Strawberries and Short Biscuits

Spring!

Spring has at last arrived, and with it, strawberry season! There is nothing more pleasurable than the thought of savoring spring’s first luscious bounty of red juicy berries than scrumptious strawberry shortcake!

My favored, a farm style version from my childhood, fresh plucked berries from the garden tucked into and topping warm short biscuits right out of the oven nestled into a pool of full cream milk, straight from the barn and still warm. Hardly likely in today’s hygienically correct world, but I survived.

On that long ago Sunday morning,  following a hearty mid-day meal, a dozen or so amazing fresh strawberry shortcakes were unceremoniously  set out around the big kitchen table. For an impressionable young lad it was an ethereal moment that awakened an enduring sensory romance with all things about whole foods coming forth from the garden, pastures,  and barn, brought into and kitchen, transformed with a little cooking magic,  and delivered to the table for all to share, family style. 

Continue reading →

Eastern Mediterranean Orange and Almond Cake

Entertaining

A zesty finale for an Eastern Mediterranean meal.

This zesty cake is the Eastern Mediterranean’s version of a Clementine. Very Simple to make and in this case, simplicity is born out of necessity using locally grown oranges and almonds, farm fresh eggs, and sugar. That’s essentially all there is to it! The result is an almost macaroon like confection that is moist, bitter, sweet, and perfumed with the aroma of almonds. Gluten and fat free, this cake is a sunny sweet indulgence with benefits!

Continue reading →

Pomegranate Valentine Tart

Entertaining

Valentine’s Day

A vivid pomegranate red heart baked into the center of this tart says it all for your many Valentine’s Day sweet hearts!   Easy to prepare and especially fun for the little ones who want to jump in and help making one really BIG oatmeal cookie for the crust!  There will be more than enough for the crust so let your helpers munch away while you get on with preparing the rest of the tart!    

So, without further ado, “gather one and all into the kitchen and whip up this Valentine’s Day delight made with LOVE!”

Pomegranate Valentine Tart: makes one 9-10 inch tart (using tart pan with removable bottom) 

Oatmeal Cookie for crust:    

• ¾ cup pastry flour
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (4 oz) unsalted butter, softened  
• 1/3  cup light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 organic egg
• 1 cup rolled oats

Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl and set aside.

In another bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with a whisk until fluffy. Add the egg and whisk together until well combined. Add the flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Add rolled oats to the mixture and fold in evenly with a silicone spatula.

Line a baking sheet with parchment, or a silpat baking mat, and spread the cookie dough into a rectangular sheet about ¼ inch thick. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until the cookie dough has just set. Don’t over bake! Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely. Break into pieces and set aside. 

Crust: 

• crumbled oatmeal cookie pieces
• 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
• pinch of salt
• ¼ cup butter, melted

Place the crumbled oatmeal cookie pieces, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse several times into course crumbs. Pour the melted butter over the crumbs and pulse until the crumbs stick together. Place the crumb mixture in the tart pan and press into the bottom and sides of the tart pan, just as you would for a graham cracker crust.  Place in the refrigerator and chill while you prepare the pomegranate filling and the topping.

Preheat the oven to 375F/190C

Pomegranate Filling:

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup pomegranate syrup (pomegranate juice reduced by two thirds)
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water

Combine the sugar, pomegranate syrup, and water in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Stir the cornstarch water mixture and slowly stir it into the pomegranate mixture and continue to boil, stirring continually, until the filling is nicely thickened.  Set aside to cool.

Topping:

• ¾ cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar 
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup  (2 oz) butter, chilled and cubed 
• 1 small organic egg (or half a large egg),  whisked

Place flour,  sugar, baking powder, and baking soda in a food processor and pulse to mix. Add the chilled butter and pulse until the mixture looks like pea size crumbs. Add the beaten egg and pulse several times until crumb breaks  up a bit. Place in a bowl and refrigerate.

Baking:  Remove the tart from the fridge. Pour the filling into the tart shell and return it to the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Remove the tart from the fridge and place a small heart shaped cookie cutter in the center of the filling. Scatter the crumb topping evenly over the surface and around the cookie cutter, leaving the filling exposed in the center of the tart. 

Place in 375F/190C oven for 15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350F/180C and continue to bake for about 20-25 minutes. 

Remove the tart from the oven and cool on a rack, then refrigerate for 1 hour.

Remove the heart shaped cookie cutter in the center of the tart and  lift the tart out of the tart pan and place it on a serving platter.

Trace around the cookie cutter on paper and cut out  a template to place over the heart shape in the middle of the topping. Dust the tart with powdered sugar and remove the template exposing a beautiful pomegranate red heart in the center of the tart.

Serving: Cut the tart while still chilled and serve, or set aside cut pieces until they come to room temperature. Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt for each serving.