Three Mushroom Tart

2 oz dried shiitake mushrooms
3 oz portobello mushrooms
8 oz white mushrooms
6 Tbs unsalted butter
1 small onion, thinly sliced
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried basil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup dry red wine
1 Tbs tomato paste
1 Cornmeal Peppercorn Crust, recipe follows
Sage Whipped Cream, for serving, recipe follows

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2) Put the shiitakes into a medium saucepan with cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until softened. Drain and cool. Remove stems and slice mushrooms 1/4-inch thick. Set aside.

3) Put the portobellos and white mushrooms in a colander and rinse well.

4) In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes. While the onion is cooking, slice the portobellos and white mushrooms and add them to the pan. Add the fresh thyme, dried thyme and dried basil. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well and let cook for 15 minutes or until most of the mushroom liquid has reduced down. 5.  Add the shiitakes, red wine and tomato paste and simmer until thickened. Spoon into the partially baked Cornmeal Peppercorn Crust and bake for 20 minutes. Serve with Sage Whipped Cream.

Cornmeal Peppercorn Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
6 ounces unsalted butter, chilled
3 tablespoons ice water

1) Place the flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse until mixed. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture. Pulse until the mix resembles coarse meal. Add the ice water and pulse again until the dough begins to form. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead a few times just to make sure everything is incorporated. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan and work it up the sides so that you have a 1-inch lip all the way around. Chill the crust for 20 minutes.
2) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
3) Line the crust with foil and fill with pie weights, raw rice or dried beans. Bake the crust on the lower rack of the oven for 10 minutes. Very carefully remove the foil and weights and bake another 5 minutes or until the crust is just dry. Remove from the oven and let cool before filling.

Sage Whipped Cream:
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon orange zest
3/8 teaspoon ground sage
2 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Generous pinch ground white pepper

Place the heavy cream into the bowl of a mixer and beat at high speed until it begins to thicken. Add the rest of the ingredients and continue to beat until soft peaks form. Serve with tart.

Review:  Ooh, this was a production!  Just what I needed for my Saturday night.  :)  I used fresh shiitake mushroom, instead of dried.  I also added a few tablespoons of porcini powder, which a coworker gifted me.  Yum.  I also used white cornmeal instead of yellow.  I also managed to make the crust too high on the sides of the springform pan.  Therefore, after I added the filling, I knocked off the excess and spread it across the top - kind of like a crumb topping.  For the whipped topping, I did not use fresh sage and I left out the orange zest.  I always leave out zest.  This was pretty tasty, and savory.  I would recommend doubling the filling and making it thicker. 

  

Apple-Walnut Salad With Maple Vinaigrette

1/4 cup chopped walnuts
6 cups mixed salad greens
2 medium-sized apples, peeled, cored and cut into matchsticks
     * recommended cameo, honey crisp, ginger gold, braeburn or fuji, as they resist browning
2 Tbs cider vinegar
2 Tbs maple syrup
1 Tbs walnut oil
2 tsp whole-grain Dijon mustard

1) Toast walnuts in skillet over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned and fragrant.
2) Place mixed greens and apples in large bowl.
3) Whisk together vinegar, maple syrup, oil and mustard in small bowl.  Drizzle over salad, and toss gently to coat.
4) Divide salad among plates.  Sprinkle each serving with walnuts, and serve.

Review:  Once again, I am grateful for TJ Maxx, as that's where I scored roasted walnut oil.  This oil needs to be refrigerated once open - be careful.  I was totally annoyed by making matchstick pieces, but this salad ended up being worth the effort.  This was super yummy and had a bit of an exotic taste.  Definitely a show-stopper salad.  BTW, cameo apples were used.  I had my first bowl of salad about 24 hours after I actually made it - no apple browning.  I'm impressed.

Penne & Cauliflower

1 lb penne
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 Tbs dried minced onion
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
3 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 cup grated pecorino-romano or extra-sharp white cheddar cheese
1 bunch watercress or 1 packed cup spinach, chopped

1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente.  Drain.
2) While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat.  Add the cauliflower, onion, garlic and rosemary; season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 2 minutes.  Add the wine and cook until slightly reduced, about 1 minute.  Add the stock and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
3) Add the pasta and cheese, and toss.  Serve in shallow bowls, topped with the greens.

Review:  I began making this and realized I was out of white wine.  I used one cup vegetable broth.  In Idaho, pecorino-romano and extra sharp white cheddar don't exist.  I used sharp yellow cheddar.  I also substituted some mixed greens that I had on hand.  Needless to say, this didn't seem to pack the same punch.  It was a bit bland.  I could really see this being an amazing recipe if broccoli were substituted, Cabot's hunter cheese, no greens and no wine were used.  Yum, I'll try it when I live in Cabot country again. :)

Broccoli & 3-Cheese Lasagna

1 15oz container ricotta
1 lb frozen chopped broccoli florets, thawed
2 1/4 cups grated mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
salt and black pepper
1 16oz jar marinara sauce
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 no-boil lasagna noodles
2 Tbs olive oil, plus more for the foil

1) Heat oven to 400F.  In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, broccoli, 2 cups of the mozzarella, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  In a small bowl, combine the marinara sauce and cream.
2) Spoon a thin layer of the sauce into the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish.  Top with 2 noodles, a quarter of the remaining sauce and a third of the broccoli mixture; repeat twice.  Top with the remaining 2 noodles and sauce.  Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of mozzarella and 1/4 cup of Parmesan.
3) Cover tightly with an oiled piece of foil and bake until the noodles are tender, 35 to 40 minutes.  Uncover and bake until the top is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Review:  The ingredient also called for 4 cups of mixed greens and step 4 instructed to toss the greens with oil and lemon juice for a side salad.  Oops, we didn't want a little side salad and thought the greens went into the lasagna!  Now we have a bunch of greens with no use . . .  eh, I can always make another pomegranate/pecan/feta salad.  Yum.  This lasagna was easy and yummy.  It wasn't anything spectacular, but it was hearty and filling. 

Cold French Lentil Salad

1 cup green lentils, sorted and rinsed
1 bay leaf
3 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp dried dill
3 celery stalks, finely diced
1 cup peeled and diced cucumber
1/3 cup finely diced fennel bulb
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/2 cup diced white onion

1) Bring lentils, bay leaf and 3 cups water to a boil in saucepan.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 20 minutes, or until lentils are tender.  Drain, remove bay leaf and cool.
2) Whisk together oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard and dill in bowl.  Stir in lentils, celery, cucumber, fennel, corn and onion.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Review:  I omitted the cucumber, fennel and onion since I don't like those things.  I added one zucchini, diced.  I also used canned lentils which seriously shaved time off the preparation of the dish and made it easier to have a cool salad.  Mmm, this was good.

Pesto Pasta

1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups torn baby spinach leaves
1 tsp dried basil
4 oz cooked spaghetti
2 Tbs shredded mozzarella

1) Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the nuts and toast them for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add garlic, spinach and basil, and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook for 3 to 5 minutes more, turning frequently.
2) Toss with the cooked pasta and top with cheese.

Review:  I pulled my food processor out of the cabinet before I read the instructions, since I always use it when making pesto.  However, this was not a pesto!!  I'm not sure how they came up with the name for this dish.  It lacked a strong taste, even after I tossed it all in roasted walnut oil.  Hm, it needs a little something and I'm not sure what that would be. 

Thanksgiving Dinner 2009

Mm, a nut loaf, stuffing, roasted root vegetables, pie and pinot grigio champagne. It doesn't get much better than this! See below for all the recipes I used for my super yummy Thanksgiving dinner!!!