Leite's Culinaria » Linda Avery

Salted Butter Tart

Linda Avery — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:41:33 +0000

Jennifer McLagan | Fat | Ten Speed Press, 2008 | Serves 6 to 8

Video Interview

People often ask me how I get the ideas for my recipes. Some magically happen from ingredients in my fridge, others are inspired by restaurant meals or ingredient combinations that I like. And then there are those that come from the oddest of sources.

Several years ago I’d been perfecting my recipe for salted caramel sauce. When it comes to desserts, caramel is my weakness, and the combination of salted butter and caramel is close to perfection, with the salt accentuating the caramel and balancing its sweetness. During this time, one of the bakeries in my Paris neighborhood, which had been run by an accountant who had exchanged crunching numbers for kneading dough, was bought by the well-known Paris baker Eric Kayser. Just after Kayser moved into my part of town, my friend Laura dropped by with a copy of his new tart book. It was full of mouthwatering photographs with short, seemingly simple recipes, each of which fit neatly on a single page. I flipped through it, thinking that perhaps his tarts were better than his bread. (Believe it or not, the accountant had actually made better bread.) When I saw a recipe for tarte au beurre salé, or salted butter tart, I knew I had to try it. It took quite some tweaking, as the brief recipe instructions were not much help, but I finally made a rich, sweet, satisfying version of his tart. The secret, I found, is to be brave and cook the caramel until it is rich and dark without letting it burn and turn bitter. If you lack courage, the tart will still be delicious, just sweeter.

When shopping for the ingredients, buy extra cream so you can serve this tart with a cloud of whipped cream to cut the sweetness—yes, it does work, and yes, this is just another benefit of eating fat.—Jennifer McLagan

convert Ingredients
For the sweet-butter pastry
2 cups (8 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
Pinch of fine sea salt
2/3 cup (5 ounces) cold unsalted butter, diced
1 large egg
1/3 cup (2 ounces) superfine (caster) sugar

For the tart
1/2 recipe Sweet-Butter Pastry
1 1/4 cups (9 ounces) superfine (caster) sugar
1/2 cup (4 ounces) salted butter, diced
1 cup whipping cream
Lightly whipped cream, for serving

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Method
Make the pastry
1. Combine the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles very coarse bread crumbs. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

2. In another bowl, whisk together the egg and sugar. Pour the egg mixture over the flour-butter mixture and mix with a fork. Squeeze a bit of the mixture between your fingers. If it holds together, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface; if not, add a couple of teaspoons of ice water and test again. Knead gently and form into a ball, divide the pastry in half, and flatten into 2 disks. Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.

Make the tart
1. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and line a 9-inch or 9 1/2-inch (23-cm or 24-cm) tart pan. Prick the base of the tart with a fork and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

3. Place the tart shell on a baking sheet. Line the tart with parchment paper and fill it with dried beans. Bake until the pastry is just set, about 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and continue to cook until the pastry is a dark golden color, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the tart to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

4. Combine the sugar and butter in a deep, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir to mix and cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter and sugar caramelize, 10 to 15 minutes. The sugar and butter will go through several stages. First it will look like a flour-butter roux, then it will appear curdled, and then the butter will leak out of the sugar mixture. Don’t worry: It will all come together in the end.

5. While the caramel is cooking, pour the cream into a saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and set aside.

6. Keep stirring the butter-sugar mixture, watching carefully as it begins to caramelize and remembering that the heat in the pan will continue to cook the caramel once it is removed from the burner. You want a rich, dark caramel color, but you don’t want to burn the mixture, which will give it a bitter taste. When the caramel reaches the right color, remove the pan from the heat and slowly and carefully pour in the cream; the mixture will bubble and spit. When the caramel stops bubbling, return it to low heat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring to dissolve the caramel in the cream. Remove the pan from the heat and let the caramel cool for 10 minutes. Slowly pour the cooled caramel into the baked pastry shell and chill the tart for at least 2 hours.

7. This tart is easier to cut when it is chilled. Remove the tart from the pan and, using a wet knife, cut it into wedges. Serve the tart at room temperature, however, for maximum flavor, with a dollop of whipped cream.

