Roasted Tomato Tart, Rainier Cherries And Scenes From A Weekend

"The baby goats were born this morning" Robert texted me last Monday. We had just been to the farm with the kids a few days prior and we could see that the baby goat mamma Daisy was due any minute.

"We will stop by this weekend. I can't wait to see them" I texted back.



We had lots of plans for the weekend. It was C's 40th birthday after all and although he wanted to keep it quiet, we invited some friends over for dinner. We spent Sunday morning cooking and getting the house ready for our guests. C. even woke up at insane hours of the night to get his smoked brisket going. This man is obsessed with barbecue.



We planned a very relaxed summer menu. Just the way I like to eat. A little bit of this, a little bit of that. Very similar to the summer parties we throw back home.

Our menus are always eclectic, but that seems to be what friends like about them. The unexpected, I suppose.

On my side I had planned to make a tortilla de patatas (a must have every time my friend Deena comes over). Also a fennel, zucchini and Rainier cherry salad, a roasted tomato and watercress tart, cherry and hazelnut gratin and chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches. Not bad, I thought.



"I have to run to Robert and Paula's to get eggs for the tart and the tortilla before it's too late" I told C.

Jon was too busy playing with water balloons with the neighborhood kids, so I put Miren in the car and drove to the farm. I was excited for her to see the new babies, Peanut and Peabody.



It was early afternoon. The rain that had fallen the day before combined with the high temperatures made for a very humid day. The babies were hiding inside their crate while the rest of the animals found shelter under the trees. Not even the chickens wanted to come out. I didn't blame them.

Miren was mesmerized by the babies. Even at a week old they were playful around each other. What a beautiful sight.

We picked some tomatoes and purple peppers for the party. "They smell like they have already been roasted!" I told Robert.

Have you ever smelled purple pepper? So intense and smoky. I made the best salad with them the following day.



We came back home to finish cooking. Luckily the kids got to nap and rest before friends arrived, which always helps.

I managed to take a photo of the table with my phone.

A feast, no?



Roasted Tomato and Watercress Tart

Roasted Tomatoes

3 medium tomatoes (about 1 lb 4 oz or 560 g), sliced into 1/4" rounds
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 Tbs olive oil
bunch of fresh thyme

Pre-heat oven to 300F.

Drizzle the bottom of a sheet pan with 1 Tbs of olive oil. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper on top. Lay the tomato slices on the pan. Drizzle the remaining olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme.

Bake the tomatoes for 1 1/2 hours or until soft but still hold their shape. Reserve.

Tart Crust

2/3 cup (90 g) superfine brown rice flour
1/3 cup (45 g) quinoa flour
1/4 cup (40 g) potato starch
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp thyme leaves
8 Tbs (110 g) cold unsalted butter, diced (I used non hydrogenated shortening)
5-6 Tbs ice water

Combine the first six ingredients in the food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the diced and cold butter and pulse until the butter is cut into the flour into pea size pieces. Add the ice water and pulse until the dough comes together. It will not form a ball, just press it to see if it holds together. Add 1 Tbs of ice water if needed.

Transfer the dough t your work surface and press it together into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

Dust your surface with superfine brown rice flour. Roll the dough to 1/8" thickness. Fill a 9" tart mold with the dough. Cut off excess dough. Chill the tart for another 30 minutes while preparing the filling.

Roasted Tomato and Watercress Filling

Bunch of fresh watercress, stems removed
Roasted tomatoes
2 eggs
1 Tbs plus 2 tsp cornstarch (12 g)
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
2 oz mozzarella (I used the cheese substitute Daiya)


Pre-heat oven to 400F.

Fill the bottom of the chilled tart with the roasted tomatoes. Add the watercress on top.

In a bowl, whisk together the rest of the ingredients. Pour over the tomatoes.

Bake for 30 minutes or until tope is golden brown. Cool for 20 minutes before slicing.

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Roasted Tomato Tart, Rainier Cherries And Scenes From A Weekend

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The Season of Cherries

I came back from BlogHer Food in Atlanta Sunday afternoon. I wish I had a detailed report for you guys, but the truth is that I really was unable to attend most events and festivities. It was great to catch up with friends and also finally meet those who I have come to know through blogging.

