Swiss Chard Hazelnut Dessert Tart |Tarte Sucrée Aux Blettes et Noisettes

Swiss Chard Hazelnut Dessert Tart |Tarte Sucrée Aux Blettes et Noisettes

Swiss Chard Hazelnut Dessert Tart |Tarte Sucrée Aux Blettes et Noisettes

Swiss Chard hazelnut dessert tart

Swiss Chard Hazelnut Dessert Tart

 

Really. It’s not so bizarre to use vegetables in dessert. Consider zucchini bread and carrot cake. Other popular recipes include red velvet beet cake, sweet potato pudding and avocado chocolate mousse. Dessert tarts made with Swiss chard have long been popular in the South of France. In Nice, where I first discovered this dessert tart, it’s part of the culture, and it’s delicious.

Swiss chard is an abundant crop in Southern France which makes dessert a clever way to use up excess chard. One thing is for certain, this tart was not created just to make the dessert more nutrient dense or higher fiber–this is not the French way of eating. I discovered this tart from parents of a chef friend who invited me to dinner at their home near Falicon, North of Nice.

Why is this tart delicious?

The French approach to this dessert balances the sweet with the delicate tang of chard and bright citrus notes. The quick and easy light custard contrasts with crunchy, toasted hazelnuts and a low-sugar, brown-butter crust (the easiest “French” crust ever).

Why make this sweet tart with greens?

  • It’s surprisingly delicious and unique
  • It’s stealth nutrition (adds fiber and potassium)
  • It holds well for a 2-3 days
  • You’ve wondered what else to do with chard
  • Experience some history–the tart has Medieval origins

 

Swiss Chard Hazelnut Dessert Tart Recipe

Serves 8

Filling Ingredients:
  • ¾ pound of whole fresh Swiss chard leaf stalks (about 3.5 ounces with stems removed)
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 egg yolk from a large egg
  • 1 ¼ cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange zest (about half a large orange)
  • ½ cup of whole toasted skinless hazelnuts, chopped
  • 1-2 Tablespoons of powdered sugar
Tart Dough:

You can use a favorite tart recipe or pre-made tart dough that works for a 9-inch tart pan or use the following easiest, quickest, “non-French” tart recipe I’ve ever made.

Swiss Chard Steps:
  1. Prepare to blanch the chard; however, if all the leaves are small, young, thin and supple, you could skip this step (see culinary nutrition notes below). Put a large pot of water (about 2½ quarts or enough to cover the chard leaves) over medium heat. Have a colander nearby and some cold water available.
  2. Rinse the Swiss chard, remove the stems—cutting with a knife is preferred over hand tearing the leaves, since this can leave you with bits and pieces that are a bother if you blanch the chard. When the water is simmering (not boiling), add the leaves all at once. Press the leaves into the water to cover then remove after 45 seconds depending on when the leaves become soft and pliable (too much heat dulls the color.) Thick, dense chard leaves will take more time.
  3. Pour the chard into the colander and rinse with cold water or pour cold water over and around the leaves to stop further color loss. When cool enough to touch, squeeze out the excess water with your hands then chop.

 

