Easter

Chocolate Smeared Matzos with Bling! E.A.T. #44

~ Teresa Blackburn ~ 4 Comments

Timely and Easy-As-This dessert, or snack, using salted or unsalted Matzo Crackers, good dark bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate and whatever else you might have in your “quarantine” pantry to add some bling to finish them off.

Rummaging through my pantry I found pistachios, pepitas, candied ginger, dried edible rose petals, some coffee-sea salt, edible glitter, and chunky sanding sugar. There was was an orange crying out to be zested on my counter. It can be baffling what I find whenever I begin digging into my little closet pantry. It is not palatial in any sense..smaller than a wee half bath…but with a lot of constant organization it resembles a “clown car” when I start rummaging around. Most of these ingredients were little bits left in packages that I can’t toss and seem to always find a use for.

Chocolate melted and smeared….

….studded with ingredients while still melted.

After a little while chocolate will be set and matzos are ready to be broken into smaller pieces for sharing or gifting. A great combination of sweet and salty and crunch and bling! It’s so easy-as-this.

Be safe, be sweet and be kind.

Happy Passover. Happy Easter from Food on Fifth.

Dark Chocolate Smeared Matzos with Bling

Ingredients:

  • 6 whole matzo crackers, salted or unsalted ( I used unsalted as I added lots of salts to embellish)
  • 8 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (you can combine the two)
  • 1/3 cup chopped pistachios
  • 1/3 cup pepitas
  • 1 orange zested (I used a veg peeler and then chopped the peel rather than a zester to keep the peel dry.)
  • 1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped
  • 1/4 cup dried edible flowers (Rose petals are pretty, but any edible dried flower you like will work.)
  • Various sea salts…I used a coffee-sea salt and a finely ground red-pepper-salt, but there are so many to choose from..whatever you might have..kosher salt.
  • 1 extra matzo for breaking up onto small pieces and adding as “bling”

Note: This is really just more of an idea than a “recipe”…use your imagination and your own collection of kitchen goodies to come up with any combos you or your family will enjoy. There are endless possibilities for sure.

Directions:

  1. Spread 6 matzo crackers out on a flat work surface.
  2. Gather all your “bling” ingredients together in little bowls.
  3. Melt the chocolate over low heat until totally melted and smooth.
  4. Working with one cracker at a time, spread with some of the chocolate from edge to edge all around and while chocolate is melted sprinkle with ingredients. Repeat until all crackers are smeared and embellished.
  5. Allow the chocolate to harden. Then break crackers up into pieces to eat or gift in little bags or boxes.  Store in airtight container. Edible Bling for dessert or a snack with hot tea or a cup of coffee. Enjoy.

Teresa Blackburn.       http://www.teresablackburnfoodstyling.com

 

Spring Leeks & Asparagus Tarts

~ Teresa Blackburn ~ 19 Comments

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“April come she will, When streams are ripe, And swelled with rain…….” (Lyrics by Paul Simon “April Come She Will”)

Somehow the end of March sneaked up on me while I wasn’t looking! I have been very aware of the trees leafing out, the tulips starting to bloom, daylight savings time of course, but the actual dates…not so much.

March was a very busy month for food styling with many photo shoots that needed a lot of my attention as well as a few garden renovation projects that have been taking up the remainder of my time. This morning I realized there is only one more day in March. I felt happy as this is a week I can stay home for a few days,  and a little sad as it is all moving by so quickly. Alas such is life! Is that not April I see on the near horizon?

I made this Spring Leeks & Asparagus Tarts recipe a couple of years ago for a dinner party. Perfect for an Easter brunch or lunch. Enjoy.

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Small leeks just pulled from the garden…

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….thin, tender asparagus, shallots chopped & caramelized……

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…crispy bacon crumbled.

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Flaky buttery pie crusts with just a bit of cornmeal to add some crunch. I just love these rectangle tart pans with fluted edges & removable bottoms. 

