Chocolate Ganache and Carmel Parfait with French Sea Salt

Saveur's Chocolate Carmel Tart 

I was watching Food Network's "Best Thing I Ever Ate" show.  One of the Chefs was explaining a tart made of a chocolate cookie crust, a layer of Carmel, a layer of Chocolate ganache and then topped off with sea salt.

The visual of the tart with the Chef describing the decadent dessert made me quickly seek out my lap top and start searching for the recipe. I'm a sucker for any dessert that mixes Chocolate and Carmel - Turtles are my favorite candy, and those half bitten candies in the box? Guilty, I'm hunting for those carmel centers...

Fom my research, the yummy treat is a specialty of Brooklyn's Marlow and Sons and is a favorite download on Saveur.com http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Chocolate-Caramel-Tart.

In my Easy Gourmet way of doing recipes, I threw out the idea of making my own Carmel, gleaned a few versions of this recipe and came up with my own.  You can use martini glasses, daiquiri or Grandma's antique parfait's - This super rich, gooey dessert will be a final touch to a great holiday meal, or a special reward for a Santa's Elf after a long day of shopping...

In Layers...

Chocolate cookie layer:
12 oreos crushed in plastic bag. Use rolling pin to crush cookies.

A good carmel sauce from your local grocery or gourmet food store.

Basic Chocolate Ganache:
6 ounces chocolate, finely chopped (if you're using chocolate chips, this is 1 cup)
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

In a microwave-proof bowl, heat cream for 1 minute. Stir in chocolate.  Let rest for a minute and stir again. If not fully melted, pop into micro again for 15-second increments, stirring each time, until fully melted. Remove from microwave. Makes 1 generous cup.

French grey sea salt on top.

In glass, layer crushed cookies, carmel and ganache.   Can be served warm or set in frig. for 30 minutes. Top with a sprinkle of sea salt.
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Ina Garten’s Chipotle & Rosemary Spiced Nuts

Ina's Spiced Nuts

When visiting my friend Ruth in California a few years back, she whipped these yummy nuts up for her New Year's Eve party; running outside to snip a bouquet of Rosemary from her garden.  The toasty smell of the nuts roasting along with the heavenly fragrance of the fresh Rosemary is the 1st reward of these tasty treats!

Bring them along with you to your holiday goings, gift them to your neighbors, or savor them for yourself as you sit fireside and read the latest novel.

Ingredients:


■Vegetable oil

■3 cups whole roasted unsalted cashews (14 ounces)

■2 cups whole walnut halves (7 ounces)

■2 cups whole pecan halves (7 ounces)

■1/2 cup whole almonds (3 ounces)

■1⁄3 cup pure maple syrup

■1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

■3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice or 1 teaspoon orange extract with 2 teaspoons water

■2 teaspoons ground chipotle powder

■4 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves, divided

■Kosher salt

Instructions:

1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.Brush a sheet pan generously with vegetable oil. Combine the cashews, walnuts, pecans, almonds, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, the maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice, and chipotle powder on the sheet pan. Toss to coat the nuts evenly. Add 2 tablespoons of the rosemary and 2 teaspoons of salt and toss again.

3.Spread the nuts in one layer. Roast the nuts for 25 minutes, stirring twice with a large metal spatula, until the nuts are glazed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 2 more teaspoons of salt and the remaining 2 tablespoons of rosemary.

4.Toss well and set aside at room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking as they cool. Taste for seasoning. Serve warm or cool completely and store in airtight containers at room temperature.

Jardin Potager Quiche & Baby Greens Salad

Quiche

As our gardens wind down, there may be a few veggies on the vines. This recipe can be altered to use any vegetable, cheese or salted meat. It’s a great pairing with a simple salad with a nice citrus dressing.

*Herbs de Provence is a mixture of dried herbs typical of Provence. The standard mixture typically contains savory, fennel, basil, thyme, and lavender flowers and other herbs.



Quiche Crust

1 Cup all purpose flour

½ teaspoon Salt

¼ cup good olive oil

¼ cup ice water (Use crushed ice and water.)

Directions:
Mix flour and salt with fork. Whisk oil and water to thicken. Combine oil mixture with flour and mix with fork. Press into 9" pie crust pan.
Quiche Filling

½ Cup cubed ham
¼ Cup cubed zucchini
¼ Cup sliced green onions
¼ cup or 1 small green tomato
4 eggs
2 cups ½ & ½ cream
1 cup shredded Colby/Jack Cheese
1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence*
¼ teaspoon all spice
¼ teaspoon white pepper

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat In sauté pan, sauté ham, zucchini, green onions and tomato till slightly brown. In bowl, whisk eggs, cream, spices. Pour sautéed mixture in crust, then egg mixture. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce heat to 300 degrees, and bake an additional 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean.
-Allow quiche to sit 10 minutes before cutting into wedges-

Baby Greens Salad

4 cups baby greens
1/4 red onion, sliced thinly
1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup pecans toasted (Roast on small pan for a few minutes w/quiche.)



Orange Vinaigrette

2 teaspoons orange marmalade
1/4  cup orange juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:
Combine first 4 ingredients in medium-sized bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil, then 1/2 cup water. Continue whisking until smoothly blended. Combine salad greens, onions and desired amount of vinaigrette in a medium sized bowl. Arrange on serving platter and garnish with blue cheese and pecans.

Service:  Plate one large wedge of quiche, sided with salad.  Pair with glass of chilled apple cider.