Keto Asparagus Ricotta Tart

 

It’s so funny. I told el esposo I wanted to blog this tart for Mother’s Day because it might be a nice brunchy item for people to share with their moms and he said, “But you hate your mother - she was terrible to you!” It never occurred to me that my mother had anything to do with it. Most people love their mothers, as it should be, and it makes me happy to know others do. What happened to me with mine has in no way affected my sentiments about others celebrating the day. Is that crazy of me? Probably. Well, crazy or not... here we go. This tart is not only keto, but it offers all the best that spring brings to the table. A great sort of ad-lib I created with ingredients I had in the pantry and fridge for our Thursday Night Vegetarian Meal. I made up the recipe as I went along, but it came out well:

 

 Keto Asparagus Ricotta Tart

You can, of course, substitute shallots or onions for the leeks and leave out the fennel. You can also use puff pastry or a pre-made crust, if you are not on the ketogenic diet. You can use fresh cherry tomatoes, instead of sun-dried tomatoes... 

Ingredients:

• 1 fathead pizza crust - rolled into a 13 x 9 inch rectangle (Click here for recipe)
• 1 lb of ricotta
• 1 large egg
• a half handful of mixed herbs: basil (I used Thai basil, but regular basil is fine), thyme and oregano leaves, finely chopped (or use pesto) 
• a grating of nutmeg (about 1/4 teaspoon)
• white pepper (pinch)
• 1/4 cup drained and rough chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• sliced shallots and fennel bulb, sauteed until caramelized (1 shallot and 1 fennel bulb)
• 1/2 bunch large asparagus spears (about 10-12)
• 1-2 tbsp oil from the sun-dried tomato jar
• 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• zest of 1 small lemon (optional)
• shaved parmesan, to taste (about 1/3 cup)
• chives (optional) 

Instructions:

1) Saute shallots and fennel bulb over medium heat until golden, deglaze pan with a splash of chardonnay, when all pan fond is scraped and incorporated and wine is reduced, add herbs. Remove from pan and set aside.

2) Make and roll out the fathead pizza dough. Press into small parchment-lined rectangular baking pan or place free-form on a parchment-lined baking sheet or pizza stone, dock the dough with fork tines allover, and blind-bake for 8 minutes at 400 degrees in a pre-heated oven.

3) In the same pan you used to cook the shallot and fennel, add trimmed asparagus spears (10-12 large), add 2 tablespoons of sundried tomato oil & a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil, mix well, then add to the oven on the rack below baking tart dough for 5 minutes.

4) Mix the ricotta with half the shaved parmesan. Crack in the egg, add nutmeg, white pepper and mix well. Sprinkle the sun-dried tomatoes, sauteed shallots and fennel bulb and mix well.

5) Remove tart dough and asparagus from oven. Add the ricotta mixture to the pre-baked tart dough. Arrange the asparagus spears nicely on top. Season the asparagus with the remainder of parmesan and pepper.

6) Bake the tart for about 15-20 minutes until the crust is golden. If the asparagus looks dry, brush with additional oil. Sprinkle with lemon zest and chives on top. Enjoy!

Happy Mother's Day! 

Keto Chicken Green Chili Verde With Cilantro and Cumin-Scented Cauliflower "Rice"

 

(I’m pretty sure most people will freak out if they read this recipe because of the length of this preamble. To me, it’s vitally important to truly understand what you’re cooking: its provenance and its method—not just mechanically follow ingredients lists and hastily scribbled instructions - we’re humans, not monkeys. We shouldn’t just imitate and swallow whole without chewing, but truly chew, taste, digest, chimify & nourish ourselves physically, intellectually, and spiritually with our meals and their preparations. We must eat to live like every other multi-celled creature on this planet, let’s take it beyond the bestial and into the realm of ritual and celebration with gratitude and love. However, you can skip the introduction it's okay...  and just scroll down to find the recipe itself.)

Chili Verde is a taqueria staple. You'll find it in everything that can be filled or stuffed: tacos, burritos, or on its own as a stew served with warm tortillas, beans and rice. It's essentially a roasted tomatillo salsa cooked into a braise with meat and additional aromatics. Pork butt is often used, but it's grand with chicken thighs which is how I made it here.

The salsa verde that provides the sauce for the dish includes onions, garlic, lime juice, Mexican oregano, Serrano chilies, and cilantro. The traditional salsa itself (without accompaniments) is gluten-free, sugar-free, and very low carb making it ideal for those on a ketogenic diet. It makes a great garnish for fish, shrimp, chicken, pork, eggs - anything and everything that you might like to add salsa to, but, when added to a slow braise, it really becomes lush, caramelized, and lovely. 

It has a long history.

The making of of a sauce by combining chiles, tomatoes (red and their green cousins, tomatillos) and other ingredients like pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and even beans has been documented back to the Aztec culture. We have Spaniard Bernadino de Sahagun to thank for the detailed culinary history of the Aztec culture. His extensive diaries documented every food common red tomato and green chili to the culture. This is an excerpt from Sahagun's writings about the food vendors in the large Aztec markets: 

 "He sells foods, sauces, hot sauces, fried [food], olla-cooked, juices, sauces of juices, shredded [food] with chile, with squash seeds, with tomatoes, with smoke chile, with hot chile, with yellow chile, with mild red chile sauce, yellow chile sauce, sauce of smoked chile, heated sauce, he sells toasted beans, cooked beans, mushroom sauce, sauce of small squash, sauce of large tomatoes, sauce of ordinary tomatoes, sauce of various kinds of sour herbs, avocado sauce."

