Lemon Tart with Coconut Crust

These back to back lemon posts display, dear readers, what is the integral theme of my eating habit. It is called a rut. I'm not exactly proud of this but it is true - if I get one craving in my head, I don't let go of it for some time. (Note: making mac 'n cheese 5 days in a row) But, hey, at least it isn't another cake! Lemon and coconut are a fantastic pairing. Lemon tarts were some of my favorite desserts in Paris. Sold at every corner bakery, I adore the smooth and tangy lemon filling with a perfectly light crust.

So, you know it's a sad day when you get a call and the glorious lemon tart with a coconut crust you made the day before was idiotically left on the counter sans couverture and devoured by a resident ant colony. I can only picture what a happy death those ants must have experienced swimming into the perfectly baked (set but not gelatinous) smooth and creamy lemon filling. It was so good, damn it! I was so proud of myself for not over-baking it, too. It had a really simple crust made of only three things - coconut, sugar and egg whites – that spared me a lot of time in preparing the tart and tasted great, too.

I have somehow shed my sadness over this tart-loss and have vowed to bake again. At some point, anyway.

Top this tart with sliced strawberries or fresh blueberries for a delicious fruit tart, or leave it simply lemon fabulous. Or use tiny tartlet pans for individual servings! Lemon Tart with a Coconut Crust

Lemon Filling:
3 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice, strained (about 5-6 lemons)
2 Tbsp lemon zest (about 3 lemons) pinch of salt 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cubed First, zest 3 lemons and set the zest aside. Juice those lemons first and then 3 others. This is the most time consuming part. Set up a small mesh strainer over a large glass measuring cup and squeeze, using a fork or a fancier tool to help.

Whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, zest, and salt in a medium stainless steel saucepan. Add the bits of butter and whisk over medium low heat constantly for about 7-10 minutes. Do not let the mixture boil.

Cook until thickened and mixture coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and pour through a fine mesh strainer and set aside. Coconut Crust:
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg whites

Place the coconut and sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the coconut is very fine. Add the egg whites and process until thoroughly incorporated. The mixture will be wet and sticky. Using wet fingers, press the coconut evenly on the bottom and sides of a well greased tart pan, or 8 individual tartlet pans. Bake at 325 degrees F for 25-30 minutes until golden. Half way through baking, press the crust down with the back of a spoon as the egg whites tend to puff up.

Remove the crust from the oven when golden, and pour in the lemon filling. Return to the 325 degree F oven for 8-10 minutes. Cook until set but not completely. The filling should still shake easily (not wobble like jello) when it's done. Cool completely to serve.

If using small tartlet pans, remove the crust from the pans after baking. Cool them 10 minutes, but remove them while still warm. Place back on a baking sheet and then pour in the lemon filling. This crust becomes quite sticky, so removing them after they're completely cooled would be tricky. However, since I made a large tart, I didn't trust myself to remove the whole thing nicely from the pan, so I just kept it in - up to you.

Pucker Up, Baby!

Lemons scream Spring to me. Their vibrant yellow color calls for attention whenever I pass them at the market. I bet there are a few of you out there who would agree with me that when confronted with the choice of chocolate or lemon, lemon wins most of the time. Lemon tarts, lemon meringue pie, lemon poppy seed muffins, lemonade, or margaritas bursting with fresh citrus are my favorites.

I remember Martha Stewart saying that lemons were what she missed most while she was stuck in the slammer. I laughed with everyone else when she said it since it was classic Martha, but I know that eating good food directly impacts my own state of well-being, so I don't really hold it against her so much. I don't know that I would say lemons, per say, as I feel it has slightly frigid undertones, but homemade ravioli, aged serrano ham, even ice cream might make my list! Or hell, a glass of red wine!

So, it might not make my prison list, but sometimes I do yearn for a real shot of lemon. Something so tangy it makes my mouth pucker from the initial sourness and then smile as I savor the lingering sweetness. This lemon cake does the trick. This is a yogurt cake, similar to the yogurt cakes I've made in the past, but baked in a loaf pan this time around. This is somewhat like a pound cake, but lighter in texture and slightly moister because of the oil. It's wonderful for breakfast or dessert!
Lemon Yogurt Cake
(recipe adapted from Ina Garten)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
1 cup whole-milk plain yogurt (or low-fat)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1 Tbsp lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
scant 1/2 cup vegetable oil

glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
4-5 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and lemon zest. Gradually whisk in the flour mixture, a little at a time, until well combined. Finally, whisk in the oil very lightly until it is incorporated. Do not overmix.

