Ingredient: pepper

Baked Leek & Meatball Casserole

The unique flavor profile of leeks adds depth and complexity to a wide range of dishes, making them a versatile and valuable ingredient in the culinary world. Whether sautéed, braised, or added to soups and stews, leeks have the power to elevate the taste experience and bring a touch of elegance to even the simplest meal.

Leeks have very similar properties to garlic and onion. The green parts have a lovely, green onion and slightly garlicky flavor and can be used cooked or raw. Otherwise, the whole leek – white, pale and dark green parts – can be used, although some people prefer to discard the dark green leaves. Leeks can be braised, fried, roasted, boiled, sautéed, or sliced thinly and eaten raw in salads. Leeks are often thought of as French food but there are many cuisines and dishes that use this vegetable, and of course, it can be used instead of onions.

From the moment the aroma of leeks fills the kitchen, to the visual appeal they bring to a dish, and the delightful transformation of their texture when cooked, leeks truly tantalize the senses.

This leek and meatball casserole is simple to make but huge on flavor thanks to this wonderful vegetable.

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 Baked Leek & Meatball Casserole
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword baked leek & meatball casserole
Servings
Ingredients
Meatballs
Béchamel Sauce
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword baked leek & meatball casserole
Servings
Ingredients
Meatballs
Béchamel Sauce
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Meatballs
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a foil lined baking sheet. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine ground meat, shallots, egg, coriander, cumin, ginger, potatoes, salt & pepper. Do not overmix. Form into 15 meatballs & place on prepared baking sheet. Bake while preparing sauce for about 10-14 minutes or just until almost done. Do not overcook since they will be baking again in the sauce with the leeks.
Leeks
  1. Clean the leeks by first taking off the first layers that usually have sand in them. Wash thoroughly & set upright to drain. With the center of the leek, it is rolled tightly so no sand is able to get in, you can slice this portion into the 3/4-inch pieces. With the outer leeks, slice them thinly. I always use the entire leek (both green & white parts).
Béchamel Sauce
  1. In a saucepan, melt the butter then whisk in the flour & cook for a couple of minutes. Whisk in the vegetable stock a little at a time then add the cream. Bring the sauce to a boil & season with salt & pepper. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Pour half of the sauce in an 11 x 7 baking dish & top with THINLY SLICED leeks. Place meatballs over this layer, placing 3/4-inch PIECES of leek in between meatballs. Cover with remaining béchamel sauce. Cover with foil & bake in 350 F. oven for about 25 minutes.
  3. Cook bacon until done but not too crisp. Blot on paper towel & coarsely chop.
  4. When casserole comes out of the oven, sprinkle with bacon & serve.

Crispy Roast Chicken Meatballs

You can never have too many rotisserie chicken meals in your dinner rotation. A whole roasted chicken is a wonderful thing: juicy meat, crispy skin. But the real joy is in those lovely leftovers! Try it in a salad or a pasta bake, a hearty stew or a warming chicken soup. If you fancy taking things up a notch, you can use leftover roast chicken to make meatballs, dim sum, or lasagna.

Rotisserie chickens are juicy, tender, inexpensive, and incredibly flavorful. It is the perfect shortcut to getting dinner on the table in a hurry.

That’s the wonderful thing about chicken, it’s great as a leftover, and if not seasoned too specifically, can be repurposed for multiple different recipes.

Even store-bought leftover rotisserie chicken can make a great second meal if you get creative. Using up your leftovers is also a great way to cut down on food waste. Using leftover chicken reduces the cooking time of many recipes, which is another great thing to free up time.

Crispy roast chicken meatballs are so good served with pasta and sauce.

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 Crispy Roast Chicken Meatballs
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Cuisine American
Keyword crispy roast chicken meatballs
Servings
MEATBALLS
Ingredients
Meatballs
Breading & Frying
Cuisine American
Keyword crispy roast chicken meatballs
Servings
MEATBALLS
Ingredients
Meatballs
Breading & Frying
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. Shred & slightly chop roast chicken. Finely chop leeks & sauté in a Tbsp of olive oil. In a large bowl, place chicken, leeks, eggs, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper. Combine mixture well.
  2. Cut gouda cheese into 1/2-inch cubes. Divide the meat mixture into 12-13 portions. Take a portion of the meat mixture & flatten it in the palm of your hand to form a shell. Divide gouda between meatball portions. Place a portion of gouda in the center of each & seal the mixture around it to form a meatball. Place meatballs on a parchment lined baking tray.
  3. Beat egg for the breading in a small bowl. Pour the breadcrumbs in another. Heat oil in a skillet. Once the oil is hot, dip each meatball first in egg & then in the breadcrumbs. Fry the meatballs until golden brown, keeping in mind that there is egg in the filling that needs to be cooked.
  4. Transfer meatballs to a plate lined with paper towel. Nice to serve with egg noodles & pasta sauce.

