Monthly Archives: December 2012

tomato coulis

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tomatoes

I had made a braised artichoke appetizer a few weeks back, and it called for it to be drizzled with a tomato coulis.  I wasn’t sure entirely what a coulis was, but decided to give it a try.  I loved the coulis better than the artichokes!  I would use this on almost anything – from fish, to crostini, to kabobs.  I might be telling you something you already know, but this was my coulis moment.  Now, as you can see, I made this in the winter, but I made sure that I bought the most flavorful tomatoes I could find.  I can’t wait to make this with heirloom varieties in the summer with all the different color tomatoes…yum.
I decided to tweak the recipe from Cooking Light, because I wanted a smoother sauce than what was produced by my food processor.   If I had used a blender like the recipe called for, I wonder if tweaking would not have been necessary.  Drizzle away…

quartered tomatoescoulis ingredients

tomato coulis (adapted Food & Wine August 2009)

4  medium fresh tomatoes
4  oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1 garlic clove, minced
3  TB extra virgin olive oil
5 basil leaves
pinch of crushed red pepper
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

strained coulistomato coulis

get started on coulis:

In a food processor, puree the fresh tomatoes with the drained sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, basil and crushed red pepper.  Season with salt and black pepper.  Strain mixture over a bowl, pressing solids to release all liquid.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

note:  as said earlier, you can opt to do this in a blender and not strain the mixture for a slightly thicker texture.

squash and ricotta galette

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squash galette

I had this recipe on my counter to try for two weeks.  I was dying to make it for some reason, and today was the day dammit.  It was miserable outside, so getting the stove or the oven going is always a good remedy.  I don’t know if I was drawn to recipe’s simplicity, or the anticipation to devour it because of its resemblance to pizza.  Whichever it was, it doesn’t matter.  This dish is perfection.  Period.  Next time I make this, I think I will pair it with a tomato coulis.  Ok, so that sounds fancy and I’m not fancy.   I actually had made the coulis a few weeks ago for the first time, as part of an artichoke appetizer, and I couldn’t get enough of it.  I think because of the obvious ingredient marriage (tomatoes, basil, garlic), it would send this dish over the top.  Even the kids walked in from school today and wanted to know what smelled so good.  They thought I had made cookies, which makes no sense, but hey – ricotta zucchini cookies could be the next big thing…

galette

squash and ricotta galette (adapted from Cooking Light July 2012)

1 2/3  cups all-purpose flour
1/2  tsp. salt
1/2  tsp. baking powder
1/3  cup plus 1 TB extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/4  cup water
1  medium zucchini, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch thick rounds
1  large yellow squash, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch thick rounds
2  garlic cloves, minced
pinch crushed red pepper
3/4  cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2  cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
2  tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1/2  tsp. lemon rind, grated
1  tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4  tsp. fresh ground pepper
1  large egg, lightly beaten
1/4  tsp. kosher salt
1  large egg white
1/4  cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

olive oil

get started on dough:

Combine flour, salt and baking powder in a food processor.  Pulse two times to combine.  Combine 1/3 cup oil and 1/4 cup water in a small measuring cup.  With processor on, slowly add the oil and water mixture through the food chute.  Process until dough is crumbly but holds together.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead one minute and add additional flour if necessary in order to prevent the dough from sticking.  Gently press dough into a 5 inch disk and wrap in plastic wrap.  Chill for 30 minutes.

sliced squash

get started on the filling:

Combine remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, zucchini, squash,garlic and crushed red pepper in a large bowl.  Stir gently to coat completely.  Combine ricotta and next 7 ingredients (through salt) in a medium bowl, stirring to combine.

assembled galettegalette

assemble:

