Meyer Lemon & Poppy Seed Slice-and-Bakes

15 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by Erin in Recipes, Sweets and Treats

Tags

biscuits, cookie, cookies, glaze, lemon, lemon poppy seed, meyer lemon, poppy, poppy seeds, slice and bake

After a holiday hiatus to focus on time with family and friends, it’s been tough to get back in the swing of things! As much as I love the food surrounding me over Thanksgiving and Christmas, it does seem to envelop one with an extra layer of (eh-em) insulation that lends to a somewhat lackadaisical attitude when attempting to deliver anything impressive in the kitchen.

My answer to the post-holiday laze: slice-and-bake cookies. Have the energy to make the dough, but don’t quite get around to actually baking all in one go-around?

Have no fear. These are the perfect cookies for you.

You can make them up to 3 days before you are ready to bake (or 4 weeks! if you freeze instead).

I wanted to work with a recipe that wasn’t too sweet or overbearing. The recipe here is a simple sugar cookie slice-and-bake with meyer lemon zest and a very gentle glaze on the exterior that the poppy seeds can attach to. In addition to being a nice light alternative to all of the heavy winter treats, the presentation will wow your guests.

Meyer Lemon & Poppy Seed Slice-and-Bakes

Dough
3 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp meyer lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cup flour

Glaze
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/4 cup meyer lemon juice
1.5 oz poppy seeds

Using a mixer, mix the egg yolks, sugar, butter, milk, vanilla, and lemon zest vigorously for about 3 minutes.

If you are using a stand mixer, be sure to scrape the sides intermittently while mixing.

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When finished, gather up the dough in a ball, wrap in saran wrap and place in the fridge for 20 minutes or overnight.

Remove the dough from the fridge and divide into four smaller balls. Using a well-floured surface, form each ball into a roll or log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Set aside.

Then, whisk confectioners sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl until you reach the desired consistency. I left mine very thin, but you could make a thicker glaze if you would prefer.

Prep your counter by spreading out poppy seeds on parchment paper.

Using a small brush, paint the glaze on the exterior of the dough log. Then, roll the log in poppy seeds until the entire exterior is covered.

Then, using the parchment paper, you’ll want to wrap the log up tightly in a small package. Place in the refrigerator for a minimum of two hours or the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also place in the freezer for up to 4 weeks.

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Remove the roll from its packaging. Use a knife to very thinly slice the log. The thicker you slice, the more the cookies will taste like shortbread. The thinner you slice, the more the cookies will resemble wafers. I recommend about 1/8 of an inch thick.

Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes.

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Allow to cool completely before serving.

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Enjoy!

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Savory Apple Bread Pudding

23 Saturday Nov 2013

Posted by Erin in Main Dishes, Recipes

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Apple, Apple picking, Bake, Bread pudding, savory, Simon Pearce, Stuffing, Thanksgiving

Braeburn, Jonagold, Cameo, Gala, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Lodi, Jersey Mac, Ambrosia, Fuji – this list goes on.

Apple picking is one of the joys of autumn that seems to carry me most willingly into the throes of winter. The idea of curling up with some warm spiced apple cider or starting my day with apple butter on cinnamon bread make the cold ever so slightly more bearable.

However, the choices of what variety to pick and and what to make can cause a severe case of analysis-paralysis and even some choice words between friends trying to make their way through a pick-your-own farm.

The DC area has plenty of idyllic farms within a short distance that make a perfect day’s outing with orchards, pumpkin patches, prepared foods like candied apples and kettle korn, and even petting zoos. A few friends and I recently went to Homestead Farm for a day of apples, pumpkins, gourds, and fun. If you are looking for an adventure, I also recommend Larriland Farm as a prime spot.

I was pleasantly surprised by this year’s harvest and the great selection. After much deliberation, we worked our way through the orchard rows to Stayman, Jonagold, and Cameo. As you can imagine, more apples had come into my possession than I could possibly eat!

About a week after staring at the multitude of apples before me, I still couldn’t decide what to make out of them. I wanted something different. While applesauce is great, cake is lovely, and crisps are delicious, the ideas just weren’t cutting it. Then, I stumbled upon Simon Pearce’s absolutely outstanding Savory Bread Pudding. I decided to make my own take on the restaurant’s dish. (Read about my recently meal at the restaurant here.)

