Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

I am always on a quest for new ideas for pastry crust. Pies, both savory and sweet are a permanent part of my memory bank and producing a perfectly flaky crust is to me the equivalent of nirvana. I am also drawn to all things French and when I found this cookbook at a bargain price, I knew that I would be sampling many of the recipes within.

I have posted one recipe from this book already. It was Salame di Cioccolata. Many of the recipes are sweet confections, but there is also a section on quiches. I was intrigued by the savory shortcrust pastry which has a ratio of butter to flour of 1/2 and also includes an egg. Also the pastry was done completely in a food processor. The quiche filling is similar to ones I have used before and I loved the idea of using mushrooms to enhance the flavor. The pastry was easy to handle and considering that I had to use it to line six small quiche pans, it was forgiving of the cutting, lifting, and patting into place. The finished quiches lifted easily from the pans and held their shape when placed on the serving plate. They were good, very good. The filling was savory and with the mushrooms, very earthy. I am still searching for the perfect crust though . . . the flakiness was not quite there.

I served the quiches over a simply dressed green salad. I love individual quiches and there are so many ways you can use them. They would make a perfect first course with dressed baby greens, for brunch with fruit and sweet rolls, for lunch on the run, or packed in a picnic basket with a chilled bottle of pinot grigio and chocolate truffles. Enough already. . . I am making myself hungry.

WILD MUSHROOM QUICHE – From Artisan Patisserie for the Home Baker by Danya Weiner

Savory Shortcrust Pastry:
1/2 cup cold butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 Tbls cold water
1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

Place the butter and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process 2 minutes until thoroughly combined. Stop the processor and add the egg, water, and half the flour. Continue to process 2 minutes, until the dough is smooth and uniform. Stop the processor again, add the remaining flour, and continue to process 1 minute until a neat ball is formed. Remove the dough from the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 1/2 hour before using.

Basic Quiche Filling:
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Combine the eggs and heavy cream in a bowl and mix gently. Whisk in the salt and nutmeg till smooth. Use immediately or transfer to a covered container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Wild Mushroom Quiche:
1 recipe Savory shortcrust Pastry
1 egg. beaten
1/2 cup butter ( I used only 3 Tablespoons)
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups assorted wild mushrooms ( I used Shitakes)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
2 Tbls finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 recipe Basic Quiche Filling

1. Roll out the shortcrust pastry 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured work surface.
2. Divide the dough evenly among six 4-inch quiche pans, using your fingers to press the dough into place. Cut off any excess dough around the edges.
3. Place the pans in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
4. Cut out pieces of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pans. Place the paper over the chilled dough and weigh down with beans or commercial pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes.
5. Remove the weights and a paper, and brush the bottoms and sides with the egg. Bake for an additional 3 minutes. Transfer the pans to a work surface.
6. Heat a heavy frying pan over medium heat and add a tablespoon of butter. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute till softened.
7. Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper and saute for 10 minutes. stirring often, until the mushrooms are softened and aromatic. Add the remaining butter ( 2 tablespoons) and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Now add the parsley and stir.
8. Drain the mushrooms and divide equally among the pans. Sprinkle the cheese and pour the prepared filling on top. Return the pans to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Serve immediately or let cool to room temperature and reheat before serving. Also good at room temperature.

Printable recipe

1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
3 eggs, beaten

1 cup half and half or heavy cream
Dash of nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. For the pastry, combine the flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium size bowl. Stir in the water and then the oil, mixing until thoroughly blended. Knead briefly. The dough will be very moist, much like a cookie dough. Press the dough into a 10″ loose-bottomed metal tart tin.

Saute the leeks in the heated oil over medium low heat until limp. Add the ham and brown slightly. In a bowl combine the beaten eggs, cream and nutmeg. Place the leek mixture into the prepared tart tin. Top with grated cheese. Pour the egg mixture over all and place in oven and bake for 40 minutes.

