Alsatian Pork And Zucchini Tart Recipes

ALSATIAN PORK AND SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Place the bacon in a large, deep pot, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring to turn pieces occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon pieces on a paper towel-lined plate. With a paper towel, wipe the bacon grease out of the pot but keep as much of the brown bits as possible. Stir in the onion, sauerkraut, brown sugar, and chicken broth, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the potatoes and apple slices.
• Place the juniper berries, peppercorns, cloves, parsley, and bay leaf into a small cheesecloth square, and tie the ends together to make a spice bag (or place the spices into a stainless steel tea ball). Place the spice bag into the pot, and add the pork chops and kielbasa sausage pieces. Add more chicken broth, if needed, to just cover the ingredients. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the potatoes are very tender, about 1 hour.
• To serve, use a slotted spoon to remove the sauerkraut, potatoes, and apple slices to the center of a serving platter. Arrange bacon, pork chops, and kielbasa pieces around the outside of the platter.

ALSATIAN TART

Steps:

• Pastry dough can be purchased in either your supermarket in the freezer section, or in a bakery which makes their own.
• Defrost pastry dough; roll out on lightly floured board to 1/4-inch thickness.
• Cut out 4 circles (using a 7" diameter salad or cake plate as a template).
• Prick dough with fork and refrigerate while preparing the filling.
• Cook bacon; drain and crumble; set aside.
• In one tablespoon of canola oil, saute sliced onion until golden.
• In a mixing bowl, combine cheese, creme fraiche, flour, salt and pepper and mix by hand until combined thoroughly.
• Remove pastry rounds from refrigerator, spread each round with cheese mixture.
• Sprinkle top with sauteed onions and arrange crumbled bacon.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Bake 15 minutes until done.
• Very rich and filling served with a salad and a glass of white wine.

ALSATIAN PORK AND ZUCCHINI TART

Steps:

• Prepare the tart shell and set it aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Cut the zucchini into one-quarter-inch slices. Stack the slices and cut them into one-quarter-inch strips. Cut the strips into one-quarter-inch cubes. There should be about two cups.
• Heat the butter in a skillet and add the onions. Cook, stirring, until they are wilted. Add the pork and cook, stirring and breaking up any lumps with the side of a heavy metal spoon. Sprinkle with the scallions and the zucchini and cook until any liquid has evaporated and the mixture is relatively dry. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, nutmeg and curry powder.
• Combine the whole egg, egg yolk, cream and milk in a mixing bowl and beat thoroughly. Add the meat mixture. Stir to blend.
• Pour the mixture into the tart shell. Place a baking sheet in the oven. Put the filled tart shell on the sheet and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until the custard is set.

ZUCCHINI AND GOAT CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Place the flour, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and the butter in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse 12 to 14 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the processor running, pour the vinegar and ice water through the feed tube and continue to process and pulse until the dough just comes together. Dump out on a floured board, form into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place the zucchini in a colander set over a plate. Toss it with 2 teaspoons of salt and set aside for 30 minutes. Spread the zucchini out on a clean dish towel, roll it up, and squeeze gently to remove some of the liquid. Put the zucchini slices into a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. With a fork, mash together the goat cheese, thyme, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Roll the dough out on a floured board to an 11-inch circle and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Spread the dough with the goat cheese mixture, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Lay the zucchini slices in tightly overlapping circles, starting at the very edge of the pastry (the zucchini will shrink when it bakes). Continue overlapping circles of zucchini until the whole tart is covered. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with pepper. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the dough is golden brown. Cut in wedges and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

ALSATIAN APPLE AND CREAM TART

Steps:

• Prick the bottom of the shell and bake it on the lower third of a preheated 375°F oven for 15 minutes, and let it cool in the pan on a rack.
• In a bowl stir together the apples, lemon juice, and 2 table spoons of sugar and toss the mixture until the apples are coated well.
• In a large bowl whisk together the yolks, the cream, 2 1/2 tablespoons of remaining sugar, a pinch of salt, and vanilla and stir in raisins.
• Arrange the apples decoratively in the shell, pour the cream mixture over them, and sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 table spoons of sugar with the cinnamon over it.
• Bake the tart in the middle of a preheated 375°F oven for 1 hour, or until the apples are tender when pierced with a cake tester, let it cool in the pan on the rack.
• Serve.

