Ganache Series: Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Tart

Fair Warning* This is probably the best, richest piece of chocolate heaven you will ever eat! You will dive into a small to medium size piece, but rarely be able to tackle a large piece. It will amaze your friends, impress your enemies. Don't say I didn't warn you. And it's EASY!




Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Tart
(Adapted from Bake it to the Limit, Dede Wilson)
25 minutes, aside from chill time. 5 ingredients.

Forming crust with a flat bottom glass

Crust

1- 9 oz box Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers roughly crumbled by hand or in
1/2 cup unsalted butter melted- 1 stick

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 11-inch loose bottomed tart pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Hand crush or process the cookies in a food processor, until finely crushed. Add melted butter and pulse in processor or mix until combined.
Pat the crust into prepared tart pan using a flat bottomed glass to build up the sides to 1/4 inch high.  Bake for 12-15 minutes and let cool thoroughly on a wire rack.

Arrange raspberries in the crust

Filling
15 oz semisweet chocolate, finally chopped
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 pint Fresh, LOCAL fall or summer raspberries (I especially love local fruit because it has the best flavor! You will be sorely disappointed by other berries) (reserve at least half  for latter in recipe)

Once cooled arrange berries on the cooled crust with small amounts of space around each berry around the entire crust. Place chocolate in a heat proof bowl and bring cream to boil over medium heat. Pour over chocolate. Let sit for a few minutes then whisk together until smooth. Cool the ganache about a half hour at room temperature. Then, pour the chocolate over the berries using a spatula if needed.

Let cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours then refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours, or overnight.  Let rest on counter for around 30 minutes before serving thin slices, plated with drizzle of raspberry sauce.

Raspberry sauce
1 cup raspberries
1/4 cup sugar
Lemon zest
2 squeezes half a lemon

Bring to boil over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes,  I usually force through a wire mesh strainer with a spatula to remove most of the seeds.

Put back on stove over medium low heat.  Add 1 tsp corn starch and bring to low boil for 2-3 minutes.

Excellent variations: No raspberries? Consider a caramel layer below the chocolate, Caramel and Pecans, Hazelnuts and Caramel, Peanut Butter... the possibilities are endless!
Also individual tarts for friends, gifts, ladies tea, holidays and special occasions are darling and very indulgent!

Izzy thieves raspberries during the process!

Local Fall or Everbearing Raspberry Varieties

• Heritage - 1969, developed in New York. Very winterhardy but ripens after September first.
• Summmit - 1976, productive, small fruit, good flavor, some root rot tolerance.
• Fallred - 1964, New Hampshire. Earlier than Heritage, better size,flavor and firmness.
• Amity - Recent Oregon release similar to Fallred.
• Autumn Bliss
• Summit
• Fall Gold (yellow fruit)

There are also several varieties of gold, purple, and black raspberries. Many are less productive and less flavorful. Some varieties of black raspberries are severely affected by diseases to which red raspberries are tolerant.

Summer bearing varieties:

• Willamette - Earliest fruiting with large, dark berries. Industry standard from 1942 to 1970.
• Meeker - 1967. Popular, late, large, firm berries suitable for mechanical harvesting.
• Nootka - 1978. Short dark conical fruit, superior flavor to most varieties. Hard to find.
• Tulameen - 1990. Very large, firm fruit with very good flavor.

Derived from Nootka:

• Qualicum - 1996. Large fruit, good flavor, long shelf life reduces rots, fresh or processing.
• Malahat - 1996. Earliest variety, large fruit, good firmness,flavor good, for fresh market.

Where to buy them! 

Spooner Farms 

Pike Place Market
Farmers Markets
PCC
Whole Foods Market

Pumpkin Spice Buckwheat Pancakes

Contrary to its name Buckwheat is not wheat, and not related to the wheat family. Actually, it is a fruit and full of protein and all eight amino acids, vitamin B, High in Fiber, and according to the USDA keeps glucose levels in check better than any other carbohydrate! The caution if you are Celiac or Gluten intolerant is to watch out for buckwheat flours mixed with wheat flour.

