Scribbles & Munch

      As you may recall (and you have my permission to do so with great joy), 2014 is officially the Year of the Pie (because I said so). So every month I am making at least one pie, partially as a way to try new recipes and partially as a way to...well...eat pie.
      Yum.
      Only June's pie is actually a tart. May had two pies, a blackberry pie (cheating because they weren't in season, but there are some things that simply must be made with one's mother) and a cherry pie. They were both thoroughly pie, looking like something right out of "Little House on the Prairie" and tasting of simple, scrumptious fruit. They were also tried and true recipes I've been making since middle school. So this month I got a little fancy and made a Strawberries & Jalapeño Tart.
      The inspiration for this fine piece of pastry was twofold: firstly, strawberries are best - best - BEST when they are fresh and local! One can actually forget what those precious ruby fruits of early summer are supposed to taste like, when one has been reduced to eating those mostly white, hard lumps being forced in greenhouses in California. True strawberries are scarlet through and through, and sweet as jam! They require no heat, no sweetener, nothing but a rinse to render them perfect in every way, so I chose a tart as the best means of showing off the superb berries.

     My second source of inspiration was a batch of marvelous jalapeño simple syrup I made the other week. The syrup was a key ingredient for a cocktail my brother insisted I should make, which he called the Basically Better Bourbon Beverage. It was sort of like a mint julep, and quite tasty on a muggy evening, but I wound up with something like two cups of thick syrup with a blush of heat, and I simply don't drink that many cocktails. But I have had some lovely strawberry jalapeño lemonade in the past, and the memory of that flavor combo inspired the a tasty experiment.
      The tart was an overwhelming success, having the perfect balance of flavors and just screaming "SUMMER!!!" at the top of its metaphorical lungs. I dedicate this recipe to my brother for bringing the syrup into my life, and happily share the recipe with you!



Z.D.'s Strawberry Jalapeño Summer Tart

Crust:

     For the crust, I used one-third of my own Pie Crust Recipe (see my entry from May 23rd, 2014), rolled out and pressed into a 10 inch tart pan with a removable bottom. I lined the crust with foil and filled it with pie weights (dried beans work just as well if you don't have a bag of these clay beauties), and then baked it at 375º F. After ten minutes I removed the foil and weights, then baked the crust for another ten minutes. The result was a lovely, flaky crust just waiting to be filled. Let cool to room temperature.



Filling:

- 2 oz. high quality white chocolate, roughly chopped
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened at room temperature for about 30 minutes
- 4 Tablespoons of Jalapeño Simple Syrup, divided (recipe to follow)
- 1 & 1/2 Cup ripe, fresh strawberries, rinsed and stemmed
- 2 Tablespoons of fresh mint leaves, washed and finely chopped

     Melt the white chocolate, either in a microwave on ten second intervals, stirring in between, or on a stove over low heat, stirring frequently. When chocolate is melted, brush over the basin of your tart crust, then place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. The white chocolate doesn't add much in the way of flavor, but it's not supposed to--it's to prevent the crust from getting soggy once the rest of the filling is in place. We nibbled this tart over three days and thanks to this trick, the crust never got sog-ified!

      Using a hand-held electric mixer, blend the cream cheese with two tablespoons of the jalapeño syrup. Spread this lovely mixture into the tart shell.



     Slice berries in half lengthwise and lay cut side down in a pretty pattern over the cream cheese mixture, covering as much as possible. (Or if you REALLY love strawberries, just toss the stems and place the whole berries point up for a modern flair!) Brush with the remaining syrup, then sprinkle with mint and serve!



The Jalapeño flavor in this tart is mild, bringing a grassy note and just a touch of heat. If you want to ramp it up (and I do think that could be tasty), I would finely mince some fresh jalapeño and stir it into the cream cheese mixture. Or you could sprinkle on just a bit with the mint. Just don't go over board, or you'll over-power the strawberries, which are really the star of this show.

Jalapeño Syrup: 

- 2 Cups brown sugar
- 1 Cup water
- 2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed and halved lengthwise

     Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring just to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer for five minutes, then cover, remove from heat, and allow to steep for 20 minutes. Strain into a large jar and keep chilled until ready to use. The finished product will look like very thick maple syrup, or slightly thinned dark corn syrup.



The nice thing about simple syrup is that it will keep for up to six months in the fridge so long as it's in a sealed container. This particular version is tasty in lemonade, cocktails, even stirring into iced tea if you're adventurous! Also use as a dressing for fruit salad or salsas, or pour over hoe cakes. Happy summer deliciousness!