Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Spring Green Tart

Oh man, this recipe is a keeper.  Absolutely delicious and even the kids ate it (well, Owen picked off the greens).  And it uses that crazy hon tsai tai.  The combination of the chard and hon tsai tai was nice but this could easily be made with just the chard or just the hon tsai tai (or another leafy green!).  I used Dufour Pastry Kitchens Puff Pastry (found at Seward Co-op) and it tastes like homemade.  Maybe someday I'll get around to making my own puff pastry but until then, I'll be buying this brand!

Spring Green Tart

Spring Green Tart
via the Kitchn, original source erin's kitchen

1 frozen sheet all-butter puff pastry
2 egg yolks
1/2 large bunch of rainbow chard, center ribs removed, roughly chopped
one bunch trimmed and roughly chopped hon tsai tai
3 bunches sliced green garlic (I used one bunch of green garlic and one bunch of potato onions)
1 tsp. thyme leaves (I forgot about this...)
1/2 c. low-fat cottage cheese
1 tbsp. cream
6 oz. goat cheese (I used at least 8 oz... I like my goat cheese!)
salt/pepper
olive oil

Preheat oven to 400.

Defrost puff pastry and unroll it on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Score a 1/4-inch border around the edge of the pastry. Mix one egg yolk and a splash of water, and brush along the border. Chill the pastry in the freezer until ready to use.

Heat a large saute pan over high heat, and add tbsp. olive oil. Then add thyme and 1/2 the green garlic, and saute for a few minutes. Then add the chard and the han tsai tai, tossing in oil to help them wilt. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until greens are tender. Set aside to cool.

Mix cottage cheese, remaining egg yolk, cream, splash of olive oil, salt and pepper together in a bowl (If you'd like it really smooth, you can puree in food processor- I didn't do this and it didn't seem chunky after baking).

Spread cottage cheese mixture on the puff pastry inside the scored border. Crumble half of the goat cheese over the cottage cheese, arrange the cooked greens on top, and sprinkle with the rest of the green garlic. Then distribute the last of the goat cheese on top.

Bake the tart for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is bubbling and crust is golden brown. Cool a few minutes and serve.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Pasta with Parsnips and Bacon

We keep talking about making our own pasta more often but we just haven't gotten in the habit of doing so (maybe we need a homemade pasta night!).  When a bunch of baby parsnips showed up in our veggie box, we remembered this delicious pasta with parsnips and bacon recipe.  Using our homemade pasta made this recipe even better than I remembered.  I also splurged and bought the real stuff: parmigiano reggiano.  I don't know if I can go back to my regular and cheaper parmesan!  Mike made a delicious salad with the pea vine, sunflower seeds, and feta to go along with the pasta.  Yum!

Homemade Pasta with Parsnips and Bacon with Pea Vine Salad

Pasta with Parsnips and Bacon

Adapted from Babbo, via Epicurious, via Serious Eats


1/4 pound bacon or pancetta, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 pounds parsnips, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
8 ounces pasta (fresh pasta if you have it)
1/4 cup chopped green onion (or parsley)
Salt and pepper
Grated parmesan 


Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, add the chopped bacon to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until the bacon is browned, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and let drain on a couple paper towels. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat.

Turn the heat to medium and add the butter to skillet with the bacon fat. Add the parsnips and cook for about 12 minutes, stirring often. They should be lightly browned and very tender. Turn off the heat.


Cook pasta according to the directions on the box. When done, reserve 2 cups of the cooking water and then add the pasta directly to the skillet with the parsnips. Turn heat to high and add about 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water, the bacon, and the green onions. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Add more of the cooking water if it looks too dry. Season with salt and pepper to taste.


Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Favorite Things

Sliced baguette with goat cheese and a drizzle of honey is one of my all time favorite things.  Add arugula (another one of my favorite things) and I'm in heaven!

I think I mentioned here that I'm shopping at Seward Co-op more and really enjoying it.  It's a little tricky to stay on budget but so far I'm doing fairly well.  I find it so exciting to shop local and buy organic ingredients as much as possible.  This was made with a Rustica baguette, local chevre from Donnay Dairy, and Ames Farm Minnesota honey.  But, I can't say much about the arugula (can't wait for the farmer's market/crop share/garden arugula!).

Baguette with Goat Cheese, Honey, and Arugula