The Garden Apartment

Helen's Cabbage Rolls

 

It's funny how a single dish can bring you back to a moment in time.

I grew up in northern Michigan in the small tourist town of Mackinaw City. My parents owned a motel in this bustling summer place, where we inevitably met a lot of interesting people. People traveled to Mackinaw from all over the United States, and sometimes from all over the world. Yet, some of the most interesting people we met were the locals: the people from the small town of only 700 year round residents. 

I must have been seven or eight years old the first time I met Helen and Arpad. They attended the same church as our family, and Helen had figured out that my parents owned a motel- which meant we had an indoor pool. She asked my parents if she and her friends could use our pool from time to time. They said yes, of course, and the weekly visits from Helen began.

Helen was a feisty older lady who was married to an equally feisty and sharp man. Whenever she or Arpad stopped over they spent hours talking to my parents in the motel lobby, or upstairs in our home (which was above the lobby). Soon, this developed into a real friendship and Helen and Arpad became something like adopted grandparents for me, and adopted parents for my mom and dad.

It would be an understatement to call them interesting. Together they had raised four children in the Detroit suburbs. Arpad had been born in Hungary and emigrated to the United States as a young boy. His trade was shoe-making, and he was the first to operate a drive-through shoe repair shop in Detroit. As an older man, he was an expert at building things- including handmade grandfather clocks. Together, the two of them had stories which they would compete to tell: stories of their family vacations traveling across the country, and stories of their children who were all grown up. There were also the sayings and the smart remarks. Arpad, especially, was known to have a wise comment for everything. During one restaurant dinner, the waitress asked our table how everything was. Arpad looked up at her with a sweet smile on his face and remarked, "Well, I didn't have everything, but what I did have was very good."

During the summers in Mackinaw, my parents were extremely busy. They often worked 17-18 hour days, and there was little time to cook. Often, Helen would drop off food for us. But, this dish- Helen's cabbage rolls- I clearly remember eating at their home on the shores of Lake Michigan. I can still picture their dining room with cabinets full of the china she had hand painted, Arpad's handmade grandfather clock hanging on the wall, and a photo of the two of them standing proudly on the church steps on their wedding day.

Helen was standing in the kitchen with an apron tied around her waist. She opened the oven and the sweet smell of cabbage, tomato sauce, and meat drifted into the room. She turned around and shouted at all of us seated at the table. "Do you know what my secret ingredient is?" Without really waiting for anyone to guess, she answered herself, "It's brown sugar."

I remember those cabbage rolls: sweet and tangy, soft with a slightly crisp exterior. We enjoyed them like any good comfort food and were sent home with leftovers.

Sadly, Helen passed away when I was just a teenager. And, this past winter we all said goodbye to Arpad. I'm sure they're both together now, competing for air time in heaven and telling great stories of their years together.

But, in the meantime, I felt compelled to make these cabbage rolls. If only, to bring me down memory lane to a moment when I was a little girl sitting at Helen's table.

Because the weather is getting cooler again, cabbage is appearing at my farmer's markets. I found my cabbage at the Foggy Bottom farmer's market at the Sunnyside Farms stand.

Here is the recipe: in Helen's own words. It's what you would expect a grandmother's recipe to read like, I think.

Helen's Cabbage Rolls

Mix cooked ground beef, cooked rice, and diced onions. Place 1 Tablespoon of the mixture into each softened cabbage leaf. Roll each gently and fry in butter. Place the fried rolls in a mixture of tomato sauce, rinsed sauerkraut, and a small amount of brown sugar. Sprinkle with dill weed. Bake in a slow oven for several hours.

Tiffany's Notes: I used about 6 ounces of ground beef and sauteed it with garlic and onion. I mixed it with about a cup of white rice. To soften the cabbage leaves, I removed them from the cabbage, spritzed them with water, covered them with plastic wrap and warmed in the microwave for about 45 seconds. I baked these for about 2 hours in a 350 F oven, though you could bake them for less time. The long bake time helps the tomato sauce to absorb into the rolls.

