Ricotta, Butternut Squash & Zucchini Crepes with Sage Brown Butter

I love the combination of savory and sweet in this crepe. The sweetness of the caramelized onions and the sweet squash puree are a lovely combination.
 
12 Basic Crepes
1 whole Butternut squash
2 sweet onions
1 medium zucchini
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
15 ounces Ricotta cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
1 egg yolk
½ teaspoon salt
 
1 stick butter
2 large sage leaves
freshly ground black pepper
 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
 
Halve and seed the squash and roast until soft, about 45- 55 minutes. Once cooled slightly, remove the skin.
 
While the squash is roasting, dice the onions and dice the zucchini and sauté in olive oil until lightly browned and soft, about 10-15 minutes.
 
Put the squash, Ricotta, cottage cheese, egg yolk and salt in food processor and mix until very smooth.
Place 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of each crepe. Add 1 tablespoon of the zucchini and onion mixture and fold in each side, creating small square pouches. Place seam side down onto a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining crepes. Cover and bake the crepes for 20 minutes until puffed. Uncover and cook for another 5 minutes. (Alternatively, you could pan fry them in butter and olive oil until lightly browned on each side and then place in oven for 10 minutes to finish)
 
Heat the butter in small sauté pan over medium heat with sage leaves until the butter just starts to brown, about 10-12 minutes (it will first bubble, then brown)  Remove the sage leaves.
 
To serve, place two crepes on a plate and drizzle with the browned butter. Add freshly cracked black pepper to taste and top with a sprinkling of shredded Parmesan.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake
 
Serves 10 to 14
 
2 sticks plus 1 half stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
 
Combine the two sticks of butter and sugar in a mixer and beat with a paddle attachment for about a minute. Add the sour cream and eggs and mix until smooth. Fold in the vanilla, flour, salt, and baking powder. Pour just under half of the batter into a well greased Bundt pan.
 
Melt the remaining half stick of butter. Mix it together with the cinnamon, brown sugar, and pecans, Pour the mixture on top of the batter in the center. Layer the remaining batter.
 
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan. (If you’re making muffins or using 9x12 glass pan, reduce the baking time to 35-45 minutes.)

It was the Great Chefs series that were my inspiration for years and years; the shows that filmed the stovetop and that was about it. On occasion the camera would pan to the cutting board or countertop where the chef was prepping, but the camera was overhead and focused on the food and the how-to. This, to me, was free culinary school. For 25 years I watched as much of this show as I could. Of course I watched Julia and Jacques, then Lidia (Bastianich) and eventually Martha, Giada, Mario and Tyler (some need only first name mentions) in later years.

I bought cookbooks and cooking magazines for inspiration and education. Sure, I sometimes tried a recipe once without making changes, but I used them mostly as a springboard, for ideas. I'd combine recipes to create my own. The sign of a passion for more than cooking, but for creating...

Thank you PBS and all of the "Great Chefs"!

The Art of Breakfast is invited to this year's Harvest on the Harbor in Portland, Maine - Maine's premier food and wine experience! I'll be at the "Savory Marketplace" on Saturday, October 22, 2011 along with many others; I'll be signing books and doing a demo with my favorite tool - the torch!

Northeast Flavor Magazine is a gorgeous, high quality color magazine of New England that highlights the fabulous chefs and food we are fortunate to have up here. The editor and photographer are visiting me at the inn tomorrow to shoot quite a few dishes from my cookbook that will be featured in a story over the winter! I'm excited to see the end result! Stay tuned...

Chive and Cream Cheese Scrambled Eggs in Wonton

This is a fun and delightful way to serve simple, scrambled eggs. Add salsa, cheddar, and some crumbled spicy sausage and you have a nice Latin inspired breakfast.
 



Serves 4
 
16 wonton wrappers
12 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 bunch scallions,trimmed 1 inch from top and bottom, using both white and green parts, sliced 1/8-1/4 inch thick
one (8-ounce) package cream cheese
¼ teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
 
Coat a popover pan with butter or vegetable oil. Take 3 to 4 wonton wrappers for each popover cavity and line it, overlapping the wrappers. Be sure to get a wrapper into the bottom.
Bake until the tops are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Then cover carefully with foil and bake another 15 minutes. This allows the wonton wrapper inside the pan to continue browning without over browning the edges. Let the wrappers sit to cool a few minutes and place each on individual serving plate.
 
Mix the eggs and the cream in blender for 5 seconds.
 
Coat a large frying pan with butter or vegetable oil. Over medium heat, pour the eggs and scallions into pan and slowly cook until eggs are almost scrambled.
 
Add the cream cheese in small dollops and continue to cook until the eggs are set, just another minute or so. Add salt and pepper to taste
 
To serve, portion one-fourth of the eggs in each wonton cup. You could serve this version with salsa on the side with a few slices of ripe avocado and fresh heirloom tomatoes.

 
Kitchen Tools: popover pans are designed specifically with a lip that forces the popover up and out to expand, creating the signature balloon shaped top. The pan works perfectly in this recipe since it's tall and holds the wonton wrappers in place vertically.

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A friend of mine took this photo while shopping at L.L. Bean recently. The last time I was at the store, the book wasn't in such a prominent spot with products like Stonewall Kitchen and Maine maple syrup, it was in two other locations. But this was right in the entrance at the Home Store, I was thrilled to see this!

Chocolate Cherry Cordial Tart
 
Wonderful as an afternoon treat with coffee or tea.
Add a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and you have a perfect dessert.
 
Serves 8
 
4 cups fresh sweet Bing cherries, pitted
1/2  cup sugar
1/4 cup port wine
1 tablespoon chocolate balsamic
vinegar (I use Fiore), but if not
available, use an aged Balsamic
1 teaspoon arrow root powder
(dissolved in a couple
tablespoons of the port)
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 sheet frozen puff pastry,
thawed
4 ounces softened cream cheese
4 ounces shaved chocolate (or
Chips)
 
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
 
2. Mix the pitted cherries with the sugar, port,
balsamic, dissolved arrow root powder, and cocoa
and put into medium saucepan. Cook over medium
heat until sauce comes to a boil. Remove cherries and boil
sauce 2 to 3 minutes longer to thicken. Remove from heat and
place cherries back into sauce and allow to rest.
 
3. Press the puff pastry sheet into a 9-inch shallow and greased baking dish or tart
pan.
 
4. Spread the softened cream cheese on the pastry. Spread the chocolate shavings
(or chips) evenly over the cream cheese. And using a slotted spoon, place the
cherries in a single layer over chocolate.
 
5. Bake for 35 minutes. Allow to cool at least 20 minutes before serving.