Tomato Ham & Cheese Cobbler

           

      I know, I know.  When they hear what you're serving...Tomato Cobbler....they feign an allergy to tomatoes or suggest their diet won't allow a cobbler or that they must leave as they have an early meeting.  But if you can just get half a bite into their mouths and aren't averse to holding them down to do so, your guests will stay as long as you allow to eat this glorious paradoxical side dish.

       Another name might make it easier to lure in tasters, but the name

makes the dish even more fun to serve; kind of like tomato jam, or

pepper jelly or liver & cherries.

      But this combination, regardless of what you call it, is an undeniable

winner!  There is nothing sweet about it but by definition where does

it say that biscuit dough cannot rest on a savory stew of tomatoes.  The tomatoes are stewed with onions and leeks until they roll on your tongue like velvet with a dense rich flavor reminiscent of a rich ragu studded with ham.  With the addition of cream and gruyere cheese to the biscuit, they would admirably crown almost any savory filling. The addition of ham was due to my own take on the dish.  It is is the perfect palate to which to add ham and make a main course of it.

      What a pleasant surprise this cobbler is - even to those who assume an aversion to the tomato. I'll bet this dish will win you over!

Tomato, Ham and Gruyere Cobbler

Filling:

      1/2 cup olive oil

      1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced

      2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

      4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

      1 1/2 pounds sweet cherry tomatoes

      2 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped

      1 cup cubed cooked ham

      1 teaspoon salt and fresh pepper to taste

      dash of cayenne pepper

      paprika

Biscuit Topping:

      2 cups all purpose flour

      1/2 teaspoon salt

      1 tablespoon baking powder

      1 stick (1/2 cup) cold butter, cut into small pieces

      1 cup grated Gruyere or parmesan cheese 

              (reserve 2 tablespoons for top)

      1 cup heavy cream

      1/2 cup whole milk

      2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes

       For filling:

            -Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

             Add sliced onion and shallots and stir 

             occasionally until caramelized (20 - 25 

             minutes).  Add garlic and cook until

             soft, another 3 minutes.  Let cool.

            -Stir tomatoes, flour, cayenne pepper and ham 

             into onion mixture.  Season with salt and 

             pepper.

        For Topping:

            -Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large mixing

             bowl add flour, baking powder and salt.  Stir

             then cut in butter with pastry blender or fork 

             or with your fingers until butter is well 

             incorporated.  Stir in cheese, parsley flakes

             and add cream and milk.  Stir with a fork until

             combined and mixture forms a rough ball. 

             (Dough will be a bit sticky).

            -Spoon the tomato mixture into a 2 quart 

             baking dish about 2 inches deep. Mound

             biscuit dough around the edge of the baking

             dish in a circle, leaving the center open.  Brush

             the dough with extra cream and sprinkle

             with 2 tablespoons of cheese.  Sprinkle the

             entire cobbler with paprika.

            -Bake until tomatoes are bubbly and biscuits 

             are golden, about 1 hour. Remove from oven

             and allow to cool for 15 - 20 minutes before 

             serving.  Serves 6 - 8

Spoon tomato mixture into casserole dish

and mound biscuit dough around the edges.

A rich depth of tomato flavor with soft

cheesy biscuits on top.

Farmer's Harvest Crepes

    

     

      I wish I had a green enough thumb to say that I raised all the harvest ingredients of this delicious breakfast/buffet dish and though I did plant green onions, they didn't grow and though we hatched chicken eggs for Easter and raised the chicks through adolescence we couldn't keep them once they started crowing (those particular ones wouldn't have laid eggs anyway.)  But the crepes, other than not milking my own cow, or gathering my own chickens eggs, I have down!

      And yes, I know how crepes should be made as I have eaten more than my fair share at roadside cafes in Paris and in Dinan and in Strasbourg, France, in Creperie cafes and in farmer's kitchens.  And I know that I like them best with just granulated sugar inside, while my children like the banana and Nutella best.  And I know that those French chefs that come to the trade as part of their birthright make them on a large round flat griddle, pour the batter on and smooth it in a circular shape with a handled wooden dowel.  And I know that you don't have to know any of that to make great crepes!  

       In fact all you have to know is how to beat a thin batter smooth, which one of your non-stick skillets is the right size and how to execute the perfect swivel to allow the batter to run smoothly over the bottom of the pan.  One of my proudest moments was when one of my husband's French friends told me that my crepes were better than her mothers.

