What's For Dinner: Heirloom Tomato Tart

From peach tarts to tomato tarts -- yep, after a brief interlude, we're back on the tomato train. They're just ripening so quickly! Luckily, another couple is sharing gardening duties with us, so we don't have to eat all of the tomatoes ourselves. But ... even so, we planted a number of tomato plants, and they are quite prolific at the moment. I'm particularly enamored by the unusual-looking Polish tomatoes, which are pepper- or sausage-like in shape. I can't wait for those to be ready for harvest.

Today's tomato tart features Mortgage Lifters and Lemon Boys. The filling is a savory mixture of ricotta and goat cheese, eggs, and a bit of fresh basil. This tart would work well for brunch, breakfast (perhaps with an egg on top?), or as a dinner entree served alongside a fresh salad. Or, cut into smaller pieces, it would also make for a delicious appetizer.

Heirloom Tomato Tart (printer-friendly version)
makes 9-12 servings

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
unbleached all-purpose flour, for rolling the pastry
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup whole-milk ricotta, drained
2 large eggs

1/2 cup loosely-packed fresh basil, chopped + 1 tablespoon chopped basil for garnish

3-4 small to medium tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper and set aside.
2. Lightly flour a large work surface. Roll out the puff pastry to a 10x15-inch rectangle (or to a size that best fits your baking sheet). Carefully transfer the puff pastry onto the prepped baking sheet.
3. Use a paring knife to score a border about one inch in around the edge of the rectangle. Do not cut through the dough. Prick the interior of the rectangle (inside the border) with a fork. This will allow the border to rise but not the interior. Brush the border edge of the dough with olive oil.
4. In a large bowl, stir together the goat cheese, ricotta, and eggs. Then stir in the basil, salt, and pepper.
5. Spoon the cheese mixture onto the center of the puff pastry sheet and spread it, being careful to not stray across the border. Top the cheese mixture with the sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle the tomatoes with salt and pepper. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil.
6. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown and the filling has set.
7. Garnish with the remaining chopped basil and serve immediately.

(lightly adapted from this Beekman Boys recipe)

What's For Dessert: Fresh Peach Tart

Let's take a quick break from all my garden and tomato talk with this delightful peach tart, shall we? D picked up a bagful of tennis-ball-sized peaches from our parking-lot produce guy the other day. I tossed around the idea of doing a cobbler or crumble, but in the end, figured it was about time I attempted to make a tart.

Of course, given my pastry-dough phobia, I opted for a recipe that used a pat-in crust rather than one that required rolling out. One of these days I will be less intimidated by pastry dough, but this past Sunday was not that day.

The original recipe instructions warn bakers to not overmix the dough; I think I might have mixed it a bit too much as it was a bit crumbly on the edges going in, and remained quite crumbly after baking. The crumbliness had no affect on the taste however -- the crust is light in texture and the almond flavor shines through. 

The addition of a crumble on top -- which melts into the peaches as the tart bakes -- adds a bit of sweetness and the addition of flour helps to soak up any extra juiciness so the tart shell doesn't get soggy. I couldn't help but add in a little spice and added a dash of my favorite three -- cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. 

The resulting tart tastes like a slice of summer. And of course, it wouldn't be summer without a little scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

Peach Tart (printer-friendly version)

makes one 11-inch tart

For the pastry:

1 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons organic skim milk

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

3 to 5 small ripe peaches, pitted and sliced (about 1/4 to 1/2-inch wide)

For the crumble topping:

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons brown sugar

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

pinch ground ginger

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar. 

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oils, milk, and almond extract. Pour the oil mixture into the flour mixture and use a fork to mix together. The dough should be just dampened; don't overmix.

4. Spoon the dough into the tart pan and use the pads of your fingers to pat the dough into the pan, covering the bottom and sides in a thin layer. 

5. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, sugars, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Add the butter cubes and use a fork or pastry blender to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles pebble-sized (and smaller) crumbles. 

6. Starting on the outer edge, arrange the peaches in an overlapping circle over the pastry. I filled the center with peaches going the opposite direction; use whatever pattern is pleasing to you. Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over top the peaches. 

7. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the fruit is bubbly. Remove the tart from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Remove the tart from the pan (carefully!) and serve warm or at room temperature. A scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side is always a good idea. 