Pulled Pork w/ Swiss Mac & Cheese

The exact origin of the classic ‘macaroni and cheese’ is unknown, though it likely hails from northern Europe. Although there were French dishes with pasta and cheese as early as the 14th century, it was an English writer and businesswoman called Elizabeth Raffald who first wrote the recipe for what we would recognize as macaroni and cheese in 1769. Elizabeth’s recipe was for macaroni, cooked in a béchamel sauce with cheddar cheese added and sprinkled with parmesan.

Many countries have a profound love and deep historical connection to a version of this dish including the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and of course Italy where pasta was first popularized in Europe. It is also possible that some of its origins may trace back to the Alps of Switzerland.

In Swiss-German, mac and cheese is called Älplermagronen, which roughly translates as alpine macaroni. It is the Swiss version of the American macaroni and cheese, but heartier and with bolder flavors.

Alpine macaroni is essentially Swiss mac and cheese with potatoes. Macaroni and cubed potatoes collectively drown in a decadent cheese sauce! This classic is topped with caramelized onions and crispy bacon pieces, served with a side of applesauce. The recipe was invented back in the 1930s and is comprised of ingredients easily available to herdsman keeping an eye on their cows grazing in the Alps.

This humble pasta w/ cheese dish has become an ultimate comfort food in a plethora of cultures and countries around the world. There have been many inventive twists put on this classic. The 1953 edition of the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook, calls for a sauce made from Velveeta, onion and cream of mushroom soup. Other variations sub in Brie, figs, rosemary and mushrooms for the traditional cheddar-based sauce.

In our meal today, I’m putting my own twist on this version of Swiss Älplermagronen by omitting the potatoes and bacon and adding some pulled pork. Instead of serving the applesauce on the side, I’m adding it to the cheese sauce. Applesauce might sound like a weird addition, but it works. Just like cheddar melted over a piece of apple pie is an unexpectedly delicious treat.

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 Pulled Pork w/ Swiss Mac & Cheese
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Cuisine European
Servings
Ingredients
Cuisine European
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil & cook macaroni (or orecchiette pasta) according to package directions. When cooked to al dente stage, drain well, RESERVING pasta water. Drizzle pasta with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Shake it around a bit in the colander to keep it from sticking together.
  2. In same pot used to cook pasta, melt butter & sauté onion until tender crisp then whisk in flour. Cook mixture for 2 minutes, whisking all the while then whisk in milk & applesauce. Cook for 2 more minutes continuing to whisk while the mixture is thickening.
  3. Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly butter a 9 x 9-inch baking dish, set aside.
  4. Remove from heat & stir in salt, pepper, sage, Gruyere, cheddar & pulled pork. Combine then add cooked pasta & stir until pasta is evenly covered with sauce. If mixture is too thick, adjust consistency with some reserved pasta water.
  5. Place in a baking dish & bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until pasta begins to turn slightly golden brown.

Roast Turkey Breast w/ Barley & Pomegranate Stuffing

SEASON’S GREETINGS!

Today, December 25th, our family celebrates my sister Rita’s birthday. She will forever be the special Christmas gift our family was so privileged to receive on that Christmas day. This time of the year makes us reflect on many different things. This moment, this day, this season will never come again. Treasure it and treasure those you love who make it memorable. I like to keep in mind that the best reflection of Christmas takes place in the mirror of our own hearts.

I think it would be safe to say that turkey still rules the day as the most traditional centerpiece for the Canadian Christmas dinner. Canada is a country with a very diverse background, so we enjoy a mix of cuisines and traditions from all over the world. Although that festive foul remains the center focus, other dishes on the table are undoubtedly reflecting how Canadian tastes are changing.

