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!

cranberry applesauce to share

I recently made a large batch of this tart and delicious homemade applesauce for friends this February. The finished product was a home run!

Serve a spoonful atop oatmeal with a sprinkling of cinnamon or layer applesauce with Greek yogurt and granola for a delish breakfast parfait. Adapted from this recipe.

Cranberry Applesauce

yields approximately 3 cups

3 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and diced

1.5 cups fresh cranberries

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup apple cider

1 cinnamon stick

zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

pinch of salt

In a heavy saucepan, cook the apples, cranberries, sugar, apple cider, the cinnamon stick, and the zest over medium heat, stirring often, for 15-20 minutes, or until the apples are very soft. Remove the cinnamon stick and pass applesauce through a food mill or potato ricer. Stir in butter and salt. The applesauce keeps, covered and chilled, for 1 week.

This tart treat will keep you wanting more!

coffee flan + mardi gras

lately...

local Austin beets

Tangerine + Habanero Martini

recipe seen in Inside Fort Worth Magazine

Pizettes with Shrimp, Romesco,

Toasted Coconut & Microgreens

my latest Pinterest

inspiration board screenshot

local Rainbow Chard

sauteed in bacon grease

Larry the lobsta

bubbles + coffee flan

from Revolver Taco Lounge

homemade V-Day treat

Bordelaise from Black Rooster Bakery

Edamame potsticker forming

"looking forward to spring"

photo shoot with Kari Crowe Photography

Fat Tuesday Chocolate Chunk Cookies

the perfect soufflé + valentine's day

Valentine's Day is right around the corner so why not wow your special mate with an iconic and sophisticated dessert that oozes decadence and sex appeal: the soufflé.

For a recent dinner party, I tested this recipe (adapted from here), and demonstrated to the guests how to make this sometimes tricky dessert from start to finish.

Grand Marnier Soufflés

yields 12, 4 ounce portions

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

plus additional for buttering ramekins

1 cup sugar plus additional for coating ramekins

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup whole milk

7 large egg yolks

1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1/4 teaspoon orange oil

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier

8 large egg whites

Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously butter 12, 4 ounce ramekins and coat with sugar, knocking out excess sugar.

If you have not already, seperate your egg yolks from your whites. Using three bowls, break the egg in one, seperate the yolk, then add the yolk to a larger bowl. Transfer white to a larger bowl. Contine one egg at a time-- this 3 bowl method will prevent tainting an entire bowl of egg whites if a yolk happens to break or an egg is bad.

Tip: eggs are easier to seperate when COLD but whip up better at ROOM TEMPERATURE.

In a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan melt 3/4 stick butter over moderately low heat and whisk in flour. Cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add milk and cook over moderate heat, whisking, until mixture is very thick and pulls away from sides of pan. Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool 5 minutes.

In a large bowl whisk together yolks, vanilla, oil, and a pinch salt, and whisk in milk mixture and Grand Marnier, whisking until smooth.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat whites until they hold soft peaks. Beat in 1 cup sugar, a little at a time, and beat meringue until it just holds stiff peaks.

Tip: to ensure your bowl is clean without residue, wipe your bowl with a paper towel dipped in vinegar before adding egg whites. Egg whites will whip up better.

Whisk about one fourth meringue into yolk mixture to lighten and with a rubber spatula fold in remaining meringue gently but thoroughly.

Spoon batter into ramekins, filling them just to rim, and arrange ramekins at least 1 1/2 inches apart in a large baking pan. Add enough hot water to pan to reach halfway up sides of ramekins and bake soufflés in middle of oven approximately 16 minutes, or until puffed and tops are golden.

Remove pan from oven and transfer ramekins to dessert plates. Serve immediately.

Not too sweet, airy and light. What decadence!

citrus parfaits & whimsical bouquets

lately...