What came out of the oven was a fluffy but moist sweet and savory dish that is perfect for a Thanksgiving spread. If you are looking for a stuffing alternative, pair this easy dish with turkey and warm cranberry sauce, or better yet, pork chops. It goes best with a sturdy but not too tannic red wine. One I highly recommend is Atteca 2011 Garnacha – at $11 a bottle, it is a steal.

Savory Apple Bread Pudding

1 ½ day old baguettes

4 Stayman Apples (or another variety good for baking)

1 vidalia onion, chopped finely

4 tbsp chives, chopped finely

4 eggs

3 cups whole milk

4 tbsp butter, melted

1 tbsp nutmeg

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350.

Cut or tear baguette into small 1-inch cubes and spread evenly into a greased 9×13 baking dish. Set aside.

On low heat, cook onion (finely chopped) until it is clear in color and nearly carmelized. This will take about 30 minutes.

While the onion is cooking, use a food processor to finely chop the apples.

In a large bowl, vigorously whisk the eggs and milk together. Add the melted butter, nutmeg, salt and pepper and stir. Then, combine apples, chives, and onions (once cooked and then cooled) to the egg mixture.

Pour the egg mixture evenly over the baguette in the baking dish. You can choose to do this in layers if desired to spread the onion and apple.

Allow the dish to sit and soak in the egg for at least 20 minutes, or better yet, overnight in the fridge.

Bake for approximately 40 minutes. Serve immediately or prepare a day or two early.

Pumpkin, Kale and Mushroom Pasta Salad

21 Saturday Sep 2013

Posted by Erin in Main Dishes, Recipes, Snacks and Apps

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

autumn, fall, Kale, mushroom, nutmeg, orecchiette, Pasta, pasta salad, Pine nut, pumpkin, shallot

Washington, DC has enjoyed the most mild and beautiful seasons in recent memory. In a city we so fondly call “Swamptown,” we’ve left extreme humidity and waltzed through September tousled in mid-70s breezes and a low golden sun. Its hard to believe that the time has come for pumpkins, squash and sweet potatoes.

To try to talk myself into autumn excitement, I played around with a few flavors of fall and came up with this unique pumpkin pasta salad, complimented by kale, cremini mushrooms, and toasted pine nuts. It can be served warm or chilled.

Ingredients:

Sauce
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
dash of cayenne pepper if desired

Salad
3 cups orecchiette pasta, cooked
1 cup cremini or baby bella mushrooms, quartered
1 shallot, chopped finely
½ cup shredded kale
2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

Make a roux with the butter and flour. Slowly add the milk while continuing to whisk. Add in pumpkin puree, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Simmer over low heat for at least 15 minutes.

Warm a medium-sized pan to high heat. Add mushrooms to the pan without oil and allow them to cook. Avoid turning too much so that mushrooms maintain a good shape and do not turn mushy.

Remove mushrooms and set aside. In the same pan, sauté shallots. Add shredded kale and cook down until the kale is a rich green color.

Pour warm sauce over cooked pasta. The pasta will absorb the sauce best if the pasta is just out of the pot after boiling. Add mushrooms, kale, shallots, and toasted pine nuts.

Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving or serve warm. Pairs well with roasted chicken or pork chops and a cabernet franc.

Mushroom Duxelles Tart

08 Sunday Sep 2013

Posted by Erin in Main Dishes, Recipes

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

chicken, comfort food, delaware, Dough, folded tart, mushroom, mushroom duxelles, poached, rosemary, shallot, tart, white wine, wilmington

Comfort food means something different to everyone. To me, I think of my mom’s pasta, my grandmother’s shrimp scampi, and my uncle’s pies. But I also recall all of the restaurants I used to frequent in my hometown of Wilmington, Delaware.

To this day, I swear the best pizza I’ve had comes from Pizza by Elizabeth’s – venue of memories for post-sports game meals, girl’s night out with my best friends, family dinners, and even my first date. One of the best things about their menu is the “build-your-own” that provides a multitude of sauce options. My favorite has always been the Mushroom Duxelles.

In search of a little comfort food this week, I tried my hand at a free-form folded tart that deconstructs the flavors of Pizza by Elizabeth’s Mushroom Duxelles Sauce: mushroom, white wine, shallot, and garlic. This tart is great for sharing. Don’t let it fool you – aside from the long list of ingredients, its fairly simple.

