Asparagus-Gruyere Tart and Two Salads

I have the best sister a girl could ask for. People say that, I know, but I'm actually right on this one. I got to stay with her for nearly a month this summer and it was so much fun. Her then-fiance (and my now-brother, Erik) and their dog Jackson, with whom I had a mixed relationship until August, were gracious enough to take me in for four weeks. I learned a lot about them this summer, living in a two-bedroom apartment. I learned how hard they work - long hours, bus rides to the loop from Lincoln Park, jobs that were in flux but are now settling in; how loved they are by their friends, and they have many - always with somewhere to be or someone to see on the weekend; and how you can fall in love with a fuzzy puppy who at one point bit your hand but who knows just how to turn on his puppy dog eyes and win you over.

One of my favorite times were the weeknight family dinners we had. Since I had the month off and spent most of it prepping internship applications and working on my dissertation, I was able to search Pinterest and my favorite foodie blogs for fun recipes that could accommodate our varying diets: my sister's vegetarian, Erik is not, and I don't really like chicken. I know, it's a quirk.

So here are a few things we had for family dinner.

Asparagus-Gruyere Tart
(so slightly adapted from here)

Ingredients
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
5-6 oz. Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 bundle thick asparagus
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Roll out puff pastry on a floured surface into a 16x10" rectangle. Trim off the uneven edges to make a square.
3. Place pastry on a baking sheet and lightly score 1" from the edges to mark a rectangle. Also, pierce the center of the pastry with a fork.
4. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, shred the gruyere cheese and set aside.
6. Remove pastry from oven and sprinkle with the cheese.
7. Trim of the bottoms of the asparagus and shave with a vegetable peeler to remove the outer layer. Arrange in a single layer over the Gruyere, alternating ends and tips to make a pretty pattern.
8. Brush with olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper.
9. Bake until asparagus is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes (depending on how thick the spears are).
10. Serve hot or at room temperature.


Fig & Gorgonzola Salad

Ingredients
5-8 fresh figs
1 ripe pear
1 bunch green onions
1 package baby arugula
4 oz. gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Vinaigrette (I like Girard's Light Champagne the best)

Directions
1. Rinse arugula, pat dry, and arrange on a large serving plate.
2. Toss with desired amount of vinaigrette.
3. Slice figs into 1/4" pieces (slicing from stem to bottom) and arrange on the arugula.
4. Slice pears into 1/4" pieces and arrange with the sliced figs.
*Note: I cut the pear in half, then half again, then slice off the parts nearest the core and seeds. Then I slice them thinly to desired width.
5. Slice green onions, both the white and green parts, and sprinkle over the salad.
6. Crumble gorgonzola cheese on top and serve.

Tomato & Mozzarella Salad

Ingredients
Fresh heirloom tomatoes (or vine-ripened)
Fresh mozzarella
Red wine vinegar
Granulated sugar
Salt and black pepper

Directions
1. Slice the tomatoes to desired thickness and place in a small to medium mixing bowl.
2. Add desired amount of red wine vinegar, a sprinkle of sugar, a pinch of salt, and black pepper.
3. Let marinate for 10-20 minutes.
4. Remove from marinade and arrange on a platter.
5. Slice fresh mozzarella and arrange on top of the tomatoes.