Tomato Tart

The other day on a train ride to San Francisco, a lady who sat next to me was eating her lunch in a container. It looks delicious, and I asked her what is it. She told me it tomato tart that her mother made for her, whenever she go home to visit her. This is the recipe from her. Thanks Brenda for sharing!

Baked Savory Mushroom Clafouti

Well it's Sunday and I am inspired to cook this exciting recipe. The recipe calls for a medley of mushrooms cooked in a rich and flavorful cream sauce. The cream is infused with an aromatic and earthy fragrance from the mushrooms with a Clafouti batter for the crust.

Clafouti is a classic French custard with a berry or cherry filling. It is easy to prepare and it has an elegant presentation, which makes it a perfect choice for any occasion.
So after brunch with Kwan and Steven, we drove over to Berkeley Bowl to get some fresh mushrooms. The recipe called for Portobello mushrooms, but I've decided to use fresh shitake, dried chanterelles and porcini. Hmmm, this dish will be perfect paired with a glass of cabernet or pinot noir--life is good!

Curried Vegetable with Dried Figs Potpies

I love making potpies as they are perfect for this wintry weather. This recipe is full of flavor with root vegetables and spices to make a satisfying meal. Jean gave me a set of Le Creuset's enamaled cast iron Gratin baking dishes in sea blue and orange. I just love the pretty colors. Thank you Jean!

Classic Pear and Almond Tart

This is a classic French tart to make. It is easy to prepare and looks elegant for a special Sunday dinner. I've made this some weeks ago and quite forgotten to post it. I'd used two adaptations for the recipe and the credits are listed below. Bon Appetit!

Ingredients: (Adapted from Bon Appetit, February 2005)
4 firm and ripe Bosc pears, peeled, cored and cut into halves
1 cup sugar
3½ cups water
½ Tbsp. lemon juice
Almond Filling:
2/3 cup blanced slivered almonds
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
6 Tbsp. sugar
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg, beaten
½ tsp. almond extract (optional)
Sweet Tart Crust: (Adapted from Dorie Greenspan)
9-inch tart pan with removable bottom
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup confectioner's sugar
¼ tsp. salt
9 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large ege yolk
Method:
1. For pears: In a medium pot add water, sugar and lemon juice to a boil over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves, then add the pears. Reduce heat to medium low heat and simmer until the pears are tender. Turn them over occasionally, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and let pears cool in the syrup.
2. For almond filling: Grind almonds and flour in a food processor until well mixed. Add in sugar, then buttern and almond extract, if using. Pulse until mixture is smooth, add in egg yolk to blend. Remove mixture into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
3. For Tart Crust: Add flour, sugar, and salt into a food processor and pulse to combine. Add in the butter and pulse further until mixture resembles bread crumbs. Stir in the egg yolk a little at a time, pulsing after each addition. Pulse for another 10 minutes until the mixture begins to clump to a dough. Tum the dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead the dough lightly to just incorporated any missed dry ingredients on the surface. From into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours before rolling.
4. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter bottom and sides of a 9-inch fluted tart pan. Place a piece of parchment paper on work surface and gently dust over with flour. Roll dough to form a large round, about 12-inch. Using the parchment paper as aid, turn dough into the pan. Remove paper. Seal any cracks in dough, trim overhand to ½ inch. Fold overhang in, making double-thick sides. Pierce bottom of crust with folk.
5. Line crust with buttered foil side down, then fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake crust in the middle of the oven until sides ar set about 20 minutes. Remove foil and pie weights. Bake further for another 8-10 minutes until golden and bottom is set. Remove and cool crust in pan for later. Reduce oven to 350°F.
6. Let almond filling thaw at room temperature. Spread filling evenly in crust. Cut pears in slices and gently press pear slices in filling, overlapping them. (You can be creative at this point)
7. Bake tart in middle of oven until golden and when inserted with a toothpick into the center comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes. Cool tart in pan on rack. To serve push pan bottom up to release the tart. Place on serving plate and cut into wedges.
Printable Recipe

