Tag: recipe

Appetizers, Vegetarian

Grilled Feta with Blood Orange, Red Pepper and Mint Salsa

by Lynda Balslev4 Comments on Grilled Feta with Blood Orange, Red Pepper and Mint Salsa

Feta
This recipe for grilled feta is a perfect contrast in textures and temperatures. Thick feta slices are grilled in a bath of olive oil until golden brown, then served warm with a cool, crunchy, citrus-y salsa. The dish can be served straight from the oven, or if you wish, arrange the feta on a serving plate and spoon the olive oil around it. This rustic appetizer is meant to be eaten family style, so plop the plate in the middle of the table and pass everyone a spoon. Scoop out chunks of feta, spread it on a slice of rustic bread and top with salsa and a dribble of olive oil.Grilled Feta with Blood Orange, Red Pepper and Mint Salsa

Feta cheese lends itself well to grilling; it browns nicely and softens somewhat, but doesn’t lose it’s shape. Serves 4 as an appetizer.

For the salsa:

1 blood orange, skin, seeds and membrane removed, cut in 1/4″ pieces
1 small sweet red pepper, stemmed and seeded, finely dinced
1 small red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix well to combine.

For the feta:

1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 pound block of feta cheese
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Fresh whole mint leaves for garnish

Toast cumin and coriander seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a mortar with pestle. Add peppercorns. Grind until fine.
Preheat oven broiler. Drain feta and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Pat spices on all sides of feta. Cut in 1/2″ slices. Arrange feta slices in a baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Grill in oven until edges turn golden.
Arrange slices on a serving plate. (I like to try and return it to its original block shape.) Spoon olive oil around feta. Top feta with salsa. Garnish with mint leaves. Serve immediately with pita bread, crostini or peasant bread.

Baking, cake, Desserts, Fruit

Ginger Pear Streusel Cake

by Lynda Balslev9 Comments on Ginger Pear Streusel Cake

Pear Ginger Streusel Coffee Cake

Come in from the cold and enjoy some cake. This coffee cake is perfect for a winter afternoon pick-me-up. Spiced with ginger and not overly sweet, this cake is light enough to enjoy for breakfast, tea or dessert. While it’s delicious straight from the oven, the ginger flavor will intensify nicely as the cake cools – that is, if you can wait that long.

Pear and Ginger Streusel Cake

Makes one (8-inch) cake; serves 6 to 8

For the streusel topping:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped crystalized ginger
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, in small pieces

For the cake:
2 firm pears, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch spring-form pan lined with parchment paper and butter the parchment.
2. Make the streusel: Combine the flour, sugar, gingers, and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is pea-sized.
3. Toss the pears with the lemon juice in a small bowl.
4. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
5. Cream the sugar and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix to blend. Add the flour and mix on low speed until just combined without over-mixing. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Arrange the pears in a concentric pattern over the batter and spread the streusel evenly over the pears.
6. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer to a rack. Run a knife around the sides of the cake and release the sides of the pan. Cool the cake and serve slightly warm or at room temperature. The cake may be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Soups and Stews, Vegetarian

Roasted Red Beet, Blood Orange and Ginger Soup with Orange Crème Fraîche

by Lynda Balslev6 Comments on Roasted Red Beet, Blood Orange and Ginger Soup with Orange Crème Fraîche
Roasted Red Beet, Blood Orange and Ginger Soup with Orange Crème Fraîche

Red Beet Blood Orange Soup

Beets: I cannot help but be seduced by their brilliant color and their nutritional riches, yet their flavor has proven a more trying relationship. Perhaps I have been marred by unfortunate events in my past involving pickled versions in bottles that were redolent of, well, dirt.  This aversion has kept me at arm’s length from the enjoyment of these visually evocative root vegetables, and, ultimately, has been my loss. So, recently I decided to take matters into my own hands and learn how to love beets.

I began by roasting them. The roasting process seems to tame the beet’s unique earthiness, especially when combined with salt, olive oil and a little garlic. I then moved on to salads and found that beets work well when they are one component of many and combined with other distinctive flavors and textures: walnuts, ricotta salata, arugula and mint, for example. After some experimenting with composing salads with beets, I was emboldened. My next step was to make a soup. Looking to the salad for inspiration, I blended beets with several strong-flavored ingredients, paying attention to the balance of sweet, sour, and spice. I chose bold tastes I love, and that is how I arrived at this soup. The beets were present in flavor, but not overpowering. Their earthiness was tamped down by the brightness of citrus and the spiciness of ginger. Chile pepper added a kick and honey sweetened and smoothed out the soup. Topped with a cooling dollop of orange infused crème fraîche, the soup was exciting and fresh, giving the sense of multi-textures, even though it was puréed. The only overpowering presentation of the beets was in the soup’s intense magenta color – which is one thing I have always loved about beets.