Tami, Stephanie and I spoke in the visuals panel where we discussed our own evolutions and philosophy when finding our voices and styles. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and I think we could have gone on for another few hours had we been given the time. There were lots of questions and positive feedback and I happened to learn lots myself.



As soon as I walked in the door, I remembered the large bowl of cherries I left in the refrigerator before I left. I was in desperate need of something refreshing and light. I dropped my bags and started slicing fennel, cucumber and spring onions. Also added some pitted cherries and made a quick vinaigrette with apple cider vinegar.

It hit the spot.

"Where are you guys?" I texted C. "Still swimming" he replied.

Then I knew I would have time for a quick dessert for dinner and perhaps, even a nap.



I turned to this gluten and dairy free cherry and cardamom custard I had made a few days before. Somewhere in between a clafoutis and a flan, this custard is made with coconut and almond milk that are flavored with vanilla bean, lemon zest, and cardamom. I loved it the first time I made it and I knew everyone would enjoy it again.

Once it came out of the oven, I took Miren to my bed and whispered "We are going lo-lo". She understood and immediately closed her eyes.

I needed that.



Jon was excited to have his sister back. "I missed her amatxu!" he acknowledged. He picked up a bowl of the cherry cardamom custard and proceeded to tell me all about his weekend.

There are never enough words when you are 4 years old...

Almost 5.



Cherry and Cardamom Custard

1 pound (450 g) bing cherries, pitted
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) coconut milk
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) almond milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped
4 cardamom pods, cracked
4 eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs (125 g) natural cane sugar
1/2 cup (70 g) superfine brown rice flour
1/4 cup (40 g) potato starch
2 Tbs (12 g) almond flour
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 425F. Grease a 9" pie or cake pan. Pit the cherries and arrange them in the pan.

In a small saucepan, combine the coconut milk, almond milk, vanilla bean and seeds, and cardamom pods. Bring to a light simmer, turn heat off, and let it steep for 5 minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, brown rice flour, potato starch, almond flour, and salt. Place a fine sieve on top of the bowl. Pour the warm milk mixture over the eggs so that the strainer catches the pods and vanilla bean. Whisk all ingredients together. Skim any foam that might have formed on the surface and pour the custard over the cherries.

Bake at 425F for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and bake another 25-30 minutes until center set.

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The Season of Cherries

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Rainier Cherry and Pumpkin Seed Butter Financiers

It was a few days ago when I was browsing the pages of ELLE à Table that I found an article written by Clotilde about how to make financiers with nut and seed butters. "Brilliant!", I thought. A great way to make a cake not only gluten free, but also dairy free.



I have been eating handfuls of pumpkin and sunflower seeds in between meals for extra protein and good fats. I carry little baby food containers with seeds, hummus, bags of cut vegetables and fruit wherever I go. Being on the go is the hardest thing on a strict diet if you are not organized, that is. So every morning, I think about all the places I must be and plan snacks accordingly. It is the only way I can survive, because, I'm always, always, hungry.

So when I read Clotilde's article, I immediately pulled out my old Moleskine notebook with all my recipes and quickly started adapting my basic financier recipe to incorporate homemade pumpkin seed butter.



Cherry season has also arrived. I think stone fruits are one of my favorite fruits (although I tend to say that about every fruit when the season arrives). The first Florida peaches also showed up at the farmers' market a couple of weeks ago. I must admit I paid an insane price for one peach, about $2. I had to have a taste of one and I considered it a treat, just like a cone of ice cream or a specialty coffee. A delicious, sweet peach.



The little cakes are perfectly moist and have wonderful texture. I love the cherry on top as it makes them that much more fun to eat. Rainiers have the most beautiful color, don't they?



Before, I go, I want to let you know I will be teaching a food styling and photography workshop in Seattle on Saturday, July 3rd from 10am to 12pm. It will be a review about my philosophy, how I work, my process, my inspiration with some hands on practice. As of now, the workshop is sold out, but if you are interested, you can email me to be added on to the waiting list.

It should be a fun one and I really have to thank Viv for organizing it and Jeanne who will be baking her famous gluten free breads and desserts for all of us to shoot and of course, eat. Can't wait!

Rainier Cherry and Pumpkin Seed Butter Financiers

Makes about 12 small cakes

4 egg whites
115 grams sugar
80 grams almond flour
30 grams quinoa flour
pinch of salt
50 grams pumpkin seeds, toasted
30 grams olive oil
Rainier Cherries

Toast the pumpkin seeds and when cool, grind them to a fine powder in a food processor. Add the olive oil while processor running to form a paste. Set aside.