Custard Steps: Turn oven to 400˚F (204˚C)
  1. For the hazelnuts, lightly toast them and remove the skins if you purchased whole, raw nuts. Chop the nuts into roughly ¼ inch bits (I scoop up the nuts and shake out the smaller bits and “nut dust” between my fingers.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, yolk, milk, vanilla and zest. Stir in the chopped Swiss Chard.
  3. Pour mixture into the tart pan of the pre-cooked dough and place on the middle rack. Sprinkle the hazelnuts evenly across the top and lightly press them into the custard. Bake 30-34 minutes or until custard looks set—test with a toothpick inserted into the custard for a clean removal.
  4. Serve slightly chilled, and just before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
  • Young, supple or pliable fresh Swiss chard leaves could be used without the blanching step by cutting the chard chiffonade style (removing the stem, layering the leaves, rolling them up into a cylinder shape and cutting the leaves into thin strips). Cut the thin strips in half lengthwise to make smaller pieces. Place these in a bowl and let them sit for at least 30 minutes or until they soften further. As long as they feel soft and supple, they will work well in the tart.
  • Most often veggies are blanched (simmering water for 30 seconds or more) in salted water to improve the flavor; however, I don’t find it benefits this dessert.
  • Swiss Chard has some naturally salt-seasoning—this amount has about 200 mg of sodium for the entire recipe which is a low level of sodium.
This dish is rich in culture and historical origins so despite making changes to simplify this dessert, I want to honor the traditional ingredients and techniques by mentioning them:
  • Pine nuts are traditional, but sometimes fresh (non-oxidized/non-rancid) pine nuts are hard to find, instead I use hazelnuts which add an attractive crunch and flavor.
  • Lemon zest: I substituted with orange zest because Swiss chard adds tang and orange pairs well with it.
  • A Tourte: Tourtes have a dough topping and are more common with this dessert, but I prefer tarts they are easier and faster to and without a top crust, it’s less dense and lower calorie.
  • Alcohol: Brandy, eau de vie or pastis are used, instead I added pure vanilla extract as a more common flavor agent.
  • Other traditional ingredients: raisins, pears, Parmesan are also often included.
Swiss chard leaf stalk stack
“The cultural identity of Nice is grounded in Swiss Chard, I am not at all exaggerating”

“L’identité culturelle niçoise s’est forgée dans la blette, je n’exagère rien”

Blog post quote by

Camille Oger

    About Me

    The pleasure of food, good health and well-being through simple habits for eating well and flexitarian low-key cooking.
    Michele Redmond

    Michele Redmond

    French-trained Chef, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist & Food Enjoyment Activist

    It's about Making Food First

    Get Eat Well Academy periodic updates on easy ways to choose and cook foods that satisfy your appetite, nurture your body and make eating well a pleasure.

    Boursin and Yogurt Artichoke Gratin

    Boursin and Yogurt Artichoke Gratin

    Boursin and Yogurt Artichoke Gratin

    Boursin-yogurt-artichoke-gratin

    Boursin and Yogurt Artichoke Gratin

    French and American gratins, pronounced “Grawh-tAHn”, range from dense, cheesy and cream-laden to light dishes made simply with a béchamel sauce.This artichoke gratin, satisfyingly filling yet not overly cheesy works well as a dip or topping for a tartine (open-faced sandwich).

    The French cheeses used, Boursin and Gruyère, are commonly available in U.S. grocery stores. The unusual gratin ingredient is the Greek yogurt as a complementary creamy element. It also adds a hint of acidity that balances the sweetness of the artichoke hearts.

    Yogurt is a source of B-6 and B-12 vitamins, vitamin D, potassium but Greek yogurt offers more protein, a more diverse probiotic profile and is thicker and creamier than most regular yogurt.

    Boursin and Yogurt Artichoke Gratin

    10-12 servings as an appetizer

    Ingredients

    • 4 ounces of low-fat cream cheese, softened
    • 5.2 ounces (150 grams) herbed boursin cheese, softened (see substitutes below)
    • 1 cup low-fat Greek plain yogurt
    • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne (too much cayenne can mute the herb flavors)
    • 4 ounces gruyère (about 1 ⅓  cups shredded), divided (see substitutes below)
    • 2 (14-ounce) cans artichoke hearts, drained

    Steps

    1. Preheat oven to 400°F and adjust a rack to the middle position.
    2. Place the cream and boursin cheese in a mixing bowl to let them warm up a bit. Shred the gruyère and add to the bowl.
    3. Drain the artichokes. Squeeze by hand the liquid from the artichokes. Doing this twice works best.
    4. Once the cheeses are soft enough to mix together with a large spoon, add the yogurt, cayenne, 1 cup of the gruyère (the rest is for a topping) and add the artichokes (break these up between your hands as you add them to the bowl).
    5. Mix all ingredients and spread mixture in an 8×8” baking dish or gratin dish. Sprinkle on the remaining gruyère and place in oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until bubbling. Turn on the broiler for 2-3 minutes to create a lovely, cheesy crust. Serve hot or warm (see serving ideas below).

