Little Flower: Recipes from the Cafe

Little Flower: Recipes from the Cafe

Little Flower: Recipes from the Cafe

Little Flower: Recipes from the Cafe

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Overview

Chosen by Food52.com as one of the 16 best cookbooks of 2012, Little Flower showcases the most beloved dishes at Christine Moore's Little Flower cafe in Los Angeles. Her food is artfully simple and powerfully flavorful, and each recipe is accompanied with a vivid full-page photo. The collection focuses on breakfast, lunch, simple supper, and her acclaimed desserts. Celebrated by the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, and David Lebovitz's Sweet Life in Paris, Little Flower: Recipes from the Cafe makes it possible (and easy) for home cooks to create Moore's Lemon Lentil Soup, Goddess Salad, Buttermilk Pretzel Rolls, Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Tartlets, and her famed Brown Butter Shortbread, as well as fluffy quiches, vibrant salads, elegant sandwiches, and much more.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780983459484
Publisher: Turner Publishing Company
Publication date: 10/01/2012
Pages: 144
Product dimensions: 6.84(w) x 9.14(h) x 0.68(d)

About the Author

Christine Moore: Christine Moore is the chef/owner at Little Flower, a cafe and candy-making kitchen in Pasadena, CA.
Ryan Miller: Ryan Miller is a food and lifestyle photographer in Los Angeles.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

Eggs & Savory Tarts

The dishes in this chapter work equally well as cocktail party food and as main courses for brunch, lunch, or dinner. The secret is to make the Pâte Brisée Pie Shell and the Quick Puff Pastry in advance and have them both ready in your freezer. The chapter starts with those two staples, plus the Mustard Béchamel Sauce, since they're the foundations of many of the dishes that follow.

Pâte Brisée Pie Shell 15
Quick Puff Pastry 16
Mustard Béchamel Sauce 17
Ham Tart 19
Heirloom Tomato & Feta Tart 21
Olive & Thyme Tart 23
Zucchini & Spanish Goat Cheese Tart 25
Quiche with Leeks & Dijon 27
Quiche with Sautéed Mushrooms, Goat Cheese & Thyme 29
Egg Terrine 31
Baked Eggs with Spinach 33
Baked Olives 35

Pâte Brisée Pie Shell

Preparation time: 25 minutes plus 3 hours chilling time

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Makes two 9-inch pie shells

This recipe is a must-have in your repertoire. I use it for pies and quiches, both sweet and savory. Having a few disks of this dough in your freezer will make it easy for you to pull something together quickly and beautifully. I suggest freezing the pie shell with the dough already rolled out and ready to bake. Just let it warm up for 15 minutes before baking.

3½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1½ cups cold butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
½ cup cold water

Mix flour and salt together in a large bowl. Cut the butter cubes Into the flour by pinching them with your fingers or mixing with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer at low speed until the butter forms pea-size lumps. Add water all at once and mix until the dough just comes together into one mass. Divide dough in half. Form each into a flat disk by hand and wrap tightly in plastic. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

When chilled, roll out each disk on a lightly floured surface to a 14-inch circle, 1/8 inch thick. Gently transfer to pie pan, making sure that the dough fully contacts the bottom and sides of the pan. Roll the dough overhang under itself and flute the edge. Chill thoroughly in the freezer for at least 1 hour before baking.

To bake the empty pie shells, preheat oven to 350º. If frozen, let Sit on the counter for 15 minutes. Line each shell with parchment or paper coffee filters and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the crust under the paper appears dry and opaque, about 30 minutes. Remove weights and parchment and bake uncovered until crust starts to color, about 10 minutes.

Quick Puff Pastry

Preparation time: 1 hour plus 2 hours chilling time

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Makes two 12 x 16-inch sheets

I have three kids. Keeping things doable and simple is the only way I roll. This quick puff pastry can be worked into a savory tart, a fruit tart, or a breakfast pastry. Keep some on hand in the freezer for unexpected events — there's no thawing time required.

4 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons salt
3¼ cups cold butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup cold water

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut the butter cubes into the flour mixture by pinching them with your fingers or mixing on low speed with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer until the butter forms pea-size lumps. Add the water and mix until the dough just comes together. Shape into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour in the refrigerator.

For the first turn, roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface into a 28-inch x 16-inch x ¼-inch rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds like a letter. Wrap and chill for 15 minutes.

