learning to love martha

i have had it out for martha stewart since i was about nine years old.  she just rubs me the wrong way for some reason.  maybe it is her overarching, crippling strive for perfection.  her arrogant tone of voice.  her ability to go to prison for money embezzling and come out even more popular and adored than before she did hard time.

whatever the reason, i made it a lifelong goal to do everything anti-martha.  that is, until i stumbled upon this recipe from her "Food" magazine.  after re-creating this delightful quiche, i am slowly embracing my inner martha (that is my birth name, after all.)

leek, asparagus, and gruyere quiche

ingredients

one pie crust (store bought is fine...maaaartha suggests you make it yourself, but, psssh...)

1 tbsp butter

1 lb. asparagus, sliced thinly on the diagonal

1 leek, rinsed well, halved, and sliced thin

1 c. shredded gruyere

1 1/4 c. half and half

4 eggs

salt and pepper to taste (a couple of teaspoons each, i guess...)

pinch nutmeg

method

preheat oven to 350.  line a 9" pie plate with the crust, crimping it along the edges.  fill the pie crust with the shredded gruyere.

melt butter in a large skillet.  add the sliced asparagus and leeks, and saute for 6-8 minutes.

in another bowl, combine half and half, beaten eggs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  whisk together.

to assemble the quiche, pour the asparagus and leek mixture over the shredded quiche, then pour the half and half mixture overtop.  bake for 50-60 minutes, until quiche is firm and crust is browned around the edges.

connie's better-than-fjord's salmon tartare

there is this great fish market in cos cob, connecticut, called fjord's.  we have great family friends who live there, and the wonderful fresh fish and seafood have been staples for our bi-annual get-togethers. 

craving their wonderful salmon tartare, my mom concocted this better-than-the-original spread that elicited an elated, satisfied, mouth-full "jesus christ!" from my seafood connoisseur father.

ingredients

6 oz. smoked salmon (trader joe's has delicious salmon that is really reasonable)

1/4 large red onion, roughly chopped

juice of 1/4 lemon

1 tbsp. dill, chopped

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. capers

2 tbsp. olive oil

method

prepare all ingredients, and pulse a few times in a food processor, until consistency is diced, but not too pasty.

eassssyyyy!!!

newsflash!

coming soon...

-more recipes! (i haven't had a spare moment in the last week or so to actually get into the kitchen. i'm jonesing real bad, though...)

-more pictures! (i just bought myself a new camera. if i don't manage to break it, or have someone steal it, the fates of my last two cameras, expect lots more pictures to accompany the recipes. feast your belly and your eyes.)

yea!

bangin' breakfast

i was home this weekend and i wanted to impress my parents with my cooking chops and surprise them with a nice sunday morning breakfast. as i was thumbing through the old cookbooks in my kitchen looking for a belgian waffle recipe, something better, easier, and more heavenly caught my attention.

behold the puff pancake: this is the taste of perfection.  i'll never go back to regular pancakes again.

dutch baby puff pancake

ingredients

1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 eggs at room temperature (important! or it won't puff!!!)

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 stick butter

method
preheat oven to 425. in a large cast iron skillet, melt the butter, being sure to coat all sides of the pan. whisk together remaining ingredients in a bowl, then pour into skillet. cook for one minute, until edges begin to bubble.

transfer skillet into oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.

serve immediately, or else it will deflate!

(and add a candle if it's your birthday!!)

serve with a nice spread of the following toppings:
-1 pint strawberries, capped and quartered, mixed with 1/4 c. sugar and chilled
-really good fruit preserves
-cinnamon and sugar
-confectioner's sugar
-maple syrup

try serving this as a dessert, too. serve with coffee ice cream, cinnamon sugar, and nutella and bananas! wow wow wow!