Ratatouille Crostini

Walking through the aisles of the farmer's market these days is like walking through the best candy store in the world (which for me would be Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC). With so many vegetables now at peak season it is nothing short of a heart racing, head spinning, wide-eyed, weak in the knees, can't decide what to choose experience.

When vegetables are prepared in ways bringing out their sweetness they become transformed into nature's most irresistible of all 'candies'. And anyone with food preferences leaning closer to the carnivore end of the food continuum might easily be persuaded to shift toward the vegetarian end, with the operative word being 'might', when vegetables are prepared in a way that seduces you.

Albert Einstein once wrote 'Everything is determined by forces over which we no control. It is determined for the insect as well as for the star. Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust-we all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible piper.' The richness of a ratatouille served on a grilled slice of a baguette lightly brushed with olive oil along with a schmear of homemade ricotta will have you dancing. The savoriness of tomatoes, red bell peppers, onions, zucchini, eggplant and garlic slowly caramelized and seasoned with only coarse salt, herbs de Provence and sherry vinegar pays homage to summer's bounty. Borrowing from philosopher Aristotle a well-made ratatouille can simply be described as a dish whose 'whole is greater than the sum of its parts'.

Ratatouille is a humble, elegant, sophisticated, traditional Provencal dish using vegetables at the height of their ripeness. Culinary credit for the creation of ratatouille is attributed to 18th century peasants living and working the land in present day Nice, France. Variations to the vegetables used as well as in the ways in which they are prepared (ranging from perfect thinly sliced vegetables artfully arranged in a casserole to chunks of vegetables simply served in a dish) have occurred over the years. Early forms of ratatouille were made with tomatoes, onions and bell peppers, however, the number of vegetables in this dish have increased to include zucchini and eggplant. The marriage of all of the vegetables is pure bliss.

After listening to one of my friend's husband sing the praises of Shun knives I decided I would buy one of them. To make the dicing of the onion, red bell pepper, zucchini, roma tomatoes and eggplant easier, I decided to use my Shun knife. Several Band-Aids later, I had perfectly diced vegetables. The cuts to my fingers weren't serious, only visible reminders of how incredibly sharp this knife is. Still retaining some of my competitiveness, this knife may have won this round. But with all of this dicing experience in the preparation of the ratatouille I am pretty confident the knife's winning days are over.

What matters just as much as using the freshest vegetables you can find is the pot you use to make the ratatouille. In order to ensure the vegetables cook slowly without browning, a large heavy pot is needed. If you have not yet invested in a large cast iron enamel pot, I want you to know it will be one of the worthiest investments you make (and one without having the ability to cause you bodily harm). Buy one at full-price or on sale, look for them at estate or tag sales, or put them on the top of your birthday or Christmas wish list. I promise you will not only find it to be incredibly versatile, it will help to create an amazing, can't stop eating ratatouille.

The flavors of the ratatouille is further elevated (if that is really possible) when it is allowed to marinate overnight in the refrigerator. To serve at room temperature, allow the dish to sit out at least one hour before serving. Or if you want to serve the ratatouille warm, you can reheat on a low power setting in the microwave or low heat on the stove. 

Last week I thought a perfect meal starter would be a platter of Marinated Buffalo Mozzarella and Tomato Salad, this week I am thinking it's a Ratatouille Crostini. Served warm or at room temperature along with some homemade ricotta or softened goat cheese and a glass of chilled white wine, it may become your signature summer's bounty signature dish. Even the carnivores sitting around the table won't be in any hurry for the 'meat' dish to be served. 

Recipe
Ratatouille Crostini (ever so slight adaptation of Buvette's recipe for Ratatouille)

Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small sweet or yellow onion, peeled and finely diced
3 plum tomatoes, 1/2 inch dice
1 red or orange bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, cut into 1/2 inch dice
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large or 2 small eggplants, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 zucchini, ends trimmed, cut into 1/2 inch dice (do not peel)
Pinch of Aleppo pepper (or can use red chili flakes)
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
Kosher salt
Baguette, lightly brushed with extra-virgin oil then grilled
Homemade ricotta or softened goat cheese

Directions
1. Pour extra-virgin olive oil into large, heavy pot. Turn heat on to medium.
2. Add onion, tomatoes, bell pepper, garlic and pinch of kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables begin to soften (approximately 10 minutes). Note: Heat should be high enough to keep vegetables cooking, but not so high as they begin to brown. They should be sweating.
3. Add eggplant and another pinch of kosher salt. Cook until eggplant begins to soften (approximately 10 minutes).
4. Add zucchini, pinch of Aleppo pepper and herbes de Provence. Stir and cook for 15 minutes or until all vegetables are wonderfully soft. Note: If mixture is looking a little dry and/or sticking, add another tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil while cooking.
5. Stir in sherry vinegar and season with additional salt, if needed.
6. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled. 
Serving suggestions: Serve with a sliced baguette brushed lightly with olive oil and grilled along with either homemade ricotta or softened goat cheese; Serve with a poached egg over warmed ratatouille; Serve with a fresh baguette along with either homemade ricotta or softened goat cheese; Use as a filling for a sandwich and/or omelette.

