Cream Puffs in Venice readers, meet my new favourite French Apple Tart.

French Apple Tart, meet Cream Puffs in Venice readers.

I was introduced to my new favourite French Apple Tart in the whole wide world by Ina Garten, author of the brand new Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics.

When I write reviews, I try to be very thorough. I try to include as many details as possible about how the cookbook is written and presented, what sort of recipes you’ll find in the cookbook and if they work or not and and what my overall sense of the cookbook is.

But sometimes, brevity is best.

Just go buy this cookbook.

I mean it’s Ina, for heaven’s sake! It’s Ina in all her full-colour glory with recipes that just make you want to write her a letter begging that she adopt you.

I want to eat at her house every single day forever.

And now that French Apple Tart is in my life, I want to eat that at her house every single day forever. Puff pastry, sliced apples, sugar, butter and rum.

And now I have a new best friend!

But enough of this useless writing. Go buy the book or go put it on your Christmas list or go bug someone to buy it for you and then go to the kitchen and cook and bake.

Go!

Ciao!

For this week’s edition of Magazine Mondays, I bestowed the honour of “Chosen Recipe” on one that actually hasn’t been laying around my house for all that long.

Contrary to my culinary penchant for oohing and aahing over recipes in magazines and then letting them sit there for years before trying them, I actually decided to try a recipe from the May 2008 issue of Martha Stewart Living: Fava Bean Salad with Roasted-Garlic Vinaigrette.

Now Martha and I have had our moments. Some good. Some not-so-good. But when I saw this recipe, I just had a feeling that this one would find a home in the “good thing” pile (pardon the expression).

I’m happy to say I was not wrong. Beside the fact that the recipe is healthy (I usually regard this as a perk), it’s colourful and delicious and boasts what is quite possibly the most delicious vinaigrette I have ever made. DELICIOUS, I tell you. And you know the Cream Puff does not use all caps casually!

Ultimately you could make this salad with a variety of beans in the event you can’t find fava beans and while the corn left something to be desired (it’s obviously not corn season in my neck of the woods), overall the salad was bright and immensely satisfying. Please do try it.

Have a wonderful week, everyone!

Ciao!

Recipe: Fava Bean Salad with Roasted-Garlic Vinaigrette.

I love The Simpsons.

Love them!

I am one of those people who shares the belief that there are lines from Simpsons episodes that can be applied to virtually every event in life.

One of my very favourite Simpsons episodes happens to be “Lisa the Vegetarian” from the series’ seventh season. And for me, the best part of the episode is the little song and dance that Bart and Homer perform where they repeatedly sing, “You can’t win friends with salad!” to a very distraught Lisa.

Homer … Bart … you are so wrong!

When my “sister” Lis told me that she was planning an event, I didn’t even need to know what it was about. I already knew that I would be participating.

I mean that’s just what sisters do!

But when I found out that the theme was salad, I knew I’d be winning over a lot of friends! I cannot remember a time in my life when I did not eat salad. Without exception, salad appears on our table almost every day of the year.

We end every meal with salad. To be sure we’re not talking about overly involved salads. It’s usually lettuce drizzled with a bit of extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar with a bit of salt sprinkled on. Occasionally we’ll splurge with a good quality balsamic. In the summer, our salad options expand exponentially. Cucumber and tomato salads will make an appearance. We may have salads with several different types of lettuce, mostly from our garden. But without fail, they are always saved for last.

I’ve heard many different ideas about why it is that Italians eat salad last. The most common one being that salad is a palate cleanser that prepares the way for what comes next, whether that be a cheese course or dessert. In our family what came next was almost always fruit, and my father explained to me a few times that the salad cleaned your mouth for the fruit.

Whatever the reason, I’ve always thought that ending a meal with salad is a nice, light way to put an exlamation mark on the act of eating. Having said that, I don’t put a lot of effort into salad. To me, the best salad is one with excellent lettuce, bathed in good olive oil and vinegar. That’s pretty much it.

But for my sister Lis and her partner in this event, Kelly of Sass and Veracity, I will most definitely go that extra mile. So I made not one, not two, but three extravant salads for their Salad Stravaganza!

We begin with a lovely salad of roast potatoes, green beans and cherry tomatoes. The recipe for this salad comes from an Bon Appétit magazine from earlier this year. The salad is lovely especially with a meal that includes some sort of roast meat or fish. The warm potatoes soak up the dressing and the beans and tomatoes add crunch and colour.

For the next two salads, I turned to Tracy Stern’s lovely Tea Party, which of course has been my Flavour of the Month for May and June. There’s a lovely salad in Stern’s book that consists of Bibb lettuce, green apple and avocado.