Because people are travelling more, our knowledge of food has expanded dramatically. It’s all about flavor now, which has led us to more exotic spices and ingredients. We have become much more sophisticated in our approach to preparing food.

Pomegranates are considered a symbol of Christmas in Greece. The fruit is frequently depicted in seasonal contexts, be it on Christmas cards or posters, or replicated in three-dimensional form made of pottery, silver, brass, glass, even gold as a tabletop ornament, a bauble or tree ornament, or as a precious and pretty attachment to classy gift wrappings.

In ancient Greece, it seems to have mainly symbolized fertility, but in the modern Greek tradition that meaning has shifted a little, the pomegranate now being a symbol primarily of prosperity and good fortune. Habitually, a single fruit is hung up above the door of the house on Christmas Day. When the clock strikes twelve on New Year’s Eve, all the lights go out and the whole family goes out on the doorstep of the house. Then the one that is chosen to enter the door of the house first -usually father of the house- breaks the pomegranate and the wonderful red fruits pop up on the door. He always breaks it with his right hand and enters with his right foot as this is believed it will bring luck in the new year. The juicy pieces of pomegranate that look like rubies fill the house with health and happiness (as well as the pomegranate seeds).

Christmas comes and goes each year during which the ‘Christmas Spirit’ is alive and well. Wouldn’t it be nice if that same spirit was applied to our daily lives all year long.

BIRTHDAY WISHES WITH LOVE TO YOU RITA. HOPE YOU & RICK HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!

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 Roast Turkey Breast w/ Barley & Pomegranate Stuffing
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Course Main Dish
Keyword turkey breast w/ barley & pomegranate seed stuffing
Servings
Ingredients
Stuffing
Turkey
Herb Butter
Course Main Dish
Keyword turkey breast w/ barley & pomegranate seed stuffing
Servings
Ingredients
Stuffing
Turkey
Herb Butter
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Stuffing
  1. Cook barley & set aside. In a saucepan, sauté onion, celery, garlic, mushrooms & seasonings in margarine. Stir in the prosciutto, cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
  2. Transfer mixture to a large bowl & cool for about 15 minutes. Combine with dry bread cubes, cooked barley, & broth, adding only enough broth to make proper stuffing consistency. Stir in pomegranate seeds & set aside.
Turkey
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Lay turkey breast on a clean work surface so that it lies open & flat. Cover with plastic wrap, then pound lightly with a meat mallet to flatten into an even thickness all over. Discard plastic wrap.
  3. On one half of the turkey breast spread a thick layer of the stuffing. Fold the adjoining half of the turkey breast overall. Fasten with metal skewers if you wish to help to keep stuffing enclosed.
  4. Place a wire rack in a roasting pan & lay stuffed turkey roast on it. Brush herb butter over turkey breast. Roast uncovered, until turkey reaches an internal temperature of 180 F. about 2 hours. Cover loosely with foil if the top browns too quickly.
  5. Place any extra stuffing in a buttered casserole & bake for about 30 minutes, until the top is lightly toasted.
  6. Remove turkey breast from oven, tent with foil & allow to rest for about 5-10 minutes. Make sure to remove all toothpicks and/or skewers before slicing to serve.

Canadian Salmon Pie

Salmon pie is a variation on a classic Canadian Christmas meat pie from Quebec called a ‘tourtiere’. Fundamentally, tourtiere is a pie that contains meat and spices baked in a flaky crust. The meat is generally diced or ground, including any or all of pork, veal, beef or wild game. No matter what the meats used, or the presence or absence of potato, bold seasoning is the rule for all varieties. The four original spices used in the classic tourtiere are cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg. Like so many of these recipes that have been ‘handed down’ over generations, each family alters it to suit their taste. 

The salmon pie version takes the same meat pie concept, but uses flaked, cooked salmon that is seasoned and mixed with mashed potatoes.

I thought it would be nice to have some salmon pie before we get into all that Christmas turkey. The lemon dill sauce is such a nice condiment to go with it.

