Roasted Tomato Tart, Rainier Cherries And Scenes From A Weekend

"The baby goats were born this morning" Robert texted me last Monday. We had just been to the farm with the kids a few days prior and we could see that the baby goat mamma Daisy was due any minute.

"We will stop by this weekend. I can't wait to see them" I texted back.



We had lots of plans for the weekend. It was C's 40th birthday after all and although he wanted to keep it quiet, we invited some friends over for dinner. We spent Sunday morning cooking and getting the house ready for our guests. C. even woke up at insane hours of the night to get his smoked brisket going. This man is obsessed with barbecue.



We planned a very relaxed summer menu. Just the way I like to eat. A little bit of this, a little bit of that. Very similar to the summer parties we throw back home.

Our menus are always eclectic, but that seems to be what friends like about them. The unexpected, I suppose.

On my side I had planned to make a tortilla de patatas (a must have every time my friend Deena comes over). Also a fennel, zucchini and Rainier cherry salad, a roasted tomato and watercress tart, cherry and hazelnut gratin and chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches. Not bad, I thought.



"I have to run to Robert and Paula's to get eggs for the tart and the tortilla before it's too late" I told C.

Jon was too busy playing with water balloons with the neighborhood kids, so I put Miren in the car and drove to the farm. I was excited for her to see the new babies, Peanut and Peabody.



It was early afternoon. The rain that had fallen the day before combined with the high temperatures made for a very humid day. The babies were hiding inside their crate while the rest of the animals found shelter under the trees. Not even the chickens wanted to come out. I didn't blame them.

Miren was mesmerized by the babies. Even at a week old they were playful around each other. What a beautiful sight.

We picked some tomatoes and purple peppers for the party. "They smell like they have already been roasted!" I told Robert.

Have you ever smelled purple pepper? So intense and smoky. I made the best salad with them the following day.



We came back home to finish cooking. Luckily the kids got to nap and rest before friends arrived, which always helps.

I managed to take a photo of the table with my phone.

A feast, no?



Roasted Tomato and Watercress Tart

Roasted Tomatoes

3 medium tomatoes (about 1 lb 4 oz or 560 g), sliced into 1/4" rounds
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 Tbs olive oil
bunch of fresh thyme

Pre-heat oven to 300F.

Drizzle the bottom of a sheet pan with 1 Tbs of olive oil. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper on top. Lay the tomato slices on the pan. Drizzle the remaining olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme.

Bake the tomatoes for 1 1/2 hours or until soft but still hold their shape. Reserve.

Tart Crust

2/3 cup (90 g) superfine brown rice flour
1/3 cup (45 g) quinoa flour
1/4 cup (40 g) potato starch
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp thyme leaves
8 Tbs (110 g) cold unsalted butter, diced (I used non hydrogenated shortening)
5-6 Tbs ice water

Combine the first six ingredients in the food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the diced and cold butter and pulse until the butter is cut into the flour into pea size pieces. Add the ice water and pulse until the dough comes together. It will not form a ball, just press it to see if it holds together. Add 1 Tbs of ice water if needed.

Transfer the dough t your work surface and press it together into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

Dust your surface with superfine brown rice flour. Roll the dough to 1/8" thickness. Fill a 9" tart mold with the dough. Cut off excess dough. Chill the tart for another 30 minutes while preparing the filling.

Roasted Tomato and Watercress Filling

Bunch of fresh watercress, stems removed
Roasted tomatoes
2 eggs
1 Tbs plus 2 tsp cornstarch (12 g)
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
2 oz mozzarella (I used the cheese substitute Daiya)


Pre-heat oven to 400F.

Fill the bottom of the chilled tart with the roasted tomatoes. Add the watercress on top.

In a bowl, whisk together the rest of the ingredients. Pour over the tomatoes.

Bake for 30 minutes or until tope is golden brown. Cool for 20 minutes before slicing.

Lemony Fennel, Baby Pink Turnip and Watercress Soup and Watching Penny Live

Sometimes it is easy for me to get sucked into the little details of my everyday life. Getting kids ready in the morning, making sure everyone is fed... Then I start working.

It is taking much energy for me to work on this book. Believe me, it is my passion. I cannot stop thinking about it. What I will make, how I will find the freshest ingredients, what their characteristics are so I can style them organically, or how to perfect my tart crust recipe. But I feel this intense focus has also been limiting me in some ways.

