Entries from January 2010

Napa Cabbage Rolls with Enoki Mushrooms Chicken and Mango

January 15, 2010 · 20 Comments

I made these rolls as an appetizer for dinner last night, again using leftovers in my fridge and they were yum-o!  Definitely a recipe that I will use for future dinner parties — they are not only simple to do but very healthy as well.  I think the perfect appetizer is light, not too heavy and contains flavors that will excite the palate, preparing it for the main course.  I used nori to wrap all of my ingredients and then finishing by rolling the rolls with steamed napa cabbage leaves.  The bright flavors of the mango packs a surprise in each bite, pairing well with the ginger soy dipping sauce.

If eating healthy always tasted this good, I think people would definitely do it more often.  The whole concept of “healthy” eating immediately places scary images into people’s heads – greenish brown smoothies, cardboard tasting rice cakes, strange healthy food trends…I get it.  I really do, but there are other ways, BETTER WAYS, where you actually enjoy eating healthy.

I think the key to eating good tasting healthy foods is good quality produce, the right combinations and a variety of cooking methods.  I mean honestly, would I eat healthy if it tasted bad?  No way Jose.

Ingredients for Napa Cabbage Rolls:

(serves 4)

  • 8 napa cabbage leaves, steamed or boiled
  • 1 package of enoki mushrooms, blanched
  • 1 mango, thinly sliced
  • 2 radish, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup cooked chicken, shredded
  • 3 green onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 sheets nori (seaweed)
  • Sesame seeds
  • Sriracha sauce
  • Japanese mayo

After steaming the napa cabbage leaves, lay them on a napkin and dry them so they do not make your rolls soggy.

To roll your napa cabbage rolls, it is best that you have a sushi rolling mat.  If you do not own one, you may use your hands to do so.  Place the nori sheet down (you may toast them if you’d like) and then put two slices of mango, widthwise, next to each other.  Next place the shredded chicken ontop and the enoki mushrooms above it.  Take your radish and assemble them across the ingredients as pictured above.  Add your sriracha, mayo and sesame seeds and place the green onion towards the end of the roll, with the green onion sticking an inch past the nori sheet on each side.

Rolling is the trickiest part, it’s very similar to that of wrapping a burrito but you won’t be folding in the ends.  Wrap your ingredients snugly (not too tight or the nori will tear but just tight enough to where all the ingredients will stay in tact when cut)  and once you reach the end, dab a little bit of water to help the end of the nori stick to the roll.  Once you have rolled your ingredients, take your napa leaves and wrap the outside of the nori rolls.  Depending on the size of the leaves you can wrap them either widthwise or lengthwise, as long as the leaves cover most of the roll. You can then cut the rolls either at a diagonal or in circular pieces, whichever you prefer.

You can choose to dip these in a simple soysauce sesame oil mixture, or eat them plain.  These rolls make the perfect appetizer — light and refreshing and very easy to make.  They are also very visually appealing don’t you think?

I used a nice honey ginger soy dipping sauce which you can use as well!

Ingredients for Honey Ginger Soy dipping sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/8 cup water

Place all ingredients in medium sized bowl and whisk together.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

I also wanted to share with you a few pictures of some projects I’ve been working on for work…

These are some fresh raspberry tarts with vanilla pastry cream — very very yummy, the tart raspberries pear with with the rich creamy pastry cream.

Chef called this dessert “The Road to Heaven” and I must agree with him on this one — I made a brandy chocolate sauce, which you see is brushed at the base of the plate.  Then from the smallest bite to the biggest — a miniature smore (the marshmallow is toasted of course!), an espresso creme brulee and ending with a fresh raspberry tart.  Boy oh boy it can’t get any better than that does it?

MMMMhmmm!  If any of you guys would like these recipes, send me an e mail and I can send it to you :) In the meantime, have a good weekend and HAPPY FRIDAY FOLKS!

Categories: Appetizer · Easy · Fusion · Healthy · Low Fat
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Braised Lentils with Roasted Rutabagas, Spinach, Baby Corn and Shaved Radish served with Lemon Scented Brown Rice

January 14, 2010 · 12 Comments

This meal was made from everything that was leftover from my fridge and pantry, and the results were pretty phenomenal :)   The best part about this meal is that I used no oil at all.  It was just a variety of different cooking techniques — roasting, steaming, braising, boiling and of course just left raw.  My favorite part about this dish were the robust flavors of the roasted rutabagas paired with the lemony rice and all the different textures you get — the crunch of the radishes contrasted with the softness (not soggy) of the  lentils.  Granted it’s a vegetarian dish, it was quite hearty and I didn’t feel a bit hungry afterwards.

