Country Club Hamburgers

When we’re not obsessing over 1980s Seventeen Now You’re Cooking pages, we’re smitten with Better Homes and Gardens 1950s and 60s cookbooks.

And this artery-clogging, but super summery supper:

And get a load of these “high-society franks.” Highly questionable, more like.

Stuffed patties are a bit of work, but we are intrigued by the bacon collar and think these patties would be exceptional served sans buns and with a spectacular summer veg and herb salad.

Egads: what if you subbed in split, grilled kielbasa for the franks, swapped the pickle for sauerkraut topped with the same duchess potato topping. Very prairie! Photos to follow!

COUNTRY CLUB HAMBURGERS
Better Homes and Gardens Best Buffets 1963

2 lbs ground beef
Blue Cheese Filling (Note: another online version has doubled these amounts)
1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion (we’ll grate and add juice)
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon prepared mustard

12 slices bacon, precooked slightly (we will look for the thinnest slices possible).
Salt
Pepper
6 large, well shaped mushrooms

Divide ground beef in 12 mounds. Flatten each between squares of waxed paper to 1/2 inch thickness.

For Blue-cheese filling, cream the cheeses together; stir in onion, horseradish, and mustard. Top half the patties with filling, leaving 1/2-inch margin for sealing.  Cover filling with remaining patties, sealing edges well.  Wrap edges of each burger with the bacon, using 2 slices and securing ends with toothpicks.  Broil 5 inches from heat about 6 minutes; sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Turn and broil about 5 minutes more or until done just the way you like them; season second side.

Flute the mushroom caps. While burgers are cooking, lightly brown mushrooms in butter (we’ll let them bubble away in our mini cast iron frying pan on the grill, maybe with a shot of brandy). Top each burger with a mushroom.

Makes 6 servings.

*If beef is lean, have 6 ounces of suet ground with this amount.  Burgers will be at their very best!

Spicy Meatball

Nobody really needs a meatball recipe, right? Pretty simple stuff.
Although we are loving the Meatball Shop’s luscious recipes (especially for sliders and Thai balls) we are kicking ourselves for tossing an old recipe clipping for La Brezza’s meatballs. They were Marco Abdi’s mother-in-law’s recipe, with lots of grassy parsley and at least a cup of parmesan cheese in the mix. Frack.

A great looking New York Times recipe has the basic ratio of 2 lbs beef, 1 cup bread crumbs, 1/2 cup parmesan, 2 eggs, 2 tbsp each fresh basil and parsley, plus garlic, salt and pepper.

We haven’t prepared big, tennis ball sized meatballs in ages. Although we love hearty spag and meatball dinners in winter, we are kind of thinking about an easy (lazy) summer al fresco version with white wine, lots of fresh herbs, crunchy water chestnuts, bright citrus and fresh greens dressed with zingy lemon.

Happy to encase some cubes of melt-in-the-middle-meatballs.

Daniel Holzman of The Meatball Shop shares his recipe for chicken dish

Skip the usual choice of spaghetti and serve this fresh meatball dish, seasoned with white wine and parsley.

2 pounds ground chicken thighs
1 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. ground fennel seed
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1 cup dried bread crumbs
2 eggs
Preheat oven to 450. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until combined. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish. Roll mixture into golf-ball-size meatballs, packing them firmly (wet hands to prevent meat from sticking; alternatively, you can use an ice cream scoop). Place meatballs in baking dish in even rows so they’re touching. Bake until meatballs are cooked through, about 14 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes, then serve.

Nigella’s summer meatballs

500g each ground pork and chicken mince

2 chopped cloves garlic

3 slices day-old bread, made into breadcrumbs in the food processor

2 eggs

4 tablespoons parmesan cheese grated

2 tablespoons chopped basil

Sauce

1 onion

2 carrots

2 sticks celery

(experiment with fresh fennel one day)

zest from ½ lemon

½ tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 750g bottle passata

1 cup skim milk

Whiz onions, garlic, lemon zest, carrots and celery in a food processor. Saute in olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and cook gently for 10 minutes or so. Add passata and 500ml of water into the saucepan and bring to the boil, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the milk and simmer for another 15 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, make the meatballs. Place the bowl in the fridge to firm while the sauce is simmering. Bring to the boil again, and then simmer partially covered for about 30 minutes.

