The Garden Apartment

The anti-muse {and asparagus fennel soup}

Don't get me wrong. Usually my husband is my first consideration when I am cooking meals at home. 

But sometimes, John is my anti-muse.

You see, there are two ingredients in particular that he despises: mushrooms and asparagus. The first has become a true point of contention which is not allowed to be discussed. He does not like mushrooms- period. He doesn't appreciate having them inconspicuously sneaked into dishes or the discussion of potential preparations that may convert him to loving fungus. In fact, this written paragraph may get me into some trouble.

Asparagus, on the other hand, is something of an open ingredient. He's willing to explore it a bit, but usually with little success.

With all this in mind, these are usually the first two ingredients I choose when I am not cooking for my husband. Thus, John is the anti-muse.

This asparagus soup falls into the anti-muse category.

I love this recipe because the ingredients are simple, the preparation is quick, and the finished bowl can be fussed over to look as if the degree of difficulty was much higher. Best of all, I tried it out on John, and he is willing to tolerate one bowl. Well, sometimes.

I made this dish for my recent cooking class at Whole Foods, keeping in mind that asparagus will be coming into season soon. This simple soup can be brightened up with a drizzle of olive oil, some lemon zest, and chopped fennel fronds.

Asparagus Fennel Soup {serves 6}         Printer Friendly Version

Adapted from BonApetit

Ingredients:

• 4 TB butter or olive oil
• 1/2 large fennel bulb, roughly sliced
• 4 large shallots, roughly sliced
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 pounds of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
• vegetable or chicken stock, to cover (about 3-4 cups)
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• salt and pepper, to taste
• fennel fronds, finely chopped (optional)

Procedure:

Melt the butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the fennel, shallots, and a dash of salt. Sauté until soft and beginning to caramelize; about five minutes. Add the fresh asparagus and coriander and sauté for one additional minute. Cover with the vegetable stock and simmer for five minutes, until asparagus pieces are tender.

Blend thoroughly in batches, until soup is smooth and creamy. Return to stockpot and add lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil or dollop of creme fraiche, and optional chopped fennel fronds.

The Garden Apartment Cooks at Whole Foods

The Garden Apartment's Wild Mushroom Tart will be on the menu this Sunday

Come join me this Sunday, March 28th at 6 PM for a cooking class at the Whole Foods in Vienna, Virginia. I will be featuring a late winter (early spring) vegetarian lunch menu:

• Wild Mushroom Tart with Arugula Salad
• Asparagus and Fennel Soup

You can witness the magic of cooking, as I whip up this entire meal in one hour (various stages of tart dough will aid me in this miracle). 

To participate, please RSVP to [email protected], then join us at 6 PM in the cafe area of the Vienna Whole Foods:

143 Maple Ave East; Vienna, Virginia 22180

You can see an entire listing of the Vienna Whole Foods Cooking Classes here. I hope to see you on Sunday!

Food memories, a lack thereof {and a recipe for mixed green salad with broiled goat cheese}

"Do you remember that salad we ate when we arrived in Paris?"

A blank stare was the first response.

I prodded further, "Literally, the very first thing we ate when we got off the plane."

Still, a blank stare.

"You know, it had tomatoes, goat cheese and this wonderful herbed vinaigrette."

Finally, an answer emerged: "No, I have no memory of it."

Sometimes it's frustrating to be married to someone whose love of food does not quite level up to my very acute memory and sense of flavors. In fairness to dear husband, the salad was consumed on one occasion a full two and a half years ago while we were both exhausted from overnight traveling. 

Yet I distinctly remember the view from our outdoor table in the Latin Quarter and another patron feeding pigeons from the bread basket at her table (or is that just a Parisian stereotype?). Mostly, I remember relishing every bite of a very fresh salad with remarkable flavors. In particular, the sun-dried tomatoes were bursting with ripe sweet tomato flavor.

With spring just arriving, I am really craving fresh green things. With a little inspiration, I recreated this salad for dinner last night. The salad mixture is a blend of watercress, finely chopped Belgian endive, and some baby greens. If endive is too bitter for you, or you want to keep things simple, a spring mix would work fine. The greens are dressed in a simple vinaigrette, topped off with marinated artichokes, slow roasted tomatoes and broiled goat cheese. The tomatoes and artichokes need some time, but you could easily make them the night before and then quickly assemble this for dinner the next day.