Grease and flour a 9x5 loaf pan. Pour the batter into the pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 55-65 minutes. While the cake is baking, bring the lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar to a simmer over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

Remove the cake from the oven when it is done and let it cool about 10-15 minutes. Remove it carefully from the pan and place on a cooling rack or plate. Slowly pour the lemon syrup over the top of the cake so it can soak into the cake giving it a lot of flavor. Cool completely.

If you would like the add the glaze, mix together the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice until smooth and pour evenly over the cake. I left the glaze off this time but I would definitely use it if serving for dessert.

Thinking and Blogging? Together?

Well, it's been a while. Excuses go something like this - transitioning from one job to the next while spending a long weekend hosting the parents and seeing all the sights in DC.

Some time between all of that, I was tagged with a Thinking Blogger Award! I'm happy that some part of this blog has resonated with some of you out there, even though, personally, I feel I'm doing more thinking these days than actual blogging! Nevertheless, I'm proud to wear the badge, so thanks to Mooncrazy of Peanut Butter Etouffee for the prize!

Since this is a meme, I'll continue the tradition with my pick of 3 blogs that really make me think, although there are many that come to mind.

David Lebovitz - Having lived in Paris, I feel so close to the topics he chronicles and inspired that he does so in such depth and with such passion for France and all it has to offer. Although I tried my best to devour everything to be found in Paris, David takes it to an entirely different level and I'm transported back there whenever I read his blog. The way he points out the idiosyncrasies of the French language and people truly makes me laugh and cry at the same time.

Tea and Cookies - Tea started her fabulous blog around the time I was starting mine and after having read only a little of her writing, I knew I would be going back again and again. Once I realized she was also a former American Expat, I knew our common experience would link us in a way that few others can understand. Her words and wisdom make me think about this crazy life a little bit differently and her honesty and thoughtfulness make me strive for those qualities in my own writing.

Do I just love cookies? Maybe. But, Milk and Cookies is another blog that I enjoy for quite a few reasons but mostly because of the fantastic photography, yummy recipes and the simple fact that JenJen blogs from Australia, meaning that I can read about cool ice cream treats in the dead of winter and autumn dishes in the spring, transporting me away to another season and another place.

So many more I could mention, but that will do for now. More recipes soon!

Turkey Sausage is the New Black!

This lasagna was a small triumph for me. I’ve made quite a few pans of lasagna in my time, but this was truly one of the best. The turkey sausage made it nice and spicy, but it wasn’t overloaded with meat the way some lasagna becomes. The sauce I made had a little spice to it, too, and the whole thing was a well balanced combination of richness, spiciness and cheesy goodness without being greasy or heavy.

I was inspired both by Ina Garten’s recipe for Turkey Lasagna and an Epicurious recipe including a spicy tomato sauce. Garten’s lasagna called for goat cheese mixed in with the ricotta but, while I love goat cheese, I didn’t have any on hand. I did have some cream cheese, and since I had tried that before with great results, I stirred some of that in with the ricotta for added creaminess. I find this unnecessary with fresh whole milk ricotta, but supermarket brands are pretty bland, so I like the rich taste that cream cheese gives the filling. Really, what isn’t made better with cream cheese?

I don’t know if all of you out there have an opinion about this or not, but I used frozen spinach in this lasagna, and it’s the second or third time I’ve done so, and I really think it tastes nasty. Most of the time, I don’t mind frozen spinach in baked dishes, but from now on I’m going to cook down fresh spinach. I thought it gave the lasagna almost a bitter flavor, especially when reheated the next day. Any thoughts?

This lasagna reminds of the way I like my drinks – lighter, in the sense that the proportions are kept the same, but in a smaller amount, not weak, in the sense that less alcohol is diluted in the same amount of tonic, for example. Everything in a typical lasagna is here and it is rich tasting, but it’s also lighter than most. So, in my roundabout way, I’m trying to say that this is a meal you can also feel good about eating.

Turkey Sausage and Spinach Lasagna with Spicy Tomato Sauce
(adapted from Ina Garten and epicurious.com)

The Sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
3/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 6-oz can tomato paste Cook the onion in the olive oil over medium heat until transluscent. Sweat the onions but don’t let them brown, stirring occasionally, for 5-8 minutes. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and dried herbs. Stir frequently and cook 2-3 minutes.

Add the tomato paste, stir to break it up and cook about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and a splash of red wine, if you have some on hand. Let the sauce simmer, stirring occasionally, for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1 hour. Taste for seasoning and set aside.

The Filling:

1 ¼ lb spicy Italian sausage links, casings removed
9 traditional lasagna noodles, or 12 barilla no-cook noodles
1 15-oz container ricotta cheese
3-4 oz cream cheese, about ½ cup
1 10-oz pkg frozen spinach, thawed, or 2 cups cooked fresh spinach
1 ¼ c. grated parmesan cheese
1 large egg, slightly beaten
2 cups fresh mozzarella cheese, grated or thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cook the sausage in a non-stick pan over medium heat, breaking the links into small chunks with a spatula, until no longer pink. Remove the sausage to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, ¾ cup parmesan cheese and the egg. Season with black pepper.