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POLPETTE ALLA NAPOLETANA
From Mario Batalli

Rather than frying, we will roast the meatballs until brown in a 375F oven to avoid the mess, and then add them to simmering tomato sauce til cooked through.
3 cups day-old bread, cut into 1-inch cubes, no bigger! (could use slightly less, ours were too gummy)
1 1/4 pounds ground beef (we used nearly 2 lbs)
3 eggs, beaten
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup pecorino,
grated 1 bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped to yield 1/4 cup (could use more)
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted for 2 minutes in a 400 degree F oven – don’t mind skipping this to save our pinenuts for pear gorgonzola pizza)
1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
In a shallow bowl, soak the bread cubes in enough water (or milk?) to cover. Remove the bread cubes and squeeze by hand to wring excess moisture. In a large bowl, combine the bread, beef, eggs, garlic, pecorino, parsley, pine nuts, salt, and pepper and mix by hand to incorporate bread into meat. With wet hands, form the mixture into 12 to 15 meatballs, each of a size somewhere between a tennis ball and a golf ball. In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the oil until almost smoking. Add the meatballs, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan, and cook until deep golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes per batch. Serve warm or at room temperature, note that Italians would rarely serve meatballs with pasta.

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CLASSIC BEEF MEATBALLS
The Meatball Shop Cookbook
Makes about 2 dozen 1 1/2-inch meatballs
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds 80 percent lean ground beef
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
4 cups Tomato Sauce
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Drizzle olive oil into a 9-by 13-inch baking dish; using your hand, evenly coat entire surface. Set aside. In a large bowl, use your hands to mix together beef, ricotta, eggs, breadcrumbs, parsley, oregano, salt, red-pepper flakes, and fennel until fully incorporated. Roll mixture into firmly packed 1 1/2-inch balls. Place meatballs in prepared baking dish, taking care to line them up snugly so that they are touching one another in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid. Transfer baking dish to oven. Bake until meatballs are firm and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball reads 165 degrees. Meanwhile, heat tomato sauce in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Remove meatballs from oven and carefully drain excess grease from pan. Pour heated sauce over meatballs and return to oven; cook for 15 minutes more. Serve.

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SPICY PORK MEATBALLS WITH SPICY MEAT SAUCE

Makes about 2 dozen 1 1/2-inch meatballs
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds pork shoulder, ground
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
4  jarred hot cherry peppers, minced
1/4 cup hot cherry pepper pickling liquid
4 slices fresh white bread, minced
3 large eggs
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Drizzle the olive oil into a 9×13-inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface. Set aside. Combine the ground pork, salt, cherry peppers, pickling liquid, bread, and eggs in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated. Roll the mixture into round, golf ball-size meatballs (about 1 ½ inches), making sure to pack the meat firmly. Place the balls in the prepared baking dish being careful to line them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid. The meatballs should be touching one another. Roast for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through. A meat thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should read 165°F. Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes in the baking dish before serving.

Mediterranean Summer

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We’ve long enjoyed a quick and easy summer night appetizer (or light dinner) of tuna pureed with olive oil, capers, lemon juice and olives. The smoothness and saltiness makes it a perfect hot weather snack.

We stumbled upon this buttery tuna mousse from David Shalleck’s Mediterranean Summer and it is the bomb. We enjoyed exploring the canned fish shelves at our local Italian markets. Shalleck recommends Ortiz; Flott; Consorcio; A’s Do Mar; Ormaza; Serrats; Calliope. Just recently made this using olive oil packed tuna in a glass jar. Pricy but worth it.

“The Spreadable Tuna Mousse was the favorite recipe of la Signora, the woman who was his boss on the boat, a pillar of Italian wealth and privilege who teetered around the yacht in Chanel pumps.”

 

SPREADABLE TUNA MOUSSE
Adapted from Mediterranean Summer by David Shalleck
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
10 ounces (280 g) olive oil-packed tuna (2 cans), drained. (Any poached fish will do)
4 or 5 tablespoons (70 g) butter, unsalted, cubed
2 tablespoons heavy cream, crème fraîche, or yogurt

Mix soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice.

