Raccoon and Lobster

On Monday evening, UPS delivered the patio chairs that we finally got around to ordering. Naturally, it rained all day Tuesday and Wednesday and it’s still damn and wet out today.

Although not a native Californian, I have apparently lived here for too long, as I immediately fell into a melancholia that did not lift until the sun reappeared today. I was not alone in this. Traffic jams were abundant, people fled the streets and the dogs steadfastly refused to go to the bathroom lest a single droplet of water moisten their pretty little heads.

Yes. This dog.

And this dog.

Afraid of the mild drizzle that plagued Southern California for over 48 hours.

In fact, I had an idea for a post about how bizarre and inconsistent their attitudes were towards water but I was feeling too bleh to actually finish it.

It was only the guilt of posting a double-down challenge last week for Couch-to-5k that persuaded me to leave the house and complete my jog.

Therefore it should come as no surprise that my culinary escapades have been less than spectacular of late. The vast majority of what I consumed would be more accurately termed “calories” than actual food. It was only with a fair bit of luck that I was able to make an actual meal, and even then, it was only the second time I made it that I was able to get a decent picture so I could blog about it.

This is not the prettiest pasta in the world, but it’s pretty fast to put together if you know the steps, and it’s delicious and filling and great for a rainy day. I’ve been meaning to make this for a while because Bridget ranked it among her top ten recipes for 2008 and she knows her way around a kitchen. I happened to have walnuts leftover from the cookie swap and an overgrown basil plant in the front yard so I managed to overcome the desire to dump some sauce from a jar on top of some pasta and actually made a meal.

Salmon Pesto Pasta adapted from The Way the Cookie Crumbles
These quantities are approximate and you have a ton of wiggle room

Pesto

¼ heaping cup walnuts, toasted
10 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
2 cups packed fresh basil
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
copious amounts of parmesan cheese

Toast the garlic in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant and cloves just begin to soften, about 7 minutes. I like to cheat and toast the walnuts in the same pan to speed things up. Walnut pieces take about 4-5 minutes to toast so wait the appropriate amount of time and just add the walnuts in. Peel the garlic and add it to a food processor along with the toasted walnuts. Pulse until finely chopped. Bruise the basil leaves and toss them in along with the oil and salt. Process until you achieve a …well, pesto-like consistency. Mix in the cheese and add more salt as needed.

Pasta

8 ounces pasta
12 ounces salmon
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 ounces heavy cream
½ cup pesto
grated parmesan cheese

Everyone knows how to cook pasta right? As you’re waiting for that to happen, season the salmon with salt, pepper, lemon zest, and olive oil. Lay it skin side down a baking pan lined with aluminum foil and broil about 8 minutes or until flesh is firm and no long translucent. Sprinkle the salmon with the lemon juice and use a fork to flake it into bite sized chunks.

By this time the pasta should be done, so drain it and set it aside. Pour the heavy cream into an empty pot until heated and then add in the cooked pasta. When the cream starts to coat the pasta, add the pesto and stir until combined. Add the salmon to the mixture, stir, and remove from heat. Top liberally with more parmesan cheese and serve warm.

It’s pretty easy to change up a tart by swapping some ingredients around. Yesterday’s tart was so well received that I knew immediately I would be making another one today. I actually purchased this tart pan on Bastille Day and it has sat around unused since then. I suspect that it will be in heavy rotation for the rest of the summer. These directions are just a guideline, you can vary proportions, add or remove spices, change up the cheese, or any number of other twists.

Start as before with your pâte brisée and line your tart pan with the crust.

Bacon and Tomato Tart
1 sliced tomato
4 oz grated gruyere cheese
2-3 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
4-5 cloves roasted garlic (to make roasted garlic, wrap a head of garlic in tinfoil, drizzle with olive oil, seal, and stick in a 350°F oven for about 45 minutes)
1 egg
2 dollops of sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
shredded basil

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Edit: As mentioned in a new post, I’ve discovered how to ensure that the crust stays flaky instead of getting soggy. Before putting in the tart filling, first parbake the crust by itself for about 10 minutes, until it just gets a touch of color. Then brush it lightly with an egg white wash and let that cool to form a barrier against the moisture of the filling.

Sprinkle in about half of the grated gruyere. Layer in sliced tomatoes. Add the bacon and roasted garlic. Beat the egg and stir in the sour cream, salt and pepper. Pour evenly onto your tart and cover with more gruyere and the shredded basil. Bake until cheese is bubbling and crust is golden brown, about 25 minutes for an 8″ tart. Serve warm.