FFWD: Mustard Tart

I joined the online cooking club, French Fridays with Dorie (FFWD). We are cooking our way through Around my French Table by Dorie Greenspan. I am really excited about the book and the club - I love cooking homework and I am a bit of a Francophile. This week is week 2 of FFWD and we made the mustard tart.  (Week one was gruyere gougerers - which were phenomenal, but I did not have time to take pictures). I won't be posting FFWD recipes here, but I encourage everyone to buy or borrow a copy of this book -- its gorgeous.

The mustard tart is a bit like a quiche, but does not have any cheese. The custard is egg and creme fraiche based, with both dijon and stone ground mustard mixed in, along with steamed carrots and leeks. It was very tasty! Although I think a little cheese or perhaps more mustard would have given it the extra tang I was looking for.

As my husband said "mmmm mustardy, this needs a bratwurst."

Spring Spaghetti

Spring has finally sprung! This dish is the perfect reminder that long, warm and sunny days are here. This is one of my all time favorites because it is so light and fresh.

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 4 servings of dry spaghetti
• 1 leek, sliced
  
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
  
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
  
• 1.5 cups frozen or fresh peas
• Salt
• Pepper
• Parmesan
  

How to:

1. Bring a large stock pot filled with salted water to a boil. When the water reaches a rolling boil add the dry spaghetti
   
2. Heat a 12 inch skillet and coat with olive oil. Add the leeks and saute until translucent, about 10 minutes
3. Add the garlic, asparagus and 1 ladle of the pasta water to the skillet. Cook about 2 minutes on medium-low heat. Add the peas and stir. Salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat.
   
4. Using tongs, add the pasta to the skillet and stir until the vegetables and pasta are mixed well.
   
5. Garnish with olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Notes:
It's very important not to overcook the vegetables. Be sure that the vegetables remain bright green and have a snap to them, it adds to the freshness of the dish. Enjoy!

Leek and Fennel Flatbread with Arugula and Pecorino di Truffe

I was roaming the cheese aisle at Lunds over the weekend and came across Pecorino di Truffe. It immediately sent me back to the last time I had truffles. I had ordered a pizza with truffles and arugula at the Morges Tennis Club in Morges, Switzerland for my going away lunch. So using the pecorino on flatbread was a natural step at recreating some of the flavors of that lunch.

Ingredients:

• 2 Leeks
• 1 Fennel bulb
• 1 Bunch of arugula
  
• Olive oil
• Apx. 1/4 cup of white wine
• 1 TB of white wine vinegar
• Pecorino di truffe (or another hard Italian cheese)
• Salt and pepper to taste
  
• 1lb pizza dough
  

How to:

1. Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500 degrees F.
   
2. Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet. Add sliced leeks and fennel. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sauté until soft. Add the wine and sauté until the majority of the liquid has evaporated.
   
3. Roll out pizza dough on a bit of cornmeal. Drizzle the dough with olive oil. Add the leek and fennel mixture. Bake for about 10 minutes.
4. While the flatbread is baking mix arugula with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. When the flatbread is out of the oven add arugula and slices of the pecorino.

Taste: It turned out really good! It make enough for 3 generous servings.

Notes: I have been on a bread baking kick since receiving Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day for Christmas. For this recipe I used the boule dough. Be sure bake for only 10 minutes - any longer and I think the leeks and fennel would have become a bit charred.