Strawberry Rhubarb Oat Tartlet with Whipped Cream and Oat crumbles

We always bought these strawberry-rhubarb pies from a local farm when I was growing up. I remember the beautiful balance of sweet and sour. In Connecticut as a kid, my neighbor grew rhubarb and I would pick it with her and make strawberry-rhubarb jellies.

Right now is primetime for rhubarb, and when I saw it at the Amish market I had to grab some up. It is truly versatile. You can add it to savory dishes to add a sour element or balance the sweetness is dessert applications. I made a delish strawberry rhubarb filling to put inside some tart shells. You could use the same filling on waffles, french toast, biscuits, ice cream, pudding, or yogurt.

Here’s what I made and  how I did it.

Strawberry Rhubarb Oat Tartlets

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Tart shells before being baked off

Oat crust -

8 tartlets

3/4 cup quick cooking oats

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 t cinnamon

1/8 t ground ginger

pinch salt

1 stick butter, softened

1 T water

• Pulse the oats in a food processor until fine meal.
• Add in your flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Pulse to combine.
• Add in your softened butter, and pulse to combine.
• Add in 1 T water to make it form into a loose dough.
• Press the dough down hard into tart shells, making a thin firm shell.
• Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes. When the shells come out, press them down while still hot with a towel. Let them cool, then take them out of the molds. Should be crisp and golden brown.
• Take excess oat crust dough and crumble it on a silpat, bake off until golden brown and save for garnish.

Filling

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

1 2 inch piece orange peel

1 pint strawberries, quartered

1 cup small dice rhubarb

1 vanilla bean, scraped

2 T orange juice

1 cinnamon stick

1 t cornstarch, dissolved in the orange juice

1 T fresh lemon juice

• Add your sugar and water to a pot, bring to a boil to make a simple syrup.
• Add your orange peel, cinnamon stick, and vanilla bean. Cook for 2-3 minutes to start flavor base.
• Add your rhubarb and cook until soft. Add your strawberries and cook on low until fruit is soft.
• Mix your orange juice with the cornstarch. Make sure there are no lumps with your fingers.
• Bring mix up to a bubble, add in your cornstarch slurry, whisk to combine.
• Cook on low for 5 minutes to cook out cornstarch, stirring constantly to not scorch.
• Finish with a T fresh lemon juice to balance flavor. ( I think it makes the dish!)
• At this point remove the orange peel, vanilla bean, and cinnamon stick. When I cut the peel off the orange, I didn’t get any white pith (which is bitter) so when I removed the peel and saw it was very soft and edible, I finely minced it and added it into the filling. It gave a very pleasant flavor.
• Move to a shallow dish to cool in the fridge. Will be served chilled.

Whipped Cream

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 T confectionary sugar

1/8 t vanilla extract

• Whip cream on medium until peaks start to form, add sugar and vanilla, whip on high until firm but not over whipped into butter. Should only take a few minutes.

Easy plated dessert to make at home

Plating – Take an oat tart and fill it with 2 T of strawberry-rhubarb filling, top with a tablespoon of whipped cream, garnish the top with oat crumbles.

This dessert is honestly one of the best things i’ve ever made. I highly recommend trying to make them, you can make all different sizes depending on your molds. I made little 3 in tarts in molds. They would be great as a plated dessert, on a brunch buffet, or dessert bar, or just make them for a romantic dinner at home for two.

Enjoy!

Delish

Cheers

Sean Patrick Gallagher

Carnitas – braised pork tacos with white onion, tomato, cilantro, avocado, lime, hot sauce

I bought a 5 pound pork shoulder last week and have trying to think what to make. I love pork because of its versatility, you can give it any kind of flavoring, and cook it multiple ways.

In the kitchen, I would make 50-100 pounds of roast pork in a day. I would cover the pork shoulders in a dry rub of brown sugar, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, onion powder, a ton of salt and pepper. Then cover it with mustard and ketchup (Weird I know, but a delish tip from Daryl – Thanks Daryl!). Cover the whole lot of them in chicken stock and let them braise for 6 hours. The result, the most delicious, decadent.. salty, fatty pulled pork.