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 Canadian Salmon Pie
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Cuisine American
Keyword Canadian salmon pie
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Salmon Filling
Lemon Dill Béchamel Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword Canadian salmon pie
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Salmon Filling
Lemon Dill Béchamel Sauce
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Pastry
  1. In a large bowl, combine flour & salt. Cut in butter until mixture is an even crumbly texture. Add cold water a Tbsp at a time & mix until dough comes together. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap & chill in the refrigerator. While pastry is chilling prepare filling.
Salmon Filling
  1. Wash & peel potatoes. Cut into chunks & boil in a medium size pot of water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain, mash & set aside.
  2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions & sauté until they are softened, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, thyme & Old Bay seasoning to skillet.
  3. Season the salmon fillet with salt & pepper & place it into the skillet skin side down. Spoon liquid & onions over salmon, cover the skillet & cook until the salmon is opaque, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat & let salmon cool slightly.
  4. Remove the skin & break salmon into pieces. Add the salmon, onions & poaching liquid to the mashed potatoes & mix to combine. Taste & adjust salt & pepper if needed. While the salmon pie is baking, make the dill béchamel sauce.
Lemon Dill Béchamel Sauce
  1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour & whisk until smooth. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. When sauce begins to thicken, add the lemon juice, dill and salt & pepper to taste. Simmer for 2 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Serving
  1. Remove pie from oven & let it cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Cut pie into wedges & drizzle with lemon dill sauce. Serve warm.

Seafood Meatballs w/ Orzo

Meatballs have become a beloved culinary delight in various cuisines around the world. The concept of combining ground meat with other ingredients to form compact balls can be traced back to ancient civilizations.

While commonly associated with Italian cuisine, the origin of meatballs is a tale that stretches across time and cultures.

Sweden has made its mark on the global meatball scene with its distinctive version, known as köttbullar. Swedish meatballs gained international recognition, thanks in part to the association with the popular furniture retailer, IKEA.

The Middle East boasts its own variation of meatballs, known as kofta. Kofta has a long history in the region and can be found in various Middle Eastern and Mediterranean countries, including Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, and others.

Meatballs have traveled the world, adapting and evolving to suit different tastes and ingredients.

Asian cuisines have their own variations of meatballs. In Thailand, fish balls are popular street food made from a paste of minced fish, mixed with herbs, spices, and sometimes starch to achieve a firm texture. They are usually served in soups, stir-fries, or on skewers with dipping sauces.

As immigrants from various countries arrived in North America, they brought with them their culinary traditions, including their beloved meatball recipes.

In recent years, the popularity of global cuisine has further fueled the creativity and innovation around meatballs in North America. Food trucks and trendy restaurants offer inventive variations, such as fusion meatballs with a blend of different cultural flavors or vegetarian and vegan alternatives made with plant-based ingredients like lentils, mushrooms, or chickpeas.

Today, meatballs in North America can be found in a variety of forms and flavors, reflecting the country’s multicultural heritage.

Whether enjoyed in a tomato-based sauce with pasta, in a creamy gravy with lingonberry sauce, or alongside aromatic rice and fragrant spices, meatballs continue to satisfy appetites. The enduring popularity of meatballs is a testament to their versatility and the universal appeal of a simple, comforting dish.

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 Seafood Meatballs w/ Orzo
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Cuisine Asia
Keyword seafood meatballs w/ orzo
Servings
MEATBALLS
Ingredients
Orzo Pasta
Sauce
Seafood Meatballs
Cuisine Asia
Keyword seafood meatballs w/ orzo
Servings
MEATBALLS
Ingredients
Orzo Pasta
Sauce
Seafood Meatballs
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Orzo
  1. Bring 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth to a boil & cook orzo until tender. Drain excess vegetable broth from orzo & reserve. Set orzo & reserved water aside.
Sauce
  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter & add the garlic. Cook 3-4 minutes while stirring. Whish in remaining sauce ingredients. Simmer 4-5 minutes, stirring until sauce slightly thickens. Remove from heat.
Seafood Meatballs
  1. In a small bowl, mix the eggs & lemon juice. Place all meatball ingredients (except the olive oil) in the bowl of a food processor & pulse until combined.
  2. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Scope seafood mixture (makes 20 balls) into saucepan. Using a large spoon, continuously turn the meatballs until all sides obtain a golden brown color. Place meatballs on a plate lined with paper towel.
Serving
  1. On a large platter, place orzo & top with seafood meatballs. Drizzle sauce over all. Place in the microwave for a couple of minutes just to ensure everything is hot for serving.

Pork & Apple Bedfordshire Clanger w/ Cheddar-Sage Pastry

The Bedfordshire Clanger is a very unique and little-known meat pie recipe from England, specifically (not surprisingly) from the county of Bedfordshire, a small, low-lying and predominantly agricultural county nestled in the east of England.

