Heirloom Tomato Galette with Caramelized corn, Shallots and Herbed Goat Cheese

Farmer's market bounty of heirloom tomatoes inspired this recipe. 

Dough

1/2 cup salted butter

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Pinch of salt

Pinch of sugar

1/2 cup cold water (approximately. You don't want the dough too wet but also not crumbly)

Filling

Shallots, thinly sliced

2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

6 ounces herbed goat cheese, softened

2 - 3 sweet corn ears, kernels cut off

Fresh basil, chopped

Pinch of brown sugar

3-4 heirloom tomatoes sliced (or a mix of different color cherry tomatoes)

Olive oil

3 T Butter

Salt and pepper

Balsamic reduction (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375. Prepare dough. Using a handheld cheese grater, grate butter into a small bowl, then freeze for 10 minutes.  While butter freezes, combine flour, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl.

2. Whisk cold grated butter into flour mixture until a mealy texture takes hold, then slowly begin adding water. One T  at a time, add water until dough takes shape. Gather dough in a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 45 minutes until dough is firm. 

3. While dough chills, combine shallots and butter. Saute over medium-high flame until shallots are  lightly caramelized (approx. 5 minutes). 

4. Stir in a pinch of brown sugar and continue to cook scraping the bottom of the pan frequently until the onions are caramelized. Add the corn and cook another five minutes or until the corn has browned lightly and caramelized. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil. Season with Salt and Pepper.

5. Remove dough from fridge. Flour work surface and roll the dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

6. Spread the goat cheese over the dough leaving a 3 inch border around the edges. Spread most of the corn and onion mixture over the goat cheese. Layer the tomato slices over  over the corn. Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the rest of corn and onion mixture. 

7. Fold the edge of the dough over the tomatoes, Brush the crust with the beaten egg. 

8. Bake at 375 for 45-55 minutes or until the crust is golden and tomatoes are lightly charred. Allow to cool 5 minutes and then slice and serve with a drizzle of balsamic reduction if desired. 

Blueberry Muffins

Marsha loves these! She says they are like candy. Audrey and I made these one day after we picked blueberries at The Ivy Place and had over two pounds of fresh glorious blueberries. So yummy!

1/2 cup softened butter

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

2 cups flour

1/2 t salt

2 t baking powder

1/2 cup milk

2 cups blueberries

Streusel topping (do not double! this makes a lot and I made that mistake once)

3 T white sugar

3 T brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

5 T melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 375. Line muffin tin with fun liners.

2. Add butter and sugar in a medium bowl and beat until smooth. One at a time, add an egg, blending in between. Mix in vanilla.

3. In a separate bowl, sift flour, salt and baking powder. Add to sugar mixture, a little bit at a time, alternating with the 1/2 cup milk. Do not over blend!

4. Add blueberries to batter and fold in.

5. Divide batter among 12 cup muffin tin (or make 24 smaller muffins between two muffin tins).

6. Mix streusel topping ingredients and sprinkle on top of muffins.

7. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cool for at least 30 minutes before eating.

Glazed Carrots with Brown Sugar Maple Glaze

Kenny's favorite.

2 lbs. carrots, peeled and cut into 1" lengths

1 T olive oil

Water

2 T unsalted butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 T brown sugar

1 T maple syrup (can sub honey or additional brown sugar)

1 T lemon juice

1 t balsamic vinegar

Salt and Pepper

1/4 t EACH - dried thyme, cinnamon 

1/8 t EACH - ground ginger, chili powder 

1. Heat olive oi over medium - high heat in a large skillet with a lid. Add carrots and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes, then continue to cook and stir for an additional 3 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and carefully add enough water to reach 1" deep in the skillet. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer 12-18 minutes or until carrots are barely fork tender. 

3. Drain carrots of excess water and add carrots back to skillet.

4. Add butter and garlic to carrots and cook over medium heat until the butter melts. Add brown sugar, maple syrup, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and all seasonings. Continue to cook and stir until glaze thickens, about 5 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary.

Lemon Garlic Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

I am calling this clean despite the orzo. It's delicious and feels healthy.

