up on the roof

Deborah

Despite what most would think, summer in the city is pretty great. Especially New York City where free out-door concerts, plays and street fairs can be found nearly every day. AND the city really empties out so reservations at those exclusive restaurants or that sold out play suddenly become available. The beaches that can be reached by subway are pretty great too. Who needs a rental in the Hamptons?
The last wonderful days of summer are here and quiet pleasures can be found on rooftops and front stoops. A recent invitation to share a rooftop dinner in Red Hook, Brooklyn afforded beautiful sunset views of the Hudson River and glimpses into the side street life of this tucked away community.

Keep the livin' easy with a make-ahead savory tart using some of those luscious tomatoes now flooding the farmers markets. The dough can be made days ahead and the tart is perfect served room temperature.

Tomato Goat Cheese Tart
-adapted from a recipe on Epicurious


Crust:
4 tablespoons (or more) ice water
3/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon chilled unsalted butter

Crust:
Combine 4 tablespoons ice water and cider vinegar in small bowl. Blend flour and salt in processor. Add butter and cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. With machine running, slowly add water-vinegar mixture, processing until moist clumps form. If dough seems dry, add ice water by teaspoonfuls.

Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep refrigerated. Allow dough to soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Roll dough out on lightly floured work surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough onto bottom and up sides. Fold in overhang and press to extend dough 1/2 inch above sides of pan. Line pan with foil and dried beans or pie weights. Bake until dough looks dry and set, about 30 minutes. Remove foil and beans and continue to bake until crust is pale golden, 20 to 25 minutes longer. Remove from oven and cool while preparing filling. 

Filling:
3 large tomatoes, sliced

4 oz Goat Cheese 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

basil leaves for garnish

Lay tomato slices in overlapping rings over the tart crust, dot all over with the goat cheese, sprinkle with salt and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake an additional 30 minutes, garnish with basil. Serve warm or room temp.

Amanda
Seems simple enough! I'll have to give it a go. It looks beautiful. One question - what is on top of the tart (not the cheese) that is white and kind of looks like sliced garlic? The tart looks delicious! I'll have to be sure to buy plenty of tomatoes this weekend at the farmer's market.

Ahhh - goat cheese and a white wine from the Loire Valley in France. What a classic combination! Makes my thoughts on wine so easy for this dish. Sauvignon Blanc would just make such an incredible pairing. Grassy, herbal with great minerality. I love a crisp Sancerre! This would make for a wonderful Sunday afternoon brunch!

Yet, while my first choice would be a glass of Sancerre, a second interesting option might be a Chenin Blanc from the Loire. Anjou is a great sub-region within the Loire to look for a dry Chenin Blanc, specifically the AOC Savennieres (Chenin Blanc is also used to make sweet wines, but Savennieres will typically be dry). Because the grapes are grown in a relatively cool climate, they have high acidity. Whereas Sancerre is crisp and lean, Savennieres will tend to be more powerful. The wines are complex, and are actually not that easy to come by. If you happen to come across one during your next wine store excursion - do yourself a favor and try one.

In the meantime, if you are planning to make Deb's recipe and wish to find something right away that will offer a spectacular food and wine experience - ask your neighborhood retailer to point you towards a terrific bottle of Sancerre!

back from the country

Deborah
Getting my hands on fresh shallots is a rare and wonderful treat. Country Gardens farmstand in Bridgehampton has been growing them for years and it is one of the highlights of my summer when I grab up a bunch. After making fresh tomato sauce I wanted to make another dish that would continue to feature the shallots. This farmstand is also famous for their fresh broccoli rabe so I decided to do a simple saute to enhance the fresh flavors of the two summer treats with garlic and olive oil.

Broccoli rabe and shallots make a nice combination.

My cooking plan was loose. I started with olive oil in a saute pan, added some sliced garlic, a dried chili and the sliced shallots. I cooked the mixture down till the shallots began to turn golden.

The broccoli rabe is tender and cooks quickly. I added it to the pan and allowed it to wilt down and simmer for eight minutes or so. For extra flavor I poured in the dregs of a bottle of sparkling Rose wine (about 1/4 cup) and then spooned in a couple of tablespoons of the fresh tomato sauce. Allowing the flavors to mingle for a few minutes in the pan will bring this dish together. I started eating it with a fork right out of the pot, but stopped myself before consumng the entire thing to consider how I would serve it as the main part of a meal. Ususally I gravatate towards pasta but this time I opted to bake a potato and serve the broccoli rabe and shallots on top with a few dollops of goat cheese. 