A Di(sh)patch Apologizing to September {and everything lasagna}

Two farmers markets yielded an abundance of produce. Read about it here or scroll down for my lasagna recipe.

I owe an apology to the month of September. You see, I've been lamenting the end of summer and whining about saying goodbye to field tomatoes, peaches, and all of summer's other wonderful produce. Forgive me, September.

You see, the tomatoes and peaches are still hanging on. But, what's more, I have to admit that September is currently winning the prize for offering the best of everything. Melons and raspberries are still around, and apples and gourds have arrived. Dried garlic is being sold by several vendors and the cool air has brought a variety of crisp lettuces back to market. Basically, September has responded to my whining by waving her sassy hand (and abundant produce) in my face and saying, "So there!"

I apologize. Really. My first act of contrition was this Wednesday when I went to the Fresh Farms Foggy Bottom Farmers Market. What should I find there?

A gorgeous variety of eggplants from Sunnyside Farms

And more eggplants at Quaker Valley Orchards farm stand. I couldn't resist the little orange ones.

Turkish Turban and Calabash Squash

And apples, of course.

I came home with a bag full of colorful variety. Perhaps the most amazing purchase was a bunch of basil. By the time I had decided to pay for my goods at Sunnyside Farm & Orchards, my hands were full. I asked them to add a bunch of basil to my bundle. I had been thinking I would receive about a quarter of what was actually handed to me: an enormous bunch of purple and green basil. This basil yielded 6-7 cups of fresh leaves for what else? Pesto. Oh, and bruschetta. Unfortunately, I used all that basil up before thinking about my camera. And that pesto?

 

Most of it is frozen into tiny zip-lock bags for winter retrieval when I'm craving that fresh basil flavor.

Score thus far = September: 1. Tiffany's complaints and whining: 0.

The second act of contrition: Saturday and the Old Town Alexandria Farmer's Market

Did you notice the picture at the beginning of this post? The endless sea of tomatoes, peppers, and green beans? That is what greeted me at Bigg Riggs Farm on Saturday at the Old Town farmer's market.

 

And then these September multi-colored peppers laughed in my face (I happened to purchase a bag full of these for roasting). I've been informed that these will be available until the first freeze.

 

Fall?

 

Summer?

Okay, September, you win.

I also picked up some sausage from Babes in the Wood, some fresh mozzarella and ricotta cheese from Blue Ridge Dairy, and a gorgeous large container of fresh lettuce from Spring Valley Farm & Orchards. This lettuce is so delicious looking that one shopper passing by caught a single glimpse at my basket and got in line herself to purchase a large bin of the luscious greens.

simple and delicious salad

I came home with a great abundance of fruits, vegetables, meat, and cheese. Given the combination, it seemed that an "everything" lasagna was in order.

Before I divulge my recipe, let me share a few things I've learned about lasagna over the years.

1. Lasagna is time consuming, but it takes just as much time to make one as two. Since lasagna freezes well, it's a great idea to make extra for when you need easy and delicious leftovers.
2. The noodles: lasagna noodles can get really overcooked. I only boil mine for about 2-3 minutes, just so they soften a bit. They always finish cooking to perfection in the oven. 
3. The sauce: I like to make a lot of sauce with a variety of vegetables. Onion and garlic are always a must, but some optional additions include zucchini, squash, eggplant, peppers, carrots, and celery. For the inside layers, I keep the sauce chunky. The other half of the sauce (for the top and bottom) is pureed until smooth. I often find that the amount of sauce called for in most recipes is simply not enough, so I always make a little extra.
4. The Meat: If I am making lasagna with meat, I like to use two types of meat: Italian sausage and ground beef.
5. Cheese: Use both Parmesan and mozzarella, and use a lot.
6. The ricotta cheese mixture: I am typically not a fan of ricotta, but the ricotta I bought from Blue Ridge Dairy this weekend was so tasty that I could eat a spoonful of it without any seasoning. Though I usually don't put a lot of ricotta in my lasagnas, I used an entire container for this recipe. If available, basil pesto makes a nice addition to the ricotta mixture.