      Having loved all things French after living in Paris for two years, my husband was pleased when I tried my hand at the delicately thin "pancake" and declared them a triumph.  That ability grew into a bit of a monster as my children asked for them almost daily for breakfast.  It still hasn't stopped, and now my grandson requests them daily for breakfast with cinnamon sugar. 

      Even our dog was a raving fan. While hurriedly preparing 100 crepes for a school event where we served them with ice cream and toppings, I left 30 in a stack in the kitchen as I ran an errand, and returned to find that our puppy had eaten the entire plate of crepes.  I learned a dog could survive that.  I also learned that indeed I could whip up another batch and cook them in under 30 minutes - but you should have seen the kitchen after, egg shells and spilled milk festooned the counters and cupboards

      My point being, crepes are a creation you can easily master and enjoy without any fancy contraptions to help you!  But if you'd rather not, you can buy them already made and perhaps spare yourself the burden of homemade ones becoming a family favorite.  Either way, this is a great savory crepe recipe to try - the filling is just that - filling!  The ham and swiss combination is appropriately authentic and all the rest of the ingredients would make any farmer proud to have harvested!  You're entitled to feel proud of yourself as well!

Farmer's Harvest Crepes:

8 prepared crepes

3 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup flour

1 cup chicken stock (or 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon bouillon)

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup sour cream

2 green onions, white and tops finely chopped

1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped

1 cup chopped ham

1/2 cup mushrooms, sauted in 2 tablespoons butter until soft

3 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped

1 large or 2 medium potatoes, boiled until tender,

       peeled and diced

1 1/2 cups shredded or finely diced swiss cheese

1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

salt to taste

paprika

chopped parsley for garnish

      -In a medium saucepan, melt butter.  Add shallot and 

        saute for 2-3 minutes, until soft.  Stir in flour and

        cook over medium heat, 2 -3 minutes, stirring with

        whisk constantly.   Stir in cup of milk and mix with

        whisk.  Add chicken stock and cook over medium heat

        stirring frequently, until  mixture thickens and comes

        to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Allow to cool for about 10

        minutes then stir in sour cream and green onions. Season

        with salt and pepper to taste.

      -In a medium mixing bowl, combine ham, eggs, potato,

        cheese, parsley and pepper.  Taste for salt - add if needed,

        to taste.

       -Lay cooled crepes on working surface.  Spread a

        tablespoon full of sauce down the center of the crepe and 

        then mound with about 1/2 cup of the filling. Spread the

        filling along the center length of the crepe, on top of the

        sauce to within an inch of each end.  Starting at one end,

        roll the crepe tightly around the filling.  Place seam-side

        down in buttered ovenproof casserole closely together.

       -Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the top of the 

        crepes.  Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup swiss cheese on top

        and sprinkle with paprika and chopped parsley.

       -Bake for 25 - 30 minutes at 350 degrees until cheese is 

        melted and sauce is bubbly.  Allow to rest for 10 minutes

        before serving.  Serves 6 - 8

To Prepare Crepes:

       In a mixing bowl with a whisk, or in a blender, combine

       1 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, 2 eggs,

       2 cups milk, 3 tablespoons melted butter.  Blend or whisk

       until smooth.  (Batter should be the consistency of a thin

       pancake batter and should spread quickly and easily to

       cover the bottom of the skillet.  If it doesn't, mix in more 

       milk.)

       Heat skillet with an 8 - 10 inch flat surface.  Melt 1 

       tablespoon butter in skillet and spread evenly over the

       bottom of the skillet.  Pour about 1/4 cup batter into

       hot pan as you swirl the pan with your other hand, until 

       the batter evenly covers the bottom of the pan.  Place over

       medium to medium-high heat and cook about 2 minutes, 

       until the top appears dry.  Turn the crepe over with a 

       spatula and cook on the other side an additional 30

       seconds to 1 minute.  Invert onto plate and allow to cool.

Pour crepe batter into hot buttered skillet.

Cook on one side until surface is dry.

Cook on other side 30 seconds.

To Assemble Farmer Harvest Crepes:

                            Fill center of crepes with mound of filling

Place filled crepes in buttered baking dish.

