French Pear Tart

French Pear Tart 

While all aspects of French gastronomy are world renowned, it is the wide variety of wonderful baked goods and pastries that really stand out. From napoleons to petits fours, from cakes to tarts, the French have mastered the art of baking. Frangipane, a sweet almond-flavored pastry cream, sets off this tart’s buttery pastry and slices of fresh pear. Ingredients:
3 firm ripe Anjou or Bartlett pears 

Pastry Dough:
1/4 C all-purpose flour, additional for dusting
Pinch of salt
4 T super-fine sugar
1/2 C unsalted butter, soft
3 egg yolks
3-4 drops vanilla extract
1 T cold water
Frangipane:
1/3 C unsalted butter
3/4 C sugar
3 eggs
3/4 C ground almonds
1 1/2 T flour
2 drops almond extract
Glaze:
1/4 C apricot jam
1 tsp lemon juice
Garnish: Slivered almonds

Directions:
Pastry Dough:
Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).

Sift together flour and salt; make a well in the middle. Put sugar, butter, egg yolks and vanilla into well; work together gently to form a paste, adding water to make soft, firm dough.

Cover and chill for 2 hours then roll out gently on a lightly floured surface to cover 9" fluted quiche pan. Press dough circle firmly into pan, cut off excess and prick pastry. Place in refrigerator to chill for 20 minutes. Line dough with parchment or foil and fill with baking beans. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Lower temperature to 375°F (190°C); remove beans and paper and bake for 5 minutes until golden. Cool on wire rack.

Frangipane:
Mix butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs, ground almonds, flour and extract; combine. 

Fill pastry shell with frangipane. Peel, core and slice pears, arranging slices in a pattern on top of frangipane. 

Bake at 350°F (176°C) for 30-40 minutes or until the pears are tender and lightly browned. 

Glaze:
Melt jam in a saucepan. Add lemon juice and stir. Push mixture through a sieve then brush glaze over tart. Sprinkle slivered almonds on top.

Brussels Sprouts And Anjou Pear Salad

Yield: Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients:
2lb Brussels sprouts
1/4 small red cabbage, shaved (about 2 cups)
2 underripe Anjou pears, peel on, cored and 

   julienned
1/2 cup organic raisins
1/4 cup raw pecans, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup raw macadamia nuts, chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme

The Dressing
1/4 cup extra light tasting olive oil
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp white baslamic vinegar
1 tbsp raw honey, melted
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp Himalayan salt
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions:

Place the shaved Brussels sprouts in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, place the shaved red cabbage, along with the julienned pear, raisins, toasted pecans, macadamia nuts, sage and thyme. Set that aside as well.

Make the dressing: in a large glass measuring cup, add all the ingredients and mix well with a flat whisk until smooth, creamy and slightly emulsified. Pour this dressing over the shaved Brussels sprouts and mix really well with your hands, massaging and bruising the sprouts quite aggressively for 2 or 3 minutes to get them to soften up and release some of their water. Then, add the rest of the reserved ingredients and continue mixing with your hands, delicately this time, until all the ingredients are well combined and coated in the dressing.

Cover the salad and transfer it to the refrigerator; let it rest for at least 2 hours to allow for flavors to meld, or better yet overnight.

This salad will remain surprisingly fresh for up to 5 days if kept refrigerated in an airtight container.

Roasted Pear and Clementine Salad

Roasted Pear and Clementine Salad

The beauty of this salad blends tangy Goronzola and balsamic dressing with sweet roasted fruit.

Ingredients:

Clementine-Balsamic Salad Dressing:
3 tablespoons white balsamic or white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 large firm, ripe Anjou or Bosc pears, peeled, cored, and cut in 8 wedges each (1 1/2 pounds total)

Salad 

3 medium clementines or oranges, peeled and seperated into segments

4 large heads butterheaad lettuce

1/2 cup chopped pistachio nuts or slivered almonds, toasted

3/4 cup crumbled Gorzonzola or other blue cheese or feta cheese (3 ounces)

***

Directions:

In a bowl, mix vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper. Toss pear wedges with vinegar mixture, spread out in shallow roasting pan. Roast uncovered in 425 degree oven 25 to 30 minutes or until pears aaer tender and beginning to brown, turning twice (roast time depends on ripeness of pears.) Remove from oven; cool in pan on wire rack. When cool, lift pears from juices, if present; discard juices.

Prepare dressing and transfer to a medium bowl. Gently stir in Clementine segments. Cover, chill at least 30 minutes.

To serve, remove 16 outer leaves of lettuce; set aside. Cut remaining lettuce into 1/4 inch strips. Arrange leaves on chilled salad plates. Top with shredded lettuce, dressing, pear wedges and nuts. Sprinkle with cheese.

Makes 8 servings

Copied from Midwest Living. This magazine has always provided me with the most reliable but delicious recipes.