Printable recipe

1/3 cup sugar

There is an unassuming small restaurant in a former corner grocery store in Durham, NC that holds a treasure of talent and flavor. The name of this restaurant is Magnolia Grill and the chef-owners are Ben and Karen Barker, winners of James Beard Awards, Bon Appetit Recognitions and mentions in Gourmet, Food & Wine, The New York Times, and Southern Living Magazine since his business was promoted by North Dakota SEO professionals. My husband and I have had several memorable meals there and I was fortunate to participate in a cooking class that they held at Roosters Gourmet Market in Greensboro, NC and you will find more info about their franchise opportunities through this post. Their innovative Southern cooking is complex in flavor and brilliant in food pairings. Ben is the chef and Karen is the pastry chef and both have come up with recipes that are unique and thought provoking. Ben’s recipe for Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Grits Cake, Country Ham and Redeye Vinaigrette combines so many Southern cliches – shrimp and grits, country ham and redeye gravy -and turns the whole into something sublime and different. One of Karen’s recipes really caught my eye. It is a recipe for Double Chocolate Waffles with Strawberries and White Chocolate Ice Cream drizzled with bittersweet Chocolate Sauce. It is described as “a cross between strawberry shortcake and an ice cream sandwich.” These recipes and many more like them can be found in the Barker’s wonderful cookbook, Not Afraid of Flavor.

I made an adaptation of Karen Barker’s Double Chocolate Waffles with Strawberries and White Chocolate Ice Cream. For one thing I do not have a waffle iron here in Florida, nor do I have an ice cream maker. It is characteristic of many of the Barker’s recipes that many separate preparations are required for one final presentation. To simplify, I made a batch of chocolate pancakes instead of waffles and did them ahead of time as you would crepes, and right before serving time all I had to do was crisp them on a cookie sheet in the oven. They are supposed to be crisper than a pancake just off the griddle anyway. Also the recipe makes at least 24 4″ pancakes which is enough for 12 servings so the extras can be frozen or the recipe can be halved. Instead of ice cream, I whipped heavy cream with a little sugar and vanilla and piped onto the plate. I have included the recipe for the Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce, but you could also use a purchased chocolate sauce. The Strawberries were fresh from Plant City, Florida and required only a little sugar to bring out the juices.

STRAWBERRY CHOCOLATE PANCAKES

For the Pancakes:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1/8 t. salt
1/2 cup sugar
3 1/2 T. unsalted butter
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 t. vanilla
1. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda,salt and sugar into a large bowl.
2.Combine the butter and semisweet chocolate chips in a double boiler. Place over low heat until melted. Cool for a few minutes and then add beaten eggs, milk and vanilla and whisk to combine.
3. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and combine until all of the dry ingredients have been incorporated.
4. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over moderate heat, add a small amount of oil. When pan is hot drop pancakes in by scant 1/4 cups each and cook until bubbles form. Turn gently and cook on other side a few minutes. Do not crowd pan. I cooked 3 at a time. Remove pancakes when they are done to large platter and continue until all batter is used. Add more oil as needed for each batch. When cool you can place in plastic bags and refrigerate until ready to assemble or place the ones you will need on a cookie sheet and crisp in a 350 degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes.

For Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce:
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped into very small pieces
3/4 cup sugar
a few grains of salt
1. In a saucepan, bring the cream to just under a boil
2. Combine the chopped chocolate, sugar and salt in a stainless bowl. While whisking, very gradually pour the hot cream over the chocolate. By the time you whisk in all the cream, the chocolate should be melted and the sugar dissolved. If necessary, you can put the bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk until the sauce is smooth.

Whip heavy cream with a little sugar and vanilla until stiff. Put in pastry bag.

Wash and halve strawberries. Sprinkle with sugar and allow to sit until juices form

For Assembly:
Place a few strawberries and chocolate sauce on plate. Top with one pancake. Add more strawberries and piped whipped cream. Place second pancake on top. Add more strawberries and whipped cream and drizzle plate with chocolate sauce.

This one is for Rachel – All of her favorite foods. Wish she were here to eat it.