Tarte Normande and Apple Custard Tart

Cuisines that define cultures may seem to be a constant in the myriad of changes over time.  There are family and cultural favorite recipes that are passed down for generations, but often substitutions are made based on the availability of ingredients.  This became starkly evident in researching recipes for an apple custard tart.  I recently inherited a couple of my mother-in-law's cookbooks.  The oldest book was Good Cookery By W.G.R. Francillon and G.T.C.D.S.  This book was originally published in 1920, but was revised at the start of the second world war. This reprinted version was from 1948; a time in British history when rationing was at it's most severe level.

Unfortunately, this old volume was not much help in providing a classic apple custard tart recipe, but certainly gave some context to how events like, war, social and economic policy, and resource management can dictate (more that one would expect) what we eat.

The next book on the shelf was The Constance Spry Cookery Book, 1956.  This is a massive volume of post-rationing recipes and cooking techniques that clearly draw on the expertise of classic French and continental European cuisine.   This book was issued to students of the Winkfield Place finishing school and Cordon Bleu Cookery School.  In reading through some of the recipes, it seems to reflect a hopefulness and celebration of better times; a sentiment shared by much of the world in the 1950's.  In addition, it does, most excellently, provide a superb apple custard tart recipe called Tarte Normande.

 Here is an adaptation of Tarte Normande (providing a more specific ingredient list):

Tarte Normande

Adapted From The Constance Spry Cookery Book, 1956

Ingredients:

1 Recipe for short crust pastry

1 lb Fruit (apples, gooseberries, etc.)

1 oz Butter

1 oz Sugar

Cream:

1/2 oz Flour

1 gill of milk or cream (I used approx. 6-8 oz of cream)

1 Egg

1 oz Sugar

2 Tbs (or more) of DOM B&B Liqueur

Method:

Line a 10-inch flan ring (or spring-form tart pan) with pastry. Make sure there are no cracks in the pastry and that the slices of the flan are high.  Peel, core, and cut the apples into thin slices, then set aside.

Place the butter in a saucepan with 1 oz of sugar and a tablespoon of the liqueur.  On medium heat, stir the mixture until it becomes bubbly and begins to darken in color. Spread the caramel mixture into the bottom of the pastry. Arrange the apples in a fan pattern inside the pastry.

Whisk together the flour, egg, 1 oz of sugar, cream, and liqueur.  Pour over the apples.  Bake at 375 to 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until the tips of the apples darken, and the custard has risen and just set.

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In an effort to compare modern versions, an online search for similar recipes produced a plethora of adaptations.  It would seem that our present culture has not only ready access to ingredients produced throughout the planet, but the privilege to customize recipes to our specific health and dietary needs.  Here is a delicious gluten-free/Dairy-free adaptation which appears to be the most common special-diet trend at this time:

Apple Custard Tart

(gluten and dairy free)

*Crust:

1 1/2-2 cups Almond Flour

1/4 tsp Salt

2-4 Tbs Coconut Oil

1-2 Tbs Honey, Pure Maple Syrup, or Sugar

1/2 tsp Vanilla

1 Egg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix salt into almond flour. Combine wet ingredients in a separate jug or bowl, then mix into the almond flour with a fork.  Add more almond flour, if necessary, to form a dough that is not crumbly and not too sticky.

Divide the dough into four equal parts.  Press evenly into the bottom and sides of four 5-inch tart pans, taking care to not have any holes or parts that are too thin.   Alternately, you can make one larger pie in an 8-inch pie plate or tart pan.

Place the blind crusts in the oven and bake for about 8 minutes, or until they begin to darken in color and are slightly more firm to the touch.  Remove from the oven and let cool.

Filling:

2 Apples (about 1 lb)

Juice from 1 lemon

dash of Cloves

dash of Cinnamon

1 large Egg

1/2 cup cold-pressed unsweetened Coconut Milk

2-4 Tbs DOM B&B Liqueur, or similar flavored brandy

1 Tbs Honey, Pure Maple Syrup, or Sugar

Method:

Peel apples, then divide into 8 wedges.  Cut away the core from each wedge, then slice the wedges thinly (about 1/8th of an inch thick). Place the apples in a bowl and gently toss with the lemon juice and spices. Take care to not break the slices.

Place the apple slices into the prepared crusts, arranging them in an overlapping circle around the edge of the tart base. Then lay the slices in a fan pattern, with the tips of the slices going from the center to the edge of the pan. Pour about 1/4 cup of the custard mixture over the apples. Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until the apples darken on the tips and the custard has risen and just set. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Remove the tarts from the pans and serve warm.

*Thank you to CSA member Oriel Wiggins for sharing this delicious Gluten-Free/Dairy-Free pie crust recipe. 

Pattypan Squash Stuffed with Meatloaf

Ingredients:

8-10 Pattypan squash

1 lb Grass-fed ground beef

1 Large yellow onion

3-4 Celery stalks

4-6 Garlic cloves

1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1 Cup of tomato sauce, or 1 cup of smoky tomato and sweet red pepper ketchup

1-2 Cups of Panko breadcrumbs

2 Eggs

Method:

In a food processor or blender, finely chop the onions, celery and garlic.  Combine the finely chopped vegetables with the ground beef, salt, tomato sauce, panko, and eggs.

Remove the stem end of the squash to make a flat surface for the squash to sit in the baking dish.  Cut away the blossom end and scoop out the seeds and soft pulp from the middle of the squash.

