My love for San Diego’s Specialty Produce is well-documented. If you’re local and you’ve not visited this amazing produce wholesaler, which is open to the public, GO NOW. So, I wasn’t surprised when a friend, who I introduced to Specialty Produce, was telling me that the mushrooms he found there were the best he’s ever had. The problem was, I had never bought any mushrooms there. I needed to, right away, so I came up with this quick tart. It highlights the mushrooms, so be sure to find the best you can.
Mushroom Tart
You’ll need:
1 box frozen puff pastry (two squares)
1/2 stick (4 tbsp.) unsalted butter
7 cups thinly sliced fresh mushrooms (button, porcini or a mix of any favorites)
salt
freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
5 oz. goat cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay out pastry squares on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
Melt butter in a large skillet.
Add mushrooms and sauté until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide mixture among the pastry squares. Sprinkle herbs and dot with goat cheese. At this time you could pop it back in the oven to heat it up a bit but we ate it right away so it was unnecessary.
Enjoy!
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Happy New Year! I don’t really make New Year’s resolutions. I am constantly striving to be the best I can and don’t need the added pressure of failing a resolution. As a mom, wife, daughter, and friend, I am always looking for ways to love more, empathize more, be kinder, and have more patience. That being said, the holidays always throw me into a frenzy. Every. Single. Year. Honestly, I thought I would blog straight through the holidays this year, piece of cake; obviously that didn’t happen. I cooked like crazy the past three weeks. I host a family Christmas Brunch for about 20; beer nog, mimosas, egg casserole, cinnamon buns, brisket, waffles made to order, and more. But, in the frenzy of the holiday, I just never found that pocket of time to do what I love, write and document about all of the cooking. I plan to work on that this year. So I guess if I make one resolution it will be to find the time to blog, even when it seems too hectic and crazy to do just that; I will stick my earphones in, turn the music up, cook, take pictures, and write.
I saw this recipe in this month’s Food & Wine. It reached out of the magazine and grabbed me; I’m not joking. It just sounded so fresh, bright and perfect for my first post of the New Year. I had a few dear friends and family members over last night for dinner and we shared the French Lemon Tart for dessert. It is an absolutely stunning dessert to serve to guests. Very tart, sweet and lemony.
French Lemon Tart adapted from Food & Wine, January 2014.
You’ll need:
Pastry
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups & 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (& more for dusting)
Whisk the cream with the egg yolk in a small bowl.
In a large bowl, mix the 1 1/4 cups & 2 tablespoons flour with the sugar and pinch of salt. With your hands, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Using a rubber spatula or spoon, carefully stir in the yolk mixture. Using your hands, knead the pastry until it just comes together (you may need to add a teaspoon of cold water, but be careful to not add too much).
Wrap in plastic, flatten to a disk and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and coat a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom with cooking spray.
On a floured work surface, roll out the pastry to a 12-inch circle. Carefully place the pastry in the tart pan, pressing it into the corners. Roll the rolling pin over the top of the tart pan to cut off excess pastry. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.
Line the tart shell with parchment paper and fill it with dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment paper and beans and bake the tart for 15-20 minutes longer, until golden brown. Let cool completely.
Filling:
In a heavy saucepan, combine the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and pinch of salt.
Whisk until smooth.
Set a bowl and a strainer near the stove. Cook the custard over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, whisking until incorporated.
Strain filling into the bowl.
Scrape strained filling into the cooled tart shell and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Remove the tart ring and serve with whipped cream.
There is something so special about serving something so beautiful to people you love.
Again, Happy New Year to you and yours! May this year bring many blessings both big and small.
Be sure to subscribe to the blog and follow on Twitter & Instagram! Use #TheIncidentalSpoon if you try any of the recipes I post! I already have some amazing numbers/recipes in the works for the new year!
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