Life: Idiotropic

Missing my friends who I hadn't seen in a while and not able with the girls out of school to run off and have one-on-one coffees with them all, I had a "Hello Brunch" the week before my surgery to reconnect with friends, relax and enjoy a nice morning, and to swap recipes. I really honestly don't choose my friends for their cooking ability, but I kinda always luck out with friends who are not only really fun to hang out with, but could fatten me up in a heartbeat with all their treats. So, here are two recipes... one from my friend Rita - the only truly savory item at the table and one that we all wanted more of. The other is the treat that I made... a recipe from Cuisine at Home.

Rita's BAKED POLENTA WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE,
MUSHROOMS, AND THREE CHEESES

Ingredients:
1 tbs fruity olive oil
1/2 small yellow onion - chopped
2 large garlic cloves - minced
1/2 medium red sweet pepper - chopped
1/2 lb mild Italian sausage - casing removed, crumpled
1/2 lb fresh crimini mushrooms - thinly sliced
4 C milk, broth, or water (I use milk)
1 1/4 C yellow cornmeal - preferably stone-ground
1 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
1/ 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 C Ricotta cheese
1 C Shredded Gruyere cheese
salt
freshly ground black pepper
dash of red pepper flakes or 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
4 tbsp butter melted
4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
tomato sauce (optional)

Directions:
Saute onion, garlic, and sweet pepper in olive oil. Add sausage and cont. cooking till meat changes color. Stir in mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Set mixture aside.

Heat up milk slowly and add cornmeal, stirring briskly to avoid lumping. Cook for a couple of minutes till cormeal is very thick. Remove from heat and add herbs, red pepper flakes, and Ricotta and Gruyere cheeses. Add sausage mix., combine well, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Pour mixture in a 9-inch baking dish and bake in 375 degrees for about 25 minutes. Serve with tomato sauce. (We didn't have the tomatoe sauce and didn't miss it.)

For the Crust:

• Preheat oven to 400 and coat a 9" tart pan with removable bottom with nonstick spray.
• Process 1 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 t. table salt, and the zest of one lemon until combined.
• Add 1 stick unsalted butter, cold and cubed (1/2 cup) and pulse until the mixture resembles course crumbs.
• Blend in 1 egg yolk and pulse until the dough is crumbly.
• Press dough over the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan.
• Bake until golden - 12-15 minutes, then cool completely.
  

For the filling:

• Mash together one egg white and 1/2 cup lemon curd (can used purchased), then whisk in 3 eggs.
• Combine 1/4 cup flour, 3 T. cornstarch, and a pinch of salt in a separate bowl, then gradually add it to the egg mixture. Set aside.
• Bring 2 cups whole milk and 1/3 cup honey to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Slowly temper the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, then return it all to the pan.
• Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly 3-5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and whisk in 2 T. cold unsalted butter and the juice of 1/2 a lemon stirring until smooth.
• Pour custard into the cooled crust, cover, and chill until set, 4 hours.
  

To finish:

• Melt 1/4 cup apricot jelly and the juice of 1 lemon together and stir well. Use this to glaze the top of the cooled tart.
• You will need 1/2 pint each of fresh blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries and a few sprigs of mint. I couldn't get raspberries, so I used red currants (johanesbeeren) instead for their bright red color. Strawberries would be good as well.
• Scatter 3/4 of the blueberries over the tart. Sprinkle most of the raspberries over the tart. Top with all the blackberries, then fill in with the remaining blueberries and raspberries. Dab the berries with the glaze and garnish with mint sprigs and leaves. Best served chilled.
  

From Saveur Mag: (I only used about 1/2 of this for the tart, so you could halve this recipe and have enough if you don't want leftovers, but lemon curd is delicious on fresh scones)

Lemon Curd - 1 1/4 cups

2 egg yolks
1 whole egg
6 tbsp. sugar
1⁄3 cup fresh lemon juice
1⁄2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
5 tbsp. cold butter, cut into pieces

• Whisk together egg yolks, whole egg, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a medium mixing bowl until well combined.
• Set bowl over a medium pot of simmering water over medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until thick, 8–10 minutes.
• Whisk in butter, a few pieces at a time, until completely incorporated. Transfer to a clean bowl, cover surface with plastic to prevent skin from forming, and set aside to let cool. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.