The tomato and the tomatillo are native to Mexico. Tomatillos are pronounced [toh-MAH-tee-YO] It's botanical name is Physalis philadelphica. A relative of the tomato and member of the nightshade (Solanaceae) family, tomatillos provide that tart flavor in Mexican green sauces. The fruits average about 1-2" wide and have a papery outer skin which must be removed prior to roasting. The tomatillo must be used when it is still green - once it ripens into a light yellow, it's past its prime for most uses. The Aztecs domesticated the tomatillo, and its use dates back to at least 800 B.C. The Aztec word tomatl means something "round and plump".

Europeans that came to the New World and documented the local foods often confused the food names. The Aztec word for tomato (as we know the fruit) is xitomatl and the husk tomato (tomatillo) was call miltomatl. Europeans frequently shortened both names to tomatl and therein lies the confusion. In most cases historical references to the tomatoes such as those written by Sahagun were in fact to the tomatillo not what we know today as a tomato. The confusion is carried on today. In many areas of Mexico the domesticated tomatillo is called tomate and the wild version called miltomate and what we know as tomato is called jitomate.  Interestingly, even today in Mexico, a concoction made of the flower calyces is used to treat diabetes. Making them perfect for those of who are on a keto diet which seeks to eliminate sugar and its insulin response.

The humble tomatillo never gained in popularity with Europeans, and it was the showy red tomato that was taken to Italy where it grew well in the Mediterranean climate. Today, the tomatillo is common in the U.S. most especially the West and Southwest as the Hispanic population has increased. It's sold in most major supermarket chains here in California, and stores very well. I so love its jammy texture and tart flavor.

Of course, you don’t even have to make the tomatillo sauce yourself (though it’s easy enough as long as you have a blender and can find tomatillos). There are really good clean prepared sauces available in the refrigerated section of most markets and with the addition of some onion, cumin, garlic, cilantro, chicken stock, wine and lime to doctor and freshen the store-bought version, you'd save time and still have a delicious dish. No shame in taking short cuts, if you use quality prepared foods. I really like Casa Sanchez  because they use no preservatives, no sugars, no starches - just pure ingredients. Salsa For All Seasons or Primavera Salsa are good options. Same thing goes for the cauliflower rice... Most of the time, I use Whole Foods Frozen Organic Cauliflower Rice because at $1.99 for 12 oz it's a good buy & I can stock up on them, keeping them in my freezer whenever I need to make a good quick side... it is SO versatile and a wonderful canvas for any kind of flavor profile from Italian to Spanish to Chinese to Mexican. And in this recipe the rice tasted lovely after being sauteed in olive oil, shallots, cumin, paprikon, and chicken stock with a quick handful of cilantro thrown into the mix just before serving.

Just a quick word about products I recommend: I get paid nada by anyone for endorsements... I don't think anyone knows this little blog exists, so when I link to a product I do so only because it's easier than downloading & uploading pictures, and it's the actual product I use! You may find similar products in other brands, just be sure to check the nutritional info on the label.... manufacturers LOVE to sneak sugar into food... it's a natural preservative and flavor enhancer, but it will take you out of ketosis... so let the buyer beware! 

Keto Chicken Green Chili Verde With Cilantro and Cumin-Scented Cauliflower "Rice"

 

Note: I will provide you with recipes for the salsa verde, chicken chili verde, and cauliflower rice.

Make the tomatillo sauce first, unless you are using store-bought sauce, then skip this step. I braise the chicken in the sauce in a very low oven (275 degrees)  after initially searing the seasoned the chicken on the stove top with aromatics and then slowcook it for 2 hours. I use boneless skinless thighs for this, but you can use bone-in thighs with the skin on... it's just for me, stewed chicken skin is completely flaccid and unappealing, the thighs themselves have lots of lovely intramuscular fat so I don't need much more, and though bones add collagen and flavor, my husband hates them - even when the flesh is falling off of them as it would here - hence the boneless skinless variety used. An oven-safe braising pot (or Dutch oven) with a well-fitted lid is the best option for cooking this dish. This will serve four to six people. 

 Tomatillo Salsa Verde (yields 3 cups)

The tomatillos will be roasted and blended, and the accompanying aromatics can be rough-chopped since everything is going into the blender together anyway. You can blend the tomatillos raw, but roasting them first give them added depth and umami. The salsa can be made a few days ahead & stored in the fridge in a tightly-lidded container. 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb tomatillos, papery husks removed
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 3 whole cloves (or more) garlic with their skins
• 1 bunch cilantro leaves with tops of stems
• The juice of half a fresh lime
• 2 chilies, seeds and membranes removed, chopped (Jalapeño if you want less heat, Serrano if you want more)
• 2 Poblano (or Anaheim chilies), seeds and membranes removed, chopped
• Salt to taste
• Freshly milled black pepper to taste

Instructions 

1. Remove papery husks from tomatillos and rinse well 3 ways to cook the tomatillos
2. Cut the tomatillos in half and place cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet.
3. Add a few garlic cloves in their skin (if using)
4. Place under a broiler for about 5-7 minutes to lightly blacken the skins of the tomatillos.
5. Place the cooked tomatillos, lime juice, onions, garlic, cilantro, chili peppers in a blender or food processor and pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed and saucy looking.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Chicken Chili Verde

