NEWSLETTER: VOLUME 2  
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I am pleased to announce the November Culinary Demonstration Class to be held at the home of Patrice & Karen Gros in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. November is just around the corner, so be sure to reserve your place quickly ~ some of you have already reserved.

 
 

 

Friday, November 9th, 2007 (OR)*
Saturday, November 10th, 2007
10:00am - 1:00pm

Rustic white-bean pumpkin stew
with hearty sausage & garden-fresh sage
Potage à la citrouille, saucisse et à la sauge
~
Spinach & pine nut dessert torte à la Niçoise
Tourtes des blettes

Class fee:  $28
Includes copies of recipes, sample portions of menu items,
plus a side of freshly-baked Little Bread Company bread & Patrice's gourmet salad greens
Reserve by email or call 479-253-7461.

 
 
  * When placing reservation, please let me know which date you prefer.  
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  We had so much fun last weekend at our Special Moroccan Hands-on and Dining Event Saturday evening. What a festive event! I am grateful to my friend, June, who helped me decorate the living room as the interior of a Bedouin tent. I regret I have no photos of the “Arabian” den that we created! Here, however, are some photos of the cooking and dining...  
 


 
  OTHER NEWS
 


We still have a few openings for Paris and Provence in June, 2008. Click on the respective link for more information.

Gift certificates are available for cooking classes and private dining events. Celebrate birthdays, or the upcoming holidays with Cuisine Karen. A unique, intimate fine-dining experience awaits ....

Thank you to those who have already booked your holiday party with Cuisine Karen.

It is not too early to start thinking about New Years' Eve...it can be more than just fine champagne and elegant evening attire. Contact Karen to plan your event!

 
 
  RECIPES
 
Savory Greens & Gruyère Tart
 
 


Fall greens are in season. This delicious and nutritious tart is always a hit! Spinach and chard are the most popular choice of greens for tarts.

  
 

 

 Makes one 10-inch tart. Serves 8 as first course or 12 as appetizer.

Ingredients:

1 recipe Pâte Brisée (recipe follows)
2 bunches greens, stems removed & thoroughly washed
1 bunch green onions or ½ an onion
1 T. unsalted butter
1 T. olive oil
2 eggs
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup grated gruyère (or swiss) cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg

 

 
  1. Place a large stockpot of water to boil. After washing the greens at least twice in a bowl of water (wash until the water runs clear); set greens aside in a colander in the sink. Prepare an ice-water bath in a large bowl.
  2. Prepare the pastry crust, as directed in the following recipe.
  3. Meanwhile, blanch the greens: Once the water is boiling, add greens, pushing them quickly down into the water with a wooden spoon, and set your timer as follows: (if using a combination of greens, add those which require a longer cooking time first) collards & kale, 4 minutes; chard, 2 minutes; spinach, 1 minute. Do not allow water to re-boil. Strain the cooked greens from the cooking water, transferring directly into the ice-water bath, and stir until cool (about 1 minute). Strain again, this time squeezing out any excess water. Coarsely chop the greens, and set aside.
  4. Increase temperature to 375 °F. In a large saucepan, sauté the green onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chopped greens to the saucepan, and sauté until any remaining water is evaporated (2-3 minutes). Slightly beat eggs, whipping cream, and seasonings; add the greens and onion mixture.
  5. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the tart crust, and pour greens mixture onto the cheese, using a spatula to ensure even coverage. Bake until firmly set in the center and slightly puffed (20-30 minutes depending on the oven). Remove from oven, and allow to sit 10 minutes before cutting.
  
 
 
Pâte Brisée
 
 


This is the basic pie crust recipe, perfect for quiche and savory tarts. While this recipe is best prepared in a French tart pan, if you do not have one, you may use a regular 10” pie dish, and adjust the height of the crust to make the tart no more than 1” thick (note: recipe will not cook properly if tart is thicker than 1½ inches). The “thinness” of French tarts is one of the delectable elements that sets them apart from American-style pies.

 
 

 

Makes one 11-inch tart crust

Ingredients:
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
½ t. sea salt
½ t. sugar
½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut in pieces
2 T. or more ice water
Egg wash: 1 whole egg + 1 t. water

Equipment needed:
11” French tart pan
2-3 cups dried beans, to weight tart crust (may be reused)

 
 
  1. Place flour, salt and sugar in bowl of food processor, and process for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter pieces to the flour mixture, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. Add the ice water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube while pulsing , just until the dough holds together. Do not process more than 30 seconds or allow machine to run continuously, or dough will become tough. (If mixing dough manually, whisk flour, salt and sugar together; cut butter into flour with pastry cutter or fork until butter pieces are pea-size or smaller. Add just enough ice water to make pastry hold together.)
  2. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface, and roll out until the dough extends the tart pan by one inch all around, dusting with more flour to avoid sticking. (Do not add more flour than necessary). Fold dough in half and in half again in order to lift it without tearing. Place into tart pan and shape dough to pan. Prick the bottom all over with a fork to allow steam to escape. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes, or place in freezer 10-15 minutes. This allows the butter to solidify and create a flakier crust. (When placed in a pre-heated oven, the solidified chilled butter holds a “space” as the pastry sets, creating a lighter pastry than would room temperature butter.)
  3. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line the pastry crust in with parchment paper, and pour the dried beans onto the parchment paper to weight the pastry and prevent shrinking. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove parchment paper and beans; and bake an additional 2 minutes, until cooked and slightly puffed, but not colored. Remove from oven, and glaze with egg wash, then bake again 2 minutes. Repeat the egg wash procedure if using watery ingredients, such as spinach or greens. Set aside until ready to add filling.
 
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For more information about Cuisine Karen, visit my website. See archive of newsletters.

Thank you for your interest! Please feel free to share this newsletter with your friends. 

Kindest Regards, Karen Gros