So satisfying and really tasty! The potato is a great vehicle for getting the sauteed greens to your mouth. I really love this improvisational style of cooking where you don't have a specific plan, just some wonderful ingredients and a hungry point of view.

Amanda

I love your improvisational style of cooking. It always seems to work! Today I did something so simple but was actually quite yummy. Yesterday, I brought leftover brown rice into work for lunch. Nothing in it, just leftover from a Chinese restaurant. I didn't get a chance to eat it. Today, I happened to bring in a perfectly ripe avocado. Not knowing what to eat for lunch today (the avocado was intended to be a snack), I decided to heat up the brown rice and add chopped up avocado and salt. I know, I know. Doesn't sound exactly scrumptious. But guess what? It was pretty good! The avocado melted a little into the hot rice and I was happily satisfied in spite of my hunger pangs. The brown rice filled me up and the fat in the avocado helped! And I felt so incredibly healthy eating this lunch.

I love the Cristalino Rose that Deb used for her dish. This is a Cava - Spain's answer to Champagne. This sparkler is delicious, and about as fine a value that can be found. Typically the Cristalino can be found for about $7.99 per bottle. Cava, like Prosecco, is a great alternative to Champagne. It's perfect for brunches and mimosas. In the shop, we like to recommend it for wedding and baby showers.

Since Deb used this particular Cava for her recipe, I would choose that to sip alongside it. It is not a complex wine, but it has some serious red fruit flavors to it. Makes a perfect accompaniment to appetizers and light dishes like omelets and salads. The Cristalino Rose offers bright strawberry and cherry flavors and is a wonderful summertime sipper.

If you are in a "still wine" frame of mind, I would suggest a new favorite of mine, if you can find it. Chateau Montaud Cotes de Provence Rose - a blend of Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah. It's $9.99 and is a terrific bargain. The Wine Spectator gave the wine a 90 point rating. If you can source it, it is one to try! And it would be an ideal match for a light, summertime dish like Deb's Broccoli Rabe!

peaches and herbs

"Any sort of salad mixed without some enticing herb flavours can be a comparatively dull thing."

 -Audrey Wynne Hatfield, Pleasures of Herbs

Deborah
When I think about cooking with fresh herbs I put them into two categories: the tender herbs that I feel free to combine in any proportion and use interchangeably versus the hardy wood stemmed herbs that have more pronounced essential oils and a dominant flavor.
The tender herbs are ones I would put in a salad, a salsa or a pesto. The hardy herbs work great in a braise, on the grill, in a soup, a stew or a stuffing. To put the flavor of these hardy herbs in a salad consider infusing them in vinegar or olive oil to extract the flavor with out the chewy texture of the actual leaves.
These are not hardened rules, just a guideline for easy cooking. It is fun to experiment with combinations and I urge everyone to do so as the pleasures of herbs are infinite. Some of the hardy herbs when young can be used as tender herbs, for example there are some varieties of thyme that seem to retain their tender stem. Also not to be overlooked are the blossoms from herb plants. These delicate flowers make a picturesque addition to salads and vegetable dishes and are flavorful too.

Basil and mint are tender herbs from the same family. The tiny leaves of globe basil on the left can be tossed whole into salads.

Tender Herbs 
-use whole or chopped in any combination in salads
cilantro
basil
parsley
tarragon
dill
mint
lemon balm
chervil
sorrel
chives
fennel
verbena

Oregano and thyme are herbs I use more sparingly in salads.

Hardy Herbs
-use sparingly in salads when leaves are young
rosemary
thyme
sage
savory
lavender
oregano
marjoram
bay

The chive blossom is composed of a cluster of tiny flowers. I snip them apart with a scissor at the base of the stem and toss them over a salad. These pretty purple sage blossoms have a lovely, fragrant sage-y flavor.

Edible Flowers from Herbs
chives
lavender
borage
arugula
rosemary
sage

Rose petals are edible and beautiful.

Composed Salad of Mango, Peaches, Goat Cheese and Herbs

The fruit is dressed with mint, rose petals, globe basil and sage blossoms. Crumble some goat cheese on top (not pictured)  and then lightly drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a splash of balsamic or sherry vinegar.