Mixed Greens with slow roasted tomatoes, marinated artichokes, and broiled goat cheese

Serves 2 as a main course, or 4 as a first course

* Note: Roast the tomatoes and marinate the artichokes ahead of time. They will store will in the fridge for a few days, making for a quick assembly when you serve the salad.

Salad Ingredients:

• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
• 2 TB EVOO
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1 15 ounce can of artichoke hearts, drained
• 1 teaspoon of herbs de provence
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• a few turns of black pepper
• 1/4 Cup EVOO
• 1 Belgian Endive
• 1 bunch of watercress, cleaned with stems removed
• 2 Cups of baby lettuce, or spring mix
• Roasted and salted sunflower seeds, to top
• 4 ounces of fresh goat cheese
• 1/2 Cup panko 

Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1/2 medium garlic clove, finely minced
• a few dashes of dried oregano
• a pinch of sugar
• 1 TB EVOO
• salt and pepper, to taste

Roast the tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 275F. Toss the tomatoes with 2 TB of olive oil, and a little bit of salt and pepper. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet with a fresh sprig of rosemary. Slowly roast for 2-3 hours, until the skins are withered and beginning to blacken. Remove and set aside.

Marinate the artichokes

In the meantime, combine the artichokes with 1/4 Cup olive oil, the herbs de provence, red pepper flakes, and some black pepper. Refrigerate for at least one hour, or up to two days, before serving.

Assemble the salad

Preheat the broiler to High. Divide the goat cheese into four equal rounds (about 1 inch thick each). Lightly brush each round with olive oil, then coat with panko breadcrumbs. Place on an oiled piece of aluminum foil on a baking sheet and store in the freezer for a few minutes while assembling the other ingredients.

In a large bowl combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients and whisk until well combined. Toss with the spring mix, endive and watercress until lightly coated. Divide the lettuce between two serving bowls, then top with marinated artichokes, roasted tomatoes, and sunflower seeds.

Remove the goat cheese rounds from the freezer and place into the broiler. Broil for 2-3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Watch carefully, as they will brown quickly.

Place two rounds atop each salad and serve immediately.

Good for the Heart {Roasted Portobello with Red Quinoa}

Our family had a bit of a scare recently, when one of our loved ones suffered from heart failure. 

Reflecting on this, we are all working to eat better- and in particular, to choose foods that are good for the heart. In the past two weeks, I've spent a lot of time researching heart healthy diets and learning which food choices are best for the heart. The top ten foods are: dark chocolate, olive oil, avocados, mushrooms, whole grains, pumpkin, salmon, tea, beans, and pomegranate. And of course, there are all the things one should avoid: red meat, fried foods, salted meats, and processed foods-- to name a few.

Thankfully, much of what we already do in our immediate household is good for the heart. We eat unprocessed foods, a lot of vegetables and fruits, and avoid eating red meat. But, for the past few weeks I've been working to improve our habits even more, and to develop some recipes that are especially heart healthy.

I quickly assembled this vegetarian dish as a side for tonight's dinner, though a larger portion would make a nice meal in and of itself. I chose quinoa due to its super-star nutritional profile. Quinoa not only has a high protein content, but it is the only whole grain that is a complete protein. With the addition of a meaty roasted portobello mushroom (full of antioxidants and potassium) and the sweet tanginess of roasted cherry tomatoes, this dish has a pleasing combination of flavors.

If you can't find red quinoa, white quinoa will work just as well.

Roasted Portabello with Red Quinoa

• 4 large portabello mushrooms
• 1/2 pound of cherry tomatoes
• olive oil (about 2-3 TB)
• 1 clove of garlic, sliced
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning, divided
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 large celery stalk, diced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 Cup of red quinoa
• 2 Cups of water
• 1/4 cup of kalamata olives, diced
• salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: balsamic glaze (or reduced balsamic vinegar), to taste 

Preheat the oven to 400F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper, and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Place the cherry tomatoes on one sheet pan; sprinkle with salt, pepper, and half a teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Toss the tomatoes in the olive oil mixture. Place the portobello mushrooms on the other sheet pan with the sliced garlic clove pieces. Sprinkle the mushrooms with salt, pepper, and half a teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Drizzle with olive oil so that the mushrooms are well covered. Place both sheet pans in the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes, until the tomatoes and mushrooms are nicely browned.

In the meantime, combine 1 cup of quinoa with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 15 minutes.

While the quinoa is cooking, heat a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, minced garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Saute until softened and just beginning to brown.