For the second turn, position the letter-folded rectangle so the seam side is facing you. Roll out, fold and chill as in the first turn.

Repeat two more times. After completing the fourth turn, roll out the chilled dough once more into a 24-inch x 16-inch rectangle, omitting the letter-fold. Instead, cut the dough in half so you have two 12-inch x 16-inch rectangles. Prick each rectangle all over with a fork. Layer the pastry sheets on a single lined baking sheet, separating each layer with a parchment paper sheet. Wrap tightly in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. Can be made ahead and stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or 1 week in the freezer.

To bake for a savory tart, preheat oven to 375º. Place one thoroughly chilled (frozen is okay) 12-inch x 16-inch pastry rectangle on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Bake until golden brown, approximately 30 minutes. If the pastry puffs during baking, flatten it with your mitted hand.

Mustard Béchamel Sauce

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 6 minutes

Makes 1½ cups

Béchamel is a wonderful binder for savory tarts. Adding whole-grain mustard really gives it a special kick. If you don't have whole grain use any regular mustard that you love — or even a flavored mustard or a pesto.

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

Whisk the butter and flour in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the milk gradually, ¼ cup at a time, whisking thoroughly between additions to prevent lumps. Continue to stir with a whisk until the sauce comes to a slow boil and thickens, about 3 minutes. Take off heat and fold in the salt and mustard. Can be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Ham Tart

Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus Quick Puff Pastry and Mustard Béchamel

Cooking time: 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes for Quick Puff Pastry

Makes 6 servings

I love French ham. It isn't as salty as domestic ham, and it Has a silkier texture, if you can call ham silky. You can find it At Whole Foods and almost any gourmet market. Slice it as thinly As possible.

1 12 x 16-inch baked Quick Puff Pastry (see page 16)
½ cup Mustard Béchamel Sauce (see page 17)

Toppings:

8 ounces thinly sliced ham, French if possible
4 ounces thinly sliced Swiss cheese
½ cup chives, chopped

Preheat oven to 350º. Spread béchamel in a very thin layer over the baked puff pastry sheet. Arrange ham slices in a single layer over the béchamel, allowing it to fall in irregular ruffles like a dropped handkerchief. Place cheese slices in a single layer over the ham. Bake until the cheese and ham edges start to turn golden, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before slicing. Sprinkle with chives just before serving.

Heirloom Tomato & Feta Tart

Preparation time: 25 minutes, plus Quick Puff Pastry and Mustard Béchamel

Cooking time: 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes for Quick Puff Pastry

Makes 6 servings

The collage of colors and textures in this gorgeous tart makes it a treat for the eye and the taste buds.

½ cup Mustard Béchamel Sauce (see page 17)
1 12 x 16-inch baked Quick Puff Pastry (see page 16)
2 heirloom tomatoes, sliced ¼-inch or thinner (pieces okay)
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon honey
½ cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 350º. Spread béchamel in a very thin layer over the baked puff pastry sheet. Arrange tomato slices in a single layer, slightly overlapping. Sprinkle with crumbled feta and then drizzle honey evenly over the tart. Bake until the tomatoes and cheese start to turn golden, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before slicing. Sprinkle with parsley just before serving.

Olive & Thyme Tart

Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus Quick Puff Pastry

Cooking time: 15 minutes, plus 30 minutes for Quick Puff Pastry

Makes 6 servings

Here is a perfect example of adding a delicious flavor to the béchamel and creating a yummy tart.

¾ cup Olive Béchamel Sauce (see recipe below)
1 12 x 16-inch baked Quick Puff Pastry (see page 16)
2 teaspoons roughly chopped fresh thyme leaves

Preheat oven to 350º. Spread Olive Béchamel Sauce in a very thin layer over the baked puff pastry sheet. Bake until the top starts to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before slicing. With the long edge of the rectangle facing you, cut across the pastry in a zigzag pattern for long triangle pieces. Sprinkle with thyme just before serving.

Olive Béchamel Sauce

1½ teaspoons butter
1½ teaspoons all-purpose flour
½ cup milk
½ cup Olive Tapenade (see Larder, page 140)

Whisk together butter and flour in a small saucepan over medium- low heat and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the milk gradually, ¼ cup at a time, whisking thoroughly between additions to prevent lumps. Continue to stir with a whisk until the sauce comes to a slow boil and thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Olive Tapenade.