(adapted from this Food52 recipe)

What's For Dinner: BLT Sandwiches + Parmesan Roasted Tomatoes

There are a lot of tomatoes in our garden on the verge of being ready to be picked, so I am currently gathering as many tomato recipes as I can. If we have enough ripen at the same time, I imagine we'll can up some salsa or tomato sauce. But the majority of our tomatoes are heirloom varieties which are delicious when eaten fresh. I'm sure there will be plenty of bruschetta in our future as well, and I've also got my eye on several tomato tart recipes.

Last week several of our lemon boys were ready to be picked, and they were a delicious addition to the classic BLT sandwiches we had for dinner one night. As a bonus, I had also picked up a couple of heirloom tomatoes from Stoney Acres Farm and made a small batch of Parmesan roasted tomatoes to enjoy as a side.

What are your favorite tomato recipes?

BLT Sandwich (printer-friendly version)
makes one sandwich

2 slices white sandwich bread, toasted
1-2 teaspoons mayo
3 slices bacon
2-3 thinly sliced heirloom tomato
1-2 leaves romaine lettuce, torn into large shreds

1. Spread a thin layer of mayo on one side of each slice of bread. Layer one slice of bread (mayo side up) with lettuce, tomato, and bacon. Place the other slice of bread on top, mayo-side down. Serve immediately.
2. If you're looking to jazz up your BLT, add a fried egg, sliced avocado, or your favorite cheese to the sandwich.

Parmesan Roasted Tomatoes (printer-friendly version)
makes 2-4 servings

2 heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1/4-1/2" slices
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 - 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 - 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
dried oregano
1/4 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place the sliced tomatoes on the prepped baking sheet. Sprinkle each tomato with salt and pepper.
3. Drizzle each tomato with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
4. Roast the tomatoes in the oven for 20 minutes.
5. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Top each tomato with a pinch of dried oregano and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
6. Let cool slightly before serving. You could serve them as-is as a side, or on toasted sourdough or other bread as bruschetta or a sandwich topping.

What's For Dinner: Baked Whitefish Tacos

This past weekend, D and I, along with his parents who were in town for a visit, travelled up to Bayfield, Wisconsin, a small town located along the shores of Lake Superior. The goal of our trip was to pick some blueberries (goal achieved!, post to come) and we spent the remainder of the afternoon exploring Bayfield's cute downtown area.

When it came time for dinner, I had a serious craving for whitefish tacos. We found a little hole-in-the-wall place that had several whitefish options on their menu, but alas, the fish tacos were fried (not my favorite preparation). I opted instead for the grilled whitefish sandwich (which was quite delicious), while D ordered, and thoroughly enjoyed, the whitefish tacos.

I decided to recreate our Lake Superior dining experience at home (sans the Pac-Man machine, sadly) and made whitefish tacos for dinner. D requested breaded fish, so I added a breading before baking the fish. (Personally, I think it would be just as tasty (maybe even moreso), without the breading, but I was too lazy to make separate portions for the two of us.

I used frozen whitefish (from Bodin Fisheries, which actually hails from Bayfield), and my quick-thawed fish had a little bit of a fishy odor. I had recently read a tip about soaking fish in milk for 20 minutes to remove the fishy smell, and the trick worked well for me. (You can watch a short video about this technique from America's Test Kitchen here.) Note: if your fish is both smelly and slimy, it has probably seen better days, and your best bet would be to toss the fish and order some takeout instead. :)

The jalapeño-lime-cilantro marinade gives the fish plenty of flavor and pairs perfectly with the coleslaw recipe I featured recently. While the view out my window may not be quite as blue as the one from Bayfield, if I close my eyes as I eat these tacos, I can almost hear the water lapping against the shoreline. I think another trip to Bayfield is in order -- apple season, here we come!