When the quinoa is finished, toss with the onion mixture, diced kalamata olives, remaining one teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and roasted cherry tomatoes. Spoon the quinoa mixture atop the roasted mushrooms. Drizzle with balsamic glaze, or a reduced balsamic vinegar.

Enjoy, knowing that you are eating well for your heart.

Nosing Around, Karma, and Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

In this post: I ponder whether my nosiness turned karma against us amidst DC's big snowstorm. Lacking power to cook up good winter comfort food, I share an old recipe: roasted sweet potato salad.

I am a bit nosy. 

When we lived in the garden apartment, I liked to peek into people's windows to see how they decorated. It did inform some good home decor decisions-- until an embarrassed husband issued warnings to the neighbors.

This past week, my snooping returned in full force while stuck in an endless line at the grocery store. Generally, my non-farmers market shopping occurs at Whole Foods, where peeking into people's carts lacks the excitement of a major grocery chain. Clearly, there's nothing amusing to be deduced about purchases of organic produce and whole grain cereal. 

But Giant, on the other hand, has countless aisles of junk food, candy, soda pop, frozen meals, and boxed food items. On a normal day, there are great opportunities for glimpsing into people's lives via their grocery carts. But, Friday, February 5th was nothing of a normal day. It was an optimum day for observing people in a frenzy. With the DC region on the brink of a major snowstorm and the Super Bowl just days away, people's carts went into overload.

Carts full of salt made me wonder whether people were planning to defrost their entire neighborhood so their friends could attend Super Bowl parties. Parents filling their carts with soda and potato chips made me question crisis decision making. Would I really want to be stuck inside with children wired on caffeine, sugar, and junk food? 

The one that really got me, however, were the people stocking their carts with frozen meals and pre-packaged baked goods. Seriously? I figure that if I'm going to be stuck inside with very little to do, I might as well take the time to make a roast or piece of braised meat, and of course I always bake my own cookies. 

Not surprisingly, I had already planned a wonderful snowed-in weekend menu during an earlier trip to Whole Foods, where the entire produce section seemed to have been torn apart by desperate organic shoppers in need of a vitamin fix. Thus, my trip to Giant.

But, the joke was on me-- or perhaps it was karma getting back at me for my incessant and condescending judging in the checkout lane. With all my plans to make slow-cooked food, our power went out just as the storm was beginning at 9 PM Friday.

Our dark and cold house

As fate would have it, we have not yet purchased that new gas stove. I was relegated to eating cold (organic) grapefruit, and chips (oh the blasphemy!) and salsa. We did manage to get our generator hooked up for a brief half hour, during which the item of utmost priority was deemed to be coffee. 

So, I am sharing with you a recipe from a week ago. I think you'll like it. Lucky me, I happened to find a white sweet potato at the farmers market, which I tried out in this recipe. It tastes just like its orange relative.

The sweet potatoes are cut into chunks and roasted in the oven. Roasting gives them that wonderfully caramelized flavor. While still warm, the potatoes are tossed in a mustard vinaigrette, imparting a slight tanginess. For those of you who find most sweet potato recipes to be too sweet, this recipe may change your mind. 

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad {serves 4 as a side}

Adapted from this recipe, Gourmet Magazine

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled
• 4 TB olive oil, divided 
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
  
• 1/2 tsp honey
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced

Pre-heat the oven to 425F. Cut the sweet potatoes into 1 inch wedges. Toss with 2 TB of olive oil. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast at high heat for about 45 minutes, or until nicely caramelized. Turn the potatoes once during the roasting time, to allow for caramelization on both sides. After removing the potatoes from the oven, add salt and pepper to taste.

While the potatoes are roasting, whisk the vinegar, mustard, honey, and remaining 2 TB of olive oil together. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the warm sweet potatoes with the vinaigrette and the sliced scallions. Served warm or at room temperature, it will taste great. 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  

Stay tuned for my resumed access to the modern world, as our power has been restored. I'm looking forward to a day spent slowly braising a pork shoulder. 

Holy mole! {warming up with Mexican mole sauce}

Given a combination of a very sore throat and extremely cold temperatures, I wasn't quite up for the DuPont Circle Farmer's Market Sunday morning. Dear husband suggested I was nuts for even mentioning it as I miserably crawled out of bed. 

But I was in the mood for a bit of a food adventure.