I’ve been trying to incoporate more grains into my diet — I chose brown basamati rice, I actually enjoy the texture better than white rice.  It’s chewy and it’s not easily overcooked, so you are left with nice individual grains opposed to a big goopey mess.  I discovered my love for lentils through Indian food, these little seeds of wonder are packed with protein and holds such a nice earthy flavor.  Which is why I paired some earthy vegetables to go along with it — rutabagas, spinach, radishes –which are all high in dietary fiber and vitamin C.

Ingredients for Braised Lentils with Roasted Rutabagas, Spinach, Baby Corn and Shaved Radish served with Lemon Scented Brown Rice:

(serves 2-3)

  • 1 1/2 cups brown basamati rice
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 medium rutabagas, peeled and sliced into 1″ pieces
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 cup spinach, blanched
  • 1/2 cup baby corn, chopped
  • 3 radishes, cleaned and thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 lemon squeezed
  • salt and pepper to taste

To cook the brown rice, simply wash the rice a couple times under cold running water to get rid of any foreign matters that may be on the grains.  This will also wash off additional starches and gives the grains a nice polish.  If you are cooking 1 1/2 cups of rice then you should use 2 1/3 cups of water — brown rice requires more water to cook.   If you have a rice cooker, you may use that.  But if not, please go to my friend, Mary Moh’s page for EXCELLENT instructions on how to cook rice properly in a pot.  She also features a lot of traditional Asian dishes on her page, she is one talented lady let me tell you!

Preheat the oven to 400F.

A faster and healthier way to roast rutabagas is to simply blanch them first in a pot of boiling water.  Once they are cooked about half way through (the rutabagas should still be firm but soft enough to where they almost “bend”).  Transfer them on a cookie sheet and mix with the minced garlic, spray with cooking spray and place in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until rutabagas are soft.

For the lentils, place the seeds in a medium sauce pan and cover to the top with water.  Add the bay leaf and simmer at medium to medium high heat for 20-30 minutes, or until the lentils are almost all the way soft.  You do not want to overcook your lentils or they will turn into a big mushy mess.  The best way to get perfect lentils is after cooking them, spread them on a sheet pan so the seeds can cool evenly.

Meanwhile, blanch your spinach, cut your radishes and steam your corn.  If you are using a rice cooker, they usually come with steamer attachments — just throw the corn and steam it for 5 minutes.  If you do not have a steamer attachment, just throw the corn ontop of your nearly cooked rice for about 5 minutes.

Transfer your lentils into a medium sized bowl and mix with the red wine vinegar and taste with salt and pepper.  Add the spinach, roasted rutabagas and corn and gentle fold into the lentil mixture.  To assemble the plate as pictured, place your brown rice in a small bowl or cup and place at the center of the serving platter.  Spoon the lentil mixture around the rice and remove the bowl that is holding the rice.

Squeeze a little lemon on top of the brown rice and top with the shaved radish.  Garnish with sliced green onion and salt and pepper to taste.

If this vegetarian dish is just a little too “rustic” for you, you can add some chicken to this dish as well — or a fried egg!  I originally was going to add a fried egg on top but forgot :( Oopsie!  So anyone who does end up trying this recipe, if you add a fried egg, please tell me how it tastes!

I have also been trying to not cook my vegetables for too long — this helps retain the nutrients vegetables contain opposed to having them seeped into the water you are cooking them in.

Stay tuned for Napa Cabbage Rolls wrapped with Chicken Enoki Mushrooms and Mango!

Categories: Easy · Entree · Healthy · Low Fat · Vegan · Vegetarian
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The Perfect Winter Meal: Hot Pot – “Huo Guo”

January 13, 2010 · 27 Comments

Hot Pot or “Huo Guo” in Chinese, is probably one of my favorite things to do during the winter.  Everyone huddles around a pot of simmering broth during a chilly winter night, surrounded by various types of raw seafood, meats and vegetables that you quickly cook in the broth and then dip it in a sauce of your choice.   It’s “asian fondue” if you will and not only is it interactive and fun, but it is a very healthy alternative to your usual “cheese or chocolate fondue”.