Today I am trying something different, I’m cutting the cooking time by 1/2 by cutting the meat smaller, and boiling, then roasting it.

Carnitas – braised pork tacos with white onion, tomato, cilantro, avocado, lime, hot sauce

Carnitas

Prep: 15-20 minutes

Cook time: 2.5 hours

5 pound Boneless pork shoulder, cut into 3 inch cubes

2 cups chopped vegetables: I say use whatever you have on its way out in the crisper, I had some celery, onion, carrots, and bell pepper scraps.

8 cloves garlic

2 limes, cut in half

1 jalapeño, cut in half

1 cup orange juice

1 bottle light beer, I used corona

1 T Mexican oregano

1 T ground cumin

2 T kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cups water

Pork ready to go!

• Cut your pork shoulder into 3 inch cubes, you can cut off some of the fat if you would like or leave it for more flavor.
• In a large pot add your vegetables, pork, spices, limes, garlic, and pour in your orange juice and beer.
• Fill the rest of the pot with water just to cover the pork.
• Bring to  boil and then reduce to a simmer, cook in a covered pot for 2 hours.
• When the meat is tender, turn off the heat and let it sit for 10-15 minutes so its can rest inside the liquid.

Pork braising, an hour in.

• Remove the meat and cut off any large fat chunks, smash the meat into large pieces.
• Strain the braising liquid, removing all the veggie remnants.
• Put the strained liquid back on the burner, reduce down to a syrup. Should take 10-15 minutes.
• Remove your syrup and pour it over the shredded pork. Put the pork on a sheet pan in an even layer and place in your broiler.

Pork just removed and pulled

• The pork will become crispy and brown in the broiler after 5-10 minutes. If you want some char leave it in longer.

Crispy pork, after the broiler. You can leave it in longer if you want more of a char

• It is now ready to serve. Eat it in corn or flour tortillas with raw white onion, chopped tomatoes, sliced avocado, cilantro, hot sauce, and cotija cheese. Delish!

Carnitas – Pork tacos

This meal was really easy to prepare and a hit! The texture of the meat is different than pulled pork, its more sticky and chewy, and after broiling, crispy. I love it, and its definitely a meal I will make time and time again.

Thank you.

Sean Patrick Gallagher

Caramelized Papaya and Toasted Coconut Cupcakes

I hate lugging groceries from the store, it’s one of the inevitable tasks you must do every week. Fortunately companies like Fresh Direct exist and can deliver whatever you need to your home with the click of a button. Browsing through their online lists, I saw papaya and thought back to Dean & DeLuca where I would eat the the scraps from the papaya for fruit salad and platters. Delish. I ordered two, because generally they are pretty small. What was delivered was larger than a football and no matter how much I love them, after eating several pounds of fresh papaya you get sick of it.

Huge fresh papaya – skin peeled off, seeds removed, cut in half

So I decided to challenge myself and make two recipes with papaya. I remember hearing of a papaya cake before, so I looked it up and there is a Bahamian Rum Papaya cake that looked to die for. I played off that one by adding coconut and caramelizing the papaya. As I was making the cake I decided I wanted to add more coconut flavor, so I added half a can of coconut milk. I think it made a really moist delish cake.

The frosting is a light coconut flavored buttercream with large toasted coconut curls.

Here’s how I did it.

Caramelized Papaya Cupcakes with Toasted Coconut

2 cups AP flour

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/8 t baking soda

pinch salt

2 eggs

1 stick softened butter

2 T dark rum

1/2 can coconut milk

1 T orange zest

1/2 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened/chipped)

1.5 cups caramelized papaya (Recipe follows)

• Whip softened butter until light and fluffy, add both sugars and whip until creamed together.
• Add one egg at a time until they are both combined.
• Add in coconut milk, rum, zest, and coconut milk.
• Sieve all dry ingredients together.
• Add in dry ingredients until combined, do not over mix.
• Add in cooled, caramelized papaya. Fold in by hand.
• Scoop into cupcake liners, I used a portion scoop so they are all even.
• Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes until set. Mine took about 16 minutes. Rotating in between.
• When they are completely cool, ice and top with toasted coconut.