Gorgonzola Dolce with Roasted Pears and Spiced Walnuts

Linda Avery — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:10:06 +0000

Rick Tramonto with Mary Goodbody | Fantastico! | Broadway Books, 2007 | Serves 4

I rely on Gorgonzola dolce often, partly because it is so versatile, but primarily because I absolutely love the mild, sweet, creamy blue cheese. Anyone with a fondness for blue cheese will gravitate to this lovely cheese, and even those who are not major fans of blues may fall for this in a big way! My grandparents kept a cheese plate around most of the time, and more often than not the two offerings were Gorgonzola dolce and Parmigiano-Reggiano. I never thought of either as anything special—although I now respect the years of knowledge that go into the making of each. Dolce is made in Lombardy, near the town of Gorgonzola, and aged according to DOC regulations. I pair it here with pears and spiced walnuts, reminiscent of the classic pear, walnut, and Gorgonzola cheese salad—just deconstructed so the cheese is the focus. If you have a perfectly ripe pear, no need to roast it.—Rick Tramanto

convert Ingredients
For the spiced walnuts
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons walnut oil, or, in a pinch, olive oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup walnut halves

For the pears
1/4 cup white wine
Juice of 1/2 orange
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 vanilla bean, split
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 large firm, ripe pears, such as Bosc or Anjou, peeled, cored, and halved
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 pound Gorgonzola dolce, at room temperature, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup chopped spiced walnuts

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Method
Make the spiced walnuts
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (150°C).

2. In a mixing bowl, stir the sugar, oil, cayenne, and cumin until well mixed. Add the walnuts and toss until thoroughly coated.

3. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until fragrant and slightly darker in color. Stir them at least once to promote even cooking, and take care they do not burn. Let the walnuts cool and then chop them coarsely.

4. The spiced nuts can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Make the pears
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

2. In a shallow baking dish that will hold the pear halves in one layer, combine the wine, orange juice, honey, butter, vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

3. Rub each pear half with lemon juice to prevent browning and put them, cut sides down, in the baking dish. Spoon some of the wine-orange mixture over each pear and cover the dish with parchment paper.

4. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the pears are tender when pierced with a small, sharp knife. Do not overcook or they will fall apart. Carefully transfer the pears to a plate or cutting board and let them cool to room temperature.

5. Meanwhile, pour the baking juices into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to 1/4 cup or the consistency of a light syrup. Discard the vanilla bean and cinnamon stick.

6. Slice each pear half lengthwise into 6 slices. Place each pear half on a plate, fanning the slices slightly. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the warm syrup over each pear half and set a piece of Gorgonzola next to each one. Sprinkle the walnuts over the pears and serve.

Basmati Rice with Cinnamon and Saffron

Linda Avery — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:08:07 +0000

Madhur Jaffrey | From Curries to Kebabs | Clarkson Potter, 2003 |Serves 4 to 6

This stunning rice dish from Madhur Jaffrey makes a fragrant addition to any dinner party menu, yet it comes together quickly and easily enough to make a welcome appearance at random weeknight dinners. The highly perfumed side elevates just about anything, including spiced kebabs, steamed fish, even simple roast (and let’s be realistic, rotisserie) chicken. When you want something a little more special, we suggest serving it with Jaffrey’s Moghlai Lamb with Spinach (Paalag Gosht) or as an accompaniment to her Gujarati Mango Soup.—Renee Schettler Rossi

convert Ingredients
1 teaspoon saffron threads
3 tablespoons hot milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 cups basmati rice
2 tablespoons corn, peanut, or olive oil, or ghee
2 medium sticks cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt

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Method
1. Place the saffron on a piece of foil. Fold some of the foil over the saffron and crush it with a rolling pin or a wooden potato masher. Put the crushed saffron in a small cup. Add the hot milk cardamom, and sugar. Mix with a toothpick or the handle of a small spoon and set aside for 3 hours.

2. Put the rice in a bowl and wash in several changes of water. Drain, add fresh water to cover generously, and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Drain.

3. Pour the oil into a heavy, lidded pan that will just hold the cooked rice comfortably and set over medium heat. When the oil is hot, put in the cinnamon sticks. Stir for 10 seconds, then add the rice. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir the rice around until all the grams look translucent, about 2 minutes. Add 2 2/3 cups of water and the salt. Bring to a boil. Cover.

4. Reduce the heat to very, very low and cook for 25 minutes. Turn off the heat. Lift the lid and quickly dribble in the saffron milk in any haphazard pattern. Quickly cover again and leave for 10 minutes. Mix the rice very delicately with a slotted spoon before serving.