Everything Lasagna

• 1 package of lasagna noodles
• 1 TB olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1/2 orange or red pepper, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 28 ounce can of tomatoes
• 2 TB tomato paste
• 1 TB brown sugar
• dash of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1-2 TB fresh basil leaves, torn
• 6 ounces ground beef
• 6 ounces Italian sausage
• 1 medium eggplant, sliced (optional)
• 1 14-ounce container of ricotta cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 Cup of Parmesan cheese, shredded (and divided into two equal parts)
• 2-3 TB basil pesto
• 8 ounces of buffalo style mozzarella, sliced
• 1 Cup mixed Italian shredded cheeses (i.e. Romano, Mozzarella)

Make the tomato sauce

Heat 1 TB of olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion, carrot, and red pepper. Cook until onion begins to soften. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, bay leaf, brown sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over low heat for at least 1 hour.

(Optional) Eggplant

Slice eggplant and toss in olive oil and Kosher salt. Roast on a foil-lined baking sheet in a 350F oven for 35 minutes, while the tomato sauce is simmering. If you are using a large eggplant, you may want to salt the eggplant for 15-20 minutes before roasting (to remove bitterness). Rinse salt, pat dry, toss with olive oil and roast for 30-35 minutes.

Make the ricotta cheese mixture

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg. Add the ricotta cheese, 1/2 Cup of shredded Parmesan, and (optional) basil pesto. Return to the fridge until assembly time.

Putting it all together

Pre-heat the oven to 375F. In the meantime, add sausage and ground beef to a medium skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until lightly browned.

Heat a large stockpot of water. (If you'd rather cook the pasta ahead of time, cook the noodles for 3 minutes in boiling water, then place in cold water immediately after cooking and set aside until assembly time.)

Remove half of the pasta sauce from the skillet. Allow to cool for ten minutes; place in a food processor, and blend until smooth. If the consistency seems too thick, add a little pasta water to the sauce.

Have ready: 13 x 9 inch baking dish, all cheeses, sauce, (optional) eggplant, and meat.

Spread 1/2 of the pureed sauce to the bottom of the baking dish.

At this point, the stockpot of water should be rapidly boiling. Add five lasagna noodles and cook for about 3 minutes. Remove and layer across the length of the baking dish. Add five more noodles to the boiling water.

While second set of noodles are cooking, spread 1/2 of ricotta mixture over the noodles, top with 1/2 of chunky sauce, 1/2 the meat, 1/2 the Buffalo mozzarella, 1/2 the eggplant slices (optional), and 1/2 shredded cheese.

 

See how sneaky I am? Do you see what's hiding under all that cheese? Eggplant, which John never detected.

Remove noodles from pan and repeat the previous steps (ricotta, chunky sauce, meat, eggplant, cheese) while the final set of noodles is cooking.

Place the final set of noodles on top. Cover with the remaining pureed sauce, remaining 1/2 Cup of Parmesan cheese, and extra shredded cheese (if desired). *Important: Make sure all edges are covered with sauce or they will dry out during baking.

Cover the lasagna dish with aluminum foil and bake in 375 F oven for 45 minutes.

Remove foil, reduce heat to 350 F and bake for about 10-15 more minutes until cheese is slightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Hot out of the oven 

 

See if you can eat just one slice.

Apple, Blueberry, and Blue Cheese Salad

Sue Bette's Feelgood Eats has been one of my favorite blogs since I first started writing "The Garden Apartment". Sue posts original recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. She also provides her readers with great resources for eating locally and sustainably. Let's just say that from the very beginning, I was in awe of her. So, imagine how honored I felt when she asked me to write a guest post! Check out my recipe for apple, blueberry, and blue cheese salad. And while you're over there, take some time to look around Feelgood Eats and Subscribe.

The Apple Pie Saga

Who knew an apple could cause so much trouble?

When I first started dating John, I learned that apple pie is his favorite dessert. So I did what any good girlfriend would do: I baked him an apple pie. I went to all lengths for this apple pie. I carefully rolled out the dough for the bottom crust, coated the apples with cinnamon, sugar, and lemon juice, and then even- get this- rolled out the top crust with cookie cutter cut-out heart shapes. Because everyone knows that cut-out hearts make for a delicious pie.

