Serves 6 to 8
Appetizer
Hot Cross Buns with Dried Cherries
Spring Salad with Fava Beans
Carrot Vichyssoise
Main
Quiche with Morels and Scallions
Dessert
Almond Macaroon Gallette with Strawberries
Hot Cross Buns with Dried Cherries
Serves 30
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons whole milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 ounce (4 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
- 6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for bowl and baking sheet
- Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
- 4 ounces (3/4 cup) dried cherries, coarsely chopped
- 4 ounces (3/4 cup) golden raisins, coarsely chopped
- 1 large egg white
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
1. Heat 1 cup milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it registers 110 degrees on a candy thermometer. Pour milk into a mixer bowl, and fit mixer with a dough hook. With mixer on low speed, add granulated sugar, yeast, butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, the nutmeg, cinnamon, and eggs. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, and knead until mixture comes together in a soft, sticky dough. Continue kneading, scraping down hook as needed, until dough is smooth, about 4 minutes.
2. Add cherries and raisins, and knead to incorporate. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead to distribute dried fruit. Coat a large bowl with butter. Shape dough into a ball, and place in prepared bowl. Cover with a piece of plastic, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3. Generously butter a rimmed baking sheet. Turn dough onto a surface, knead briefly, then divide into 3 pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time, divide each third into 10 pieces, and shape each into a tight ball. (Keep dough covered with plastic.) Place on prepared sheet, spacing 1/2 inch apart. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover with plastic, and let rise in a warm spot until buns have doubled in size and are touching, about 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together egg white and water in a small bowl. Brush tops of buns with egg-white wash. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool on sheet on wire rack for 30 minutes.
5. Whisk together remaining 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons milk, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Spoon icing into a pastry bag fitted with a plain 1/4-inch round tip, and pipe icing on buns in the shape of a cross. (Alternatively, spoon glaze on buns.) Serve immediately.
Cook's Note
These buns are best eaten the day they are made; if you make them the day before, don't pipe the icing across on the tops. Instead, warm the buns the next day in a 300-degree oven, let cool, and then decorate right before serving.
Spring Salad with Fava Beans
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 1/4 pounds fresh fava beans, shelled (11/2 cups)
- 1/2 head frisee, leaves separated
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- 3/4 cup packed fresh mint
- 1 small carrot, peeled into thin ribbons
- 1 shallot, halved and thinly sliced
- 4 ounces fresh goat cheese
- 2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
1. Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add fava beans, and cook until tender, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beans to ice-water bath. Drain, and squeeze beans from skin.
2. Toss beans, frisee, spinach, mint, carrot, and shallot in a large bowl. Dot with tablespoons of goat cheese.
3. Place vinegar in a small bowl. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle dressing over salad, and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Carrot Vichyssoise
Serves Six
Use a blender, not a food processor, to puree this soup, or it will become gummy.
Ingredients
- 3 large leeks (1 1/2 pounds), white and light-green parts trimmed
- 1 medium clove garlic minced
- 4 small Yukon Gold potatoes (1 1/2 pounds), peeled
- 5 carrots (9 ounces), peeled
- 2 1/2 cups Homemade Chicken Stock Homemade Chicken Stock, or canned low-sodium chicken broth, skimmed of fat
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups whole milk
- 3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
- Olive-oil cooking spray
Directions
1. Coarsely chop leeks; place in bowl of cold water. Let stand 5 minutes to rid them of dirt and sand; lift out of water; drain in colander.
2. Spray bottom of small stockpot with olive-oil spray; place over low heat. Add leeks and garlic; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are wilted, about 12 minutes.
3. Cut 2 potatoes into small chunks; add to leeks. Slice 3 carrots into 1/4-inch-thick rounds; add to vegetables along with stock, salt, pepper, and 2 cups water. Cover partially, raise heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low; cook until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in milk, and puree in blender until smooth. Let stand until cool; refrigerate until cold.
4. Meanwhile, finely julienne remaining 2 potatoes and 2 carrots; place in a small pot of boiling water. Boil until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain; transfer to ice-water bath until cool. Drain; add carrots and potatoes to pureed soup. To serve, divide soup among six bowls, and garnish each with snipped chives.
Quiche with Morels and Scallions
Makes one 10” Quiche | Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
- Pate Brisee
- All-purpose flour, for surface
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 4 ounces small fresh morel mushrooms (about 12 to 15), halved
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (1 ounce) finely grated Gruyere cheese
Directions
1. Roll pate brisee to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Fit dough into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom; trim dough flush with rim. Prick bottom all over with a fork. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line dough with parchment, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges turn gold, about 20 minutes. Remove parchment and weights, and bake until crust is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a medium saute pan over medium heat until foamy. Add scallions; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add morels, and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, for 2 minutes. Stir in milk and cream, and bring to a simmer. Transfer to a medium bowl; let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper.
4. Place crust on a rimmed baking sheet. Whisk eggs in a medium bowl. Stir in mushroom mixture. Fold in Gruyere. Pour mixture into crust. Bake until puffed and gold, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly; serve warm or at room temperature.
Cook's Note
When choosing morel mushrooms, look for ones that smell slightly earthy or nutty. They should be dry and show no signs of spoilage. An equal amount of fresh porcini or cremini mushrooms can be substituted for the morels. To clean morels, submerge them in cold water and drain on a clean kitchen towel.
Almond Macaroon Galette with Strawberries
Serves Twelve
Ingredients
- 3 large egg whites
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 1/2 cups sliced blanched almonds, toasted and finely ground in a food processor
- Vegetable-oil cooking spray
- 1 1/2 pints strawberries (about 6 cups), hulls on
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon kirsch
- 3 tablespoons strawberry jam
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325. Put egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Beat in lemon zest. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating until whites are glossy and hold a ribbon on surface, 6 to 7 minutes. Fold in almonds.
2. Coat the inside of an 8 3/4-inch flan ring with cooking spray, and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spoon batter into mold, and smooth top. Let stand 10 minutes. Place cake in oven; prop door open about 1/2 inch using a wooden spoon. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 300, and close door completely. Bake until pale golden and set, about 25 minutes. Unmold, and let cool completely on a wire rack.
3. Halve 8 to 10 strawberries lengthwise; set aside. Hull remaining strawberries, and cut each lengthwise into 4 slices. Toss slices with granulated sugar, kirsch, and lemon juice in a medium bowl; let stand at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours), stirring occasionally.
4. Heat jam in a small saucepan until thin. Brush over top of galette. Arrange reserved strawberry halves around edge, with hulls facing out. Working inward, arrange sliced strawberries in a circular pattern, with bottoms facing out, reserving smallest slices for center. Drizzle liquid from strawberries over top. Serve immediately, or let stand up to 2 hours to allow juices to soak into cake.