Mexico City
July in Paris
Pompidou.
Picturesque.
View from the Seine.
Joan of Arc.
Monet’s garden.
Best. Salad. Ever.
Monet’s painting room.
View from the Pompidou.
Hockney at the Pompidou.
Necessary selfie.
Monet’s house.
Sunset on the Seine.
Fig Tart with Orange Custard
It’s fig season! Truth be told, I’ve never cooked with figs outside of placing them on top of pizza or tossing them over a bed of arugula with bleu cheese. This recipe, while a little complex, is a real treat (and looks incredible). The figs create a gelatinous glaze over the custard that complements the orange flavoring beautifully!
Fun fact: Each fig is not a single fruit, but nearly fifteen hundred tiny fruits.
Ingredients
For Pastry Cream
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/8 cup cornstarch
- 1 cup whole milk
- grated zest of 1/2 orange
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/16 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
For Pastry Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 stick butter
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
For Fig Topping
- 18 to 20 fresh figs, halved through the stem ends
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Sugar
Method
For the crust…In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through. Add the whole egg and the yolk, and mix to combine. Add the flour and beat until it has been absorbed. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
For the custard…In a medium, heat-proof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 1/8 cup of the sugar, all of the cornstarch, and 1/4 cup of the milk; set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining 3/4 cup milk, the remaining sugar, the vanilla extract, the orange zest, and the salt. Bring to a simmer. Whisking constantly, gradually pour the hot milk into the egg mixture to temper it. Return the mixture to the saucepan and boil for 10 seconds, whisking. The mixture should thicken to a pudding-like consistency. Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and whisk in the butter. Whisk in the vanilla extract. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
Putting it all together…On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough to a 12-inch round, about 1⁄8 inch thick. Fit the dough into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and trim the dough so that it comes slightly above the rim of the tart pan. Press the excess dough against the sharp edge of the rim of the pan with the heel of your hand to cut it level with the pan. For me, the dough was very sticky, so add extra flour to make it easier to handle. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
Spread the pastry cream over the bottom of the pie shell. Arrange the fig halves on top, rounded edges down. Brush the figs with the butter and sugar evenly over the top.
Bake at 425°F for 40 minutes or until figs are soft and caramelized.
Strawberry Basil Lime Margarita
It officially feels like summer here in Boston and what better way to celebrate then with a fruity margarita! Stop by your local farmer’s market and scoop up fresh basil and strawberries. This recipe would work well with blueberries, too.
Ingredients
- Fresh, local strawberries (4 strawberries per serving, cut small)
- Half a lime
- Pinch of sugar
- 5 lemon basil leaves
- 2 shots of silver tequila
- Fever Tree tonic water
Method
Toss the strawberries, lime, sugar, and basil leaves into glass and muddle together until strawberries are considerably crushed. Add mixture to cocktail shaker. Toss in tequila.
Shake until well mixed. Serve on the rocks with a sugar rim.
Ancient Grain Blueberry Banana Bread
Who doesn’t love banana bread! This version I created incorporates Trader Joe’s Super Seed & Ancient Grain Blend (sprouted buckwheat, sprouted millet, chia seed, flax seed, red quinoa, hemp seed, and amaranth) and frozen blueberries. The seed/grain blend is rich in nutrients including dietary fiber and Omega-3 fatty acids. Enjoy the bread solo for breakfast or with a scoop of ice cream on top for dessert!
Ingredients
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 3 ripe bananas
• 1 tablespoon almond milk
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup seed/grain blend
• 1 cup frozen blueberries
Method
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter loaf pan.
Cream the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well.
In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Mix in the milk, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until combined. Add dry ingredients, mixing just until flour disappears. After flour is well mixed, add the seed/grain blend and frozen blueberries.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 1 hour 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Enjoy!
Cherry Chia Pudding
Chia pudding is a terrific and delicious way to soak in the power of chia seeds. This recipe is completely customizable, so get creative and use your favorite fruits to add additional flavor.
Want to know more about chia seeds? Check out this great run down of all the health benefits these tiny seeds offer: 11 Proven Health Benefits of Chia Seeds. Fun fact: “chia” is the ancient Mayan word for “strength.”
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk substitute (I used almond milk)
- 1/4 cup of chia seeds
- Honey, to taste
- 1 cup frozen cherries
- Fruit for toppings
Method
Combine the chia seeds and milk together in a small bowl. Add honey based on your sweetness level. Stir for 3 minutes, until the ingredients start to gel. Place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours (and up to 24 hours).
In a blender, place the frozen cherries and 1/2 cup of water. Blend well.
Stir the cherry mixture into your pudding and top with your favorite fruits.
Slow Cook Pot Roast
Who says that pot roast is only good in the winter? Toss this recipe together before work, set on low for 8 hours, and anxiously await going home! I used carrots and potatoes as the veggies in this recipe, but feel free to use any of your favorite root vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup flour
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 5 pounds chuck roast
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onions, sliced and diced
- 6 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 4 potatoes, chopped
- Herbs and seasonings, as desired (I used basil, parsley, thyme, bay leaf)
Method
Season the flour with salt and pepper and pound the mixture into the roast. Add the chopped carrots and potatoes to slow cooker.
Heat skillet with olive oil and brown the roast on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Place on top of carrots and potatoes in slow cooker.
Add the onions to the skillet with the remaining roast fat and oil. Cook on low for 10 minutes. Add the onion and remaining juices to the slow cooker.
Add a healthy topping of olive oil and herbs to the slow cooker ingredients. Place on low and cook for 8 hours or more.
Falafel with Fresh Herbs
Falafel is incredibly easy to make and is deliciously versatile. Place them on top of mixed greens, inside pita, or eat solo with tzatziki. This recipe asks for fresh cilantro and parsley, but feel free to play around with the herbs you add. Recipe inspired by Food52.
Ingredients
- 2 cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 1 1/2 cans, save the rest for salad toppings)
- 2 cups chopped fresh parsley
- 2 cups chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- Half a lemon, juiced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 cup flour
- Canola oil, for frying
Method
Pulse onion and garlic in a food processer until well minced. Remove and set aside.
Mix chickpeas, herbs, and spices in the food processor until blended and only a little chunky. Add the onion-garlic mixture back in and pulse to combine. The mixture will be VERY sticky so add 1/4 cup of flour and mix until well combined. If it’s still too sticky, add the remaining 1/4 cup of flour and continue to mix.
Heat canola oil in large pan. Roll the dough into small balls and flatten to about 1 inch rounds. Fry each side about 2 minutes each. Let drain over paper towels.
Dairy Free Irish Soda Bread
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Grab a green beer and whip up this super easy Irish Soda Bread recipe. Instead of buttermilk, I made a dairy free mixture that bakes just as well. Check it out below.
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for golden raisins
- 4 tablespoons of sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 4 tablspoons Earth Balance Coconut Spread
- 1 3/4 cup of almond milk
- 5 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 cup golden raisins
Method
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the coconut spread and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.
In separate bowl, add the almond milk and apple cider vinegar. Stir until well combined.
With a fork, lightly beat the almond milk mixture, egg, and orange zest together in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the mixture to the flour mixture. Combine the golden raisins with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. It will be very wet.
Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf. Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan and lightly cut an X into the top of the bread with a serrated knife. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound.
Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
If you’re not concerned about the dairy, top with Kerrygold Butter.
Recipe altered from the one and only Ina Garten’s, which you can find here: Ina Garten’s Irish Soda Bread
jon latessa 