Lemon Chiffon Pie with Cookie Crust

This is a light dessert of soft and silky lemon mousse filling in gingersnap cookie crust. A very nice pie for any occasion--what's great it's simple enough to prepare.
Ingredients: (adapted from epicurious.com, I cut back on the sugar)
1½ cups gingersnap cookie (about 25 cookies, finely ground in food processor)
2 Tbsp. sugar (instead of 2 tbsp.)
5 Tbsp. unsalted melted butter
9-inch glass pie dish (as it heat evenly)
Filling:
2 cups ice cubes
¼ cup water
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
¾ cup sugar (instead of ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp.)
¾ cup freshly sqeezed lemon juice, strained
4 large egg yolks
2 tsp. finely grated lemon peel
a pinch of salt
1¼ cups whipping cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix cookie crumbs, sugar together. Add in the melted butter and stir until mixture is evenly moistened.  Transfer crumb mixture to pie dish and press firmly with fingers the crumb mixture to the bottom and sides of dish. Bake in the center of overn until crust is firm and turn a darker color--about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool crust completely (you can make this ahead of time)
2. In medium sized bowl, pour enough water to fill halfway up sides; add in ice cubes. In another small bowl, add ¼ cup of water and sprinkle gelatin over. Let this stand until gelatin softens.
3. Whisk sugar, lemon juices, egg yolks, grated lemon peepl and salt in a saucepan to mix completely over medium low heat. Stir until mixture has thickens slightly or until the mixture coat surface of spoon. The mixture should not curd, when test with thermometer it should registers 160°F. Add gelatin and continue whisking until gelatin dissolves and mixture is smooth and silky. Remove from heat and place saucepan in bowl of ice water, until the filling is cool enough to touch. Continue whisking for another 5-8 minutes.
4. When mixture is cool enough, transfer lemon filling to a large bowl. Beat whipping cream and powder sugar with an electric beater in another bowl. Beat until peaks form and firm. Gently fold in a small portion of the whipped cream into the lemon filling until incorporated. Fold in the remaining cream in three additions.
5. Transfer filling to cooled down crust, moulding the mixture in the center. Keep pie refrigerated until filling is set about 4-5 hour.
Printable Recipe

Baked Apple Tarte Normande

Tarte Normande is unique of Normandy due to the prolific of apples in that area in the region in France. The tart is made with a sweet crust with thinly sliced applies on top. For an impressive and dramatic touch to the tart, you can flambé with brandy before serving.
Ingredients:
5-6 apples (golden delicous or any tart variety)
2 ozs sugar
4 ozs unsalted butter (softened)
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. brandy
½ tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. flour
4-5 small cubes of butter
3 oz brandy for flambé (optional)
Crust:
10½ oz all purpose flour
4½ oz sugar
4½ oz unsalted butter, softened
2 medium eggs
Method:
1. Make the pastry by mixing the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon. Add eggs and mix together with your fingertips, followed by flour and mix until the dough is a smooth dough. Wrap dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 45 minutes until dough is firm enough to handle.
2. In a bowl, mix the sugar with all the dry spices. Peel and cored the apples and sliced thinly. Add to a bowl with lemon juice to prevent it from turning brown.
3. Chop 1/3 of the apples into small cubes and cook them down into a compote in a heavy saucepan with softened butter, half of the spiced sugar, vanilla and brandy. Cook over medium heat and stir to mix with the apples. Reduce heat to simmer for about 30 minutes until apples have softened and fragrant. Remove from heat to cool. Add a tsp. of flour to apple mixture.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out dough and press to tart pan. Pour compote to the bottom of pan and arrange sliced apples in a rosette. Sprinkle the rest of the sugar evenly on top of apples. Dot top with butter.
5. Bake in oven for about 40 minutes until apples and crust are golden brown. Remove and set aside to cool.
6. Serve with whipped cream or ice-cream if you want it simple or flambé. Tips on how to flambé
Printable Recipe

Shaker Lemon Pie

I did some research and found the origin of this pie, it was invented in the early 1800’s by the Shakers. The Shakers are a religious group who believes in pacifism and the simplicity of communal living. They believe in giving up all their worldly goods and take up the cross of celibacy. There was an article about this pie by Sue Hubbell who traveled the country back roads with her dog. Her quest is to search for pies and write about them in her book, "From Here to There and Back Again". Here's an excerpt about this pie:
“The Shakers invented this pie back in the early eighteen-hundreds when they began trading goods they grew or manufactured for the few necessities they couldn’t produce. Lemons, which they considered an important item in a healthy diet, were one of the ‘world’s goods’ they needed. Their lemons came all the way from New Orleans and were so dear that the Shakers believed it a sin to waste any part of them, so they devised a recipe that would use the whole lemon.”
I had this tasty and delightful pie at Camino restaurant in Oakland. It has a nicely baked shell made from buckwheat and the inside is a custard-like filling with thinly sliced whole lemons. I am surprised that the lemon rinds didn’t taste bitter at all; instead it is has a tantalizing sweetness with a note of tartness and almost melts in your mouth. I asked the waitress how they make the lemons tastes so good and they told me the trick is to macerate the lemons with sugar overnight. This process allows the lemons to absorb the flavor and the sugar helps breaks down some of the tartness.

