Fresh coconut is always a treat, but you can use frozen or packaged unsweetened coconut instead.  This very simple recipe came about when my husband bought a coconut so that he could drink the coconut water.  I didn’t want to waste the tasty coconut meat so I used what I had in the house to make this custard.  I like to garnish mine with whipped cream, lemon verbena and berries, but you can use whatever appeals to you. 

Ingredients
1 cup fresh coconut (or frozen or unsweetened packaged coconut)
1 Tablespoon Meyer lemon zest
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) melted butter, plus more for the baking dish
3 eggs
2 Tablespoons plain flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk

For the topping:
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Berries, mint, lemon verbena, etc., for garnish, if desired. 

You will also need:
Cutting board
Food processor or mixer
Zester
Measuring cups and spoons
Round 8″ baking dish (or individual ramekins)
Immersible blender or mixer (for whipped topping)

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. 

If using fresh coconut, crack open the shell and use a dull knife to run under the edges of the coconut meat to extract it from the shell. 

Place the fresh coconut into the bowl of a food processor and blend it until it is finely chopped.   (If using frozen or packaged coconut, just add it to the food processor or to a mixing bowl, if using a mixer instead.)

Run a zester along the skin of a Meyer lemon to yield a Tablespoon of zest. 

Add that to the food processor, along with the sugar, butter, eggs, flour and vanilla.  Process until smooth, about 30 seconds. 

Meanwhile, butter an 8″ baking dish (or individual ramekins). 

Pour the custard into the baking dish.  

Bake for 45-50 minutes until the middle is set and the edges are lightly browned. 

Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before slicing. 

Make the topping by whipping together the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. 

To serve, cut the custard into 6 pieces.  Top each piece with whipped cream and garnish as desired.  Serves 6.

A galette (rustic tart) is so easy to make and is sure to become one of your “go to” dishes.  I make both sweet and savory galettes (such as this Nectarine Galette), depending upon the season and the fresh ingredients that are available.  Today I had spring onions and red and yellow peppers from the farmers market, along with some fresh mushrooms, in my refrigerator.  However, you can use your own favorite ingredient combinations.  I love the addition of roasted corn! I use a food processor for the pastry, and the secret is not to over-work it.  It is also best to let the dough rest for at least a half hour in the refrigerator before rolling it out.  Serve a simple side salad with this galette and you have a perfect lunch!

Ingredients

For the crust:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
1/2  teaspoon fine-grained sea salt
1 stick (1/4 pound) butter (European style, if possible), cut into eight pieces
About 2-3 Tablespoons cold water

Savory filling:
2 small peppers, one red and one yellow
Olive oil (about 3 Tablespoons)
1 medium spring onion, red or white, peeled and thinly-sliced
About a dozen mushrooms (criminis work well), cleaned and sliced
1/4 cup fresh corn kernels (optional)
6 large leaves fresh basil
Sea salt and pepper
About 2 ounces cheese  (I prefer cow’s milk hard or semi-hard cheese such as Piave, Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano or a nice Gouda)

You will also need:
Food processor with pulse option
Plastic wrap
Rolling pin
Smooth surface
Extra flour to dust surface of rolling area
Medium saucepan
Large spoon
Chopping boards and knives
Grater
Parchment paper
Baking sheet

Instructions
Make the crust first. Put the flour and salt in the food processor bowl. Pulse in the butter one piece at a time. (Give each piece about 5 pulses.)

When all butter has been pulsed in (mixture will resemble crumbly corn meal), slowly pour in the water, while pulsing, until the mixture is moist and holds together.

Remove the food processor blade and set it aside. Gather up the dough and form into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and flatten it into a disk about an inch thick. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to a week is fine).

While the dough is resting, make the savory filling.   Roast the peppers and set aside in a paper bag to cool.

Saute the sliced onions, mushrooms and corn (if using) in the olive oil over medium-high heat until the vegetables are softened and browned (about 15 minutes).  Set aside to cool.  Add salt and pepper. to taste.

Rub off the skin of the cooled peppers. Remove the stems, seeds and chop the peppers.  Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Chop the basil and grate the cheese (enough cheese to yield about 1/2 cup).

When ready to make the galette, preheat the oven to 425oF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Toss a little flour onto your work surface. Take the disk of dough from the refrigerator. Unwrap it and place it onto the floured surface.

With a floured rolling pin, roll the dough away from you. Turn the dough 1/4 turn and roll it away from you again. Repeat this motion until the dough is about 1/8″ thick.

Place the rolled-out dough onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Sprinkle the dough with the cheese.  Place the mushroom and onion mixture, the chopped peppers and the chopped basil on top.

Turn the edges of the dough up over the filling, leaving the center open so that you can see the filling.

Bake for about 24 minutes until nice and browned. Allow to cool about 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Yield: 1 large galette.

The galette is best eaten the day that it is cooked, as the crust tends to soften up overnight.

