namely the texture. If you're starting my scratch, they rarely, if ever, have a really tender crumb, no matter what fruit you're using. Correction -- the exception is  an upside-down pear walnut cake I made that has a very tender crumb. But the plain white (or yellowish) cakes seem to get denser and heavier as each day goes by. I can just hear Paul Hollywood declare in his British accent, "It's a bit stodgy." 

Despite its texture, this cake has tons of flavor, but maybe my hesitation isn't inspiring you to make this cake. In truth, I really hope you do make it. But if you've had this same feeling about upside-down cakes you've baked (or if yours aren't stodgy at all), I'd love to hear from you with the definitive upside-down cake recipe. 

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Candied Upside-Down Blood Orange Cake

(from Southern Living Magazine)

Ingredients

2 1/2 c. granulated sugar, divided

2 medium blood oranges

baking spray

2 large eggs, room temperature

3/4 cup sour cream, room temperature

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

3/4 t. grated blood orange zest

4 T. fresh orange juice

2 T. neutral oil (canola or vegetable oil)

2 t. vanilla extract

2 c. cake flour

2 1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. kosher salt

Instructions:

Combine 2 cups water and 2 cups sugar in a wide saucepan, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, trim and cut blood oranges crosswise into 14-16 slices (about 1/4 inch thick), using a serrated knife. Add oranges to boiling sugar mixture. Reduce heat to low. Gently simmer, turning occasionally, until slices start to turn translucent, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer slices to a wire rack, placed over a rimmed baking sheet. Reserve syrup in saucepan. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9" baking pan with baking spray.

Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until browned and nutty in aroma, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer butter to a large heatproof bowl. Let cool 10 minutes.

Whisk eggs, brown sugar, sour cream, orange zest and juice, oil, vanilla and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar into browned butter until combined. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Gradually whisk flour mixture into egg mixture until combined.

Cut candied orange slices in half. Arrange in prepared pan as desired, trimming to fit. Reserve any remaining slices for another use. Spread batter evenly over slices, using a small spatula. Gently tap pan on counter a few times to get rid of any large air bubbles.

Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove cake from oven. Prick all over with a fork. Brush cake with 1/4 cup reserved syrup. Let cake cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Invert cake onto a serving plate. Generously brush cake with 1/4 cup reserved syrup. Save any remaining syrup for another use. Serve cake warm or at room temperature. 

Spinach Gruyere Soufflé

Occasionally, I pick up the free magazine at my local grocery store (McCaffrey's, which is great, by the way) and there are one or two recipes that speak to me. This was one of them, since I had a piece of gruyere cheese in the fridge and a box of spinach in the freezer - two ingredients that would also make a fine quiche, but I didn't want to make a crust or use heavy cream. Besides, it had been an age or two since I last made a soufflé and it was a cold Sunday when I felt like creating something in my kitchen. I altered the recipe since it used the gruyere only on the buttered inside of the bowl, and I wanted the gruyere to be tasted inside the soufflé itself. So I sprinkled parmesan on the inside instead, and mixed in the gruyere with the actual egg/bechamel mixture. 

Making a soufflé is easier than most people think, requiring only careful folding of the beaten egg whites to achieve success. You could use a 6-cup soufflé dish for this recipe but I opted to use a smaller dish, and place a buttered parchment paper collar around the perimeter. It allows the soufflé to rise above the dish, making for a much more dramatic presentation. 

It was divine - so full of flavor, maybe also due to simmering a bay leaf, cloves and onion with the hot milk, so don't skip that part. It was light as a cloud, but heavy enough to fill our stomachs (along with a side salad.) I hope you give it a try. 