At dinner with friends this week, I was surprised to learn one of them had raised a couple of sheep. Some mothers get involved with their children's science projects and others become completely invested in their 4-H projects. This friend was the second kind of mother. She had us laughing as she described milking them, feeding them, bringing them to fairs for showings, having them sheered, and helping them deliver their babies. My living on a working farm fantasies always included having some hands-on animal experiences, but they never included helping to deliver their babies. Needless to say I was in awe of my friend's fearlessness and bravery.

As she shared her stories two thoughts immediately came to mind. The first was 'I would do (almost) anything short of milking sheep myself to get some fresh sheep's milk to make homemade ricotta'. The second was remembering my childhood best friend's visit last year when I lived in the farmhouse on the east coast. Early one morning as we went over to see some of the animals being raised by one of my neighbors, she said 'look at those goats'. Only they weren't goats, they were black faced sheep. Needless to say I am thankful we have been friends for such a long time because I couldn't stop laughing. That memory along with the photos taken that day not only continue to make me laugh, it reaffirms my belief that an enduring, great friendship is always made better when it continues to be filled with memories.

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Icing, Momofuku Style

My first truism of the week: Every celebration needs cake. Long being the ceremonial dessert of choice for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, and almost all other causes of worthy or personal celebration, cake has come to symbolize both love and significance. In her book "Cake: A Global History", Nicola Humble writes "Cakes are simultaneously utterly unnecessary and absolutely crucial. They are both an idea and incontrovertibly material: lusciously spongy or solid with fruit, sticky, creamy, loaded with sweetness, filled and iced and decorated: food layered on food." No matter the shape or kind, cakes have the ability to make us want to scream (hopefully with delight) or leave us speechless (hopefully in the best of ways). There are cakes from our childhood we still remember, we each seem to have a most favorite kind of cake, and the superstitious tradition of making a wish on the piece of wedding cake placed under your pillow is a terrible waste of cake.

My second, less universally acknowledged, truism of the week: A great many things can be resolved with kindness, even more with laughter, but there are some things that just require cake. Cakes have an uncanny, yet inherent ability to make someone feel special. Who does not get wide-eyed when presented with a cake? Sometimes we can be at a loss for words when trying to repair a friendship, to apologize for unintentionally causing someone to be hurt by our words or actions, to help someone cope with a loss, or to brighten someone's day. Could there be any better way to make someone feel valued or loved than by making or bringing them a cake? Possibly, but why not start with cake? The kind of cake may not matter, although the physiological and psychological effects of chocolate may just be enough for it to be considered the perfect cake.

So it is no wonder we can spend so much time fretting over which cake to make or serve for special occasions or for resolving conflicts. The choices of cake may be endless and the preferences may be traditional, but my short list almost always includes homemade and chocolate. Recently discovering the cakes from Momofuku, a bakery in NYC experienced virtually through their book Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook, I was inspired to make a chocolate cake that took 'homemade' to the limits of own baking sanity. The exposed layers of cake and icing style of Momufuku cakes make for an incredibly beautiful and deceivingly simple presentation.

As ambitious as my foray in the world of creating a cake in the Momofuku 'style' was, I decided to show some restraint and hold back from making one of their cake recipes. Instead I sought to create a very simple version of their look. (I have now used the word simple at least twice in this posting. Even I am beginning to wonder if I have been invaded by an alien bodysnatcher as the concept of simple is one rarely used to describe me). Imitation, as they say, is the highest form of flattery.

The cake and icing had to come from none other than Ina Garten. And they had to be chocolate. The recipes for Beatty's Chocolate Cake and chocolate frosting from Ina's Barefoot Contessa at Home cookbook are wickedly chocolately. The cake is dense and moist while the icing is creamy and rich without being too sticky sweet. Paired together they are chocolate cake perfection.