Whisk together the egg whites and the sugar. Add the almond and quinoa flours and the salt. Whisk to incorporate. Add the pumpkin seed butter.

Pipe the batter into the baking cups and bake at 350F for about 10 minutes. Place a cherry on top of each financier and bake for another 15-18 minutes until lightly golden on top.

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Wild Mulberry, Cherry and Pistachio Clafoutis... the First of the Season

I have always loved this time of year. As a kid, the end of May and beginning of June were always an exciting time. The weather unpredictable ("hasta el cuarenta de mayo no te quites el sayo"), but the first signs of summer would start making their first appearance. Morning dew on the grass on our walk to school, the first strawberries and cherries at the market. It was the anticipation of the three months of vacation ahead of us. Time spent outside, at the beach or going hiking.



Going back to my childhood, I remember the times later in the summer (actually closer to the end of summer), when we used to pick blackberries from a wild bush close to my house. Close to the train tracks surrounded by rusty metal and imminent tetanus shots. We spent hours there with buckets eating and picking berries for jam.



Last Sunday, we found wild mulberries at the farmers market. Mulberries that grow wild behind one of our farmers' yard. I couldn't believe it. I haven't had a wild mulberry in years. We picked a couple of pints and enjoyed them like candy. Mano a mano.

The first cherries of the season also appeared this week and of course, I had to go with a classic. A clafoutis with mulberries, cherries and pistachio meal. Also, gluten free and casein free as I used coconut milk and cornstarch.



We ate the clafoutis on Mother's Day when we had a gigantic BBQ pit for our entire neighborhood. It was one of those almost unbearable hot Florida afternoons. We set out camp outside with big umbrellas, lawn chairs and a hose. BBQ and hose must go hand in hand. The kids played in the water for hours, we nibbled on BBQ all day, drank homemade ginger ale and had clafoutis for dessert. Ah, summer!



Mulberry, Cherry and Pistachio Clafoutis

Makes 9" pan (I made an 8" one plus 3 small ramekins)

2 cups mulberries and pitted cherries
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
pinch of salt
2 Tbs pistachio meal
3/4 cup coconut milk (or whole milk)
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
Zest of 1 lemon
Ghee for brushing the ramekins (or room temperature butter)

Brush pan with softened ghee or room temperature butter. Heat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar. Add the cornstarch and whisk until dissolved. Add salt, pistachio meal, coconut milk, vanilla and lemon zest. Whisk until all incorporated.

Pour into pan and bake until set and edges are golden brown.

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Stone Fruits, Baking Tarts and the Giveaway Winner

I have to admit that every year, I have a hard time adjusting to the summer season here in the South. Once we enter the rainy season, it gets very, very hot, humid and stormy. We spend a lot of time in the pool and indoors away from the scorching sun. Baking becomes almost like a luxury as we try not to over-heat the house too much. But summer also means stone fruit season and that makes it all worth it.

This weekend we found the ripest and most beautiful nectarines and white peaches. I saved some for sorbet and used the rest for tarts. I couldn't resist.



Because I love both custard and frangipane tarts and because I cannot choose one over the other, I decided to make a little bit of both. I used the nectarines for these super simple nectarine and pistachio frangipane tarts and cherries for cherry and cinnamon flan tarts. Both creamy and very flaky.

Even though sometimes I like to experiment with flavors and I am very intrigued by new techniques and cooking methods, I have to admit that a slightly warm fruit tart with some vanilla ice cream is all I could ever ask for. My ideal way to end a meal for sure.



And finally, what most of you might be waiting for... the winner of the raspberry powder giveaway is ibb of Living in a Matchbox (please contact me so I can get all your information). Thank you everyone for participating and commenting. I should have little giveaways like this more often!



Short Dough

Makes enough for about 12 3-inch tart rings

250 grams butter, room temperature
125 grams powdered sugar
1 egg
Zest of 1 orange
370 grams flour
2 grams baking powder
3 grams salt

Cream the butter and the powdered sugar together. Add the zest and the egg and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and paddle well.

Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until combined.