Enjoy!

This dish is great for nights when the weather is slightly cold or dreary. The leftovers can be used in sandwiches the next day – guaranteed to bring a smile! You can serve these meatballs as an entree with a simple side salad or over pasta or bread.

You can experiment with both the meatballs and the sauce. Sometimes I like to add pinenuts to the meatballs. I also like to add fresh herbs to the sauce when the herbs are in season.

Ingredients

For the meatballs:
2 medium shallots
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
2 medium eggs
3/4 cup fresh ricotta cheese
3/4 cup  freshly grated Parmigiana Reggiano cheese
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs (or your favorite bread crumbs, very finely processed)
1 tsp. fine sea salt
Cracked pepper

For the sauce:
6 cloves garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cans (20+ ounces) or boxes of great quality chopped tomatoes (such as San Marzano or Pomi)
1/2 cup good quality wine (I typically use Sangiovese in this and then serve the rest with the meal. Make sure it is a wine that you like to drink, not what is known as “cooking wine”.)
1 teaspoon sugar
Fine sea salt (start with 1/2 teaspoon and then taste to see if you need more. I typically use about 1 teaspoon in mine.)
Cracked pepper
Fresh basil or oregano, chopped (optional)

1 cup water, divided into two equal parts

You will also need:
Large mixing bowl
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Very large skillet
Large spoon
Tongs

Instructions
Make the meatballs first. Finely chop the shallots. Slice the two garlic cloves in half and remove the green sprout. Finely chop the garlic. Place the chopped shallots and chopped garlic into the mixing bowl. Add the ground beef, eggs, ricotta cheese, Parmigiana Reggiano cheese and the bread crumbs. Add 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt and some cracked pepper, to taste. Mix it all together and form meatballs that are about an inch and a half in diameter.

Set them aside.

Make the sauce by removing the skin from the six cloves of garlic. Cut them in half and remove the green sprout inside. Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium high heat. Add the garlic halves and saute them until they start to become slightly brown and aromatic.

Pour in the tomatoes and the wine. Add the sugar. Stir to blend. Add chopped herbs, if using.

Cook over medium-high heat until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Add salt, to taste, along with cracked pepper.

Add the meatballs. Pour 1/2 cup of water over the top and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, turn the meatballs. Pour another 1/2 cup water over the top and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for another 10-12 minutes until the meatballs are done.

Before serving, sprinkle grated Parmigiana Reggiano cheese over the top, along with chopped fresh basil or oregano, if desired.

Serves 4 (with hopefully some leftovers for sandwiches).

I loved this dessert as a child. We made it often in the summertime to feature the wild strawberries that grew near my grandmother’s farm.   We used whipped cream for the topping then, but I have changed the recipe a bit to use creme fraiche.  Either will work beautifully.

One note on the butter:  I prefer to use European-style butter.  It has a bit more butter fat and less moisture than traditional butter, and I think it gives a better taste and texture to the shortcakes.

Ingredients
4 baskets fresh strawberries
1/3 cup sugar

2 cups self-rising flour (see * below)
1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter, plus a little more for the pan
Approx. 3/4 cup buttermilk
A little extra self-rising flour to scatter on countertop

1/2 cup creme fraiche

You will also need:
Large bowl
Aluminum foil
Food processor
Biscuit cutter (approx. 2.5″ in diameter)
Baking pan (a 9″ round cake layer pan works great)
Knife
Individual serving plates

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Wash the strawberries, take off the caps and slice the berries into about 4 pieces each.  If the strawberries are really small, then just slice them in half.   Add the sugar to the berries and stir well.  Cover with aluminum foil and set aside.

Put the flour into the food processor.  Cut the butter into 8 pieces.  Add the butter, one piece at a time, to the flour and pulse about 5 times after each addition.  When all butter has been added, the flour should have a corn-meal consistency.  Slowly add the buttermilk and pulse until the flour starts to come together.   You may not need exactly all of the buttermilk so add slowly.  When the mixture is moist but not too wet, remove the blade from the food processor and gather the flour mixture into a ball.

Scatter some flour onto the countertop.  Press the ball out to about 1″ thickness.

Smooth the edges and the top.  Using a biscuit cutter, cut the dough into 7 or 8 circles, gathering up the dough that is left and using it , too.

Butter a 9″ round cake pan.  Place the shortcake circles into the pan.

Bake for 18 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

Cut one of the shortcakes in half, forming a top and bottom piece.  Place it openface (cut side up) onto an individual serving dish.  Spoon some of the strawberries and juice over both pieces.  Top each with a dollop of creme fraiche.

Repeat with the others.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6.

* Note:  Self-rising flour and plain flour are not the same thing.  Self-rising flour has baking powder and salt already added in.  We used it for biscuits, shortcakes and cobblers when I was growing up.  If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can make your own.  Mix together 2 cups plain flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt.