Peach-Jalapeno Cornbread & Corn Chowder

Mary+ by | Aug 9, 2019 | Uncategorized

When it’s vacation time or if visiting an unfamiliar area, I’m hoping you go all Dora (or, Dick)-the-Explorer. Whether it’s eating, drinking, sightseeing or finding lodging to fit the coins in your pocket, there’s expectation in getting it right. In fact quite often a trip is as successful as the research and planning that go into it.

Since the time I’ve had memories, I’ve been a planner, organizer, list maker, researcher, scheduler, investigator and obnoxiously curious. Which translates into my being a Tourist Extraordinaire. Drop me off anywhere. I will be able to amuse myself. There’s a downside to that, of course, the inability to chill, settle back or hang loose.

During Colorado’s winter months I cede my condo to skiers, escaping to parts unknown. You Readers already know I spend several of those weeks in Paris where, admittedly, I am a woman possessed. For any sane person, tasting, seeing and doing it all in Paris is simply not possible. I’ll just leave it there.

The other eight months I’m in Aspen where we moved in 1988. You want truth? There is so much about my hometown of 31-years I don’t know. This summer I resolved to become a Tourist Extraordinaire here. Although when I visit major international cities I always search out Walking Tours, I’d never joined one of the many offered in Aspen. This summer I’m knocking many of them off.

I walk by our fire station daily, rely on them to keep me safe, but have never popped into the Aspen Volunteer Fire Department Museum which opened in November 2017. The potato chips at the Music Tent’s food stand which are legend? Nope, not even one. Nor, shame on me, have I ever attended a summer opera. Got a ticket for Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro next week. And, on and on.

Now I’m no slacker. I’ve packed my days full over the years with all the many Aspen and High Country opportunities. My point is that everyplace and anyplace, especially your hometown, have more to offer if you look. Again, I’ll just leave it there.

COOK-THE-BOOK-FRIDAYS WITH DORIE

This week our recipe choice from Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook is a savory Fresh-Off-the-Cob Chowder. Being Iowa born-and-bred and considering myself an authority on corn, I will admit to being curious about Dorie’s chowder. It’s delicious. (Note to Self: Never be a Dorie-skeptic.)

A chowder is a type of soup that most often has a creamy base and is chunky in texture. Although this chowder makes the most of fresh corn including the cobs, our season is short. Your taste for this chowder will not be short-lived but you can substitute frozen corn. Vegetarian? This chowder can work for you. Best of all, you can do the work-intensive part of the recipe the day before.

RECIPES:

PEACH-JALAPENO CORNBREAD

Cornbread is perfect with this chowder. Adding 2 peaches and 1/3-1/2 cup chopped jalapeños makes it even more perfect. When fresh peaches are gone, use canned, drained of syrup. If you’re like me, you’ll all about simple. I’m doing simple by using two 8.5 oz. boxed mixes. I prefer Original Jiffy Cornbread mix. Make the mix according to package instructions. Carefully stir in the peeled, sliced peaches and chopped jalapeños. Pour into a buttered 8-cup pan (I used a springform pan). Cook for 45-50 minutes at 400 degrees. Check for doneness and cook longer, if necessary. Cool.

FRESH OFF-THE-COBB CORN CHOWDER by Dorie Greenspan, Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook

Makes about 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

4 large ears corn, husked
2 celery stalks, trimmed and finely chopped
1 large sweet onion, such as Vidalia, finely chopped
1 to 2 garlic cloves, germ removed, and minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
5 cups water AND 1 tablespoon chicken or vegetable bouillon base, or 1 bouillon cube
3⁄4 pound potatoes, peeled, quartered if large, halved if smaller
4 slices bacon
2 tablespoons white wine

1⁄2 cup half-and-half (optional to pour on top when serving soup)
Sprinkle minced fresh herbs, such as chives, parsley and/or basil over soup

DIRECTIONS:

1. Set two large bowls on the counter. Cut the corn kernels off the cobs and put half of the corn in each bowl; reserve the cobs. Divide the celery, onion and garlic between the bowls; cover the second bowl and set aside. (By separating the vegetables and later dividing the potatoes, you’ll get a soup with great textures.)
    
2. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat.
3. When it’s warm, add the vegetables from the first bowl, season with salt and pepper, lower the heat and cook, stirring, just until they soften, about 10 minutes. Toss in the herbs and the reserved cobs. Pour in the water and add the bouillon base or cube. Drop in the
   potatoes.
4. Turn the heat up, bring the liquid to a boil and season with more salt and pepper. Lower the heat, partially cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes until the potato is . Test the potato pierced easily with the tip of knife.

5.Remove from the heat.Using a slotted spoon, scoop half of the potatoes out of the soup and onto a cutting board, and cut them into small cubes. Set them aside for now. Remove and discard the corn cobs, the bay leaf and any stringy or woody herbs you can see.

(YOU CAN MAKE THE SOUP UP TO THIS POINT A DAY AHEAD AND REFRIGERATE IT. )

1. Working in batches if necessary, puree the soup in a blender, food processor, or handheld immersion blender. Whatever you use, try to get the soup as smooth as possible.
2. Rinse out the pot if there’s anything stuck to the bottom, then pour in the puree, cover and bring to a simmer over low heat; keep at a gentle simmer while you cook the bacon and the remaining vegetables.
    
3. Place the bacon strips in a heavy skillet and cook slowly until crisp, turning as needed. Transfer the bacon to a double thickness of paper towels and cover with more paper towels to remove excess fat (leave the fat in the skillet). Cut the bacon into 1⁄2-inch pieces.
    
4. Put the skillet over medium heat and, when the fat is warm, add the vegetables from the second bowl (not the cubed potatoes). Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for about 6 minutes, until barely tender. Pour in the wine, raise the heat and cook until it almost evaporates.
    
5. Add the skillet vegetables, bacon and potato cubes to the soup and cook at a simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until everything is piping hot. Taste for salt and pepper.
    
6. Ladle the chowder into bowls and, if you’d like, drizzle with half-and-half and scatter fresh herbs.

 
STORING:

Leftover soup can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Bring to a boil and then simmer gently for about 10 minutes before serving. Because of the potatoes, the soup will thicken when chilled. If you’d like it thinner after reheating, add water or broth.

TIPS:

The soup lends itself to lots of add-ins and swaps. If you don’t want bacon, sauté the reserved vegetables in a tablespoon of olive oil. If you opt out of the half-and-half but still want something extra, try a drizzle of chive or even chili oil, a little pesto or some grated Parmesan. You can sub small cubes of ham for the bacon or add chunks of cooked shrimp, lobster or thinly sliced raw scallops. The heat of the soup will cook them perfectly.

GOOD, BETTER, (I CHOOSE) BEST

Mary+ by | Aug 2, 2019 | Uncategorized

Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.  Ferris Bueller

GOING for GLORY, IT’S SUMMER:

We’ve sprinted into August. If your past two months haven’t included Joy, Mirth and Gaiety, take these next two months and try again. Go for Glory.

We all expect dumpy days. It’s not that I haven’t escaped my own ‘take a deep breath’ moments lately. When your new, well-considered dermatologist pats you on the shoulder, saying, “We’re going to be seeing a lot of each other,” that’s not good. Who knew Johnson’s Baby Oil, Iodine and Florida State’s sunshiny days were a lethal combo? 

After nine years, Lady Lexus and I parted company. For me, losing that car was traumatic. We shared 155,000 miles of memories together.

These luscious window boxes (below) are no more. Our resident pine squirrels have enjoyed nibbling the flowers. A mini-flash hail storm in mid-July pummeled the foliage. And, a week ago I finally put up my 4th of July decorations. God Bless America.

GLORIOUSLY COOKIN’ UP A STORM with …..

Let’s get back to the Glory theme. Our Cook-the-Book-Fridays group is officially digging into Everyday Dorie, the Way I Cook by  cooking through her 300+ recipes. Since October we’ve posted teasers including My Newest Gougères, Mushroom-Bacon Galette, Green-as-Spring Soup. No one just no one walks you through a recipe like Dorie.

We’ll blog her recipes the second and fourth Fridays every month. Next Friday it’s Fresh-off-the-Cob Chowder and August 22, Shrimp Tacos.  Why not grab your book (your library has one also) and cook along, no blogging required. 

On alternate Fridays I’ll post recipes I’ve adapted from the superstar home cooks I follow on line. There are arguably 31.2 million food bloggers in America but these women who cook/post from their own kitchens, draw a crowd.

Here are four of my favorite food bloggers:

1. Liz Berg, Indianapolis, https://www.thatskinnychickcanbake.com 
2. Deb Perelman, New York City, https://smittenkitchen.com/ 
3. Andrea Mohr, Bonn, Germany,  http://kitchenlioness.blogspot.com/
4. Chris and Scott Scheuer, Asheville, North Carolina, https://thecafesucrefarine.com/ 

Although you’ll learn more about these women as I spotlight their recipes, here’s the Cliff Notes version: 

Liz, Andrea and I met through French Fridays with Dorie, our five-year romp through 350 recipes in the Around My French Table cookbook. Liz and I enjoy a wacky, midwestern Six Degrees of Separation connection.

Nobody does European food markets like the Kitchen Lioness. When I was in Paris, I met Andrea in Antwerp and we did just that. Andrea loves Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipes as do I.

More than any blogger, Chris Scheuer has inspired the most Keepers, those emergency recipes stuck in your back pocket. Quinoa & Black Bean Salad with Lemon-Vinaigrette. Herbes de Provence Pork Tenderloin with Braised Lentils. My Go-To’s.

The hilarious Deb Perelman, with two tots and cookbooks to her credit, rose to foodie fame through her imaginative Smitten Kitchen blog. Here’s her Best Blueberry Muffins recipe. Anyone who competes against Ina, Martha and Jordan Marsh (American department store that ceased operations in 1996) and emerges unscathed with the Crown, I want to know better.  

MARY’S AUGUST SCHEDULE: 

2nd – The Best Blueberry Muffins (Deb)

9th – Off-the-Cob Corn Chowder (Dorie)

16th- Ridiculously Easy Seeded Focaccia Bread (Chris) & Southern Peach Bread (Liz)

23rd-Shrimp Tacos (Dorie)

30th-an Ottelenghi recipe (Andrea)

THE BEST BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

(according to Kitchn’s recent blog contest) by Deb Perelman, the Smitten Kitchen 

(Caveat: No recipe is totally new. Adaptions happen. Ingredients change. Location. Location. Location. (I live at high altitude, 8,000’.) Although this recipe no longer  resembles its humble beginnings at Cook’s Illustrated, Deb credits CI and suggestions from Stella Parks at Serious Eats and Blythe Danner for its success.)

Serving:  9 standard muffins

INGREDIENTS: 

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold is fine

1/2 cup sugar

Finely grated zest from 1/2 a large lemon or all, if small

3/4 cup plain unsweetened sour cream (yogurt, if desired)

1 large egg, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon fine sea or table salt

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour  (I use high altitude flour)

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen (no need to defrost)

3 tablespoons Turbinado sugar (raw sugar) (BUY A BOX if you don’t have.)

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Line a muffin tin with 9 paper liners or spray each cup with a nonstick spray. 
2. Using ONE large bowl, melt butter in the bottom of it. (If no microwave, melt on stove.) Whisk in sugar, zest, sour cream and egg until smooth. Whisk in baking powder, baking soda and salt until fully combined.  Lightly fold in flour and berries. 

3. With batter that is very thick, like a cookie dough, divide between prepared 9 muffin cups. Sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon Turbinado sugar. (DO NOT SKIMP.) for a perfect crunchy lid.

4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until tops are golden and a tester inserted into the center of muffins comes out clean (except for blueberry goo). Let cool in pan for 10 minutes then on a rack.