The recipe calls for Meyer lemons because they are less acidic and have a milder and thinner-skin than the regular lemons you find in the supermarkets. The Meyer lemon is a reasonably hardy plant and they do relatively well in California's sunny and warm climate. I enjoyed the pie so much as Camino. I thought I would try making this at home. I wasn't able to get some buckwheat flour, so I just have to settle for the basic crust recipe. If you want a gluten-free crust, substitute the flour with buckwheat instead. Enjoy!

Ingredients: (inspired and adapted from Fannie Farmer Cookbook)
3 large Meyer lemons
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. melted butter
8-inch pie dish
Dough: (8-inch pie)
2 cups all-purpose flour (or buckwheat)
½ cup shortening
6 Tbsp. ice cold water
½ tsp. salt
some flour for rolling
Method:
1. Wash and scrub lemons thoroughly, dry with paper towels. Slice lemons thinly and discard seeds. Add the slices of lemons in a bowl and add sugar. Gently mix to incorporate the sugar with the lemons, cover and leave to mascerate for at least a day in the refrigerator.
2. After a day's of mascerating, the lemons are now ready. In a bowl, mix together egg, melted butter and flour until mixture is free from lumps. Pour this into the lemon mixture. Combined gently to mix and set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 450 °F. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, shortening and salt. Cut shortening with a pastry cutter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add water a litte at a time until mixture begins to stick together. Note: It is ready when dough holds together when pinch with fingers. Add more water if the dough doesn't hold together. Gently knead dough to form into a ball, remove and place on a lightly floured surface.
4. Divide dough into 2 equal portions. Cover and let it sit at room temperature for about 5-8 minutes. Dust rolling pin with some flour and roll dough into 10-inch circle. Carefully place onto a 9-inch pie plate. Trim the extra dough around the pie dish. Pour the lemon-sugar mixture onto the pie dish, spreading out the lemons evenly.
5. Roll out the second dough, as before. Place this over the top of the lemon filling in the pie. Pinch top and bottom of pie rounds firmly to seal around the edges. Flute and decorate the edge of the crusts. Using a fork poke some holes on the top to allow steam from the cooking to escape.
6. Brush pie surface with egg wash, sprinkle some sugar lightly on top. Bake in the center of the oven for 25 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375°F (350° if using glass dish) and bake further for another 25-30 minutes until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and set out to cool completely before serving.
Cooks tips: I left my lemons in the fridge for two days and it's still okay. I took a small teaspoon of the mixture and add some water and ice to it and I have a refreshing lemonade.
Printable Recipe

White Chocolate Tart

White Chocolate--what's there not to love about this exquisite ingredient? It's rich and full of flavor. This delicate and decadent tart is simply delicious for any occasion. Who can resist a slice?
Ingredients:
1 pack frozen short crust pastry, thawed
1 egg white, beaten
Tart pan(s) with removable bottom
aluminum foil
pastry weights or beans
Filling:
200 gm. white baking chocolate
450 gm. mascarpone cheese
5/8 cup whipping cream (150 ml)

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Roll out pastry crust to about 1-inch thick, and carefully place onto tart pan. Trim excess pastry. Line pastry surface with aluminum foil and spread pastry weights on top.
3. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes until slightly brown. Remove paper weights and brush over the pastry and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven set aside to cool.
4. To make the filling, break chocolate into small chunks. Place chocolate and half of the mascarpone cheese in a metal bowl over a pot of water simmering on medium low heat. Be sure that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir the chocolate mixture with a wooden spoon until it is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
5. Pour the remaining mascarpone into the chocolate mixture. Beat with an electric beater on low speed until smooth. Fold and mix in the whipping cream.
6. Spoon mixture into the baked pastry shell. Chill for 5-6 hours until sets. Serve with fresh fruits if preferred.