In a food processor mix tuna until broken down. Add liquids and process until the mixture is smooth.

Add each cube of butter only after the previous one is mixed in. Take care: the hot machine blade can melt it.

Add the cream until barely incorporated.

Spoon mousse into serving dish, hollow lemons or tomatoes (cherry for hors d’oeuvres) or cooked artichokes.

Served near room temperature, or chilled, with small toasts or crackers, slices of baguette, or celery and cucumber.

Fruit Cake

Labour Day long weekend — a.k.a. summer’s last hurrah — is upon us.

How very sad to be packing away our summer clothes (whites and Lilly Pulitzer), books (The Great Gatsby, Archie Digests, Nancy Drew) and general happiness. Wah.

We have one last kick at the cat where summer lounging is concerned. Time to celebrate summer’s fruit bounty.

Slip into your Nantucket Reds (cuffs rolled, obviously), pour yourself a tall Cape Cod (more cape than cod, please), and tuck into this lovely plum cobbler.

This is the easiest dessert we’ve ever made. Seriously. This is a keeper.

The secret is browned butter and plums. The original recipe calls for apples, which we’re keen on trying this fall.

But for summer, nothing is better than luscious, tart plums.

We substitute eight sliced plums sprinkled with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg for the apples and lemon juice.

UPDATE: Now we’re thinking about five-spice powder in place of the spice additions?

LIGITA’S QUICK APPLE CAKE
from: Classic Home Desserts by Richard Sax

10-inch single layer cake; serves 8

3 medium-size tart apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (about 3 cups) with 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

Vanilla ice cream, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 10-inch Pyrex pie pan. Update: we prefer an 8-inch sq Pyrex square dish. You can cut nine squares or six rectangles.
2. Toss the apples in a bowl with the lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the cinnamon. Spread the apples evenly in the prepared pan.
3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook until lightly golden, about 7 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Pour the clear, browned butter into a bowl, leaving any sediment or foam in the pan.
4. Stir the 3/4 cup sugar into the butter. Gently stir in the eggs; stir in the flour until blended. Spoon the batter evenly over the apples and spread into a layer. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
5. Bake until lightly golden and crusty, 40 to 45 minutes.
6. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into wedges and serve from the pan warm or at room temperature, with vanilla ice cream.

NYT PLUM TORTE

The Times published Marian Burros’s recipe for Plum Torte every September from 1983 until 1989, when the editors determined that enough was enough. The recipe was to be printed for the last time that year. “To counter anticipated protests,” Ms. Burros wrote a few years later, “the recipe was printed in larger type than usual with a broken-line border around it to encourage clipping.” It didn’t help. The paper was flooded with angry letters. “The appearance of the recipe, like the torte itself, is bittersweet,” wrote a reader in Tarrytown, N.Y. “Summer is leaving, fall is coming. That’s what your annual recipe is all about. Don’t be grumpy about it.” We are not! And we pledge that every year, as summer gives way to fall, we will make sure that the recipe is easily available to one and all. 

¾ to 1 cup sugar

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup unbleached flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt (optional)

2 eggs

24 halves pitted purple plums

Sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon, for topping

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the sugar and butter in a bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and eggs and beat well.

Spoon the batter into a springform pan of 8, 9 or 10 inches. Place the plum halves skin side up on top of the batter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar and lemon juice, depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, depending on how much you like cinnamon.

Bake 1 hour, approximately. Remove and cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired. Or cool to lukewarm and serve plain or with whipped cream. (To serve a torte that was frozen, defrost and reheat it briefly at 300 degrees.)

End of Summer Shrimp Boil

We are total posers when it comes to shrimp boils (pronounce: bawls). Yes, we love them but we are landlocked most of the time and have to rely on thawed seafood.

No matter. Corn, new red potatoes, prairie kielbasa and the rest more than make up for the frozen fish.

We wonder if the leftover broth (with shrimp shells) could be reduced for making dirty rice — or maybe that’s just too much salt? Perhaps we could do half water to half broth for rice — would make a great start for jambalaya the next day…

PEEL AND EAT SHRIMP BOIL
Canadian Living 2007

We traditionally pour a liberal amount of Old Bay into our water, and more lemon. Heck, more garlic, too, if you desire. (1/4 cup Old Bay to 16 cups (4 quarts) of water with a beer.)