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Spinach Gruyere Soufflé

Ingredients

butter to grease the soufflé dish (and collar if using)

grated parmesan cheese to sprinkle on the greased soufflé dish 

1 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded

1 10-ounce box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess water

2 1/2 cups milk

1/4 large onion

1 large bay leaf

2 whole cloves

7 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

6 large eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

Grease a 5 cup soufflé dish with butter, then sprinkle with the parmesan cheese. Take a piece of parchment paper large enough to fit around the perimeter of the soufflé dish (folding as necessary), and butter that as well, then attach it to the upper part of the dish, tieing with a string. If you don't want to do this, use a larger soufflé dish, but the smaller one with the collar makes a more impressive presentation.

Let the spinach thaw completely, then squeeze out as much water as possible. Mince with a knife.

Simmer the milk gently over low heat for 10 minutes, with the onion, bay leaf and cloves. Remove the seasonings with a slotted spoon.

Make the bechamel by melting the butter, then whisk in the flour, cooking for a couple of minutes. Slowly add the hot milk, whisking until smooth. Let it cool slightly (I placed the pot into a bowl with ice to speed the process.) Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Separate the eggs and beat the egg whites until stiff. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, to the bechamel mixture, then stir in the spinach and the Gruyere cheese.

Fold the beaten egg whites to the spinach/cheese mixture, but not all at once. Start by folding in 1/4 of the mixture, then continue until everything is blended. Don't overmix though, or you'll deflate all those egg whites and your soufflé won't rise well.

Place soufflé on a pan (in case of drippings) and bake for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Check it after 30 minutes, and lower temperature again to 325 degrees to prevent excess browning. Bake for another 10 minutes and serve immediately.

Chocolate Covered Ricotta Zuccotto

 

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and here's your chance to wow any sweetheart with an easy dessert - no baking involved. Just buy a Pandoro - it's like panettone but without the candied fruit -- and is ubiquitous in stores at Christmas time. If you didn't stash an extra one in your pantry during December, or can't find one where you live, you can substitute another type of store-bought cake. Just make sure it has enough density to hold up to the ricotta filling.

I lined a colander with plastic wrap but if you have a round bowl, use that instead. Then slice the pandoro and fit it into the perimeter of the container, squishing in pieces where there may be a gap. I make a simple syrup and add some orange liqueur (optional) then drizzle it all around the cake. Otherwise, I think the cake can be dry. Besides, it adds more flavor.

After you've mixed the ricotta with the chopped chocolate and sugar, spread some of it into the center, over the bottom of the cake (that becomes the top once flipped over). Add another layer of cake and sprinkle with more simple syrup. 

Use the remaining ricotta filling, then finish with another layer of cake, and more simple syrup over it all. Cover with plastic wrap and leave it in the refrigerator overnight.

Flip it over the next day, and drizzle the chocolate glaze on top before serving. 

Decorate with orange peel and serve. Happy Valentine's Day

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Chocolate Covered Ricotta Zuccotto

1 pandoro cake

1 lb. ricotta cheese, drained overnight

2/3 cup confectioner's sugar

2/3 cup dark chocolate, cut into bits (or use chocolate chips)

grated zest of one orange

For the Simple Syrup:

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons orange liqueur

Bring the water and sugar to a boil until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add the orange liqueur.

Assembly:

Line a colander or medium-size round bowl with plastic wrap. Cut slices of the pandoro, about 1/2-3/4 inch thick. Arrange slices around the perimeter of the bowl. Swipe with some of the simple syrup. Mix the ricotta, sugar, chocolate and orange zest. Place some of the ricotta mixture in the center of the bowl, then add another layer of the pandoro, and swipe with more simple syrup. Add the rest of the ricotta, and finish with another layer of the cake, and more simple syrup over everything. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight. The next day before serving, flip the cake over, remove the plastic wrap and spread the chocolate glaze on top (see below recipe), decorating with some orange strips, or candied orange peel. 

For the topping:

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped finely

Mix all the ingredients together in a small saucepan (except the 2 ounces of chocolate), whisking over medium heat until it begins to boil. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate until it melts into the sauce. Wait a couple of hours for the sauce to thicken before using on the zuccotto. Put it in the refrigerator or place the pan in a pot of ice  to speed up the process.