Printable Recipe

Creamy Pumpkin Pie

What is Thanksgiving without this traditional dessert--it is the highlight of the occasion. This pie is my all-time favorite as it delicious and easy to prepare. An interesting article that I read while waiting in line for my appointment, was the smell of pumpkin increase sexual arousal in some men faster than in perfume. I am not sure what scientific evidence is it based upon--but it is really interesting to know how some food has certain characteristics to human behavior. So, readers any comments? 

Ingredients: (adapted from Paula Deen's)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup half-and-half
¼ cup melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground ginger, optional
¼ tsp. ground allspice
1 piece pre-made pie dough
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Put the thawed pie crust onto the pie pan and pinch the edges to form a decorative pattern. Put the pie shell into the freezer for an hour to firm up. Remove and put a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell and fill up with dried beans or pie weights.
3. Bake for 10 minutes, remove foil and pie weights and return to bake for another 10 minutes until crust is dried out and turn slightly brown.
4. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until soft. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined, then add sugar and beat until mixture is combined. Add the eggs, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until well. Lastly add in the vanilla, cinnamon, allspice and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.
5. Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for about an hour, or until the center is set and not wobbly. Place pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and serve with whipped cream.
Printable Recipe

Savory Meat Pies

I have some leftovers from making the savory rice dumplings. This gave me an idea for a quick and easy snack.
Ingredients: (makes about 10 pies)
400 gms. chicken thigh meat, cut into small cubes
200 gms. roasted peanuts, grinded finely
100 gms. dried shrimps, presoaked and chopped finely
5-6 dried mushrooms, presoaked and chopped finely
2 tsp. coriander powder
2 medium-sized shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
2 tsp. sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1 beaten egg mixed with some milk
1 box Pillsbury Pie crust, thaw at room temperature
Non-stick baking tray
Method:
1. Heat oil in pan and fry garlic and shallots until soft. Add in mushrooms and dried shrimps and fry until fragrant. Then add the chicken meat and seasonings and stir until cooked. Season to taste with salt and/or sugar. Remove from heat and let cool. When completely cool, add in the peanuts.
2. Preheat oven to 450°F. Roll out pastry and cut into rounds. Put a tablespoon of filling in middle, moisten edges with some water to seal. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds on top. Bake for about 10-15 minutes till golden brown. Serve warm.
Printable Recipe

Peanut Puffs/Gok Jai

Chinese New Year is never the same without these flaky peanut puffs or "Gok Jai" in Cantonese. It contain a sweet filling of peanuts, coconut, and sesame seeds. The ingredient, peanuts signifies long life. This is a traditonal recipe from my friend, Jeanita. Depending on the size of your cutter, you can make approximately 12 dozen cookies. Traditionally this cookie is deep fried in hot oil and for those of you who are health concious, you can bake them in the oven. Simply brush the cookies with a thin layer of egg wash and bake at 375°F temperature unitl it turns light golden brown. It can also be deep fried in hot oil if preferred.

Ingredients:

1½ lbs all-purpose flour

6 ozs. butter

4 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup cold ice waer

Oil for frying (optional)

Filling:

2 cups roasted peanuts, skinned and chopped finely

2 cups roasted sesame seeds

1½ cups sugar

½ tsp. salt

Method:

1. Roast peanuts on medium heat till golden brown, remove and grind to fine chunks. In the same pan, roast the sesame seeds till lightly brown. Add peanuts, sesame seeds, sugar, and salt together. Set aside

2. For pastry: Using the food processor, pulse magarine and butter till it resemble like fine breadcrumbs. Add beaten egg, water and pulse into a pliable dough. Covered and let dough rest for 15 minutes.

3. Make the puffs: Roll out the dough into thin sheet in a paste roller and cut into rounds. Put the pastry rounds in your palm and add 1/2 tsp. of filling into the center of the pastry and wrap up filling. Here's the fun part to make the decorative rope edging--it is a repetitive method of pinching and folding. Pinch a small corner of the dough up with your thumb and index finger. Slide thumb under the pinched edge and fold top edge pinched area while making a new pinch slightly above the first edge.

