Herbed Chèvre and Oyster Mushroom Tart with Almond Crust

Almond flour is a perfect compliment to local chèvre blended with fresh herbs, caramelized onions, and sauteed oyster mushrooms. Spot on for your next party or served as a light meal with fresh tossed greens.

Though I find almond flour tastes wonderful, (nutty and light), it will crumb far more than a typical pasty crust made with wheat, due to the absence of gluten. Baking the crust until very golden, and using a very sharp knife when slicing will help reduce crumb. If all else fails, grab a fork and don't worry about structure. This is not a dwelling and doesn't need to hold up against hurricane force winds. All it needs to do is make it onto a clean little plate and into your mouth, one way or another.

Almond Crust:

*2 cups almond flour

*1/2 tsp sea salt

*4 Tbsp unsalted butter, chilled

*1 egg yolk (optional)

Preheat oven to 400.

Pulse almond flour and salt in a food processor. Add the chilled butter and egg yolk. Blend briefly. Press enough mixture into a 8 inch tart pan (fitted with a loose bottom) to create a 1/4 inch layer. Pierce crust with a fork in several places and bake until golden, about 7 minutes.

Remove from oven. Cool completely on a wire baking rack.

Filling:

*5 oz plain locally crafted chèvre

*1 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped

*1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped

*sea salt and pepper to taste

*1 large sweet onion

*3 Tbsp butter

*1 1/2 cups oyster mushrooms

Place 2 Tbsp butter in a small cast iron pan over med low heat. Add onions. Slowly saute until browned and aromatic, about 15 minutes. Remove from pan, transfer to a plate, and allow to cool. Place remaining Tbsp butter in same pan. Saute the oyster mushrooms until lightly browned and tender, tossing halfway through.

Allow to cool.

Mix chèvre, herbs, sea salt and pepper in a small bowl. Spread evenly over base of crust. Layer the onions over cheese mixture, followed by the oyster mushrooms. Sprinkle with extra thyme.

Gently remove tart from pan. Slice with a very sharp knife and serve.

Note: Tart can be made in advance, wrapped in plastic wrap and chilled until ready to serve.

*Oyster mushrooms contain high levels of protein, vitamin B complex, and C as well as iron, phosphorous, potassium and calcium. They also contain important trace minerals needed for human health. The vitamin B3 in oysters is notably higher than any other vegetable.

Medicinal and cholesterol lowering properties are also associated with eating oyster mushrooms.

Thanks to Carol at Myco Gardens for growing the most incredible mushrooms around!

Salmon Croquettes

On the rare occasion when leftovers from the previous evening's grilled wild caught salmon remain, don't worry. Gently flake the deeply hued pieces of fillet (separating the flesh from the skin), mix with fresh rosemary, a whisked egg, homemade mayo, bread crumbs, grainy mustard, sea salt and pepper. Form the mixture into patties and pan fry in butter. Serve with skillet home fries.

A breakfast of champions!

Pâté

I love how the French can make the grittiest things sound distinguished. Pâté for instance, seems to hold a special sophisticated allure, as does caviar, the exclusive food of the rich and famous. Comparatively, chicken liver paste and fish eggs tend to conjure up a very different mental image. This is why such dishes are generally referred to by their French title. Truth is, some of the most important foods may be written off entirely by our backward modern assumptions without the help of French terminology.

Fish roe and organ meats have been prized for their nutritional profiles for centuries. Across the globe, men and women of childbearing age were encouraged among most tribes to partake in such foods to ensure the following generation a healthy future.

Pâté, with its nutrient rich base of grass-fed chicken livers, is as important of an addition to the modern diet as it was to primitive groups. In fact, almost all carnivorous mammals begin with the nutrient dense organs of an animal, moving on to the flesh and muscle only after polishing off the offal first.

As the days become increasingly shorter this time of year, supplementation with vitamin rich foods will go a long way in warding off the cold weather blues. The French were right to give pâté its suave name. It is a dish both decadent and vital.

I like to whip up a batch, divide it into a few ceramic crocks and place the extra in the freezer. This works out well for last minute parties and moments when a piece of sourdough baguette appears lonely.

I have featured a recipe for lamb liver pâté previously, however, chicken livers are milder, making them prime for pâté beginners. Bon Appétit!

Chicken Liver Pâté: (Adapted from Nourishing Traditions' Original Recipe)

*3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

*1 pound livers from grass-fed free range chickens and/or ducks

*1/2 pound of your favorite mushrooms, rinsed, dried and chopped

*1 medium sweet onion, chopped

*2/3 cup dry white wine

*1-2 garlic cloves, minced

*1 Tbsp grainy mustard

*1/2 tsp dill, chopped

*1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

*sea salt and pepper to taste

*1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

*4 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temp

Rinse livers well. Place butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, mushrooms and livers. Occasionally stir and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the wine, garlic, mustard, herbs and lemon juice. Simmer until all liquid is gone. Season with sea salt and pepper. Allow to cool.