3 bay leaves
1 onion, quartered
2 lemons
4 smashed garlic cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp peppercorns
6 small red potatoes, halved
4 ears corn, shucked and cut into fourths or thirds
6 oz narrow kielbasa sausages, cut in 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
1 1lb large or jumbo shrimp, with shells
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley

Garlic Butter
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 minced clove of garlic

hot sauce

horseradish cocktail sauce (1/3 cup mayo, 1/3 cup ketchup, heaping tablespoon prepared horseradish)

Preparation:
Pour enough water into large Dutch oven to come three-quarters up side. Add bay leaves, onion, two halves of one lemon, squeezed, garlic, salt and peppercorns; cover and bring to boil.

Add potatoes, corn, and kielbasa; return to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until vegetables are almost tender, about 8 minutes.

Add shrimp; cook until pink, about 3 minutes. Reserve a few cups of liquid for dipping and then drain well. Arrange on platter or dump on paper-lined table. Sprinkle with parsley. Garnish with remaining lemon cut into wedges and bowls with reserved broth.

Garlic Butter: In small bowl, mix melted butter with garlic; serve for dipping.

Strawberry salsa

We love fruit salsa and spicy chutneys paired with tangy chevre.

Our tried and true peach chutney is a winner, but we’re keen give this strawberry salsa a whirl.

Perhaps a good match for that dreamy Tommy Bahama Big Island Goat Cheese we’ve been meaning to duplicate — warm macadamia nut encrusted goat cheese served with mango salsa, flatbread and a sweet soy glaze.
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STRAWBERRY-SALSA-AND-GOAT-CHEESE BRUSCHETTA
Lucy Waverman, Globe and Mail
This savoury/sweet appetizer is notable for its simple yet rich flavour. Get your goat cheese to room temperature so it will be easier to spread.

6 slices grilled bread

12 ounces (375 grams) goat cheese

Strawberry salsa:

1 cup diced strawberries

1 cup diced tomatoes

Pinch sugar

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon finely chopped jalapeno pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion such as Vidalia

Pinch freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Method

Spread goat cheese over each piece of toast. Combine strawberries, tomatoes, sugar, lime juice, jalapeno, onion and pepper. Stir in basil. Top toasts with salsa.

Serves 6.

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STRAWBERRY AND CUCUMBER SALAD

This recipe was inspired by cookbook author and chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s strawberry and cucumber pickles. The salad makes a wonderful accompaniment to chicken or a great topping for melted brie.

3 cups strawberries, hulled and halved

1 small English cucumber, cut into small chunks (about 2 cups)

1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon chopped mint

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place strawberries and cucumber in a mixing bowl and toss with vinegar, sugar, mint and olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let stand for 10 minutes to allow flavours to develop. Serve salad drizzled with juices from the bottom of the bowl. Serves 4.

Tarts R Us

We seem to hoard an awful lot of Canadian Living recipes. This was our very first tomato tart, and we still love it. Nothing’s easier than rolling out puff pastry, but our beloved GR’s parmesan pastry recipe at bottom is mighty tempting. River Cafe chanterelle and gouda is also a winner.

HARVEST TOMATO TART
Recipe from Canadian Living
(our very favourite roasted tomato tart)
9 freshly harvested vine ripened tomatoes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 package frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 (4 1/2 ounce) package goat cheese, softened
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh basil or parsley, chopped
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Garnish
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil or parsley
Directions
Cut tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices; spread on parchment paper lined, rimmed baking sheet.
Brush with 2 tablespoon of the oil; sprinkle with salt.
Bake at 400f degrees oven until slightly shrivelled, about 45 minutes; let cool (Make ahead: Cover and refrigerate on tray for up to 24 hours).
On lightly floured surface, roll out puff pastry 1 inch larger that 14 x 4 inch rectangular or 9 inch round tart pan.
Press into pan and trim edges; prick bottom with fork.
Brush bottom with mustard; spread with cheese.
Cover with tomatoes; tuck garlic among slices.
Sprinkle with basil, pepper, then remaining oil.
Bake in bottom third of 400f degree oven until pastry is golden, about 30 minutes.
Garnish with basil or parsley.
Note: If all you really want is the tomatoes, the tart is wonderful without the cheese.