I'm not sure whether I was inspired by the Kojo Nnamdi Show's local restaurant world tour feature on Mexico last week, or our upcoming trip there, but sometime Sunday afternoon I determined that a mole (moh-lay) sauce was in order. 

Just around the corner from my house is a Latin marketplace. I walked in to find shelves fully stocked with different variations of dried chiles, rows upon rows of dried and canned beans, spices, and frozen banana leaves (oh my!). After purchasing dried ancho chiles, I headed home to start my mole sauce. 

Mole, more or less means "sauce" in Latin cuisine. Take for example, guacamole-- avocado sauce. There are many different mole sauces, and some look nothing alike (for example yellow pepper mole compared to this mole). I wanted to make a mole from dried anchos with bittersweet chocolate incorporated during the final stages. 

This type of mole is very versatile. Shredded chicken would taste delicious after simmering in it, or try it for flavoring a beef stew. For breakfast, put a dollop atop a fried egg with a little tomato salsa.

I opted to serve my mole with lentils, a roasted fish dish, and a clementine-mango salsa. The finished mole had a rich and smoky flavor, with just a hint of heat. Delicious. 

Ancho and Chocolate Mole (Moh-lay) (Makes 2 cups sauce)

Adapted from The Splendid Table

 

Ingredients

• 3 dried ancho chiles
• 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 3/4 Cup chicken broth or stock (+ more if needed)
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp canola oil
• 1 onion, diced small
• 12 ounces cherry tomatoes
• 1 TB tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt, to taste

Procedure

Use kitchen scissors to split open the chiles. Discard the stems and seeds. Cut the chiles into large flat pieces. Toast the chile strips over medium heat in a large heavy skillet, turning to prevent them from burning. Remove from the pan when they turn dark and release their smell. Transfer the chiles to a medium bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak for twenty minutes, until soft.

Meanwhile, add the garlic cloves to the skillet and toast for fifteen minutes until the skins are darkened and the flesh has softened. Remove from the heat.

Puree the cherry tomatoes, 1 TB of tomato paste, and smoked paprika in a food processor. Place in a bowl.

Rinse out the food processor and return. Combine the garlic, cinnamon, oregano, cumin, chicken broth and balsamic vinegar. Drain the ancho chiles, then add to the mixture. Puree for an additional minute, until the mixture is smooth.

Reheat the skillet. Add the oil and onions. Cook, covered, over low heat until the onions have released some of their liquids (adding a little salt will help them release liquid more quickly). Uncover, increase the heat to medium and saute until golden brown (10-15 minutes).

Add the ancho chile mixture to the pan and cook, stirring for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato and partially cover, simmering for about 25 minutes-- until the sauce is very thick.

Add the bittersweet chocolate and simmer for an additional ten minutes. Add the sugar and salt to taste.

This sauce can be refrigerated for 1 week, or frozen for up to 3 months.

Root vegetable salad with cranberries, pecans, and orange dressing

I know, I know. Even as I write this, I'm groaning at myself for sharing a raw root vegetable salad just two days before Christmas.

Am I out of my mind?

I mean, really, all month long it's been about desserts and sweets here at The Garden Apartment. You would think I had jumped the farmers market vegetable wagon and adopted a new diet consisting of butter and sugar. 

But folks, I am really craving salads after all the cookies and cupcakes. And I could never forget winter-time root vegetables. 

So, please. Take it or leave it: my root vegetable salad with cranberries, toasted pecans, and orange dressing. 

This salad has the wonderful refreshing crunch of raw vegetables enhanced by the sweetness of apples. An orange-tamari dressing imparts a hint of Asian flavor. If you so desire, add some fresh pomegranate seeds and black sesame seeds for a prettier presentation.

If I do say so myself, it would make a beautiful and healthy addition to your holiday table.

Or, you can bookmark it for the new year, when everyone will be interested in healthy foods again. . . at least until Valentine's Day, anyway.

Root Vegetable Salad with cranberries, pecans, and orange dressing {Serves 4-6}

• 1/2 large celery root, sliced into batonettes
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into batonettes
• 1 large apple, sliced into batonettes
• 1 beet (I used a golden, but red would be lovely too), peeled and sliced into batonettes
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries (dried cherries would also work)
• 1/2 orange, juiced (about 2 TB)
• 1 tsp fresh orange zest
• 1 tsp rice wine, or white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar or honey
• 3 tsp grape-seed oil (or other lightly flavored oil)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• optional: 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds 
• optional: 1/2 cup toasted pecans
• optional: black sesame seeds 

Slice the celery root, carrots, apple, and beets into batonettes. Combine with the diced onions in a large mixing bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, orange zest, rice wine vinegar, tamari, and sugar. Slowly add the grape-seed oil, whisking the entire time. Whisk until well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.