The salad is bathed in a Sesame-Green Tea Vinaigrette. While I chose the same elements for the make up of my salad, I used a dressing of my own creation, that I use often at home when I want a dressing that’s a bit more special than the good ol’ standby of olive oil and vinegar.

I love to make a dressing of champagne vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, shallot, sea salt, black pepper and the zest and juice of half a lemon. Here’s the recipe:

1 shallot, minced
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
juice and zest of half a lemon
3 tbsp. Champagne vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Whisk together the shallot, mustard, zest and lemon juice and vinegar in a bowl. Let sit for five minutes.

Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Season to taste and use immediately.

For the final salad, I decided to try another recipe from Stern’s book after I came across a pasta salad with chickpeas and roasted red pepper. I added red onion and artichoke hearts to the salad and I’m happy to say that it was a winner!

Best of all I got to take the leftovers to work as a healthy lunch.

250 g. fusilli pasta
handful of basil, minced
a few sprigs of mint, minced
1/2 a red onion, finely chopped
2 red peppers, roasted, cleaned and roughly chopped
1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed
1 cup artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Cook the fusilli according to the directions on the package. Once cooked, let the pasta cool for about 10 minutes before putting the salad together.

Add the basil, mint, red onion, red peppers, chickpeas, artichoke hearts and lemon zest. Mix well.

In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice and the garlic. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking all the time. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the dressing on the pasta salad and mix well and serve.

The pasta salad will keep in the refrigerator for several days.

Ciao!

Technorati tags: salad, salad stravaganza

Chilling on the Italian terrace has been the recent activity of choice here in the House of Cream Puff. These past four days have surely been the most glorious days of this Toronto summer. The heat and humidity of July are but a distant memory as we’ve enjoyed leisurely meals on our little patio. A soft  breeze, a gentle sun … everything is green and ripe.

To me, the quintessential food of summer is the food that best exemplifies the carefree, casual spirit of summer. Think of how easy it is to kick off your sandals and walk in the grass, or push open the door and walk out into the backyard. These are not things that you can easily do in winter, where a trip outside means the layering on of clothing and the pulling on of boots and so on. Three-hour stews are fine and dandy in the winter, when the bitter cold keeps you inside. But in summer, I want food that’s fast, delicious and bursting with flavour.

For this reason, I am so deeply attracted to Valentina Harris’ Recipes From an Italian Terrace (my Flavour of the Month for August). There is a directness to her recipes that I like. They are simple and have all the hallmarks of classic summer food:  fresh ingredients, minimal cooking time and emphasis on flavour.

I’m almost embarrassed to be posting this salad because, to be quite honest, it requires almost zero effort. Wash your favourite salad greens and dress them as you like. Arrange them in a plate. Take some fresh bocconcini and wrap them with cured meat. Place your little bundles on the salad. Serve.

I think it took me all of 5 minutes to make this dish. The idea is inspired by a recipe in Harris’ cookbook, although hers is on a larger scale as it’s intended to serve more people. I scaled my version down as it was just my mother, brother and I. But seriously, even if you wanted to make this for 15 people, I don’t think it would take you longer than 15 minutes to prepare. And yet it’s such an elegant looking dish. It’s the perfect appetizer for that summer party you’ve been planning.

Just don’t forget to invite me …

Ciao!

Insalata di Bocconcini con Speck (Salad with Bocconcini and Speck)

Adapted from Recipes From an Italian Terrace by Valentina Harris.

• 6 larger-sized bocconcini or 12 baby ones (I used a type of bocconcino called a treccia. It’s soft cheese that’s pulled into a twist or braid.)
• enough speck to wrap around each piece of cheese that you’re using
• 3 to 4 cups of arugula, washed and torn into pieces
• a handful of cherry tomatoes (to garnish)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 or 5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• sea salt
• freshly cracked black pepper

1. In a bowl, mix together the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Toss the arugula with the dressing and arrange on a serving plate.
3. Take a slice of speck and wrap around each bocconcino. Arrange the wrapped bocconcini on your salad.
4. Garnish with the cherry tomatoes and serve immediately.
5. Enjoy!

Note:  For those of you that are unfamiliar with bocconcini, they are a type of soft, fresh mozzarella that are shaped into round shapes and kept in water or whey. They have a delicate, almost sweet flavour and are very versatile. You can use them in antipasti, in salads, in pasta and even on pizza. Most cheese shops or Italian stores should carry bocconcini. If they don’t, ask for them.