Divide the dough into two disks and wrap in plastic wrap. Flatten the disks slightly with your hands. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and if it's too hard to roll, let it come to room temperature for about 10 minutes. Roll to 1/8" thick. Cut circles that are larger than your tart rings. Fill the tart rings and place them on a sheetpan lined with parchment.

Let the filled tart rings rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours so the dough relaxes and doesn't shrink in the oven.

Pistachio Frangipane

200 grams butter, softened
200 grams sugar
2 eggs
60 grams flour
200 grams pistachios, ground to a fine meal

Cream the butter and the sugar together. Add the egg. Scrape and mix well. Add the flour and the ground pistachios and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.

If you are only going to use a little bit of bit, you can freeze the leftovers for up to 2 months.

Assemble the Pistachio and Nectarine Tarts

Dock the bottom of the tarts lightly.

Place the pistachio frangipane in a pastry bag fitted with a pastry tip (#5) and fill the tarts about halfway.

Cut thin slices of nectarine and place them on top of the frangipane. Press them lightly into the frangipane.

Bake the tarts at 375F for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Cherry, Cinnamon and Vanilla Flan Tarts

100 ml heavy cream
100 mil whole milk
6 egg yolks
50 grams sugar
5 grams cornstarch
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla extract
Cherries

Use the same short dough recipe but this time, use ring molds that are a bit higher. Fill the ring molds with the rolled short dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Dock the bottom of the short dough, line the inside with parchment, fill with dried beans and blind bake for 15 minutes at 350F.

Prepare the flan filling by whisking together the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch. Add the heavy cream, whole milk, cinnamon and vanilla. Whisk until incorporated. Strain this custard through fine sieve.

Cut and pit the cherries. Fill the pre-baked tart shells with the cherries. Make sure you fill them to the top. Pour the custard into the tarts and bake them at 325F for about 20 minutes until bubbly and set.

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Stone Fruits, Baking Tarts and the Giveaway Winner

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Cherry, Blackberry and Almond Crisp

I have been a bit under weather ever since our trip back and have not been able to spend much time in the kitchen. But the first cherries of the season have started to arrive and although I love eating them raw as they are, I had a craving for a simple fruit crisp.



I remember cherry season as a time of joy, first days of summer, school year coming to an end, days becoming longer and time of picnics. That has all changed now because leaving in the Southeast, that means the beginning of the rain and hurricane season.



This crisp is as simple as can be and any fruit can be used. That's what I love about crumbles and crisps, they are so versatile. In this case, I made an almond topping but you could use any nut or even oatmeal or a combination of both.



Almond Crumble

100 grams butter
100 grams sugar
100 grams flour
120 grams almond flour
80 grams raw almonds, chopped
pinch of salt

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the flour, almond flour, chopped almonds and salt and mix until combined. This mixture will be sandy. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

Cherry and Blackberry Filling

160 grams blackberries
250 grams cherries, pitted
10 grams flour
20 grams vanilla sugar
zest of half a lemon
juice of half a lemon
pinch of salt

Toss all ingredients together. Divide amongst ramekins and top with crumble.

Bake at 350F until juices start to bubble up and crumble browns.

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Cherry, Blackberry and Almond Crisp

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Cherry, Almond and Chocolate Mini Cakes

I have been eating cherries like crazy the last few weeks. Sometimes I don't even like to bake with them because they are so fantastic on their own, fresh, plump and juicy. I love to watch my son eat them even though that means he will stain his shirts and that will be the end of them. All so very worth it.

So these are chocolate almond cakes with pieces of cherry inside that I baked in mini ramekins. I love how moist yet dense they are. A little goes a long way with this cake.





Cherry, Almond and Chocolate Cake

175 grams almond paste
3 eggs
50 grams butter
90 grams bittersweet chocolate
30 grams flour
2 grams baking powder
cherries, pitted and cut into medium dice

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the almond paste with one egg with the paddle attachment. When this becomes a smooth mixture, add the rest of the eggs and switch to the whip attachment. Whip this for about 5 minutes until light and fluffly.

In the meantime, melt the butter and the chocolate over a double boiler. When the eggs have become thick and make a ribbon, turn the machine to low and add the melted chocolate and butter. Mix until combined. Add the flour and baking powder and mix. Fold in the pieces of cherry.

Refrigerate the batter for a couple of hours. Pipe into molds (half way up) and bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes. When the cake has almost set completely, place a whole cherry with its stem on top, let the cake finish baking for another 3 minutes or so.

