Local Guava and Cream Cheese Tart

2012 started with a bang for me. My first private party of the year was a local, organic, and sustainable dinner. Shopping for this dinner party was a great chance for me to wish "Happy New Year" to all my farmers market friends, farmers, fishmongers, and more.

This dessert was created when Laurel from Coral Tree Farm, suggested I use some of her guava puree. The farm had such a great guava harvest that they processed the guava into mason jars full of yummy pink puree (thankfully removing all the seeds and doing all the hard work for me).

The dessert has several steps, but if you have made cookies, cheesecake or home-made Jello you will be just fine. Don't let the length of the recipe scare you off.

May I suggest you serve this dessert with a nice cold glass of your favorite Riesling. The flavors of this dessert pair beautifully with it.

Guava and Cream Cheese Tart

Makes 1 (10 inch) Tart

½ lb                      Unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup                   Sugar
1/8 tsp                  Salt
1                           Egg
1                           Egg yolk
1 tbsp                   Vanilla
2 cups                  All-purpose Flour
1 tbsp                   Lemon zest

8 oz            Cream cheese, cubed and room temp.

1/3 cup       Sugar
1 large        Egg
1                 Egg yolk
¼ tsp          Vanilla
1 tbsp         Lemon juice

1  tsp                     Agar agar flakes

¼  cup                  Water
2 cups                   Guava Puree
1                           Vanilla Bean, cut in half a seeds scraped
1/3 to ½ cup         Sugar
¼ cup                   Myer lemon juice

In an electric mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter sugar and salt.

On medium speed, mix until smooth.
With the machine running add egg yolk and vanilla;  mix until smooth; making sure to scrape down the bowl.
Repeat with whole egg.
Add flour and lemon zest, all at once, and mix on low speed until just incorporated.
Place dough into a 10 inch removable bottom tart pan, cover dough with parchment paper. With the heal of your hand flatten dough and press into the bottom of the pan and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.
Press dough into a thin layer and into the fluted edges on the tart pan. Trim excess dough.
Freeze shell until firm, about 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Dock tart dough piece the flat bottom of the tart with a fork (all over).
Line shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights.
Place tart pan onto a baking sheet; bake until edge is golden and bottom is set, about 15 minutes, then carefully remove pie weights and parchment (gently prick any bubbles with a fork to release air).
Increase oven temperature to 400°F and bake until bottom is pale golden (and does not have and melted butter liquid), 10 to 15 minutes more.
Let tart shell cool to room temperature.

Place cream cheese, sugar, whole egg, egg yolk, vanilla and lemon juice into an electric mixer and beat with paddle attachment until smooth.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Pour filling into tart shell and smooth with rubber spatula. Cover tart shell edges with foil, to keep from burning.
Bake tart for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cream cheese has puffed lightly and looks dull.
Cool tart and filling to room temperature.

Combine water and agar agar flakes in a medium sauce pan; stir let rest for 15 minutes to rehydrate.

Place guava puree, vanilla bean (and scraped seeds), sugar and Myer lemon juice in a double boiler. Cook over medium heat till guava puree is heated through and sugar is completely dissolved.

Cook agar agar and water over medium heat, bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.
Cook till agar agar flakes are dissolved and remove from heat.
Strain agar agar into cooked guave. Whisk to combine.
Remove vanilla bean from guava and pour into tart shell.
Refrigerate overnight to set.

Amazing October Cooking Classes and a sneak peak of December Classes

Chef Jenn's Upcoming Cooking Classes

Sea Rocket Bistro Pop-up Cooking Class

We have scheduled our next pop-up cooking class at Sea Rocket Bistro…this time it’s all about awesome Vegetarian cooking!!

Menu~ subject to minor
changes

“Farmers Market” Panzanella
Salad (a toasted bread salad with local seasonal vegetables) and a Sherry
Vinaigrette

Roasted Winter Squash and
Carrot Soup Topped with Creamy Goat Cheese and Shaved Carrots

Whole Wheat Lasagna Rolls
with Vegetable Bolognese and Sautéed Mushrooms

“

Natilla” a Spanish Custard
Pudding Flavored with Cinnamon, Vanilla and Citrus

Menu includes a local Pacific
Redwood Organic Pinot Noir pairing with the entree.

Classes are a blast and sell out super quick!

Cost for the class is $65 per person and seats can be reserved by calling Chef Jenn Felmley at 858 212 9054 or e-mailing jlfelm@yahoo.com. The cost is all-inclusive for food, pairing, tax, and culinary instruction. Classes from 3 to 6 pm on Sunday October 16.

 And

Urban Farm Cooking Class

Coral Tree Farms, just off of Requeza Ave in the heart of Encinitas, and Chef Jenn Felmley are combining to bring you cooking classes.

This wonderful day on the farm will start with a tour of Coral Tree Farm (including the cute and cuddly animals). Followed by a cooking demonstration and tasting by Chef Jenn Felmley.

Classes will be held SUNDAY October 23 from 1 to 3 pm , $30 Per person, part of the proceeds will go towards Laurels future desires for the farm!