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Chanterelle Mushroom and Leek Tart from River Cafe

Tart Shell

1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (115 g) cold unsalted butter (1 stick)

1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt

2 tbsp (25 mL) ice-cold water

Filling

2 tbsp (25 mL) unsalted butter

2 1/2 cups (625 mL) sliced leeks, washed well

1 cup (250 mL) diced yellow onion (1/2-inch/1-cm dice)

2/3 cup (150 mL) sliced shallots

1 tbsp (15 mL) minced garlic

6 oz (150 g) chanterelle mushrooms, brushed and rinsed

Salt and pepper

1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh parsley

1/3 cup (75 mL) whipping cream

1/3 cup (75 mL) skim milk

1 egg

1/4 cup (50 mL) grated Gouda cheese

For Tart Shell

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Combine flour, butter, and salt in a food processor. Cover and process until mixture reaches consistency of fine grain. Transfer into a bowl and add water. Combine with hands until smooth.

Roll out pastry to fit a 9-inch (23-cm) quiche pan. Line pan with pastry and cover with pie weights or dried beans. Bake in the preheated 350°F (180°C) oven for 40 minutes. Remove pie weights or dried beans and bake another 10 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown.

For Filling

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Mix in leeks, onions, shallots and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes, or until tender. Add mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, about another 10 minutes, or until most of liquid has dissipated. Season well with salt and pepper. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in parsley.

Combine cream, milk, and egg in the container of an electric blender. Cover and puree about 2 minutes — this will add air so that tart will have a light texture.

Spread mushroom mixture evenly into baked tart shell. Pour cream mixture over top and then sprinkle on cheese. Bake in the preheated 350°F (180°C) oven for about 30 minutes, or until custard has set and top is browned. Remove from the oven and let stand for about 1 hour before cutting.

Serves 4 as main dish or 6 as appetizer.

Cook’s Notes: If you don’t have a food processor for making tart shell, mix flour and salt together in a bowl and then cut in butter until mixture reaches consistency of fine grain. Then add water and carry on with recipe.

Also, if you don’t have an electric blender for making the filling, you can use a whisk, though tart will not be as light as it would be using a blender.

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ONION PIE WITH JARLSBERG AND THYME
By Andreas Viestad

In Norway, this simple dish is usually made with Jarlsberg or Gouda, but Andreas has also made it with Parmesan or Gruyere. This dish goes well with meat or poultry.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4-5 red onions, cut into 1/2-inch slices
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 bay leaf
5 black peppercorns
2-3 whole cloves
fine sea salt
1 sheet puff pastry (thawed if frozen)
1 cup grated Jarlsberg, Gouda, Parmesan or Gruyere cheese
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns and cloves, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the onions are soft but not brown. Season with salt to taste.

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Line a medium-size ovenproof dish with puff pastry. Remove the cloves, peppercorns and bay leaf from the onions and discard.

Place the onions in the dish and add the grated cheese and one teaspoon of thyme. Bake in the oven on the lowest rack for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Just before serving, sprinkle on the rest of the thyme.

ALTERNATE ONION FILLING
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons port wine
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces finely grated Gruyère cheese
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 egg, slightly beaten

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a deep skillet or pot. Add onions and salt. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, until they are golden, about 30 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the pepper. Cool.

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ASPARAGUS GRUYERE TART
Martha Stewart

Flour, for work surface
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
5 1/2 ounces (2 cups) Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 1/2 pounds medium or thick asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle. Trim uneven edges. Place pastry on a baking sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce dough inside the markings at 1/2-inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
Remove pastry shell from oven, and sprinkle with Gruyere. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over Gruyere, alternating ends and tips. Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until spears are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

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ROASTED CHERRY TOMATO TART
by Gwendolyn Richards

GR’s pastry looks amazing, and she tops it with a pound of so of cherry/grape tomatoes tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper. She tops the whole thing with fresh basil. Amazing.