I know this is a short post. Short but sweet. Have a wonderful weekend!

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Cherry, Almond and Chocolate Mini Cakes

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Two Tarts and a Late Spring Cookout

I love when summer comes and people head out to the streets. It's a bit different here in Florida where summer is actually when people become more recluse and spend more time indoors due to the scorching heat and the unbearable humidity. I still love the idea of living outdoors though, with open windows, lawn chairs on the grass, kids playing in the pool, sidewalk chalk, concerts in the park...

We had a great cookout for Memorial Day weekend when we teamed up with our next door neighbors for a food filled day. Let's say it was not vegetarian friendly and I've been trying to do a gastro-intestinal cleanse ever since. The smoker was on all day long, friends came over, kids played in the pool, we ate way too much food, but of course, there is always room for dessert. What's an American holiday without a pie, right? Well, these are more like tarts since I used a sugar dough or pate sucree recipe rather than pate brisee. Both tarts use the same dough so the prep work was very easy.



When I make sugar dough or any dough for that matter, I make large amounts and then freeze in individual portions so whenever I am going to need to bake a pie, the dough is there ready for me. I just take it out of the freezer the night before and let it thaw out in the refrigerator. Sometimes, I even pre-assemble a tart and freeze it raw but this only works for tarts that require no prebaking. So for example, I can fill a tart ring with raw sugar dough, pipe in frangipane, place fruit slices on top and freeze it. Then I can bake it when I need it. However, this doesn't work once the tart shell has been baked.

As for fillings, mousses or any custard with a high percentage of fat can be frozen but custards such as pastry cream will not hold in the freezer. They become watery and separate once thawed out. Pastry cream and fresh fruit tarts are best when they are eaten the same day they are prepared.

The banana cream tart was filled with pastry cream flavored with rum and creme de banana, topped with banana slices and sweetened cream. The cherry galette was super simple and really, I didn't need a recipe. Pitted some cherries, tossed them in a bit of flour, sugar and almond extract and placed them in the center of the dough.



Sugar Dough

8 oz unsalted butter, softened
4 oz powdered sugar
1 egg
12 oz flour
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

Cream the butter and the sugar together. Add the egg, mix and scrape bowl to ensure all ingredients are well mixed. Add the flour, salt and baking powder and mix until combined. Do not overmix.

Make a ball with the dough and wrap it in plastic wrap. Press down on the dough to create a flat disk. This will make the rolling easier later on. Refrigerate the dough for at least 4 hours.

Roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch thick and place it over your tart pan. Press down the sides, remove excess from the top and refrigerate for a couple of hours. This is very important so the dough doesn't shrink in the oven.

Dock it and bake it in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Let it cool and fill with the pastry cream

Pastry Cream

2 cups whole milk
4 oz sugar
1.5 oz cornstarch
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
0.5 oz butter
Rum, optional
Creme de banana, optional

In a saucepan, bring the milk, half of the sugar and vanilla bean to a boil. Whisk the eggs, egg yolk, half of the sugar and cornstarch in a bowl. When milk comes to a boil, temper it into the eggs. Return base to saucepan and cook until it comes to a boil and it thickens, whisking constantly.

Transfer the cream to a clean bowl and add the butter while whisking. When it cools slightly, cover it with plastic wrap making sure the plastic is in contact with the cream. This will avoid any skin to form.

Refrigerate until ready to assemble the tart.

Assemble the Banana Cream Tart

Spread a good amount of pastry cream on the bottom of the prebaked tart shell. Place thin slices of fresh banan on top covering the enrire surface of the pastry cream. Pipe sweetened whipped cream on top of the banana trying to cover all the banana and sprinkle shaved chocolate on top.

Assemble the Cherry Galette

Cut large circles of sugar dough with a large cookie cutter (about 8 inches in diameter). Place some pitted cherries in the middle, sprinkle with a little bit of sugar and a dot of butter on the top. Gather the outside edges of the dough towards the center folding a packet. Don't worry about being perfect since this is meant to be a rustic tart. Brush the sides of the dough with egg wash and sprinkle some coarse sugar on top. Sprinkle some slivered almonds on top and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until dough golden brown.

I hope you are really enjoying stone fruits like I am!

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Two Tarts and a Late Spring Cookout

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