I had a few friends over who have never experienced hot pot before and we all had such a blast.  The beauty of this meal is the communal efforts needed to make this meal perfect — using ladels to discover the “treasures” that are hidden beneath the broth — “Who wants an oyster mushroom? broccoli? tofu?”  and just having a family style dinner in general makes dinner a more intimate and close knit setting.

Most Chinese and Asian meals are family style, which I love because you get to taste everything!  American traditions are more individualized, everyone gets their own plate.  I really struggled with this concept because I’d find myself wanting to try everything my friends would order but don’t get me wrong it definitely hasn’t stopped me from picking off people’s plates :)   I am sure it drives people crazy which is why I usually ask in my sweetest and most convincing tone as possible — “Do you mind if I try your dish?” It works 98% of the time (Girls, don’t forget to bat your eyelashes)!

There are various types of broths that are used for hot pot, I chose a traditional herbal chicken broth and a hot and spicy fish broth.  You can also make them vegetarian: miso broth or shiitake/mushroom broth.  When the broth in the hot pot runs low, simply add more!

Ingredients for Herbal Chicken Broth:

  • 2 chicken thighs
  • 2 ginger slices
  • 2 ginseng slices
  • 6 dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup dried dates

Place all ingredients in a large deep bottomed pot and cover to the top with water and cook at medium low heat for 1-2 hours.

Ingredients for Spicy Fish Broth:

  • 1 lb fish scraps or 2 8oz fish fillets (salmon, mahi, etc)
  • 1 tablespoon chile powder
  • 1 tablespoon black bean chili paste
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tomatoes, sliced
  • 2 thai chiles, minced
  • 1 tablespoon dashi soup powder
  • 1 tablespoon scallions, chopped

Mix fish scraps, chile powder and dashi in a large deep bottomed pot and cover to the top with water and simmer at medium low heat for 1-2 hours.  Upon serving, saute the garlic with the chile paste and chiles in a small saucepan and immediately place into the broth.  Add the sliced tomatoes and scallions.

While your broths are simmering away on the stove, go ahead and begin prepping your ingredients.  If you are vegetarian, do an all vegetarian hotpot!  I chose to do a pretty extensive spread since everyone was new to the concept.  Here is the breakdown of the ingredients that I bought:

Meats & Seafood:

  • Rib Eye
  • Chicken
  • Salmon
  • Squid
  • Spicy Fish Balls
  • Squid Balls
  • Oysters

Vegetables:

  • Bok Choy
  • Napa Cabbage
  • Yu Choy
  • Taro
  • Korean Sweet Potato
  • Baby Corn
  • Broccoli
  • White Button Mushrooms
  • Oyster Mushrooms
  • Enoki Mushrooms
  • Fresh Bamboo
  • Spinach
  • Tofu
  • Fried Tofu

Pastas:

  • Dried Egg Noodle
  • Cellophane Noodle/ Beanthread Noodle

Some Tips for Hot Pot:

  1. In order for hot pot to happen, you have to have a portable burner that will keep your broth at a gentle simmer.  If you have a stove top that’s situated in the island of your kitchen, that will work as well too.
  2. To thinly slice your meat, freeze them first and then slice the meat when it’s still almost frozen — this will ensure that you get thin even slices.  You can also buy precut meats at your local Asian grocery store.
  3. You can buy these miniature ladels at Asian markets that will make fishing out the food you place in the broth easier, however chopsticks will suffice as well.
  4. In my family, we usually cook the meats first than the vegetables and then end with noodles — the broth at the end is my favorite part.
  5. Be sure not to dump too many items into the broth all at once, this will lower the temperature and increase the cooking time for the items placed inside the pot!
  6. Be careful to not burn your mouth, once you pull out your food, set it aside on your plate and allow it to cool off a bit before dipping it in your sauce and eating it — especially with items that hold a lot of liquid like mushrooms, fried bean curd, and broccoli.
  7. Any items that are leftover from hot pot can easily be used for stirfrys, soups, or…MORE HOT POT!

For the sauces — I made a base of peanut sauce (1/2 peanut butter, 1/2 water), if you prefer a thicker sauce simply just add more peanut butter.  Then to the base you can add a variety of different sauces like — Sriracha, Chili Powder, Chinese BBQ Sauce, Black Bean Sauce, Oyster Sauce, Hoisin Sauce, etc.  Each person makes their sauce to their own personal taste and that will be used to dip all the items in!