Pumpkin Spice Buckwheat Pancakes
These Pancakes will blow you away! They are SOOOOOOO light, like pumpkin clouds, even though the buckwheat makes them a darker color. 


1 cup buckwheat flour
2 Tbsp packed brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/3 cup buttermilk* (don’t have, see recipe below for making buttermilk using milk and vinegar)
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup fresh cooked or canned pumpkin (I used PCC's Organic Spiced Pumpkin)

If not spiced add: 

1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of cloves

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, (spices, needed), and salt. 
In another bowl(or in same measuring container I already made the buttermilk in), whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla, then blend thoroughly.
Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix, stopping when everything is just combined.
Fold in pumpkin.
Spoon 1/4 batter onto buttered or coconut oiled skillet for each pancake. Pancakes are to be flipped when the undersides of the pancakes are golden and the tops are lightly speckled with bubbles that pop and stay open. 


Serve with butter and real maple syrup, plain yogurt and raspberry jam, or apple butter.  

Homemade Buttermilk

1 1/3 Cups Milk  
1 Tablespoon + 1 Tsp white vinegar or lemon juice

Place the white vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup. Add enough milk to bring the liquid up to the 1 1/3 cup line.Let stand for five minute.

Italian Grandmother's Amazing Meatballs and Spaghetti Sauce

To be honest you will rarely find a recipe so long from me. So time consuming... but when you do as the Italian's do... you do as the Italian grandmother does.  Purrrrrfection, simmering sauces. Dishes that take hours, but are worth every bite.












True Spaghetti with Amazing Meatballs
3 Hours

The Workings
Mild Italian Sausages (optional)
Brown in Pan, set aside.

Meatballs
These meatballs are extremely UNIQUE to what we usually expect, with the golden raisins, but they are so good! So prep your palette to try something new! And the milk bread is a must to those is the "meatball know".

1 1/2 lbs of ground meat ( I used 3 lbs. and doubled the other ingredients. 1 lb. veal, 1 lb. hamburger, 1 lb. pork)
2 pieces white Bread ( I used sprouted wheat bread because it is all I eat) torn, soaked in milk, and gently squeezed
1 Tbs. Soy sauce
1 cup golden raisins
1 Egg
salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients well and roll in bread crumbs. Brown in pan that sausage was browned in, or olive oil.

Sauce
3-28 oz cans Whole Stewed Tomatoes, hand crush as you pour in.
2-16 oz. cans Tomato Sauce
1-6 oz can tomato paste
Seasonally- As all of your tomatoes ripen August, September, October use them instead! 
1 whole clove garlic, crushed
1 WHOLE onion, peel removed (The Italian way is to cook it whole, and remove upon completion, Grandma says an onion becomes bitter if left in a sauce.)
1 1/2 cup Parmesan (put right into sauce)
1/4 bottle Italian seasoning

Cook sauce-2-3 hours.  Add meatballs and sausage back into sauce an hour before done.

True Italian meatballs are actually very small.  American meatballs are the giant ones I created.

Chicken Marsala with Gathered Mushrooms

Chicken Marsala With Gathered Porcinis and Chantrelles

There's a Fungus among Us? If I was looking for a subject of choice that would draw a slew of readers, I'm sure mushrooms would not be my first choice. It's one of those love/hate foods.

But I have a secret...I really love reforming the doubtful, the mis-fed; the broken, ruined, diner who has had their ingredients mismanaged and ill prepared. I'm positive that I can convert almost anyone on almost any food they thought they didn't like.  Because, well..  I didn't like them either!  So Brussel Sprouts, Mushrooms, Beets. Watch out. You are  on notice. I'm finding your weakness,and making you likable again.

Time: 20 minutes

2 split boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut breasts with your knife lengthwise to make two thinner pieces instead of pounding), or 4 pounded chicken breasts about 1/4 inch thin. 