Zucchini & Spanish Goat Cheese Tart

Preparation time: 25 minutes, plus Quick Puff Pastry and Mustard Béchamel Sauce

Cooking time: 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes for Quick Puff Pastry

Makes 6 servings

When zucchini is in season, this is a wonderful tart for a party buffet. Make sure the zucchini is paper-thin and drizzle some olive oil on it before baking.

½ cup Mustard Béchamel Sauce (see page 17)
1 12 x 16-inch baked Quick Puff Pastry (see page 16)
2 large zucchini, sliced paper-thin with a mandoline or food processor
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces ripened goat cheese, sliced into
¼-inch rounds or crumbled if soft
½ cup chopped chives

Preheat oven to 350º. Spread béchamel in a very thin layer over the baked puff pastry sheet. Toss the zucchini in the olive oil and arrange in a single layer, slightly overlapping. Place goat cheese on top. Bake until the zucchini and cheese start to turn golden, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before slicing. Sprinkle with chives just before serving.

Quiche with Leeks & Dijon

Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus Pâte Brisée Pie Shell and Melted Leeks

Cooking time: 50-60 minutes, plus 40 minutes for Pie Shell

Makes one 9-inch pie, 8-10 servings

Mustard and leeks make a superb flavor combination. Bringing them together in a quiche might sound odd, but it provides a depth of flavor that will surprise you — in a really good way.

6 large eggs
1 cup milk
? cup cream
3 generous tablespoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground white pepper
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
½ cup Melted Leeks (see Larder, page 139)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 baked Pâte Brisée Pie Shell (see page 15)

Preheat oven to 350º. Whisk together eggs, milk, cream, mustard, salt, and pepper. Strain by pouring custard through a sieve into a bowl. Stir cheese, leeks, and tarragon into the strained custard. Pour into the baked shell. Place pie dish on a baking sheet before placing in oven. Bake until eggs set, 50 to 60 minutes. Insert a small paring knife in the middle of the quiche to ensure that the custard is set and no longer liquid.

Quiche with Sautéed Mushrooms, Goat Cheese & Thyme

Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus Pâte Brisée Pie Shell and Sautéed Mushrooms

Cooking time: 45 minutes, plus 40 minutes for Pie Shell

Makes one 9-inch pie, 8 servings

I love the earthy combination of mushrooms and goat cheese together, so I love this quiche. And so do my customers.

6 large eggs
1 cup milk
? cup cream
½ teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground white pepper
½ cup Sautéed Mushrooms (see Larder, page 140)
¼ cup coarsely crumbled goat cheese
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 baked Pâte Brisée Pie Shell (see page 15)

Preheat oven to 350º. Whisk together eggs, milk, cream, salt, and pepper. Pour custard through a fine sieve into a bowl. Add Sautéed Mushrooms, goat cheese, and thyme to the strained custard. Pour custard into the baked pie shell. Place pie dish on a baking sheet and bake until set, 40 to 45 minutes. Insert a small paring knife in the middle of the quiche to ensure that the custard is set and no longer liquid.

Egg Terrine

Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus Larder Ingredients

Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Makes 8 servings

This is great for a breakfast party. Slice and serve warm or room temp with a salad or sweet fruit. It looks impressive too!

½ of a red tomato, thinly sliced
1 pinch salt
2 tablespoon butter, room temperature
14 large eggs
1¼ cups grated Cheddar cheese
½ cup fresh whole tarragon leaves
½ cup Tomato Confit (see Larder, page 141)
15-20 Roasted Asparagus spears (see Larder, page 140)
¼ cup grated carrot

Preheat oven to 350º. Heat a kettle-full of water to boiling and set aside. Sprinkle the salt over the sliced tomato and set aside. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with the butter, being especially liberal in all the corners of the pan. Gently crack 4 eggs in the bottom of the pan so the yolks stay intact. Arrange in single layers ½ cup of cheese, ½ cup of Tomato Confit, and ¼ cup tarragon. Crack another 4 eggs on top. Arrange in single layers ½ cup of cheese, all the asparagus spears and ¼ cup tarragon. For the final egg layer, use 6 eggs. Sprinkle on top in single layers ¼ cup cheese and ¼ cup carrot. Dab the reserved tomato slices dry with a kitchen towel and arrange across the top of the terrine without overlapping. Cover tightly in aluminum foil.