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Varicolored eggs…perfect for Easter.

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A scattering of chopped leeks over the crusts, topped with a parmesan-egg mix….

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…caramelized shallots ….

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…decoratively arranged asparagus…one tart with bacon, one without.

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Puffy, warm and ready to eat.

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Spring Leek & Asparagus Tarts

  • Servings: 8-10
  • Print

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Ingredients:

  • For 2 crusts: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal.1 tsp salt, 1 cup cold butter cut into small pieces & ice water
  • 6-8 small Spring leeks (or 2 regular size leeks), trimmed & sliced
  • 1/2 lb thin asparagus spears
  • 8 eggs
  • 7 slices bacon cooked crisp & chopped
  • 2 shallots, chopped & sautéed until caramelized
  • 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup plain Greek Yogurt
  • Sea Salt & Black Pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. In a food processor place the flour, cornmeal & salt &  pulse a few times. Add butter pieces & pulse until mixture is crumbly looking. With processor running drizzle in ice water until a dough ball forms. Remove dough & divide in half forming two balls. Flatten each into a disk, wrap in plastic & chill for 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  3. Roll out dough and fit into two rectangle tart pans with removable bottoms, trimming edges,  or 2 pie pans.
  4. In a mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, Parmesan cheese, yogurt & salt & black pepper until well blended. Set aside.
  5. Evenly scatter the sliced leeks over the bottom of each tart shell and ladle the egg mixture over the top.
  6. Sprinkle the top of each tart with caramelized shallots & chopped bacon. I added the bacon to one tart and made the other vegetarian.
  7. Decoratively place the asparagus spears over the tops of each tart gently pressing into the filling.
  8. Place filled tart pans on a baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes or until they are golden brown and puffy. Remove to cool a few minutes before serving on a wire rack. Serve hot or at room temp.

“Tiny Blood Orange Curd Meringue Tartlets to Celebrate Lunar Eclipses”

~ Teresa Blackburn ~ 28 Comments

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If not for heavy low clouds full of moisture I would be able to see the Blood Moon tonight. There is a deep wet darkness between me and this eclipse of red. If you are one of the lucky ones and you do indeed see it and take a photo would you send me one? In the meantime I will share with you a short & sweet recipe that celebrates this auspicious occasion.

“Tiny Blood Orange Curd MeringueTartlets”

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Here is what you will need to make the Blood Orange Curd: 5 eggs, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup freshly squeezed Blood Orange Juice, 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1/2 stick butter cut into small pieces, 2 tbsp grated Blood Orange zest.

To Make Curd:

1. In the top of a double boiler or a heatproof glass bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water whisk together quickly the eggs, sugar, Blood Orange juice & lemon juice.  Using the whisk stir mixture for about 10 minutes constantly.

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2. Remove from the heat & pour mixture through a sieve to remove any lumps. Whisk the butter pieces into the mixture until well blended & smooth. Stir in the zest. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap touching the surface of the curd allowing it to cool for 30 minutes.

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Here is what you will need to finish off the tarts:

Pre-made/Store-bought mini tartlet shells (one or two bite size), 3-4 egg whites, 1 tbsp sugar

1. While curd is cooling place tartlet shells on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Turn oven to broil.

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2. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Sprinkle sugar over whites & continue to beat until glossy. Fill each tartlet shell with curd & top with a generous free-form dollop of meringue.

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3. Pop tray of meringue topped tartlets in the oven…keeping a close eye…and brown the meringues until light golden. This should only take a minute or two.

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As Easter is just a few days away wouldn’t these be just the perfect ending to an Easter Lunch or Dinner? Something about these meringues reminds me of Peeps?

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This will be my last Blood Orange post for 2014. The citrus season wans as the fresh produce season waxes. I enjoy these “food seasons” reflecting the movements of  the earth & the moon.  Goodnight (Blood) Moon.

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