Oysters with Sweet Pepper Relish

Linda Avery — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:15:39 +0000

by Caprial and John Pence
from Caprial and John’s Kitchen
(Ten Speed Press, 2003)
Serves 6

Forget the cocktail sauce. Forget the mignonette sauce. Forget any type of concoction you or a well-meaning host has ever topped your oysters with in the past. The combination of peppers, both sweet and hot, make this dish something special — even holiday worthy. (Think New Year’s Eve or Valentine’s Day.)

If you’re unsure how to open oysters properly, a process that can be dangerous if you don’t have the proper equipment, ask your fish monger to open them for you, to save the liquor and shells, and then you can reassemble at home.—Caprial and John Pence

convert Ingredients
For the spicy pepper relish
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/4 red onion, minced
1 Anaheim chile, minced
2 red jalapeño chiles, minced
Juice and finely grated zest of 1 lime
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Salt

For the oysters
30 small oysters, such as yearlings, in the shell
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons water
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup finely ground cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Rock salt, for serving
Cilantro or flat-leaf parsley sprigs, for garnish

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Method
Make the relish
1. Combine the garlic, onion, chiles, lime juice and zest, oil, cilantro, cumin, and cinnamon in a bowl, and mix well. Season to taste with salt; set aside.

Make the oysters
1. Shuck the oysters and refrigerate the meat until you are ready to cook them. Reserve and wash the bottom half of each shell; set aside.

2. Combine the eggs and water in a bowl, and mix well. In another bowl, combine the flour and cornmeal, mix well, add the salt and pepper, and mix well again. Dip each oyster in the egg mixture, then dredge in the flour mixture, and place on a plate.

3. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat until smoking hot. Add as many oysters as will fit in the pan without overcrowding and brown well, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Continue pan-frying the remaining oysters.

4. To serve, place an oyster in each of the reserved shells. Set the shells on a bed of rock salt on a serving platter or tray. Top the oysters with some of the relish, garnish with cilantro sprigs, and serve immediately.

Cheddar-Chive Gougères

Linda Avery — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:05:27 +0000

Tori Ritchie | Party Appetizers: Small Bites, Big Flavor | Chronicle Books, 2004 | Makes 40 to 50 gougères

Making pâte á choux was one of the first things I learned in cooking school, and I’ve had the pastry formula rattling around in my head ever since. When flavored with cheese and baked, it puffs into addictive gougère. The French tend to make theirs with Gruyère, I use Cheddar, and either way they beg to be eaten with Pinot Noir. For parties. I make one-bite gougères and people tend to eat 3 or 4. You can also split these and fill them with chicken, ham, or lobster salad for substantial hors d’oeuvres.—Tori Ritchie

convert Ingredients
1 cup water
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups (about 6 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

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Method
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Put the water, butter, and salt in a medium, heavy saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Cook, swirling the pan a few times until the butter melts; once it has melted, increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Turn off the heat and dump in the flour. Beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until it starts to pull away from the sides of the pan.

3. Take the pan off the stove, set it on a counter or hot pad, and let it cool, without stirring, for 5 minutes.

4. Now, work in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating the mixture well with the spoon after each addition (you have to put some muscle into it to incorporate the eggs fully). With each addition, the dough should look glossy and slick at first, then stick to the sides of the pan before you add the next egg. After beating in the last egg, beat in the dry mustard and cayenne, then the cheese and chives.

5. Scoop up a heaping teaspoon of dough and with another spoon, push it off onto the paper-lined baking sheet (it should form a mound about 1 inch in diameter). Continue with the remaining dough, leaving an inch of space between the gougères (work in batches as necessary, the dough can stand, covered with buttered waxed paper or parchment, for up to 1/2 hour).

6. Bake until the gougères are puffy and light golden, about 25 minutes, switching pan positions halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving, or turn off oven and let gougères remain in oven, with door ajar, for up to 1 hour.

