springtime hors d'oeuvres

Spring is here and lovely produce such as rhubarb, asparagus and tropical fruit are bright, beautiful and in season for the taking.

I recently did a demonstration for the lovely ladies of Junior Woman's Club of Fort Worth complete with techniques and tricks on making these three simple spring treats:

Crostini with Ricotta, Spicy Rhubarb Jam

& Crushed Pistachios

This rhubarb jam is a little sweet, a little tart and a little spicy.

Make a batch to slather atop morning toast with a touch of butter or top dessert glasses of creamy vanilla pudding with a dollop of this hot pink-hued delight!

Rhubarb Jam:

yields approximately 3 cups jam

3 cups rhubarb, sliced

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

juice and zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Simmer over medium high heat until reduced and jam-like, approximately 30 minutes. Let come to room temperature then chill in an airtight container. Serve atop toasted baguette with ricotta and toasted, chopped pistachios.

Asparagus & Hummus Tart

with Fresh Basil

This tart is flavorful, beautiful and oh-so-easy to prepare with the help of store-bought puff pastry.

yields 1 tart

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted but chilled

1/2 cup prepared hummus

1.5 pounds asparagus (about 18 medium spears)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

sea salt to sprinkle atop asparagus

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Unfold and place pastry on a baking sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce dough inside the markings at 1/2-inch intervals. Spread hummus evenly atop the fork-pierced portion.

Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over hummus, alternating ends and tips. Brush with oil, and season with salt. Bake until spears are tender, 18-20 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature.

Coconut Panna Cotta with Tropical Fruit

& Sugared Kumquats

Use coconut milk instead of cream for this whimsical play on panna cotta! Ripe and sweet tiny tropical fruit bites are the perfect toppings.

one 15-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 packet powdered gelatin (about 1.5 teaspoons)

2 Tablespoons cold water

small diced kiwi, mango, pineapple, for garnish

thin-sliced kumquat tossed in sugar, for garnish

In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over the water and stir. Set aside to bloom.

In a small saucepan, heat the coconut milk and sugar to a soft boil.

Whisk in as much as a quarter cup of the coconut milk into the gelatin to melt.

Pour gelatin mixture into the remaining coconut milk and whisk together.

Fill desired jars, small glasses or bowls and place in refrigerator for 4 hours-overnight to set. Before serving, top panna cotta with tropical fruit and sugared kumquat slices.

Happy spring!

a lemon butter-poached dream & pastry cream

I've been so happy to be part of the Market Street Dish! Culinary School team of guest chef instructors. I held my first two classes this past August and September and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

My September Cocktail Party in a Flash! class focused on elegant, seasonal bites perfect for a cocktail party. I also wanted to focus on varying textures so every bite would tickle the tongue.

My first soup recipe totally weirded out my Dad.

First of all, his brow furrowed at the thought of blending together "soggy bread" with water, fruits and vegetables.

Second of all, he detests nuts and told me he was totally not interested in a soup with ground almonds.

I totally changed his mind.

This soup is an interesting combination of green grapes, almonds and cucumbers with fresh tarragon that was featured in the August issue of 360 West, but also features the addition of lemon butter-poached granny smith apples that pay homage to early autumn produce.

White Gazpacho with Lemon-Butter Apples

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 ½ cups white bread, cubed

½ cup blanched and slivered almonds

1 cup granny smith apple, diced

1 t lemon zest

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ c water

2 garlic cloves

3 cups green seedless grapes, washed

1 English cucumber, peeled and diced

1 teaspoon lime zest

Juice of one lime

1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, chopped

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat cream in a small saucepan until just simmering then pour over bread cubes to soak. Let cool.

Melt butter. Add apples and lemon zest. Sauté for 10 minutes over medium heat until tender. Let cool.

Arrange almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast at 400 degrees approximately 5 minutes until golden brown. Let cool.

In a blender, combine cream and soaked bread mixture, almonds, water, garlic and olive oil and blend until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and puree until smooth.

