Happy Hump Day to Everyone!
Ah, Wednesday, the middle of the week. The day that lets you know that you made it through Monday and you only have a couple of days until the weekend. The glorious weekend!
This is also the day that I like to review cookbooks. I have shared before my love of cookbooks; not just for the recipes, but also for the stories. Almost every cookbook on the shelf has a story to tell. A story of the author; how the book came to be; about their families; about their journey into cooking; and (if they have one) their blog.
Today’s book and review:
“What Katie Ate on the weekend . . .”
By Katie Quinn Davies
I must tell you that with, Katie’s cookbooks, I am starting backwards. This is her second book. She wrote a best seller, “What Katie Ate”, but alas I do not have that book. The store was sold out. “What Katie Ate on the weekend. . .” is my first introduction to Katie Quinn Davies. And a great introduction it is. Katie started out as a graphic designer. She then moved into food photography, writing, and the story builds from there.
When you open this book you will find beautiful photographs of food, family, and friends. You are drawn in and then there is discovery of the recipes. The recipes I have prepared seem to fit these criteria:
*The ingredients are easily accessible
*The recipe is fast and easy to prepare
*And, probably the most important, Taste!
There is one recipe from her book I would like to share today in hopes that you will run out and get this book. This recipe definitely has all the criteria on the above list. And it tastes amazing!
Chorizo and Tomato Tart
(directly from her book)
Ingredients:
1 sheet good-quality store bought puff pastry, thawed
1 free-range egg yolk, mixed with a little milk
11/2 good-quality chorizo sausages, thinly sliced
8-10 tomatoes, sliced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small handful basil, (plus extra to garnish (optional)
micro herbs and flowers, to garnish (optional)
Serves 4 for a light brunch
*(I used 3 sausages and I did not have the micro herbs on-hand. I used a chiffonade of basil (sprinkling on top after it came out of the oven).
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Lay the pastry sheet on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush with the egg wash. Using a small sharp knife, score an 5/8 in. border around the edge of the puff pastry sheet, taking care not to cut right through the pastry. Prick the center of the pastry sheet a few times with a fork. Place a folded 8 in. square of parchment paper in the center of the pastry sheet and gently weigh down with a small ovenproof saucepan lid. Place in the oven to blind-bake for about 20 minutes or until a light golden brown.
Remove from oven; remove the weight and parchment paper. Next line the pastry with the sliced tomatoes and the chorizo within the scored border (it is fine if there is overlapping). Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Then bake for 25-30 minutes. (You must do this according to the way your oven cooks. In my oven it only took 20 minutes. So you must check while baking.)
Meanwhile, place the small handful of basil leaves and the olive oil in a blender. Blend to a smooth paste, then season to taste.
To serve, drizzle the basil oil over the tart and garnish with extra basil and/or micro herbs and flowers (if using).
This is fantastic and a must try!
Other recipes from the book to try:
*Roasted Tomato, Lentil, & Chickpea Soup
*Grilled Chicken with Lime & Herbs
*Feta Crostini with Zucchini & Prosciutto
Hope you enjoy this recipe and leaves you wanting to try more of Katie\’s recipes.
*Also, check out her fun blog: whatkatieate.com
Have a Great Day!
Blessings,
Lemongrass and Green Tea 
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