Crust

Since tarts are a go-to of mine, I keep frozen dough on hand. I realize this isn’t the norm, so for some good recipes, I recommend Julia Child’s or the Joy of Cooking’s recipes for pastry dough. The ingredient list is simple: butter, flour, salt, and cold water. If you want to play around, add some herbs – like rosemary – to your dough. Here’s a great article that gives some more hints from Julia.

Sauce

Because I’m adding a lot more flavor from other ingredients like whole shallots and chicken, this sauce is meant to be a good base.

3 tbsp butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cups minced mushrooms
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
½ cup white wine
½ tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Worchestershire sauce

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and saute for a few minutes. Add the minced mushrooms and stir gently under the mushrooms are cooked and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add remaining ingredients and allow most of the wine to evaporate until you have a thick sauce. Stir occasionally. Set aside.

Tart

1 cup white wine
1 chicken breast, sliced thinly in half
3 shallots, peeled and halved
3 tbsp fresh rosemary
4 tbsp shredded gruyere, more if desired

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a shallow pan, poach chicken breast in white wine. If you’ve never poached chicken before, its much easier than it sounds. Pour the white wine into the pan. You may need more than the recipe calls for depending on the size of the pan. You simply need to ensure that the chicken is covered ever so slightly when submerged. Heat the wine slowly until bubbles begin to form but do not break the surface of the wine. At that point, place the chicken gently in the pan. Let it cook until finished – about 8 minutes.

Once you’ve cooked the chicken, remove it from the wine and shred the chicken into small pieces. Set aside until you are ready to assemble the tart.

Roll dough out on a well-floured flat surface. Spread mushroom sauce generously, leaving an inch of exposed dough around the edges.

Sprinkle shredded chicken on top of the dough and top with gruyere and rosemary. Then, fold the exposed edges of the dough over on itself to “close” the tart.

Finally, place the halved shallots on the tart after spreading them open. If you prefer a more caramelized flavor, cook them briefly open half down in a pan over low heat.

Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until the dough is golden.

Fig, Prosciutto and Cardamom Croissants

21 Wednesday Aug 2013

Posted by Erin in Recipes, Snacks and Apps, Sweets and Treats

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Alice Bakery, Butter, cardamom, Croissant, Dough, Fig, Fig butter, fig spread, Pastry, Prosciutto, Puff pastry

Let’s be honest. I’m no stellar baker. I do, however, like to play with flavors. Let’s also be honest that croissants are the number one – not to mention more socially acceptable – way to indulge in about a pound of butter second only to eating it right out of the container.

I’ve been searching for an easy and new take on croissants that would also give me some protein (prosciutto is healthy – right?) and allow me to justify my craving. On a recent trip to a very good friend’s wedding and in search of a quick breakfast, I stumbled upon Alice Bakery & Confectionery in North Whales, Pennsylvania. Sitting just behind the counter, I spotted an enormous and beautiful prosciutto and gruyère breakfast pastry – the kind you just can’t say no to. With only a single one left in the case and 3 people ahead of me in line, I went through the typically foodie anxiety that every person in line might dash my hope of the perfect morning meal before I even got my coffee. But lo and behold, the stars aligned, and the croissant was mine. After weeks of recalling the flavor, Alice Bakery inspired this sweetened twist on prosciutto croissants with fig preserves and a cardamom butter glaze.

Another point of honesty: people rarely have 2+ hours to make puff pastry dough from scratch. I bought a box of Dufour pastry dough from Whole Foods. It’s a perfect and easy-to-use solution for the busy baker. You can also usually purchase dough from a local bakery if you order in advance.

Ingredients:

1 package (approx. 14 ounces) of puff pastry, defrosted or fresh
8-10 thin slices of prosciutto
6 tablespoons fig spread
3 tbsp butter
1 tsbp ground cardamom
1 tsp cinnamon

Yields 8 servings. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease cookie sheets and set aside.

Flour a clean surface and unpack or roll out the puff pastry dough. Using a sharp knife, cut the pastry dough into triangles (isosceles) that are approximately 5 inches in width and 7 inches in height.

Spread a generous amount of fig preserves onto the triangles of pastry dough. Place prosciutto on top of fig spread. Gently roll the dough up to the point and tuck the sides to form a croissant. Place on the cookie sheet. Allow room between pastries for the dough to expand. Set aside.