Caramelized Papaya

1 large papaya, diced

2 T brown sugar

2 T butter

• Melt butter, add sugar, allow to caramelize.
• Add in papaya, cook in caramel on low heat until fruit is tender and caramel is thick.

Caramelized papaya cooled and added to batter

Coconut Buttercream

1 stick softened unsalted butter

1/8 t ground ginger

2 cups confectionary sugar

1/2 coconut milk

1/8 t good vanilla extract

• Whip softened butter until light and fluffy.
• Add coconut milk whip to combine.
• Add powdered sugar, vanilla, ground ginger.
• Whip until all is combined and light and fluffy. Add more confectionary sugar if needed.

This recipe produces a cupcake that is a little denser more like a teacake. It is honestly one of the best things I have ever made up! Absolutely delish, you are not going to be able to stop eating the coconut buttercream.

I hope you try this one! Enjoy!

 
Cheers,
Sean Patrick Gallagher

Fettuccine Bolognese

I know how tough it is to come home and cook. I cook all day long! If it’s a work night and I’m cooking dinner, it has to be quick or I don’t really have the motivation. Especially when you live in NYC and you can get any cuisine you can think up delivered to your door in 15-30 minutes.

I have to admit that I am a sucker for comfort food, and my number one is pasta. Of course I love to make fresh pasta, and if I’m feeling really up to it – make delish raviolis filled with all sorts of decadent things.

Nonetheless, at least once a week I make a pasta dish and I have to tell you its oh-so-satisfying and couldn’t be simpler. Last night I made a beefy Bolognese. Beautiful fat laden ground beef browned and stewed with onions, garlic, hot pepper flake, and San Marzano tomatoes.

Here’s one for your recipe book – the most simple weeknight dinner.

Fettuccine Bolognese

Prep time: 5-7 minutes

Cook time: 15-20 minutes

1 box fettuccine pasta

1 pound ground beef – (I like 80/20 for the fat content)

1 can San Marzano tomatoes

2 T tomato paste

Splash red wine – (If you have some open)

1 large white onion, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 T olive oil

1/2 t hot pepper flake (or 1 T if you like it hot!)

1/2 t dried oregano

2 T grated parmesan

Salt and pepper to taste

• Place a large pot filled with salted water on the back burner and get it to a boil first.
• Have your onion diced and garlic minced ready to go.
• Heat a large pot on medium-high heat, add your oil and allow it to get hot.
• Add your beef and break it up, brown evenly. Remove the grease if you like, or leave it in for more flavor.
• Add your onion and garlic, add the hot pepper flake and dried oregano.
• Cook your onions until tender. Add the tomato paste and mix it thoroughly. If you have some open red wine – or have a glass while cooking, add in about a 1/4 of a cup now.
• Let the wine cook out, then add your tomatoes. Turn the heat to medium low – low.
• Boil your pasta, once cooked, drain and leave in colander.
• Stir the sauce every 5 minutes to prevent scorching and let cook for 15-20 minutes. If you have longer you can let cook for 30 minutes if desired.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste – I also like to add in 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan or pecorino at the end.
• Mix into your fettuccine and serve.

Easy weeknight dinner done! I served it with roasted broccoli and garlic, a glass of wine, a hunk of rustic bread, and great company – all in 30 minutes!

Enjoy!

 
Sean Patrick Gallagher

This braised beef dish gets its vibrant red color from dried pasilla, arbol, and guajillo chilies

I was recently inspired by phenomenal Mexican Chef Roberto Santibanez of Fonda restaurants while watching him work in the Saveur test kitchen, and then working at Creative Edge and collaborating to create the Happy Hearts Foundation event this past year. Ever since then I have been on a Mexican kick, slicing the needles off nopales, toasting chilis, and charring and pureeing various vegetables.

Red chili braised beef with fried plantains, sautéed nopales, fresh avocado and crema

One of my favorite meals in life are traditional enchiladas. Not the heavy American version stuffed with all kinds of meat and beans and smothered in cheddar cheese… the lighter, more flavorful Mexican version where corn tortillas are dredged through a delicious sauce made from dried arbol chilis and love, filled with a little meat, raw white onion, and cotija cheese, rolled and topped with more sauce, crema, chopped onion and cilantro.