Cover and refrigerate until completely chilled. Serve soup chilled and ladled in small shooter cups or glasses with sliced grape rounds, fresh tarragon, toasted almonds and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

The next course was my play on corn cakes dressed with the addition of sweet bell peppers, end-of-summer squash, salty crumbled pancetta and a fragrant marjoram aioli.

The batter of these cakes can get a bit thick but do not despair-- a shot of buttermilk will do the trick if needed. Flip these savory cakes just like pancakes then top (or smother) with the marjoram aioli and deliciously-crisp pancetta.

Sweet Pepper, Corn & Squash Cakes

with Pancetta & a Marjoram Aioli

yields approximately 25 2-inch cakes

4 slices pancetta (approximately ¼ pound)

1 T extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for sautéing vegetables

1.5 cups fresh corn kernels

1 cup zucchini, diced small

1 cup red bell peppers, diced small

1 Tablespoon scallion, sliced thin

1 cup cornmeal

½ cup AP flour

1 teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoons sugar

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

Unsalted butter, to cook cakes

In a sauté pan over medium heat, render pancetta with olive oil until crispy on all sides, approximately 15 minutes. Drain on paper towel. Chop and set aside.

In the same pan, sauté corn, zucchini, bell peppers and scallions, for approximately 10 minutes, adding additional olive oil if needed. Let cool completely.

In a small bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, salt, baking soda and sugar. In a large bowl, combine sautéed vegetables, egg and buttermilk. Stir in dry ingredients to wet mixture until just combined.

Heat a griddle over medium-high heat. Melt butter then add scoops of cake batter. Cook on two minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Keep warm while making other corn cakes. Serve hot corn cakes with marjoram aioli and crispy pancetta

Aioli:

1 Tablespoon fresh marjoram, minced

½ cup mayonnaise

Juice of ½ lemon

Fresh-cracked black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients. Serve a dollop atop corn cakes.

Finally, dessert time.

Growing up in downtown Austin, we always visited a tiny bakery on Burnet Road called Upper Crust Bakery.

My go-to after school snack was always a small carton o' milk and their to-die-for bran muffins.

When my mom and I were tempted for a sweet confection, we split one of their incredible eclairs.

I love the first bite of an eclair.

...buttery & flaky pate a choux dough...

...oozing (not-too-sweet) pastry cream...

...the crunch of it's chocolate shell...

Perfection.

I wanted to create that perfect bite of an eclair in an individual parfait perfect for parties.

For the pate a choux dough, I substituted store-bought puff pastry cut into circles for ease.

For pastry cream, I made a classic pastry cream with vanilla bean paste.

For that signature chocolate crunch, I used chocolate two-ways: espresso ganache & semisweet chocolate chunks.

Top parfaits with toasted hazelnuts for a nutty crunch.

Mini Chocolate Eclair Parfaits with Toasted Hazelnuts

Pastry cream:

yields 1 cup

1 ¼ cups whole milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 egg yolks

¼ cup sugar

2 Tablespoons AP flour

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

Whisk together sugar and egg yolks. Add flour and cornstarch and whisk together to form a paste. Set aside. Meanwhile, simmer milk and vanilla until simmering. Add ¼ of paste mixture into hot milk mixture, whisking quickly to temper. Add remaining paste mixture to tempered milk mixture and whisk constantly, over medium heat until thickened and flour and cornstarch have cooked out, approximately 3-5 minutes. Transfer pastry cream to a bowl over an ice bath to cool down. Cover pastry cream with plastic wrap directly over custard so a skin will not form—cool completely.

Espresso ganache:

½ cup heavy cream

½ teaspoon instant espresso coffee

½ cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Bring heavy cream and espresso powder to a simmer over medium high, whisking together to combine. Pour atop chocolate chips in a bowl and stir until combined and glossy. Set aside and let cool.

Remaining components:

1 sheet puff pastry, cut into 1-inch circles

Semisweet chocolate chunks and toasted hazelnuts, to garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place puff pastry circles on a greased baking sheet and bake until puffed and golden brown, approximately 10 minutes. Let cool.

