Tarte de basilic et légumes grillés

 Slice of Tarte

In the pan

More notes on this to come, but we wanted to share some visuals in the meantime. I am extremely confident in the making of this dough. It is the filling(s) that I still need practice with. However, if you have 45 minutes and some pantry staples, a savory French tarte is an easy (yes, easy) light dinner. 

Tarte aux patates douces et fromage de chèvre

The Piccolo Gourmet had a great time tonight. This bread was so much fun to make that we might try it again tomorrow. This tarte base is only three ingredients: 3 eggs, 1-1/2 cups flour, and 1-1/2 cups milk. To it, you could add some salt, some fresh herbs, whatever! The trick is to oil your pan extremely well and to have it heat in the oven on its own for 10 minutes at 425 degrees. When your pan is smoking hot, add your batter and whatever toppings you wish. We were hesitant adding our toppings to such a wet, raw batter, but everything sets up beautifully! We won't tell you what kind of tarte to create—the possibilities are endless. Be creative! Our crust tonight was a combination of Whole Wheat and All-Purpose flours. Though the majority of our dish consisted of sweet potatoes and goat cheese, we also included spinach and caramelized onion. We seasoned it with garlic, sage, sea salt, and crushed black pepper. If you have all your ingredients ready to go, this dinner can be made in 45 minutes. An easy, healthy, after-work treat.

Torre de Batata

April has been colder than we would have hoped. Despite the chill, we decided to start Spring with a salad—but a roasted vegetable salad instead of jumping into the lettuce catagory. There will be plenty of time for that later. Besides, we had some great surprises show up in our produce delivery this past week!

It is no secret that The Piccolo Gourmet loves to roast vegetables. Inspired by our favorite local spot, we hope you enjoy this warm, Mexican-influenced salad.

This recipe is as delicious as it is foolproof. Big flavor with a minimal amount of prep time.

INGREDIENTS
2 sweet potatoes
1 bag of fresh brussel sprouts
1 cup of white (or black) beans
olive oil
sea salt
chipotle powder
ancho chili powders
goat cheese* (optional)

Peel and slice potatoes in 1/4 inch disks. Clean the brussel sprouts and slice in half. Toss the vegetables in olive oil and lay (cut-side down) on a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and toss liberally with sea salt. Lightly dust the vegetables with both chili powders (Ancho can be quite hot, so add this powder to your taste).

Lay one slice of potato on a plate and top with 2 or 3 of the brussel sprout halves. Continue adding layers until a mound is formed. Top with a spoonful of white beans and drizzle olive oil over the dish. Enjoy.

*note: I originally ate this without the cheese. I added a crumble of goat cheese on top to balance out the heat of the chili powder on my second helping. It tasted fabulous, (when is adding goat cheese a bad thing?) but, this can be easilly left out to keep the salad vegan. It is delicious either way.

Couscous Blanc

Oh, the mighty artichoke. I love you, artichoke, but you stress me out. Thank goodness Julia Child takes you step-by-step—she's a life saver. This is my third attempt at cooking artichokes.  Yes, I'm still intimidated. Yes, they are time-consuming. However, you feel proud of yourself when you are done. And, come on, who doesn't love a fresh artichoke? I'm home alone. This means more artichoke for me (and I can pig out all by myself). 

Oh yeah. That's happening. 

And sorry, I'm not going to tell you how to cook artichokes because there are many others that could explain the process FAR BETTER than I. You should see my kitchen—it's a complete mess. I am obviously not a pro. The only advice I can give you is: Be prepared to work. Leave time for yourself, be patient, and try to enjoy the experience. 

Coincidentally, most of the items I set out to cook with tonight were "white" in color: White mushrooms, white beans, white wine. Thus, "Couscous Blanc" was created. The wine I had on hand was Spanish (shocking, I know), and I was referencing Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The result was a mediterranean-inspired dish combining Spanish and French cuisines. 

After my meal, I wrote some notes. I liked what I made, but it needs some work. Or maybe just more salt. Next time, I am going to add more oil and: 1.) finish with fresh squeezed lemon juice or 2.) add a some cheese (crumbled chèvre or shavings of queso de cabra borracha). Perhaps both. 

MATERIALS
1 cup of pre-soaked, pre-cooked white beans

2 globe artichokes

2 glasses of white wine (I used a 2011 Garnacha Blanca)

5 garlic cloves (2 whole, 3 sliced)

1 Tbsp of each dried herb: thyme, basil, sage

1/2 of a medium-sized onion

1 pinch of saffron

8 oz. organic white mushrooms (cleaned and sliced)

3 Tbs. minced fresh parsley

1 cup couscous (I used Red Mill brand)

olive oil (don't be shy)

sea salt (don't be shy)

cracked black peper

INSTRUCTIONS
Steam the trimmed and cored artichokes with 2 inches of salted water and 1 glass of white wine. Add 2 whole cloves of garlic and a bay leaf for aromatics. Steam for 40 minutes. Personally, I felt that this was too long of a time. Try 25 and check for doneness. 

While the artichokes are cooking, sauté the onion with a pinch of sea salt in olive oil. Once this is caramelized, add your garlic and the other glass of white wine. Let this simmer and cook down. When most of the alcohol has burned off, add your herbs, saffron, and mushrooms. Once the mushrooms have let out some of their juices, turn off the heat. Add the beans, cover with a lid, and let the mixture rest.

Reserve 1-1/2 cups of the artichoke cooking water. Keep the aromatics in the water. Heat this back up to a boil and add your couscous. Take off off the heat, cover with a lid, and wait 5 minutes. When the couscous has absorbed all of the liquid, remove the bay leaf. Add the mushroom mixture to the couscous. Test for salt and add freshly ground black (or white) pepper. Sprinkle with the fresh, chopped parsley, and stir.  Let the leaves wilt with the steam of the dish. Serve.