In centuries past many of the working husbands of the area used to toil in the fields there. Their wives, knowing their husbands would need lots of protein and carbohydrate sustenance, came up with the brilliant idea of a doubled, loaf-shaped pie. One end contained a savory filling that used the famed pork of the area while the other end was filled with stewed apples (made from the famed local apples) as dessert. So, the two fillings didn’t combine, there was a ‘pastry wall’ in between blocking any flavors from mixing. A ‘secret code’ denoted which end was meat and which was dessert: two knife slits on one end of the pastry top means meat, three small holes on the other shows the sweet. This was brilliant, an entire meal for the hard-working man – handheld, portable and delicious

I guess you could say, the Bedfordshire clanger is not only a tasty treat but also a piece of culinary history that has stood the test of time!

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 Pork & Apple Bedfordshire Clanger w/ Cheddar-Sage Pastry
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Course Lunch
Cuisine European
Keyword pork & apple Bedfordshire clanger w/ cheddar-sage crust
Servings
CLANGERS
Ingredients
Cheddar-Sage Pastry
Pork Filling
Apple Filling
Course Lunch
Cuisine European
Keyword pork & apple Bedfordshire clanger w/ cheddar-sage crust
Servings
CLANGERS
Ingredients
Cheddar-Sage Pastry
Pork Filling
Apple Filling
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Pastry
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sage & salt. Sprinkle the butter cubes over the flour mixture & use your fingers to work them in. Alternately you could use a pastry cutter to do this.
  2. When the mixture resembles cornmeal with pea-sized bits of butter remaining, stir in cheese with a fork until evenly distributed. Sprinkle 6 Tbsp ice water over mixture & stir with a fork until dough begins to come together. If needed, add an additional Tbsp or two of ice water.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface & knead for about three times. Gather the dough into a disk & wrap in plastic wrap. refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Pork Filling
  1. Bake potato in microwave, peel & cut into small cubes. Set aside.
  2. Heat oil in a skillet & sauté celery, onion, garlic & bacon together on medium heat until veggies are soft & bacon is cooked. Add ground pork, breaking it up well. Stir in dried herbs & spices. Cover & simmer for about 10 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat & stir in cooked potato & cheese. Set aside to cool.
Apple Filling
  1. In a small saucepan, combine butter, water, cinnamon & brown sugar. Bring to a simmer then add diced apples, raisins, lemon zest & juice. Gently simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat & allow to cool.
Assembly/Baking
  1. Divide pastry into 5 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface (or dry wax paper) roll out each piece of pastry into 7 x 7 1/2-inches. The excess trimmed from the sides will be used for little pastry ‘walls’ dividing the sweet & savory fillings. Roll the excess into a 3-inch length.
  2. From the top of each piece, LIGHTLY make a line across your pastry 4-inches from outside edge. This will help to place your fillings properly.
  3. On the 3-inch wide section of the pastry, place savory filling to cover 2/3 of the area. Place one of the rolled strips after that then place sweet filling on the remaining 1/3 to complete the 'clanger'. The little rolled piece of pastry divides the savory & sweet filling.
  4. On the sweet side make 3 holes for vents & on the savory side make 2 slashes. This is the 'code' to let the person eating the clanger which was savory or sweet.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  6. Brush the edges of each pastry with egg wash. Lift the pastry from the opposite side over the fillings & seal the edges with a fork.
  7. Brush clangers with remaining egg wash & bake for about 30-35 minutes or until golden.

Tomato Zucchini Strata

CELEBRATING LABOR DAY!

It’s hard to believe Labor Day weekend is here already! In our part of the world, it signals the last of those coveted summer days. Celebrated in Canada as a national statuary holiday weekend. Labor Day weekend gives us an opportunity to enjoy family & friends before summer is officially over.

Part of Canada’s appeal is its four seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer & Fall. We are entering the season of the fall harvest and the leaves on the trees begin their transformation to stunning shades of orange, red and yellow.

When I was giving thought to food for this day, a nice seasonal vegetable strata came to mind. For most families there’s ‘places to be and things to see’ on this day so why not start it with a breakfast dish that can be prepared the day before and baked in the morning.