One of the reasons I love John is for his blatant honesty. However, at this early stage, it came as a bit of a shock when I was informed that this apple pie was not the best apple pie he had ever eaten. It was "good," but apparently not up to par with his sophisticated taste.

Most of you reading this will probably assume that it was John's mother, or even John's grandmother who baked the best apple pie. No. And, no. I discovered that this coveted first-place apple pie was actually the creation of an unlikely candidate: John's sister-in-law's mother.

John's mother, who does amazing work in the kitchen, had attempted to win him over with apple pies as well, but got the same reaction. Together, she and I analyzed the sister-in-law's mother's pie. Was it the thinly sliced apples? The high quantity of cinnamon? We just couldn't figure it out.

In the meantime, John reaped the benefits of women competing for the best pie.

And then, I began to suspect something. Could it be that he was simply trying to motivate us with his fair reviews so that he could continue eating apple pie after apple pie?

Feeling hopeless and spiteful, I gave up for awhile. And then, a few weeks ago the first apples appeared at the farmer's market. Up to the challenge, I took the apples home and followed my instincts for what I thought would make a good apple pie and served it up to my husband.

His reaction? First prize.

Now, if this wasn't good enough news, the rest is simply icing on the cake (or pie, in this instance). I went back to Calvin of Bigg Riggs Farm to tell him that his apples had made the winning pie. Calvin inquired what kind of apples I used. When I pointed out some green rambos, he claimed "Well, those apples are good. But just wait: in a few weeks we'll have Jonathan apples and they will blow that other pie out of the water."

How could I resist this? When I got an email last Friday afternoon that the Jonathan apples would be at the Old Town Farmer's Market, I had to have them. Before leaving for a Virginia Tech football game at 7 AM, I made John drive me to the farmer's market, where Calvin had these apples of promise waiting for me.

John had better like this apple pie.

John's Favorite Apple Pie

Crust from Alice Waters "The Art of Simple Food"

• 1/4 Cup ice-cold water
• 1 Cup all-purpose flour
• dash of salt
• 6 TB butter, cut into small 1/4 inch cubes

Mix together the flour and salt. Cut or work the butter into the flour with your fingertips, or mix for 1-2 minutes in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment). Some of the butter should be in fairly large chunks still. Pour in three quarters of the water, stirring all the while with a fork until the dough begins to form clumps (in the mixer, pour the water down the side of the bowl, mixing for less than 30 seconds. Keep adding water if needed. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic, then flatten into a disk. Let rest, refrigerated for at least one hour.

After one hour, remove the dough from the fridge. Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Allow the dough to warm slightly on the counter for a few minutes. Lightly flour a clean surface. Roll the dough out to fit into a 9" pie dish. Place the dough into the pie dish and crinkle around the edges.

Place the pie dough in the oven and bake for 15 minutes at 375.

Pie Filling

• 5 Jonathan apples, peeled and thinly sliced (about 1/4 inch thick)
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (more if desired)
• 3 TB granulated sugar

While the crust is pre-baking in the oven, combine the apples, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Set aside and have the 3 TB of sugar ready for later.

Topping

• 1/4 Cup flour
• 3 TB brown sugar
• 1 TB granulated sugar
• a few dashes of cinnamon
• 2 TB of cold butter, cut into small pieces

Combine dry ingredients. Add butter cubes and slowly work into a crumble. Refrigerate until using.

Putting it all together:

Remove pie crust from the oven and allow to cool slightly for 5-10 minutes. Douse the apples with the 3 TB of granulated sugar. Lightly dust with the brown sugar and cinnamon topping.

Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until crust is golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream.

The results? A perfectly flaky crust, delicious apples (thanks, Calvin), and just the right amount of sweet topping. And as for John? He says this is the best one yet. Whew. . . it only took four years.

Case closed.   

