Day 146.5 - Blueberry Tartlets with Lime Curd

A few months ago I picked up a set of sweet little tartlet pans at Williams-Sonoma. That store is seriously like crack to me - well, maybe not crack because I'm not into that - more like...cowboy boots, or strawberries or any one of the hundreds of things I must have. Which leads me to my latest lime obsession...in seltzer, squeezed over fish, in guacamole, in a margarita, in sorbet...the list goes on, but I won't. Suffice it to say, when I found this recipe, there was no question I would make it - so what if it's like 90 with matching humidity  - my hair will be way big, but my tartlets will be slammin'.

The combination of the zesty, tart, and rich curd with snappy blueberries and shortbread-like crust was divine and beautiful. I garnished the tartlets with mint, but you could use a dollop of whipped cream, candied lime or anything your heart desires. Plus, there's something special about having your own little tart for desert. It just feels extra decadent and magical -- and it looks gorgeous on the plate. Enjoy!

P.S If you don't have tartlet pans, you can use mini-muffin tins (which I also used because I only had 6 tartlet pans and the recipe makes 8).
Curd

Crust

Filling

Assembly

Blueberry Tartlets with Lime Curd (Adapated from epicurious.com - Bon Appetit, June 2002)

Curd
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
4 large egg yolks
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1-1/2 tsp. grated lime zest

Crust
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 Tbsp (about) chilled whipping cream
1 large egg yolk

Topping
3 cups blueberries
1 Tbsp. sugar

Preparation
For Curd
Whisk sugar and lime juice in non-reactive heavy saucepan to blend. Whisk in yolks, then butter. Cook over medium-low heat until thick, smooth and just beginning to bubble, stirring constantly, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in lime zest. Transfer to small bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface of curd to keep skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours. (can be made 4 days ahead. Keep refrigerated).

For Crust
Blend flour, sugar, and salt in food processor 5 seconds. Add butter and cut in, pulsing, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons cream and egg yolk. Pulse until moist clumps form, adding more cream by teaspoonful if dough seems too dry. Shape dough into log. Cut crosswise into  8 equal rounds. Press each round over bottom and up sides of  8 3-1/2x1-inch tartlet pans (or whichever size you have - the original recipe called for pans with removable bottoms, but I don't have any!) Pierce crusts with fork. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

For Topping
Place 1/2 cup berries and sugar in heavy small saucepan. Using fork, mash berries coarsely. Cook mixture over medium heat until beginning to simmer, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Using rubber spatula, push as much of the mixture as possible through a sieve, set over a medium bowl. Mix remaining blueberries into strained berries. Set topping aside.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Bake tartlet crusts until lightly golden, pressing any bubbles with the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Cool completely on rack.

Spread curd in crusts. Spoon blueberry topping over. (Can be prepared ahead. Let stand at room temperature up to 2 hours or refrigerate up to 1 day.)

(C) 2010-2011, What's Cooking in Your World?/ Sarah Commerford/All Rights Reserved 

Day 146! Romania - Prajitura cu Lamanie (Lemon Bars) - Up Next, Russian Federation

My husband and I just celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. Wait. What? Somehow 20 years sounds and feels so solid. We've lived a whole lot of life, easy and hard, and we're still here -- together. So, this is the kind of man I'm married to: He gets home from work, tells me to hop in his truck because we're taking a ride. Never one to turn down a mystery invitation, I eagerly oblige. We pull up in front of Sears, and I'm thinking "woowhoooo" we're shopping for a new weed whacker. As we're passing by the stoves, he nonchalantly asks me which one I like best. I point to my fav, and next thing I know, he's hailed the appliance dude, whipped out a wad of cash (he's a plumber and scrap copper is at an all time high) and the stove is mine. Just like that. I'm speechless, psyched and spoiled. I love you, Liam, you're the man. And you you're mine.

Now, a quick word about this recipe. I'm pretty sure that these Prajitura cu Lamie (Lemon Bars) are a modern day spin on an old school Romanian classic for a more traditional lemon loaf. If you're kind enough to  be reading this, and you're Romanian, I'd love to know what you think. I made a point to work from a Romanian website, but when I cross-referenced the recipe, I found many more that were more cake/loaf like. Regardless, this recipe is sublime. A shortbread crust and lemon curd-like topping tastes like summer in a pan. Sweet, tart and beautiful, it's the perfect treat for a warm June night no matter where you live.