Amanda

Deb does a great job of breaking down the herbs into two groups, and summing up in a concise way the best ways to utilize nature's flavor enhancers. Her "rules" make it very easy for novices like myself to allow our own "inner chefs" to confidently make our own, creative choices. That is what I love about her posts, and particularly this one.

As for wine, there are no steadfast rules to follow when it comes to herbs. There are so many different factors that come into play. I would, however, tend to pair reds with the heartier herbs like thyme, oregano, rosemary and marjoram. But still, there are other things to consider. You really have to consider the whole sauce, marinade or dressing. For example, you could have a light, herbal vinaigrette that would call for something lively, like Gruner Veltliner or Sauvignon Blanc perhaps. These wines typically have herbal characteristics themselves. But you could also have a creamy dressing or sauce which might be wonderful with a fuller bodied white like a Chardonnay. Always consider the texture and the acidity of the dressing or sauce.

Red wine often works better, in my opinion, with tomato-based sauces. So a typical spaghetti sauce with fresh herbs would work well with a Chianti, for example. And stews which utilize heartier herbs like thyme, marjoram, and rosemary will taste better paired with a similarly hearty red. It will also be important to consider the spices in a wine, and the heat they give off.

For Deb's salad in this recipe, as in our last post, I would once again choose a Moscato. Fruit salad just screams for this slightly sweet, frizzante dessert wine. (which also works beautifully as an aperitif).

a beginning in the garden

Deborah
They say that nothing worth having comes easily. Or something like that. I spent the blistering hot day with my son, hauling 60 pound bags of stones and mulch from Home Depot to my little backyard for some much needed landscaping. The only way to get to the yard is through the house. 15 bags of stones, 6 bags of mulch, much sweat and aching muscles resulted in this:

It may not look like much to you but, I am so proud! I don't really have much of a green thumb, just a very green heart and that passion translates into a willingness to put some muscle into the task of taming my garden. I have ordered some plants including heirloom tomato seedlings from farmer Pam, MD at Hook Mountain Growers which will go into the ground in a few weeks.

Generally I like to keep my cooking simple, but there are certain recipes well worth the extra steps. One that comes to mind is a goat cheese galette that my uptown sister loves to make, including the one she presented to our buffet table this Easter. She got the recipe from cookbook writer and chef Joanne Weir. It is ridiculously good. Swoon worthy in fact. Not the quickest thing to make, as it requires four cheeses and a pastry from scratch. But the time is well spent on this rich, satisfying treat. Enjoy!

  

Rustic in appearance and insanely loaded with flavor.

Goat Cheese and Green Onion Galette-by Joanne Weir
A galette is a fancy way of saying “a thin pie.” This one has a crunchy dough, rich with butter, that is a perfect casing for creamy ricotta, crème fraîche, mozzarella, fresh green onions, and Parmigiano. You’ll see why this has been one of my all-time favorites for years. 

These are my sister's notes on the recipe:

I do the pastry in the food processor. Form it into a disk and chill before rolling.  I also experimented this time with the vodka secret that America's Test Kitchen recommends, adding vodka to the pie dough so you can work with a wetter dough, and then the extra liquid alcohol evaporate out.  I ended up using 4 T water and 2 T vodka, which made a dough that was very easy to work with.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled in the freezer for 1 hour
1/3 to 1/2 cup ice water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 bunches green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
5 ounces goat cheese
4 ounces ricotta cheese
3/4 cup coarsely grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup crème fraîche
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Put the flour in a bowl and chill in the freezer for 1 hour. Place the flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt on a cold work surface. With a pastry scraper, cut the frozen butter into the flour until half of the butter clumps are the size of peas and the rest are a little larger. Make a well in the center and add half of the ice water. Push together with your fingertips and set aside any dough that holds together. Add the rest of the water and repeat. Form the mixture into a rough ball.

Alternately, this can be made by judiciously pulsing the ingredients in a food processor, using the same technique, until half is the size of peas and the other half a little larger. Pour the mixture out onto your work surface and add the water as above. Do not add it into the food processor. Form the mixture into a rough ball. Or this can be made in an electric mixer using the same technique.

On a well-floured surface, roll out the dough into a 14-inch circle and trim the edges. Place on a large baking sheet and refrigerate.