1/4 cup flour

Kosher salt and black pepper

Fresh lemon juice

1 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil

1 cup sliced Chantrelle and/or Porcini mushrooms, foraged or purchased  

Flatten Chicken In a plastic bag with the flat side of Mallet

I clove garlic crushed

1 cup marsala wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tsp corn starch

lemon juice about 2 squeezes

1 tbs butter

Salt, pepper and lightly flour chicken pieces. Fry in olive oil/butter till done. About 3 minutes each side. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Remove and keep warm. (oven warmer works great or 250 degrees)

Add 2 tbs butter to pan do no remove clean chicken drippings. Add sliced mushrooms, sauté. Cook for about 3 minutes add garlic. Add Marsala, broth and corn starch, whisk all scrapings off bottom of pan. Reduce to ¼ cup. Add lemon juice,chicken breasts and simmer for 2 minutes. Finish with a pat of butter for smooth glossy sauce. 

Serve with egg noodles and browned butter. Grate fresh Parmesan over noodles and Chicken Marsala, and garnish with fresh, chopped parsley if preferred.

Alternatives: To add incredible flavor try cubed pancetta or bacon with the chicken(Salt very lightly due to the natural salts) Also, try adding 6 tbs Heavy cream at final reduction for marsala cream.  

Chicken Marsala With Cream Sauce

Simmering to a gloss

LOCAL MUSHROOM VARIETIES 
Chantrelles
Morels
Oyster
Yellowfoot
Hedgehogs
Black Trumpets
Truffles
Birch Bolete
Mutsaki
Porcini

RESOURCES
THE MOST AMAZING FORAGER'S BLOG!  FAT OF THE LAND

For those not interested in foraging try Whole Foods Market, PCC Natural Markets, and Trader Joe's for local mushroom varieties!

Puget Sound Mushroom Society

.:In Season:.- Indian Summer

.:Indian Summer:.   
{September-October}

As we proceed into the last of the Autumn's abundance and crops begin to be picked clean, now is the time to dry, can, freeze, and store the flavors we love to use year round! Truly this time of the year is second to none for plentiful harvests!


Fruits, Nuts, and Berries
Everbearing Strawberries (My favorite!)
Fall Raspberries
Quince
Asian Pears
Pears
Nuts
Melon
Prunes
Plums
Kiwi
Grapes
Blackberries
Blueberries (wild and harvested)
Apples


Herbs 
Basil
Chives
Cilantro
Dill
Lavender
Parsley
Rosemary
Sage
Tarragon
Thyme


Vegetables
Artichokes
Green Beans
Shell Beans 
Wax Beans 
Beets
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Celery
Corn
Cucumbers
Daikon
Eggplant
Garlic
Elephant Garlic
Greens 
Jeruselum Artichokes
Kolrabi
Leeks
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Onions
Parsnips
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Potatoes
Pumpkins
Radishes
Shallots
Spinach
Squash
Tea
Tomatoes
Turnips
Zucchini


Meats
Eggs
Pork
Beef
Lamb
Chicken


Seafood
{FISH}
Salmon- Ocean; June-August,  River; September is Prime!
Ling Cod (April-October)
Black Cod (March 5-November 15th)
Halibut (March-October)
Albacore Tuna (Late July-October)
Trout (Limited year Round, March-October)
Dungeness Crab (Some areas year round, Commercially and most Areas December 1- September 15)
Sea Bass (April-October)


{SHELLFISH}
Razor Clams ( During periodic openings October-February) Razor Clam Schedule
Pacific Oysters (Year Round)
Little Neck, Manila, Butter, Geoduck, Softshell and Horse clams (Year Round)
Mussels (Year Round)
Crawfish (May-October 31st)
Scallops (Year Round)
Squid (Year round; Mostly October, November and December)


Always Check current Regulations- Especially During the Warm Summer Months Harvest is limited due to Red Tide and Toxin levels. 
Shellfish Harvest Regulations-Washington State

Giant, Oven Pancake with Simple, Fresh Blueberry Sauce

My mother served me this easy recipe as a child knowing it was going to receive a welcomed squeal every time, very much like my children when it came out of the oven this morning! Truly a light, delicate pancake, yet a delicious, custard"y" texture! Some people might know this as Dutch Baby or German Pancake.  If this is not new to you try the Blueberry sauce or some other variation. 