You will use the freshly prepared (or store-bought) salsa verde as the sauce, but I also like to saute more aromatics when searing the chicken for an added layer of flavor. Be sure to season the chicken before searing. You can always use a packaged seasoning salt like Sazon, instead. If you don't have the dried coriander - just skip it; if you don't have paprikon (smoked paprika) just use regular (sweet) paprika. Smoked paprika, often called paprikon or pimenton or smoked Spanish paprika, is made from peppers that are smoked and dried over oak fires. This process gives the red powder a rich, smoky flavor. You can find this smoked variety in mild, medium-hot, and hot. True Spanish pimenton is produced using traditional techniques and comes from specific areas in Spain, as per the European Union's laws. This variety has a smoky flavor you might find by grilling outdoors or charring a red pepper. The flavor is still sweet and cool without adding any heat to the dish, unless you purchase a hot, smoked version.

I use dry white wine to deglaze the pan after searing the chicken, but you can use vinegar instead. Balsamic vinegar is nice, but apple cider vinegar or even plain white vinegar works too. I add a little chicken stock after deglazing the pan and before adding the salsa verse, just to smooth out the dish. Be sure you preheat your oven at 275 degrees. You will be finishing the dish in the oven for two hours.

When serving, I like to garnish the chili simply with chopped or sliced avocado and a sprig of fresh cilantro, but you can load it up with anything you like: sour cream, queso fresco, Monterey Jack, feta

Leftover chicken chili verde (like below) makes for delicious tacos or quesadillas. There are excellent keto-friendly tortillas sold in markets these days; or, of course, you can make your own! Adding extra stock to the leftovers to stretch it into a delectable soup with a few veggies like zucchini or black beans makes for another delightful dinner or lunch. It's just a great dish to add to your repertoire. 

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 teaspoons of ground cumin (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon of ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon of paprikon  or paprika (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano (or to taste)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for sauteing)
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed, peeled, and minced
• 3 sprigs of fresh oregano, minced  
  
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder
• freshly milled black pepper (to taste)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (or 1/4 cup of your favorite vinegar)
• 2 cups of low-sodium chicken stock
• 3 cups of tomatillo salsa verde (recipe above)
• Avocado, chopped (for garnish)
• A few sprigs of fresh cilantro (for garnish)
• salt, to taste
  
  
  

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 275 degrees F. 
2. Pat and dry chicken thighs.
3. Prepare seasoning salt by combining the next five ingredients (all the dry herbs and seasonings) along with salt & pepper in a small bowl and sprinkle the seasoning salt all over the thighs coating them lightly & massaging it in.
4. Heat a large braising pan or Dutch oven over Medium-High heat, when pan is hot, add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan, when oil is hot, add chicken in one non-over lapping layer to pan, and sear it undisturbed on one side for five minutes, then flip the chicken thighs and sear them for an additional five minutes in one layer. You may sear the chicken in batches if your pan can't accommodate them all at once. 
   
5. When both sides of chicken are seared, push them to the sides of the braising pan, add a bit more olive oil, and saute onion and garlic until onions are slightly soft and translucent (about 3 minutes), stirring occasionally being sure not to allow the garlic to burn.
   
6. When aromatics are softened, add cinnamon and cocoa powder, mix them in well with the chicken and onion mixture and then pour wine (or vinegar) into pan to deglaze it, being sure to scrape up all the pan fond (burnt stuck bits) to incorporate the flavor with the wine.
7. Add the salsa verde. Mix well.
8. Then add the chicken stock. Mix well, add fresh oregano, mix well and bring everything up to a boil. When the braise is boiling, cover pan tightly, turn off the burner.
9. Place braising pan in the center rack of the preheated 275 degree oven for 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Checking for doneness at the 90 minute mark. The chicken is done when it is fork tender and falling apart.
   
10. When done, remove from oven, stir the chicken, letting the pieces fall apart & melt into the sauce.
    
11. Spoon into warm bowls. (I warm mine in the microwave). Garnish with avocado & fresh cilantro and serve with cauliflower rice (recipe below).

Cilantro and Cumin-Scented Cauliflower "Rice" 

This rice is easy to prepare. This is the one instance where I prefer frozen organic cauliflower rice because it's cheap, always available and in the Time of the Coronavirus we can't rely on markets being well-stocked with fresh vegetables. I get mine from Whole Foods 365 because it is a very clean product with no additives snuck in. You can rice a head of fresh cauliflower very easily, by chopping it & sticking in a food processor, then gently pulsing until the florets look like grains of rice.

I use a large shallot for the dish because shallots are small, have the combined flavor of onion and garlic, and I don't need a lot of it. However, you can substitute 1/2 an onion and a clove of garlic, instead. Don't use the dry granulated stuff ... powdered aromatics are fine when roasting or searing meats, but terribly flat in pilafs like this. We need the sweetness and juiciness of a fresh aromatic here. 

You don't have to defrost the rice, but you may want to bash the bag a bit, breaking up the bigger frozen chunks to make it easier to saute.  Cauliflower rice doesn't absorb liquid like rice grains, but it will absorb some liquid and lots of flavor. We will essentially saute, season, then braise it in a tightly covered pot for a few minutes until it is softened and fluffy. I try not to add too much liquid, but if you find you have by accident, you can always just take the lid off the pot & boil the excess liquid away. Unlike real rice grain, it will evaporate without damaging the texture of the "rice".