To assemble parfaits, assemble mini parfait glasses or cups on a serving tray. Layer espresso ganache with pastry rounds, pastry cream and semisweet chocolate chunks. Repeat to reach the tops of cups. Garnish with a pastry round, chocolate chunks, toasted hazelnuts and a drizzle of espresso ganache.

The class was a delight to teach! Make sure to check out my upcoming Market Street Cooking Classes in November and December:

Unconventional Side Dishes:

Thursday, November 10

Stray away from the Thanksgiving norm with unique, yet simple, side dishes from Chef Callie Salls of Linguine and Dirty Martinis.

Adorn your holiday table with: Savory Bleu Cheese Cheesecake with a Black Pepper Fig Compote; Roasted Apple & Onion Soup with Toasted Pecans & Sage Oil; Cranberry Relish with Grapefruit Rind, Pomegranate & Mint; Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Rutabaga with Bacon & Hazelnut Brown Butter.

Homemade for the Holidays:

Thursday, December 8th

Treat your friends, families and neighbors to made-from-scratch confections ready in a snap and perfect for holiday gifts!

Guests will learn how to prepare, package and label edible goodies to-go: Spiced Blueberry Jam with Star Anise; Lemon Lime Curd; Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies; Pecorino & Black Pepper Cheese Straws; Dark Chocolate Truffles with Fleur de Sel.

peaches & velvet cream

There is nothing better to me in the summertime than sweet peaches and rich cream.

Add some honey, reduced white wine, bright lemon and a dash of smoky cinnamon and you're in business for a refreshing summer appetizer or cooling dessert course. A sprinkling of pistachios adds an appropriate salty crunch and texture contrast.

Chilled Peach & White Wine Soup Shooters with Pistachios

I ran across this recipe for Chilled Peach and Yogurt Soup in culinary school then adapted the recipe and swapped tangy yogurt for cream. I just adore the richness of the velvet cream with the tart peaches.

yields approximately 1/2 gallon

4 lb frozen peaches

4 cups white wine

juice and zest of 1 lemon

1/4 t cinnamon

1/4 c honey

1 cup heavy whipping cream

roasted and salted pistachios to garnish

Begin by simmering peaches, white wine, lemon, cinnamon and honey over medium high heat approximately 45 minutes to reduce and soften. Enjoy the gorgeous aroma because your kitchen will smell insane!

Let cool approximately 30 minutes to prevent hot liquid splattering when pureeing the soup. With an immersion blender, puree soup until completely smooth.

Transfer peach and wine mixture into a large pitcher then chill completely over night.

Before serving, whisk in heavy cream, an additional squeeze of lemon and drop of honey. The luxurious heavy cream will turn the chilled soup into an irresistible creamsicle hue.

Serve soup chilled as shooters with a couple pistachios or as a dessert soup with a sprinkling of pistachios and a swirl of heavy cream.

Sip, shoot or slurp away!

spring rolls & grapefruit green tea compote

I love making clients feel good inside & out after eating

flavorful, healthful foods that I've created.

I recently spent a sunny afternoon preparing light & fresh handheld appetizers for a surprise birthday luncheon with Linguine and Dirty Martinis.

Fresh herbs, healthy fats, citrus, teas and aggressive spices served as low calorie flavor carriers for my menu for 20:

Vegetable Spring Rolls with a Wasabi Yogurt Sauce

Before starting to assemble spring rolls,

have all ingredients ready and within reach:

Vegetables/herbs for filling

I used broccoli slaw, fresh mint, orange bell peppers, fresh basil and pickled ginger. Buttery avocado slices and blanched asparagus would also be divine later in the summertime.

Spring Roll Wrappers

(also known as rice paper)

Paper towels

A bowl of warm water

(large enough to submerge rice paper rounds)

Submerge rice paper into warm water until softened and pliable. Lift gently (careful to keep wrappers from tearing or folding onto themselves) and set on a flat surface. Carefully blot with a paper towel. Assemble filling ingredients near the bottom half of the circle (as shown).