Heat butter in a small saucepan. Once melted, add cardamom and cinnamon. After heating a few more minutes, allow the butter to cool. (I prefer softer croissants, but if you’d like a shinier pastry with a slightly crunchy outer layer, only melt and infuse 1 tbsp of butter with spices. Once it is cool enough not to scramble the egg, replace the other 2 tbsp butter with 2 egg yolks and whisk thoroughly.)

Heat the butter again to encourage the cardamom flavor to infuse in the butter. Generously brush the butter on the croissants.

Place pastries in the oven and bake for about 14 minutes or until slightly golden. Allow them to cool before serving. Yum.

Cocoa Pistachio Shortbread

10 Saturday Aug 2013

Posted by Erin in Recipes, Sweets and Treats

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Butter, Chocolate, cocoa, cookie, dark chocolate, dessert, Dough, nuts, Pistachio, Shortbread

You’ll learn quickly that I have two obsessions in the kitchen: shortbread and tarts. The Tarte Tatin was one very small peek into my love affair…but more on that later. I’ve been trying for several weeks now to come up with the perfect base recipe to make all sorts of shortbread. There was the dangerously salty, the too bitter, the too healthy-tasting, the too crumbly. Thank goodness for roommates and co-workers who faithfully tasted and rated each batch.

Now that I’ve finally landed on a good base, I thought I’d get a little more creative. I’m a sucker for chocolate. Mostly chocolate chunks. When all was said and done, what came out of the oven wasn’t quite the pistachio chocolate chunk shortbread I had imagined. I got a little overzealous with my grinder and much to my chagrin, they suddenly became cocoa pistachio shortbread.

Turns out, the mistake wasn’t so bad.

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup turbinado Sugar plus some for finishing
1 ⅔ cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ tsp sea salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
8 oz unsalted pistachio
10 oz dark chocolate (72% or more)

Grind the pistachios and the chocolate using a food processor. The size should be small and the texture coarse, but not powdery. Set aside.

Set aside 1 tbsp butter. In a medium mixing bowl, cream the remaining butter and sugar. Add sea salt and vanilla to the bowl and add flour in parts. Once the dough starts showing the first signs of holding together, fold in chocolate and pistachio. I found that mixing this by hand was easiest. Take care not to handle the dough too much. Continuing to mix the dough can result in a stiff or crumbly end result.

Turn dough into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap in wax paper or saran wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 2 days.

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Roll dough out to ¼ inch thick, using plenty of flour on a counter surface and rolling pin to avoid pieces pulling apart. Cut cookies with a cutter and place on a cookie sheet greased with remaining tablespoon of butter. Before placing in oven, generously sprinkle turbinado on top of each cookie.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from pan immediately and allow to cool completely before serving.

Eggs en cocotte: Bleu cheese and bacon

08 Thursday Aug 2013

Posted by Erin in Main Dishes, Recipes

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Bacon, Bleu, Blue cheese, breakfast, brunch, Cheese, egg cups, Eggs, Ramekin, shallots

It’s a dreary Saturday morning and you’d do anything to stay under your quilt, read a book, and doze back to your dreamland. Mine is usually filled with chocolate chip banana pancakes and hot cocoa, but for some reason, I got the itch for bacon and bleu cheese. And we all know, when you want bacon, there’s no remedy.

My neighbors and I have a weekend brunch ritual that takes us to St. Arnold’s – a fantastic Belgian mussel joint in DC. It has become our Central Perk, our MacLaren’s, our Cheers. We always sit down with Annette, your classic diner-esque waitress with a tough exterior we’ve come to adore, and throw a few jokes around with Bruce who runs the place. What’s not to look forward to? But this weekend, between our sleepiness and overzealous indulgence in a West Wing Marathon, we just couldn’t make the trek. Instead, we pulled some random ingredients out of the fridge and I put my hands to work on some oeufs en cocotte.

If you have spent much time on pinterest, you surely aren’t new to egg cups. You can use a muffin tin or any other small oven-proof container. Since one egg really isn’t un oeuf, I chose to use ramekins and fill mine with two eggs each.

For each ramekin, you’ll need:

2 large eggs

1 tbsp shallot, finely chopped

2 strips of bacon

2 tsp bleu cheese, crumbled

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook bacon and remove from the pan just before it gets crispy. Chop into ¼ inch square pieces. Set aside.