Although these are best  served the day they are made, I just popped the cooled muffins, bagged separately, into the freezer to pull out when needed. Deb suggests if you run them split open under a broiler with a pat of salted butter, it’s heavenly also.

THINKING SUMMER, STILL SNOWING

Mary+ by | May 23, 2019 | Uncategorized

In the Spirit of Full Disclosure, I never watched Game of Thrones. Not one show… ever. Which makes you feel sorta like the last kid picked at recess for the kickball team.

Counterpoint: Call me a When Calls the Heart super fan. That show just finished it’s sixth season on the soppy, feel-good Hallmark Channel. When WCtH actress Lori Loughlin became embroiled in the college admissions scandal, I realized the formidable Aunt Betsy (Loughlin’s role) would become persona non grata in Hope Valley.

Realizing I’d taken for granted Mayor Aunt Betsy as a WCtH mainstay, Loughlin’s arrest messed with my happy ending programming. It also sullied Hallmark’s “When you care enough to send the very best,” halo of goodness.

These shows are fantasy. Whether you disliked the GoT ending or my being unsettled by Aunt Betsy’s demise, these discomforts are short-lived, non-important. But this ‘taking for granted’ business in real life is way different. Recently two events, bookends if you will, occurred which hammered that savor every moment message home again.

NOTRE-DAME CATHÉDRALE & ACES’ WINGED EDUCATOR

BOOKEND #1: Last winter in Paris I often walked by Notre-Dame Cathédrale. An astounding 30,000 people visit the cathedral daily. I stopped for services twice.

Just before flying home, I met my blogging colleague, Patty, for coffee and to sample ‘the best cinnamon roll in Paris.’ It was early, cold, rainy and quite a schlep to the boulangerie but well-worth the calories.

Afterwards Patty, who was leaving for San Francisco the next day, suggested we walk over to ND. “I want to see it one more time.”

Even though it was a bit of a huff, we did. It was a quiet morning, few visitors, only a priest saying Mass. We went our separate ways and finally met by the alcove where the 19th-century statue of Joan of Arc by Charles Desvergnes sits. We each lit candles, said our private prayers and left.

I took for granted that one of the most important religious structures of Western civilization, built in the 12th Century, would always stand tall. I’m thankful for the memory of that last visit.

BOOKEND #2 Last Sunday the iconic Golden Eagle who lived at the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies for 30 years died of natural causes. She was 38. As a yearling, she’d been found with a broken leg and wing on nearby Bell Mountain. That she recovered at a Colorado raptor rehabilitation hospital is miraculous. That she would never survive in the Wild again was not a surprise.

We moved to Aspen in 1988, got involved with ACES and Michael served on its Board. There never was a time when I walked out to ACES’ Hallam Lake Preserve that I didn’t walk by that beautiful bird sitting on her grassy hill and not acknowledge her presence. In fact for 30 years more than 10,000 visitors a year, did the same.

She was a member of the staff, it’s longest serving environmental educator and probably the major take-away for many of the thousands of school kids who visited ACES. I last saw her several days ago when I took my friend Wendy birding at ACES. Wendy had never seen the GE so we went back to her enclosure as her trained caretaker, Derek, the GE perched on his gloved arm, was bringing her outside for the day. Wendy was mesmerized. As for me, I’m sad that what I thought would always be, is gone.

I don’t know what happens to winged creatures when they pass away but I like to think that our ACES Golden Eagle is finally soaring again with the angels.

LET’S EAT

I put together some definitely-don’t-miss fare to share with you. Emphasis on ‘don’t miss.’

FIRST, the CAKE

This lemon cake with lemon glaze topped with toasted coconut is Sweet Sixteen delicious. My granddaughter Clara turned 16 last week. Whether I celebrate with the girls or from afar, I always bake a cake. No recipe here, just bake and frost your favorite cake. Toast the coconut in a medium-sized frying pan on medium heat on the top of the stove for about 5-7 minutes. Liberally sprinkle the toasted coconut topping on the newly frosted cake. Very festive. Yum. Just yum.