    Substitution and taste notes options:

    • Salt: This is not a missing ingredient! There is salt because the ingredients have enough added sodium to enhance flavors and balance the taste profile.
    • Yogurt: Greek yogurt adds tang and a thicker texture than typical yogurt. Often artichoke gratins or dips use lemon juice or zest for a fresh tang, but Greek yogurt does double duty.
    • Boursin: This soft cow-milk French cheese is often made with parsley, chives, white pepper and garlic. Or add these ingredients to a soft-style goat cheese.
    • Gruyère: A cow-milk cheese that melts well with nutty flavors. Can be replaced by other cheeses that melt well like fontina and have mild flavors. Strong flavored-cheese like cheddar overwhelm the artichoke and herb notes.

    Love cheese? Here’s a few notes on enjoying cheese & French cheese passion:

    • Top with some Panko or fresh bread crumbs that have been lightly softened with some butter or olive oil for a crunchy bread topping
    • Serve as a dip with crackers, crostini or use as a topping for a sandwich tartine
    • Toss in 3/4 cup of cooked spinach that has been well squeezed to remove any juices but add just a bit more cheese and yogurt to maintain the gratin texture
    Boursin-yogurt-artichoke-gratin-on-table
    “Tout le gratin sera là!” = “Everybody who’s anybody will be there!”

    Laura K Lawless French language expert

      About Me

      The pleasure of food, good health and well-being through simple habits for eating well and flexitarian low-key cooking.
      Michele Redmond

      Michele Redmond

      French-trained Chef, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist & Food Enjoyment Activist

      It's about Making Food First

      Get Eat Well Academy periodic updates on easy ways to choose and cook foods that satisfy your appetite, nurture your body and make eating well a pleasure.

      Parsnip Puree Soup and Crisps

      Parsnip Puree Soup and Crisps

      Parsnip Puree Soup and Crisps

      Parsnip puree soup | thetasteworkshop.com

      Parsnip Puree Soup with Crisps

      You’re so sweet, you’re so fine, but a sugar bomb in wintertime. Okay, the song doesn’t go this way but, in winter, cold converts parsnip starches to sugar at high levels and if the parsnips freeze before harvest, they become even sweeter.

      This sweet taste quality can make parsnips particularly popular with kids. However, for some adults, parsnips can taste too sweet unless savory or piquant, spicy ingredients are added. Another option, since parsnips are available year round, is to try them outside of the winter holidays as with this recipe which is using Spring parsnips.

      This pureed soup relies simply on parsnips plus onion and garlic as the aromatic ingredients. Salt balances the sweet and enhances parsnip’s nutty flavor qualities. So feel creative with adding any contrasting or complementary flavors.

      This recipe is also in honor of National Nutrition Month and its compelling theme of “Savor the Flavor of Eating Right”.

      Serves 4-6 (makes 5½-6 cups)

      Ingredients

      • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
      • 1 medium (7-8 ounces) yellow onion, roughly chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
      • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
      • 4 medium parsnips (about 2¼ pounds), peeled, chopped into ½ to 1-inch sized pieces (to make some crisps, reserve a 3” segment from a middle or end piece of a parsnip)
      • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
      • 4 cups water (stock can substitute, but see the tasting notes)

      Optional: Garnishes and spices—serving option notes

      Puree Steps

      1. Over medium heat, warm the oil, then add the onions, garlic and salt. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
      2. Add 4 cups of water to the pot, and while it is heating, peel and chop the parsnips (except leave a segment if making chips) then add to the water. Cook the parsnips at a rapid simmer for about 20 minutes or until the parsnips are butter soft.
      3. Blend directly in the pot with an emulsion blender or blend in a counter-top blender.

