Chive Blossom Popovers from Pink Patisserie

Chive Blossom Popovers

Chive Blossom Popovers

I love seasonal, I love fresh, especially fresh from the garden or local farm, and I love my friend Maria.

Maria is the author of the baking blog Pink Patisserie.  I’ve known Maria for over 10 years.  A gracious, beautiful and talented gal who hails from deep Norwegian roots.  Immersed in her family’s heritage, Maria has been baking along side her Mother and Grandmother since childhood.  She has an artistic eye for the naturally beautiful art of food and baking, and embraces the flavors of the sweet and the seasons.

Thank you Maria for your most delicious spring recipe of Chive Blossom Popovers!

CHIVE BLOSSOM POPOVERS from Pink Patisserie

Hello!  My name is Maria of Pink Patisserie, and I want to extend a huge thank you to my lovely friend Karista for allowing me to guest write here today on her beautiful blog.

One of the things I love about Karista is her wholehearted devotion to cooking seasonally. In light of that I thought it appropriate to share with you a recipe that had at least one seasonal ingredient.  Here in the Pacific Northwest as in most of the country, rhubarb is currently in season.  As a result, I have been raiding my vegetable patch almost weekly to pull the latest of the ripening stalks for the many recipes I love to make this time of year.  Last week while in the garden surveying the rhubarb, I happened to glance in the oft-neglected corner of my garden where my chive plants grow.  To my great surprise I noticed that the chive flowers were almost fully in bloom. In all my rhubarb furor I’d completely overlooked them.

chive blossom popovers

Chive Blossom Popovers

Chives are so simple to grow really, one of the most low maintenance plants, and if you don’t have one I encourage you to head to the nursery now to pick one up.  They grow beautifully in pots too if you are space challenged.  And in the summer, I love nothing more than to run out and snip some for salads and baked or boiled potatoes.  This recipe for chive blossom popovers is lovely with the blossoms, but really if you don’t have a plant, don’t worry; they taste just as fantastic without them.

Our favorite way to eat these is at dinner, with steaks or a lovely roast on a Sunday afternoon. Fresh, light spring onion flavors in a buttery, crispy bun.  Simply seasonal, simply spring, simply heaven.

Chive Blossom Popovers

Serves 12

Prep time 10 minutes

Bake time 30

 Ingredients

2 T. unsalted butter, melted

1 ½ C. all purpose flour

¾ tsp.  Kosher salt

3 large eggs

1 ½ C. milk

4 T. chopped chives with blossoms, reserve additional blossoms for garnish

 Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Grease popover pans or large muffin tins with butter, about ½ tsp per muffin well.  Place the pan in the oven for 3-4 minutes to preheat.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, eggs, milk and melted butter until no lumps remain.  Batter will be thin. Fill each well in the popover or muffin tin halfway with batter. Bake for 30 minutes.  Avoid opening the oven door while baking.   Serve with chive butter.

Chicken Avocado Tortilla Torta

chicken avocado tortilla torta

Photography by Karista Bennett

Oh for the love of all things Avocado.  I’m on an intense avocado kick these days.  I feel like adding avocado to everything.

Actually, Suzie Q, my youngest, made that very comment the other day.  “Mom, you add avocado to everything.  Next it’ll be in our dessert”.   Hmmm… I just came across ice cream prepared with avocado.  Trying that one next. :)

Avocado lends a creamy and sometimes buttery texture to dishes.  It’s not terribly aromatic but it can taste of olive oil and fresh grass when eaten ripe.

I love it sliced on a bed of wilted spinach and topped with poached or pan-fried farm fresh eggs. I also add diced avocado to my Mexican stuffed peppers which eliminates the need for extra cheese.  When the avocado is heated the texture becomes a bit creamy,  just like warm or melted cheese.

Avocado is perfectly delicious added to my ceviche, tacos and sandwiches.  I keep a squishy, ripe one on the counter for spreading like mayonnaise.  During the summer months I love an heirloom tomato and avocado sandwich with just a sprinkling of my favorite gourmet salt.

So of course when I was whipping up this chicken torta, I had to add avocado.  Combined with fresh cilantro, white onion, salsa Verde and Cotija cheese… fresh, clean flavors that deliciously marry well together.  Made dinner feel just a little bit special.

Tank thought so too.  My oldest gal captured this picture of Tank.  Waiting patiently, staring down the deliciousness, while I was working to snap a food photo.  What can I say,  he cracks me up!

cairn terrier, food photography

Tank Waiting Patiently

Delicious wishes and loads of love!

Karista

Chicken Avocado Tortilla Torta

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 cups small cubed or shredded cooked chicken

½ white onion, small diced (about 1 cup)

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

2-3 cups diced avocado, tossed gently with a little lime juice (approx 2 avocados)

12-18 corn tortillas, sliced in half

2-3 cups salsa Verde (green enchilada sauce, Hatch is a quality brand I recommend) (recipe below for when tomatillos are in season.  I do recommend canning tomatillos during the summer for delicious salsa Verde year round.)

2 cups cotija cheese

1 cup mozzarella or creamy farmer’s cheese, Mexican Queso

Directions

Heat the oven to 375F.

You will need an 8×8 or 9×13 baking dish.  I like a deep dish torta so I use the 8×8.  But the 9×13 also works well.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cooked chicken, white onion, fresh cilantro, 1 cup crumbled cotija cheese, chili powder and cumin.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Very gently fold in the diced avocado.

Pour the salsa Verde in a bowl large enough to dip the halved tortillas.  Dip 4-6 tortilla halves and place them in the bottom of the baking dish.  You will feel like you’re making a lasagna.

Sprinkle with the chicken avocado mixture and then dip a few more tortilla halves into the salsa Verde and arrange on top of the chicken avocado mixture.  Repeat with the layering process until you have used all your chicken avocado mixture.  I can usually get three layers in an 8×8 pan.

Be sure to end the layers with salsa Verde dipped tortillas.  Sprinkle with Mozzarella and remaining Cotija cheese.

Bake uncovered for about 20-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and sides are bubbly.  Let the torta stand for about 5 minutes before serving.

I love this dish with Cabbage and Cucumber slaw.  I’ve listed the recipe below.  Enjoy!

Fresh Salsa Verde

Ingredients

2 cans tomatillos (I prefer Hatch brand)

½ cup diced onions

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 jalapeno, roasted and seeded

½ cup water or chicken broth if needed

Salt to taste

Directions

Place the tomatillos in a blender or food processor and puree.

Add a little oil to a medium sauce pan over medium heat and sauté the onions and garlic until wilted.

Stir in the pureed tomatillos, cilantro and jalapeno and let it simmer on low for about five minutes, adding water or chicken broth if necessary.   Take it off the heat and set aside until needed.  Or refrigerate for up to 3 days.

 

Cabbage and Cucumber Slaw

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 small to medium head Napa cabbage, halved and then sliced so you get ribbons of cabbage.

1 large cucumber, sliced (peeled if you like)

4-5 green onions, sliced

½ cup fresh chopped cilantro (optional)

½ cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice

1-2 teaspoons sugar or agave

Dash of Sriracha or hot sauce to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Whisk together the mayonnaise, citrus juice, sugar and Sriracha.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the dressing with the cabbage and then layer the cucumber, green onion and cilantro on top.  Serve and enjoy!

*my family likes a well dressed slaw so I often double the dressing recipe.  But I think it tastes great lightly dressed.

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