Finnish Strawberry Tart

 

I really have become a huge fan of all things Finnish since I moved to the Keweenaw.    I love the whole sisu concept, sauna culture, all things Marimekko,  and their own version of hygge called Kalsarikanni  (roughly translates into "pantsdrunk" in English).  Also, I am soon to get a 100% Finnish daughter-in-law this summer!  

I found this recipe on another blog, but it's originally from Beatrice Ojakangas's Great Scandinavian Baking Book.  It is peak strawberry season here in the Copper Country.   We just celebrated the Strawberry Festival in Chassell.   I've already put up my strawberry jam for the season, and we have been enjoying strawberry margaritas too.   The strawberry season is fleeting; soon, it will be thimbleberries, then raspberries.  

I tweaked the recipe to use what I had on hand, like slivered almonds, instead of sliced and vanilla extract, instead of vanilla beans.   Also, I rarely have milk, but I always drink my coffee with half and half, so that is what I used.   I bought this great tart pan for it!  I am looking forward to making quiches in it.  Also, I think this tart recipe would work with thimbleberries or raspberries too.    I can't wait to try it with other fruits.   It is fantastic!  

Finnish Strawberry Tart    

Crust:

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup almond flour
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick  cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch cubes
1 tablespoon half and half

Strawberry Filling:

1 pound fresh strawberries hulled and quartered
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 t vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons slivered almonds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, almond flour, sugar and salt in the work bowl of a food processor.  Process briefly to combine. Sprinkle cubes of butter over the top and pulse until mixture has a sandy texture.  With the machine running, add the cream through the feeder tube. Process until dough just begins to clump together in pieces.  When you squeeze the dough in your hand it should stick together.

Press approximately two-thirds of the dough into a 14 x 4 inch tart pan with a removable bottom, starting at the bottom of the pan and working the dough up the sides as you go.  The crust should be about ¼ inch thick. Wrap remaining dough in plastic wrap and reserve for the topping.  Refrigerate the tart shell and the reserved dough for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the Strawberry Filling.  Combine all ingredients except almonds in a medium bowl.  Set aside to macerate at room temperature while the dough continues to chill.

Remove the tart pan from the refrigerator.  Fill with the strawberry filling. Crumble the remaining dough over the top in small pieces and sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Place tart pan on a sheet pan and transfer to the oven.  Bake until the tart is golden brown and bubbly, 45-50 minutes.  Cool completely before cutting.  

Maple Soy Marinated Tofu

I finally broke down and bought a tofu press.   After reading about this one on Milk Street, I decided I needed to get this one, and it didn't disappoint me.    I absolutely love the marinated baked tofu we have in the deli and the Keweenaw Co-op, and after much googling, I found the recipe in one of our old editions of Circumspice, our newsletter.   

It is so delicious!  And this tofu press makes it really easy.   I just put the block in it, turn the knob and put it in the fridge and forget about it.   I like my tofu really firm, so I start with extra firm and then press it.   When I get around to it, I bake the tofu.  Here's how I do it:

Maple Soy Marinated Baked Tofu

1 block extra firm tofu

1/2 c soy sauce

1/4 c water

2 T maple syrup

juice of half a lemon

1 t. sambal oelek, or whatever chili sauce you have.

Press the tofu at least overnight.   Remove it from the press, dry it off with a paper towel and cut it into planks.  Mix marinade in a ziplock bag and put the planks in it and allow to marinate overnight.  Preheat oven to 350F and grease a cookie sheet.   Remove planks from marinade (which can be used for another dish) and bake it for 45 minutes, turning several times, until crisp.

The Common Grill: End of an Era

 I just learned that Craig Common is retiring and closing his eponymous restaurant in Chelsea, the Common Grill.   I was sad to hear it; it was our "go-to" restaurant for every special occasion when we lived downstate.    I took numerous cooking classes from Craig at the long ago shuttered Kitchen Port store in Ann Arbor, and I have both of his cookbooks: The Common Grill Cookbook and Return to the Common Grill.   Long ago, I shared the recipe for their excellent rolls.   I've dug out both of his cookbooks, plus all the recipes from the cooking classes I took and plan on blogging about them for a while.    

Common Grill Tuscan Beans

Tonight, I tried out this recipe for Tuscan Beans, which I modified to make with ham instead of pancetta.   It was excellent!  It is a hearty dish and something new to make with legumes that isn't traditional baked beans.  

Common Grill Tuscan Beans with Ham

½ lb. dried cannellini beans
1 c. diced ham
½ t dried rosemary
1 t. dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes, including liquid
½ c. white wine
1½ cups chicken broth

kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Soak beans overnight, drain.    In a dutch oven, add beans and remaining ingredients.   Simmer for about 30 minutes.   Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300 F.    After simmer time, put covered dutch oven in the oven to bake for 2 hours, or until beans are tender.  

Makes about 6 servings