Use cured meats to wrap your cheese with. It’s an interesting variation on the platter of cured meats that Italians will often serve for a snack or as an appetizer. You can use any cured meat you like, but I would recommend prosciutto or speck. Harris uses speck, which is a type of smoked prosciutto common in Northern Italy and also other countries in Europe like Switzerland. It has a stronger taste than prosciutto, but is delicious. If you’ve never tried it, I highly recommend it. For more information on cured meats, or Italian foods in general, check out Micol Negrin’s wonderful site at http://www.rusticocooking.com/. To read specifically about cured meats, click this link:  http://www.rusticocooking.com/curedmeats.htm.

I followed Harris’ directions and used arugula, but feel free to use the salad greens of your choice. If you can use fresh, locally grown salad greens, that’s always best.

Technorati tags: bocconcini, speck, arugula

This is a salad that I would happily call the perfect summer salad. It is one that I look forward to making every summer. As I add each beautifully ripe ingredient to a large bowl, I can’t help but feel that the very act of making panzanella is pure summer joy!

Panzanella is a bread salad that is Italian in origin. The most common theory behind its creation is that it was a clever way to use up old, stale bread. Simply combine it with some fresh ingredients from the garden, including tomatoes and their juice, and the next thing you know you have a savoury, filling dish. Panzanella, like so many Italian dishes, is a simple food. Variations of it appear all over Italy and like so many other examples of rustic cuisine, it’s been elevated to a much higher status. I’ve even seen it on restaurant menus for absolutely ridiculous prices, especially when you consider that panzanella costs you next to nothing to make at home. And it’s so much better when you make it yourself.

This salad has also come to be a family favourite because it allows us to enjoy the best of summer flavour without having to turn on the stove or oven. While the awful humidity of July has released its grip on Toronto, it’s still nice to be able to throw some items together in a bowl and end up with an incredible meal.

Each time you make panzanella, it evolves. You’ll find yourself adding new ingredients all the time and eventually, you’ll settle on the version you like best. If you’ve never made panzanella before, I urge you to give it a try. A plate of this salad and that Italian terrace we’ve all been dreaming about will seem to appear that much closer.

Ciao!

Panzanella

Treasured family recipe.

• 6 or 7 slices (1/2-inch thick) of day-old Italian country style bread or day-old focaccia
• 2 medium cucumbers, with skin on and sliced thinly
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled and sliced thinly
• 1 large ripe tomato (to be used to wet the bread)
• 2 large ripe tomatoes cut into small pieces
• 1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
• 1 small red onion, sliced thinly
• 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• sea salt
• freshly cracked black pepper
• handful of fresh basil, torn into pieces
• handful of cherry tomatoes for garnish
• handful of Mediterranean olives for garnish

1. Using a toaster oven or the broiler, lightly toast the bread for a minute or two on each side. Remove and let cool. Once cool, cut the bread into 1-inch pieces. Put the bread in a large bowl.
2. Take the ripe tomato set aside to wet the bread, cut it in half and squeeze out all the juice (seeds and all) over the bread. Mix the bread so that the juice is evenly distributed.
3. Add a teaspoon or two of salt and black pepper to the bread and mix well; set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine the cucumbers, chopped tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, parsley and thyme. Add a teaspoon of salt and mix well. Let sit for 5 or 10 minutes. After that time has elapsed, add the vegetables to the bread being sure to also add any juice that’s accumulated at the bottom of the bowl. Mix well.
5. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and then pour the vinaigrette over the bread and vegetables. Mix well. Add the torn basil and garnish with cherry tomatoes and olives. Serve immediately.
6. Enjoy!

Note:  This salad serves 4 to 6 people. I like to use a focaccia loaf that I buy from the best bread store in Toronto:  Ace Bakery. Toasting the bread ahead of time helps to keep the bread from soaking up too much liquid too quickly. Nonetheless, this salad should be served right away or the bread will become mushy.

Technorati tags:  panzanella, bread, salad

I wasn’t planning on posting this evening, but I had no choice. I am enjoying Lemon Zest so much and I realized that I don’t have many days left in April to post about this cookbook. Having prepared a dish that features one of the vegetable loves of my life, I just had to come and share with all of you.

But before I jump into my ode to artichokes, I just want to take the opportunity to bring to your attention an exciting event that’s happening in May. If you haven’t already heard about it, Life Begins at 30 is challenging everyone to eat locally during the month of May. I first heard about this challenge on Raspberry Sour’s blog The Sour Patch. I very brashly declared that I would take up the challenge and only eat local foods.

Then I remembered that I live in Canada and it’s not uncommon for us to have snow well into April! Luckily spring has already graced us with her presence, but still, it’s not like we’ve got an enormous selection of produce to choose from. So I’ve decided that while I may not be able to eat only local foods in May, I will certainly try my best and I hope that wherever you are, you’ll take up the challenge as well.