RSVP with Chef Jenn, classes are limited to 20 people and sell out quick!!!!
For more information got to http://chefjenncooks.com/?page_id=43

And

As always my classes through San Dieguito Adult Education in La Costa and Del Mar

10/10~ Farm Fresh Vegetarian Class at La Costa Canyon

11/2~ Updates Thanksgiving Classics at Torrey Pines High School
11/30~Noel French Christmas Dinner at Torrey Pines High School
12/1 Fest of the Seven Fishes at La Costa Canyon High School
12/14 Noche Buena- Mexican Holiday Feast at Torrey Pines High School

Click here to sign up for classes in Del Mar and La Costa

Slow Food vs. Fast Food...take the $5 challenge with me

 

The$5 Challenge is a response to the First Lady’s challenge to the nation to end the childhood obesity epidemic in a generation. In addition to Michelle Obama, a handful of other influencers such as celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and author Michael Pollan have increased public concern about the impact the industrial food system has on our health and the environment. The campaign is a way for everyday people to build and to share their own solutions.

 

In response to a lack of access to fresh fruits and vegetables, people eating more fast food than home-cooked meals, and increasing rates of diet related disease, Slow Food USA had created the $5 Challenge campaign. The organization, a national non-profit working for good, clean and fair food for all.

The $5 challenge encouraging people across the country to cook slow food that costs no more than five dollars per person. Slow food – the opposite of fast food – is food that is good for those who eat it, good for farmers and workers, and good for the planet. Get together with family, friends and neighbors for a slow food meal that costs no more than $5 per person. Cook a meal with family and friends, have a potluck, or find a local event.

The largest obstacle to Organic and healthy eating is the price and time. For many peop

I want to help change those perceptions, here is a meal that can is inexpensive, easy, can be made as easier with a few ready to use products or made from all farm fresh/ farmers market items. Food needs to fit you and your needs.

Seared Local Fish “Sticks” with Herb Tartar Sauce

 Local Vegetable Slaw

And

Baked Potato ChipsServes 4

Potato Chips: 

½ lb            Potatoes, scrubbed

1 tbsp         Vegetable (coconut oil or local avocado oil)

Slaw: This slaw is based of of items found year round in my local farmers markets, but you could make this into a salad using what ever vegetables are available in your local area.

Lets be honest, the time to cut and chopp is not always available. If you do not have the time you can buy a bag of "Slaw" mix in your grocery store.  I personaly like the "Broccoli Slaw" mix.

1/4 head      Cabbage, thinly sliced

1 large         Carrot, peeled, grated and pressed to remove excess liquid

4 small        Radishes, halved and thinly sliced

1 large         Apple, cut into thin matchsticks

2 tbsp         Apple cider vinegar

1 tsp           Dijon or other mustard

2 tsp           Olive oil

1 tsp           Honey

Fish sticks: I went with stick; kids love anything in a stick form and it makes the serveing size look alot larger . Check with Catalina Offshore Product for the best prices for fresh local seafood, at the time I put this recipe together they had Yellowtail on sale for $3 a pound.

2 tsp           Vegetable oil (coconut oil or local avocado oil)

¾ lb            Fish fillet boneless, skinless

1 tsp           Ground coriander

 

Herb Tartar Sauce: This ia a great wat to use the fresh herbs you have growing in your garden!!

¼ cup         Mayonnaise

¼ cup         Flat leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

2tbsp          Dill or tarragon, stem removed finely chopped

1 tbsp         Onion, minced

1 tbsp         Lemon, juiced

1 tsp           Lemon zest

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper and set aside.

Slice potatoes as thinly as possible using a mandolin. Spread slices out evenly on baking sheet with silpat and drizzle with 1 tbsp vegetable oil.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. As soon as potatoes come out of oven, sprinkle with salt and lightly toss to combine.

Prepare slaw: In a large bowl, mix cabbage, carrot, radishes and apple. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, 2 tsp olive oil and honey. Toss with cabbage mixture.

For Herb Tartar sauce: Place onions, dill, parsley, lemon zest and lemon juice in a bowl, stir in mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper.

Prepare fish sticks:. Cut into 8 equal portions, into a rectangular stick about 2 1/2 inches long. Heat 2 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet for 1 minute on medium high heat. Season fish with salt, pepper and coriander; add fish sticks to pan and cook, for about 4 minutes or until golden brown and just cooked through. Serve with potato chips, herb tartar sauce and slaw.

Looking for a great local event?

You're invited to take back the "value meal" by participating in the $5 challenge  

Together We Can Take Back the Value Meal - The $5 Challenge at Amici Park in Little Italy

9AM-1:30 PMJoin Slow Food supporters across the nation on Saturday, Sept. 17th at Amici Park (alongside the Little Italy Mercato) for Slow Food USA's National Day of Action.
At Noon
Bring your own lunch that you prepared, or bought at the Little Italy Mercato, for $5 or less join other community members in a lunchtime convivium of local and accessible food prove that fruit can be cheaper than Froot Loops and happy can be found outside of the Happy Meal box!
Slow Food Urban San Diego leaders will be on hand from 9am - 1:30pm to answer questions and provide information on the current membership drive where your donation -- in any amount -- will make you a member or renew your membership.