In a 9x13 baking dish, place about 1 cup of the sauce over the bottom. Layer 3 or 4 lasagna noodles on the bottom, depending on their size. Cover the noodles with half of the ricotta mixture and half of the sausage and spinach. Sprinkle lightly with mozzarella. Ladle some sauce over the top and make another layer by first placing the noodles down, then the rest of the ricotta, sausage and spinach. Sprinkle with more cheese and ladle on a bit more sauce, reserving plenty of sauce for the top. Add the last of the noodles on top and cover generously with sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the top is nicely browned and lasagna is bubbling and hot.

Pizza...Obsession or Healthy Devotion?

So many of the meals we try to make at home come from our desire to imitate delicious restaurant dishes. Eating at fantastic restaurants is fundamental to our understanding and high expectations for the food we eat. When you know how good something can be, how can you go home and eat cereal? Even when that profound experience I'm referring to includes pizza? Oui.

Although everyone says Washington, DC isn’t a pizza town, I have had some pretty good pizza here, although I have found a lack of authenticity. I desperately miss the thin and crispy Italian-style pizza found in Paris, with toppings like Parma ham and arugula, or chorizo with a cracked egg on top, but I am enough of a pizza lover that I’ll take it deep-dished, stuffed, chewy or crispy, as long as it’s done well.

Pizza Parma from Pizzeria Carmine in Paris

So far, there have been a few interesting pizzas that have left an impression on me. The first was at Rustico, in Alexandria, where they have a huge brick oven and generally create good quality thin crust pizzas. I remember loving their chicken, bacon and apple version. Next, we had some really yummy grilled flatbread topped with butternut squash, onions, spinach and feta during happy hour at Old Ebbitt’s downtown. So, it is with these two variations that I offer you the following ideas for some amazingly different and delicious pizza.

First, an easy pizza sauce. This makes much more than you need for one pizza, but I divide it into smaller freezer bags or containers and freeze it for the next time we make pizza. Thaw in the microwave before using. I’m not kidding around with the San Marzano tomatoes, either; their texture is much better than other brands of crushed tomatoes. Pizza making is serious business, right? One of these days, we’re going to get back into making our own pizza dough, which we used to love doing. But, when there isn’t time for that, we love the fresh dough you can buy at Whole Foods and form yourself.

Easy Pizza Sauce

1 28-oz can San Marzano crushed tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Tbsp dried basil
2 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried crushed chili flakes, or to taste
½ tsp salt
pepper
1 tsp olive oil

Combine all the above ingredients in a small bowl until well mixed. No need to cook it! Makes enough for maybe 4 large pizzas.

Chicken, Bacon and Apple Pizza with White Cheddar

1 cup leftover roast chicken
3 slices bacon, diced
1 granny smith or gala apple, diced or thinly sliced
½ onion, thinly sliced
Easy pizza sauce
½ cup grated white cheddar
1 small ball fresh mozzarella
Dried oregano
Your favorite pizza crust

Sauté the bacon in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Wipe out the pan and add a little olive oil. Sauté the onion and apple until slightly softened.

Form the pizza crust as thick or thin as you wish, on a pizza peel, if you have one, or a baking sheet if you don’t. If you have a pizza stone, preheat it in a very hot oven, at least 450 degrees. If using a baking sheet, 425 may be sufficient.

Top the crust with as much sauce as you like, some shredded chicken, some bacon pieces and the apple and onion mixture. Sprinkle with some cheddar, slices of fresh mozzarella, and dried oregano. Bake for 10 minutes, or so, until the crust is crispy and cheese melted.

Pizza with Butternut Squash, Sage and Caramelized Onions

A white pizza that makes an equally divine appetizer when entertaining, or dinner when simply hungry.

¼ whole butternut squash, peeled and diced
6-8 fresh sage leaves, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ large yellow onion, thinly sliced
Fresh mozzarella
½ cup aged parmesan, or asiago cheese

Caramelize the onions by heating some olive oil in a saucepan. Add the onions and cook over medium low heat for 5-7 minutes to sweat the onions until very soft. Season with salt and pepper and turn the heat up to medium high. Sauté, stirring every few minutes, until onions are browned and caramel colored. Remove from heat.

Toss the diced butternut squash pieces with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, and spread on a small baking sheet. Roast at 375 for 15 minutes, until tender and slightly browned.

Brush your pizza crust with some olive oil and sprinkle with minced garlic. Top with the cheeses, caramelized onions, sage leaves and diced butternut squash. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Cool slightly before cutting and serving.