DECEPTIVELY ELEGANT; RIDICULOUSLY EASY!
Plus, more gift ideas, and Anthony's GMA recap!
Happy Thursday! Anthony’s in the Big Apple, and Elizabeth’s got an insanely delicious AND EASY recipe this week! Not to beat a dead horse, but if you haven’t subscribed yet, it’s easy to do with the click of a button!
GOOD MORNING AMERICA RECAP!
EK: Well, the highlight of my week was seeing Anthony on GMA!! So much fun to witness his reunion on morning television!
AU: I had the time of my life seeing all of my morning show pals… But before I went to NYC, I took a quick pitstop in my hometown of Fort Worth, TX to see the fam…
OBVIOUSLY, I made the whole family the 10-Year Chocolate Chip Cookies, but my brother Austin gave me an assist in the kitchen! He’s no stranger to the kitchen—his hot dog truck (Austin’s Underdawgs) is a beloved Fort Worth fixture.
AU: Then I popped over to Mingus, TX (about 45 minutes West of Ft. Worth). My mom opened Beneventi’s Italian, a restaurant/love letter to the town where her father grew up. Yes, it’s a casual Italian restaurant that serves lunch and dinner, but it’s more than that—she’s working on building out a whole vibe in Mingus: Tiny Houses! Coffee shop! Live Music and more! But the coolest part is that she’s helping folks like my brother get valuable on-the-job training in the culinary world through the Mingus Job Accelerator. We are so lucky that Austin has found meaningful employment throughout his life, and I’m so proud that my mom is helping other families create a future for their differently-abled loved ones, too. Plus, the food is delicious!
AU: AFTER TEXAS, I RETURNED TO MY OTHER HOMETOWN—THE BIG APPLE. I just love NYC—especially this time of year. There’s nothing like it! I had so much fun bopping around, hitting up some of my favorite restaurants (which I’ll save for another time).
The main event in NYC was a visit to my old stomping grounds—Good Morning America! Now, I spent an entire decade working for the show, so it was especially surreal to be IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA.
Ever wondered what it’s like to be a guest on a morning show? Well, you’re in luck…
I arrived at the studio in Times Square in time for a quick COVID test, and a 6:00am rehearsal. This is when the “talent” (and I use that term loosely in this particular case), the producer, and the food stylist can go through the cooking setup together. Often we make tweaks, so that the whole shebang runs smoothly on LIVE NATIONAL TELEVISION. Then the Director, Stage Managers, and Camera Operators all watch you walk through it, so they make sure they get every piece of action on camera. It’s a carefully choreographed dance of bowls and whisks and making sure you show the important parts of a recipe; after all, you literally have four minutes to explain an entire dish!
I produced food and lifestyle segments for a long time, but I rarely stepped in front of the camera… So I was a tad nervous to say the least. But all that melted away thanks to the incredibly capable hands of Chef/Food Stylist Karen Pickus and Producer Genius Brad Deck. These are two people with whom I’ve worked for many years, and I was so honored they cared so much about me. We made sure everything was A-OK before scattering off to our corners to get ready.
Karen went to the kitchen to make fresh cookies for tasting on camera; Brad had to make sure graphics were correct in the control room, check b-roll (video footage without voice over/narration), pictures, scripts, etc. I had to go apply makeup and repeat my recipe steps to myself 130 times.
After a few live shots where you stir stuff, or add chocolate chips—basically just do any action so you’re not just standing there like a weirdo—it was time for the full segment! Robin was so wonderful and really made it easy for me to be myself (and dance!). We had so much fun!! You can watch the full segment here!
I am overwhelmed by the love and support everyone has shown me. It’s truly humbling, and I am so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to cook my own dish in the same studio I spent years producing other people’s cooking segments!! Surreal is an understatement!!
WHAT’S 4 DINNER?: CARAMELIZED ONION TART
EK: The other highlight of my week was having dinner with another old friend who I hadn’t seen in more than two years. It was a cold, yucky day, so we decided to have dinner at my place instead of a restaurant. He is a fellow bourbon and brown spirits lover, so we had an informal tasting of some of my favorite spirits, and I made a Caramelized Onion Tart.
I chose this dish because I wanted something that I could prep in advance, was easy to assemble, and then throw in the oven while we were visiting. And, since he is a fellow chef, I wanted it to be special.
SPOILER ALERT: The real trick to making this dish feel special is offering a couple of fancy-but-easy garnishes for the tart before serving it!
When my friend took his first bites and said, “Wow! This is so good. I’m going to rip this off…” I knew that it was the right choice! (Cook-to-cook, when someone wants to incorporate one of your recipes into their “make-at-home” repertoire, it’s the ultimate compliment!). The recipe is below and I hope that you agree! Let us know if you have any other great topping ideas by commenting on this post!
