Apple Tart

Ingredients:

For the crust:
1 ¼ cups flour (150 g)
1 tbsp sugar (12 g)
¼ tsp salt (1.5 g)
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cubed (120 g)
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp ice water (30 ml)
For the compote:
3 gala apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
2 tbsp sugar (25 g)
¼ cup of apple juice (60 ml)
¼ cup of water (60 ml)
1/8 tsp of cinnamon (2 g)
zest of 1 lemon
For the topping:
2 gala apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/8 " thin
½ tsp of sugar (2 g)
2 tbsp apricot (or other) jam, heated until liquefied (30 ml)
juice of ½ a lemon
Instructions:
In a bowl of a food processor combine flour, salt and sugar and pulse until combined. And butter cubes a few at a time, pulsing quickly until dough resembles a coarse meal. Beat egg together with water. Add egg mixture, slowly, pulsing just until dough comes together. Turn out onto a floured surface and roll into a ball and then pat down into a disk. Wrap disk in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or pop in the freezer for 10)
Meanwhile, place apple chunks, juice, water cinnamon and zest in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Cover and bring to a boil and let cook for 10 mins.
Simmer uncovered until most of the liquid is evaporated. Mask apples into a paste with a fork. Allow to cool completely, it will thicken as it cools.
Roll out dough onto a floured surface and fit into a 9" tart pan. Spread a single layer of compote on the bottom, and place in freezer while you prep your apples.
Peel, core and slice apples very thin, about 1/8 " thick. Place in bowl and squeeze with lemon juice to prevent browning.
Remove tart from the freezer. When you are placing the apples the idea is to create an escargot pattern. Starting from the outside and working your way into the center. Layer each apple, cut side down, one slightly overlapping the other, making your way all around the tart until you reach the center.

Bake at 400F (200 c) for 15 minutes and then reduce heat to 350F (175 c) and bake for 20 more minutes, or until golden brown. Then place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes just until the apples begin to get lightly charred.

Place the jam in the microwave and heat on high for 15 secs or until melted. Brush tart with jam to create a nice shine.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of homemade whipped cream.

Pot au feu

Ingredients:

1 lb. Tender beef shoulder or brisket

(4 pieces of oxtail, cut 1½ inches thick)

6 beef short ribs

(1 veal shank, on the bone)

2 onions

4 leeks, white part only

2 small celery roots, cut into quarters

4 carrots, cut into 4-inch lengths

4 turnips, cut in half

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in half

Bouquet garni*

Salt and pepper

Lovage for decoration.

Instructions:

In a huge pot, combine the beef, oxtail, short ribs, and veal shank, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Push 2 cloves into each onion and add the onions to the pot and bouquet garni. Bring the pot to a slow simmer, gradually, and let cook over medium-low heat for around 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Skim the cooking liquid with a ladle periodically to remove scum and foam. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the meat from the broth and discard the trussing strings.

Carefully remove the vegetables from the broth, place them on a large serving platter, and moisten with some broth. Cover and keep warm. Separate the broth in two pots. Return in the biggest one the meal with onions and add the celery roots, carrots and the turnips. Cook for an additional hour. 40 minutes after that add the leeks. In the smaller pot with broth add the potatoes and cook, until soft.

Arrange the oxtails, the meats and the vegetables on the serving platter and spoon some of the cooking liquid over and around it. Serve the rest of the liquid in a soup terrine. You can offer to your friends the meats and vegetables with some homemade mayonnaise and some cornichons. Or, alternatively, you can arrange the meats uncarved, with the vegetables around them, swimming in broth in a big, beautiful pile in a deep serving platter. Decorate with some lovage.

Notes:

A bouquet garni generally consists of 1 spring of celery leaves, 1 sprig of flat parsley, 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, and 1 bay leaf, tied with a string and used for flavoring.