I love to take that same red chili sauce and braise large chunks of marbled beef until tender and falling apart. The flavor is so rich and balanced with the sweet heat of chilies and the buttery fat of the beef. I made this dish at my parents a few months ago and they were in love. I served them this dish with fried plantains. Deliciously sweet and sprinkled with large flakes of salt, the perfect accompaniment to this rich dish.

Fried plantains are a nice change from the norm, and a great side dish to many different meals. They are extremely inexpensive and are filling. The perfect side dish on a budget.

Delish fried plantains ready to be devoured

Fried Plantains

2-4 Ripe/Firm Plantains, peeled and sliced into 1/8 in thick slices

Vegetable oil, for frying

Salt, to taste

Plantains frying

• In a large pot on your stove, fill less than halfway with vegetable oil. Bring the oil to 375 degrees.
• When the oil is to temp, gently add the plantains to the oil. Browning them on both sides – should be crisp on the outside and tender and soft on the inside – about 2-3 minutes.
• Let drain on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt.
• Serve hot – if you need to reheat them, put them in a single layer on a sheet tray in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes.

I hope you enjoy this delish side dish and don’t be afraid of frying at home, as long as you are careful, you have nothing to fear!

Cheers,
Sean Patrick Gallagher

I’ve always felt blessed to have a mother that was more than just a parent, she’s my best friend. 

This mother’s day I wanted more than ever to make her feel special, and what is a better way to do that then make my mother her own brunch!

The Menu:

Brunch for Mama

Fresh Pineapple or Orange Mimosas

Turkey Bacon, Breakfast Sausage, Fresh Fruit

Breakfast Potatoes

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Compote

Leek, Asparagus, Mushroom Frittata with Boursin and Parmesan Cheese

All in all it was a delightful afternoon, surrounded by family and delicious food. 

Best Breakfast Potatoes (Homefries)

5# Red skin potatoes, washed and diced

1 large vidalia onion, thinly sliced

1 T spanish smoked paprika

1 t granulated garlic

1 t dried oregano

1/2 t cayenne powder

2 T olive oil

2 T butter

• The easiest way to make these delish breakfast potatoes is to boil the onion and potatoes until almost tender. 
• Drain the potatoes and onion. Get a very large skillet extremely hot, add the olive oil and let it get hot. 
• When the oil starts to just smoke add the butter, and immediately follow with the potatoes. 
• Make an even layer and let it sit to make a crust. Every few minutes toss the potatoes to evenly crisp all of them.
• Add the seasoning and mix thoroughly.
• Keep cooking until the potatoes are crispy and tender. 
• Season generously with salt and pepper and serve. 

Enjoy!

Happy Mother’s Day to all the amazing ladies out there!

Cheers!

Sean Patrick Gallagher

Nopales can appear scary, (as a rule, I pretty much wouldn’t eat anything with thorns on it!) but they are a versatile and delicious ingredient that can be added to stews, sautés, or made into a salad.

Once you get through the thorns it’s an easy process!

Remove the thorns of the nopale (Cactus petal) with a small paring knife, or if you are really comfortable, carefully use your chefs knife to remove many at once. I like to boil the nopales to remove some of the viscous liquid inside them. After that I sauté and chill them to add to salads, or keep the nopales in the sauté pan and add in some julienne zucchini, summer squash, snap peas, also caramelized onions, and fennel. Cook until tender, add a squeeze of lime, a dash of ground cumin, and top with chopped cilantro and cotija cheese. DELISH!

I hope you pick up Nopales next time you’re at the grocery and are feeling adventurous!