This vegetable tart is very simple: Store-bought puff pastry is the base, Labneh is the “glue” that holds the topping and gives the tart a slightly “tart,” tangy flavor. The seasonings, herbs, etc. can really be whatever you like… I usually use an herb blend like Za’atar or Herbes de Provence, because they are my personal favorites.
If you’ve never had Labneh, it is a very versatile Middle Eastern cheese that is a thick, drained-yogurt cheese. The most basic version would be Greek yogurt that is strained with cheesecloth for 12-24 hours in the refrigerator, mixed with a little salt. (that’s Labneh above on the far right hand side—it looks a lot like sour cream.) This is not the “authentic” Labneh according to my Lebanese sister-in-law, but before I could find it in the grocery store, that is how I made it. Today, it is easy to find at most supermarkets.
CARAMELIZED ONION TART
This is one of those recipes that is easy to make but always impresses and you can vary the toppings and the seasoning according to the seasons and make it all year long!
Serves 2-4 as an appetizer or 2 as a main course
INGREDIENTS
3 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons butter
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, about 2 tablespoons
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1/2 cup Labneh
Herbs de Provence
Fleur de Sel, Maldon, or any flaky sea salt
Fresh Thyme
1/4 cup Fresh Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Topping ideas:
- Crispy Prosciutto
- Salmon Roe
- Pitted olives
- Everything Bagel Seasoning
- Bacon
- Sliced Dried Figs
- White Anchovies
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Caramelize the Onions: Slice the onions into thin rings. Heat butter and EVOO in a large, heavy-bottomed sauté pan or Dutch oven set over medium heat. When butter is melted, add a pinch of salt and the onion rings. Cook, covered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove cover, and cook for about 20 more minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the onions are all a nice golden color—you don’t want them to be too dark because they will continue to cook and brown on the tart. When the onions are done, remove to a bowl and let cool. Set aside. (Note: This can be done up to two days in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container. )
Place the thawed puff pastry on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Open the pastry until it is flat—it is typically folded into thirds. Roll the pastry so that it is even, and the creases are flat. It should be about 1-2 inches larger in diameter than when you took it out of the package. Using the tip of a sharp paring knife, carefully score a rectangular frame around the pastry, drawing your rectangle about a 1/2 inch (or a little more) from the edges. You do not need to be exact, but make sure you do not cut all the way through, as you score the pastry. This “frame” will puff up as it bakes and become the crunchy edge of the tart.
Spread the Labneh evenly inside the “frame” only. Make the layer of labneh even using the back of a spoon, or a small spatula. Season with some salt and the Herbes de Provence.
Arrange the caramelized onions on top of the labneh. Season with a little more salt and herbes de Provence. Remove the fresh thyme leaves from the stems and scatter all over. Top with the parmesan cheese.
Bake for about 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and fully cooked. Let cool for 5 minutes, then cut into squares and serve with your toppings of choice.
CRISPY PROSCIUTTO
Crispy prosciutto is a great topping for this tart, a salad, pasta, sandwiches, etc. think of it like bacon—it makes everything better!
Preheat oven to 300°F.
Line a sheet pan with a SilPat or parchment paper. Place prosciutto slices flat on the pan. It’s ok if they overlap a little because they will shrink a lot.
Bake until fat turns golden and meat is a mahogany color, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
Using tongs or a long metal spatula, carefully transfer prosciutto to a container—it will crisp as it cools and will become fragile.
BRING A GIFT THAT YOU’D WANT TO RECEIVE
EK: I am obsessed with all things Graf Lantz. They are headquartered in Los Angeles and make personal and household items out of durable and sustainable materials including Merino wool, leather, and canvas. I first saw them at a gift show in NYC and I had my eye on one of their tote bags for years until I was gifted one by a generous friend. Along the way, I bought a sleeve for my laptop and one for my iPad, and lots of colorful coasters.
AU: OK, I too have owned these for years, and they are without a doubt the best coasters of all time!
EK: The coasters were my first purchase. Coasters may not sound exciting, but everyone who comes to my house and uses them wants to know where I got them. The coasters are made of a rich, thick all-natural wool felt from Bavaria. They feel nice on the hand, are silent and cushy, and absorb liquid from glasses without getting discolored or spotty. They come in square and round, and lots of fun color combinations or solids.
They are one of my favorite gifts and one that is useful as well. Graf Lantz also makes really cool foldable and geometric napkin rings and my new favorite gift is a set of coasters and a matching set of napkin rings. Check them out!
EK: That’s it for this week! Get in the kitchen and get cookin’!!
AU: Thank you for all of your kind messages and well-wishes! I felt all of your good vibes, and I promise to pass them on (omg that sounds so LA). See ya next week!!
Anthony - you were absolutely the bestest on GMA yesterday! So proud of you!