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Grasshopper Chocolate Chip Tart

12/16/2020

Serves 8 to 10

For the Crust
32 chocolate wafer cookies, coarsely broken
5 tablespoons sweet butter, melted and cooled

For the Filling
3 large egg yolks
⅓ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1¾ cups heavy cream, divided
1 .25 oz envelope unflavored gelatin
¼ cup Crème de menthe, plus 2 tablespoons
1 drop green food coloring (optional)
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 small green and white candy cane, broken into small pieces
Sprig of fresh mint

1 11” tart pan with removable sides

Crust
1.    Preheat oven to 350°.
2.    Place the broken wafers in a food processor and process to fine crumbs. Add the cooled melted butter and pulse to blend.
3.    Press the moist crumb mixture into the bottom and sides of the tart pan. Bake the crust until it is set, about 10 minutes. Remove crust to a cooling rack.

Filling

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and salt together until thick and yellow. Set aside.
Pour ½ cup of cream into a wide saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and let stand for 5 minutes to soften. Cook over a low heat for about 2 minutes, until almost simmering. You should see small bubbles forming around the edge of the pan. Remove from the heat.
Very slowly, whisk 2 tablespoons of the hot cream into the egg mixture to temper it. Then whisk the entire yolk mixture back into the gelatin saucepan with the cream. Stirring constantly, cook over a low heat for 3 to 5 minutes. The sauce should be able to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and stir the crème de menthe and food coloring into the mixture.
Place the mixture in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick but not completely set.
In a large bowl, whip the remaining 1¼ cups of cream with an electric mixer, until it forms soft peaks.
Stir 1 cup of the whipped cream into the mint mixture to lighten it.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Fold the remaining whipped cream into the mint mixture.
Spread the mixture into the cooled tart crust. Refrigerate until fully set and chilled.
Garnish with fresh mint and candy cane pieces.

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Chicken, Shitake and Black Barley Stew

12/9/2020

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Serves: 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
8 bone-in chicken thighs
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 medium leeks, white & pale green sliced
10 to 12 oz. shitake mushrooms, sliced
2 large carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
4 sprigs Italian parsley
4 sprigs thyme
1 tablespoon flour
¼ cup parsley, shredded
4 cups cooked black barley

Preheat oven to 350°.
Heat the oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat on stove top.
Working in batches if necessary, add the chicken pieces in one layer. Brown on all sides. Remove chicken pieces to a large bowl and cover with foil.
Skim off all but 1 to 2 tablespoons of liquid from the Dutch oven, or add more oil and butter as required.
Add the leeks to the Dutch oven and sauté until transparent.
Add the carrots, celery and mushrooms to the leeks, stir well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the chicken broth to the mixture and stir well.
Add the herb sprigs.
Gently add the chicken back into the Dutch oven.
Cover and place in the hot oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until the chicken is tender.
Remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Extract the herb sprigs and discard. Place the chicken into one bowl and the vegetables into another. Set aside.
Strain the fat off the remaining liquids in the Dutch oven. Return the Dutch oven to the stove top over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
Add the milk. When all the liquids are thoroughly heated, spoon out 2 tablespoons of the hot liquid int a small prep bowl. Using a small fork, add the flour to the prep bowl and blend into a paste. Add the paste back to the liquids and whisk in well.
Add the chicken and the vegetables back to the pot and heat through.
Place one cup of the cooked barley into 4 serving bowls. Add 2 thighs to each bowl and ladle in the stew vegetables and gravy.
Sprinkle each serving with shredded parsley and serve.

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Maple-Ginger Roasted Carrots

12/2/2020

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Serves: 4-6
6 to 10 heirloom carrots, peeled and quartered into similar sized pieces
¼ to ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup pure maple syrup
⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425°.
Place the carrots in a casserole or ceramic baking dish.
Add the nutmeg and the ginger to the olive oil and mix well.
Drizzle the carrots with olive oil mixture.
Sprinkle the carrots with a little salt and a goodly amount of fresh ground black pepper.
Toss the carrots gently.
Roast for 30 minutes
Drizzle with the maple syrup.
Continue to roast until the carrots are tender, but still firm to the fork.
Serve.

Advanced Prep: The roasted vegetables can be kept at room temperature for up to two hours before serving.

NOTE: This recipe works beautifully with parsnips too.

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Grasshopper Chocolate Chip Tart

Chicken, Shitake and Black Barley Stew

Maple-Ginger Roasted Carrots

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