Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie
adapted from flourishing foodie

Ingredients:
1 pre-made pie crust
3/4 cups sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups (15 oz.) roasted pumpkin
12 fl. oz. evaporated milk
(1 cup. heavy cream, 1 Tbs. vanilla sugar for whipped cream if desired)

Instructions:

If using real pumpkin:
1. Pre-heat oven to 325F (160 C), cut into 1" or 2" cubes, removing skin, and place in baking pan (with 2 inch lip). Cover with foil, and bake for 90 minutes, or until meat is tender.
2. Into blender, take pumpkin chunks out of oven-pan, removing from the liquid that has separated during the baking and blend. Then pour puree into paper-towel lined colander, and press until liquid does not surface to the top.

3. Pre-heat oven to 400 F (205 C).
4. Butter pie/tart pan, and lay dough into the pan, and trim excess. Freeze for 20 minutes.
5. In medium bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, and cloves.
6. In large bowl, beat eggs with whisk. Add pumpkin puree and sugar mixture and whisk.
7. Slowly add evaporated milk, and whisk until all ingredients are combined.
8. Pour pumpkin filling into pie crust. In small bowl, whisk 1 egg white and 1 Tbs. water. Brush crust with egg wash, then cover crust with tin foil.
9. Cook for 15 minutes at 400 F (205 C), then reduce heat to 350 F (175 C) and cook for 35 minutes.
10. Remove pie from oven, remove tin-foil, and cook for last 15 minutes at 350 F (175 C).
11. Let pie sit for 2 hours before serving.
12. Beat vanilla sugar and heavy cream until desired consistency, and serve with pie.

Mushroom Sauce Pasta

Mushroom Sauce Pasta
adapted from lemons and anchovies

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
10 oz. mushrooms, sliced
pinch nutmeg
1 cup cream
1/2 cup white wine
3 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 lb. pasta
Parmesan for grating

Instructions:
1. Soak 1 oz. of the mushrooms in hot water for 10 minutes, reserving 1/2 cup of liquid.
2. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
3. Heat olive oil on medium-high heat, add dry mushrooms. Cook until they start to wilt. Add soaked mushrooms, and cook for another 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
4. Add wine and reserved mushroom liquid, and turn up heat cooking liquid down to half.
5. Add cream, nutmeg and parsley. Bring down to a simmer for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Remove from heat, combine with pasta, and sprinkle grated Parmesan over.

Tomato and Caramelized Onion Tart

Delicious! Everyone loved this tomato tart. We ate it in one sitting.


Tomato and Caramalized Onion Tart
adapted from tarte du jour

Ingredients:
1 recipe whole wheat and olive oil pastry crust
2 large red onions, thinly sliced
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. minced fresh thyme
1.5 tsp. salt
4 oz. gruyere cheese, grated
2 large eggs
1 cup cream
3 Roma tomatoes (or any other kind), sliced 1/2" thick

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).
2. Heat olive oil on medium-high heat in large pan. Add onions, 1/2 of the thyme, and 1 tsp. salt. Stir, scrapping the bottom constantly, until onions are completely caramelized (about 20-25 minutes).
3. In large bowl, beat together eggs, cream, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt.
4. Place caramelized onions in pre-baked tart crust, spreading evenly. Pour custard over the top. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the onions. Arrange tomato slices cut-side up over cheese. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and rest of the thyme.
5. Bake 40-45 minutes until top is lightly golden brown.

Whole Wheat and Olive Oil Dough

This is the crust I used for my tomato and caramelized onion tart. Delicious!

Whole Wheat and Olive Oil Dough
from tarte du jour

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour (I used flour with some whole grains)
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup cold water

Instructions:
1. Combine flour and salt in large bowl. Add olive oil and combine. Add water and combine until just absorbed.
2. Gently kneed dough until it comes together, and form a ball.
3. Dust a surface with flour, place dough ball on it, and cover with a little flour. Roll into 12" circle, dusting dough with flour as needed to avoid sticking.
4. Transfer dough into tart pan, fit in, and trim excess dough. Completely cover dough in foil and chill for 30 mins.
5. Pre-heat oven to 400 F (205 C).
6. Take tart pan out of oven, fill with dried beans, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove beans and foil and bake for 5 more minutes.

Baked Eggs (Oeufs Cocotte)

Baked Eggs (Oeufs Cocotte)
from yummy mummy kitchen

Ingredients:
1/8th cup chopped vegetables (I used zucchini and onion)
1 Tbs. creme fraiche
1 egg
salt and pepper
optional: fresh herbs to top

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Sauteed chopped vegetables in olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Mix creme fraiche and vegetables in bottom of ramekin. Crack egg over the top.
4. Place ramekin in baking dish and fill with hot water so it comes half-way up ramekin.
5. Bake 15 minutes, or until egg reaches desired done-ness. Sprinkle on fresh herbs and salt and pepper to taste.

Mushroom Toasts

Mushroom Toasts
from Gratinee

Ingredients:
12 slices French baguette, toasted and cut on diagonal
1 clove garlic, minced
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1/2 onion, minced
1 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
splash white wine
1 Tbs. creme fraiche
fresh thyme leaves
fresh chopped parsley
salt and pepper
dash lemon juice
4 Tbs. grated Parmesan

Instructions:
1. Melt butter and olive oil in pan over medium heat. Add onion, soften for 2 minutes, add garlic, cook for 1 min.
2. Add mushrooms and increase heat to medium high. Fry mushrooms until golden brown and no liquid remains in pan. Add the wine and cook off liquid.
3. Take mushrooms off head, mix in lemon, creme fraiche, thyme, and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Top the baguette slices with mushroom mixture and 1 tsp. Parmesan each.

Baked Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

I'm back! 4 months in India (with some great recipes to share, just as soon as I get back into the states with my spice cache). But for now, cheap, cheap fine French ingredients! So exciting!! First off:


Baked Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
adapted from Katherine Martinelli

Ingredients:
1 lb. pasta
1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
olive oil
1 cup chopped tomatoes
3 Tbs. butter
salt and pepper
2 Tbs flour
2 cups cream fraiche
2 cup grated Gruyère
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 Tbs. whole grain Dijon mustard
1 Tbs. paprika
1 cup breadcrumbs, optional

Instructions:
1. Preheat broiler. Toss cauliflower in olive oil, place evenly in 13x9x2" baking pan (or smaller if you're halving the recipe) and broil until lightly browned.
2. Lower oven heat to 350, cook pasta until al dente.
3. Melt butter in sauce pan over medium-low heat, then sprinkle in flower and whisk. Whisk in creme fraiche until heated throughly. Add 1 1/2 cups Gruyère and whisk until fully melted, then add 1/2 cup Parmesan and mustard, and then the Paprika, salt, and pepper all to taste. Remove from heat.
4. Combine pasta, sauce, cauliflower, and tomatoes. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top (and bread crumbs if desired).
5. Bake pasta uncovered for 35 minutes.