Roasted Red Beet, Blood Orange and Ginger Soup with Orange Crème Fraîche

Orange juice may be substituted for the blood orange juice. The soup is best served warm (not hot) or at room temperature with a dollop of cool crème fraîche.  Serves 3-4.

4 large red beets
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 small serrano chile pepper, stemmed, seeded, chopped, about 2 tablespoons
1 cup water
1 cup blood orange juice
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus additional whole leaves for garnish

Orange Crème Fraîche (recipe below)
2 blood orange slices, cut in half

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Trim the tops and ends of the beets. Place in a baking dish and fill water up to 1 inch in the bottom of the dish. Roast the beets in oven until tender, about 1 hour. Remove and cool. Peel off skin and cut beets in chunks.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until nearly translucent without coloring, about 3 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic and serrano chile; sauté 30 seconds. Add the beets and 1 cup water. Cover and simmer 10 minutes; the vegetables should be very soft. Cool slightly. Transfer to a food processor or blender. Add the orange juice and purée until smooth. Return to the saucepan. (If soup is too thick, thin to desired consistency with additional orange juice. It should not be too thin.) Stir in the lime juice and honey. Add the salt and pepper and taste to adjust seasoning. Serve warm or at room temperature. Before serving stir in 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves. Ladle into bowls. Top with a spoonful of Orange Crème Fraîche. Garnish with whole cilantro leaves and a slice of blood orange.

Orange Crème Fraîche:

1/2 cup crème fraîche (or Greek-style whole milk yogurt)
2 tablespoons orange juice
Combine crème fraîche and orange juice in small bowl. Serve with soup.

chocolate, Desserts, England

Chocolate Rum Raisin Bread Pudding with Spiced Rum Sauce

by Lynda Balslev5 Comments on Chocolate Rum Raisin Bread Pudding with Spiced Rum Sauce

Chocolate Bread Pudding

Ten years ago, before we moved to Denmark, we lived in England. We moved there from Geneva with our children, a toddler and infant at the time. It was an exciting move, because we were leaving the francophone environment of Suisse Romande and immersing ourselves in the relief of all-things-English. While I’ve written about that experience on previous posts, this post is specifically about my discovery of English bread pudding.

After a brief rental experience outside of London, we moved to the West Sussex countryside where we bought a feng-shui challenged barn conversion on a long country lane with distant views to the Isle of Wight. Our nearest neighbors lived a half mile away. Goodness knows what we were thinking when we bought this lovely but incredibly remote property. It would have been an extremely isolating experience save for our nearest neighbors who kindly took us under their wing. We became good friends over many meals which we took turns preparing on our AGAs. (No self-respecting provincial UK home would be complete without an AGA.)

One of the first meals our neighbors prepared for us ended with a chocolate bread pudding. Never a fan, I was dubious at first, but with one bite I was hooked. Crunchy on top, squidgy in the middle and blanketed with double cream, this was dense, rich and fudgy – nothing like what I expected. Since then I have dabbled with iterations of this dessert, taking inspiration from my neighbor and Delia Smith (Britain’s Ina Garten), while tweaking with raisins, rum and cinnamon to suit my taste.

Chocolate Rum Raisin Bread Pudding with Spiced Rum Sauce
Serves 6

1/2 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup dark rum, divided
1 – 10″ loaf French-style bread, crusts removed, sliced 1/2″ thick
6 oz. (180 g.) dark (70-72%) chocolate, chopped
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 large eggs

For the rum sauce:
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup dark rum
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine raisins and 2 tablespoons rum in a small bowl. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes. Lightly butter a 9″ square baking pan. Slice bread slices in half on the diagonal. Set aside.

Combine all the remaining pudding ingredients, except the eggs, in the top of a double boiler or in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water.) Stir until the chocolate and butter melt and the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and gently stir to combine well.

Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add the chocolate to the eggs, mixing to combine well. Pour enough chocolate into the baking pan to leave a 1/4″coating on the bottom of the pan. SPrinkle half the raisins over the chocolate. Arrange half the bread slices over the raisins, lightly overlapping the slices in a scalloped pattern. Pour half the remaining chocolate over the bread. Sprinkle remaining raisins over chocolate. Top with remaining bread slices, overlapping. Pour remaining chocolate chocolate over the top of the pudding, thoroughly covering bread. Gently press bread down into chocolate. Cover pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate 24 hours.