We may forget some of the presents we receive for a special occasion and sometimes we might even forget the cake. However, if there is one cake you want to be permanently etched into everyone's memory, it is this Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Icing. Whether decorated simply (there is that word again) with chocolate covered espresso beans or chocolate sprinkles or topped only with a single candle, one look at and one taste of this cake will create one of those 'lasting for a lifetime' memories. And, if there was ever a cake 'style' that everyone will be talking about for days, weeks, months, and years, it quite possibly will be this one. There is no better cake to celebrate the 'unfinished' life of someone, than the playful twist of a cake that looks 'unfinished'. 

By now some of you are probably wondering why I have not spent any time walking through the making of this cake, especially this one (maybe she really has been abducted by an alien bodysnatcher). Yes, this blog posting is a significant departure from all of the others, but sometimes one needs to be a little unpredictable. A 'thinking outside of the box' cake seemed to call for an out of box blog posting. However, if you are a visual learner like I am, then I would suggest you take a few minutes to watch the youtube video of Christina Tosi, Momofuku pastry chef extraordinaire, demonstrating the layering process of the cake. The recipe and directions below should be more than enough for you to create your own version of this cake. The following notes might be helpful as well as make more sense after you watch the video and read through the directions:

1. I found the six inch aluminum cake ring at SurLaTable. The rings come in an assortment of sizes so the sizes of cake you make are almost endless.

2. In an 11x17 baking pan, I was able to cut out two complete 6" and two halves of a 6" circle out of the sheet cake by carefully planning out where to make the cuts.

3. I created my own acetate sleeves by cutting and taping together two pieces of transparency sheets. The height of the sleeve was 7 inches. While it is probably less work to use an acetate sleeve, the homemade sleeve worked great.

4. I placed the completely assembled cake in the freezer for slightly more than an hour. This was enough time for the cake to set and for the cake ring and transparency sleeve to be removed while keeping the cake completely intact. 

This Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Icing has only two layers: cake and icing. Depending on the occasion or reason for making another cake, in all likelihood I will probably 'add' more to this cake and/or vary the filings between the layers. I seriously doubt my obsession with this style of cake will begin and end with this chocolate cake. 

No matter what kind of cake you choose to make for the next celebratory event in your life, I hope you will at least make one in the Momofuku style. It can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be.

Recipe
Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Icing, Momofuku Style (inspired by Ina Garten's recipe for Beatty's Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Frosting)

Ingredients
Cake
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup good quality cocoa powder (recommend Droste, a Dutch processed cocoa)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken before measured
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup freshly brewed coffee, allowed to cool slightly 

Icing
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 extra-large egg yolk, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla 
1 1/4 cups confectionary sugar, sifted
1 Tablespoon instant espresso (or instant coffee) dissolved in 2 teaspoons of hot water
pinch of sea salt
Optional: Chocolate covered espresso beans for decoration

Directions
Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a quarter sheet pan (10"x13") baking sheet with parchment paper lightly buttered and floured. Set aside.
2. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the bowl of standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
3. Adding the sugar to the sifted ingredients, turn the mixer on low to combine.
4. In a separate bowl or large glass measuring cup, combine the shaken buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla.
5. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry until combined.
6. With the mixer on low, add the coffee, mixing until combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure all ingredients are full blended.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared sheet pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
8. Cool in pan until cake comes to room temperature. Note: Consider placing the cooled cake in the refrigerator to make cutting and assembly easier.
9. Carefully remove cooled cake from pan, cut into 2 six inch circles and 2 half circles (to create the third six inch circles. Set aside.

Icing
1. Place chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl set over simmering water. Stir until just melted. Set aside until cooled to room temperature.
2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until light yellow and fluffy (approximately 3 minutes).
3. Add egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes.
4. With the mixer on low, gradually add sifted confectionary sugar beating until smooth and creamy.
5. With mixer on low, add cooled chocolate, expresso/coffee, and a pinch of sea salt to the butter mixture. Mix until blended but do not beat.
6. Use to ice cake immediately.

Assembly
1. Clean the cake ring and place on a sheet of parchment paper on a flat firm surface (e.g., baking sheet).
2. Insert acetate sleeve inside of the cake ring.
3. Place the two 6 inch halves inside of the ring. Use any cake scraps to ensure the bottom layer is solid.
4. Spread 1/3 of the chocolate icing over the base layer.
5. Carefully drop in one of the 6 inch round cakes on top of the first icing layer. Press down slightly.
6. Spread another 1/3 of the chocolate icing over the second layer. 
7. Carefully drop the second, final 6 inch round cake on top of the icing layer. Press down slightly.
8. Spread the final 1/3 of the icing over the top layer. (If adding espresso beans or sprinkles on top of the cake, add before proceeding.)
9. Freeze the cake for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours to set the cake and icing.
10. Before serving, remove cake from the freezer. Placing your hands on the bottom of the cake, remove the cake ring. Place the cake on a serving platter or cake stand.
11. Gently peel off acetate sleeve from the cake.
12. Place cake in the refrigerator to 'thaw'.
13. Serve cake chilled or remove from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.

