Ten Minute Dessert

Happy Father's Day!  Don't overfeed Dad, but make something he likes.  Last night we had the strawberry tart for th 2nd day because it was so delicious the first.

Free form strawberry tart 

I buy Pillsbury pie crusts in the dairy department.  Almost  as good as homemade and no mess.  I put some baker's paper (parchment paper)  on the cookie sheet so as to avoid the "runny fruit" mess.

Unroll the room temp. crust onto the parchment paper.   In a bowl put strawberries (I eyeball them.  1 1/2 - 2 cups. If you make too many, just eat them), a little grated lemon or orange rind, a squeeze of lemon or orange juice, some sugar to taste and a sprinkle of instant tapioca (to thicken the juices).  Mix well and dump into the center of the pastry.  Crimp edges around the berry mixture.  If you like, brush the pastry with a little cream or egg wash.  Nice but not necessary.  Put into a 425 degree oven until the pastry is cooked and golden.  Let cool, cut into 4 services and eat, preferably topped with whipped cream (canned is all right, just don't buy "topping.") or vanilla ice cream.  I cut up the berries a bit if they are large.
This goes together in a flash and the bang for the buck is huge.

My character Emma would cook this up for one of her many lovers.  Even her husband.  When The Shadow Warriors first came out in 2001 (ye gods!) some book web site had it slotted under "spicy romance."   La di dah!

Banana Clafouti Revisited

Here is the photo from yesterday's blog which for some reason didn't want to load. Clafouti is a wonderful cheap easy dessert, and almost impossible to eat in a restaurant because it is a peasant dessert and well, how many French peasant restaurants are there in your town?  The ingredients are milk, eggs, flour, sugar (not too much) vanilla and fruit.  Almost any kind of fruit will do.  Right now, pears would be good.  The "original" used cherries which we love.  Plums work.  Berries work.  You can add a tablespoon of booze, e.g. banana liquor for banana clafouti (sometimes spelled clafoutis) but it's not necessary.
The best thing is, you can decide to make it at  5:00 p.m. and it's out of the oven and on the table by 6:00 p.m.  How about them bananas?

Wonder of wonders, the ancient recipe is still on the web from 1992 Gourmet.  A good recipe in immortal.
Banana Clafouti

The damn rain has continued, and I was outside this morning in my jammies pulling up old plants and washing flower pots and emptying dirt.  Washing off the grill tools. More to do this p.m.  Where is the sun?  Yoo hoo?  

Wondering,

Grapeshot