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."

Green Goddess Chicken Salad

 

Make this for lunch. Chop up some romaine lettuce and a cup of this salad and it makes a terrifically satisfying lunch. If you're planning on making ahead for the week, I would recommend adding in the bread the morning before you plan to eat it so it doesn't get soggy.

The original recipe calls for rotisserie chicken, however I poached a bone-in chicken breast in white wine and thyme -- mainly to hone a new cooking skill with regards to meat.  Also, I used jarred roasted peppers rather than piquillo peppers, and used a bit more lemon juice to bring out the flavors of the fresh herbs in the dressing.

Green Goddess Chicken Salad

 Adapted from Food and Wine

Ingredients:

• 2 oil packed anchovy filets
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1/2 cup packed flat leaf parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup packed basil leaves
• 1/4 cup packed dill
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 3/4 cup mayonaise
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons snipped chives
• One 1 pound ciabatta bread
• 1.5 to 2 pounds shredded chicken
• 3 roasted red peppers, drained and thinly sliced
  
• 3 celery ribs, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• salt and pepper to taste

How To:

In a food processor, pulse the anchovies, garlic, parsley, basil, dill and oregano until coarsely chopped. Add the mayonnaise and lemon juice and process until smooth. Fold in the chives; season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, toss the ciabatta with the chicken, peppers, celery and olives. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Notes: the dressing can be made ahead of time and refrigerated up to 2 days. I recommend making it ahead and letting all the flavors blend together.

Beer and Horseradish Mustard

This mustard is ready to eat within hours rather than days. It takes an afternoon to make, the flavors blend and compliment each other, and there is a nice horseradish kick. You could easily adapt this method to other mustard varieties...I am already dreaming up a whiskey and honey mustard to glaze grilled chicken with.

This mustard goes great with soft pretzels or Choucroute Garnie.

Beer and Horseradish Mustard
Bon Apetit

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of lager beer, divided (see note)
• 2/3 cup malt or red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup whole brown or yellow mustard seeds
• 2 tablespoons dry mustard
  
• 1/4 cup prepared white horseradish
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds, ground
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water

How to:

Whisk together 1/2 cup of beer, vinegar, mustard seeds and dry mustard in a glass bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature for three hours.

Transfer the beer and mustard mixture to a blender and add in the remaining beer, horseradish, salt, pepper honey, and caraway seeds. Pulse until a coarse puree forms.

Transfer the puree into a glass or metal bowl and place on top of a simmering pot of water. Stirring occasionally, let cook for about 15 minutes. The mixture will thicken and resemble the consistency of pancake batter.

Transfer the mustard to a sauce pan and add in the cornstarch mixture. Cook over a medium high flame until the mustard thickens and boils, about 2-3 minutes. Funnel into a jar and let cool. Keep refrigerated -- this will last about one week.

Notes: The original recipe calls for a lager style beer. I used a winter ale and it turned out wonderfully. Be sure to use prepared horseradish (grated not creamed). I used a variety that claimed to be extra-hot, but despite the 1/4 cup in this recipe, it is not too spicy -- give it a try even if you're not a spicy mustard fan.

Indoor Sweet and Sour Tofu Kabobs

Anyone anxiously awaiting outdoor barbecue season? Here is an idea - indoor kabobs that fit on a stove top grill pan. These would be great to serve at a party.

I made kabobs with pineapple, tofu, scallions, and orange bell pepper by skewering on toothpicks. Just like kabobs on the grill, be sure to soak the toothpicks in water for a minute. I grilled these on the indoor stove top grill lightly oiled with canola oil.

My main goal with the sweet and sour sauce was to not use ketchup as so many recipes do (even my vegetarian Chinese cookbook in Chinese).

Sweet and Sour Sauce Ingredients:

• 6 ounces pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water

How to:

1. Combine all of the ingredients except the cornstarch and water in a sauce pot. Heat and let boil for about 30 seconds. Reduce heat.
   
2. Make a slurry by mixing cornstarch and water.
   
3. Slowly add into the sauce pot and stir until thickened.

Note: The sauce would be perfect to add to a stir fry.

Pistachio Vinaigrette

This recipe comes from Bon Apetit magazine. I saved the recipe from an issue earlier this fall. It's definitely a keeper. The vinaigrette is a little on the sweet side, so pairing it with salads containing fruit or goat cheese would be nice.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup ground, roasted, unsalted pistachios

How to:

1. Whisk together oil, maple syrup, vinegar, and dijon mustard
2. Slowly add the ground pistachios

Note: I used this vinaigrette on a arugula, fennel, and endive salad with chopped dried figs.

Cherry Sauce

My parents went on a trip to Door County, Wisconsin a few months ago. Door County is famous for its cherries. My parents gave me two quarts of cherries canned in their own juice. Not only did I have some cherries in my cabinet, I was trying to think of how to use the giant bottle of kirschwasser I had in my liquor cabinet from making fondue a couple of weeks ago. A minor dent was made in both the cherries and kirschwasser - I used about one pint of the cherries and 3 tablespoons of the brandy.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups of cherry juice (liquid in the jar)
• 1 pint of jarred cherries
• 1 tablespoon rice starch (see note)
  
• 3 tablespoons kirschwasser

How to:

1. Heat the cherry juice in a skillet, reserve 1 tablespoon of juice and reduce about half
2. In a small cup, make a slurry with the remaining tablespoon of cherry juice and rice starch
3. Mix the slurry into the skillet
   
4. Once the starch is well incorporated, add the kirschwasser, slowly stir with metal spoon
   
5. Continue heating the juice until the desired consistency is reached
   
6. Add the cherries to the skillet, and remove from the heat

Notes: I poured the sauce over angel food cake. The sauce would be terrific over ice cream or crepes. I used rice starch, but corn starch would work just as well.