We all think of making a birthday cake to celebrate the actual day of one's birth. Yet there are some who have a kind of 'second' birthday, a day marking a second chance at life. There are a myriad of reasons for these 'second' birthdays. They could be the day when one learns they are cancer-free or the day one survived a heart attack. While these second birthdays may not be celebrated with cake, they are sometimes celebrated with a day of deliberate reflection or a day of adventure. Whether any time is spent with thoughts ranging from appreciating the extra blessings they were given or wondering what more were they meant to do or who in their lives they wanted to keep until or beyond the age of 88, nothing may be as important as experiencing the sheer, simple joy that comes with waking up to and taking in all of the possibilities another day brings. And who knows, the proverbial 'icing on the cake' possibilities of the day just also might include having a piece of cake. 

Marinated Buffalo Mozzarella and Tomato Salad

Summer feels as if it is moving at a lightening speed pace. Signs of the fall are already appearing. The first harvest of pumpkins is already appearing in the grocery stores and it is barely mid-August. Yikes. Quite possibly it is a function of my chronological age, but I want time to slow down just a bit or at least have more days feeling reminiscent of my youth. Days that seemed to go on endlessly, where an hour felt like an eternity, and where summer kept fall at bay for as long as possible. And here in the midwest, with only one season for tomatoes I want it, no I need it, to last as long as possible. Especially now that I have discovered what Yotam Ottolenghi's Marinated Buffalo Mozzarella and Tomato Salad tastes like. My search for the most descriptive culinary adjectives to describe what might be a perfect tomato salad is temporarily hindered by the use of the regressively youthful exclamation: OMG.

I thought the Marinated Buffalo Mozzarella and Tomato Salad would be a great compliment to the Mussels in Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce and a perfect post Saturday Farmer's Market lunch. After picking up beautifully ripened red and heirloom tomatoes, a bunch of fresh basil, and a loaf of sourdough bread at the market, I only needed to make a stop at Whole Foods to pick up the Buffalo Mozzarella and mussels. 

The tomatoes were so beautiful at the Farmer's Market this week I couldn't help but buy more than was needed for this salad. 

Fresh mozzarella di bufula is made from the milk of the Italian water buffalo, considered to be the richest milk in the cheesemaking arsenal. It has more than twice as much butterfat as cow's milk resulting in a cheese that is decadently creamier and more flavorful. It is has been described as being feather-light and unmistakably rich, delicate and assertively full-flavored, and slightly tangy and buttery all at once. Buffalo mozzarella is love at first bite. There is only downside to this cheese: its' accessibility. But I urge you to find a store selling this cheese relatively close to where you live. Even if relatively close means as much as an hour round trip drive.  Because this salad is not the same made with any other kind of mozzarella cheese.

The flavors of this Marinated Buffalo Mozzarella and Tomato Salad play brilliantly in the sandbox with one another. Toasted fennel seeds, lemon zest, freshly chopped oregano and basil, crushed garlic, sea salt, along with grapeseed and extra-virgin olive oils create a marinade for the buffalo mozzarella that will take your palate by complete surprise. One of those best kinds of unexpected surprises. 

Two to four fresh tomatoes are cut into wedges. Whether you choose to use red, yellow, heirloom tomatoes, or any combination of all three, use ones you can get from a garden or a farmer's market. In other words, you want tomatoes that are at their optimal texture and taste (unlike the tomatoes that have been refrigerated). 

After the buffalo mozzarella marinates for 15 to 30 minutes and the lightly sprinkled with sea salt tomato wedges are placed on the platter, the salad is finished with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. 

Served with freshly sliced sourdough or Italian country loaf bread it is hearty enough to be a main course, a great starter to a meal, or the only side you need if serving with fish, chicken or beef. 

The Marinated Buffalo Mozzarella and Tomato Salad and Mussels with Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce made for an amazing lunch. After going to an outdoor concert where the average age of those in attendance appeared to be at least 70 and spending several hours rearranging and moving furniture in the home of another friend earlier in the week, it was not only the perfect reward lunch for me and my childhood best friend, it was a perfect lunch. At the end of our well-deserved leisurely meal, we both agreed the salad and mussels were worthy of being placed on the 'last meal' list. 

