Same time next week?

Had dinner with friends and family this weekend & it was the best meal I've had in quite awhile... elegant, relaxed and delicious. Everyone contributed and everything was served family-style around the kitchen table. It was just perfect. My eternal thanks to the hosts... can't wait to do it all again!

We started with one of my favorite salads - greens (in this case, watercress) topped with sliced oranges, a few red pepper flakes & a homemade lemon vinaigrette. 

Next was a pot of slow braised beef short ribs, mashed potatoes and a platter of carrots, leeks and brussels sprouts with butter & salt.

Then a cheese course - Stilton, Comte & Parmesan accompanied by grapes and thinly sliced herb foccaccia. Plus a glass of Port for anyone who wanted it...

Last, but not least, was my contribution - a quick & easy apple tart. Great after a big dinner when you need something sweet, but not heavy. We ate it with a splash of cream, but ice cream would be delicious too.

Here's how I made it:

Tarte de Pommes

Serves 6

1 sheet store-bought puff pastry, thawed

4 apples, any type, peeled & thinly sliced

4 TB sugar

2 TB butter, chilled & cubed in small pieces

5 TB honey

1 egg (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unfold & stretch pastry dough to almost fill a greased baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, score along all four sides, about .5 inch from edge. Poke a few dozen tiny holes in the center section using the tip of the knife or a fork. This allows the edges to puff up & the center to remain flat.

Lay apple slices, slightly overlapping, in rows. Do not place apples outside the score marks. Sprinkle apples with the sugar & scatter butter pieces on top. For a shiny  finish, beat the egg with a splash of water & brush the egg wash around the edges of the pastry. (I actually skipped the egg wash, but it would have been much prettier if I hadn't)

Bake 25-30 minutes until apples are soft & pastry is puffed and golden. Pull pan from the oven and drizzle honey over the warm tart. Serve at once, topped with a splash of heavy cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

A sweet finish to a fantastic meal