Located at the cross roads of central and south eastern Europe, Romania sits on the lower Danube within and outside of the Carpathian arch, bordering the Black Sea. Romania shares its borders with Hungary, Serbia, Ukraine, Moldova and Bulgaria. Romania emerged when the principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia were united. By the end of WWII, many north eastern areas of Romanian territories were occupied by the Soviet Union, but with the fall of the iron curtain and the 1989 Revolution, Romania began transitioning toward a democracy and capitalist market. In 2007, Romania joined the European Union.

Culinary traditions in Romania have been influenced by Ottoman, German, Serbian and Hungarian cuisine. Soups, stews, meat and fish dishes are often given an extra twang and soured using lemon juice, sauerkraut juice, vinegar and fermented wheat. Plum brandy is a popular alcoholic beverage (which I'd like to try to make). Stuffed cabbage rolls, sauerkraut, mama liga (like polenta) all topped with sour cream are commonly served. Sausages and pork are the preferred meat, but beef, chicken and lamb are eaten as well. Vegetables include, but are not limited to: peppers, eggplant, kohlrabi, cabbage, mushrooms and leaks.

Crust

Topping

Prajitura cu Lamaie (Lemon Bars) - Adapated from romanianfoodrecipes.com

Crust

1-1/2 four
1/3 cup confectioner's sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 cup butter

Topping


3 eggs
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 1-1/2 large lemons)
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 Tbsp. four

Preheat oven to 350 F and butter a 9x9 square pan.
To prepare the crust, mix four, confectioner's sugar and salt together.
Cut butter into the dry ingredients using two knives or a pastry blender.
Press mixture into prepared pan to form the crust.
Bake 10-15 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside (do not turn oven off)
To make the topping, beat the eggs and lemon juices in a small bowl.
In a separate bowl, sift together the sugar and flour.
Gradually add the four and sugar mixture to the eggs, mixing well. Stir or whisk until smooth.
Pour the filling over the crust and bake 15-20 minutes until set and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Cool, then sprinkle with confectioner's sugar if desired and cut into squares. Store in refrigerator.

(C) 2010-2011, What's Cooking in Your World?/ Sarah Commerford/All Rights Reserved 

Chile Pepper Menu at Dosa

A few weeks ago I had brunch at Dosa on Fillmore. It was absolutely fantastic. First of all, it's a lovely and glamorous dining room with high ceilings, gold accents and modern sculptural chandeliers. And the food is so good. I love having something a little out of the ordinary for brunch. There are omelets with chiles, dosas with eggs, spiced up scrambled eggs, all the things you want but served in a new way. So I was particularly thrilled to get a chance to work with chef and owner Anjan Mitra to put together a really cool menu for BlackboardEats. And now I have an excuse to go back for dinner.

Anjan uses the best ingredients and brings a level of freshness to Indian food that is pretty much unique in San Francisco. He's been wanting to do a chile pepper menu for some time and the dishes are all over the map in terms of heat. Because this is a BlackboardEats special, YOU MUST sign up at http://blackboardeats.com/ and download a passcode on June 28th (or first thing June 29th) to be able to order these dishes. But the good thing is you can order as many or as few as you want.



Photo credit: Robin Jolin
I teased Anjan that this corn salad is a bit like succotash. But really it's a bright lime and spiced smoky salad that has a little bowl of chiles on the side so you can take the heat up to wherever you like.



Photo credit: Robin Jolin
The lamb pepper fry is a rich curry with many layers of chile and sweet undertones of cardamom and cinnamon.



Photo credit: Robin Jolin
The peppers stuffed with chicken looks like chile rellenos! I guess in a way it is, and the sauce resembles mole because it is made from more chiles and ground nuts and sesame.



Photo credit: Robin Jolin
The batter fried chiles are like Indian jalapeno poppers! The batter is light and made from lentils and instead of cheese the filling is a creamy puree of sesame and peanuts. Anjan uses different peppers so you don't know if you'll get a mild bite or a zinger but there is cooling tamarind and yogurt chutneys to take the heat down if you desire.



Photo credit: Robin Jolin
I am always torn between ordering dosas which are like crepes or uttapams which are like moist pancakes. For this special menu there is a Habanero uttapam. This untraditional uttapam has a mango habanero chutney mixed into the batter, along with seasonal vegetables making it bright and colorful and it comes with that outrageous dal that is at once exciting and comforting.

The dishes are priced extremely well considering the quality, from $9 to $12 each and of course there are lots of other wonderful things on the menu to round out your meal. Many thanks to Anjan for creating this great menu and to Robin Jolin for taking the drop dead gorgeous photos.