       

      Parsnip Crisp Steps

      1. Use a knife or a mandolin to create very thin (less than 1/8 inch) potato chip slices.
      2. To a medium-sized pot, add enough cooking oil (see notes) to have ½” of oil. Heat over medium-high heat until you see the oil begin to ripple (see notes), then add enough slices to nearly cover the surface of the oil, but not so the slices overlap.
      3. These will cook fast, so be close by with a slotted spoon to pull them out as they start to brown and place them on a paper towel to cool.
      • Smoke point temperatures: for frying, select a cooking oil with a high smoke point. Examples include refined (not cold pressed) organic canola oil, grape seed oil or vegetable oil.
      • Smoke point signs: What’s your oil telling you? To avoid having a hot oil smoke, for health and taste reasons, catch the oil just before it smokes. Look for signs on the surface such as ripples, dimpling or waving activities.
      • Stock versus water: Not all soups require vegetable or animal-based stocks. In fact, these can create distracting new flavors for vegetables, particularly ones with delicate flavor profiles. To make this parsnip soup more savory, chicken stock would work. Vegetable stock can also work but some vegetable stocks have too much carrot or other sweet flavors that don’t do parsnips any favors.
      • Serve with a few crispy pan-fried parsnip chips layered on top
      • Sprinkle on some smoked paprika and /or Aleppo chili flakes to balance the sweet notes
      • Drizzle on some flavorful Garlic Walnut Green sauce
      Parsnip puree soup | thetasteworkshop.com

      “For…we can make liquor to sweeten our lips of pumpkins and parsnips and walnut-tree chips.”   American Colonist around 1630, a poem excerpt Ancestors in aprons 

        About Me

        The pleasure of food, good health and well-being through simple habits for eating well and flexitarian low-key cooking.
        National Nutrition Month

        National Nutrition Month 2016

        Let’s Connect

        Michele Redmond

        Michele Redmond

        French-trained Chef, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist & Food Enjoyment Activist

        It's about Making Food First

        Get Eat Well Academy periodic updates on easy ways to choose and cook foods that satisfy your appetite, nurture your body and make eating well a pleasure.

        Purse Crêpes (Aumônières de Crêpes)

        Purse Crêpes (Aumônières de Crêpes)

        Purse Crêpes (Aumônières de Crêpes)

        Beggar’s Purse Crêpes Aumônières

        Purse Crêpes

        Purse Crêpes (sometimes called a Beggar’s purse) are an ironic description for a crêpe-based dish given that these elegant, plump flavor packages allow for an extra cha-ching to that restaurant bill. For the home cooks, this food bling bling upgrades your status as a chef de maison and offers fun ways to showcase what is truly a “fast-slow food”. Purse crêpes are versatile and can be stuffed with savory or sweet ingredients.

        Crêpe batter is easy to prepare (5 ingredients in 5 minutes)

        After learning a couple simple tricks, crêpes are easy to make—see my take on crêpes.

        Aumônières de Crêpes

        My chefs in Paris had me adding some chopped chervil into the batter and calling the recipe Crêpes Celestine without any mention of the “purse” food styling. Celestine refers to in the style of and often includes green, leafy herbs. Typically the French version is called aumônières de crêpes where aumônière means purse in French.

        The tasty morsel above is from Amarosa vineyard and restaurant in Tuscany, Italy. The herbed version below I made in Paris where the chefs had us stuffing them with a creamy scallop filling.

        Beggar’s Purse Crêpes Aumônières

          About Me

          The pleasure of food, good health and well-being through simple habits for eating well and flexitarian low-key cooking.
          Michele Redmond

          Michele Redmond

          French-trained Chef, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist & Food Enjoyment Activist

          It's about Making Food First

          Get Eat Well Academy periodic updates on easy ways to choose and cook foods that satisfy your appetite, nurture your body and make eating well a pleasure.

          Crepes and Crêpes Célestines | Herbed Crepes

          Crepes and Crêpes Célestines | Herbed Crepes

          Crepes and Crêpes Célestines | Herbed Crepes

          Crêpes Célestines
          Crêpes are full of contradictions. They are fancy foods, yet street foods. They are rich and decadent but can be simple and nutrient dense. They are quick or they can be turned into fancy purses as in aumônières de crêpes or other culinary art tricks. They are French, yet Italy, Isreal, Hungary, China and other countries have their own similar versions.

          There is no contradicting, however, that crêpes are a flavorful and texture delight to eat and easily diversify anyone’s menu. Crêpes Célestines is a recipe I made at in Paris during culinary school. The name is a bit of a mystery as many French dishes use Célestine to refer to a dish made in the style of “Célestine” a woman of unclear historical origins but may have been from Lyon (more on French recipe naming methods later).