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the green onions and cook until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Mix together the green onions, goat cheese, ricotta, mozzarella, crème fraîche, and Parmigiano. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Remove the pastry from the refrigerator. Spread the cheese mixture over the pastry, leaving a 21/2-inch border around the edge uncovered. Fold the uncovered edge of the pastry over the cheese, pleating it to make it fit. The filling will be exposed in the center of the galette.

Bake the galette in the oven until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then slide the galette off the pan and onto a serving plate. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Serves 6

Amanda

Don't know how you do it, Deb. But you always seem to provide the perfect recipe at the perfect time. Next Friday I will be going to a friend's son's Communion. Guess what I will be bringing to the celebration afterwards? While the recipe does sound a little time consuming, it does seem pretty straight forward. Interesting tip about the vodka. Never heard of that before.

Definitely a wine from the Loire Valley in France seems entirely appropriate here. For simplicity sake, you can get a basic Sancerre or Pouilly Fume (both made from Sauvignon Blanc). Or, you can do what I would do - veer off the beaten path of wine and be a little experimental. Also located in the Loire Valley region are two great appellations called Saumur, and Saumur Champigny.

The reds are light and fruity and come from Saumur Champigny. A wine from this appellation, made from Cabernet Franc, is a great match for this goat cheese galette. In the Saumur appellation, the wines are typically light, crisp and lively with bright acidity. They must be at least 80% Chenin Blanc, the remainder being Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. Both these reds and whites are terrific with goat cheese. The red can even be served slightly chilled, perfect for a warm Spring day!

Saumur Champigny is a favorite bistro wine in Paris, thought it is not very well known here in the U.S. One producer whom I am very fond of is Domaine Lavigne. It is a family-run operation and they are serious about their wine-making.  Their Saumur and Saumur Champigny are two of my favorite warm-weather wines, and they are very affordable at $14.99 and $16.99 respectively. Try to find the Saumur and taste the pear, peach, lemon flavors for yourself! I'm sure you'll agree it's a great choice for the galette!

Tiny Bubbles

Amanda

Valentine's Day is quickly upon us. I can't think of another "holiday" which evokes such a wide range of attitudes. For some it is dreaded, for others it is revered. I, myself, will be stag this Valentine's Day while my husband is on a flight back from San Diego. Nonetheless, Valentine's Day is typically a day I enjoy. For me, it is really just an excuse to share some superb bottles of wine and an exquisite meal with my hubby.


Like flowers and chocolate, Champagne is a must-have for Valentine's Day. This is a day that screams for a bottle of Rose - I don't know why, but there is something more "romantic" about it. People often think of Champagne as a libation to "toast" with, or to enjoy before a meal. But it is also one of the best accompaniments to the meal itself. Experiencing a superb bottle of Champagne with a delectable dish is truly one of the great luxuries in life. There is just something so satisfying and special about bubbly and a perfectly paired meal.

Dining at home is a popular option these days as many are watching their wallets. So, we thought we'd give you all the necessary ingredients to creating a special night at home with your love! A bottle of bubbly is the first place to start. My absolute favorite Rose Champagne is from Ruinart. This Champagne house is the oldest in France. Fine, elegant, and powerful, this Rose is an incredible match for food. A blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, it is actually better when enjoyed with food than casually sipped. Domaine Ruinart Brut Rose will work particularly well with a "rich" dish. It is full of wild cherry notes and is wonderfully concentrated.

While a bottle of Ruinart sells for $70, there are plenty of more affordable options. At $59, Taittinger Brut Prestige Rose is another great option (although it is still a bit pricey, it is actually considered a great value). With fine bubbles and a brilliant pink hue, it has a velvety mouthfeel and wonderful fresh fruit flavors.


Still, there are great values for sparkling Rose outside of France. Many can be found in California, for very affordable prices. In this category, I would recommend the Chandon Blanc de Noirs for only $15.99 per bottle. This bottle of bubbly is made from a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. With dominating rich fruit flavors of black currant and strawberry, there is such a delightful creaminess on the palate making this an ideal "food" partner.


These wines are definitely worth seeking out for this special day! To complete our recipe for a great night in, I will turn to Deb for food advice. Deb - these are three incredibly food-friendly choices. I would say a dish with some richness would be ideal. What special recipe would you recommend pairing with these celebratory, romantic sparklers?


