Lemon Honey Polenta Torte

I offered to bring a desert to a garden party, thinking I would have lots of time to make something - and then my flight was delayed. After being away for a week, and an hour before I was to leave for the party, I arrived home to an empty fridge.  There were a few lemons from the week before and some whole almonds.  I turned on the oven, threw the almonds in the food processor, and processed them into a fine grind and I was able to make this and only be a  few minutes late for the party, and the torte disappeared before I had a chance to taste it!

Lemon Honey Polenta Torte

Torte

• 1 cup of soft unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup of white sugar
• 1/2 cup of honey
• 2 cup of ground almonds
• 1/2 cup of fine cornmeal
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
• zest of 2 lemons

Syrup

• juice of 2 lemons 
• 1 whole lemon
• 1/4 cup of honey

Preheat oven to 350F

Beat butter and sugar together until soft and creamy.  slowly add honey while beating.  Add one egg at a time and continue beating until smooth and a pale yellow.  

Mix ground almonds, cornmeal, lemon zest, and baking powder together.

Fold in dry ingredients 1/3 at a time.

Line the bottom of 8" spring pan with parchment paper and butter the sides.  Spread batter evenly over bottom of pan and bake for about 40 minutes.  The cake  is ready when it has pulled away from the edge of the pan and is golden.  Take cake out of oven and cool slightly.  Remove from spring pan and place on plate.  

While the cake is cooking combine honey and lemon juice over low heat on stove top.  Slice the remaining lemon into thin slices, removing any seeds,  and add to the  honey/lemon mixture. Simmer for 10 minutes. 

Prick the top of the cake with a fork, and  pour 1/2 of the lemon and honey mixture over the top.  Arrange the lemon slices on top, and pour the remaining honey mixture over the top.  Cool and serve.

I have substituted oranges for the lemon, with equally good results

Pickled Asparagus with Lemon and Pepper

As spring progressed to summer and the asparagus season looked like it might be coming to an end,  I was running out of time to preserve asparagus.  At the same time my spring onions were prolific.  

Pickled asparagus with lemon and pepper

• 2 bunches, about 3" in diameter of freshly picked asparagus
• 4 to 6 spring onions including white part of stock,  (I grow multipliers in my garden which are perfect at the same time that the asparagus is ready to harvest) Alternately, often, young garlic with stocks are available at the market at his time of year
• 2 tablespoons of pickling salt
• 1 1/2 cups of white vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups of white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup of water
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• juice form 1 lemon
• thin lemon slices
• thinly sliced lemon peel 
• pepper corns

• 2 wide mouthed 1 pint preserving bottles, sterilized

Cut asparagus to 3/4" shorter than bottle.  Pack bottles with asparagus spears with tip down.  Include a two or 3 early spring onions including white part of stalks and 3 or 4 slices of lemon in each bottle. Add 1 teaspoon of pepper corns  and lemon peel to each bottle.In non reactive pot, bring vinegars, salt and sugar to a boil.  Add lemon juice.  Fill bottles to within 1/2 inch of top.  Screw on lid and process for 10 minutes.  

Claire's Tart Lemon Tart

Claire's Tart Lemon Tart with Debbie's Birthday Lilacs

Claire saw a picture of this tart in a magazine when she was eight and made it for a family function.  Since then, it has become her specialty and, it is expected that she bring it to all family events.  When she was younger, she made the filling and I made the pastry.  I occasionally still help with the rolling of the pastry.  This is very lemony and a bit tart, unlike the more typical, sweeter and custardy lemon tarts.  A small sliver complimented by seasonal fresh berries is a perfect end to a spring meal.

Pastry for 8" tart pan

• 1 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoon of organic sugar
• 1/2 cup of cold unsalted butter
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten

Combine flour and sugar, cut in butter.  Add 2 tablespoons of cold water to egg mixture and stir into flour, handling as little as possible.  Add more water if needed for pastry to hold together.  Form into  flattened ball and wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerate for at least an hour. 

Lemon Curd

• 4 large egg yolks plus 1 whole egg slightly beaten
• 1 cup of organic sugar
• 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice, approximately 3 lemons
• 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, cut into pieces

In a heavy pan, strain the egg yolks and the whole egg through a sieve.  Add the sugar and lemon juice and mix.  Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly and the mixture covers the back of the spoon.  Remove form heat and add the butter, one piece at a time and stir until mixed in.  Add lemon zest.  Cover with sedan wrap until ready to use.
      
Heat oven to 375F
Roll pastry.  We like it to be thick, maybe a 1/4 inch or so.  Fit into tart pan, line foil or parchment paper, and fill with pastry weights.  We use Claire's old marbles, but beans or rice also work.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and weights and cook for another 10 minutes or until golden.  After the pastry has cooled, add lemon curd and place back in oven for another 10 minutes or until the curd has set.