Caramelize the chopped shallots in a pan on low heat. If you can easily remove most of the grease, use the same skillet you did for the bacon so that the shallots absorb the flavor.

Use butter or canola oil to grease the ramekins. Put the shallots and part of the bacon in the ramekin. Crack an egg into the ramekin, then layer in a bit more of the bacon and about half of the bleu cheese. Crack the second egg into the ramekin and top with the remaining bleu cheese and bacon. Finish with salt and a heavy handed amount of pepper.

Place uncovered in the oven and cook for approximately 14 minutes. The eggs will be shiny on top, likely appearing unfinished. Trust me, they are. Remove, let cool for just a few minutes and enjoy!

Sundried tomato and roasted garlic spread

31 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by Erin in Recipes, Snacks and Apps

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Block Island, Bread, dip, Eli's, Garlic, Olive oil, oregano, Rhode Island, roasted garlic, spread, Sun-dried tomato, sundried, Tomato

My family and I recently returned from a trip to Block Island – a small destination off the coast of Rhode Island only reachable by ferryboat. We’ve been making the trek nearly every year of my life to spend some time with one another, the beautiful nature surrounding us, and snag some moments away from the busy demands of everyday life. This year’s trip was especially relaxing and, of course, filled with delectable meals each night.

Eli’s is one of our faithful standbys. We have yet to be disappointed by this unassuming little spot. What delighted me even more than the delicious fresh seafood meal was the sundried tomato and garlic spread that began our meal.

The rustic and savory taste set it apart from similar dips and plain butter that typically kick off a meal. This pairs best with a crusty but soft and buttery-tasting bread that pulls apart without much effort.

I made a few adjustments to mine so that it served well at a gathering. While the look is different, the flavor is similar.

1 jar (about 8.5oz) of sundried tomatoes, packed in olive oil
2 bulbs of garlic
2 tbsp finely fresh grated parmesan
1 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 tsp olive oil, reserved from the jar of sundried tomatoes
Ground black pepper and sea salt to taste

First, you’ll need to roast the garlic. To start, you’ll need to cut the top of the garlic bulbs so that the cloves inside are exposed.

Then, place the bulb in an oven-proof container – a ramekin or even a muffin tin will do. Drizzle with olive oil and top with cracked pepper and sea salt. Cover with foil and place in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes. After the garlic cools, the cloves can be peeled out very easily.

Remove the sundried tomatoes from the jar and reserve the olive oil.

Use an immersion blender to mince the tomatoes into small pieces. If you don’t have one available, you can use a regular blender or finely chop the ingredients with a knife.

Remove the roasted garlic cloves from the bulbs. Reserve about ¼ of the cloves. Mix the garlic and oregano into the tomatoes with the blender.

Add a tablespoon of olive oil reserved from the jar of sundried tomatoes and the finely grated parmesan. Fresh parmesan will provide the best flavor.

Mash the remaining cloves (just in half for best results) with a fork to provide a chunkier texture and gently stir in to finish.

Serve immediately and enjoy with artisan bread or refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Tarte Tatin

23 Tuesday Jul 2013

Posted by Erin in Recipes, Sweets and Treats

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Apple, Apple Pie, Butter, Chez Georges, Granny Smith, Paris, Pastry Crust, Sugar, Tarte Tatin, Turbinado

I’ve always had a special place in my heart for Tarte Tatin. But when I dined at Chez Georges, I didn’t know what I was in for. This traditional French bistro located in the heart of Paris does it right. While I can’t claim to have replicated their superior dish, I’ve tried my best to come up with a substitute that will tide me over until my next Parisian adventure.

Tarte Tatin

Most recipes call for a mixer to make the crust. Instead, I use a simple crust mixed by hand. The trick is to use the coldest ingredients possible (without being fully frozen) and to only use your fingertips when mixing. Palms are too warm and will cause the dough to stay separated.

I prefer the taste and consistency of Turbinado sugar and whole wheat pastry flour, but white sugar and all-purpose flour will do.

Crust

9 tbsp unsalted butter
1 ¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour
1tsp Turbinado sugar
¼ tsp salt
3 tbsp ice water (up to 2 more tbsp if needed)

Start by cutting the butter into cubes. Separate and place in freezer for about 20 minutes.