Deborah
Champagne sipped with a rich meal is one of my favorite treats! Valentine's day is as good an excuse as any to indulge yourself and loved ones with a great dinner. I have been noticing pumpkin ravioli popping up on menus and in markets for awhile and have tried it once or twice in restaurants, but never made it myself. It seems like a rich and special-enough dish to perfectly compliment any of the sparkling Rose wines Amanda has suggested.

To make the recipe, I started with fresh pumpkin and roasted it for extra flavor. My first thought was to use walnuts in the recipe, but then I decided to go with pepitas (pumpkin seeds)  instead. I toasted the seeds with some seasoning and ended up with plenty of extra to toss on salads or to snack on, a nice treat in itself! To continue with the filling I ground the toasted pepitas in a food processor then added some scallions, sage, goat cheese and the roasted pumpkin and blended till smooth.

Wonton wrappers make easy work and very tasty ravioli! They seal easily with a little water.

For the sauce I decided rather than introducing more ingredients I would use the same elements that were in the filling as a compliment to the dish. Cubing up some of the roasted pumpkin to add to the sauce adds color and texture and it is in keeping with the sauce that mirrors what is going on inside the ravioli.

 Toasted pepitas and fried sage leaves make a really pretty garnish

There was a fair amount of pumpkin filling left over so I decided to follow Jacques Pepin's lead by using it in a gratin, similar to the one he made on Fast Food My Way last week.  I ended up with three recipes in the quest for one: the toasted pepitas, the pumpkin ravioli and the pumpkin gratin. I guess this becomes a fair amount of work. If you want to kick back and be taken care of on the big V-day then make reservations and enjoy! But if you happen to be feeling plucky and inspired and want to lavish a little love on yourself and a special someone then GO FOR IT! Call it a labor of LOVE.

Pumpkin Ravioli with a Creamy Goat Cheese & Sage Sauce 
For the Ravioli:
2 cups of fresh pumpkin 
1 Tbs olive oil
1/4 cup *toasted pepitas -see garnish recipe below
1 scallion minced
2 Tbs minced fresh sage
1/4 cup goat cheese
3 Tbs. heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
1package of wonton wrappers
2 quarts of salted water
Cut the pumpkin into large chunks and toss with the oil. Roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, until the pumpkin is tender. Set aside 1/2 cup of the cooked pumpkin for the sauce. Put the pepitas in the bowl of a food processor and pulse till finely ground. add the pumpkin, scallion, sage, heavy cream and goat cheese and pulse till well blended. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper accordingly.
Lay wonton wrappers on a flat surface and put 1 teaspoon of filling in the middle of each one. With your fingertip run a bit of water around the edge of the wrapper and fold the wrapper in half to seal the filling inside. Figure on about 10 raviolis per person. There will be enough filling to make enough for 8 people (that is a lot of Love!) Use the left over filling to make the pumpkin gratin recipe that follows. Boil the water in a large pot and carefully drop the raviolis into the pot. They will cook in about 5 minutes and come bobbing up to the surface. Gently strain. Toss with the sauce (below) and garnish with the pepitas and sage leaves before serving. 


for the Creamy Goat Cheese Sauce:

1/2 cup roasted pumpkin cut into small cubes
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Goat Cheese
2 Tbs. chopped fresh sage
1 scallion cut into small rings
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a small sauce pan and heat till simmering. Allow sauce to gently simmer for 5- 10 minutes till the goat cheese melts and the flavors develop. Taste to adjust seasoning. Add the cooked ravioli to the sauce and gently turn them so they are covered with the cream sauce.


For the Garnish:
1/2 cup pepitas
1/4 teas. cayenne pepper
1/4 teas. ground allspice
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 bunch of fresh sage leaves
2 Tbs. flour
3 Tbs. Olive oil.
Toss the pepitas with the cayenne, allspice, salt and oil and lay on a flat cookie sheet. Place in a 350 degree oven for 6-8 minutes till toasted. Keep an eye on them so they don't burn. They can be stored in an airtight container for 2 weeks.
meanwhile- dredge each sage leave in flour and shake off excess. Heat olive oil in a small skillet and cook the sage leaves quickly in the oil till they crisp up and the color darkens, about 30 seconds. They will burn so watch them carefully. Drain on a paper towel.


Pumpkin Gratin:
Take the leftover pumpkin filling and add 1 beaten egg for every cup of filling you have. Butter a baking dish and pour the pumpkin egg mixture in. Top with some more cheese if you like. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until the filling sets.