Spread topping all over the zuccotto, and decorate with orange peel. 

Chicken with mushrooms and peppers

How about a quick, easy and healthy dish for dinner? It starts with chicken "tenders." I thought I was buying larger pieces of boneless, skinless chicken but when I unwrapped the package, there they were -- "smallish" pieces of chicken. I knew they'd cook quickly, and I'd need to give them a flavor boost to avoid a bland dish. So I rubbed on a little olive oil, seasoned them generously, and gave them a quick saute on high heat.

I removed them from the pan before they were cooked through, then cooked the vegetables and added the chicken back, with some stock and a little cornstarch to thicken.

Sit down to a delicious dinner in a half hour start to finish.

 

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Chicken With Mushrooms And Peppers

1 lb. chicken "tenders"

2 tablespoons olive oil to coat the chicken

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt (I make my own in the summer with dried homegrown herbs and sea salt)

dash of black pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

2 more tablespoons olive oil to saute the chicken and vegetables

1 red pepper, sliced thinly

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup sliced onions

1 large garlic clove

1/4 cup chicken stock

1 teaspoon cornstarch

parsley, minced (to garnish)

Smear the olive oil over the chicken pieces, then sprinkle with the seasonings. Saute the pieces on high heat in olive oil until lightly browned. Remove chicken pieces and add vegetables and garlic to the pan, cooking on medium heat until softened. Mix the chicken stock with the cornstarch. Add the chicken back to the pan and pour in the chicken stock/cornstarch mixture. If too thick, add a little more stock or water. Mix everything together until coated. Sprinkle with minced parsley. Serve over rice or noodles, if desired.

Earl Grey Tea Shortbread Cookies

On my recent trip to Paris earlier this month, I made a return visit to the Marais neighborhood branch of Le Mariage Frères. To call it a tea shop would be like calling Hermès simply a scarf shop. Yes, they sell tea, and scarves, respectively, but there is so much more to discover, including lunch and desserts, at Le Mariage Frères. I wrote about the store nearly fifteen years ago, and you can find that post here. The tea selection is dizzyingly extensive, and this time I stayed with a familiar name, albeit one with a slight twist. 

If you're a tea drinker, you know about Earl Grey tea, flavored with bergamot, a citrus grown almost exclusively in Calabria, Italy. But Earl Grey French Blue tea adds petals of blue cornflower, adding a colorfully, sweet note. I brought some home with me and set about looking for another way to use the tea leaves, other than just making a cup of tea.

I found the perfect solution in a recipe from the New York Times for Earl Grey shortbread cookies. They were simple to make in the food processor, and so deliciously addictive, I'll have to banish them to the freezer to keep myself from binging on too many (actually, my husband is willing to do his part to reduce the amount of cookies on hand).

Once you've mixed them in the food processor, place the dough on some plastic wrap and squeeze/roll it into a log about 12 inches long. Place it in the refrigerator for at least 1/2 hour, to make it easier to slice.

Slice into discs about 1/3 inch in thickness and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Remove from the oven after about 10-11 minutes and place on a cooling rack.

The edges and bottoms should be slightly tan but not too browned.

They're a delicate but sturdy cookie, making them ideal for gift giving.

That is, if you can keep from eating them all.

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Earl Grey Tea Shortbread Cookies

New York Times recipe (except for my addition of orange zest)

makes about 40 cookies

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons loose Earl Grey tea leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup (2 sticks) room temperature butter

grated rind of one orange 

Directions

1. In a food processor, pulse together the flour, tea, and salt, until the tea is just spotted throughout the flour. Add the confectioners' sugar, vanilla, butter and orange zest. Pulse together just until a dough is formed. Place dough on a sheet of plastic wrap, and roll into a log, about 2 1/2-inches in diameter. Tightly twist each end of wrap, and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3. Slice the log into 1/3-inch thick disks. Place on parchment or silpat lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart (2 probably needed depending on size of sheets). Bake until the edges are just brown, about 10-11 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks and cool to room temperature.