          I’ve seen dishes named omelettes, consommé, potage (soup) all in the “célestine style.” The term may also be connected, at times, to using green, leafy herbs as an ingredient (not as a garnish).

          Crêpes crepes

          Crepes and Crêpes Célestines 

          Ingredients:

          • 1½ cup all-purpose flour
          • ½ cup cold water
          • 1¼ cup milk
          • 3 large eggs
          • 2 tablespoons melted butter—not hot
          • Clarified butter, organic canola or vegetable oil for cooking

          Optional: ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (see taste notes below)

           “Crêpes Célestines” additions: 3 branches of chervil or other green herb, chopped

          Batter steps: (can be done up to two days in advance)

          Vite Vite (blender versions) Add all the ingredients to a blender and mix until a smooth batter forms or add all the ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and mix with a hand-held immersion blender. Go to step 2. Traditional method: Burns some calories and you don’t have to clean a blender-yay!

          1. Add the flour and salt to a medium-sized bowl and whisk. Add the eggs, butter and milk and whisk to incorporate then add the water and whisk until combined and smooth. The refrigeration step will often fix any lumpy batter patches.
          2. Batter should coat the back of a spoon like a heavy cream, but if it is too thick, add a bit more of water or milk.
          3. Refrigerate for 2 hours or for up to two days. In pinch, I’ve used crêpe batter after only a 30-minute rest, but texture isn’t ideal and crêpes don’t form as well.

          Crêpe steps: Making crêpes:

          1. Heat a nonstick skillet or crêpe pan with 6″-7″ base (or larger for a smaller number of crêpes) over medium-high heat then add just enough oil or clarified butter to lightly coat the skillet.
          2. Stir the batter and scoop out about 1/4 cup of batter (a 2-ounce ladle works best).
          3. Slightly tilt the skillet and pour the batter near the higher side of the skillet and swirl the batter counterclockwise around bottom of pan by rotating the pan with your wrist until the entire surface is thinly coated. Try not to get the batter on the skillet edges. Place skillet back on heat.
          4. Cook 1-2 minutes and flip when crêpe begins to color golden brown on the pan-side down. Then cook another 30 seconds to 1 minute.
          5. Place crêpes on a rack to cool; however, a plate works fine as well. These crêpes don’t stick together.

          Crêpes and Crêpes Célestines

          Substitutions / Options:
          • You can substitute a lower-fat milk, but it does change the texture and flavor.
          • All-purpose flour works best and yields a traditional product. If you want a more nutrient-dense crêpe, I don’t recommend whole wheat flour, instead go French and make buckwheat crepes for higher fiber and a nutty flavor and unique texture profile.
          • Butter can be used; however, it can smoke at higher heats used for crêpes.
          • Salt enhances the flour flavor and the amount used in this recipe doesn’t prevent the crêpes from doing double duty as dessert crêpes. Most dessert crêpes add sugar to the batter, but I don’t miss sweet dessert ingredients used.
          Resting is important:
          • it reduces the air bubbles that can cause crêpes to tear or have weak spots
          • the gluten has time to relax to ensure tender, more content crêpes
          • Savory street crêpes fillings:
            • 4 pieces of Prosciutto or ham or eggs (cook sunny-side up on cooked crepe)
            • 4 slices of Gruyere, Swiss or Monterey or other cheese
            • Some vegetables: baby spinach, Swiss chard, roasted asparagus, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, caramelized How to Caramelize Onions, Caramelized Onions Recipe Recipe | Simply Recipes, mushrooms, roasted peppers, tomato etc.
            • Flavors/seasoning options: Ground pepper, sea salt, mustard, basil, olive oil

          “Love is a fire of flaming brandy Upon a crêpe suzette”

          10cc, ‘Life is a Minestrone’

            About Me

            The pleasure of food, good health and well-being through simple habits for eating well and flexitarian low-key cooking.
            Michele Redmond

            Michele Redmond

            French-trained Chef, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist & Food Enjoyment Activist

            It's about Making Food First

            Get Eat Well Academy periodic updates on easy ways to choose and cook foods that satisfy your appetite, nurture your body and make eating well a pleasure.

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