Baked Whitefish Tacos (printer-friendly version)
makes 2 servings

1/2 lb whitefish fillet
1 cup organic milk (whole, low-fat, or skim) [optional]
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lime, juiced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I used whole wheat, but panko or white bread crumbs would work just as well)
4-6 white corn tortillas

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray, and set aside.
2. If your fish is fresh (i.e., it smells like the sea and not "fishy"), you can skip this step. If you have thawed your fish from frozen or it has a fishy smell, place the fillet in a shallow dish and cover with milk. Set in the fridge for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, drain the fish and pat dry. (Rinse out the shallow dish so that you can reuse it for the marination step.)
3. Place the fish fillet back into the rinsed shallow dish. Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, jalapeño, and cilantro.
5. Pour the marinade mixture over the fish and place in the fridge to marinate for 20 minutes.
6a. If you prefer to not bread your fish, move it directly onto the prepped baking sheet.
6b. If you do want to bread your fish, place the breadcrumbs on a large plate. Coat each side of the fish fillet evenly with the breadcrumbs, then place the fillet onto the prepped baking sheet.
7. Bake the fish for 10-15 minutes (or until the fish is flaky and the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees).
8. Serve with coleslaw (and your favorite taco toppings, such as crumbled cheese, sliced avocado, or salsa).



(adapted from this food comas recipe)

Made from Scratch: Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

Last night we had roasted vegetable sandwiches (caramelized onions, portobello mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, and goat cheese on sourdough bread) for dinner. For me, the thing that really makes or breaks a good roasted vegetable sandwich is the spread used on the bread. Flavorful pestos are a great option -- and for last might's sandwich I decided to make a sun-dried tomato pesto. To make things easier, I used sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil; if your sun-dried tomatoes aren't packed in oil,  rehydrate them in warm water, drain, and add 1/4-1/2 cup of olive oil to the recipe.

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto (printer-friendly version)
makes one cup (8 ounces)

1 (8.5-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Add the sun-dried tomatoes with their oil, garlic cloves, toasted pine nuts, and fresh basil leaves to the bowl of a food processor. (Alternately, you could use a blender.) Pulse several times until the ingredients are well-blended together. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then add in the grated Parmesan and pulse again to combine. Season the pesto with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Spoon the pesto into a jar with a lid. The pesto can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.

(adapted from this Giada de Laurentiis recipe) 

What's For Dinner: Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Tacos (It's Super-Simple!)

Given how simple this recipe is, it's kind of ridiculous how delicious the resulting shredded chicken tacos turned out to be. Because this recipe features only three ingredients, the key is to use the best options you can get your hands on. In my case, I used one of my favorite salsas -- my new go-to salsa is Chef Rick Bayless's Frontera brand -- and a good-quality taco seasoning blend. Note that a lot of those taco seasoning pouches, while rather convenient, are often high in sodium and full of preservatives.

I served our shredded chicken tacos on corn tortillas with cilantro-lime coleslaw and a couple of quartered fresh limes on the side. Shredded (or crumbled) cheese, avocado slices, sour cream, or fresh salsa would also make great accompaniments.

Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Tacos (printer-friendly version)
makes 4 servings (or enough for at least 6 tacos)

1 - 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
1 16-ounce jar of salsa (I used Frontera Double-Roasted Tomato Salsa)
3 tablespoons taco seasoning (I used Penzey's)

1. Add the salsa to the bowl of a slow cooker. Stir in the taco seasoning. Place the chicken thighs into the salsa mixture, covering them completely.
2. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
3. Once the interior of the chicken reaches 165 degrees, use two forks to shred the chicken into small pieces.
4. Serve on corn tortillas with fresh coleslaw and your favorite toppings, such as cheese, guacamole, or sour cream.

What's On the Side: Cilantro-Lime Coleslaw

The summer season is also prime picnic time. And a picnic would not be complete without a large bowl of coleslaw, right? I'm typically not a major fan of slaw, but D is, so I thought I'd whip up a batch to serve alongside some shredded chicken tacos we ate for dinner the other night. (Spoiler alert, the chicken tacos were delish and the recipe will be posted later this week.)

This slaw recipe was also a trial run, as D plans to bring along a big batch to share with his fellow dog trainers at a hunting dog training event this weekend. (Our little puppy Franka, who really isn't all that little any more, is kind of a rockstar.)

This creamy coleslaw features the flavors of lime and cilantro, and gets a hint of spiciness from the addition of some minced jalapeno. (If you prefer bolder flavors, go ahead and sub in a spicier pepper, such as a serrano.)

What's your favorite thing to pack on a picnic?

Cilantro-Lime Coleslaw (printer-friendly version)
makes 4-6 servings

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt (or use sour cream)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1/2 jalapeno chile, seeded, deribbed, minced
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 green onions, chopped (white and green parts)

3-4 cups thinly sliced green cabbage (I like to use a packaged coleslaw mix to make things easier)
salt and pepper, season to taste

1. In a large serving bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lime juice, lime zest, minced jalapeno, and garlic.
2. Stir in the cilantro and chopped green onions.
3. Add the sliced cabbage and toss to combine. (Add more or less cabbage depending on how saucy you prefer your coleslaw.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Chill in the refrigerator (ideally at least one hour) until ready to serve.