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming …

I have always been in love with artichokes (in Italian i carciofi). From the time I was a little girl trying desperately to get in the middle of my mother’s daily cooking routine, I have loved artichokes. Why do I love them so? I think it’s a combination of the colour, the shape and the flavour. This is why I was so upset when we couldn’t find baby artichokes for our Easter lunch. Traditionally, we serve fried baby artichokes as an accompaniment to the roast leg of lamb and the fried lamb chops (more on this in another post). But this year it was not to be and I was so very disappointed.

As explained by Alice Waters in her incredible book Chez Panisse Vegetables, artichokes are actually the edible flower of a plant (thistle). Artichokes are widely used in Italy and so Italians have become quite expert at cooking with them. In fact, artichokes were introduced to North America by Italians who settled in California. Waters explains that artichokes have two main growing seasons:  the spring and the fall. So we should all be looking for some fresh artichokes in our markets.

Since I was denied my fried artichokes on Easter Sunday, I’ve been craving them since. And I thought it would be a wonderful idea if I spent the last day of my mini-holiday (back to work tomorrow) enjoying some artichokes. I already knew what recipe I wanted to try. It’s from Lori Longbotham’s Lemon Zest and it’s a recipe for roasted artichokes.

Many people are intimidated by artichokes because of the perceived difficulty in cleaning them. In fact, once you get the hang of it cleaning artichokes isn’t that difficult. It helps if you have the following supplies:  a serrated knife, a paring knife, a good pair of kitchen shears and a big bowl of water with lemon in it.

To clean an artichoke, simply tear off the outside leaves that are usually too hard to eat. With the serrated knife, cut the artichoke down the middle lengthwise. Take the kitchen shears and snip off the ends of the outer artichoke leaves, especially if they’re thorny. With the paring knife or with a spoon, scoop out the fuzzy bit at the centre of the artichoke known as the choke. Use the paring knife to pare away the outer layer of the bottom of the artichoke and the stem (if using large artichokes the outer layer can be tough). Immediately drop the artichoke in the lemon water to prevent it turning brown.

This is the method we use at home and it always works. Of course if you’re lucky enough to have fresh baby artichokes, you’ll find that you don’t need to trim away as many leaves as they will be far more tender.

Having cleaned my artichokes, I used the Lemon Oil that I’d made earlier this month, as well as sliced lemons and garlic. I mixed everything in a baking dish and then baked the artichokes for 45 to 50 minutes in a hot oven. I let the artichokes cool to room temperature and decided to take the opportunity to try out another Lemon Zest recipe:  Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette. I used the vinaigrette as a dressing for the artichokes.

Fantastic! The vinaigrette complimented the artichokes so well and the best part is that I have lots of vinaigrette left for salad. As for the artichokes … not a single one left.

I got my artichoke fix and I am once again a happy girl. Isn’t vegetable love glorious!

Ciao!

Roasted Artichokes with Lemon

Adapted from Lemon Zest by Lori Longbotham.

• 3 large artichokes
• 1/4 cup Lemon Oil (or olive oil)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• pinch of freshly ground pepper
• 6-8 lemon slices, seeds removed
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced in half
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Clean and quarter the artichokes. Remember to put them in a blow of water with lemon as you clean them. Rinse the artichokes once you’re done and pat them dry.
3. In a glass baking dish (9 x 13), pour the lemon oil and stir in the salt and pepper. Take each artichoke quarter and roll it in the oil to coat. Arrange the lemon slices in the baking dish and top with a garlic half. Lay the artichokes over the layer of lemons and garlic.
4. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and roast for 45 minutes, or until you can pierce the artichokes with a knife or fork.
5. Remove from the oven and transfer the artichokes to a plate. Add the lemon juice to the liquid in the baking dish. Mix well and then spoon over the artichokes. If you are going to serve the artichokes with the vinaigrette (recipe follows), you can skip this step.
6. Enjoy!

Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette

Adapted from Lemon Zest by Lori Longbotham.

• 1/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (use white pepper if you have it)
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon Lemon Oil or olive oil

1. Whisk together the crème fraîche, shallot, zest, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
2. Slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream, whisking constantly. The vinaigrette should be smooth and well combined. Use with your favourite salad or on vegetables.
3. Enjoy!

Note:  The artichokes serve 6 people and should be eaten warm or at room temperature. The vinaigrette recipe will yield about a cup. Extra vinaigrette should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Technorati tags:  artichokes, lemons, vinaigrette