ALSATIAN CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 12-inch square, then transfer to a large baking sheet.
• Blend cottage cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper in a blender until smooth.
• Cook bacon in a 10-inch skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until it just begins to brown, about 5 minutes. (Bacon should be tender, not crisp.) Remove from heat.
• Spread cheese mixture evenly over pastry, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Scatter bacon and onion on top, then sprinkle with parmesan. Bake until pastry is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cut into 36 pieces and serve warm.

TARTE FLAMBEE (ALSATIAN BACON & ONION TART)

Steps:

• Place bacon in a skillet and cook over medium-high heat until cooked but not crisp and fat has rendered out, about 8 minutes. Drain in a strainer; reserve the fat.
• Place skillet back over medium heat. Add sliced onions. Cook briefly just until they lose their raw edge and soften up slightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Add a teaspoon or 2 of bacon fat if pan seems too dry. Remove skillet from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Mix fromage blanc, creme fraiche, nutmeg, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper together in a mixing bowl.
• Place 1 ball of pizza dough on a well-floured surface. Flatten and roll out to a 10- or 12-inch thin circle. Transfer to a cold cast iron pan. Heat over medium-high heat to pre-cook the bottom of the crust. As dough heats and bubbles appear, deflate them with the tines of a fork so crust ends up thin and crisp (not chewy). When bottom is nicely browned and just about to start getting charred, 5 to 7 minutes, remove from heat. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Spread a generous amount of cheese mixture over the crust. Top evenly with some onions and then the bacon. Broil 5 or 6 minutes until edges are browned and starting to lift. Repeat for remaining tartes.

ZUCCHINI PORK DINNER

Steps:

• In a skillet over medium heat, cook pork in oil until browned, about 5 minutes. Add onion and garlic; cook for 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add tomato juice and seasonings; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini; cook and stir until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Serve over noodles.

ALSATIAN POTATO PIE

Steps:

• Cover potatoes with water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add a pinch of salt; cook until just tender, 13 to 15 minutes. Drain. Let cool.
• Bring 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons cream, garlic, and nutmeg to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until mixture is reduced by half. Season with salt and pepper.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add leek; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley; season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 400°. Whisk egg yolk and remaining 1 table- spoon cream in a small bowl; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, divide puff pastry into two 6-by-13-inch rectangles. Set one rectangle on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Top with half of potatoes, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around and overlapping slightly, then half of leek mixture and 3/4 cup cheese; season with salt and pepper. Repeat layering with remaining potatoes, leek mixture, and cheese. Brush edges of pastry with egg wash. Cover with remaining pastry rectangle; gently press edges with a fork to seal. Cut 2-inch slits lengthwise in center of crust, 2 inches apart. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with parsley sprigs. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Bake until golden brown and puffy, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven; pour cream mixture into pie vents with a funnel. Bake 10 minutes more. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

ALSATIAN-STYLE APPLE AND CREAM TART

Steps:

• To make the tart:
• Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface and fit it into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim. Prick the shell with a fork and chill it for at least 30 minutes or, covered, overnight. Line the shell with foil, fill the foil with the rice, and bake the shell in the lower third of a preheated 425°F. oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and the rice carefully, bake the shell 10 minutes more, or until it is pale golden, and let it cool in the pan on a rack.
• In a bowl stir together the apples, peeled, cored, and cut into eighths, the lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar and toss the mixture until the apples are coated well. In a large bowl whisk together the yolks, the cream, 2 1/2 tablespoons of the remaining sugar, a pinch of salt, and the vanilla and stir in the raisins. Arrange the apples decoratively in the shell, pour the cream mixture over them, and sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon over it. Bake the tart in the middle of a preheated 375°F. oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the apples are tender when pierced with a cake tester, let it cool in the pan on a rack, and remove the rim.
• To make the pâte brisée:
• In a large bowl blend the flour, the butter, the vegetable shortening, and the salt until the mixture resembles meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water, toss the mixture until the water is incorporated, adding more ice water if necessary to form a dough, and form the dough into a ball. Dust the dough with flour and chill it, wrapped in wax paper, for 1 hour.