Blend everything in a food processor with remaining 4 Tbsp. butter. Spoon into ceramic dishes or crocks and chill completely.

Spread on sourdough toasts or thinly sliced baguette. Pairs well with assorted olives and mustards, caramelized onions and tart pickles.

Liver Pâté Nutritional Property List:

B Vitamins:

B1
B2
B6
B12
B9 or folic acid
Minerals:
phosphorus
iron
copper
magnesium
iodine
Fat Soluble Vitamins:
A
D
E
K
and essential fatty acids

Wild Persimmons

During a brisk walk the other afternoon, I made a point to stroll by the little persimmon tree on the corner. Sure enough, the ripe globes were in the midst of dropping to the ground. I wrapped my arm around the tree's modestly sized trunk and gave it a hearty pull. Only slightly did this have an effect on the branches above, but I kept at it and soon encouraged a few extra persimmons into my willing arms. Although the commercial

cultivars are prized for their size and durability, wild persimmons are special for the opposite reason. After a few frosty evenings they become sweet, though fragile, and are best eaten on the spot. If sampled before its narrow moment of ripeness, a persimmon can be an unlucky attempt at discovering the bliss offered by wild edibles. But, when the fruits are tender and almost so soft they squish in your hand, they are a treat beyond words. All matter of woodland creatures enjoy a perfectly ripe persimmon equally as much as the lucky passerby, such as myself.

Persimmons have a long history in this area. Indians used to mash the sweet pulp and spread it evenly over a peeled log to dry slowly in the sun. Afterwards, they had what was known as "persimmon leather" which proved to be highly stable, its stability increasing as smoke from cooking and fires additionally cured the hanging strips. The method of drying preserved the sweetness of the fruit, unlike cooking which tends to allow the astringent quality (unique to persimmons), to surface.

Like many wild gifts such as these, a ripe persimmon's moment is brief, yet the opportunity to sample one is worthy of keeping close tabs on the generous gift-giving trees.

Local Lamb Sirloin Chops with Parsley Pesto

Like I have said so very many times before, every morsel from East Fork Farm is downright dreamy. This evening, tender lamb sirloin chops were enjoyed smothered in a perfect parsley sauce fresh from the garden. Accompaniments included; roasted sweet potatoes tugged from the soil just 50 yards from the dinner table, smeared with delicious whole milk ricotta, and organic red wine for sipping. It's good to be alive.

Lamb Sirloin Chops:

*2-4 pasture raised lamb sirloin chops

*sea salt

*pepper

*butter

Bring coals of a charcoal grill to moderate heat, or place a grill pan over medium heat. Coat grill rack or pan with butter. Rinse lamb chops. Pat dry with paper towels. Liberally coat each side of chop with fresh ground pepper and sea salt. Place on hot grill, turning once halfway through, about 3 minutes per side (time will vary depending on thickness of chops). Sear to medium rare, being careful not to overcook. Allow to rest.

Parsley Pesto:

*3 cups loosely packed fresh Italian flat leaf parsley leaves

*2 cloves garlic

*sea salt

*pepper

*extra virgin olive oil

Blend parsley with garlic, sea salt and pepper in a food processor. With blade running, slowly add olive oil until desired consistency. Spoon over whole or sliced chops.

Toast to the hard workers of your local farms, who's tedious labors produce the opportunity for meals such as these.

Good Food Reads

If your eyes are gazing upon these words, most likely you've arrived at them because you are a food lover. In between this reading material and others, I would love to suggest some of my favorites:

First and foremost, if you have a passion for real food and its limitless good news for lasting health and eating pleasure, become a member of the Weston A. Price Foundation to receive their quarterly journal "Wise Traditions." It is priceless material. For science majors, agricultural devotees, family planners and lay readers alike. From cover to cover, I always learn something new, and am encouraged to keep a firm grasp on personal health by way of traditional eating.

Second, explore cookbooks. There is a vast world of material published by individuals passionate about food. My favorites include: Nourishing Traditions, The Silver Palate, The New Basics, Extending the Table, The More With Less Cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and anything random or vintage.

Third, subscribe to SAVEUR. It is fabulous.

Finally, recipes from grandmothers are as good as it gets. I cherish the hand written tablet scribbled with my grandmother-in-law's recipes for homemade pickles to sweet potato pie.

Collect, browse, dogear pages, highlight, and begin a signature recipe box. Cooking real food at home instantly bonds us with generations past, strengthens family ties, and above all else, nourishes health each savory bite at a time.

Cheers.

A Few Pretty Things

My husband holding a large bowl of our fall garden greens and freshly tugged radishes

Pears from this weekend's farmer's market. The entire hefty crop came from one old 50 foot tree

A man on the street handed me this rose he'd crafted from reeds as I dashed to my car in the pouring rain.

The freshest, most succulent cabbage in the universe, purchased from Full Sun Farm