Good Karma Lemon Tart

Crust:

1 cup plus 1 tbsp confectioner’s sugar
1¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
Pinch of salt

Filling:

3 lemons, zest grated, juiced
3 large eggs
½ cup plus 1 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces

Sift the confectioner’s sugar, flour, and salt together into a bowl. Place the butter in a food processor and process until smooth, about 15 seconds. Scatter the flour mixture over the butter, add the egg, and process just until the dough forms a mass; do not over mix. Turn the dough out onto the counter and divide it into two pieces. Shape each half into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for two hours.

Dust the work surface with little flour and roll out one disc (saving the second disc for later) in a circular shape to fit into a tart shell. Bake the shell at 325 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Fill a medium saucepan one-third full with water and bring to a simmer. Put the zest and lemon juice in a medium bowl and whisk in the eggs. Add the sugar and butter and place the bowl over the simmering water; the water must not touch the bottom of the bowl. Cook, whisking constantly, until the butter is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan of hot water and allow the mixture to cool for 15 minutes. Place the prebaked tart shell on a baking sheet. Pour the filling into the shell and bake the tart for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the center is just set. Cool the tart completely on a wire rack. Garnish with a lemon rind and mint leaves.

Purple Sage’s Balsamic Roasted Red Pepper Soup

“This is my go-to soup after a particularly busy day preparing for service. It’s all about marriage of flavors,” says Purple Sage Owner/Chef Travis Axtel.

1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
½ gallon heavy cream
2 28-ounce cans roasted red peppers
48 ounces tomato juice
¾ cup sugar
salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan or stockpot add the vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, tomato juice, and cream. Heat on high. In the meantime, purée the roasted red peppers and sugar in a blender until smooth. When the liquid on the stove has come to a boil, add the purée from the blender and return to a boil. Turn heat down so soup can simmer until it has reached its desired potency.

Reef’s Halva Cookies

½ cup sugar
1 cup self-rising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 packages vanilla sugar (find in a specialty grocery or online)
½ cup tahini
¾ cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together. Add the butter and mix until an even dough forms (using damp, warm hands can be easiest).  Add the vanilla and knead until just incorporated. Form dough into balls a little over 2 tsp (about .6 ounces) each, placing them at least one and a half inches apart from one another on a prepared baking sheet. Press your thumb into each ball to flatten slightly. Bake for 15 minutes and cool before serving.

Shabu’s Blistered Green Beans

½ pound green beans, washed and trimmed
2 cups white miso
¾ cup sugar
1 cup sake
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp crushed, roasted peanuts

Heat miso, sugar, and sake on medium heat until sugar dissolves. Let cool.  Add chile-garlic sauce. Set aside. In medium saucepan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Add green beans. Sauté until beans appear blistered. Stir in sauce. Top with crushed, roasted pean