Recipe

Marinated Buffalo Mozzarella and Tomato Salad (a Yotam Ottolenghi recipe from Plenty)

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

Grated zest of 1 lemon

15 basil leaves, shredded

2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped

2 teaspoons high quality extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for finishing

2 teaspoons grapeseed oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon Maldon sea salt, plus additional for seasoning cut tomatoes

pinch of black pepper

8-9 ounces buffalo mozzarella

2-4 ripe tomatoes (red, heirloom, yellow or combination)

Optional: Loaf of sourdough or hearty italian country bread sliced thickly

Directions

1. Scatter fennel seeds in small frying pan over medium heat. Dry roast until fennel begins to pop and/or the the fragrance is released.

2. Transfer fennel seeds to a mortar and pestle and crush.

3. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the basil, oregano, lemon zest, olive oil, grape seed oil, sea salt, pepper, crushed fennel seeds, and crushed garlic. Set aside.

4. Break balls of buffalo mozzarella roughly with your hands. Smear with marinade and set aside to marinate for 15-30 minutes.

5. Cut tomatoes in wedges.

6. Transfer marinated mozzarella to large platter, scatter cut tomatoes along edges, sprinkle tomatoes with additional sea salt, and drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over cheese and tomatoes.

7. Serve immediately with thickly cut slices of fresh sourdough or country loaf.

Lemon Curd Mousse and Blueberry Parfait

Years ago I promised myself that if I ever came across a really, really good sale on a high quality copper pot or pan, I would not walk away from it, again. This past week the opportunity presented itself. While not forgetting the promise I had made, working through the guilt of spending so much money on something I had longed to have but didn't absolutely need or had to have was an anticipated, yet unwelcome obstacle I had to overcome. The sales associate offering to discount one of the pots a little more was helping to make the decision a little easier (or harder depending on which way the decision making pendulum would ultimately swing). As I thought about what I would have to give up in the weeks (or months) ahead if I bought a copper pot or two, I also imagined how slow cooked, creamy scrambled eggs might taste made in the smaller copper fry pan or how making sauces or a lemon curd in a copper saucepan would change (for the better) the cooking process. Finding myself turning this purchase decision into one more difficult than it needed to be, I finally convinced myself I might never see a sale like this again. And I would just deal with the guilt later.

There was actually some serendipity involved in finding the copper pans on sale. My original and singular purpose for going to one of my favorite cooking stores (Williams-Sonoma) was to pick up some small Weck jars I had on hold. Not completely unpredictable I could not help but spend some time browsing.

The first intended use of the jars was for a Lemon Curd Mousse and Blueberry Parfait I had wanted to make. With the word parfait coming from the French word for 'perfect', the jars would be the 'perfect' size of a dessert, especially for those who are 'watching' what they eat but still having a 'craving' for a little bit of sweetness at the end of the meal. The Lemon Curd Mousse with Blueberry Parfait served in these small canning jars would be too hard to resist, even for those who take pride in their ability to show incredible restraint (and not just for dessert).

I had come across another lemon curd recipe that looked much easier to make than the one I had. What I didn't know was whether or not it would be as good. The new lemon curd recipe also gave me the added incentive to initiate the new copper saucepan. Now before I go any further I need to say you do not need a copper saucepan to make this curd, any heavy bottomed saucepan will do. The reason for this disclaimer is because this lemon curd is not only as good as my other lemon curd recipe, it just might be better. So whether you make the parfait or not (but why wouldn't you?), you need to make the curd.

The juice and zest from four lemons helps to make this curd perfectly tart. Four average sized lemons should give you the 2/3 cup of lemon juice needed for the recipe. So when buying lemons, remember size matters.

I would go so far as to say this is almost a 'no fail' lemon curd recipe as you don't need to worry about the eggs curdling. The sugar and eggs are first mixed together in a medium sized sauce pan. Before the heat is turned on, the remaining ingredients are mixed in. Julia Baker's lemon curd recipe called for using melted butter, but instead I decided to use very softened room temperature butter as I wanted all of the ingredients to be at the same temperature before the cooking process started. Stirring constantly, the curd is done when it comes to a boil. I didn't time it but I think it came together well under ten minutes. The curd should immediately be transferred to a heat proof container and directly covered with plastic wrap to ensure a crust does not form on the curd. Once cooled to room temperature it should be placed in the refrigerator for chilling.