To bake, place a 8 x 11-inch rectangular casserole dish in the middle Of the oven. Fill halfway with the hot water. Place the covered terrine in the middle of the hot water bath and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil cover and bake until the egg completely sets and the top turns golden, about 15 to 20 minutes. Check by inserting a sharp knife down the center of the terrine. Allow to cool 10 minutes. Unmold the terrine by placing a large plate across the top of the pan and flipping it upside down. Remove the pan by easing it straight upwards, then invert the terrine back onto a serving plate so the tomato layer is back on top.

Baked Eggs with Spinach

Preparation time: 5 minutes, plus Sautéed Spinach

Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

Makes 1 serving

Eggs are a perfect food. Especially the fresh ones from my Friend Sara. This is a simple way to celebrate their beauty, and if you can get them from a farmers' market or a friend, so much the better. If you don't have spinach, use any tender green in season.

3 tablespoons Sautéed Spinach (see Larder, page 141)
3 eggs
2 tablespoons herb bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350º. Generously butter an 8-ounce capacity gratin dish. Place the spinach in a single layer on the bottom of the dish. Crack the eggs over the spinach and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake until the eggs set, 12 to 15 minutes, depending on your preference.

Baked Olives

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Makes 10-12 servings

Fun and easy! I keep a big jar of these in the fridge, and When friends come over, I spoon some into a little cast-iron pot. A warm and salty treat with a cocktail.

½ cup pearl onions
1 cup oil-cured black olives (any variety)
1 cup green olives (I use French Lucques, but any kind is fine)
½ cup whole garlic cloves, peeled Peel of 1 orange Peel of 1 lemon
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 350º. Place the pearl onions, skin on, in a small pot of boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and cool slightly. Remove the peels, which should slip right off.

Toss the peeled onions and all the remaining ingredients together in a gratin dish. (Or, if you're assembling ahead, in a jar or bowl to store in the fridge.) Bake, uncovered, until oil starts bubbling, approximately 20 minutes. Serve warm with crusty bread, and don't forget to put out a small dish for the pits!

CHAPTER 2

Bakery

Baking is at the very heart of the Little Flower kitchen. The recipes here are daily favorites: some as breakfast treats to have with coffee, others to serve alongside a lunch or dinner entree. Each is an essential staple in my kitchen.

Blueberry Muffins 39
Buttermilk Pretzel Rolls 41
Cinnamon Rolls 43
Granola 45
Lemon-Ginger Scones 47
variation - Orange Cranberry
Mushroom Biscuits 49
variation - Bacon, Cheddar & Chive
Oatcakes 51

Blueberry Muffins

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 20-25 minutes

Makes 12 servings

We actually tried to take this off the menu when blueberry season was over. Big mistake. Now we substitute frozen blueberries the rest of the year.

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 large eggs, separated
½ cup butter at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1¼ cups cake flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk
¾ cup frozen blueberries
1 teaspoon flour (cake or all-purpose)
Confectioner's sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350º. Line tins of cupcake pan with paper liners. Using an electric mixer, whip the egg whites with ½ cup of the sugar at high speed until the peaks are stiff and glossy. Set aside.

In a separate large bowl, beat together the butter and remaining sugar until pale. Add the egg yolks and vanilla to the butter mixture, scraping down sides of bowl a couple of times during mixing.

In a third bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. At low speed, add one third of the flour mixture into the butter-yolk mixture, then half the milk. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Repeat. Then mix in the last third of the flour mixture and gently fold in the whipped egg whites until just combined.

Scoop batter into prepared cupcake tins, filling ¾ full. Toss the frozen blueberries in the teaspoon of flour to coat. Shake off any excess and place a generous pinch of blueberries on top of each muffin. The berries will settle into the muffin on their own during baking. Bake until toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Dust with confectioner's sugar when completely cooled.

(Continues…)


Excerpted from "Little Flower"
by .
Copyright © 2012 Christine Moore.
Excerpted by permission of Prospect Park Books.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Table of Contents

Introduction, 8,
Eggs & Savory Tarts, 12,
Bakery, 36,
Salads & Dressings, 52,
Sandwiches & Bowls, 70,
Soups & Stews, 86,
Sweets, 102,
Larder, 136,
Index, 143,

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