Giant Oven Pancake with Blueberry Sauce

1/3 cup butter (6 tbs, or 3/4 stick)

4 eggs

1 Cup each milk and all-purpose flour

Powdered sugar

Lemon wedges

Place butter in a 3 to 4 quart round or oval shallow baking dish or casserole or my favorite cast iron pan and set oven to 425 degrees.

Meanwhile in a blender or food processor, ship eggs at high speed for 1 minute. With motor running; gradually pour in milk, then slowly add flour; continue to whirl for 30 seconds more.

When butter is melted, remove pan from oven and quickly poor in batter. Return pan to oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, (try not to open the oven door much like you would a souffle) or until pancake is puffy and well browned. Cut in wedges and serve immediately. Serve with fresh lemon juice and sprinkled with powdered sugar. 

Simple Blueberry Sauce

2 cups blueberries, frozen or fresh

1 tbs lemon juice

¼ - ½ cup sugar

1 tsp. corn starch

Combine blueberries, lemon juice, and sugar in pan on medium high heat. Bring to low boil and  reduce to medium heat, juicing and reducing blueberries. (Needs very minimal stirring) Mix a teaspoon of corn starch in a small dish with some of the blueberry juice from pan. Mix well and then add to blueberries sauce. Will thicken just right.

Alternatives- Works well with any other fruit as well. Try fresh fruits when in season like strawberries or raspberries, the Cinnamon Apple Compote (with is more like Caramelled Apple Sauce, YUM!), or a make a warm sauce of any of your frozen berries. Of course with syrup if you please.  No butter needed.  Not Kidding.  This is so buttery and custardy, you will love it!  

Locally-Sourced, Artisan Brie baked in Toasted Almonds, French Bread and Red Bosch Pears

Sincerely, I love this food so much I named my daughter after it! It's my special occasion breakfast. Which I wish I had more of now that I think about it!  Very simple, but simply melty, creamy, warm and delicious cheese.


Artisan Brie baked in Toasted Almonds and Sliced Red Pears

2 Tablespoons Butter

7-8 ounce whole Brie or Camembert with Rind

2 Tablespoons Sliced Almonds

1-2 sliced, fresh Red Ripe Bosch Pears (or other variety)

1 Baguette sliced and toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread butter over the top and sides of brie. Place brie in oven proof rimmed serving plate and sprinkle almonds over the top. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until cheese begins to melt. Cheese will be raised a bit and have some give when pressed lightly.  Meanwhile slice bread, and lay on a cookie sheet.

When you take Brie out put oven on broil and place baguette slices under broiler. Watch carefully until just browned.

Slice and serve immediately with slices of pear. Soft warm, melting cheese on baguettes and with fresh, local pears. 

Resources for Pacific Northwest and West Coast Artisan Brie And Camembert

Tillamook, Or.- Blue Heron Cheese http://www.blueheronoregon.com/

Santa Rosa, Ca.- Marin French Cheese http://www.marinfrenchcheese.com/Store/Cheese/Overview.aspx

Leavenworth, Wa.- Alpine Lakes Cheese http://www.alpinelakescheese.com/

Artisan Cheese Directory Nationally- Fork and Bottle http://www.forkandbottle.com/cheese/uscheese.htm

Alternatives- 

Serve individual slices of baguette with cranberry sauce and a melting wedge of brie for the holidays!
Or
Drizzle with honey and cook as instructed above

Loin of Pork with Fennel Stuffing, Cinnamon Apple Compote and Roasted New Potatoes

Pork Loin with Fennel with Apple Compote 

and Roasted New Potatoes

Good organic olive oil (I prefer a nice Sonoma Valley, Ca over any, anymore) 
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups sliced yellow onions (2 onions)
2 cups sliced fennel (1 large bulb)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 large cloves)
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon white wine
1/2-1 cups fresh bread crumbs (can be omitted)
1 (3 1/2-pound) loin of pork, butterflied (just ask your butcher at the grocery store)


8-10 New Potatoes (around two per guest), tossed in olive oil, salt, pepper. 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

For the stuffing, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the butter in a large (12-inch) saute pan. Add the onions and fennel with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook over low to medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions and fennel are tender and lightly browned. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook for another minute, deglazing the pan. Cool slightly.