Mix the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Remove butter from the freezer and place in the bowl with the flour mixture. Use your fingertips to pull the butter and flour together until pea-sized pieces have formed. Add the water in small parts until the dough begins to form together. As soon as it holds together, mold into a ball and flatten into a round disk. Do not handle dough too much, otherwise it will begin to fall apart. Place in the fridge until ready to use.

Apple filling

8 apples, firmer variety such as Granny Smith
1 cup Turbinado sugar
1 stick butter
1 tbsp almond extract
1 tbsp cinnamon

Be sure to use an ovenproof skillet – either nonstick or cast iron.

Peel and core the apples. I chose Granny Smith in this case, but when apples are in season, try any firmer variety from your local farmers market. Cut into pieces, no smaller than 2 inches in diameter.

Melt the butter in the skillet. Spread sugar over melted butter and stir over low heat as the butter and sugar begin to caramelize. Allow the butter and sugar to bubble, but do not bring to a full boil. Continue stirring until the mixture appears smooth and slightly thickened.

Spread the apples into the skillet. You’ll want to arrange the apples with as few gaps as possible. Tarte Tatin is a rustic dish, so embrace the imperfections. I found that while pressing the apples together layer by layer with a spatula worked well.

Turn the heat up to medium. Allow the caramelized sugar and butter to boil up through the apples. This should take 10-15 minutes. Drizzle almond extract over the apples and sprinkle cinnamon over the apples. Remove from heat.

Remove the crust from the fridge and roll out to a thin disk that will fit over the skillet.

Cover the skillet with the dough. Use a spoon or knife to tuck the edges into the skillet. Be careful! The pan is hot. Poke a few holes in the surface with a fork.

Place in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes or until dough is golden brown. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack for about 30 minutes. Use a knife to free the edges from the rim of the skillet. Place a heat-safe plate on the top of the skillet and flip the tarte onto the plate. Serve with ice cream or Chantilly Cream. Enjoy!

The Mother of All Cucumber Sandwiches

26 Wednesday Jun 2013

Posted by Erin in Recipes, Snacks and Apps

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Appetizer, Baby Shower, Cream Cheese, Cucumber, Cucumber sandwich, Dill, Finger Foods, Greek Yogurt, Paprika, Sandwiches, Tea Sandwiches

Countless women around the world love babies but dread the awkward games and endless ceremonious unwrapping of car seat paraphernalia and breast pump accessories that accompany baby showers. This past weekend, my roommate and I successfully escaped the cliche and hosted a small gathering which fused the traditional English tea with a simple family gathering to create a wonderfully enjoyable and casual event in anticipation of the new little one, fondly called “Critter” until the delivery day.

Amongst scones, punch, lemonade and cupcakes, the cucumber sandwiches were a hit. Why? (You might ask of a snack that is typically quite bland.) This wasn’t just any cucumber and cream cheese slapped on Wonder Bread. I took some time to dress up the spread which, to my delight, proved to be a bit addictive to our guests in attendance.

Recipe

Serves approximately 10 guests.

2 large cucumbers, peeled and (very) thinly sliced
2 packets of Neufchatel cheese, room temperature
½ cup of fresh dill
4 tbsp Greek yogurt
1 loaf Pullman bread
1 large clove of garlic, pressed or crushed thoroughly
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp paprika
¼ tsp sea salt, ground

In a medium-sized bowl, combine crushed garlic and olive oil. Place Neufchatel cheese and Greek yogurt in the same bowl and stir until Neufchatel is softened.

Use an immersion blender to combine the ingredients to build a whipped consistency. Gradually add fresh dill, paprika and sea salt while blending. Add more dill to flavor if preferred.

Once finished, spread generously on each slice of the Pullman loaf. Assemble the sandwiches with the spread on both pieces and a thin layer of cucumber in the middle. Slice the edges off each sandwich and quarter for presentation. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours. (Eat the edges. I won’t judge.)

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morceaux

~ pl.: French, for morsels – pl.: short literary works

Category Archives: Recipes

Savory Apple Bread Pudding

Pumpkin, Kale and Mushroom Pasta Salad

Mushroom Duxelles Tart

Fig, Prosciutto and Cardamom Croissants

Eggs en cocotte: Bleu cheese and bacon

Sundried tomato and roasted garlic spread

Tarte Tatin

The Mother of All Cucumber Sandwiches

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