strawberry tart with basil-infused whipped cream

strawberry tart, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Let the strawberry season begin! This picture shows the second strawberry tart of the year, made with the extra ingredients from the first. The first was for Mother's Day brunch, and it was much neater and prettier, with concentric circles of heart-shaped berries. It did not survive long enough to be photographed any closer than this:

For the second one I just heaped the berries into the tart pan, and I think they tasted better for the lack of organization. Especially since we ate both batches of berries with the most incredible confection in the universe: basil-infused whipped cream. Yes! It's real! A thousand thank yous to the cooks at Martha Stewart, who published this minor miracle in the May issue of Living alongside their strawberry galette. Here is my adaptation:

BASIL-INFUSED WHIPPED CREAM
Serves 6 as an accompaniment to a pie or tart.

ingredients

1 c. heavy cream
1/3 - 1/2 c. fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 c. mascarpone

equipment

hand or stand mixer or whisk
sieve or fine-hole colander

preparation

1. In a small Pyrex or stainless steel bowl, combine first three ingredients over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir gently until the sugar has dissolved, which will only take a minute or two. Remove bowl from heat and allow it to cool slightly. Cover the bowl and refrigerate it for 2 to 3 hours. The basil flavor with strenghten over time. Yum! While the cream chills, find your mixer whisk attachment and stick it in the freezer along with a stainless steel bowl. My grandma always told me that this was the crucial step to perfecting whipped cream, and I believe her.

2. When the cream is ready (you'll probably need to taste test this once or twice), remove the larger leaves, then pour the cream through a sieve into the frozen mixing bowl. Add the mascarpone before whipping the whole thing until peaks form. The mascarpone will keep the cream from becoming too stiff.

At this point you can either serve it immediately or refrigerate it until dessert time, up to 2 hours or so. After that, someone is going to eat it right out of the fridge. If you can save some till morning, I've heard it tastes great on an omelette full of fresh herbs. If!

nick's springtime risotto

nick's spring risotto, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Risotto is for all seasons. Nick demonstrated this recently with a tasty dinner of lemon zest risotto featuring his patented peppery spice mix. Tender asparagus, oyster mushrooms, and bacon were the stars that night, but we make this dish often with whatever looks best.

NICK'S RISOTTO

Serves 4.

ingredients

1 1/2 c. arborio rice
5 c. chicken or vegetable broth
1 medium onion or 3 shallots, finely chopped
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 lemon, juice and zest
chunk of parmigiano
handful of fresh rosemary and sage leaves

1 bunch of young asparagus, trimmed and chopped into 2-3 inch bites
oyster mushrooms, as many as you like, wiped clean and separated
4 strips of all-natural bacon

1/2 tsp black peppercorns, or to taste
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt, or to taste
dash of red pepper flakes

preparation

1. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a heavy, deep-sided pan, then add the chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, warm the stock in a covered saucepan. When the onions are translucent, add the rice and stir continuously for another minute until the rice is glossy.

2. Stir approximately 1 cup of the stock into the rice and onion mixture and continue stirring -- stir your heart out! When the rice has absorbed most of the stock, add another 1/2 cup or so. Repeat this step until the rice is tender, usually about 30 minutes. As the risotto cooks, chop the herbs and zest the lemon. Add the zest and half of the herbs to the risotto about 15 minutes into the process.

3. Heat a second pan and cook the bacon until crisp. Drain bacon on a paper towel and wipe most of the fat out of the pan. For a vegetarian alternative, we sometimes omit the bacon and simply heat another tbsp of olive oil in the pan. Turn up the heat to medium high and sautee the asparagus and mushrooms. Break the bacon into pieces and stir these and the vegetables into the risotto about 25 minutes into cooking.

4. Quickly whisk together the egg yolk and lemon juice in a small bowl. Grate as much cheese into it as you like, but remember that parmigiano is salty, so you won't need to add a lot of extra salt at the table. As soon as the risotto is done, move the pan to a cool burner and stir in the egg and lemon mixture. With a mortar and pestle, grind together the salt, pepper, and remaining herbs. Add to the risotto just before serving.