Chocolate & Pear Tart: A Stay-cation Indulgence

I called Aaron at work the other day. I was bored; it was just 3 days before my last day at work and the beginning of our two week staycation. I was hoping he would be willing to take a short break and entertain me - just for a few minutes. 

me: Hi! What's going on... just three more days!!!!

Aaron: Honey, I'm really busy, I can't talk right now. 

*click*

Grrr... not exactly the reaction that I hoped for. I picked up the phone and dialed again. 

Aaron: What? I told you, I am swamped. 

me: I'm making a pear tart this weekend.

Aaron: Whatever, I have to go. 

*click*

 

Usually the threat of decadent, indulgent baked goods gets him to listen, sometimes because he is looking forward to eating them, but usually because he tries to put the kibosh on future fattening concoctions showing up in the kitchen. His brush off meant that I would be making a tart that evening!  

I raced home from the office and started whipping up a crust so that the tart would be well underway by the time that Aaron got home. Mission accomplished! The crust was complete before Aaron arrived, and I was halfway through the filling before he realized what was taking place in our kitchen.

 

 Recipe after the jump!

Farm to Table isn't as cool as Garden to Table!

Since moving to the Hudson River Valley, we have decided to fully embrace the farm-to-table movement, eating local and shopping at the farmers market, and even the actual farm when we can. The mild winter and seed displays at the local nursery have inspired me to try growing my own tiny vegetable supply.

Living where the suburbs meets the country has left me with the illusion that I have a green thumb. I had some success in Hoboken with flowers and herbs, but really only fool-proof stuff like basil and hydrangeas. Despite multiple attempts, I was never able to coax an actual vegetable out of a plant. I keep telling myself that this time will be different. Right.

Our backyard looks like it could be a film set for Bambi in the summer, which does not bode well for my potential harvest. I am not willing to fight the bunnies and groundhogs for my produce, so my mini-farm will be limited to what I can fit in pots on the deck.

I started small, ordering only green zebra tomatoes (why not go big with heirlooms on the first try), sugar-baby watermelon and zinnias from the Landreth Seed Catalog to get started. Apparently I am not the first person out here to feel inspired by the area - the local nursery had an entire display of seed germinating kits for dummies at the front of the store. They do everything but actually plant and water the seeds for you. If this doesn't work, I am truly pathetic.

I can do this! Two weeks later, I have a plethora of zinnia sprouts, but only two anemic looking little tomato plants peeking out of the soil. Watermelon seeds will be planted this evening. Stay tuned for updates on how this experiment progresses. Will this be my first and only foray into starting with seedlings, or will I be so successful that a greenhouse is in order to start the variety of seeds I will want next summer?

Homemade Thai Feast

Los Angeles is the land of sunshine, beautiful people and opportunity. It’s a melting pot of cultures and attitudes. To expect delicious worldly cuisine here goes without saying.

For those of you that are unfamiliar with Los Feliz, it’s a culturally vibrant, creative hotspot adjacent to Hollywood. My one-room studio apartment overlooks the Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood Hills. There is plenty of natural light and a modest kitchen. The all-white kitchen is replete with fridge (a luxury here in the world of Los Angeles rentals), Gas Cooktop, Gas Match-light Oven (affectionately referred to as "vintage"), Sink (also "vintage"), and one power outlet. There is no microwave, nothing is reheated, and all the food is fresh.

What we lack in luxury and fine technology we make up for with creativity and flavor. Even if you find yourself in a tiny space in an expensive city, there is no reason to settle for so-so food and no excuse for not eating fresh, homemade, and in season.

On this particular Thursday night we whipped up one of our favorite take-out specialties. We made drunken noodles with shrimp and steamed shrimp dumplings. Drunken noodles or Pad Kee Mao is a traditionally spicy, Chinese inspired dish that one would find in a Laotian or Thai kitchen. If you find yourself without the means to visit our friends in the East you can pick up a delicious interpretation at Pattaya Bay on Vermont Ave. or try your hand at this simple recipe!


Steamed Shrimp Dumplings

Dumpling Wrappers (found in the refrigerated section of your local grocer)
½ small head of Green Cabbage
½ lb Shrimp
6 cloves Garlic

2 tablespoons chopped Ginger Root
Sesame Oil (a bit pricey but worth it. If you must, cut it 50/50 with a cheaper oil)
Black Pepper
Green Onions
1 Egg

You cannot have too much fresh ginger or garlic in a steamed dumpling, so don’t hold back. We cooked the fresh ginger, garlic, green onion, cabbage and shrimp in a generous amount of sesame oil. After it was done cooking we tried chopping it to get the fine consistency that you normally find in a dumpling, but this proved to be very messy. A whirl in the food processor is a better bet.

The key to successful dumpling folding is raw egg. Crack your egg into a cup or bowl. Every time you reach for a fresh dumpling wrap, use your fingers to coat the inside of it with raw egg; it’s like delicious dumpling glue!

If you don’t have a steamer try this: strainer on top of a soup pot with a lid! Make sure you coat the strainer with a generous amount of oil or cooking spray. Otherwise the dumplings will stick and you will find yourself with yet another delicious mess. Also dumplings will stick together so unless you oil your dumplings avoid letting them touch in the steamer, or risk messy, ugly, albeit delicious dumplings.

Drunken Noodles with Shrimp

Jalapeno Pepper
Serrano Chili Pepper
Thai Chili Pepper
Basically any spicy pepper you can get your hands on
Large Red Bell Pepper
Sweet Onion
Thai Basil (or regular basil)
Shrimp
A ton of Garlic (about 10 cloves for one pack noodles)
Fresh Ginger
Soy Sauce
Fish Sauce (WARNING: Do NOT smell the fish sauce)
Brown Sugar
Wide Flat Rice Noodles
1 Egg

Sauce: For one pack of wide flat rice noodles we use less than ¼ cup fish sauce, 1.5 tablespoons brown sugar and about 1/4 cup of soy sauce.

It's important that you do not boil and strain your wide flat rice noodles. Place the noodles in a large pot or bowl, pour hot water over them and let them soak for about 30-minutes. Stir occasionally so they don’t stick together.

Cook your peppers, onion, garlic, and ginger in a generous amount of oil. Once they are about ¾ of the way cooked, add your brown sugar, basil, soy sauces, and fish sauce. WARNING: fish sauce smells TERRIBLE my cat wouldn’t even eat it. When you smell the fish sauce don’t fret, your food is not ruined. Like strong vinegar, when you reduce the sauce the pungency cooks out and it’s delish.

Once your noodles are soft enough, drain the water and toss them in with the egg and the rest of your ingredients. Serve the searing hot mixture over a bed of lettuce or cabbage.