Unlike quiche and frittata, strata originated in North America. The first known recipe, the cheese strata, dates back to 1902 and contains bread, white sauce and cheese.

A strata is usually a savory egg-bread casserole that’s baked in the oven or microwaved. Strata’s can be made with a variety of fillings including meats, cheese, vegetables or fruits. Usually, the bread and fillings are layered in a casserole dish with the egg mixture poured over top.  The dish can be prepared the night before (or at least 2 hours before cooking) to allow time for the bread to soak up some of the egg mixture. What you’re left with is a fluffy, bread-pudding-like meal that’s completely customizable using your favorite ingredients.

Hopefully this strata will be a good choice for your family on this holiday.

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 Tomato Zucchini Strata
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Course Brunch
Cuisine American
Keyword tomato zucchini strata
Servings
Ingredients
Course Brunch
Cuisine American
Keyword tomato zucchini strata
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. In an extra-large skillet, melt butter over low heat. Add tomatoes & zucchini. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until tomatoes begin to lose their firm round shape; remove from heat.
  2. Place half of the bread cubes in a greased 2-quart baking dish. Top with half of the zucchini mixture & half of the cheese. Repeat layers with remaining bread cubes, zucchini mixture & cheese.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, parsley, basil, chives, garlic salt & pepper. Carefully pour egg mixture evenly over bread mixture in dish. Using the back of a spoon, gently press down on layers. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 325 F.
  5. Remove casserole from fridge. Bake for 60 minutes or until puffed, golden & set. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Savory Heirloom Tomato Tart

There’s something real special about using heirloom tomatoes as opposed to hybrid varieties. Heirloom tomatoes are ‘breed true’, meaning that the seeds can be saved to grow more of the same tomatoes year after year.  Generally, they are more expensive because they are not as prolific as hybrids, and they do not ship or store well.

The seeds from heirloom tomatoes (also called heritage tomatoes) have been selected over many years for desirable traits, such as size, color, and taste.  They are open-pollinated, meaning that bees, moths, birds, bats, wind, or rain pollinate the tomato flowers.

These days, many hybrid tomatoes are bred for traits such as high yield, disease resistance, and the ability to ship and store well.  This decreases costs for farmers and consumers and minimizes waste due to spoiled produce.

However, this cost savings and efficiency comes at the expense of flavor.  When you cross two tomato plants to make the offspring disease resistant or highly productive, you may also lose other traits, such as rich flavor.

This is exactly what has happened to many hybrid tomato varieties: they have lost some of the sugar and nutrient content that makes heirloom tomatoes taste sweeter and juicier. These little gems add such a special touch to this savory summer tart.

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 Savory Heirloom Tomato Tart
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Course Main Dish
Keyword savory heirloom tomato tart
Servings
Ingredients
Filling
Parmesan Buttermilk Pastry
Course Main Dish
Keyword savory heirloom tomato tart
Servings
Ingredients
Filling
Parmesan Buttermilk Pastry
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Rating: 5
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Instructions
Filling
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut tomatoes into ½-inch-thick slices. Place about 7 or 8 slices (enough to cover top of pie) on a baking sheet lined with paper towels, and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Cover with additional paper towels, and reserve.
  2. Arrange remaining tomatoes in a single layer on a lightly greased wire rack set on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of the salt. Bake in preheated oven until wilted and slightly dried out, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
  3. Make Parmesan-Buttermilk Pie Crust. Instructions below.
  4. While pie crust cools, cook bacon in a skillet over medium-high until fat is beginning to render, 4 to 5 minutes. Add chopped shallots, and cook until bacon is crisp and shallots are caramelized, 6 to 7 more minutes. Stir in garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon mixture to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Cool 20 minutes.
  5. Stir together cheese, ranch dressing, basil paste, chives, Dijon, and egg until combined. Sprinkle with pepper and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt & spices. Fold in bacon mixture.
  6. Gently spread a third of cheese mixture onto cooled Parmesan-Buttermilk Crust; layer with half of the roasted tomato slices in slightly overlapping pattern. Spread another third of cheese mixture on top of tomato slices. Repeat with remaining roasted tomato slices and cheese mixture. Top with reserved sliced fresh tomatoes, pressing filling gently into crust. Shield edges of pie with aluminum foil.
  7. Bake in preheated oven until filling is set, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let stand 1 hour before serving. Garnish with chopped green onion or chives.
Pastry
  1. Pulse flour, cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in food processor until combined. Add butter and shortening. Pulse until butter and shortening are pea size pieces, about 5 times. Drizzle in buttermilk processing until dough begins to just come together. Gather and lightly knead dough into a ball on a large piece of plastic wrap; flatten into disk and wrap tightly. Chill at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
  2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll dough on a floured surface into a 15- to 16-inch circle about 1/3 inch thick. Transfer to a 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Trim edges leaving a 1-inch overhang. Fold edges under and crimp. Freeze dough at least 20 minutes.
  3. Line piecrust with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake at 400°F 20 minutes. Remove parchment and weights and bake until edges are golden and bottom of crust is set, about 8 more minutes. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Recipe Notes
  • Whether using store-bought or homemade dough, don't forget to blind-bake the crust (bake it a bit on its own) before adding the filling. This extra step will keep the crust from turning soggy as the pie bakes.
  • Another good pastry alternative would be one with cornmeal in it.

