robie

So, in the end, I improvised and it was a partial fail. I retasted the lemon slices and it was a no go. So, I cooked off the puff pastry sheet per the MS recipe (egg wash and sugar). I made a pastry cream to allow strawberries to adhere. I "frosted" the puff pastry sheet with pastry cream and halved strawberries and glazed with red currant jelly. It looked very good. However, as expected, the puff pastry sogged out. The epicurious pastry cream recipe is a good one through http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/pastry-cream-351010 Be aware that it makes a very stiff cream. I was hoping that would help with the sog factor but it did not. Also, here is the MS recipe to be avoided. http://www.marthastewart.com/344324/meyer-lemon-pastry

Well, my ideas started with a rhubarb/strawberry crisp but, apparently it is too early to get rhubarb. I am just going with apple crisp. However, I wanted to make something more springlike in addition. I found a Martha Stewart recipe for a Meyer lemon tart. Basically you prebake sugared puff pastry and top with candied Meyer lemon slices. Yesterday, I candied the lemon. It was 2c water + 1 c sugar, throw in the lemon slices, and cook for 90 minutes. The lemons are pretty bitter. There was no blanching step. I'm thinking about remedying this by using less lemon (you're supposed to completely cover/overlap the top) and using some canned mandarin orange segments. Does anyone think this will work? Any other solutions? BTW, the lemon is very soft now, I do not think they will tolerate a blanch or more cooking.

So, in Atlanta, it is too early for rhubarb so I will have to go apple. I'm curious, is rhubarb available in your neck of the woods?

Thanks blue_dolphin and Lisa. I think that is exactly what Claudine Pepin meant. It is how I try to assess (I'm purposely avoiding "judge" because I am not so qualified) dishes when I don't intrinsically like them.

Sorry, I should have been clear. The test dish is dependent on the cuisine. rotus, IIRC, she said this on "Cooking with Claudine." She just made the comment but it stuck with me. I like to think that I can tell if a dish is well made, even if I don't personally like it but I could be full of bullfeathers.

Hijacking my own thread: I can't find rhubarb in my area yet (Atlanta). I'm thinking of a strawberry tart (shortbread with pastry cream and strawberries with currant jelly glaze). I would prefer not to have the sogged out crust that you get many times with a fruit tart. Do y'all think it is worthwhile to make shortbread cookies and assemble a la minute?

Hi, My brother-in-law (half-Iraqi) says he uses hummus to test the quality of a mediterranean/middle eastern restaurant. I think that is a bad dish because, as Kenji wrote recently in Serious Eats, there are a lot of variations of hummus and I think my BIL could just be judging on similarity to what he is used to. FWIW, I once recall Claudine Pepin saying that she has learned to distinguish good food from bad food on the basis on it's technical features, rather than if she likes it (from her father). I agree with this. I think I can tell if something is well made, even if it does not appeal to me. Anyway, after that long digression, what do you use as test dishes at a new restaurant to judge whether the chef is good?

This is what is so confusing to me. A lot of great cooks say to slice apples thin and cook seasoned but raw. I have only ended up with crunchy apples and cooked dough.

Thanks all. After my oven thermometer arrives tomorrow, I will try the mini-version. I do plan to pre-cook the fruit. Any thoughts about pre-cooking rhubarb? I always pre-cook apple. I don't like crunchy apples in a pie/crisp.

Thanks All! Let me ask the provacative question: Pre-cook the fruit or not? I hate semi-raw fruit and am willing to risk overcooked crisp/pie fruit.

Thanks Anna...that was fast! If it makes a difference, I just looked at the recipe. 7 Tbs butter, 1/2 c slivered almonds, and 1 1/4 c flour. Those are the real structural components

Apologies if this was previously asked. :hangshead: I will be making a rhubarb/strawberry crisp for Easter. I have done with apple previously but not rhubarb. I want to make a small crisp first (specifically, I'm not sure whether I need to pre-cook the fruit). If I made a double recipe of topping (structually, it's butter, almonds, sugar, a little flour) and used 1/4 of that for the test, do you think I can store the rest in the refrigerator or freezer for 3-5 days prior to thawing, topping the "real" crisp, and baking? I would think so but seek the expertise of the eGulleteer peeps. Thanks so much!

IMO, Christopher Kimball is very 2005. The show needs to be refreshed or die.

DItto that...feel better RRO

That is cool dcarch. Many thanks for all of the responses. I've thought about a santoku or nakiri but I really like the thin, long blade shape of the Henckel. I guess I need to go into a WS or SLT and see how the Japanese blade shapes would work for me.

I have this slicer http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/zwilling-ja-henckels-pro-slicing-knife/ which I love for the blade. I hate this knife because I bang my knuckles against the cutting board; I have to use the knife at the edge of the counter. When I bought it, I was looking for an offset format like this http://www.webstaurantstore.com/dexter-russell-29323-v-lo-9-scalloped-offset-bread-and-sandwich-knife/21029323.html However, everything had a serrated blade which I do not want because I use this knife mostly for things like fruits and vegetables (I have a bread knife). Does anyone know of a good/great quality non-serrated slicing (thin, fairly long blade) knife with an offset handle? Thanks!

Anna, you make some of the most interesting tartines...Wow!

Many thanks to all the Egulleteers. I have a goodly number of ideas here and will try them all.

I guess a non-lasagne pasta could work too? 2-10 minutes of semi-attended boiling followed by saucing?

Thanks all. Many great ideas here!

I've been following eGullet for awhile and I don't recall a similar thread but, if this has been discussed, please excuse me and please refer me to the thread. I have been struggling for menus for 2 couples (my wife, another couple, and me) because when the number of guests is small, it is undesirable to be gone for long periods to do a la minute cooking. I have several really good stews/braised recipes which are good for quick plating and service. However, I am looking to expand my repertoire and include a hot entree more suitable for warm or even hot weather (would be served indoors in A/C). I'm really looking for something that can be quickly plated during a dinner party that is not stewed/braised. HELP!!!

RRO, Wow! Your salads always look so good! Do you make or buy your protein components? The pork belly seems like it could be a lot of work for "just" a salad.

We had the Robuchon potatoes in Paris and I found them too rich. I prefer a less refined version with less fat but no skins please.

Congrats Shelby! I had little routing interest but Ron Rivera ( Panthers' HC) was at Cal the same time as me.

As a follow up, I took the pork tenderloin and seasoned with salt, garlic powder, cumin, corriander, chili powder (Penzey's). I quickly seared it on a 700 degree Weber grill just to mark and give a little flavor (meanwhile I charred tomato, onion, and japapeno). It looked like tataki when cut into medallions. I made a cooked salsa with the veg. I did this well before service and refrigerated the meat. At the time of service, I sliced into medallions and quickly hit in very hot pan with butter, just to get to medium, similar to what AlaMoi suggested. I served over the salsa. It was really good.