This is certainly a meal that can go as large as 8-10 people to as small as 2-4, either way everyone has fun and no one is left hungry!  What’s not to love?  Good variety of food? Check.  Fun and Interactive meal?  Check.  Healthy AND delicious?  Double Check.  Good conversation and company?  Always.

Speaking of which — Thank you to all that joined us for this meal: Sonya, Lucas, Eric and Cyrus, I am so happy all of you came and Collin and I had such a great time with all of you.  And Sonya also bought this LOVELY Korean Sweetpotato Layer Cake — not only was it the CUTEST cake I’ve ever seen but it was freaking delicious.  The minute Sonya and Lucas left, Collin, Eric and I polished the entire cake off — I couldn’t eat like a pig infront of guests now could I?  : ) Anyways, thanks a ton Sonya for bringing that cake, it truly was sensational and very dangerous in the regard that I could completely see myself killing an entire cake to myself.

Anyways, I hope some of you give this a shot, it truly is so easy to put together — you leave the cooking up to your friends and all you have to do is prep the ingredients, it can’t get any better than that!  And since the meal isn’t overly heavy, having a  slice of cake (or in my case 3 slices) afterwards is the perfect way to end the meal :)

Categories: Chinese · Easy · Healthy · Low Fat
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Pan Seared Bluefin wrapped in Nori and Avocado

January 8, 2010 · 25 Comments

Ya know, this eating light thing isn’t half bad.  I think I fell off the “eating healthy” bandwagon for awhile because that was all my mother told me to do for my entire life.  Even a couple years back when she first met Collin, she made this braised pork belly and numerous side dishes, and as I was reaching for a nice piece of pork belly, immediately my mother blocked my chopsticks — “Xin xin, you cannot eat! It too fat.  You eat steam vegetable!!”

…. whaaaaaaaaaaat???

Lame.

So so lame.

So the minute I moved out of the house, I had a freaking FIELD DAY — you name it I freakin ate it: pizza, fast food (don’t judge me I was in college!), all the cheese in the world, fried food, the list goes on but my shame is taking over!  My mother meant well, this I am sure of, but to make something completely forbidden to a child only makes them want it more.  So the key to eating is Moderation, its okay to have a little bit of ice cream or pizza here and there — just not every week.

My fiance and I have been trying to eat less meat, for a while we were having it for up to two meals a day.  I have now cut it down to two meals a week, and having red meat 2-3 times a month.  The rest of the time it’s mainly fruits, vegetables and fish.  So far we’re on day 5 and have not felt any cravings for a big juicy steak yet, but I am sure that time will come :)

For this recipe, I got the inspiration from one of my favorite rolls — tuna avocado.  I quickly pan seared the tuna and then wrapped it in nori and avocado and served it with a side salad whom I got the recipe from the divine Divina Pei.  She has a beautiful blog called Sense and Serendipity where she showcases a bunch of healthy and easy to make dishes, not to mention her pictures are phenomenal!

I will post her original recipe and include the changes that I made to it — I simply left out the chicken and made it vegetarian and threw in some mango slices.  I also used cooking spray in place of the oil and replaced the soy sauce with mirin.   This salad is also delicious cold and tastes even better the next day!  The green beans really soak up the flavors of the ginger and citrus, very very tasty!

Ingredients for Warm Green Beans, Chicken and Orange Salad:
(Makes 5-6 servings)

  • ¾ lb green beans
  • 2 green onions
  • ¼ cup toasted cashews
  • 3 oranges, peeled and segmented
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • 1 tsp ginger, minced (I added this)
  • 2 cups diced chicken (I’m using Hainanese Chicken) (I used 1/2 cup sliced mangoes)
  • ¼ cup light soy sauce, or to taste (I used 1/4 cup mirin)
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil (I omitted this)
  • 2 tbsp rice bran oil or grapeseed oil (I omitted this and used cooking spray)
  • 2 tbsp water

To prepare your mise en place, trim the top and tails of the green beans and sliced thinly on a bias, about 1/8-inch pieces. Trim the root of the onions and finely chop, then roughly chop the cashews. Zest the skin from one orange using a microplane zester, then peel and segment the oranges (see technique below from Rouxbe Online Cooking School). Squeeze out the juice and save.  Next remove the chicken from the bones and cut into bite-sized pieces. Save the bones to make your next batch of chicken stock. Gather the soy sauce and the sesame oil.