4. In a deep pot, heat enough oil for deep-frying. Turn heat to medium heat, and add a few at a time and fry till golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towel. When cool, store in containers.
Tips: You can substitute 2 cans (salted peanuts/honey toasted) if you dont have time to fry the peanuts. Mix them together and grind them to smaller pieces.
Printable Recipe

Chicken Pies: A celebration of Pies!

The weather today is cold and cloudy, and I don't feel like going out at all. Even Ruby, my hen stays in her coop to stay warm. It's started to rain again, and I just remembered that I've forgotten to thaw out the pastry crust to make chicken pie for dinner. The pie crust is still stiff and cracks when I tried to place it on a pie dish--so I've decided the heck with it! I have enough ramekin dishes to make pot pies---that's settle it! Btw, Ruby is not dinner tonight!

Ingredients:
6-8 pieces skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized
2 cans Campbell's golden mushroom condensed soup
4 medium sized red potatoes, cut into bite-sized
½ cup chopped carrots
½ cup peas
1 medium onion, chopped finely
2 tsp. rosemary
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 cup flour
1 box frozen pie crust, thawed
Deep bowls or ramekins
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. butter
1 egg, beaten
Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 400° F.
2. Bring a pot of water to boil, pre-cooked potatoes and carrots. Drain and set aside.
3. Pat meat dry with paper towels, season with some pepper and salt.
4. Melt butter in medium heat, fry onions unitl soft and transparent, add spices and cook until fragrant. Add in chicken meat, golden mushroom soup and mix well unitl meat is coated with the soup. Stir in the rest of the vegetables and mix well.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper if necessary. Remove from heat and mix in the flour to thicken mixture. Set aside to cool.

6. Pour chicken mixture into prepared ramekins. Roll and cut crust in rounds big enough to cover the ramekins. Place on top of chicken mixture and brush egg wash on top of crust. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Note: I would put a pan under the pies on the lower shelf to catch any drippings.

Printable Recipe

Crab Quiche

                               
This dish brings back sweet memories, as John made this on our first date! Here's a revised version of the recipe from one of his favorite Sunset cookbook, "Cooking For Two".
Ingredients:
9 ounces crab meat (canned or freshly steamed)
6 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded
5 tbsp. sliced onions
5 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. parsley

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp. paprika

3 eggs

10 ounces cream

salt and pepper to taste (optional)

A 10 inch Quiche pan
Pastry:
9 1/2 ounces flour
8 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 egg yolk
Method:
1. Buttery pastry shell:Preheat oven to 350° F. In a bowl, cut butter into flour until mixture resembles fine crumbs. With a fork, lightly stir in the egg yolk. Work dough into a ball with hands. Using your fingers, evenly press dough over bottom and up sides of quiche pan. Dough tears easily, but does not toughen with handling-pinch tears together to rejoin. Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes, remove and set aside to cool.

2. Sprinkle Swiss cheese evenly over bottom of shell. In a small bowl, combine crab, onions, Parmesan cheese, parsley. Spoon over Swiss cheese. Beat eggs with cream and pour over crab mixture. Sprinkle with paprika and cayenne. Bake on the lowest rack for 45 minutes or until custard appears firm when dish is gently shaken. Cool and cut in wedges to serve.
Printable Recipe

Chicken Pie

I had opened a can of golden mushroom by accident thinking that it was something else. An idea came to mind and hence, this version of my chicken pie. It is simple to prepare and to save time, I used ready-made pie crust.

Ingredients
6 pieces skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized.
2 cans Campbell's Golden Mushroom Condensed Soup
3 medium sized potatoes, cut into bite-sized
½ cup chopped carrots
½ cup peas
½ medium onion, minced
2 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. dried thyme
1-2 Tbsps. flour
1 box frozen pie crust, thawed
A deep glass pie dish
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. butter
1 egg, beaten
Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 400°F. Bring a pot of water to boil, pre-cooked potatoes and carrots. Drain and set aside.
2. Pat meat dry with paper towels, season with some pepper and salt.
3. Melt butter in medium heat, add onions and rosemary and cook unitl onions is soft and transparent. Add the meat, golden mushroom soup. Mix well and cook on medium heat until chicken is cooked through. Stir in the rest of the vegetables and mix well.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and mix in the flour to thicken mixture. Set aside to cool.
5. Pour into prepared pie dish and brush egg wash on top of crust. Bake in oven for about an hour, or until crust is golden brown. Note: I would put a pan under the pie on the lower shelf to catch any drippings.
Printable Recipe