Queen Marie: Holding Court

Presenting...Ally's First Lemon Tarte

Drum roll, please...

The Perfect Lemon Tarte, by Ally Iseman

My daughter asked if she could bake for Easter, which was music to my ears, and a lemon tarte was her choice. Lori Longbotham's book, Luscious Lemon Desserts, has a recipe that she named "the perfect lemon tarte" because as she says, "it is." So how could we go wrong? Also, if I remember correctly my friend, Jean, who gave me the book made it and it was delicious. 

Ally really wanted to do this all by herself, which isn't easy for me as I am a bit of a control freak in the kitchen. It's my domain and I feel like I have a personal obligation to direct anyone who steps foot in it. So I admit that Ally had to tell me to butt out a few times, and only once did I absolutely insist on showing her a step, but really and truly this is her magnificent creation. She read the recipe carefully, measured out the ingredients, and turned out the perfect lemon tarte. I even suggested she skip the step of combining the lemon zest and sugar in the food processor because who really feels like washing the bowl, top and blade? Plus, what difference would it make if the lemon zest was in thin small pieces in the tart.  She said, "I don't want lumps in the lemon filling." Ally held her ground and insisted on following the directions which was the right decision. Look at that smooth and gorgeous filling. Perfect!

The Perfect Lemon Tarte adapted from Luscious Lemon Desserts by Lori Longbotham
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 pinches salt
6 large eggs
1 cup fresh lemon juice (Note: Ally used 3/4, which was her call and it was a good one in my opinion. It was plenty lemony enough and I think that extra 1/4 cup would have been too much for our taste)
1/2 cup heavy (whipping cream)
Confectioner's sugar for dusting

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Have ready an 11-inch tarte pan with removable bottom. (I used a ceramic pan w/o a removable bottom and it worked well)

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of the zest, and let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk together the flour, 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Pour in the butter mixture in a fine stream, stirring with a fork, and continue stirring until the dough begins to come together when a small bit is pressed between your fingertips. Spread the dough evenly up the side and into the bottom. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the crust is light golden brown. Let it cool on a wire rack while making the filing.

Process the remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar and the remaining 1 tablespoon of zest in a food processor until the zest in finely ground.

Whisk together the eggs, the sugar and zest mixture, the lemon juice, and another pinch of salt in a medium bowl until smooth.

Beat the cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a medium bowl just until it forms soft peaks. Whisk the cream into the egg mixture just until blended.

Place a baking sheet in the oven, place the tarte pan on the baking sheet, and pour the filling into the still warm crust. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the filling is just set in the center. Let the pie cool on a wire wrack.

Just before serving, generously sift confectioners' sugar over the tart. Cut into wedges and serve.
Note: After pre-baking the crust, look for any cracks that the filling could seep through. Make a paste with about 1 teaspoon of flour and 1/2 teaspoon water, and smear it over the cracks with your fingers to seal them. This recipe uses approximately 4 lemons.

So we packed up this beauty and brought it to my sister's for Easter dinner. Everyone was impressed with the presentation, and even more so when they had their first bite. It was a tender crust filled with the perfect lemon filling.  Just the right amount of lemon to give it a pleasant, yet not an overly tart finish. I think Ally made a good call omitting 1/4 cup of the lemon juice, and I love that she questioned the recipe when she intuitively sensed that it might be too much for our taste. That's a great quality to have when learning to cook.

Bravo, Ally! xo

 Ally and her Dad on Easter Sunday

Happy Easter

Maria's Grilled Leg of Lamb for Easter

Maria took care of my daughter when she was a baby, and she taught me a few things about Greek olive oil and lamb. She comes from Kalamata and still has family back in Greece who tend and harvest the family olive trees. When she visits she ships back large tins of this amazing olive oil,  and I've been the lucky recipient of a few of them over the years. Before Maria came into our lives I thought the Italians produced the world's best oil, but after tasting her family stash I handed the crown over to the Greeks. She explained that a lot of olive oil has a slightly harsh aftertaste which leaves a bit of a burn in your throat after you swallow it. Not hers, it was like pure velvet going down and not a trace of bitterness. Definitely the most delicious that I've ever tasted. When Easter came along she showed me how she cut and marinated a leg of lamb in the Greek tradition, and the olive oil was a key ingredient.

Maria's Grilled Easter Lamb

One Leg of Lamb

4-6 Lemons

2 Stalks Fresh Rosemary

6-8 Cloves of Garlic (sliced)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Cut the meat off the bone by slicing into the bone, then carefully cutting if off in big pieces. Trim away any large pieces of fat, but not all of it as it adds flavor.

Then cut each half into smaller pieces by following the natural separation in the meat. Now take those pieces and cut into strips that are about 4-5 inches long by 1 1/2 inches wide.

Place the lamb in a large pan to marinate. Coat with extra virgin olive oil, preferably Greek. I use Ariston which I purchase locally at Pain D'Avignon Bakery in Hyannis. Add the sliced garlic, rosemary (which has been stripped off the stalk), juice from the lemons and salt and pepper. Mix well.  Leave it to sit on the counter (the lemon acts as a preservative, so no need to worry about spoilage) and turn occasionally. Let it marinate for at least 4 hours. Grill over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes for medium rare, or a bit longer if you prefer.

Allow the cooked lamb to rest for a few minutes before serving. Accompanied with  roasted vegetables and a nice green salad, it's a perfect springtime meal. Enjoy!