Tightly roll bottom of wrapper over vegetable filling then fold sides over "burrito style." Continue rolling tightly to the end of the wrapper. Rice paper will seal itself.

Cut spring rolls in half on the bias

and serve with wasabi yogurt sauce.

Wasabi Yogurt Sauce:

1 c plain yogurt

1/2 c light sour cream

3 T wasabi paste

1 t lemon zest

juice of 1 lemon

1 T fresh cilantro, minced

salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

Chill until ready to serve. (yields 2 cups)

Orange, Feta and Green Olive Skewers

with a Lemon Mint Vinaigrette

To-do: Simply alternate pitted green olives,

chunks of feta (slide gently, these cubes crumble easily),

and orange segments on small, wooden skewers.

Drizzle with your favorite citrus vinaigrette

and fresh, minced mint.

Albacore Tuna & Spiced Chickpea Crostini with a Caper Celery Pistou and Fresh Oregano

This appetizer full of healthy omega-3's started with crisp crostini made from oatmeal wheat baguettes.

Crostini:

3 small oatmeal wheat baguettes or 2 regular whole wheat baguettes cut into 1/2 inch slices

3 T melted unsalted butter

1/2 t herbs de provence

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Stir herbs into melted butter. Assemble baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush tops evenly with butter mixture (as shown). Bake approximately 8-10 minutes until rounds are crisp.

While crostinis are cooling,

prepare the tuna and spiced chickpea mixture:

3 c chickpeas, rinsed and dried well

sprinklings of salt, paprika, cumin & cayenne

3 c albacore tuna (packed in water)

3 stalks celery, diced small

1/2 c capers, drained well

1 c red onion, minced

1/2 c extra virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling

salt to taste

fresh oregano leaves to garnish

(yields approximately 50 crostini)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (keep oven on from crostini). Toss chickpeas with spices and bake approximately 10 minutes to dry out chickpeas and toast spices. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, combine celery, capers and red onion with olive oil. Muddle in a mortar and pestle to make pistou or simply mash with a fork to release juices.

Combine spiced chickpeas with tuna and pour pistou atop. Adjust seasonings with salt. Serve a spoonful of mixture atop crostini with a fresh oregano leaf and a drizzle of olive oil.

Roasted Chicken Salad atop English Cucumbers

with Fresh Cilantro and Grapefruit Green Tea Compote

Crisp, seedless English cucumber was the perfect vessel for this creamy, chicken salad with a burst of vibrant citrus.

Green tea adds a cooling element

while grapefruit and lemon rind add tang.

Herbed Chicken Salad:

3 medium-sized boneless, skinless chicken breasts

a sprinkling of salt, pepper, herbs de provence & dried ginger

3 stalks celery, diced small

5 medium scallions, sliced thinly on the bias

1/4 c fresh cilantro, minced, plus additional to garnish

1/2 c fine mayonnaise

1 T dijon mustard

salt & pepper to taste

2 English cucumbers cut on the bias to 1/2 inch slices

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss chicken with spices and olive oil. Roast approximately 15-20 minutes until chicken is just cooked through and juicy.

Let rest a few minutes then dice into small chunks to prevent any residual cooking. Let chicken cool then combine with celery, scallions, cilantro, mayonnaise, dijon and salt and pepper to taste.

Chill completely then serve atop cucumber slices with fresh cilantro and grapefruit green tea compote.

Grapefruit Green Tea Compote:

rind and juice of 1 grapefruit

rind and juice of 1 lemon

3/4 c brewed green tea

1 c sugar

Simmer on medium high heat approximately 1 hour until reduced by half. Chill.

(yields approximately 40 canapes)

After lunch, guests sipped champagne and were spoiled silly with a beautiful white chocolate fountain complete with accompaniments compliments of my client.

strawberries, pretzels & pineapple...oh my!