lemons

stone fruit

Summer has barreled in full force. It sat its big luxurious bottom down at the Hollywood Farmers Market and everywhere I turned this morning I saw the fruit of its labor. And I do mean fruit. Most notably stone fruit. Peaches, nectarines, plums and all those crazy cross-breeds with names that make you smile– pluots, plumcots and apriums, oh my!

These are the boisterous fruit of summer, I can hear them screaming my name way up here in the hills where I live. If you ask me these sweet dreams don't need to throw stones to start a riot. So after I have had my fill of them out of hand, I try and take them to the next level by taming their impetuous nature the best I can. I do this with a tart.

Save the quieter fruit like apples and cherries for a big natured pie. When summer fruit lets loose its rebel yell I tame it with the most basic of elements. Because the components of a great fruit tart are simple: dough, filling, fruit and glaze. The trick is to keep everything balanced, letting nothing stand too far above the others. This way tarts are able to delicately express the quieter side of even the loudest of summer fruit. Once you learn the fundamentals there is no stopping you.

Sippity Sup Continues »

Summer Stone Fruit Tart with Lemon Curd

Summer Stone Fruit Tart
Prep time: 180
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1 c butter, cut into cubes
  • 1 c granulated sugar
  • 0 salt, as needed
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 0.5 t vanilla
  • 1.25 c all-purpose flour
  • 0 ice water, as needed
  • 3 T apricot jam
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 t fresh lemon zest
  • 0.75 c fresh lemon juice
  • 2 lb stone fruit, pitted and sliced
  • 0 lemon verbena or mint, as garnish (optional)

Directions

Make the crust: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together until smooth and light in color, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the bowl down once or twice as needed. Add 1 egg yolk and vanilla; mix until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Add the flour all at once and mix until barely blended, about 1 minute. Add ice water one tablespoon at a time while the mixer is running until the dough clumps together. Stop machine.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, gently pat into a 1-inch thick disc and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Allow the chilled dough to soften to the point that an indent is easily made with your finger, about 10 minutes. Place the disc on a lightly floured surface, dust it and the roller with a small amount of flour. Roll the dough out to about a 12-inch circle. Fold the dough over the roller and carefully move it to a tart pan pressing it into place. Trim off the excess. Place in the freezer 10 minutes to chill.

Remove the tart shell from the freezer and use a fork to poke holes along the bottom. Line the shell with parchment cut to size and add enough beans or pie weights to fill one-third the way up. Bake until edges are looking dry, about 12 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and remove the weights and parchment. Return the shell to the oven and bake until golden, about 10 more minutes. Let the shell cool completely at room temperature.

Make the glaze: In s small saucepan set over medium heat, warm the jam and 2 tablespoons water to create a smooth consistency. Remove from heat and set aside at room temperature.

Make the lemon curd: In a small saucepan (off heat), whisk together eggs, remaining 2 egg yolks, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, lemon juice lemon zest, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Place pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof flexible spatula, until lemon curd is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon (or spatula) and to hold a clear trail when you run your finger through it; about 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the remaining 1/2 cup butter a cube at a time, stirring all along until incorporated.

Pour curd through a fine-mesh sieve into cooled crust. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate tart until filling is firm, at least one hour.

When ready to serve, unmold the tart and top with the sliced stone fruit in whatever arrangement you like. Brush with glaze and garnish with lemon verbena or mint leaves.

Source: adapted from CIA Greystone
Bosc Pears

Lidia Bastianch- Chef, Restaurateur, Author and Host of a truly inspirational cooking show on PBS. To me she is way more than a celebrity chef. Because sometimes I look at a few of those Food Network Stars and I think– really? Really?? Are you really all that?

But Lidia's different. She's in a whole other league. I actually take notes when I am lucky enough to come across her shows on television.

I know because I was recently clearing out several old notebooks of stuff. They were chock-full of gibberish and partial recipes, as well as a few things I dare not mention. Keep in mind these notebooks came from a time well before I figured out that a blog was a much better way to go when it came to documenting the things I love.

But I am so glad I decided to give these notebooks one last peek before I gave them the old heave-ho. Because there were several valuable sections that were actually decipherable! They may even find themselves a home here on Sippity Sup. Starting with today's Roasted Pears with Candied Celery. I saw you take a double take, and that's just what I did too. But there, inside one of these notebooks– in nearly plain English, I saw the words: "Lidia B. Pears and Candied Celery- that's so strange it has to be good". I honestly can't remember where I saw her present this recipe. But fortunately I wrote it down in rather clear detail. That's odd for me, so I know I must have been quite impressed.

Sippity Sup Continues »

Roasted Pears with Candied Celery

Roasted Pears with Candied Celery
Prep time: 90
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 2 lemons
  • 4 c cool water
  • 1 c moscato dessert wine
  • 0.75 c sugar
  • 0.25 c apricot jam
  • 4 firm bosc pears
  • 6 large celery ribs, peeled and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces

Directions

Place the oven rack in the center position of the oven. Pre-heat to 375 degrees F. Using a vegetable peeler remove zest from lemons in thin long, wide bands. Avoid as much of the white pith as possible. In a small saucepan cover the strips of zest with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil drain the strips and rinse them in cool water. Refill the pan and repeat once more. Pat the zest dry. Squeeze 1/3 cup lemon juice into a bowl, whisk in wine, sugar, and jam until sugar is dissolved. Halve the pears lengthwise and, using a melon-baller,core the pears. Spread out celery slices across the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Pour in wine mixture. Place pears cut side up. Spread zest over and around them. Bake uncovered for 50-60 minutes, basting once or twice. Transfer the pears to a shallow serving bowl, pour liquid, zest, and celery into a medium-sized saucepan and reduce the liquid until syrupy, about 15 min. Pour the celery mixture over the pears and allow to completely cool. Serve at room temperature.

Notes:

serves 8 Source: Lidia Bastianich
Scallop and Beet Skewers from Sippity Sup

I am sorry I made you wait one day before I presented this last skewer in my Kabob Party series. You see I am in Palm Springs, and I was feeling like I needed a cocktail. So yesterday I brought out a Sweet Basil Gimlet to wet my whistle. But trust me these grilled scallops skewers are worth the wait.

But before I get to the grilled scallops let me run something by you.

I am thinking about changing the format of Sippity Sup. I am thinking about making it a fashion blog. Sippity Sup- Serious Fun Fashion.

It’s no secret that I am really, really, ridiculously good looking. It’s like my good friend and male model Derek Zoolander always says, “I caught my reflection in a spoon while I was eating my cereal, and I remember thinking ‘wow, you're ridiculously good looking, maybe you could do that for a career’."

Well I’m not sure I am as really, really good looking as Derek Zoolander, so I probably can’t be professionally good looking like him. But I could probably do it for a blog.

Sippity Sup Continues »