To cook the green beans, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and then add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the green beans and stir until coated with oil, then add the water. Cover and cook for 2 -3 minutes, until the beans are brightly colored and tender but slightly crunchy; shake the pan midway through to ensure even cooking.To serve the salad, remove the pan and transfer the green beans to a large bowl and stir in the green onions, cashews, orange zest and segments and the chicken. Season with soy sauce, sesame oil and some of the orange juice. Toss gently and taste again. Serve warm.

Ingredients for Pan Seared Bluefin wrapped in Nori and Avocado:

(serves 2)

  • 1 x 8oz fillet Bluefin Tuna
  • 2 x nori (seaweed) sheets
  • 1 avocado, pitted and thinly sliced
  • toasted sesame seeds for garnish
  • panko breadcrumbs for garnish

Take a large heavy bottomed saucepan and heat until the pan is very very hot.  Once the pan is thoroughly heated, take your cooking spray and evenly coat the pan.  (I recommend that you use the cooking spray after the pan is heated or else it will cause the oils to burn.)  Make sure your fish fillets are patted dry before you lay them down for searing. Sear each side for 2-3 minutes, the cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the fillet.  Make sure both sides are well browned and you are unable to see any red on the outside.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Lightly toast the nori sheets and carefully wrap it around the tuna fillet — the technique is like wrapping a burrito or wrap.  Tuck all the edges of nori underneath the fillet.  Layer the thinly sliced avocado on top and garnish with sesame seeds and panko breadcrumbs. Serve with warm green bean salad and wasabi mayo.

Ingredients for Wasabi Mayo:

  • 1 tsp wasabi powder
  • 1/4 cup japanese mayo
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper

Mix together thoroughly and serve.

MMMMHMMM — that’s right!  This dish is not only extremely healthy, but flavorful and the wasabi mayo packs a great kick.  The fragrant sesame seeds pairs nicely with the toasted nori and Divina’s phenomenal green bean salad has a nice, bright, citrus note.  Collin polished his plate in a matter of minutes and exclaimed it was my best invention yet — see why I keep him around? :)

It is important to not over cook your beautiful bluefin tuna — be sure that the middle is still mostly pink with only the edges being slightly seared.  You may not get it on the first try, but practice makes perfect.  Toasting the nori not only helps bring out the seaweed flavor, but it makes it nice and crispy so it is easy to cut into.  Everything else should be a sinch, it literally took me 30 minutes to make this entire meal — I’m starting to feel like Rachel Ray.  Since the weather is SO DARN cold in Dallas right now, I figure what better thing to do this weekend than Shabu-shabu or others may know it as Hot Pot or “Huo Guo”.  I will be having a few friends over Saturday afternoon before the “Big Game” and together we’ll stay toasty warm with good food and drinks.  Stay tuned, it’s gonna be a good one!

Categories: Easy · Entree · Fish · Healthy · Low Fat
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Mixed Fruit Tart

January 7, 2010 · 38 Comments

“Nom nom nommy nom nom” — are probably the only words that will escape your lips upon tasting this tart.  Recently at work I’ve been working on fruit tarts since Valentine’s day is only right around the corner and I’ve forgotten as to how delectably delightful a well made fruit tart can be.  A rich vanilla pastry cream topped with juicy and succulent seasonal fruit and a nice flaky buttery crust to bring it all together, *exhales* is this heaven?

Since I am watching my caloric intake, I decided to use fat free milk as the base for the pastry cream — I also replaced some of the sugar with honey.  (You can also use agave syrup if you’d like)  Also it is important to seal your fruit tart with Apricot jam.  Yes, apricot and only apricot.  The glaze helps seal in the moisture of the fruit and gives the tart a nice shiny beautiful appearance.  The reason apricot jam is chosen as the glaze for all tarts is because other preserves like orange or peach contain enzymes that will break down the fruit.

I had a little bit of pastry dough left from the quiche so I figured it’d be a great way to use it for this recipe.  I added some freshly grated orange zest to it to give it a nice citrus flavor throughout the crust.  You can also use lemon zest if you do not have oranges readily available.  You can find the pastry dough recipe and detailed instructions here.  I made an 8″ tart since I didn’t have much pastry dough left but you can easily make a 10″ tart with this recipe.