Remove pudding from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. PReheat oven to 350 F. (180 C.) Bake until the top is crunchy and the inside is very soft, 40-45 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve with Spiced Rum Sauce.

Spiced Rum Sauce
Makes about 2 cups.

2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup dark rum
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Stir cornstarch and water together in a small bowl. Bring cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add cornstarch to cream, whisking constantly, and simmer until cream begins to thicken. Stir in sugar, rum and cinnamon. Remove from heat. Cool slightly.

Fish and Shellfish, Soups and Stews

Oyster Stew with Chorizo and Spinach

by Lynda Balslev6 Comments on Oyster Stew with Chorizo and Spinach

Oyster Stew

I love a good fish soup, and one of my favorites is chowder. Depending on what looks best in the market, I usually choose a firm-fleshed fish such as halibut or salmon and call it fish chowder, or add clams and call it (surprise) clam chowder. Either way, I add a smoky component, such as bacon or smoked salmon. The smokiness is crucial to the flavor of the soup. This recipe stays in the shellfish lane and incorporates fresh oysters. The same principle applies in terms of smoky flavor, and chorizo adds the necessary kick to the milky broth. Handfuls of fresh spinach help to lift the soup, adding a dose of veggies to justify the luxurious cream.

Oyster Stew with Chorizo and Spinach

Serves 4

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 oz. (180 g.) chorizo sausage, cut in 1/4-inch slices
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup shucked oysters (about 12), liquor drained and reserved
3 cups baby spinach leaves
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer the chorizo to a plate lined with a paper towel.
2. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from the saucepan. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the milk, cream, and reserved oyster liquor. Bring to a boil and stir in the oysters. Simmer for about 2 minutes, and then add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 more minutes. Season with the salt and pepper to taste.
3. Ladle into bowls and serve immediately.

France, Main Course, Meat

Bistro-Style Skirt Steak with Sautéed Shallots – Bavette aux Echalotes

by Lynda Balslev4 Comments on Bistro-Style Skirt Steak with Sautéed Shallots – Bavette aux Echalotes

Skirt Steak

I became familiar with bistros while living in Paris and Geneva for 10 years. Found in every neighborhood, the bistro was the go-to restaurant for consistently delicious food.  Welcoming, bustling, and casually elegant, the bistro was home away from home: soothing in its predictability, its comforting ambience, and its dedicated timelessness. Now, years later, there isn’t a bistro in our neighborhood, but it’s the cuisine I seek out in restaurants and enjoy making at home.

Skirt steak with shallots or Bavette aux Echalotes is a classic item featured on bistro menus. The less expensive and very tasty cut of meat is pan-fried on the stove and then served heaped with sautéed, caramelized shallots. It’s quick to prepare, delicious to eat, and economical on the wallet. Perfect bistro fare.

Bistro-Style Skirt Steak with Sautéed Shallots – Bavette aux Echalotes

Serves 4

1 skirt steak, about 2 pounds (1 kg.) cut crosswise into 4 pieces
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 large shallots, peeled, thinly sliced
1/3 cup (80 ml.) red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, plus extra for garnish
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Prepare the steak:
Use two skillets (or cook in two batches): Heat one tablespoon each of olive oil and butter in each skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted and bubbling, add 2 steaks to each skillet, making sure they fit in one layer without overcrowding. Cook, turning once, until seared and cooked through to your desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer the steaks to a platter and tent with foil to rest.

Prepare the shallots:
Add one tablespoon olive oil to each skillet. Divide the shallots between the two skillets and sauté over medium heat until wilted and tinged golden brown, about 8 minutes. Combine the shallots in one skillet. Add the red wine vinegar and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, the thyme, and any accumulated juices from the meat. Stir to blend and melt the butter, then remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange the steaks on individual plates or serving platter. Spoon the shallots over and garnish with fresh thyme.

chocolate, Desserts, gluten-free

Sinfully Rich Flourless Chocolate Cake

by Lynda Balslev7 Comments on Sinfully Rich Flourless Chocolate Cake
Sinfully Rich Flourless Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake

Short of intravenous therapy, flourless chocolate cake is one of the most intense forms of chocolate consumption you will experience. This decadent cake consists of dark high-quality chocolate held together with butter and eggs, resulting in a dense truffle-like torte. The beauty of the cake lies in the quality its few ingredients. Choose a dark (70-75%) chocolate such as Valrhona or Lindt and a good European-style butter such as Plugra or Lurpak. You will be rewarded with a rich and dreamy chocolate experience, that will leave your tastebuds swooning.