1/3 cup pine nuts (note, I have never added these because I can't find them yet), toasted at 350 for 6-7 m

1 package of Crimini mushrooms, de-stemmed and sliced

1 red and 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, de-seeded and diced

1 lb asparagus (or zucchini, or eggplant or all), cut into 1"  pieces

Cherry tomatoes, cut in 1/2

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 shallot, chopped

Extra virgin olive oil, dived

Salt and Pepper

1 cup orzo

1 1/2 cup vegetable broth

1/2 cup garlic and herb feta, crumbled (or plain or goat cheese)

2-3 T chopped fresh basil

2-3 T chopped fresh parsley

For the dressing:

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 T lemon juiced, about 2

Salt and pepper

Roast the veggies:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line sheet pans with parchment paper. Place veggies on the pan and sprinkle with olive oil and Salt and Pepper. Spread veggies in one layer making sure there's no overlap. Roast for 35-40 minutes. Rotate pans 1/2 way through roasting.

Cook the Orzo:

2. In a large saute pan, heat 1 T of olive oil on medium heat until shimmering. Add the orzo and stir, coating the orzo thoroughly. Stir occasionally for about 3 minutes or until the orzo is toasty and golden. Add the vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer, turn heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Stir and remove from heat.

Dressing:

3. In a small bowl, add olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Whisk until all the ingredients are emulsified.

Mix it all up:

4. Add the roasted veggies and all their juices to the pan with the orzo. Stir in the dressing, feta, and pine nuts. Garnish with basil and parsley.

Braised Short Ribs with Gnocci

I made this recipe at the beginning of the COVID19 pandemic because short ribs were one of the few meats I could find at the store in the middle of everyone’s panic shopping. I swore I wouldn’t panic shop, but everyone else did so I figured I better grab what I can while I can. So I did.

Olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 lbs bone in short ribs
2 stalks of celery, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
1 6 oz tomato paste
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
2 cups beef stock
Fresh sage leaves, about 6 leaves
2 bay leaves
16 oz box of gnocci (I didn’t have gnocci originally so I used red potatoes) 🥔

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Season short ribs with salt and pepper. Coat the bottom of a Dutch oven with olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Add short ribs and brown on all sides. Remove ribs and remove all but 1 T of fat.

3. In a food processor, pulse trinity into a rough chop. Add vegetables to the pot and salt and pepper. Stir frequently over medium heat for ten minutes.

4. Add the tomato paste and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Add red wine and beef broth, bring to a boil.

5. Return short ribs to pot along with bay leaves and sage. Cover and bake in oven for 3 hours. Midway through cooking, flip ribs and add more broth if necessary.

6. Prepare gnocci according to package instructions. If using potatoes, add when adding short ribs.

7. Remove short ribs and discard bay leaves. Shred meat and skim grease from top of liquid. Return meat to sauce and serve with gnocci and Parmesan cheese.

Healthy Lettuce Wraps (like PF Chang’s, but not)

1 T olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 cup baby Bella mushrooms, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground chicken (or turkey or pork)
1/2 cup shredded carrots (definitely buy pre-shredded from store)
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup coconut aminos
2 t sesame oil
1 t rice wine vinegar
1 T almond butter
2 t grated ginger
Hot sauce or pepper flakes
8 oz can water chestnuts, diced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 head Bibb lettuce or romaine lettuce

Sauce:
1/4 cup coconut aminos
1 1/2 t sesame oil
1 t rice wine vinegar
Sesame seeds

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for a few minutes then add mushrooms for a few minutes more. Add garlic for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

2. Add ground chicken (or other meat) and cook until browned. Add carrots and stir until softened.

3. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup coconut aminos, 2 t sesame oil, 1 t rice wine vinegar, almond butter, ginger and pepper flakes or hot sauce. Whisk until smooth then pour over meat mixture. Stir until combined, then add chestnuts and green onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes then remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Whisk together sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

5. Serve by adding spoonfuls into center of lettuce leaf and drizzle with sauce.

Pork Carnitas in the Crock Pot

Great for Whole 30 or just any night. Serve with guacamole and salsa and Spanish cauliflower rice.

Pork rub
2 lb pork tenderloin
Dried oregano
Ground cumin
Salt and pepper
Olive oil (or avocado oil)

Crockpot carnitas
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, chopped
Salt and pepper
Juice of one lime
Juice of one navel orange

1. Combine rub ingredients and rub over tenderloin. Place in crockpot.

2. Top with remaining ingredients, cover, and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8.

3. Remove tenderloin from crockpot and shred. Reserve juices.

4. Heat drizzle of oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add enough carnitas to cover surface and ladle a little juice over. Cook until juice is evaporated and bottom of carnitas is crispy and browned. Continue until all meat is browned.