Recipe Fridays!

Strawberry Tarts with Cream
from Martha Stewart Living July 2009

What better way to celebrate the arrival of Summer than with a fresh strawberry tart? I picked up three pints of strawberries yesterday at the Farmer's Market in preparation, and whipped this up last night. The crust is not my favorite, I'll be honest; it's a shortbread-like base that was very soft and hard to deal with. I ended up putting it straight in the pan and spreading it out with my fingers because rolling it was problematic. Other than that, however, it went very easily. Make this for your next garden party; lovely and amazing;)

Ingredients
Makes 2; serves 8

· 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
· 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting (optional)
· 2 large egg yolks, plus 1 large egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash
· 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
· 1/4 teaspoon salt
· 3 pints (6 cups) strawberries, hulled
· 3 cups strawberry preserves (two 12-ounce jars)
· 1 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Cream butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy. Add yolks, and beat until just incorporated. Add flour and salt, and beat until just incorporated. Shape dough into 2 disks, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).
2. Roll out each disk into an 11-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Fit each round into the bottoms and up the sides of a 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Prick the bottoms of dough with a fork, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush crusts with egg wash. Bake, pressing down crusts if they start to bubble, until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely, and remove from pans.
4. Trim strawberries to about the same height. Heat preserves in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until loose. Strain through a fine sieve. You will have about 1 cup of solids. Spread 1/2 cup solids over bottom of each tart. Arrange strawberries in a single layer over the top, placing cut sides down. Brush strawberries with just enough warm glaze to make berries shiny. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.
5. Beat cream with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar just until thickened. Cut each tart into quarters, and serve slices topped with whipped cream.

Recipe Fridays!

Asparagus, Leek, and Gruyere Quiche

Another lovely recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart. Truly, is there anything easier or more comforting than quiche? You don't have to be a Stupid, Stupid Rat Creature to appreciate a dish that takes almost no time to prepare, and is so much more elegant than scrambled eggs or a plain old omelette. Head down to your local Farmer's Market to get some fresh asparagus and leeks (they're in season right now), and grate up some nice gruyere; this is a perfect Sunday afternoon food;)


Ingredients
Serves 6

1 tablespoon butter
1 leek (white and light green parts only), halved and thinly sliced, then well washed
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 bunch (1 pound) asparagus, tough ends removed, thinly sliced on the diagonal
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups half-and-half
Ground nutmeg
Our Favorite Pie Crust, fitted into a 9-inch pie plate, well chilled
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (4 ounces)

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in lowest position. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium. Add leek and asparagus; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes; let cool.
2.In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, 1/2 teaspoon salt, teaspoon pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Place pie crust on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with cheese; top with asparagus mixture. Pour egg mixture on top.
3.Bake until center of quiche is just set, 50 to 60 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. (To store, let cool, then refrigerate, up to 1 day. Reheat at 350 degrees until warm in center, about 30 minutes.)

The Farmer's Market comes to Daley Plaza . . .

For another year, the Farmer's Market has arrived at Daley Plaza. Every Thursday they will be here, selling flowers, vegetables and fruit and herbs, honey, bread and pastries, even soap and pasta sauce. The stalls fill up the plaza, and the scent of lilacs and rosemary mingle with cherry and freshly baked bagels. I cannot tell that spring has truly arrived until I go through the Farmer's Market.