Top with sauce, swiss cheese and garnishes

 

Apple Caramel Crumb Bars

 

Caramel Apple Crumb Bars
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
2/3 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup melted butter
3 cups peeled small-diced apples tossed with 

            1 tablespoon flour

2 cups Kraft wrapped caramel candies

        -Mix flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon,

          nutmeg, salt and melted butter.  Pat half

          of the mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13

          inch glass baking pan.  Bake for 10 

          minutes at 350 degrees.

       -While crust is baking, unwrap caramel candies and place

         in heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium heat

         & cook, stirring frequently until melted and smooth.

       -Remove crust from the oven and cover with diced
         apples.  Pour melted caramels evenly over the apples
         and dot the remaining crumb mixture over the top of
         the caramel.

        -Return to oven and continue cooking at 350 degrees
         for 30 - 35 minutes, until bubbling and slightly browned.

        -Allow bars to cool completely before cutting into 2 inch

             squares.  Makes 28 bars.

              Combine flour, butter and oats to create

                                     crumb mixture.

Press crumb mixture into bottom of pan.

                                                                  Baked Caramel Apple Bars - allow to cool                                                                               completely before cutting.

Tender & Chewy Apple Bars - serve with fresh slices of apples

 as a garnish!

 

Carrot & Swiss Bake

       Whether this dish is French or not, I acquired the recipe in a French

cooking class years ago.  Never having been a huge carrot fan, fresh or

cooked, I was dubious, but after the first bite I was amazed at how delicious this version was - and I've liked cooked carrots ever since!  And the combo of Swiss cheese with carrots - who would have thought it?

       Just as with cilantro, eggplant, tomatoes and I'm sure you could add

to the list, there are some things that we are born to appreciate and others not ......carrots may be one of them and if people like them it is often only raw or cooked.  So it is in our home, a warren of raw carrot lovers.  I am the only one who will eat this incredibly delicious recipe and I have coaxed, offered money and promised they would like it if they just tried a bite.  I was determined they needed this in their lives!  But no amount of cajoling would sway them. But there were two, those with the very finest palates who savored it as I did, my mother and oldest daughter, so now I only prepare it when they are around to help me eat it.

      If you were ever scarred in your childhood by being forced to sit

at the table until you ate your carrots, this may be the cure.  Conversely, if you insist your children eat all their carrots, these may be the ones

you don't have to punish them to eat!

Carrot Swiss Cheese Bake:

2 1/2 pounds baby carrots

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 eggs

3/4 cups shredded Swiss cheese

pepper to taste

1 package frozen peas and pearl onions or fresh peas

coarsely chopped fresh parsley

      -Cut baby carrots in half and place in medium saucepan.

Cover with cold water and cook over medium-high heat until water comes to a boil. Drain.

      -Add butter, stock, sugar and salt to drained carrots in 

saucepan and cook over medium heat until carrots are very

tender and liquid is almost gone, stirring occasionally.  (Add a bit more water if carrots are not tender by the time the liquid is almost gone and continue to cook.  Repeat if necessary but let the liquid boil almost away.)  Remove from heat and squeeze lemon juice over carrots.

      -Mash carrot mixture with a potato masher or pulse in

the food processor until very smooth.  Let cool about 10

minutes.

      -Meanwhile, steam peas and onions or fresh peas just

until tender and the skin stills pops when you bite into 

one.  Rinse in cold water to stop cooking process.  (For

frozen peas, bring water to a boil, place peas in the water and

return to the boil and boil for 2-3 minutes.  For fresh peas,

bring water to the boil and boil for about 5 minutes.)

      -Beat eggs in small bowl until well combined then stir

into cooled carrot mixture along with the cheese and pepper.

Taste for seasoning.

      -Butter a 6 - 8 cups ovenproof casserole dish and spoon

carrot mixture into the dish, making an indentation with the

back of a spoon about the size of a small fist.  Bake at 350

degrees for 30-35 minutes, until bubbly and cheese is beginning to brown.  Remove from oven.

      -Place peas in the microwave on high for 30 seconds and then place in the indentation in the carrots and garnish

with chopped parsley.  Serve warm.  Serves 8 - 10

Saute carrots in butter and stock.

Mash or process carrots until very smooth.

Spoon mixture into casserole and bake.

Buttery, cheesy carrots and fresh popping peas!