Ingredients

• 1 12 oz package of frozen organic cauliflower rice (or your own fresh version)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (to coat bottom of the pan)
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon of paprikon (or paprika)
• 1/4 cup of dry white wine (optional)
• 1/4 cup of chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon of soy sauce (or just use salt to taste)
• freshly milled black pepper (to taste)
• 1 handful of fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot add olive oil.
2. When oil heats, add minced shallot and saute until soft and translucent.
3. Add cumin, and another splash of olive oil. Let the cumin and parikon toast with shallots, stirring occasionally until fragrant (about 45 seconds to 1 minute), then add cauliflower rice, mixing in the shallots, oil, and cumin well. 
4. Saute the cauliflower until it defrosts completely (about 3-4 minutes), adding a bit more olive oil if it seems dry. When the cauliflower is fully thawed in the pan, add the wine, stir well, let the wine evaporate into the cauliflower, then add the soy sauce, the stock, the pepper and stir well, bringing it up to a boil and then cover tightly, reducing the heat to medium-low
5.  Allow the cauliflower to braise, undisturbed for 5-7 minutes, then stir, check for doneness, determine whether or not it needs more liquid, if it does, add just a splash of stock, and cover tightly for a few minutes more until done to your liking. 
   
6. When cauliflower rice is done, add chopped cilantro, fluff cilantro in with a fork, and serve in warm bowls. 

Buen provecho! 

Keto Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake with Brownie Crust

 

So... A Reeses Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Tart! Keto-style! I was bored and out of sorts, my husband was grouchy and I was thinking of a way to cheer him up, dessert is always a great mood-enhancing palliative, so I pulled out an egg, a block of cream cheese, sour cream, butter etc from the fridge, let them come to room temperature, then I made the crust, baked it, let the crust cool, filled it with the peanut butter batter, baked it, let it cool in the oven with the oven door cracked, then removed the sides of the pan, placed the tart on a rack and stuck it in the fridge for a few hours, after which I completely smothered it in sugar-free chocolate ganache (which I make by melting sugar-free chocolate chips with coconut oil), let that harden for another hour and voila! I totally winged it... I had no intention of reliving the joy of my youth with this Reeses's Peanut Butter Cup meets Drake's Funny Bones mash-up, but once I started blending the cheesecake batter, I felt I needed something more than cream cheese and vanilla to stand up to the brownie crust... and then I remembered an unopened jar of peanut butter in the pantry and a star was born! It's a bit of a process... requires patience, but can easily be made a day ahead of whenever you wish to serve it. The tart is rich, decadent, not overly sweet and definitely satisfied my chocolate peanut butter cup jones. You cannot tell that this is a sugar-free, gluten-free dessert... it has all the flavor and mouthfeel of its sugary, starchy cousin.

A few notes: I use two types of Swerve for this tart. Swerve is made from ingredients found in select fruits and starchy root vegetables, and contains no artificial ingredients, preservatives or flavors. It’s zero-calorie, non-glycemic and safe for those living with diabetes, since it has no effect on blood glucose or insulin levels. Unlike other natural sweeteners like stevia, it has no bitter aftertaste and measures just like sugar. It's also the only sugar replacement of its kind that browns and caramelizes just like sugar. If you have Swerve but it's granulated instead of powdered, just blitz it in a coffee grinder first. If you are using other kinds of sugar substitutes I can't vouch for the amounts needed. I use Swerve because of its 1:1 ratio with cane sugar. I am bad at arithmetic and simply cannot be bothered calculating, so using a sweetener that not only tastes like real sugar but acts like real sugar and can be used in the same amounts as real sugar is a no-brainer. If you don't have brown sugar Swerve, that's okay... just sub in more powdered Swerve, though Lakanto golden monkfruit sweetener is something I have also used as a brown sugar substitute with success. 

I used Whole Food's 365 sugar-free dark chocolate chips brand sold on Amazon Whole Foods or Amazon Fresh for the crust and the ganache. Lily's is also a great brand, but it costs twice as much and the difference in taste and texture (both raw and cooked) is so negligible as to be non-existent. You can use blocks of sugar-free dark chocolate and grate them, but chips are absolutely perfect for melting and save you a step in what is already a multi-step process.

Ideally, all your ingredients should be room temperature, makes them easier to process and incorporate together. Most especially the cream cheese. Just take it out before you go to bed at night or as soon as you wake up in the morning and leave it on the kitchen counter. It'll be fine and ready for you when you need it later that day. 

When baking custards (which is what a cheesecake batter essentially is), it's always a good idea to humidify the oven to prevent the custard from cracking. Of course, in this case, since we are covering the custard with a chocolate coating, it won't matter if it cracks, but there is satisfaction in doing a thing well, and having a crevice-free cheesecake is always a minor miracle that uplifts the spirit, so.... put a pan of hot water on the lowest rack in your oven when you preheat the oven. This will add the much needed moisture without going through the trouble of setting up a bain-marie. 