(adapted from this Bon Appétit/Epicurious recipe)

What's On the Side: Green Bean and Pea Salad with Basil, Parmesan, and a Balsamic Vinaigrette

This weekend marked the first harvest of vegetables from our garden -- the sugar snap peas and purple beans were plump and ready to be picked. The rest of our garden is also growing well - I can't wait for those tomatoes to turn red! Not pictured are our broccoli, turnips, carrots, beets, and potatoes, which are also making their way to maturity.

The only disappointing thing about purple beans is that they turn green when blanched. I read a tip online that suggested adding baking soda to the cooking water to help the beans to retain their vibrant purple color, but that trick didn't work for me. Such is life; they are still quite tasty!

In addition to the beans, I also added some freshly-shelled peas to this side dish. It appears that I was a little overzealous with my pea harvest, as some of the peas were still quite small, but no matter, they cooked up just as well as their bigger brethren.

This green bean and pea salad comes together with the addition of a balsamic vinaigrette, basil, and freshly-grated Parmesan (some of my favorite flavors). I couldn't help but add some toasted pine nuts to the mix as well, to add an additional crunch to the salad. I shared this side dish with friends over the weekend and it was a hit.

I can't wait until the rest of our garden is ready to harvest!

Green Bean and Pea Salad with Basil, Parmesan, and a Balsamic Vinaigrette
(printer-friendly version)
makes 4 servings

1 pound (about 3 cups) trimmed green beans, cut into 2-3 inch pieces

1/4 cup shelled peas

1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped shallot

1 large clove (1 teaspoon) garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (plus additional shavings for garnish)

1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

fine sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and blanch until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, remove the beans from the water and immediately dunk them into a bowl of ice water. Drain the green beans and place in a serving bowl.
2. Add the fresh peas to the boiling water and blanch for 1 minute. Remove from the water and dunk into the ice water. Drain the peas and place in the serving bowl with the green beans.
3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pine nuts and toast until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the pine nuts from the skillet and set aside. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the skillet. Add the chopped shallot and saute until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, 30 seconds.
4. Add the shallot and garlic to the serving bowl with the green beans and peas. Stir to combine. Next add in the toasted pine nuts, chopped basil, and grated Parmesan. Stir together. Stir in the olive oil and  balsamic vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with Parmesan shavings before serving.

(inspired by this recipe from Simple Recipes)

What's Baking: Olive Oil Banana Bread

I had a bunch of bananas set aside for another recipe, but they were quickly heading to overripe territory, so I did what I do best -- I made a loaf of banana bread.

While some people may reach for a bowl of mac-n-cheese or some freshly-made cookie dough, banana bread is my comfort food of choice. There's just something about banana bread -- its sweet and savory flavor, its filling nature, how good it makes the house smell -- that instantly makes me feel comforted and calmed as it bakes. And it doesn't hurt that it tastes delicious, too!

I wanted to do something a little different with this batch of banana bread, so I looked for recipes that use olive oil in place of butter. Not that there's anything wrong with butter -- I use it all the time -- I think mainly I wanted a recipe I could make NOW rather than have to wait around for the butter to soften to the right consistency.

In addition to olive oil, this recipe from 101 Cookbooks also features a subtle lemon flavor that adds a bit of brightness to the bread. The bread has a moist, tender crumb and, give the addition of chocolate chips, works just as well at breakfast as it does for dessert. Perhaps with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side?

Olive Oil Banana Bread (printer-friendly version)
makes one large loaf

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups mashed, very ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
1/4 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt (2% or whole-milk yogurt would also work)
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with olive oil or cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the chocolate chips.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, eggs, mashed banana, yogurt, lemon zest, and vanilla extract.
4. Pour the banana mixture into the flour mixture and use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to fold together until just combined.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepped loaf pan.
6. Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. If the bread is browning too quickly, place aluminum foil over top the pan.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. After 10 minutes, carefully remove the loaf from the pan (you may want to run a knife around the edges) and let cool completely.

(adapted from this 101 Cookbooks recipe)