Wild Mushroom Risotto with Peas

Linda Avery — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:50:24 +0000

Giada De Laurentiis | Everyday Italian | Clarkson Potter, 2005 | Makes 6 side-dish servings

The secret to the intense mushroom flavor in this recipe is that not only are mushrooms themselves part of the mix, but the risotto is cooked with mushroom-flavored broth. In order to use dried porcini mushrooms—or any dried mushrooms for that matter—you have to reconstitute them by allowing them to sit in hot water for a few minutes, absorbing that water and plumping up. Then the mushrooms are ready to cook with, and you have all this flavorful liquid as a by-product. By all means, take advantage of it. Here, it works as a flavor booster to the chicken stock, but you can also use it as the base of a wonderful soup or sauce.—Giada De Laurentiis

convert Ingredients
5 3/4 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 cups finely chopped onions
10 ounces white mushrooms, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
2/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Method
1. Bring the broth to a simmer in a heavy, medium-size saucepan. Add the porcini mushrooms. Cover and set aside until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms and finely chop. Cover the broth and keep warm over very low heat.

2. Melt the butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the white mushrooms, porcini mushrooms, and garlic; saute until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate, about 10 minutes.

3. Stir in the rice. Add the wine; cook, stirring often, until the liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of hot broth; simmer over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the liquid is absorbed, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook until the rice is just tender and the mixture is creamy, adding more broth by cupfuls and stirring often, about 28 minutes.

4. Stir in the peas. Mix in the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Turkey Meatloaf

Linda Avery — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 15:39:40 +0000

Carlyn Berghoff and Nancy Ross Ryan | Berghoff Cafe | Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2009) | Serves 8

Our tasty turkey meatloaf is made from fresh turkey, and my family and I like it so much I often cook it at home. The barbecue sauce is the perfect seasoning and everybody has a favorite brand, so use yours. The vegetables keep the meatloaf moist and juicy. I mince the vegetables so the texture of the cooked turkey meatloaf is smooth and dense and it doesn’t fall apart when sliced.—Carlyn Berghoff

convert Ingredients
2 pounds ground turkey
2 large eggs
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup finely chopped green, red, yellow, or orange bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh button mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs, as needed

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Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

2. In a large bowl, combine the meat, eggs, and barbecue sauce, and mix well with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Stir in the pepper, onion, mushrooms, salt, and pepper, and mix gently. Slowly add the bread crumbs and mix just to thicken the meatloaf. The mixture should be moist and thick, but not firm and dry.

3. Line an 11 by 4-inch baking pan or a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place the turkey mixture in the pan and smooth out the top.

4. Bake until the meatloaf is cooked through but not dried out, about 50 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing to serve.

5. Leftover turkey meatloaf makes great sandwiches the next day on a French roll with extra barbecue sauce.

Macaroni Gratin

Linda Avery — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 22:12:57 +0000

by Keith McNally, Riad Nasr, Lee Hanson
from The Balthazar Cookbook
(Clarkson Potter, 2003)
Serves 6 to 8

This delicious gratin is flavored with sharp Gruyère and smoky lardons. It’s served at the restaurant in individual casseroles, but it looks best at home in a great big dish. This makes generous portions or highly prized leftovers. Be sure not to overbake the gratin or it will “break,” meaning that the butterfat in the cheese will separate from the milk solids, resulting in the dreaded greasy gratin.—Keith McNally

convert Ingredients
One 16-ounce box elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces lightly smoked slab bacon, cut into 1/4-inch dice
5 cups whole milk
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups grated Gruyère cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

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Method
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

2. Cook the macaroni according to the directions on the box. Drain, toss with the olive oil, and set aside in a large mixing bowl.

3. Add the bacon to a small skillet and saute over medium heat until brown but not crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels and add to the cooked macaroni.

4. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk just to a foamy boil, then reduce the heat to very low to keep warm.

5. In another saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When the foam subsides, remove from the heat. Whisk in the flour and continue stirring until a smooth, pale roux has formed. Return the saucepan to medium heat and, while still whisking steadily, begin ladling the hot milk into the roux, 1 cup at a time, completely incorporating each cup before adding the next. After all the milk has been added, continue to whisk until the sauce thickens and bubbles gently, about 2 minutes. Add the Parmesan, 2 cups of the Gruyère, and the salt and pepper, and stir until the cheese has completely melted.

6. Pour the sauce over the macaroni, mix thoroughly, and pour into a buttered 10 X 14-inch gratin dish. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes. Remove, sprinkle the remaining cup of Gruyère over entire top, and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes, until the top is golden and crunchy.