A 9-inch non-stick removable bottom fluted tart pan like this one is ideal for this dessert and the bake time I suggest assumes it's the pan you're using. It's a kitchen essential, so buy one if you don't have one. You can find them easily online for a good price. If you must use a larger or smaller pan, adjust the cooking time accordingly. The fluted tart pan makes it look like a classic dessert, but if you haven't got one, you can line a pie plate with parchment paper and butter it instead.

Keto Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake with Brownie Crust

For Brownie Crust

If you'd rather not make a pan of brownies for the crust, and are looking for something a bit less labor intensive, you can certainly take any leftover or store-bought sugar-free brownies, chocolate wafers or cookies and process them into crumbs, then add a bit of melted butter to them & press them in a pan, but making your own is worth the trouble. 

 

Ingredients:

 

• 3/4 stick butter (cut into small cubes) 
• 1/2 cup Swerve confectioners sugar (powdered)
• 1/3 cup Swerve brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar free dark chocolate chips 
• ½ cup walnuts, chopped 
• 4 Tbsp. almond flour 
• 2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 large eggs, whites and yolk separated
• 2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• salt (just a pinch for whipping egg whites) 

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
2. Melt the dark chocolate chips with butter cubes gently in a microwaveable bowl using 30 second intervals to heat. Stir chocolate and butter between intervals (shouldn't take more than 3 intervals) 
3. Then whisk in 3 large egg yolks.
4. Whisk in the cream
5. Add both sugars, followed by the cocoa powder, both flours, mix very well... these sugar substitutes take a little longer to incorporate than cane sugar - and finally, add the chopped nuts.
6. Whip the egg whites in a stainless bowl with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form, then add to the chocolate mixture folding in carefully with a rubber spatula so as not to deflate the whipped eggs.
7. Pour the batter into an 8″-square baking dish that's been lined with parchment paper (I use a Le Creuset stoneware baking dish with enamel interior, but any shape will do - we are going to blitz the brownies into crumbs anyway so it won't matter) and bake for 30 minutes. 
8. Remove from the oven and let cool.
9. Once cooled, cut into squares and add squares into a food processor, processing until crumbs form, add a tsp of vanilla, process more... if crumbs appear too dry add cream or milk & process again until dough is sticky.
10. Press crumbs out evenly into an 9 inch non-stick tart pan with a removable bottom. If you aren't sure whether your pan is non-stick, play it safe & spray it with avocado or coconut oil spray / or butter the pan with unsalted butter.
    
11. Bake crust in a preheated 350 F oven for 20 minutes. Then let cool and harden. While crust cools, make peanut butter cheesecake batter.
    
    

For Peanut Butter Cheesecake Batter: 

Ingredients

• 8 oz block of cream cheese, room temperature
• half a cup of sour cream, room temperature
• 1 medium egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 Tablespoons of powdered Swerve
• 1/4 cup of natural crunchy peanut butter (no sugar, no additives - just peanuts & salt. Whole Foods makes a good one for a low cost), room temperature

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add hot water to a roasting pan & place it on the lowest rack of the oven to provide needed humidity for the cheesecake. This prevents cracking.
2. Puree cream cheese in a food processor on high until soft and fluffy, stopping to scrape sides of bowl with flexible rubber spatula. Add the sour cream. Process until well incorporated with the cream cheese. Stopping to scrape bowl occasionally. Add powdered Swerve. Process until light and fluffy. Stopping to scrape bowl. Add peanut butter. Process. Scrape. Add vanilla. Process. Scrape, Then add egg. Do not over process egg... 30-45 seconds should suffice. Scrape sides of bowl. 
3. Pour filling into cooled brownie crust. Removing any bubbles you see on the surface. Let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes to allow any surface bubbles to subside.
4. Place aluminum foil on a cookie sheet. Place tart pan on the aluminum foil & lightly crimp around the bottom edges of pan to prevent the butter from the crust from leaking. Place cookie sheet with tart pan in center of the center rack of oven.
5. Bake undisturbed for 28 minutes. Center may still be a little jiggly.
6. Turn off oven, leave tart in oven with door cracked open for about 20 minutes to cool.
7. After 20 minutes, remove from oven, carefully separate the bottom of the tart from the sides, insuring that no part of the crust or custard are attached to the sides, place on wire rack to cool for an additional 30 minutes, then refrigerate on rack for two hours
8. After two hours, glaze the tart with chocolate ganache (recipe below), return to refrigerator for an additional hour or so to allow ganache to set.
9. When ganache is set, remove from oven garnish with berries. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

For Chocolate Ganache:

You can garnish this anyway you like. I kept it simple and just added whole strawberries after the ganache cooled, but if you'd like to incorporate chopped peanuts as a lovely border around the tart, you must add them immediately after glazing the tart with the ganache, while the ganache is still soft and warm, then refrigerate it for an hour until the chocolate sets again. You can, of course, use the microwave to melt the chocolate, but I prefer doing it directly in a small pan on a low burner, using a rubber spatula to mix as needed while it's melting. The coconut oil is an excellent emulsifier, don't skip it. 