An Award

Much thanks to Grace of A Southern Grace for the "I love you this much" award. If you don't already read "A Southern Grace," you should begin immediately. Not only are her recipes great, but Grace's stories and photos are guaranteed to make you laugh.

I'd like to pass this on to two people. First, Susan of Smooregasbord for, true to her blog name, providing a variety of enjoyable topics for her readers. Also, she makes me laugh. (This is a reoccurring theme, apparently.)

Second, Sue of Feelgood Eats. Feelgood Eats is one of the first food blogs I read religiously. If you want delicious, healthy, and seasonal cooking, check it out. Sue also has a great "resource" section on her blog, for those of you who want some ideas on how to eat sustainably and locally.

So, I Married a Hokie

 A weekend of Virginia Tech football brought about some reflection on my marriage, local food culture, and turkey legs.

 

When John and I first started dating it was mid-December of 2004. We liked each other immediately and did what any newly love-struck young people do: we spent a lot of time with each other.

Of course, I should have understood John's (rather blunt) foreshadowing. You see, about two weeks into this relationship I was told, "You're lucky football season is over."

And then came September of 2005, which marked ten months of Tiffany and John and the beginning of a new Virginia Tech Football season. As a Midwestern girl transplanted on the East Coast, I was very naive. "What exactly is a Hokie?" I asked.

To this day, I still have not been given a very solid answer to this question. In short, the explanation is that the word hokie appeared in a song dedicated to the University many many years ago, and was later adopted as the mascot. In case you are wondering, the mascot  pretty much looks like a sassy orange and maroon colored turkey- which made me giggle a little bit in the beginning. Of course, any wondering I do about the validity of a turkey as a mascot brings about a whole chorus of John's friends discussing how ridiculous leprechauns are (I am a Notre Dame fan).

I've come to learn that this Hokie culture is an amazing thing. For example, one of John's good friends has a two-year old son. When he was just a year old(and barely talking) he could respond to questions like "What does the Hokie Bird say?" (warble, warble, warble) This toddler even knew how to say "VT!" and to throw his arms up in the air when Virginia Tech made a touchdown.

I've also learned that there is such a thing as a Hokie Pokie Elmo doll. Hokie Pokie Elmo joins us whenever we watch a Virginia Tech game on television. And, in case you are wondering. . . the Hokie Pokie is danced at every Virginia Tech home game during third quarter. You have to appreciate a team whose fans are willing to jump up and down to Metallica as their team enters the field, but then three quarters later is also willing to do the Hokie Pokie.

 

Okay, so let's get down to business. This is a blog about food. Usually this is a blog about locally grown foods, often organic and healthy. You're probably used to seeing gorgeous and colorful photos of the farmer's market, as well as some pretty good looking creations from my kitchen.

Brace yourself: you are in for some very classy photos of our weekend tailgate. (Please take note of the amount of preparation that went into this tailgate- and then take note that I spent my entire  Saturday with all boys.) I'd also like to clarify that this is something I refer to as local food culture: in other words, eating turkey legs is an experience unique to Virginia Tech football.

So, here we have it: This is Jones- the grill master. His recipe was pretty simple. He basically doused the legs in garlic salt and lemon pepper. This step took place many many times, whenever the legs were rotated. The legs stayed on the grill for about an hour, and Jones would often close the grill's vents to allow the turkey legs to smoke. 

Plastic forks are the new vogue grilling tools.

But just look at the end result. . . delicious.

And, as you can see, I've learned to fully embrace Virginia Tech culture. After all, I haven't met a Hokie I didn't like (and those turkey legs were really good).

Goodbye Summer {and peaches baked in honey and white wine}

 

What is it about the peach that defines summer for me? It could be the childhood memories of eating ripe juicy peaches straight from the farm, juice dribbling down my chin. Or simply that they're so good. Even before I began eating a mostly local diet, the peach was the one food that I only ate in the summer. There had just been too many wintertime disappointments: the purchase of peaches that were hard and tasteless.

