Pesto Valentino

There's something to be said for a dish made from ingredients which were still in the ground at the start of the recipe. I'm talking about fresh-from-the-garden herbs.  I'm talking about magic, green magic.

If you have any outdoor space at all that receives any decent amount of sunshine during the day, you owe it to yourself to get some herbs in some dirt before the end of this sentence.

I had the good fortune to stumble upon a certain variety of basil a few weeks ago called Valentino.  It is now soaking up the rays in a big pot on the deck. Large, green, puckered leaves of the most aromatic nature.  Very, very basil-y.  Like what I remember smelling in Italy. Every basil hereto forth will now be compared to this basil, and it will probably come up short.

I started with Valentino, but to truly amplify the magic I add more green, in the way of fresh oregano and lemon balm. These are also sunning themselves on the deck.  And then I added garlic and olive oil and Parm cheese and, yes, we're talking pesto but really it's magic. I wish there was a scratch and sniff button here for your sake. Do you really need a recipe, no you just need some dirt. But just in case...

pesto Valentino

1 cup fresh picked herbs (mostly Valentino basil)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon pine nuts, plus more for garnish

Put everything in the food processor and pulse until chunky-smooth. For pasta, or crostini, or mix with mayo for sandwiches or anything else you can think of.  I just tossed it with some tortellini and called it a day.

Strawberry Ganache Tartlettes

When you get a hold of some fresh and juicy "real" strawberries there's not much you can do to improve them. Except maybe to add chocolate. I found some wonderful organic strawberries at the market this weekend and I couldn't resist.  Although they weren't local berries, they were delicious and the texture was perfectly succulent!

For real, organic strawberries the shelf life is all too fleeting and that's as it should be.  So best to encase them in some sweet glaze and nestle them in rich chocolate ganache sitting in a buttery pâte sablée crust.  It's all a lot easier than it sounds. And the results are a fancy schmancy pastry worthy of the best Parisian pâtisserie.

pate sablee

1 cup flour
1/4 cup almond flour

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

6 tablespoons butter

1 egg, beaten

In a medium bowl whisk together dry ingredients.  Cut in the butter until mixture is crumbly.  Add beaten egg and mix in with a fork (or your hands) just until dough forms.  Knead just until smooth, flatten to a disk, wrap in plastic and chill until firm.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  On a floured surface roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick. If using individual tartlette tins use one of them to measure where to cut dough. Leave roughly 1/3 inch around the tin.  Press the cut dough on the outside of the tin, pierce with a fork and cover with another tin. Trim off the excess and repeat with the rest of the dough. Makes about 18 to 24 tartlettes, (depending on the size), 1 large tart or 2 small ones.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool completely and unmold.

ganache

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (the best you can find)

1 cup heavy cream

Chop chocolate and transfer to a medium bowl. Scald heavy cream and pour over chopped chocolate. Let sit for a minute and then slowly whisk until mixture is smooth. Avoid over mixing or beating any air into the ganache as this will just result in unwanted bubbles, (and yes I did get some).

Divide ganache evenly into cooled tartlette shells and chill until firm. If you have any ganache left over be sure to dip a berry or two in it for a baker's treat!

filling

18- 24 large strawberries

1/2 cup raspberry preserves
confectioners' sugar

Bring preserves to a boil in a small, heavy bottomed pot. Remove from heat and when still warm, but cool enough to handle, strain preserves to remove seeds. Chill completely.

When ready to assemble trim the tops off strawberries and place them in a large bowl.  Add preserves, a couple of tablespoons at a time, just to glaze berries.   Be careful not to drench them.  Top each tartlette with a berry and finish with a shake of confectioners' sugar.  Serve immediately.
 

Rhubarb and Apple Galette

How happy am I that the Lansdowne Farmers Market is now up and running every Saturday? Very happy! It's just an itty bitty market but it's big on great people, great produce and great fun.

I went there early this past Saturday and found it in full swing with a lively mix of venders and customers, kids and pets, music and great things to browse and buy. I ended up buying some homemade soaps for my sister (her birthday was the next day), a swiss chard plant (score!) and some truly fantastic rhubarb.

Rhubarb, which became the inspiration for this easy summer dessert. I know it's not summer yet but tell that to the thermostat. I married it with apple (feeling the strawberry rhubarb thing was becoming a little cliche at this point) and dressed it in a free form almond flour crust with an almost cookie like texture. The result is a simply beautiful, light, fresh, slightly tart, just sweet enough treat for any time of day including breakfast time!

rhubarb apple galette

crust
1 cup unbleached flour plus more for rolling

1/2 cup almond flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup cold butter cut up

2-3 tablespoons ice water

In a medium bowl combine flour, almond flour and sugar. Cut in cold butter until mixture is crumbly. Add water, just enough to have the mixture come together as a dough. Knead dough briefly until uniform, wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

 

filling
1/2 cup sugar

2  teaspoons corn starch

2 tablespoons water

3 cups cubed rhubarb

2 medium apples (honey crisp, pink lady) peeled, cored and cubed

1 egg for egg wash

sanding sugar

In a medium, heavy bottomed pot whisk together sugar, cornstarch and water. Heat on medium, add rhubarb and apples and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes just to soften the fruit and get the juices bubbly. Transfer to a bowl and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a piece of floured parchment paper or waxed paper roll out dough to a 14 inch circle. Place fruit in center, leaving a good 2 or 3 inches on the edge. Start on one side and work around folding the edges in over the fruit and sealing the overlaps with egg wash. Brush crust with egg wash and sprinkle with sanding sugar or regular sugar. 

Carefully transfer, paper and all, to a cookie sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack. Serves 8.