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup of sugar-free chocolate chips
• 1 Tbsp of coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 Tbsp heavy cream, room temperature
• Strawberries, chopped peanuts, anything you like as garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Add chips, oil, and butter into a small heavy-bottomed non-reactive sauce pan over low to medium low heat. Keeping an eye over it during the entire process, stirring together, to prevent chocolate from scorching as needed. Won't take more than a few minutes. 
2. When chocolate and fats are melted and well incorporated, remove from heat, add cream, gently stirring in until fully incorporated and emulsion is homogenous.
3. Place a sheet of aluminum foil on work surface where you intend to glaze the tart. Remove tart from refrigerator with wire rack, place on aluminum foil, get warm ganache ready to glaze. Use an offset spatula to glaze the tart, if you don't have one specifically designed for pastry, use a fish spatula... it offset & narrow enough... if you don't have that either? Spoon it on and swirl with back of the spoon, just be sure that you are smoothing it on evenly. 
4. If you want to add garnishes that will be embedded in the chocolate glaze, now is the time to add them, otherwise, just place tart on it rack with the foil beneath in the fridge to cool for an hour.
5. Cut and serve with berries, freshly whipped cream, anything you like. I prefer it plain with just a few raspberries or strawberries.

Oven-Braised Beef Bottom Round Roast with Shiitakes and Leeks; Pureed Romanesco with Garlic, Chives, Ricotta and Horseradish

There is nothing like a fragrant cauldron of yummy goodness simmering away in your oven for a few hours whilst you are hunkered down at home in the winter on an inclement day during the Time of the Corona to give you a sense of solace. So I present a little sloooow-roasted oven-braised beef pot roast with shiitakes and leeks served alongside pureed romanesco with garlic, chives, ricotta and horseradish for your cooking consideration...

Braising is cooking with a combination of moist and dry heat in a covered pot. This works best for tough meats. It’s amazing how a gristly cheap cut of meat transmogrifies under the alchemy of heat and time. The name of the technique comes from the French word braiser, referring to the original method that involved cooking meat in a covered vessel set on a bed of hot, glowing coals (braises). Hot coals were also piled on top of the lid so the meat would cook evenly. What could be more primal? Now, of course, it means cooking food in a small amount of liquid in a covered pot over a bare simmer.

Adding aromatics, vegetables, and herbs when braising gives both the meat and the accompanying sauce much needed flavor and aroma. Braising can be done on your stovetop, in a slow cooker or in the oven, depending on your equipment. Oven-braising is my preferred method. Low and slow is the mantra for this method. Because braising is a mixture of temperature, time, moisture, you’ll achieve the best results by cooking your meat for longer periods of time (think 2-6 hours depending on the cut and the size of the roast) and at a low temperature (200-250 degrees F - the liquid should remain at a bare simmer throughout the braising process). Braising breaks down collagen, an elastic connective tissue found in all muscles to varying degrees. Acting like a thin translucent sheath, collagen surrounds muscle fibers, providing structure and support. The more hard-working a muscle is, the more collagen it requires to do its job. Raw, tough cuts of meat are near-impossible to chew because collagen binds muscle fibers together in tight bundles. Cooking breaks down this elastic collagen, dissolving it into soft, melt-in-your-mouth gelatin. Without their elastic sheaths, the fiber bundles literally fall apart, resulting in fork-tender meat. Newly formed gelatin melts away into the sauce, adding a velvety mouthfeel and unctuousness to the braising liquid. This newly formed gelatin also explains why braising liquids form a gel upon cooling.

The real key to braising is adding the right amount of liquid so that the moisture and heat continue working together to tenderize the meat. Too much liquid will dilute the favor of the sauce and it will boil which will toughen the fibers. Too little and (depending on which kind you use) your aromatics will burn adding a caustic flavor and the meat may dry out as well. I typically add no more 1-1/2″ liquid in the bottom of the pan. Most of the roast should be above liquid. The liquid from the meats and vegetables will contribute even more liquid volume as the dish cooks. For best results, use flavorful liquids such as wine, soy sauce sauce, stock, cream, pureed tomatoes.

Before you start cooking the meat, be sure to remove it from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking, pat it dry with paper towels. This helps it brown more evenly and keeps it from boiling instead of searing. Season it with a spice rub or a simple sprinkling of salt and pepper works great, too, for those of you who prefer less assertive flavors. I use more exotic seasonings because I know the long slow simmer will temper their taste. Preheat your oven. Then prepare your mise-en-place by gathering and chopping all the aromatics and vegetables you intend to use. Have all and any fats and liquids you want to use handy, as well.

Most every braising recipe calls for browning the meat on all sides, usually over medium-high heat in a heavy dutch oven, until it develops a golden brown crust. 5 minutes per side is usually ample. You will then remove the meat, placing it on a cutting board or dish, keeping it in a warm spot and add the aromatics to the pot, sauteing them in fat until they start to soften, then you deglaze the pan with your liquid(s) of choice, scraping up the browned bits known as pan fond and incorporating them into the sauce, then you place your meat & any accumulated juices back in the pot, anointing it with a bit more fat (I like to add dabs of butter and splashes of cream), place a tightly fitting lid over it, and place it in the center of the oven to cook. Generally, for a tough cut of meat like a chuck roast, short ribs, or a bottom round, it is about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes per pound in a 200 -250 degree F oven - turning the meat once half-way through its cooking time. You'll know when the meat is done because it will give in when prodded by a pair of tongs, and appear to be falling apart - if it offers any resistance to touch, it needs more cooking time. 

