Artichoke, Spinach and Leek Tart with Roasted Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomato Spread

About a month ago, as I was going through the freezer, trying to organize the containers of unlabeled soups and broths (bad Brian) and bags of frozen fruit and vegetables, that I came across a box of puff pastry. I took it out and looked at it curiously, "When had we purchased this? " I couldn't remember the last time I'd used puff pastry or phyllo or any kind of frozen crust (probably years) and, seeing that the box was opened, I tossed it. It was later that day, while flipping through Jennifer Farley's lovely cookbook, The Gourmet Kitchen, that I stumbled on a tart recipe that I just had to make.  Of course, it called for puff pastry. A new box was acquired... and this time it was not neglected. 

I loved Jennifer's idea of caramelizing the leeks and, as is, her recipe works beautifully. In order to provide my own spin, however, I simply sautéed the leeks and opted to include some roasted garlic and a layer of sun-dried tomato spread to the bottom of the tart.  This, paired with a light salad and a glass of wine, made for a fabulous dinner. For those meat-lovers out there, I think some bacon on top wouldn't hurt. Just an idea. But, really, this is a very satisfying vegetarian meal... no bacon required. 

ARTICHOKE, SPINACH AND LEEK TART WITH ROASTED GARLIC AND SUN-DRIED TOMATO SPREAD

SOURCE
Adapted from The Gourmet Kitchen by Jennifer Farley

SERVINGS
8-10 as an appetizer

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups chopped leeks, white and pale green parts only (approximately 1 1/2 to 2 leeks)
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke quarters, drained
1-2 heads roasted garlic (see recipe below)
3 tablespoons sun-dried tomato spread (see recipe below)
1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme
Kosher salt
4 to 5 cups fresh spinach leaves
Ground black pepper
1 sheet puff pastry, chilled (but no longer frozen)
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks with a pinch of salt. Sweat for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the artichokes to the pan, along with the thyme. Cook for another 3 minutes. 
3. Place the spinach in a Dutch oven or large skillet with a splash of water or olive oil. Turn the heat to medium-low, cover, and allow the spinach to wilt, stirring periodically, 2 to 4 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. 
4. Roll out the chilled puff pastry until it is approximately 11 x 15 inches. Place the dough on the baking sheet. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of the sun-dried tomato spread over the puff pastry so it is evenly coated, but leave a small border at the edge of the dough. Distribute the leeks, artichokes, spinach, roasted garlic evenly. Top with the cheese.
5. Bake the tart for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the edges are golden and firm. Periodically check on the tart while it's cooking. If part of the dough around the edge inflates with an air bubble, gently prick with a fork to deflate.
6. Slice and serve. 

 

ROASTED GARLIC

INGREDIENTS
Whole head of garlic, skin removed
Olive oil

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with the rack positioned in the middle. 
2. Using a knife, trim 1/4" off the top of the head of garlic, which will reveal the tips of the cloves.
3. Place heads of garlic (you can do 3-4 at a time), in the center of a large piece of aluminum foil.
4. Drizzle olive oil on top of exposed garlic cloves. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and transfer to oven.
5. Bake for 55 minutes (checking after 40 minutes), or until it turns a golden brown color. 

SUN-DRIED TOMATO SPREAD

INGREDIENTS
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8.5 ounce jar of sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Kosher salt
Olive oil

DIRECTIONS
1. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a skillet set over medium heat. Sauté onion, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, Stir in garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato paste. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and let cool. Transfer mixture to the bowl of a food processor. Add vinegar, basil, thyme, black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pulse until ingredients are well-combined, but not completely blended. If necessary, season with additional salt.

Silent Sunday: o ya (Boston, MA)

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O YA
9 EAST STREET, BOSTON MA

Mussels with Sweet Potato Fries and Garlic Aioli

If there was ever a question that global warming is real, just ask anyone in New England what the last few weeks have been like and we'll tell you something isn't right. We had very little snow in January, but by the beginning of February we got nailed with back to back storms. In a single five day stretch, close to thirty inches fell. Two weeks later, however, the temperatures were in the fifties and crept up into the sixties, which is unseasonably warm for these parts.  Now, I'm sure some folks are saying "That sounds awesome. Stop complaining!" And, don't worry, I've been enjoying it. But this isn't normal. 

The spike in temps brought out all the little critters, too, including a skunk that sprayed Maki in our backyard. I'm not sure there is any smell worse than skunk. A friend compared it to that of burning tires, but I have to throw gasoline in there too. It's just awful. And it got into our house. Maki received multiple baths that night and the next day Eric took her to get another wash. Even with all of that, she still has a bit of a funk to her (especially her head, where she got sprayed). The irony of it all is that while the warm weather brought the skunk out of hibernation, because it was so warm we could leave the windows open for three straight days to air it out. It all worked out. But it was a bit traumatizing for everyone. 

This bowl of mussels was our Valentine's Day meal from a few weeks ago. I'd meant to share it earlier, but things have just been a bit crazy over here and I never got around to it. Sorry about that. Better late than never, right? I am a huge fan of mussels. It always feels so elegant and decadent, but takes very little work to prepare. To elevate it further, I served them with sweet potato fries and a garlic aioli. A spin on moules frites. I tried to resist eating the whole thing, but failed miserably. Go ahead and make it and you'll see what I mean. 

MUSSELS WITH SWEET POTATO FRIES and garlic AIOLI

SERVINGS
4 servings

INGREDIENTS
For the sweet potato fries
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the aioli
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup olive oil

For the mussels
2 1/2 lbs mussels, debearded
1 shallot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 plum tomato, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons dry vermouth

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. While it is heating, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut sweet potatoes into sticks that are 1/4 inch by 1/2 inch wide by 3 inch long. In a small bowl, stir together salt, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and paprika. In a large mixing bowl, toss the sweet potato with the cornstarch until lightly coated. Toss with olive oil and season with salt mixture. 

2. Spread the potatoes in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, until brown and crispy on one side. Take out of oven and flip potatoes. Return to oven for another 10-12 minutes until crispy. 

3. To make the aioli, put the egg yolk in a medium-sized mixing bowl, along with the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic, and salt.  Using a whisk, gently blend the ingredients. Now, whisking continuously, but not too quickly, start to pour in the olive oil a couple drops at a time. Do this until you've used half of the oil and the aioli starts to take form. At this point, you don't have to be as careful and can pour in a larger stream of oil. Whisk in the remaining oil. Taste for seasoning and, if necessary, add salt. Transfer to a bowl with a lid and transfer to the refrigerator. 

4. For the mussels, heat oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot and, stirring continuously, cook for 30 seconds. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add chopped tomato and, stirring occasionally, cook for 1 minute.  Sprinkle in thyme. Add mussels, heavy cream and dry vermouth. Season with salt and pepper and cover skillet. Cook, occasionally shaking the skillet, until the mussels have opened.  Spoon mussels into bowls. Serve with sweet potato fries and mayonnaise.