As you can see, I'm mourning the (soon to come) end of peach season. In an effort to "medicate" my peach loss depression, I bought 5 pounds of peaches from Whole Foods on Sunday (grown by Toigo Orchards, one of my favorite local peach purveyors). I froze most of them in the hopes that they'll brighten up a few winter days.

But, what I did with the ripe peaches? Well, a picture is worth a thousand words, right? But I'll use one word to describe them: extraordinary. You must try this in the next week or two, before the peaches are all gone.

Baked Peach with Ice Cream

I know people like exact recipes, but I just can't do it here. Just use the ingredients in about the quantities I recommend, and I promise it will taste good. (It would be difficult to make this recipe taste bad!)

Ingredients: 2 ripe peaches, a sweet white wine, honey, and one cinnamon stick

Pre-heat the oven to 400 F. In a medium baking dish, pour equal amounts of honey and white wine. (You want the bottom of the pan to have between 1/4 and 1/2 inch of liquid). Mix together thoroughly. Place the peaches in the baking dish, and add the cinnamon stick to the liquid mixture.

This step is not necessary, but I find that it makes my peaches extra-yummy: coat each peach with a spoonful of honey.

Baste each peach with the liquid mixture.

Put the peach in the oven. The total baking time is about 45minutes. However, you will want to baste the peach with the liquid mixture every 5-10 minutes. You will know that your peach is ready when the liquid starts to caramelize, and the peach skin looks caramel-y as well.

 

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream on the side.

I know I said that I had only one word to describe it, but here's one more: heavenly.

You Say Tomato, I say Roasted Tomato Tart {with caramelized onions}

This savory tart featuring roasted tomatoes is made with an olive oil rosemary crust topped with layers of mascarpone cheese mixed with roasted garlic, roasted tomatoes, and finally, some slowly caramelized onions. Read about the recipe's creation, or scroll down for instructions on making this yourself.

 

Ramona, of The Houndstooth Gourmet, is hosting an event "You say tomato, I say tomahto" devoted to the summer tomato. And how could I resist participating?  I love tomatoes. This summer has been full of new tomato discoveries for me, as I've sampled various heirloom varieties that can't be found at most grocery stores. From my first introduction to the very tasty Mr. Ugly tomatoes to the tiny little yellow tomatoes used as the foundation for this recipe, I've loved them all. Though, if I had to pick, these little yellow ones may be my favorite. They are so sweet and so tangy at the same time. My first introduction to them was from D & S Farms out of southern Maryland. However, these particular beauties pictured were purchased from Anchor Farms at the Sunday DuPont Circle Farmer's Market.

And in honor of this tomato, I created this savory sweet tomato tart. Although, you should feel free to substitute your favorite tomato: big or small, tangy or sweet. In fact, I was compelled to add some sliced tomatoes into my tart, to vary the color and add some interest. I selected a green zebra tomato, and a deep red tomato whose name has now slipped my memory.

After overcoming  my initial fears of making crust with this sweet tart, I just can't seem to get enough of tarts. A whole new world has opened up to me, and I simply had to create a tart with my favorite tomatoes. {It only seemed fair.}

But, this tart shell couldn't be the same one I used for my peach tart. It had to be flaky, that was for sure. But, it needed something different: an herb or a rich flavor.

In the past few months, I've been amazed by La Tartine Gourmande's creativity: she makes seemingly endless varieties of tart shells, using different types of flour and oil. In fact, after my initial tart success I had the courage to try one of her original recipes, using a hazelnut oil for the tart crust. It was a success, and I knew my tart-fearing days were far in the past.

This time, I wanted to make the crust with olive oil- that seemed like the right flavor. I selected a hearty olive oil- a Spanish one with a nice depth of flavor. And to make this crust extra special, I added some freshly minced rosemary leaves.

Of course, the crust was not the only challenge here. I realized that the high water content of the tomatoes could destroy my vision of flaky crust and flavorful filling. How could I get the tart to be delicious without ruining the crispy crust into a soggy tomato mess?

Some research revealed three solutions:

1. Baking the crust for 20 minutes prior to adding any filling.
2. Putting a layer of spreadable cheese on the bottom of the tart.
3. Pre-roasting the tomatoes, to let some of the juices evaporate.