HAM, GORGONZOLA & PEAR QUICHE  by David Lebovitz,  My Paris Kitchen

There are so many ways to improvise and change up this easily made and delicious quiche according to your guests and tastes.
 
Serves 8-12

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
1 large egg, room temperature

Filling:
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large, firm, ripe pear, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes, Bosc or Anjou
1 cup (4.5 ounces) diced cooked ham
1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
4 large eggs, rooms temperature
2 egg yolks, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (5 ounces) crumbled blue cheese, Roquefort (France) or Gorgonzola (Italy)
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS:

To make the crust, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, cornmeal, and salt. Add the butter and beat on low speed until the butter is broken up and the mixture is sandy.
Add the egg and mix until the dough begins to clump and come together. Shape the dough into a disk and wrap it in plastic. Chill it for at least 30 minutes. (The dough can be made up to 2 days in advance.)

1. Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface until it’s 14 inches across. Wrap aluminum foil around the outside of a 9- or 10-inch springform pan to catch any leaks. Transfer the dough to the pan, pressing the dough against the sides and allowing it to come close to the top of the sides of the pan. Patch any cracks with a bit of dough from the edges so the filling doesn’t leak out during baking. Chill the dough in the pan while making the filling.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F. To make the filling, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the shallots with some salt and pepper until they are soft and translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove them from the heat and stir in the diced pear and ham. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, blend together the cream, cream cheese, nutmeg, eggs and the egg yolks until it is all smooth. Stir in the cheese, pear and ham mixture, then the parsley.
4. Set the springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet and pour in the filling, making sure the ingredients in the filling are evenly distributed. Bake the tart for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the filling still jiggles and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. Let the quiche cool until it is firm enough to slice, about 15 minutes. Carefully untold it from the springform pan. Serve it warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers to reheat the next day.

David Lebovitz’s VINAIGRETTE

This is the only salad dressing I make now. Note that David suggests using canola or sunflower oil instead of olive oil. Season strictly to your taste, especially with the mustard.

Makes about 1/3 cup, enough for one large green salad, serving 2 to 3

INGREDIENTS:

1/8 teaspoon sea salt (a three-finger pinch or two)
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons minced shallots,
1 to 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 C canola or sunflower oil

DIRECTIONS:
1. Using a fork, mix together all the ingredients, stirring until the salt is dissolved.
2. Stir in the oil briskly until fully mixed.
3. Storage: This dressing will keep for about eight hours, covered with plastic wrap or lid, at room temperature.

The Dorie&David Show. Let’s Eat.

Mary+ by | May 11, 2019 | Uncategorized

COOKtheBOOKFRIDAYS

How many cookbooks live in your house? Let’s count ‘em. Disregarding my file folders of clipped recipes and following this year’s annual purge, I counted 86. After separating the wheat from the chaff, I fingered 8 for the deserted island and 11 that I’d sorely miss. The rest? Toodle loo.

Thanks to Google, we can now link onto every imaginable recipe. Still, approximately 20 million cookbooks were sold in 2018. There was even a site, now defunct, called Cookbooks Anonymous penned by a blogger trying to justify his collecting habit by cooking from every cookbook he owned in just one year.

This week’s CooktheBookFridays recipe choices are from cookbooks that are keepers: a strongly flavorful, nutritious GREEN-as-SPRING-SOUP from Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook, by Dorie Greenspan; surprisingly simple PRESERVED LEMON-PISTACHIO ISRAELI COUSCOUS, My Paris Kitchen by David Lebovitz; and, a PARISIAN APPLE TARTLET, Baking, From My Home to Yours by Dorie. The tartlets were nabbed off the baking sheet! Watch those fingers, the sugar is hot. I’m thinking you already have most of these necessary ingredients on hand. Why not pull up next week’s menu plan and make it better.

PRESERVED LEMON-PISTACHIO ISRAELI COUSCOUS from David Lebovitz’s My Paris Kitchen

Here are the recipes and tips (don’t miss them).