Rich Flourless Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Coulis

Serves 12

For the cake:
1 cup unsalted butter, cut in pieces
12 ounces dark chocolate, broken in pieces
1 cup granulated/caster sugar
6 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the coulis:
16 ounces frozen raspberries
1/2 cup sugar

Whipped cream

To make cake:
Preheat oven to 350 F. (180 C.)
Butter a 9 inch springform pan.  Line with parchment paper.  Butter parchment paper. Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth.  Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm. Whisk sugar and eggs together in a large bowl.  Stir in vanilla.  Add chocolate and stir to combine.  Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake until set and top begins to crack, about 45 minutes. (The center will still be moist.)  Cool cake completely on rack.  Remove pan side.   (Can be made one day in advance.  Cover and refrigerate.)

For coulis:
Stir frozen raspberries and sugar in pan over medium-low heat until raspberries thaw and sugar dissolves.  Remove from heat.  Pass raspberries through fine-meshed sieve to separate seeds from coulis.  Discard seeds.  (Coulis may be made one day in advance.  Store in airtight container and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
To assemble, place cake on a large plate and sprinkle with sifted icing sugar.  Serve with raspberry coulis and whipped cream.

Cookies, Desserts

Bake Sale #4: Cranberry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

by Lynda Balslev1 Comment on Bake Sale #4: Cranberry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Bake Sale #4: Cranberry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies 11

It’s time for bake sale #4, or is it #5?  If you have school-age children, you know what I am talking about. Every year a rite of school-year passage involves a bake sale, or two, or ten.  I find myself baking throughout the school year to raise money for field trips, dances, class parties and charities.  Over the years I have learned a few lessons.  For instance, 5 year-olds are not as fond of rich dark chocolate as adults.  Or that the term “healthy” really isn’t appropriate or welcome at a bake sale, despite maternal instict.  Or that there is an alarming number of peanut allergies in the U.S. (interestingly, far more so than in Europe), with these allergies resulting in schoolwide nut-free policies as locked down as a demilitarized zone.  And, finally, if not most importantly: Size does matter.  So, after my earlier laughable attempts at flourless-triple-dark-chocolate-truffles, carrot cakes packed with dried fruit, grains, flax and wheat bran, or (even worse) anything containing peanut-butter, I am now a seasoned, if not broken, bake sale contributor.

My latest contribution is a batch of these cookies.  Catering to the discerning audience of my children’s primary and middle school, I took a basic chcolate chip cookie and ramped it up a bit, adding white chocolate chips and dried cranberries.  After all, as the bake sale motto goes, less is not more – and if you inadvertently dump an entire container of psychedelic candy sprinkles over your creation, all the better.

Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Cranberry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Makes 16 if size matters

1/2 lb. (225 g.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup (170 g.) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (150 g.) dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/4 cup (140 g.) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (60 g.) oats
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (6 oz./180 g.) dark chocolate chips
1 cup (6 oz./180 g.) white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F. (180 C.)
Cream butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl until pale in color, light and fluffy, 3 minutes. Add egg; mix well.  Stir in vanilla and cinnamon. Sift flour, salt and baking soda together in a mixing bowl.  Add to batter and stir to combine well. Mix in oats.  Stir in chocolate chips and dried cranberries.  Drop spoonfuls of dough on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  Bake in oven until golden brown, 12-15 minutes.  Remove and cool on rack.

Lamb, Main Course, Meat

Lamb Kefta and Vegetable Couscous

by Lynda Balslev3 Comments on Lamb Kefta and Vegetable Couscous
Lamb Kefta and Vegetable Couscous

Lamb Couscous

This recipe is inspired by the flavors of Morocco. Ground spiced lamb patties are oven-grilled, then added to a rich stew of winter vegetables infused with cinnamon, cumin and coriander. Served on a bed of couscous, this warming dish is heady with exotic flavors and spice – perfect for a winter dinner.

Lamb Kefta and Vegetable Couscous

While this recipe has several steps, it is easy to prepare. The lamb keftas may be assembled in advance and broiled at the end while the stew is simmering. Feel free to improvise with the vegetables for the stew. Pumpkin is a nice substitute for rutabaga, and cauliflower is interchangeable with broccoli romanesco, as pictured above. Be sure to serve the couscous with lots of the sauce from the stew. Serves 4-6.