Preheat oven to 400.  Unwrap dough, and roll into a 14 inch circle on a lightly floured surface.  Place dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Spread ricotta mixture over dough, leaving a 2 inch border.  Arrange zucchini and yellow squash alternately, slightly overlapping, in a circular pattern.  Sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.  Fold edges of dough toward center pressing gently to seal (dough will only partially cover squash).  In a small bowl, whisk together 1 teaspoon of water and egg white.  Brush dough edges with egg white mixture.  Bake at 400 for 40 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool 5 minutes and sprinkle with basil.  Cool an additional 15 minutes.  Cut into 6 wedges.

galette with basilslice

note:  serves six

cranberry-chocolate tart

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tart slice

Another perfect example of why being blonde in the kitchen can be a problem…especially when baking.  I am notorious for leaving out a step or an ingredient…something.  Cooking –  not so much.  Don’t know why that is.  I had already started this tart for Thanksgiving when I realized my removable bottom pan was bottomless.  That’s right…it was inconveniently “removed”.  My guess is, it is wherever I sent dessert home last year.  All I know is, it wasn’t in my kitchen.  So with filling made and cookie crust ready to press, I was tartpan-less.  There was no way I was going to negotiate the parking lot at a mall, or Target (which shares space with Wegmans), the day before Thanksgiving, to purchase a new one.  Hell no.  So I borrowed a friend’s pan and all was good in the world again.  Tart came out, and I will continue to not read recipes all the way through.

cranberry – chocolate tart (from Gourmet Magazine)

cranberry topping:

1/2  cup cranberry juice, divided
1  tsp. unflavored gelatin
1  12 oz. bag fresh cranberries
3/4  cup sugar
2  tsp. fresh lemon juice
1  tsp. lemon peel, finely grated
1  tsp. peeled fresh ginger, grated
pinch of salt
4  TB crystallized ginger, finely chopped

cranberriesgelatin

get started on the topping:

Pour 1/4 cup cranberry juice into a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over.  Let stand until softened, 15 minutes.  Combine 1/4 cup cranberry juice, cranberries, and next 5 ingredients in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer until cranberries are tender but still plump, about 5 minutes.  (You want to see round cranberries on the tart – not mush).  Strain into bowl and set the cranberries aside.  Add gelatin mixture to hot juice in bowl.  Stir until gelatin dissolves.  Stir cranberries back into juice.  Chill until cranberry mixture is cold and slightly thickened, at least 8 hours or overnight.

note:  This can be done 2 days ahead.  Cover and chill.  If doing ahead, stir in crystallized ginger into cranberry mixture when you assemble the tart.

cranberry mixture20121120_183227

crust:

1 1/4  cups chocolate wafer cookie crumbs (made from about 6 1/2 oz cookies, finely ground in a food processor)
1/4  cup sugar
1/8  tsp. salt
5-6  TB unsalted butter, melted

get started on crust:

Position rack in center of the oven and preheat to 350.  Combine chocolate wafer cookie crumbs, sugar and salt in a bowl.  Add 5 tablespoons melted butter and stir until crumbs feel moist when pressed together with fingertips, adding remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter if mixture is dry.  Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom and up sides of 9 inch diameter tart pan with removable bottom.  (I sprayed with non-stick spray just in case).
Bake chocolate crust until beginning to set and get slightly crisp, pressing with spoon if crust puffs during baking, about 14 minutes.  Transfer tart pan to rack and cool crust completely before filling.

wafer cookiescookie crust

mascarpone filling:

1  8 oz. container mascarpone cheese
1/2  cup powdered sugar
1/2  cup chilled whipping cream
1  tsp. vanilla extract
crystallized ginger (either strips or pieces for garnish)

mascarpone filling

get started on filling:

Using an electric mixer, beat all ingredients except ginger in a medium bowl just until thick enough to spread.  Do not overbeat or mixture may curdle.  Spread filling in cooled crust.  Spoon cranberry mixture evenly over mascarpone filling.  Chill at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours.  Garnish with crystallized ginger, if desired.  Cut tart into wedges and serve cold.

tart

note:  serves 10-12.