Cheers

Sean Patrick Gallagher

I can say that I have always loved brunch. As a teen, I worked in a family restaurant where every sunday we all worked the crazed 8am to 3pm brunch shift where I bused tables, my mother and sister took orders, and my cousin flipped corn-cakes in the back. It was a tiny place with 10-15 tables. The walls were covered in copper pots and the table cloths were blue and yellow pinstriped and matched the awning outside. The floors were made of creaky old wood that ran along to the tiny kitchen in the back which could hold one chef and a prep cook/dishwasher. It was charming, and I spent most of my childhood there. On Sundays, I’d come in early and mix together some muffins flavored with whatever we had available. Blueberry-peach, strawberry-poppy, and banana chocolate chip were crowd favorites so I made them often. When the muffins cooled, I would put them on a cake stand on the counter and when we people came in, the restaurant smelled of freshly baked goods. After culinary school I worked in an historic hotel where brunch was at the forefront of their business. My muffin making days were over and on came 300 poached eggs and gallons of hollandaise. Brunch was no longer endearing but exhausting, and my love affair was lost. Eventually I moved on to a quaint organic bakery with a side dining room with 20 tables. I started the first brunches there, bringing back all of what I loved about it.  I created hand-crafted menus, where I would make a different type of french toast every week. I would make a cherries jubilee, a nod to the classic dish with beautiful pitted cherries in a luscious sauce of Grand Marnier (cooked out!) and orange zest. On occasion I would make a “pain perdu,” just a fancy Francois version, which I would make with baguettes, caramelizing the bottom to produce a toothsome crust. When I moved to New York City, I worked for Dean and DeLuca, where I made breakfast for hundreds of companies and private homes daily in a large scale production kitchen. Fancy batons of brioche were soaked in a custard style batter, baked until golden brown and placed inside a silver tray, cooled and shipped out to be devoured by one of New York City’s elites.

My history of brunch aside, I have always loved the service of brunch and the joy that it brings to people. When I moved to Astoria a few years I ago, I brought my large early 1900′s clawfoot table, lugged it up the stairs, and cluttered my apartment for one reason; entertaining. Every sunday that I wasn’t working, and some where I got off early enough to make it home and cook, I would have a brunch party. I would pull over every chair in the apartment, put the two leaves into the table, and invite 20 people over. Large platters filled the table and elegant serving ware went out. Champagne flutes spilled over with fresh squeezed orange juice and champagne. It was a celebration of food and friends and a time to appreciate one another. I’ve always carried on the steps and art of service into my own personal parties. I feel that the table should be full and have many options, and that each item should have its own service ware.

What I have learned now over the years is that you need to take the time to celebrate with food but it doesn’t have to take all day. Take help where you need it without sacrificing quality.

Today I wanted to create a small brunch for my partner and I to celebrate our Sunday together. I woke up about an hour before him and got to work. I also love brunch because you can always utilize things you have in the fridge and not break the bank. I created a frittata with yellow, red, and orange bell peppers, caramelized onions, baby arugula, and parmesan. Frittatas are the best of both worlds, so simple to produce yet appear and taste sophisticated. If I had the time I would make homemade pastries, but with my schedule I will from time to time just buy them ahead of time. Today I took some help and bought a par-baked item that is finished in the oven and glazed. Presented on a beautiful platter, hot out of the oven – no one will care if you took 5 hours to make them or 30 minutes to bake them off. Some crispy bacon, whole wheat english muffins, a quick cut of some fresh mango and strawberries, and the meal was together. Plated with matching white and silver dinner ware, with pops of color in spring time miss matched serving pieces. I served lattes and Pellegrino. All done within an hour.

Here’s how I did it. 

Arugula, Caramelized onion and Pepper, Parmesan Frittata

Prep time: 8 minutes

Cook time 15-20 minutes

Preferred: Oven safe skillet – I love the Le Creuset Signature Fry Pan 

6 jumbo eggs

2 tablespoons sour cream

1/4 cup whole milk

2 tablespoons parmesan

pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

• Crack your eggs into a bowl. Beat your sour cream into the eggs until completely combined. Whisk in your milk, parmesan, and seasoning. Whisk until combined and light and fluffy. 

Fillings

1 Red bell pepper, seeds and pulp removed, finely diced

1 Orange bell pepper, seeds and pulp removed, finely diced

1 Yellow bell pepper, seeds and pulp removed, finely diced

1 Large white onion, thinly sliced

1 glove garlic, minced

1 large beefsteak tomato, finely diced

1 cup baby arugula

2 tablespoons parmesan

• Saute your sliced onion in 1 tablespoon of butter on medium heat until golden brown, and softened. 
• Add your peppers and garlic, cook until peppers are soft.
• Add your tomatoes and arugula. Turn heat off, still to combine.
• Pour over your egg mixture. Top evenly with parmesan.

Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes until egg is set and golden brown.

Serve either hot or warm depending on preference.

While your Frittata is baking, lay strips of bacon on a sheet pan in a flat even layer and bake until golden brown and crispy. About 10-12 minutes.

While the bacon and frittata are baking, clean and prep some fresh fruit. I had some mangoes and fresh strawberries on hand so I washed and hulled the strawberries.

Sliced them in half and peeled and diced the mango. I love the flavor combination and its perfect to serve with eggs and baked goods to break up some of the heaviness.

If you choose to serve a par-baked good, follow the instructions listed and time it correctly to serve them warm.

Have your toaster and coffee machine/espresso machine next to each other and have them be the last things you make. Make one latte while the english muffins are toasting and alternate until done.

Have the table set ahead of time, all serving platters laid out to go, and you are ready to have a beautiful brunch for two.

I hope you take time to celebrate the ones around you, and there is no better way than an effortless Sunday brunch.

Thank you!

Cheers,

Sean Patrick Gallagher

Shortrib Stuffed Poblano Peppers, roasted corn, roasted jalapenos, red rice, tomatoes, queso fresco, cilantro. Traditional Mexican red chile sauce

Fab haus

Brightly adorned livingroom

About two months ago, one of my best friends Tom (who also does all my lovely photographer) – I’m going to plug Tom now.. not only because he’s a close friend, but an immensely talented photographer! Check him out! Tomtrocola.com - invited my partner and I away for Labor Day weekend. We agreed to the trip, an escape from the big city and a few days to catch up on a book or two and try to get rid of these dark circles.

This past weekend, we left the city along with a couple Manhattanites and embarked upstate to a town called Sparrowbush. We had obviously never heard of it, but braced ourselves for the two hour trip.

When we arrived, we were blown away by the 1960s rambler ranch, completely remodeled, and modernized. The outside planks coated in a stark dark slate grey paint, with large windows showing brightly decorated walls inside. We dragged our luggage up several flights of stairs and in through a sliding glass door to the first room of the house: the kitchen. Chalkboard paint coated walls, covered in obscure chalk written phrases, shiny-refinished rosewood cabinets, bright plumen bulbs hanging from tiny red colanders.. an outlandish yet cohesive room where retro meets modern and function meets style.

Chalk board kitchen

We were escorted downstairs to our room. Larger than any apartment we’ve had in New York City. The room was adorned with Eames chairs and couches, a large beautiful bed, floating blue side tables and bright prints dotting the walls. All the walls in the house were covered in bright prints from notable artists. Off of our room was a bathroom and a sliding door which led to a play room.

China and Taxidermy

Back up the stairs, to the right there was the living room with large vaulted ceilings, a retro 1960s bar with a copper top and rough hewn wooden stools, resurfaced with brightly colored upholstery. Down the hall were several more bedrooms, all delightfully decorated, as well as the master bedroom, which was larger than my first apartment in Massachusetts! All the details in this house were perfect. Chosen lovingly by someone far more talented than I at decorating. A gun case built into the fireplace now housed colored baseball bats. A retro buffet in the dining area was covered in brightly colored cake stands and ceramic doughnuts. Two large, red heart shaped chairs  flanked one another in the living room. This was a venerable fun house, every corner showed a new surprise. Outside was a large pool with gorgeous modern furniture adorning it.

Greg the pool boy :p

For those next three days I had the pleasure to cook all three meals for the group in this magical kitchen. I got to lay out in a heated pool all day and (attempt) to play volleyball.

Doughnuts anyone?

This was by far one of the most relaxing trips I’ve ever had. In a paradise of color. Not only was it solitude it was inspiring. The amount of thought that went into designing a place of this caliber has to be the same level as Willy Wonka designing the Wonka Bar. I left feeling like I had received the Golden Ticket and got a glimpse into the life of a style icon.

My boys

Thank you for listening to me blab on!

Poolside portrait

Enjoy the pictures, they’re all taken by Tom Trocola

Green skate

Cheers

They do!

fab.com

Sean Patrick Gallagher