Blood Orange + Caper Relish

to spoon atop roasted fish

Rosemary & Crushed Red Pepper-Infused Olive Oil

Avocado, Grapefruit & Spinach Salad with Jalapeno Ranch

Pomegranate & Black Peppercorn Cider

Delicious Brisket Hash from The Tavern

Demonstration Prep

Individual Lemon Lime Curd & Gingersnap Parfaits

Whimsical Valentine's Bouquet from Vera Green Productions

a perfect punch to share

When asked to write some "Sweet Sips to Share" recipes for the winter issue of Fort Worth Foodie, I wanted to put interesting, yet simple twists on seemingly traditional seasonal drinks:

cider, eggnog, cocktails and holiday punch.

My mother made a simple punch last Christmas with blood orange Italian soda, lime juice and white rum. It was bubbly, tart, not-too-sweet and festive.

For my rendition of the recipe, I added the intense juice from kaffir limes along with several dashes of bitters to add complexity to the punch flavor.

Blood Orange + White Rum Punch

with Kaffir Lime

Yields 4-6 servings

4 cups blood orange Italian soda

Juice of 2 kaffir limes, plus additional slices to garnish

1.5 cups white rum

4 -6 dashes of bitters

frozen blood orange slices, to garnish if desired

Combine all ingredients.

Serve in a vintage punch bowl with frozen blood orange slices to keep the punch chilled.

Hello, gorgeous.

photo courtesy of Kari Crowe

Or, serve individually from a chilled pitcher with kaffir lime rounds.

Happy sipping!

sugared cranberries & a sparkling treat

I have never claimed to be a "sweets person."

If I was given the option of chocolate or cheese for the rest of my life, I'm goin' with the brie.

This one dessert would make me a sweets person.

When writing a menu for clients a couple months ago, I wanted to play with the idea of an eggnog panna cotta.

Should I make the custard with traditional heavy cream and accentuate with recognizable eggnog spices? Or, could I make it with actual bottled eggnog?

Eggnog, baby. And it's delish.

I ran across this Whole Foods recipe for Eggnog Panna Cotta with Spiced Pears.

I liked the idea of this but...

I always like to make recipes or dish combinations, "my own."

And secondly, I wanted to add some holiday sparkle to the creamy-spiced panna cotta.

Sugared cranberries it is!

Also, for a chocolate-y, spicy and textural addition, I added a dark chocolate wafer for elegance and visual appeal.

Man, this dessert rocks. Seriously.

Go make it now!

That's a Christmas order from Santa

(cookies just get SO humdrum).

Eggnog Panna Cotta with Sugared Cranberries

& Dark Chocolate Crystallized Ginger Wafer

yields 8 servings

1 quart eggnog

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 (1/4 ounce) packets unflavored powdered gelatin

1 cup fresh cranberries

1 cup turbinado sugar

1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

thin-sliced crystallized ginger, for sprinkling

In a medium saucepan, heat eggnog over medium heat until hot and just bubbling. Whisk in cinnamon to hot eggnog mixture to combine. Meanwhile, whisk together 1/3 cup hot water and gelatin in a small bowl until dissolved. Whisk gelatin mixture into eggnog until thoroughly combined.

Remove from heat and pour into eight 4-ounce ramekins. Chill for at least 2 hours, or until set.

Meanwhile, make sugared cranberries. Bring a pot of water to boil and add turbinado sugar to a large bowl. Submerge cranberries into boiling water for 30 seconds then drain immediately. Toss hot cranberries with turbinado sugar then spread out on a sheet pan to cool and allow cranberries to dry out.

Next, chocolate wafers. Add chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl. Line a small sheet pan with parchment paper. Microwave chocolate in 30 second intervals, stirring between, until melted. Spoon chocolate into eight circle shapes on parchment-lined sheet. Top with crystallized ginger. Refrigerate to harden.

To plate dessert, run a knife along ramekin dishes. Unmold on individual plates then top with sugared cranberries and chocolate coin on the side.

Luscious. Creamy. Sparkling.

Brimming with holiday cheer.