Day 145! Qatar - Chicken Shawarma with Homemade Pita Bread - Up Next, Romania

There were a million other household chores I shoulda, coulda, woulda done today, but my family talked me into making homemade pita bread to go with the shawarma for our Qatari meal.  And honestly, making pita bread (which is mad easy) on a Sunday beats domestic drudgery any day.  But...as I was in the middle of cooking, my son Tim and and his girlfriend came home with the most adorable tiger kitten -- in a willow basket no less. I held my mean- mom "no way in Hell " ground for a good 30 seconds, until the kitten looked up at me - then I totally caved. We already  have a cat, a very large German shepherd and two turtles and fish, so what's one more, right? Sigh. I need a serious refresher course on how to resist cuteness in a basket.

Located on the northeasterly coast of the larger Arab Peninsula, Qatar is an Arab emirate in the Middle East. Its only land border is Saudi Arabia, the rest of the country being surrounded by the Persian Gulf. Ruled by the Al Thani family's absolute monarchy since the mid-19th century, Qatar was a former British protectorate, which gained its independence in 1971. Qatar is one of the regions wealthiest states, due in large part to its abundant oil and gas reserves, as well as its pearling market. Qatar claimed the world's largest per capita production of oil and gas and in 2010 was also rated with world's highest GDP.

Because Qatar is surrounded by water on 3 sides and has an abundance of sunny weather, vegetables, fruit and fish are readily available. Although the country's cuisine is based on traditional nomadic customs, Qatar's cuisine has an international flare and incorporates Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Thai, Italian, French, Mediterranean and Mexican flavors into it's cooking. Seafood, lobster, crab, shrimp, tuna, king fish and red snapper are eaten and prepared regularly. Under Muslim law, pork is not consumed, and halal lamb and chicken must be slaughtered and prepared according to strict guidelines. Yogurt, coffee, cheese and olives also make regular appearances at the breakfast, lunch (the main meal of the day) and dinner table.

Homemade Pita Bread (Adapted from about.com)

1 package active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
3 cups all purpose flour
1-1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1 cup lukewarm water

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Let sit for 10 -15 minutes until water is foamy.
Combine flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a bread hook.
Make a small depression in the middle of the flour and pour yeast mixture into depression.
Turn mixer on low and mix until blended.
Continue to knead with bread hook for 10-15 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.
Grease a large bowl with vegetable oil and place dough in bowl, turning until coated.
Cover bowl with clean towel and let rise in warm, draft free place for 3 hours, or until doubled in bulk.
Once doubled, turn dough out onto a lightly floured board, and roll into a rope.
Pinch off 10-12 small pieces and roll into balls.
Place balls on floured surface, cover with a clean towel and let rest for 10 minutes.
Preheat oven and cookie sheet to 500 F and make sure rack is at the bottom of the oven.
Roll each ball of dough out with a rolling pin into 5-6-inch circles across and 1/4-inch thick.
Bake for 4 minutes until the bread puffs up, then turn over and bake for another 2 minutes.
Remove each pita with a spatula from the baking sheet, and with the back of the the spatula, gently push down on the puffed pita breads.
Cool and store immediately in resealable storage bags.

Chicken Shawarma (Adapted from about.com Middle Eastern Food)

For the Chicken Marinade
1-1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced
1 cup plain Greek style yogurt
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cardamom pods, crushed (discard pod shells)
1 tsp. ground allspice
juice from 1 lemon

For the Sauce

1 cup tahini
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp. Greek style yogurt

For the Pita Filling


8 small loaves of pita bread or 4 large
thinly sliced cucumbers (I used English)
thinly sliced red onions
1/2 tsp. sumac (available in Middle Eastern markets)
thinly sliced tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

Combine all ingredients except for chicken, sauce and filling ingredients to make marinade. If it seems a little dry, add a tablespoon or so of olive oil.
Add chicken to marinade mixture, cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
In a large heavy skillet, cook chicken over medium heat for 20-30 minutes until cooked.
While chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce. Combine all sauce ingredients, mix well and set aside. If the sauce is too thick, you may add a little more lemon juice or water until it reaches the desired consistency.
In a bowl, combine onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley and sprinkle with sumac.

To Prepare the Pita

Stuff the pita with enough chicken on  pita that it fills about 1/4 of the loaf. Add vegetables and pour sauce over everything. Roll like a soft taco or burrito. You can also use a large pita loaf and roll it as you would a burrito.

Final Assessment:  Delicious. Traditional Middle Eastern flavors all tucked inside fresh pita bread. We had it for lunch, and we're having it for dinner...and if there are any left overs, we'll have it for breakfast too.


(C) 2010-2011, What's Cooking in Your World?/ Sarah Commerford/All Rights Reserved