The curd can be made in the morning or the day before you are assembling the parfait as it needs to be well chilled before it is mixed with the whipped cream. One cup of the chilled curd gently mixed with two measured cups of whipped cream (sweetened with three tablespoons of confectionary sugar) turned out to be the right whipping cream to curd mousse creating ratio. Note: Two cups of whipping cream will yield more than two cups of measured sweetened whipped cream, leaving you with enough to pipe on top of the parfaits.

The amount of blueberries you mix into the lemon curd mousse will range from three to four cups. The density of blueberries in the parfait is a decision you can make. One made after you gently mix in three cups. Just remember to reserve enough of the most beautiful of the blueberries for the garnish. While my obsession with blueberries continues, these parfaits can be made with blackberries or a combination of blueberries and blackberries.

The use of clear glasses not only reveals the luscious lemon curd waiting on the bottom, but they create a beautiful layered look to the parfait. Seeing the entire parfait should make it even harder to resist.

The finishing touches to the parfaits are piped sweetened whipped cream, a blueberry and a sprig of mint (yet another reason to grow mint in your garden). Serve chilled in small jars or glasses, these parfaits make for a perfect refreshing, creamy, ever so slightly tart end to a lunch or dinner especially on a hot summer day. 

Just as the making of the lemon curd in my new copper saucepan helped to alleviate a teeny tiny bit of the guilt I felt over this indulgent purchase, these small Lemon Curd Mousse and Blueberry Parfaits are almost guaranteed to alleviate some of the guilt anyone might have over eating dessert. Mantra of the day: every now and then moderation is a good thing. 

Recipe

Lemon Curd Mousse and Blueberry Parfait (modification of Julia Baker's Lemon Curd recipe)

Ingredients
Lemon Curd
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from approximately 4 lemons)
Zest from four lemons
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter), room temperature soft
pinch of sea salt

Whipping cream
2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 Tablespoons confectionary sugar

3- 4 cups fresh blueberries (blackberries or a combination of blueberries and blackberries)
sprigs of mint for garnishing

Directions
1. In a heavy bottom medium sized saucepan, beat eggs and sugar together.
2. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, butter, and sea salt. Stir until all ingredients are combined.
3. On medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil (stir constantly).
4. Remove from heat, transfer to a heat proof bowl or jars. Place a piece of plastic wrap on top to prevent a crust from forming. Allow to cool before chilling in the refrigerator. (Note: Mixture will need to be well chilled before proceeding. Can make lemon curd early in the morning or the day before.)
5. Whip cream with confectionary sugar until it holds firm peaks.
6. In a medium sized bowl add in 1 cup of prepared lemon curd and 2 cups prepared whipped cream. Stir gently until well combined. 
7. Add 3 to 4 cups fresh blueberries to the lemon curd mousse. Stir gently to prevent blueberries from breaking.
8. Assembly: Using small, tall clear glass containers, place a generous tablespoon of lemon curd on bottom; spoon in lemon mousse/blueberry mixture; top with whipped cream piped with a pastry bag; garnish with a single blueberry and sprig of mint. 
9. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.

Note: For a fancier presentation serve the Lemon Curd Mousse and Blueberry Parfait in martini glasses and/or use a star tip on the pastry bag to decorate the top of the parfait.

Blueberry and Rye Slab Pie

Every time I open Facebook or Twitter there is another one of those quick, fun, non-scientific, the kind that appeals to your curiosity surveys to take. You know the ones, answer ten questions to find out things like which Southern city do you belong in (New Orleans), which Game of Thrones character you would be (not telling), which dessert reflects your personality (popsicle, really?), what city should you actually live in (Cape Town) and in honor of Shark week which shark you would be (does anyone really want to be a shark?). But of all of the surveys out there, I have yet to see one about which pie best reflects you. If there isn't one already out there, there is probably someone is sitting in a room somewhere creating one now. My faith in these surveys would be completely lost (not to worry, I really don't take any of these surveys seriously) if I don't get 'any pie having a rustic look to it'. For me, nothing is more visually appealing than a pie that looks homemade. And the more homemade it looks, the better. Maybe this affinity for homemade looking pies has something to do with my pie making abilities. Or maybe not.

The excitement that came with the discovery of a free form fruit slab pie recipe was on par with the exhilaration that comes from reading a great book, seeing a great movie, or listening to a great soundtrack. When I saw food blogger Yossy Arefi's creation and recipe for Blueberry and Rye Slab Pie, I was immediately smitten (as smitten as one could be with a pie that is). Yet for a brief millisecond I wondered if making one more blueberry dessert this summer was one blueberry dessert too many. One look at and one taste of the finished slab pie had me thinking of one of my favorite mantras 'there is no such thing as too much of a good thing'. 

