Press Release

Printer-friendly page

THE SPICE AND HERB BIBLE Second Edition by Ian Hemphill with recipes by Kate Hemphill Robert Rose September 2006 $22.95/trade paperback Full-color photographs throughout ISBN: 0-7788-0146-2 (Canada: $29.95/ISBN: 978-0-7788-0146-7) Back to book information

3-1/2 ounces blue cheese
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2/3 cup butter
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage (or 4 teaspoons/20mL dried)
2 ounces pecans, shelled and chopped
3-1/2 ounces soft spreadable goat cheese (chèvre)

Blend blue cheese, flour, butter and sage in a food processor until a sticky dough forms. Turn out and work pecans into dough. Divide dough in half and roll into logs about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. The rolls must be very firm before baking. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350ºF.

Remove plastic wrap and cut rolls into 1/4-inch slices. Place slices 1 inch apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden. Let cool on a wire rack. To serve, top each shortbread with a small amount of goat cheese.

For an impressive, festive canapé, you could add a dollop of cranberry sauce, a small piece of pecan and top with a small piece of deep-fried sage leaf.

Tart Filling:
1 tablespoon (15 mL) grated lime zest
1/2 cup (125 mL) freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons (10 mL) ground green cardamom seeds
5 medium eggs (or 4 large)
1-1/4 cups (300 mL) table (18%) cream
3/4 cup (175 mL) superfine (caster) sugar

Lime Pastry:
1-1/4 cups (300 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon (15 mL) granulated sugar
6 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons (100 mL) cold butter, cut into cubes
1 egg yolk, beaten
2 tablespoons (25 mL) ice water (approx.)
1 teaspoon (5 mL) grated lime zest
Few drops vanilla

Confectioner's (icing) sugar

For the filling:
Heat lime zest, lime juice and cardamom in a small saucepan for 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Whisk in eggs, cream and sugar. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

For the pastry:
Pulse flour, sugar and butter in a food processor until mixture resembles bread crumbs (or rub in the butter with the tips of your fingers). Transfer to a bowl. Whisk together egg yolk, ice water, lime zest and vanilla; stir into flour to make a dough. Add more water if necessary to make a firm, pliable dough, then knead gently for 20 seconds, until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Line an 8- or 9-inch (20 or 23 cm) tart pan with pastry and chill again until firm. Bake blind (cover with parchment paper, fill with rice and cook for 10-15 minutes), then remove paper and rice and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Turn oven down to 325ºF (160ºC).

Pour filling into pastry shell and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until set but with a very slight wobble. Let cool, remove tart pan and dust with confectioner's sugar.