Genius. I felt ready to go, and I just had to find the right combination of cheese, tomato, and additional toppings. It took some time, but I can now say with confidence that this roasted tomato tart topped off with caramelized onions and fresh herbs is something I will make over and over again (until the last summer tomatoes are gone). Simply stated, it was delicious.

Here is my recipe for Roasted Tomato Tart with Caramelized Onions:

It's best to view this tart in components. The crust and topping ingredients are listed separately. Each component is written out into steps to make the process clear and easy for you to follow (or adapt to your own preferences). 

Crust Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Cup all-purpose flour
• dash of garlic powder (optional)
• 1/3 Cup olive oil (preferably one with depth of flavor, like a Spanish olive oil)
• 1/3 Cup ice-cold water
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 sprigs of rosemary, minced (about 2 TB)

Combine the Ingredients

In a food processor, pulse the dry ingredients (flour, salt, and garlic powder). Stream the olive oil in and continue to pulse. Next, add the ice water and vinegar until well combined. Finally, add the rosemary leaves.

Shape the dough

Remove the dough from the food processor and shape into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and shape into a 1/2 inch thick disk. The plastic wrap will assist you in shaping a smooth disk (use the tension of the plastic wrap to your advantage, in other words). Once the disk is the right size, ensure that it is well wrapped and rest in the fridge for one hour.

{So now, let's give some attention to those other ingredients, while we're waiting.}

Topping Ingredients

• One Cup Onion, thinly sliced
• 1 TB butter, more if desired
• 1 tsp fresh basil, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, skins-on
• 1/2 Cup mascarpone cheese
• 2 tsp crumbled feta cheese {optional}
• 3 Cups baby tomatoes, halved {you can substitute large tomatoes, sliced, or you can mix-and-match, as I did here}
• 1 TB olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Caramelize the Onions

Heat 1 TB of butter over low heat in a large skillet. Add the onions and slowly caramelize them. {In my kitchen, this means one whole hour of slow cooking in butter.} Add a dash of salt, and stir from time to time. When the onions are nicely browned and perfectly caramelized, turn the burner off. Add the fresh herbs (rosemary and basil). Mix. Set aside.

Make the cheese spread

While those onions are working their magic (I mean, you've got a whole hour to wait for them) throw the 2-3 cloves of garlic, skins-on, into a small skillet on high heat. Toss every few minutes. When the skins have browned on both sides, remove the garlic from the skillet. Once cooled, remove the skins and mash the garlic pulp with a fork. Place in a small bowl.

Add the mascarpone cheese to the bowl and mix thoroughly. If desired, add 2 TB of crumbled feta cheese. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, and place in the refrigerator.

Prepare the tomatoes

Here is where you need to pay attention. Depending on the type of tomato you have, you may want to do this differently. Me- being a complicated girl and all- I chose to use both baby tomatoes and larger sliced tomatoes. You certainly don't need to do this. I just happened to have them on hand and thought they would look good together. Let me start by explaining the baby tomatoes.

1. The baby tomatoes should be halved. Place them in a skillet with 1 TB olive oil and saute over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add 1 clove of minced garlic and saute for 2 more minutes. Set aside for later.
2. Sliced large tomatoes: I fear that the sliced tomatoes would just fall apart in a sauce pan. I put my sliced tomatoes on a foil lined baking sheet, drizzled them with olive oil, then roasted them in the oven at 250 for about 45 minutes. Mix in some minced garlic after removing them from the oven.

Putting it all together: the fun part

Pre-heat the oven to 400 F. {If you roasted the tomatoes in the oven, they should be out by now, so just increase the temperature.}

1. Form the crust.Remove the crust from the refrigerator. Roll out the dough on a clean, lightly floured surface. Roll it until it will comfortably fit into a 9" pie pan. Place in the pan, and press around the outer edges to create a pretty crinkle. Put the empty crust into the pre-heated oven and bake for 20 minutes until it begins to get slightly golden. Remove, and allow to cool off for 10-15 minutes.