 Serving Size: 4 – 6, makes about 5 cups

INGREDIENTS

1-2 preserved lemons (depending on size) or Juice from 1/2 fresh lemon
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley and chopped mint (more to sprinkle on top)
2 tablespoons salted or unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup dried fruit, diced, (your choice-cherries & apricots or mangoes & figs, both combos which I used, or cranberries, prunes, raisins or dates
1/2 cup shelled, unsalted pistachios, very coarsely chopped, almost whole (you can easily substitute toasted hazelnuts or almonds or even pine nuts.)
3/4 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous or another small round pasta like Orzo
freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Trim the stem end from the preserved lemon and cut it into quarters.
   Scoop out the pulp. If there is excess juice, press it through a strainer into a medium-sized bowl to extract the juices. Discard the pulp. Save the juice for other use.
2. Finely dice the preserved lemon rind and add it to a medium-sized bowl along with the chopped parsley/mint, dried fruit and pistachios along with butter, salt and cinnamon.
3. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
   Add the couscous and cook according to the package instructions and until moisture is absorbed.
4. Drain off any water left. Add it to the bowl of fruits, nuts, parsley and spices, mixing until the butter is melted and ingredients are blended.
5. Season with black pepper, salt, if necessary and serve warm, room temperature or cold.

TIPS:
1. The couscous can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

2. Preserved lemons stored in salt and their own lemon juice are a staple in Indian, North African, and Moroccan cuisine. They’re used in everything from stews to salads to rice and much more. They are easily stored, maintaining their flavor, in the refrigerator. You can buy a jar in speciality stores or easily make your own: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/preserved-lemons-recipe-2012376

Mark Bittman’s “Quick” Preserved Lemons

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon kosher salt
4 lemons, unwaxed (or scrubbed of wax)
2 tablespoons sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Dice lemons, including peel, removing as many seeds as possible.
2. Put the lemons and their juice in a bowl and sprinkle with the salt and sugar. Toss well and transfer to a jar.
3. Let the mixture sit for at least 3 hours at room temperature, shaking the jar periodically. This can be served at that point or refrigerated for up to a week.

PARISIAN APPLE TARTLET from Baking, from My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Single Serving Recipe for One

INGREDIENTS

1 1/8″ thick, 4″- 5” circle using cold Puff Pastry*
1/2 firm, sweet apple, such as Golden Delicious or Fuji, peeled and cored

Light brown sugar1 tsp cold (preferably unsalted) butter, cut into 3 pieces

1 tsp cinnamon 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Center a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and put the pastry circle on the sheet.Cut the apple half into 4 chunks and center the chunks on the pastry circle.
3. Sprinkle the apple with 1- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar and the teaspoon of cinnamon. Dot with the bits of butter.
4. Bake the tartlet for about 25 minutes (the time will vary depending on how your apple bakes) until the pastry is deeply browned and puffed up around the apple and the apple can be easily pierced with the tip of a knife but still firm in appearance.
5. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and let the tartlet cool – it’s great just a little warm and equally good at room temperature.
6. The tartlet should be served soon after it is baked and is best on the day it is made. If you have leftovers, cover tightly and stick in the fridge. To warm, use the oven or microwave

TIPS:

1. To serve, wrap the tartlet in a piece of waxy paper and eat it in a casual fashion as a breakfast pastry or snack. Or, you can put it on a plate with proper cutlery and serve it as an elegant finish to a meal.
2. For variety or a flavor change, use a pear, plum, apricot, peach or even a mango for this tart.
3. There are two brands of puff pastry in the USA, Pepperidge Farm, available in most supermarkets, and harder-to-find Dufour. Although Dufour is pricier, it’s well worth the search. Dufour makes an all-butter puff pastry, while PF (and Trader Joe’s during the holidays) uses shortening. Unfortunately I had to use Pepperidge Farm for this tart.

GREEN-as-SPRING-SOUP from Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook,” by Dorie Greenspan

Since the publisher has asked us not to print recipes from Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook, if you want more information about this recipe, e-mail me.

COOKtheBOOKFRIDAYS is an international group of food bloggers cooking virtually through Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook. If you’re interested in knowing more about this group, go here.