Haddock Cooked in Cast Iron

Lately I've been cooking fish in my cast iron pan and just loving the result. You can start a dish on the stove then finish it in the oven, or under the broiler. Cast iron has been a tried and true vessel for cooking fish for years. It works beautifully for pan frying, too, which is how a lot of Cape Codders like to prepare it.

For tonight's haddock I sauteed thinly sliced Vidalia onions in olive oil for 5-6 minutes over high heat. Just when they start to brown add 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp tamari sauce and 1 tbsp mirin. Allow to cook for another few minutes. Turn off the heat and lay your haddock filets over the onion, then sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley, 8-10 sliced cherry tomatoes and a generous sprinkle of Victoria Taylor's Toasted Sesame Ginger Seasoning. Squeeze the juice of one small lemon over the fish. When you're ready to serve, place the pan under the broiler for 5 minutes.

Roasted Red Bliss Potatoes

Boil one small bag (about 2 lbs) of red potatoes in salted water until they are just tender when you insert a fork. Drain the water, then cover the pan and shake them vigorously for a few minutes. (This is a technique used in Britain when roasting peeled potatoes, but also works with these. It creates a crusty exterior, with a smooth creamy interior) Place a tbsp of olive oil in a cast iron pan, and heat in a 400 degree oven until the oil is hot. Add the potatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and mix so the potatoes are coated with oil. Bake in the oven until browned (about 25 minutes). Turn on the broiler and brown them a little bit more. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh parsley and more salt and pepper, if needed. I used Himalayan salt which is one of my favorites.The parsley will also crisp up a bit from the heat of the pan, which gives it a nice nutty flavor.

Steamed Asparagus

Trim asparagus. Steam in a saute pan, in a 1/2 inch of water, for about 5 minutes. Place the cooked asparagus on a platter. Reserve a few tablespoons of the water, then add a tablespoon each of butter and olive oil. Heat for about 3 minutes. Pour over the asparagus and sprinkle with your favorite grated cheese.

I toasted a few slices of Ciabatta bread from Pain D'Avignon bakery which we used to mop up the wonderful juices from the fish pan. Such a simple and satisfying meal.

Highfield Hall: Cooking in Twos, Part III

Making Your Own Chinese Take-Out, was the title of our last class in the Cooking for Twos series up at Highfield Hall.  Preparing Chinese food, using fresh ingredients, is not as difficult as you might think and it tastes pretty good, too. It's a great menu for getting everyone involved, so grab your knife and let the slicing and dicing begin...

View our previous classes here:

Week 1: English Pub Favorites

Week 2: Italian Favorites

The Menu:

Oven Roasted Oyster Sauce Chicken Wings

Crab Rangoon
Ginger and Sweet Potato Black Rice

Scallion Pancakes with Dipping Sauce

Five Spice Roast Duck

Chicken and Asparagus with Black Bean Sauce

Shrimp with Snap Peas and Tomato Soy Sauce

Beef and Broccoli

Cooking Chinese food, as Gail explained, requires a considerable amount of prep work followed by quick, high temperature cooking. This makes for a lot of activity in the kitchen in a short span of time, so the pre-planning was essential to turning out a successful meal. Gail had it all worked out, even down to who used the stove and when.

I did a quick demonstration of the chicken wings which we had marinated overnight, then baked off in a hot oven for about 20 minutes. The soy and oyster sauce marinade glazed up nicely. An easy preparation and always a hit.

Gail prepared a roast duck in advance, and then showed the class this easy preparation that was cooked over a can. The marinade of soy sauce, ginger, five spice powder, and a little bit of sugar was rubbed on the duck and under the skin. It added great flavor and it turned out a crispy and tender browned bird.

We had our largest group yet of 11 participants who enthusiastically manned the stations to prepare their assigned dish. Our Crab Rangoon team prepared the crab and cheese filling and stuffed the wontons. They baked them with a brush of oil, instead of deep frying, which made for a lighter and more healthy variation of this traditional favorite.

We prepared plain white rice using Gail's never fail recipe along with an interesting dish using Chinese black rice. Sweet potatoes, ginger and scallions were cooked in a wok until tender, then combined with the cooked black rice. Garnished with a drizzle of sesame oil and chopped scallions.

Using a thin sliced sirloin and broccolini, we prepared beef with broccoli in a brown sauce. This was a perfect paring with the black rice. Just these two dishes would make for a wonderful meal.

Our next stir fry was chicken, asparagus, and fermented black beans. The beans add an authentic Chinese flavor. They are also used in popular dishes such as shrimp with lobster sauce. Getting hungry yet?

Now on to the shrimp stir fry. Prepared with a tomato flavored soy sauce, the shrimp and snap peas are cooked for just a few minutes over high heat. This slightly thickened sauce, with a hint of garlic, was a nice complement to the meat dishes.

I did one final demonstration of the scallion pancakes. These are quite simple to make, and served with a soy and lemon dipping sauce they make a great appetizer.

As we gathered together to enjoy our "take-out" it was clear to me that "cooking-in" might just be a better idea. Everything tasted as good as it looked!

The Cooking in Twos series was a great experience, and one we will surely do again. The roster of classes and demonstrations up at Highfield Hall continues to grow, so take a look as I'm sure you'll find something of interest. If you'd like any of the recipes from the series email me at laurie.iseman@gmail.com. I'll be happy to send them along.

Wordless Wednesday: Anticipation