1½ cups (375 mL) flour
7 tbsp (115 mL) butter, cold and cut into small cubes
½ cup (125 mL) cream
1 cup (250 mL) finely grated Parmesan
pinch salt

Add the flour and pinch of salt to the bowl of a food processor, then sprinkle the butter cubes on top. Pulse two or three times until the butter starts to break down, then add the Parmesan. Pulse until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is in pieces no larger than a pea.

Add the cream slowly while pulsing until the dough starts to come together. (It will bunch up and the food processor noise will change.)

Empty the contents onto a lightly floured surface and knead it a few times to pull the dough together.

Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 F (160 C).

Toss the tomatoes in a bowl with the olive oil, 1 tsp salt and pepper. Set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until it is about 1/3 inch to 1/4 inch (8 millimetres to 6 mm) thick. Press into tart tin (9 inch/23 cm round tin or a 14-inch/35 cm rectangular tin), stretching it as little as possible, and cut off excess. Arrange tomatoes in the tart tin.

Bake for an hour until tomatoes are soft and pastry is golden brown. Remove and let cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Roll basil leaves like a cigar and then slice them to make herb strips. Sprinkle over tart.

Serve while still warm.

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/life/Tastes+Summer/3034156/story.html#ixzz0oEZanLcf

Bar-B-Qooz

Again with the fantasy cottage food. Cedar-planked brie topped with a mash of wild berries sounds like a good plan. We may not have a summer getaway, but you can bet these oozy cheese treats will be just as good cooked on our city balcony barbecue.

 

FANTASY CAMPFIRE CAMEMBERT
Recipe by Laura Calder
1 block Camembert cheese with its box
white wine
1 sprinkle chopped thyme leaves
Pepper
Remove the cheese from its box and unwrap it.
Put the cheese back in its box.
Poke all over the top with a fork, and splash on a little wine to run into the holes.
Scatter over the thyme and sprinkle over the pepper.
Close the box.
Wrap in foil.
Bake at 400ºF/200ºC for 10 minutes or until very hot and runny.
Serve immediately with crusty bread.

A Summer Place

The year: 1983, summertime.

The place: our best pal’s lakeside cabin.

The soundtrack (rather horrifying, courtesy of ever present Top 40 AM radio):

Our House – Madness
Come Dancing – Kinks
China Girl – David Bowie
Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) – Eurythmics
Too Shy – Kajagoogoo
Rock The Casbah – Clash
Goody Two Shoes – Adam Ant
Let’s Dance – David Bowie
Beat It – Michael Jackson
Total Eclipse Of The Heart – Bonnie Tyler
The Safety Dance – Men Without Hats

When we weren’t waterskiing or holed up in the cabin reading Archie comics, People, and Seventeen, there was baking to do — that’s what 14-year-old girls do.

This is an especially good project for a rainy summer day. Here’s a perfect farmer’s stand classic. It’s light as air, and as we snacked on this last night, we sprinkled a touch of icing sugar over top. We later wondered if we shouldn’t have split the slices and filled them with whipped cream and summer berries. Or added orange zest to the batter, or copied Dave Lebovitz and drizzled a puckery lemon glaze over top.

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE
Recipes from Best of Bridge: Winners
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk (or sour milk)
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
2 cups grated zucchini
1/4 cup chocolate chips (we upped to a full cup, naturally.)

Instructions:
Cream butter, oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. Sift dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Mix in zucchini and chocolate chips. Bake in a greased and floured bundt pan or a 9″x13″ greased pan at 325 F. for 45 minutes.

Pink and Green Scene

A summer barbecue with pink cocktails and smokey sliders. Lilly’s orders.

(Above, darling Lilly Pulitzer e-cards)

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CHIPOTLE SLIDERS
This smokey mayo looks divine, but we can’t help wanting to add a little slice of avocado. You know how we are about pink and green!
1 cup mayonnaise
2 chipotles in adobe
1 tbsp adobe sauce
1/2 lime, juiced
salt and ground pepper

Sliders:
1/2 to 1 pound ground chuck, 80/20
salt and ground pepper
cheese slices
mini burger buns

Grill and assemble sliders, serve with chipotle mayo, pickles and red onion slices.

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PINK LEMONADE
2 cups white sugar
9 cups water
2 cups fresh lemon juice
1 cup cranberry juice

In a large pitcher combine all. Stir to dissolve sugar.