Stuff the pattypan squash with the meatloaf and place on a baking pan or dish.  Place in the oven on the top rack and broil (550 degrees) for about 5-10 minutes, or until the tops brown.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for about an hour.  Baking time is variable depending on the amount of meatloaf in each squash, size of the squash, etc. A meat thermometer inserted into the center of the meatloaf should read 170 degrees when done.

Serve with Smoky Tomato and Sweet Red Pepper Ketchup.

Pottery Courtesy of  www.formanpottery.com

Smoky Tomato and Sweet Pepper Ketchup

Pottery Courtesy of www.formanpottery.com

Ingredients:

4 Medium tomatoes

4-6 Red Italian sweet peppers

2 Yellow onions

Canola or olive oil

Kosher salt

1 Tbs local honey

1 tsp Apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp Chipotle chili powder

Method:

Remove stems and seeds from red peppers and chop into 1-2 inch pieces.  Remove cores from the tomatoes and slice into wedges.  Peel onions and slice into wedges.  Place peppers, tomatoes and onions on a baking sheet.  Toss with a little oil, then season generously with kosher salt. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the vegetables are black on the tips and most of the water has evaporated.

Puree the roasted vegetables in a blender with the honey, vinegar and chili powder.  Adjust seasonings to taste.

Quinoa-Lentil Garden Burgers

This recipe has what seems like a long list of ingredients.  Most home-made garden burgers are a combination of many things, but this one pays tribute to any leftover grilled vegetables from the weekend cookout.  If leftovers generally are not your thing, don't worry.  Transformed into a garden burger, yesterday's meal becomes a protein, fiber, and flavor-packed lunch, dinner or snack.  They freeze well, and can turn those late-summer/early-fall vegetables into weeks of delicious, quick meals.

Ingredients:

½ Cup dry green lentils, cooked with vegetable broth until soft. Discard extra cooking liquid

½ Cup dry quinoa, cooked with vegetable broth according to packet directions until light & fluffy

½ Cup fresh brown breadcrumbs (toast until dry, and then grind in a blender)

½ lb Zephyr squash or zucchini, sliced, brushed with oil, seasoned with salt, and grilled

½ lb Eggplant, sliced, brushed with oil, seasoned with salt, and grilled

½ lb Golden beets or carrots, finely chopped in a food processor

1 Bunch beet greens or spinach, chopped

1 Medium-large yellow onion, finely chopped in a food processor

5-6 Cloves of garlic, minced

3-4 Fire roasted Italian sweet peppers, (red, yellow or orange) peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 Large tomato, diced

Juice from one lemon

1 tsp Alchemy Spice Kitchen Karma herb blend

1 tsp Kosher salt

¼ Cup olive oil

2 Eggs

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Chop the grilled squash and eggplant. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  The mixture will be quite soft, but should not be too watery.  Add more breadcrumbs if necessary to absorb some of the excess liquid.  Form into balls (about 1/3 cup), place on the lined baking sheet, then press gently to flatten into a patty shape.  Bake for 20-30 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.  Cool completely before freezing. Recipe makes about 20 burgers.

Serve on a toasted bun with pesto or whole grain French mustard, lettuce, tomato, and your favorite cheese (optional).  Freeze extras in freezer bags.  Reheat in a toaster oven or microwave.

Zesty Grilled Vegetables

Grilling or cooking over a barbecue is perhaps the oldest and most primitive cooking method.  It does not have to be complicated, but getting to know your fire-source is probably the the most important step.  It can be as simple as building a wood fire, letting the logs burn long enough to turn into hot, white-ash covered coals, and sticking a cast-iron or metal barbecue grate over the top.  Using charcoal briquettes can be even more simple than a wood fire, and gives a distinct flavor that is desired by many. However, many backyard barbecue enthusiasts prefer the instant heat of a gas-fired grill.  Whatever your preference, once the grill is nice and hot, it won't be long until you have deliciously grilled vegetables ready for your favorite meals.

Ingredients:

(Any of the following vegetables, or whatever you have on hand)

Eggplant, sliced into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices

Zephyr or Pattypan Squash, sliced into 1/2 inch slices

Sweet Peppers, seeded and cut in half or into thick strips

Green beans, stems trimmed

Delicata squash, seeded and sliced into 1/4 inch slices

Canola oil

A good quality lemon-pepper seasoning blend (like The Alchemy LP)

(or a mixture of fresh lemon zest, minced garlic, thyme, freshly ground black pepper, and kosher salt)

Method:

Wash, trim, and slice vegetables.  Place in a large bowl and drizzle enough canola oil on them to lightly coat the vegetables.  Too much oil can cause oil drips and flare-ups on the grill, not enough oil will leave the vegetables too dry.  Generously season with the lemon pepper mixture.

Heat your barbecue to a high heat (about 500-550 degrees).  If using charcoal, let coals burn until they are white, smokeless, and very hot.  If cooking over a wood fire, follow this method from Oliver Schwaner-Albright.

Place the vegetables on the hot grill.  Resist the urge to move them around a lot.  Let the first side sear long enough to make dark brown or black grill marks before turning to cook the other side.

When the vegetables have seared on both sides, remove from the grill and return to the bowl.  Toss in the remaining oil and seasoning before serving.  Garnish with fresh herbs, like basil, parsley, or cilantro if desired.  Serve hot or cold.