We're having a bit of an anxious morning...which began with an anxious night...the girl called late last night to tell us she wasn't feeling w ell. I, being a graduate of Oprah "U" and a follower of the fascinating-scrubs-wearing-without-underwear Dr. Oz (don't tell me YOU haven't noticed!) asked all the approriate questions...what did you eat? Do you have a fever? Have you gone potty? What? Black stools? For how long? Weak, dizzy, pale, black stools...now, I may not be a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, but I'm smart enough to know that 2 + 2 = a trip to the E.R. So the SIL called the neighbor, who came to stay with Baby Max (the most beautiful boy on the planet) then he drove the girl to the hospital. They put her in ICU, pumped her full of blood, 4 transfusions at the latest count and said she was bleeding internally, possibly from an ulcer. She had an endoscopy and the good news is they found nothing. The bad news is they found nothing...so it's not an ulcer and they're keeping her for the night; she's scheduled for more tests in the morning...they need to pinpoint where the blood is coming from so hopefully one of their tests will give them the answer and soon! It's very frustrating being 800 miles away at a time like this...so I did the only thing I could...I went into the kitchen and made this lemon tart. It did nothing to cure the queasy feeling me and the mister have...but like I said, it was the only thing I could do!
It just occurred to me that talking about black stools and a lemon tart in the same post is very unappetizing...but oh well, both are on my mind and not being in control of all of my faculties today I beg your forgiveness. Under different circumstances I would take the time to rave about this tart...today all I can tell you is this dessert is amazing in it's simplicity...tart and creamy and definitely worthy to hold center court in the finest French pastisserie or on your kitchen table.
You will need a 10-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom to make this - so beg, borrow or buy one today. This recipe was originally featured in Gourmet's May 1981 issue and was worthy of the recent encore. I'll let you know about my girl and how she's doing tomorrow (poor Baby Max woke up this morning without his mom!!! That just breaks my heart !!)...in the meantime how about mentioning her in your prayers...I know it couldn't hurt and I'm pretty sure it just might help and right now that's about all anyone can do!!
Lemon Tart - Adapted From Gourmet, Jean Banchet For Pastry Dough: 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening 1/3 teaspoon salt 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water For Lemon Curd: 3 whole large eggs 3 large egg yolks 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into small pieces Make Pastry Dough: Blend together flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Drizzle 3 tablespoons ice water evenly over mixture and gently stir with a fork until incorporated. Squeeze a small handful: If dough doesn't hold togehter, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring until incorporated. Do not overwork dough or pastry will be tough. Turn out onto a work surface and divide into 4 portions. With heal of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to disbrtibute fat. Gather all of dough together and form into a 5-inch disk. If dough is sticky, dust lightly with flour. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour. Make Lemon Curd: Whisk together whole eggs, yolks, sugar, zest, and juice in a medium metal bowl set over a medium saucepan of simmering water. Cook, whisking frequently, until mixture is thick enough to coat back of a spoon. Remove bowl from heat and whisk in butter 1 piece at a time, letting each one melt before adding the next. Transfer to a bowl and chill, its surface covered with plastic wrap. Make Tart: Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in middle. Roll out dough onto a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round. Fit dough into tart pan, trim, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, and fold overhang inward. Press dough against side of pan, pushing dough 1/4-inch above rim. Lightly prick bottom of shell all over with a fork and chill until firm, 10 to 15 minutes. Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until side is set and edge is pale golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully remove weights and foil and bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes more. Preheat broiler. Put tart shell on a baking sheet, then pour lemon curd into shell. Broil tart about 6 inches from heat until filling is golden in patches, 2 to 5 minutes. (Watch carefully, tart burns easily! I burned this the first time I tried it - fortunately I was able to remove the burned top, like peeling plastic off the top of the curd, it came of easily and left no burnt residue...but it does go quickly so keep an eye on it!) Cool completely in pan on a rack. Serves 8. "Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." ~ William Arthur Ward