As with any non-baking recipe, you can freely substitute ingredients or omit any you don't like. I used what I had at home. You can do the same. Recipes are just guidelines. Frameworks. Blueprints. It’s the cooking technique that matters most. I don’t tabulate the macros, but you certainly can. Years of keto-cooking have trained me to understand the proper ratio of ingredients. I do try to be aware of consuming excessive protein since it causes gluconeogenesis which is counterproductive. I do this by controlling the portion of proteins I eat. I make high fat, moderate protein, low-glycemic meals with no starches or glutens. I don't use a roux as a thickener, nor do I dust the meat with flour because we are keto in this household, but if you're not eschewing carbs, by all means do so.  Or you can simply remove the meat when it's done and reduce the jus in the pot until it is the consistency you like. A dab of creme fraiche or sour cream will also thicken it, but el esposo prefers a saucier sauce so I didn't. Cauliflower or broccoli make great low-carb options to use as substitutes for the romanesco, I chose ricotta as the cheese because it's what I needed to use, but gruyere, chevre, anything you like would be nice, I'm sure. I use a shallow 14" Le Creuset enamel-coated cast iron braiser that I have had for 15 years, but a Dutch oven will be fine - just don't feel tempted to fill it with too much liquid. I use an immersion blender to puree the romanesco, it is an indispensable tool & so inexpensive, but you can use a blender, processor, food mill, or even a potato masher.  This dish will serve 6 easily. 

Oven-Braised Beef Bottom Round Roast with Shiitakes and Leeks; Pureed Romanesco with Garlic, Chives, Ricotta and Horseradish

Ingredients:

For The Beef

• 2 lbs of beef bottom round roast, whole
• a couple of pinches of porcini powder (I use this one)
• freshly milled black pepper, to taste
• 1 packet of Sazon, optional
• teaspoon of paprika
• olive oil to lightly coat bottom of braising pan
• 3 sprigs of fresh oregano
• 3 sprigs of fresh marjoram
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 large leek, cleaned of debris & sliced into large coins
• 1/2 of 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, smashed with the flat side of chef's knife & minced
• sliced shiitakes mushroom, 1 cup
• sliced crimini mushrooms, 1 cup
• 1 large zucchini, cut into large chunks
• 1 TBS of tomato paste (or ketchup)
• 2 teaspoons of soy sauce
• 1/2 cup of Pinot Noir (or any good dry red wine you're drinking)
• 1 cup of stock - beef, chicken, or vegetable
• 2 TBS of butter
• 1/4 cup of heavy cream

For The Pureed Romanesco

• 1 large head of Romanesco, chopped into large florets
• olive oil to lightly coat bottom of pan
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
• 2 TBS. butter, unsalted
• 1/2 cup low-sodium stock
• 1/4 cup of cream or half and half
• 1/4 cup of ricotta
• horseradish, to taste (I used a tablespoon)
• freshly milled pepper, to taste
• salt, to taste (I didn't use any)
• chopped chives, to taste 

Instructions:


For The Beef: 

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Remove roast from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking, clean and pat dry with a paper towel, then season with freshly milled black pepper, porcini powder, paprika, and Sazon. (If you are using Sazon or any other seasoning salt, you won't need additional salt). Set aside for .
2. Prepare all your veggies and aromatics. Set aside.
   
3. Heat a large braising pan over medium high heat, coat the pan with a light film of olive oil, when oil is hot, sear roast on all sides one side at a time for 5 minutes per side without disturbing the roast.
4. Remove meat from braising pan, keeping in a warm spot, then add the leeks, onions, garlic and mushrooms. Add more oil if needed. Saute until aromatics and vegetables soften - do not brown them. When aromatics are softened, add soy sauce, stirring in well, then add tomato paste, stirring in well, and coating all the aromatics well... letting the tomato paste cook until it loses its raw look. 
5. Then deglaze pan with wine, scraping up all and any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, when wine cooks down about half way, add stock, herbs (oregano, marjoram, bay leaf), stir in well, then place meat and any accumulated juices back in pan, coating the meat on all sides with the sauce.
6. Add the zucchini, if using, bring pan back up to a boil, add butter and cream on top of the roast, fit tightly with lid and place in the center of the oven for two and half to three hours, turning roast once halfway through cooking time. Meat is done when it gives in easily to the touch and is almost falling apart. 
   
7. Remove pan from oven, let rest for 10 minutes covered, then remove meat from pan, slice and serve on warmed plates with mushroom sauce and pureed romanesco (or whatever sides you choose).

For The Romanesco:

1. Heat a deep sauce pan over medium heat, add olive oil to coat pan, when pan is hot add the garlic and saute until fragrant (about 45 seconds). Add romanesco florets and 1 tablespoon of butter, mixing well with the garlic, season with freshly milled black pepper to taste. Saute for 2-3 minutes until romanesco caramelizes slightly, careful not to let the garlic burn as you do.
2. Add cream and stock to romanesco mixture and cover tightly with lid until romanesco is soft & breaks apart easily with a wooden spoon (7-10 minutes). Check pot occasionally for liquid, if it gets too dry to fast, you may need to add more stock or cream, but ideally the romanesco will absorb all the liquid without need for more.
3. When romanesco is cooked, remove from heat, and blend with an immersion blender directly in the pot. Just be sure the blender's blades are below the surface or else you will be wearing pureed romanesco. When smooth, add ricotta and horseradish and blend in well with the blender. 
4. When puree is the consistency you like, finish with black pepper, chopped chives, and the last tablespoon of butter, stirring it all in with wooden spoon. Serve. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Braised Chicken in a Tarragon-Fourme d’Ambert Bleu-Mascarpone Cream Sauce with a Pan-seared Brussel Sprouts, Nutmeg, Walnuts, Garlic, Meyer Lemon, White Truffled Concoction;)