"Has it been closing me to possibilities?" Forgetting about the world around you is not such a good thing when you are a stylist and a photographer, you see.



This weekend all of that took a new light.

I tuned in to Penny's workshop streaming live from Seattle. I had been anxiously waiting all week. Although I still had kids with me and not everything could stop, I set time during the day for it, and then caught up with the rest of the recorded workshop at night.

When I hear Penny speak about making a connection or something as simple as patience, it resonates. Never underestimate the power of patience. Or the quote everyone kept tweeting: "If you are not doing what you love, why not?".

Yes, why not?!



It was refreshing and inspiring. Taking a step back and looking at my body of work. Paying closer attention to details and observing. Patience, patience, patience.

All of this comes right before I will be speaking at BlogHer Food on a panel discussing "Finding your visual voice". I hope I can inspire others as I was inspired this weekend.



I also want to thank all of you for your support and interest in my upcoming workshop in France. It literally sold out in the first minute after we opened registration. I was blown away with the response. If you have not made it into this first group, please be patient. There might be others in the works.

Thank you again.



Oh yes, and let's not forget about the recipe in hand.

I cooked this lemon scented fennel, baby turnip and watercress soup as I was watching Penny's workshop. Super simple, spring-inspired soup. I hope you like it.

Lemony Fennel, Baby Pink Turnip and Watercress Soup

Serves 3 to 4

2 Tbs olive oil
1 baby leek or 1/2 leek, white part only, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium fennel bulb, diced
3 baby pink or white turnips
1 medium russet potato, peeled and diced
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup packed watercress leaves (tough stems removed)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp lemon zest
Grated pink turnips, garnish
Yogurt, garnish
Amaranth sprouts (or any other green), garnish
Extra virgin olive oil, garnish

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced leek, garlic, and fennel. Add a pinch of salt and cook for 3 minutes or until soft and translucent. Do not brown them.

Add the turnips, potato, and chicken stock. Bring to a light simmer, cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the watercress and cook for 1 more minute.

Season with salt and pepper. Add the lemon zest. Puree the soup in a blender. You can strain it if you like or leave it a bit chunky.

Garnish with grated pink turnips, yogurt, sprouts and olive oil.

Creamy Spring Buckwheat, Chocolate and Chestnut Pudding Cakes and Thinking About Japan

Today I feel lucky.

I look around and I am surrounded by my family, my children thriving, playing without a care in the world, like healthy children do. Seeing the images that come from Japan are heartbreaking. How we can lose it all in an instant. In the blink of an eye our lives can turn upside down. Such devastation.

As soon as I heard about the news on Friday, I thought of my friend Keiko and wondered how her loved ones would be doing. I tried to imagine how I would deal with such news from afar, just as she is. Then, she confirmed her family is well. A sigh of relief.

I could't write a post without acknowledging all those people who have lost it all, but also the stories of survival and hope.

We are thinking about them.



And as for our weekend, it was quiet.

I spent lots of time writing while C. and my parents took care of the kids. I am so thankful for the beautiful weather so we don't have to be cooped up indoors. Well, at least the kids don't have to and that is what counts, no?

And so I continue creating and editing. Feedback from my editor has been great so there goes another sigh of relief.



M. loved snapping fresh and plump sugar snow peas out of their shell. So sweet that she ate pod and all.

J. played hard to get, shying away from my camera. He was busy flying his new kite.



And then we cooked, we cooked a lot.

Like creamy buckwheat with peas, fennel and watercress or chocolate and chestnut pudding cakes.

Not bad, wouldn't you say?



UPDATE:

Here is a good list of resources of how we can all help through donations.

Also, Chika is hosting a sakura fundraiser here.

I have also donated to the International Medical Corps.

I will keep updating as I hear more.

Thank you.

Creamy Buckwheat with Peas, Fennel and Watercress

Serves 4

3 cups of water
1/2 cup buckwheat groats
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbs olive oil
1 shallot, thinly diced
1/2 medium fennel bulb, diced
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 cup watercress
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
chicken stock, optional

Bring the water to a boil. Add the salt and the buckwheat. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes. Drain.

In the meantime, in a separate sauce pan, heat the olive oil. Sweat the shallots and the fennel until tender.

Add the cooked buckwheat, peas, mascarpone, parmesan, lemon zest, salt and pepper. If you feel it's too dry, add a little bit of chicken stock to lighten it. Serve immediately.