At my first job as a line chef at a French restaurant, the chef use to make a fresh batch of vanilla pastry cream every week.  I would always sneak a spoonful here and there when no one was looking because it was so DARN good.  They used lots of heavy cream along with fresh vanilla bean which probably attributed to me growing a second butt cheek in a matter of weeks.  Therefore, I made a lighter version and I think it tasted just as good.   I will list the original pastry cream recipe and then put the changes that I made beside it.

Ingredients for Vanilla Pastry Cream: (From Le Cordon Bleu)

(yield: about 1 qt.)

  • 4 cups mik (I used fat free)
  • 4 oz sugar (I used honey)
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 2 eggs
  • 2.5 oz cornstarch
  • 4 oz sugar
  • 2 oz butter
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract

1.  In a heavy saucepan or kettle, dissolve the sugar (honey) in the milk and bring just to a boil.

2.  With a whip, beat the egg yolks and whole eggs in a stainless-steel (glass) bowl.

3.  Sift the cornstarch and sugar into the eggs.  beat with the whip until perfectly smooth.

4. Temper the egg mixture by slowly beating in the hot milk in a thin stream.

5.  Return the mixture to the heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

6.  When the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, remove from the heat.

7.  Stir in the butter and vanilla.  Mix until the butter is melted and completely blended in.

8.  Pour out into a clean container and dust lightly with sugar and cover with waxed paper to prevent a crust from forming.  Cool and chill as quickly as possible.

Important steps to watch out for — it is crucial to sift the cornstarch as you are mixing it into the eggs, or else your pastry cream will come out lumpy and the corn starch will not be incorporated correctly.  Also, be sure to stir constantly once you return the mixture back to the heat — it literally is a 20-30 second time window when the mixture goes from liquid to suddenly a thick paste consistency.  This step is the easiest to mess up, because you can either end up burning the cream or making it too dry and thick.

For fruit selection, I would go with seasonal fruits — that ensures quality and flavor.  Be sure to choose a wide range of colors — greens, reds, orange, yellows, this will make your fruit tart visually appealing!  For my fruits I chose Mango, Grapefruit, Orange, Kiwi and Blueberries.

Ingredients for Mixed Fruit Topping:

  • 1 mango, peeled and thiny sliced
  • 2 oranges, peeled and segmented
  • 1 grapefruit, peeled and segmented
  • 2 kiwis, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup blueberries

Ingredients for Apricot Glaze:

  • 2 tablespoons Apricot preserve
  • 2 teaspoons water

Place in the microwave for 30 seconds, or until the mixture becomes a syrupy consistency.

Assembling the Fruit Tart:

This is the fun part — assembling your fruit tart!  Take you pastry shell that’s been baked and cool and leave it in the tart pan — this will ensure that your tart does not crumble as you are assembling.  (This happened to me, I made two big holes on the sides of my tart :( !! )  Using a spatula, spread your cooled vanilla pastry cream inside the tart.  Fill it up all the way and make sure all sides are leveled.

Next take your sliced fruit and begin planning out how you’d like to lay out your tart.  I would start the outside border with which ever fruit you have the most of, in my case it’d be the mangoes. Place the mango slices where they are slightly overlapping, allow the tips to hang beyond the edge of the tart.  Next take the citrus fruit and assemble the same way as the mango.  Be sure to place the citrus slices so you are still able to see the tops of the mango slices.

Next take your kiwi slices and lay them on top of the citrus, being sure to leave a hole to place your blueberries.  Put as many blueberries that will fit in the center of the tart — I chose to use some blueberries to decorate the sides as well, you can do whatever you like.  Be creative!!  Lastly, carefully glaze your tart using a pastry brush.  If you brush too hard all the fruit will slide off and blueberries will fly everywhere, just use a gentle dabbing motion and evenly coat the entire tart with the apricot glaze.  Place it in the fridge for 1 hour before serving.

The reason I love fruit tarts is because they are so versatile!  You can make them for a friend’s birthday, a get together, any type of party — you can also have it for breakfast with a nice cup of coffee or for dessert after dinner.  Honestly, what’s not to like?  Citrus scented crust?  Good.  Vanilla pastry cream?  Reaaallly good.  Delicious array of fruit?  It just can’t get any better!!!! You can also change the flavor of your pastry cream to whatever you — chocolate, praline, even coffee.  If you are interested in making any of those flavors just leave me a note and I will send over the recipe.

Categories: Desserts · Easy · French · Healthy · Vegetarian
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