For the Lamb Keftas:
1 1/2 lbs. (750 g.) ground lamb
1 small yellow onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil plus extra for brushing
2 teaspoons dried cumin
2 teaspoons Spanish paprika
1 teaspoon dried coriander
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup chopped coriander/cilantro leaves

Prepare:
Combine lamb and all other ingredients except cilantro leaves in a large bowl. Thoroughly mix to combine well. Stir in cilantro leaves. Form 2″ patties. (Keftas may be prepared to this point up to 6 hours in advance. Place on plate and cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes before broiling.) Place keftas on lightly oiled broiler pan with tray. Lightly brush lamb with olive oil. Broil in oven until dark golden brown, turning once.

For the vegetables:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, cut in 1/4″ slices
1 medium rutabaga, peeled, cut in 1″ pieces
1 small head cauliflower or broccoli romanesco, broken in 1″ florets
1 red pepper, cut in 1/2″ pieces
2 teaspoons dried cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried coriander
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups chicken stock
1 – 14 oz. (400 g.) can plum tomatoes with juices
1  – 15 oz.(425 g.) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
4 cups Swiss chard leaves, rinsed, chopped in 2″-3″ pieces

For the couscous:
2 cups chicken stock or water
2 cups couscous
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Fresh coriander/cilantro leaves for garnish
Harissa

Prepare:
Heat olive oil in deep sauté pan or stock pot. Add onion and garlic and sauté one minute. Add carrots, rutabaga, cauliflower and red pepper. Cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Add cumin, paprika, coriander and cinnamon and stir to combine with vegetables. Add chicken stock and tomatoes with juices. Simmer until vegetables are tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Stir in chick peas and Swiss chard. Cover pot and simmer until chard is wilted but still bright green, about 5 minutes.

While stew is simmering, prepare couscous. Bring stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add couscous, olive oil and salt. Cover pan and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.

To serve, spoon coucous onto large serving platter or individual serving plates, leaving a well in the center. Pour stew into the center, reserving some of the broth. Place Lamb keftas over stew. Pour extra broth over lamb and vegetables. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.  Serve with Harissa on the side.

Desserts, Fruit, Vegetarian

A Touch of Sunshine: Blueberry Crostata

by Lynda Balslev7 Comments on A Touch of Sunshine: Blueberry Crostata
A Touch of Sunshine: Blueberry Crostata

BlueberryCrostata

I’m sorry. I live in California.

At about this time of year I find myself prefacing my cooking with this admission, when the month of February rolls around and my recipes take on the air of spring.  While we lived in Europe, especially in London and Denmark, February was just another winter month – drizzly, dreary and dark. Sunshine, daffodils and mimosas were whispered rumors from our southern European neighbors. If we wanted to experience them it required boarding an airplane. Otherwise, we continued lighting our fireplaces, making stews and wrapping ourselves in wool while patiently waiting as the days crept longer.

But now we live in California. It’s early February and the markets are displaying hyacinths and tulips. The weather may be foggy, but you can count on the sun to shine through at some time of the day. And, in true spoiled California fashion, produce is abundant, bringing with it the luxury of instant gratification. I realize this sounds pretty good, but I confess I miss the limitations of the seasons and the heightened pleasure of enduring the fleeting moment of, say, strawberries or asparagus. There is something innately satisfying about waiting for the change of seasons to deliver its goods, a humbling process that properly puts us in our place in the grand scheme of Mother Nature. I wonder if my children will forget the perspective of four distinct seasons. (Goodness knows how we’ll ever survive a move from this area.)

So, instead of flaunting a springtime recipe with impossible-to-find ingredients for those of you knee-deep in snow, this recipe for Blueberry Crostata is one we can all make. Blueberries can easily be found in the freezer of our markets, or, if we’re lucky, there may be some remaining in our own freezers from last summer. And since we can all do with a little sunshine, the crust and filling are brightened with fresh lemon zest.  Enjoy.

Blueberry crostata

Blueberry Crostata
Makes one 9-10″ crostata

For the pastry:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces unsalted butter, cold, cut in pieces
1 egg yolk (save egg white as glaze)
3-4 tablespoons heavy cream

For the filling:
2 cups blueberries (if frozen, do not defrost)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 egg white

Combine flour, sugar and salt in bowl of food processor. Pulse to blend. Add butter. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk egg yolk with 2 tablespoons cream in a small bowl. Add to dough and pulse to blend. Add remaining cream and pulse until dough sticks together. Gather dough in a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30  minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface in a 12″ round.  Toss blueberries, 2 tablespoons sugar and lemon zest together in a bowl. Mound blueberries in center of pastry, leaving a 2″ border clear. Brush the border with egg white. Gently fold in pastry over blueberries, leaving center exposed. Brush pastry with egg white. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon sugar over blueberries and pastry.

Bake in oven until pastry is crisp and golden, 45-50 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.