Important: Reduce the oven temperature to 350F.

{Note: at this time, take the cheese spread out of the fridge and allow it to warm up a bit. It will spread more easily.}

2. Let the assembly begin!

Begin by spreading the cheese mixture over the crust.

 

Layer the tomatoes on top of the cheese. {Make them look pretty, if you like.}

 

Put this in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven. Add the caramelized onion mixture on top. Return to the oven and bake for 3-5 more minutes.

3. Eat and Enjoy! Let the tart cool off {if you can resist the temptation to immediately dive in}.

The roasted tomato tart is delicious served warm or cold. It would be excellent served alongside a fresh garden salad.

So, you may say tomato or tomahto, but right now I am singing the praises of this roasted tomato tart.

An Ode to Summer's End {and a lovely cilantro sauce}

Regretfully, I am no poet. The title of this post may mislead you to anticipate romantic prose about summer breezes, blue skies, and bountiful produce. I can only hope that my photos from Labor Day farmers markets and a recipe for a cilantro sauce will suffice as worthy visual and taste-bud poetry.                                                             

Toigo Orchards peaches at DuPont Circle Farmer's Market

I know I shouldn't be sad about the end of summer. After all, I love Fall and all its wonders: beautiful leaves, perfect outdoor temperatures, pumpkins, apples, cider, and the anticipation of holidays.

But I am sad.

Is it because I love tomatoes? Yes, that's a big part of the equation. And Toigo Orchards sweet corn and delicious peaches? I'm addicted to both. And all the fresh herbs- especially the basil. And peppers! I've become spoiled eating Bigg Riggs Farm assorted peppers that have such a superior flavor.

With summer's end in mind, I visited two farmer's markets this weekend. Ironically, I visited two markets which will be open year-round. (Perhaps this was an inadvertent coping mechanism.)

I began at the Old Town Alexandria Farmer's Market Saturday where I quickly stopped by Bigg Riggs Farm to get some of the above mentioned bell peppers, a few tomatoes, and an eggplant.

On Sunday, I had more time to spend at the farmer's market, so I headed up to the bustling DuPont Circle Farmer's Market.

Anchor Nursery had an impressive assortment of tomatoes, including my favorite little orange sweet tomatoes.

  

At Tree and Leaf beautiful flower arrangements. . .  

 

fresh basil, cilantro, and tomatoes. . .

and garlic chives. . .

Which not only taste good, but served as a lovely decorative touch in the pretty flowers I bought. See?

Ever since trying Chris' Crab crabcakes last week I've been looking forward to a simple repeat of a fantastic meal (crab cakes with corn salad). I purchased Jumbo lump crabcakes, but when I began to assemble the accompanying corn salad at home, I realized that I was missing some of the ingredients I had previously used: lime juice and arugula.

As if that could stop me.

I simply tried another combination. I experimented with a combination of garlic, onion, cilantro, cider vinegar, and grapeseed oil. After adding a little hot sauce and pulsing it a few times in the food processor, I took a test taste.

And. . . . it was actually really good. The pureed onion and garlic gave it a nice creamy consistency. The combination of flavors was well balanced, with a good amount of heat.

The cilantro sauce was good enough to stand alone as a sauce for our crabcake. It was also excellent mixed in with the corn salad or simply drizzled on top of a raw tomato slice. I have a hunch that it would be excellent drizzled atop scallops or pan fried fish.

Here is my recipe for cilantro sauce.

Cilantro Sauce

 

1. 4 TB diced onion
2. 2 large garlic clove, minced
3. 5-6 TB cilantro (about 8 sprigs)
4. 1/3 cup grapeseed oil (or other neutral flavored light oil)
5. 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
6. 1/8 cup water
7. 2-3 dashes Kosher salt
8. pinch of black pepper
9. 1-2 dashes of hot sauce

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a nice consistency forms.

Serve atop a crab cake, poured over a corn or tomato salad, or as an accompaniment for fish. And then, enjoy these last final days of summer, anticipate the turning of the seasons and the good things that Fall will bring.