I decided to make the Blueberry and Rye Slab Pie for a family gathering my childhood best friend was having.  More often than not I usually ask if there is anything I can bring when invited over for dinner. But this time I purposely didn't ask or offer as I wanted the slab pie to be an unexpected surprise (and had it not turned out, well the surprise would have been on me). Based on everyone's reaction to seeing (and tasting) it, I can say with a pretty high degree of certainty the mission was accomplished. And judging by how much of it was left, I would have to say the rustic looking slab did not disappoint.

In making the Blueberry and Rye Slab Pie, I used Yossy's dough recipe (which is actually based on a recipe created by Kim Boyce in her book 'Good to the Grain'). However, until I develop a knack for creating pie dough by hand I continue to rely on the food processor. What makes this pie dough different from most others is the use of both all-purpose and dark rye flours. Having never made a dough with rye flour before I wondered 'was it going to taste like rye bread?' (it didn't). Instead it added a great flavor and helped to create a beautiful brown baked crust.

With the flours weighed and butter mixed in, I began by adding only 8 Tablespoons of the ice cold water along with the 1 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. It took only one additional Tablespoon of ice water for the dough to come together.

The dough should be refrigerated for at least two hours or overnight, time constraints had me chilling it for only an hour. If I would have done one thing differently it would have been be to allow the dough to sit out for about five minutes before rolling it out.

I made substantial changes to the filling recipe which turned into a hybrid of several different blueberry filling recipes. I loved how the cornstarch worked in the Blueberry and Peach Crisp, so I used it instead of all-purpose flour. Cinnamon and blueberries are one of my favorite flavor combinations and I couldn't bring myself to using ginger instead. Rather than use lemon zest only I added a generous Tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice. And lastly, I replaced the one cup of granulated sugar with equal amounts of demerara and granulated sugars. The result was a a perfectly thickened, just the right amount of sweetness filling.

In a preheated 400 degree oven the slab pie is baked for 35-45 minutes (my baking time was almost the full 45 minutes) or until the filling is bubbling and the crust is a deep golden brown. But before baking the entire slab is brushed with an egg wash and sprinkled with a white sanding sugar. Not only do sanding sugars have a coarser grain than granulated sugar, they add great sparkle to baked goods.

As hard as you might try to crimp down the edges of the crust, some of the filling will ooze out. For me that just added to the rustic beauty of this slab pie and it just seemed to scream 'I am homemade!' when served.

After making this blueberry and rye slab pie I am faced with conundrum, but not necessarily a bad one to be faced with. The next time I pick up blueberries from the market do I make a blueberry pie, blueberry and peach crisp, blueberry crisp or the blueberry and rye slab pie? Decisions, decisions. 

Recipe
Blueberry and Rye Slab Pie

Ingredients
Dough
9 ounces dark rye flour (recommend Bob's Red Mill Dark Rye Flour)
9 ounces all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
12 ounces (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into tablespoons
8-12 Tablespoons ice cold water
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Filling
5 cups (2 1/2 pints) fresh blueberries
1/2 cup demerara sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla paste (or vanilla extract)
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Pinch of Kosher salt

Finish
1 large egg
2 1/2-3 Tablespoons white sanding sugar (or other coarse grain sugar)

Directions
1. To make the crust: Mix the flours and salt together in the food processor. Add in butter and process until the butter is broken up into small pieces (think the size of small peas). Mix together 8 tablespoons of cold water and 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Add to flour mixture pulsing until the dough begins to form. If necessary add in additional ice water one tablespoon at a time (do not exceed 12 tablespoons). Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least two hours or up to a day. Allow to sit out at least 5 minutes before rolling.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the blueberries, sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon, vanilla paste, lemon juice, lemon zest and Kosher salt. Set aside.
4. On a lightly floured surface roll out one piece of the dough into a rough 9 x 12 inch rectangle. Transfer to baking sheet and place in the refrigerator while rolling out second piece of dough.
5. Roll out second piece of dough into another 9 x 12 rectangle. Cut dough into generous 1 inch strips. 
6. Remove dough from the refrigerator and spread blueberry mixture on top leaving at least an inch border along the edges.
7. Using the strips of dough, create a lattice top on top of the blueberry mixture. Fold up the bottom edge of the dough over the top of the lattice strips and seal by pressing firmly with a fork. Place the slab in the refrigerator or freezer until the crust is very firm.
8. Remove slab for the refrigerator or freezer, brush with a beaten egg and sprinkle generously with the sanding sugar.
9. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the crust is a deep golden brown and the filling juices are bubbling.
10. Cool slightly. Cut into squares and serve with vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream.

