Dinner with the Family

Despite my pride in my new last name***, Starkey still very much characterizes me. I know this is probably an age-old dilemma amongst newly weds, but a maiden name is very difficult to shed. You live and accomplish much in this organic moniker then so quickly must relinquish it in a similar manner that you would peel off a ‘Hello, my name is’ sticker. But it is not that easy.

We had some visitors from the Starkey clan up in Houston this week (grandparents and two aunts) and it called me to remember my subtle (hmm, strong) appreciation for my origins. The women folk are confident, frank, and lively. I so enjoy spending time with them and of course wanted to love on them while they were here. We shared a little dinner, a little wine, and most importantly, just a little time together.

***I still acknowledge that being Mrs. Smith is actually my biggest blessing thus far in my little life. I will graduate medical school as a Smith, have kids as a Smith, and most importantly just get to be a happily married gal as a Smith.

Asparagus Tart

1 bunch asparagus (about 1 lb)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 sheet store bought puff pastry (the package comes with 2)

¼ cup Mascarpone

¼ cup heavy cream

2 large cloves garlic, minced

½ cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

Parmesan

salt and pepper

Pre-heat your oven to 420° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (and spray with cooking spray just to be safe).

Sprinkle some flour on your counter and roll the puff pastry to a rough 8×12 inch rectangle with a rolling pin. Place rectangle onto the baking sheet and stick in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes (while you prepare the rest of the ingredients).

In a small bowl combine the Mascarpone, cream, garlic, and a hefty pinch of salt and pepper.Remove the woody ends of the asparagus (cut them so that they are all the same length too). Toss the asparagus with the tablespoon of olive oil.

Remove your puff from the fridge and spread the Mascarpone mixture all over the top, leaving a 1” border around the entire tart. Lay the asparagus on top of the Mascarpone, single file, one right next to the other. Sprinkle the top with a fine sea salt and put in the oven.

After the first 20 minutes of baking, reduce the heat to 350° F then continue to bake for another 20-30 minutes, until cooked through.

Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Just before serving top with toasted walnuts and shaved Parmesan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Adapted from notwithoutsalt.com. Serves 6.

Baked Spinach Gratin

3 pounds fresh spinach


3 tablespoons unsalted butter


Salt and pepper


1 tablespoon flour


½ cup beef stock

½ cup heavy cream

¾ cup grated Swiss cheese


2 tablespoons Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

3 pieces bacon, chopped

Wilt spinach in a large pot over high heat (I had to do this in several batches) about 4 minutes. Transfer to a colander and allow to drain well. Squeeze a small amount of the spinach at a time in your hands to extract as much water as possible. Chop the spinach coarsely. You should have about 3 cups of chopped spinach.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over moderately high heat in the same big pot you were using for the spinach. Stir in the spinach and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the rest of the moisture from the spinach has boiled off.

Lower the heat and sprinkle with flour and stir for 2 minutes to cook the flour. Add your stock and cream, a tiny bit at a time, scraping up any stuck spinach as you do. Once the liquid is added, simmer for another minute or two, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. You can also stir in one more tablespoon of butter (I was feeling indulgent at this point). Season with salt (maybe about ½ teaspoon) and pepper.

Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly butter a shallow 1-quart baking dish. Stir ½ cup cheese into the spinach and pour it into the baking dish. Mix the remaining cheese with breadcrumbs, chopped bacon, and 1 tablespoon melted butter then sprinkle on top of spinach. Bake until heated through and slightly brown on the top, about 30 minutes.

Adapted from smittenkitchen’s version of Julia’s Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Serves 6.

Ben’s Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Brine:

1 really good pork tenderloin, 3 to 4 pounds (I used two smaller ones)

4 cups Dr. Pepper (do NOT use Diet)

½ cup Kosher salt

Glaze:

1 cup Dr. Pepper

4 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons Raspberry Chipotle sauce

Place pork tenderloin, Dr. Pepper and salt (be careful, my mixture foams up!) in a giant Ziplock and refrigerate for 2 hours.

When ready to grill, preheat grill to high heat. Mix glaze ingredients and pour into a disposable foil pan large enough to fit your loins. Sear loin, about 5 minutes per side over the high heat on the grill. Then turn off the middle burners and place foil pan with glaze in the center of the grill. Put pork tenderloins in the foil pan and turn to coat with the glaze. Flip the loins occasionally (about every 5-10 minutes) so that they get really coated in the glaze. Grill for about 20 minutes total or until center of loin registers 155° F on a meat thermometer. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or so before slicing. Serve with Raspberry Chipotle sauce.