Pour the dressing atop the root vegetables and mix well. Allow to flavor through for approximately ten minutes prior to serving. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve topped with pomegranate seeds, toasted pecans, and black sesame seeds.

Leftover mashed potatoes = Potato Pancakes

I am not one for Black Friday shopping. After days of preparing food for Thanksgiving and hosting a crowd in my house, shopping in a crowded mall is far from my mind. 

For me, the day after Thanksgiving is all about relaxing and rummaging through all those leftovers in the fridge and making the most of them. Just before going to sleep last night, John had some culinary inspiration for the leftover mashed potatoes: mashed potato pancakes.

His mom had brought a large batch of creamy potatoes to our house, and we had plenty left to play with.

Using some of the leftovers, I threw together these potato pancakes for my family this morning. We topped them off with leftover green goddess vegetable dip, but plain old sour cream would be just fine too. 

Don't worry too much if you don't have all the ingredients listed below. A little seasoning, a little egg, and some breadcrumbs or flour would make it all come together just fine.

Mashed Potato Pancakes

• 2 Cups of leftover mashed potatoes
• 2 scallions, finely diced
• 1 TB red onion, finely diced
• dash of garlic powder
• dash of red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• dash of pepper
• a few splashes of milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup panko, or breadcrumbs

Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl.

Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a little olive oil and small amount of butter. Once the butter is bubbly, begin spooning small balls of the mashed potato mixture onto the frying pan. Flatten each ball with the back of a spatula. Cook each side until golden brown.

Serve warm with sour cream or veggie dip.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * 

After a delicious brunch of the potato pancakes, we are looking forward to some turkey sandwiches later tonight-- served on my homemade multi-grain bread. Mmm. . . .

Thanksgiving Test Club {and a wild mushroom tart}

Who says you have to wait until Thanksgiving to frantically run around grocery shopping and cooking? Why not do that two weeks prior to the holiday?

That's right. This weekend April of The Food Scribe, Alison of The Humble Gourmand, and I got together for a Thanksgiving test run.

The plan was for everyone to gather at my house at 2PM. Somehow, I had decided to have a relaxing morning in the house. I slowly sipped my coffee, read the newspaper, and browsed the internet. Then at noon I realized I had not showered, cleaned the house, or bought the groceries I needed for my test recipes. If this is any indication of how I will approach a much more extensive Thanksgiving menu, then I am in trouble.

All worries aside, I had planned to test an appetizer and a dessert during our Thanksgiving test run. 

You may have noticed my affinity for tarts, so it should come as no surprise that I decided to prepare a wild mushroom tart as the appetizer and a pear tart for the dessert. But, you'll have to wait to hear about the pear tart until I have perfected it this weekend.

I love mushrooms, and the wild mushroom tart is a very vocal celebration of their earthy taste. They are not hidden amongst other ingredients; they are not simply an enhancement to a dish. No, no. They are the main event of this delicious tart. 

The filling is a saute of mushrooms in butter, shallots, a little garlic, cognac, and fresh herbs. A small amount of custard is poured atop the mushrooms inside an herbed olive oil crust. 

The resulting tart is almost pure mushroom, with just enough custard to help the filling set nicely. Sprinkled with a little gruyere cheese and set atop a flaky crust, it simply melts in the mouth. 

If you want to dress it up a little, serve it with a green salad and some reduced balsamic vinegar on top. Lucky me, I snatched up some pomegranate balsamic glaze for this very purpose.

Wild Mushroom Tart

Adapted from Bon Apetit Magazine, original recipe at Epicurious

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 teaspoons of fresh herbs (rosemary or thyme), minced 

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 help smooth the dough). Once the disk is the right size, ensure that it is well wrapped and allow to rest in the fridge for at least one hour.

Make the filling

Ingredients

• 1 package of dried porcini mushrooms
• 6 TB unsalted butter
• 6 ounces of crimini mushrooms, sliced 
• 6 ounces of assorted wild mushrooms, sliced 
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 3 TB Cognac or brandy
• 2 TB chopped fresh herbs (rosemary or thyme)
• 3/4 Cup heavy cream
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 large egg
• 2/3 Cup grated Gruyere cheese
• salt and pepper, to taste

Procedure

Place the porcini mushrooms in a bowl and cover with hot water. Allow to hydrate for 30 minutes, then remove porcini using slotted spoon. Slice. Reserve porcini liquid.

Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the butter to the pan; add porcinis, criminis, and other mushrooms. Season with salt. Saute until the mushrooms are golden brown. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan; saute for 1-2 more minutes. Add the cognac and reserved porcini liquid. Simmer until the majority of the liquid has cooked off or absorbed into the mushrooms. Remove from heat and stir herbs into mixture. Let the mixture come to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Whisk together cream, eggs, and a pinch of salt and pepper. 

Assemble the tart

Remove the tart dough from the refrigerator and roll out into tart pan. Line the dough with parchment and fill with pastry weights or beans. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until crust is beginning to turn golden. Remove from the oven. Remove the parchment and pastry weights. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork. Return the crust to the oven and allow to bake for 5 more minutes (this will allow the bottom of the crust to bake).

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.

Sprinkle half of the gruyere on the bottom of the crust. Cover with the mushroom mixture. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the mushrooms, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the custard is set.

Delicious. Now, if I can only perfect that pear tart before Thanksgiving.

Cooking for DJ {and apple slaw with cilantro-lime vinaigrette}

Our household has recently adopted a new member and a new, healthier diet. Read on to hear about our household goals or scroll down for my recipe for apple slaw with cilantro-lime vinaigrette.

I know, I know. Where have I been? Several of you have kindly emailed me to ask if everything is okay. And yes, everything is fine. This just seems to be the year that everyone has decided to either: 

a) get married (most of our good friends)

b) have a baby (all of our already married friends, and seemingly everybody but us)

c) move into a new house (us)

d) adopt their brother-in-law (us)

Yes, that's correct. We have adopted my brother-in-law-- if it is actually possible to adopt a 29 year old.

It was about three months ago that DJ moved in with us. Timing is a funny little thing sometimes. It just so happened that we moved out of the garden apartment right around the time John's little brother found himself facing the prospect of moving back home with his parents-- again.

John, being a caring older brother, has always wanted to help DJ through the various difficulties which persist in his life. But, until we moved into this house, our ability to help has been limited. The brother-in-law residing on the couch in a one bedroom apartment is much less appealing than the brother-in-law living in the basement of a four-bedroom house. 

He has tried to be independent, but something always seems to prevent him from having the life he wants. Sometimes it's bad luck. Sometimes it's bad decisions. Whatever the balance of luck and decision making, this August we found DJ on our doorstep. 

We knew it was important for him to tackle everything head-on, so we had a pow-wow with DJ the night he moved in. One of the biggest decisions made during that family meeting was that DJ wanted to improve his health and lose weight. His 5'5 frame was supporting 305 pounds and he could hardly walk up our street without losing his breath.

At this point in November, he has lost around 25 pounds and is actually able to jog short distances (something he claims he hadn't done since high-school). 

And of course, one of the biggest ways we are supporting DJ is by ensuring that the house is full of healthy food options. Initially, this led to silly things, like me raiding the pantry to make sure that all the snack foods with bad carbs were removed to an undisclosed location. This proved to be a bad idea when I forgot they were hidden.

Now I am finding it much more effective to just limit the snack foods, or to buy healthier options like whole grain baked pita chips. 

I created this apple slaw recipe just for DJ, as a healthy side for steamed fish I prepared during his first week here. DJ is a big fan of spicy foods (he is notorious for putting hot sauce on everything), and I thought the combination of spicy, tart, and sweet would be especially good here.

Despite its origins as a DJ recipe, my apple slaw has turned out to be a huge hit at every party I have thrown in our new house this fall (including baby showers for all those friends having babies). It's the perfect accompaniment to barbecued chicken and cornbread-- if you aren't watching your calories, of course. 

Apple Slaw with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette    Printer Friendly Version

Serves 4-6 as a side dish 

2 apples sliced into thin batonettes

1/4 red onion, finely diced

1 large garlic clove, finely minced

1/2 jalapeno, minced

1 tsp white wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar

1 tsp maple syrup

zest of 1 lime

juice of 1 lime

2 tsp of finely minced cilantro

2 TB olive oil

Directions:

Slice the apples and set aside.

Combine all other ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk thoroughly to combine. Toss the apples in the vinaigrette, allow to marinate for 15-30 minutes. 

Enjoy!