 

This dish isn't very fussy. This creamy keto-friendly chicken, known as “Poulet à l’Estragon”, is a simple one-pan recipe that’s both comforting and fresh tasting. Chicken thighs are first browned and braised in aromatics, chicken stock and white wine for a melting tenderness. Cream is then added for extra body and richness. But it’s really the fresh tarragon, a staple herb in French cooking with its assertive aniseed-like notes, that gives the distinctive flavor to this unique dish.  It is stellar over pasta or egg noodles, if you are gluten eating, or over zoodles or shirataki fettuccini if you are keto... but I used Brussel Sprouts seasoned with grated nutmeg, Meyer lemon and walnuts (recipe included below) which also absorbed a little of the tarragon cream sauce when plated which was huge value add. If you don't have mascarpone, you can sub in creme fraiche or even heavy cream - though if you use heavy cream you'll have to reduce the sauce a bit. The mascarpone adds a subtle hint of sweetness that's lovely with the tarragon and complements the subtle bite and earthy tones of the blue cheese. Not a fan of blue cheese? Sub in parmesan instead. It'll be still be delicious. 

Braised Chicken in a Tarragon-Fourme d’Ambert -Mascarpone Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 large oven-proof 14-inch braising pot (I use an enamel-coated cast-iron Le Creuset that I've had for eons)
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1.5 lbs)
• 1 large leek, cleaned and thinly sliced
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled, crushed with flat of a knife, then minced
• 6 sprigs of fresh tarragon, leaves stripped and finely chopped - plus more for garnish (You can use dried but if you do, just use about a teaspoon or so - dried herbs are more concentrated in flavor)
• porcini powder (optional - you can grind up any dried mushrooms in a coffee bean grinder or sub paprika or skip altogether, it’s just to season the chicken with before sautéing)
• 2 ounces of Fourme d’Ambert blue cheese (you use any good quality blue - just be sure it's soft - none of the pre-crumbled stuff)
• 1/2 cup of dry white wine (I use what I'm going to drink that night)
• 1 cup of chicken stock ( I use organic, low-sodium store-bought )
• olive oil (enough to coat bottom of pan)
• 2 heaping TBS of mascarpone
• 1 heaping TBS of sour cream
• 2 TBS of unsalted butter (never use salted butter - it's quality is usually inferior and it doesn't allow you to control how much salt you're adding to a dish)
• salt & pepper to taste ( I grind the pepper coarsely & grate salt from this huge hunk of Pink Himalayan salt I've had for 13 years!)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F
2. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and porcini mushroom powder
3. Put braising pan (or dutch oven) over medium heat, when hot add oil and butter,
4. Sauté the aromatics (leeks, garlic, shallots) until soft and fragrant, then push them to the outer edges of the pan (or remove them while searing the chicken)
5.  Turn up the heat to medium high, add a bit more oil if pan is dry, sear the chicken on both sides for 5 minutes per side without disturbing the chicken to insure a good crust (though you may stir the aromatics along the edges if you leave them in the pan)
6. Deglaze with wine, scraping up all the pan fond,
7. Add the broth, add the tarragon leaves, stir everything in well, bring to a boil
8. Then cover with a tightly fitting lid & stick it in the oven for an hour.
9. When the chicken is tender, you remove it from the oven, stir in the cheese and the creams until melted and well-incorporated
10. Serve in a heated dish with whatever you like on the side...
11. This dish is stellar over pasta or egg noodles. If you are gluten eating, or zoodles or shirataki fettuccini if you are keto, or you can serve it like I did with simply sauteed Brussel sprouts 

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

I kept the seasonings minimal because I was serving the sprouts with the Tarragon Chicken, but if you are serving them with something less highly flavored, you can add bacon, pancetta, cheese, herbs, sriracha... the add-ons are endless. Adding chopped fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro or mint and a handful of Parmesan feta, or goat cheese at the end is grand.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt & black pepper, to taste
• The juice from half a Meyer Lemon (these lemons are spectacular, sweeter and more herbaceous than your average lemon, but sub in regular lemon juice or even balsamic vinegar if you prefer)
• 1 small garlic clove, thinly sliced
• grating of nutmeg
• 1/2 a handful of chopped walnuts (or almonds, or pecans or hazelnuts... whatever nut you like)
• White truffle oil, to taste
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Instructions:

1. Heat a large cast iron or similar sturdy bottomed skillet over medium high for 4 minutes. Add the oil. As soon as the oil is hot and shining (but before it starts smoking), swirl to cost the pan, then add the halved Brussels sprouts.
2. Shake the skillet a little and prod them so that as many as possible are cut-side down. Let sit completely undisturbed for 5 to 8 minutes, until they develop a dark, flavorful, caramelized sear.
3. Add the salt and pepper, sliced garlic, and the nuts. With a wooden spoon or spatula, stir the Brussels sprouts. Continue cooking, stirring every few minutes, until the Brussels sprouts are browned all over and just turning tender the inside, about 6 to 8 additional minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice. Grate the nutmeg over them. Anoint with truffle oil. Stir.
5. Check for seasoning. Serve.