Chef Michael Salmon - Join me in my Kitchen
Torta della Nonna in Italian literally translates to “Grandmother’s Cake.” It is a very popular dessert in the Tuscany region and is quite simple to make. A layer of lemon-scented pastry cream is enveloped by an upper and lower sweet pastry crust, covered with pine nuts and baked until golden brown. One of the things I love about this dessert is that the resulting Torta is not too sweet and the hint of lemon is refreshing.
Mary Jo always treats herself to specialty yogurts when we are in Europe. The challenge is that she does not like fruit, well, most fruit. Some flavors she enjoys are mocha, pistachio, toasted coconut and her favorite is lemon. This recipe yields about 3 quarts of thick-rich-tangy-creamy-lemony MJ-worthy goodness. Reserve some of the plain yogurt you make as a live culture, and all you will need to make endless amounts of yogurt in the future is milk.
Lemon-Poppy Seed bread is great on it’s own, used as a base for poached pears, or diced and layered into a fruit trifle. The batter can also be used in muffin pans to create individual muffins. The moist-citrus cake is a perfect accompaniment for breakfast and is also great in the afternoon with tea. I often substitute other citrus flavors like mandarins or tangerines for the lemons. A splash of Grand Marnier or Cointreau also adds another taste dimension to this recipe.
Lemon curd is so easy to make. I remember the first time I made it and how amazed I was when this broken cool mixture turned into a smooth thick paste. Any citrus fruit can be used for a curd, I often make mine with a combination of lemon, lime and orange.
Hanger steak is a very flavorful and tender cut of beef and is very reasonably priced. It comes from the belly of the cow and is similar in texture and flavor to a flank steak. Rub the steak with ground rosemary steak rub and smoke with hickory or mesquite chips for about 15 minutes. I like to finish my hanger steak on a hot grill to sear the outside with a little charred texture and flavor.
Fresh Rosemary lends the perfect balance to this sweet and sour Lemon martini. Always one of our favorite happy hour cocktails.
Join me in my kitchen as I prepare recipes from my two cookbooks, European foodie trips and explore new inspirations.