Add the bread crumbs and 1 teaspoon of salt to the stuffing mixture. Lay the pork on a board fat side down, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread the stuffing evenly on the pork and roll up lengthwise, ending with the fat on the top of the roll. Tie with kitchen string, rub with olive oil, and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.


Place the rolled pork loin on a baking rack on a sheet pan and roast for 30 minutes. Remove and cover with the Apple Compote Mixture below. Lower the heat to 350 degrees F and roast for another 30-50 minutes, until the interior of the pork is 137 degrees F. (If the thermometer hits stuffing rather than pork, it will register a higher temperature, so test the meat in several places.) Remove from the oven and cover  with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 15 minutes. Put new potatoes back in the oven if not fork tender and allow to cook for the another 15-30 minutes. Remove the strings, slice thickly, and serve.


About butterflying a Pork Loin: Its really quite simple.  Lay the pork loin, I suggest a decent size one,  on a cutting board and  slice lengthwise along the top third.  Do NOT cut all the way through but leaving an uncut portion like a spine the same thickness as your 1/3 cut.  Flip loin over and cut another 1/3 of the way down ensuring that you do not cut all the way through and the loin will open flat! Its so wonderful for all sorts of stuffing, rolls, and your friends and family will love the look! 

Cinnamon Apple Compote

2-3 medium tart apples, peeled, and sliced or cubed (Jonathan's if possible)

4 tsp butter (divided, 2tsp and 1 tsp and 1 tsp)

3 teaspoon lemon juice and zest
Pinch of salt

1/4 cup brown sugar (optional)
3/4-1 cup water/ apple cider

1 tsp apple Brandy (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

                                                      1/2 tsp vanilla extract
                                                      1 teaspoon corn starch

As soon as 2 tsp of butter melts, place apples lemon zest and juice in a skillet and stir 2 minutes over medium heat.
In a medium saucepan, add 1 tsp butter and other ingredients and stir over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. About 3 minutes. Add a bit of mixture to a small bowl and add cornstarch, mix and return to pan, boiling on medium for two more minutes. 

Lower heat, and simmer all ingredients until the mixture becomes thick and the apples are soft. Transfer to bowl and serve warm! (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Stir over medium heat until heated through.) Add the last pat of butter to any sauce to make a glossy luster.

Additional uses: Add to steel cut oats, German Pancakes, ice cream, waffles, pancakes, and many other ways! 

Peach compote: Same as apple compote, but use peaches instead of apples and a pinch of nutmeg and a pinch of allspice, instead of cinnamon.

Ginger Maple Glazed Plank Salmon

Ginger Maple Glazed Plank Salmon

1 cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced (I use the pre-cut from the produce section in a hurry!)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (always fresh if you can)
6 garlic cloves, minced (freshly pressed or minced is so much better!)
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (to taste)
2 lb. center cut salmon filet, with skin (Tail piece for less bones)
Salt & pepper to taste

Soak plank for at least 1 hr. or overnight if possible. In a small saucepan, combine maple syrup, ginger, pepper flakes, lemon, garlic, and soy sauce. Simmer and reduce to about 1 cup (about 30 minutes). Let cool. Preheat oven or BBQ to 400°F.

Place the salmon, skin side down, skin will stay on the plank when done. Season the fish with sea salt and black pepper. Using a large brush baste the salmon. Roast for approximately 25 to 30 minutes until the fish is cooked through. During the cooking process baste every ten minutes, and baste again just before serving.
Serve on the plank. Skin will remain on the plank when fish is cooked.

(This dish can be made successfully in a tin foil tent, opening to the crisp for the the last ten minutes)

Disclaimer: Please use food grade salmon planks only! Planks bought at your local hardware store have been treated if not food grade.

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