Tomato, Onion, and Roasted Lemon Salad

From sandwiches made with warm, ripe tomatoes, white bread, some sea salt and mayonnaise to a salad made of any size or variety of tomato dressed ever so lightly in olive oil and fresh herbs, summer tomatoes ramp up the flavor of these simple creations to exponential levels. There are probably only three, maybe four months a year I eat or rather overdose on fresh tomatoes. For the remaining nine months of the year I go on a (fresh) tomato fast rather than take a bite of any of the tomato impostors found in the grocery stores from October through June. If only going on a carbohydrate or chocolate fast could be as easy.

Summer also happens to be that time of the year when you hope friends and/or neighbors will keep you in mind when their tomato plants yield a harvest even the most zealous of all tomato aficionados are unable to consume. But in the event your friends/neighbors don't garden or you don't have friends/neighbors who garden, thankfully there are farmer's markets selling an ever increasing variety of tomatoes. And in recent years, the availability of my newest favorite heirloom tomatoes has grown significantly.

When I saw Yotam Ottolenghi's Tomato, Onion, and Roasted Lemon Salad on the cover of Bon Appetit's August issue, I had to keep myself from drooling in public. Before even opening the magazine to look at the recipe, I anticipated a new kind of transformational simplicity would be brought to the tomato salad as only as Ottolenghi could. He did not disappoint. Actually he never disappoints.

It had to be either fortuitous or knowingly deliberate when I chose to plant mint, parsley and sage in my garden containers earlier this spring. Had I known there would be a tomato salad recipe calling for these three herbs, I wouldn't have used so many containers for flowers. Because when one thinks of a tomato salad one doesn't normally think of mint, parsley or sage. But that is the genius of Ottolenghi. 

Lemon slices tossed in extra-virgin olive oil, barely the hint of sugar and sage are roasted in the oven. With the bitterness of the lemons removed from a quick boil before roasting, they add yet another dimension of flavor to the salad. Whether you use a lemon or a Meyer lemon may not matter, but if you have a choice, chose the Meyer lemon.

When I looked at the dressing ingredients, I wondered if one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, one tablespoon of pomegranate molasses, some allspice, salt and pepper to dress one and one-half pounds of tomatoes was enough. Again, why I even questioned Ottolenghi's wisdom was pure silliness. Not only was it enough, it was the perfect amount of dressing to bring out, yet not mask the flavors of the tomatoes, sliced red onion, roasted lemon and herbs.

When it was mixed together it truly is a feast for the eyes. Honestly if it was not an Ottolenghi recipe I may not have taken the 'risk' to make it. Until I took my first bite I was wondering how to wrap my head around what a salad dressing using allspice and pomegranate molasses would taste like. The explosion of flavors of this salad and its' dressing turned out to be nothing short of amazing. 

The Tomato, Onion, and Roasted Lemon Salad could be served along with a fresh baguette as the main course for lunch or as a side to accompany chicken, fish and even red meat for dinner. The lemon slices can be roasted earlier in the day, however, this is a salad at its' best when served freshly tossed. Should there be any leftovers, cover and refrigerate them so you can enjoy them all by yourself. Some leftovers were not meant to be shared. Not only would this be one of them, you can safely drool over this salad in the privacy of your own home. 

Recipe

Tomato, Onion, and Roasted Lemon Salad (barely a change to Yotam Ottolenghi's recipe shared in Bon Appetit)

Ingredients

1 lemon, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced, seeds removed (recommend using a Meyer lemon)

1 Tablespoon fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon superfine sugar

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 Tablespoon pomegranate molasses

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1 1/2 pounds mixed small tomatoes, halved (suggest a mixture of  heirloom, cherry, and Sun Gold)

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley leaves with stems

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, torn if large

1/4 cup arugula microgreens or purple sprouts (optional)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. In a medium saucepan of boiling water, cook lemon slices for two minutes to remove bitterness. Drain and pat dry.

3. Toss lemon slices, sage, sugar, and 1 Tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil in a medium bowl. Spread on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lemons are no longer wet and only slightly colored. Allow to cool.

4. Whisk together pomegranate molasses, allspice and remaining 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in  a large bowl. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

5. Add lemons, tomatoes, onion, parsley, mint, and micro-greens (or sprouts). Toss gently. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Note: When looking for pomegranate molasses in your grocery store, look first in the aisle with Middle Eastern and/or Mediterranean foods.