Shrimp Taco Salad

When you think of Mexican food you probably think of the standard burritos, nachos and quesadillas. While those dishes are definitely tasty why not do the summer ‘thing’ and incorporate these ingredients in a salad.

The idea of a full meal salad has always appealed to me. Of course, there are many of these using a variety of ingredients. Probably one of the most popular was the taco salad. The earliest record of it dates back to the 1960’s with its predecessor being the small teacup sized ‘Tacup’. It consisted of beef, beans, sour cream and cheese, served in a small ‘bowl’ made entirely of a Fritos tortilla.

The taco in a Tacup was invented by Charles Elmer Doolin, the founder of Fritos (tortilla chips). He created a device that looked like tongs but with two tart molds at the end of each tong. One mold would fit within the other mold with a tortilla sandwiched between them. The scalloped-edged shell was dipped into hot oil. Holes in the bottom mold exposed the tortilla to the hot oil, enabling it to cook evenly.

Tacups were first served in Dallas, Texas in the early 1950’s and by 1955, he was selling them in Fritos’ flagship restaurant, ‘Casa de Fritos’, at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. It became popular enough that the Tacup was made bigger and served as a full, main-dish sized salad bowl.

Today’s salad is a satisfying meal, a seriously feel-good dinner salad that’s crisp, spicy, and fresh all at once. Tacos de camarones (‘shrimp tacos’) originated in Baja California in Mexico. But these shrimp tacos in salad form gives you that full meal deal. All the very best elements —seasoned shrimp, healthy fresh veggies, in an edible tortilla bowl with a homemade cilantro lime dressing.

Print Recipe
 Shrimp Taco Salad
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword shrimp taco salad
Servings
Ingredients
Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing
Shrimp
Salad Ingredients
Tortilla Bowls
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword shrimp taco salad
Servings
Ingredients
Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing
Shrimp
Salad Ingredients
Tortilla Bowls
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Cilantro Dressing
  1. In a food processor, place the cilantro, garlic, avocado, lime juice, honey, coriander & salt. Pulse to combine. With the machine is running, pour in the olive oil & process until smooth.
Shrimp
  1. In a medium bowl, add all marinade ingredients (except shrimp) & blend well. Add shrimp tossing well to coat. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes. In a saucepan, melt a Tbsp butter then sauté shrimp over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or just until shrimp is cooked.
Salad Ingredients
  1. In a saucepan, fry bacon until cooked but not too crisp, drain on paper towel & chop. Drain canned or cook fresh corn on the cob & remove kernels from cob. Peel, pit & cube avocado. Sprinkle a bit of lime juice on it to keep it from going brown. Halve grape tomatoes. Slice green onions, chives & dill. Drain sliced black olives. Cube cheese.
Tortilla Bowls
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Brush inside of 2 heat resistant glass bowls with oil. Place one tortilla in each bowl so that the shape more or less adheres to the bowl. Line each tortilla with cheese slices then place a second tortilla on top.
  3. Place the bowls with the layered tortillas in the oven & bake for 7 minutes. Remove the bowls from the oven & allow to cool before removing the 'edible tortilla bowls'.
Assembly
  1. Place tortilla bowls on serving plates. In a large mixing bowl place shrimp & all salad ingredients. Toss gently, then divide between tortilla bowls. Drizzle with cilantro dressing (or dressing of choice) & serve.