NY Times #93

If you caught the "Dining In" section of The New York Times, on Wednesday, July 18th you saw Mark Bittman's article,

"Summer Express: 101 Simple Meals Ready in 10 Minutes or Less".

It's a real winner! It was first forwarded to me as an email from the Calphalon g-ddess, and then the newspaper section was passed to me by my grandmother. The email noted #93 as a recipe of interest and my grandmother pointed out her favorite ideas, so I skimmed the list and decided to try some of these recipes during the next few weeks to see what I like best.

Honestly, they are all healthy and hearty meals made from summer produce and basic food staples.

Recognizing that my friend had probably forwarded the article to others with the mention of #93, I thought it would be a nice gesture to start there first.

93: Cut up Italian sausage into chunks and brown in a little olive oil until just about done. Dump in a lot of seedless grapes and, if you like, a little slivered garlic and chopped rosemary. Cook, stirring, until the grapes are hot. Serve with bread.

This is it. Easy and it literally took 10 minutes to finish the whole project. It smelled absolutely divine. I used spicy turkey sausages, seedless red grapes, chopped garlic and fresh rosemary from my patio herb garden.

Stay tuned for more adventures from the Summer Express 101 list.

“Glass City Gourmet” is a chronicle of one woman's attempt to cook, eat, diet and entertain with both flair and whimsy while based in Toledo, Ohio. I encourage you to read on as the "Glass City Gourmet" attempts grand recipes, samples locally owned restaurants, visits indigenous markets and humbly pursues her quest to be formally recognized as the official "Glass City Gourmet".

Culinary Crush?

I think I've developed a "culinary crush". Or, maybe it's a "culinary infatuation"? There's nothing romantic or even malicious about it (If my vocabulary serves me well, this would exclude "culinary envy" as a label). It can best be described as meeting someone with superior culinary skills, tools and entertaining flair...and hanging on her every word.

About a month ago, I was introduced to a woman who is a marketing executive at Calphalon. (http://www.calphalon.com/) Check out the "history" section of their website.

She has a tiny kitchen equipped with Calphalon pieces from every line . A few weeks ago, I got to enjoy a dinner party at her house. It was a casual barbecue but it included some fabulous salads, grilled veggies, seasoned burgers, and a gorgeous array of home baked pies and cupcakes. I was particularly entranced by the enormous cutting board on which she artfully arranged cheeses, nuts, dried fruit and crackers as an appetizer. In all honesty, the Glass City Gourmet has never even attempted entertaining for a crowd. It all looked so beautiful, and yet she did it all in one day. GASP!

Last weekend, I invited my heroine, her husband and son to join us for Thai night. After dinner, we went back to her house and she performed on the fly, with beautiful chocolate martinis and an array of fun cookies. I was tickled to be given a new "Calphalon Kitchen Essentials 6 Cupcake Pan with Silicone Liners". It turned out that while distribution is underway, this is a piece not yet available in stores. I was giddy with excitement.

As quickly as possible, I tested this in my own kitchen with a recipe for Blueberry Crunch Muffins. These muffins freeze well for up to 3 weeks.

Blueberry Crunch Muffins


Topping
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1.2 c. unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. cold unsalted butter, cut into bits


Muffins
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 large egg
2/3 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup blueberries (picked over for stems)


To make the topping, put the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a food processor and pulse to combine. Drop the butter on top and pulse until the mixture begins to form small, pebble like nuggets. If you don't feel like cleaning the food processor, combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and use two knives or a pastry blender to work the mixture into the crumby nuggets.

Preheat oven to 400F. Line 12 muffin tins with silcone or paper liners.

To make the muffins, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and sugar. Blend in the egg, buttermilk, and vanilla. Sift the flour and baking powder into the mix, then drop the blueberries on to of the dry ingredients and stir until just blended, being careful not to break up the blueberries.

Spoon 1/4 c. of batter into each muffin cup and top with 1 tbs of the crunchy topping. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 17-20 minutes.


“Glass City Gourmet” is a chronicle of one woman's attempt to cook, eat, diet and entertain with both flair and whimsy while based in Toledo, Ohio. I encourage you to read on as the "Glass City Gourmet" attempts grand recipes, samples locally owned restaurants, visits indigenous markets and humbly pursues her quest to be formally recognized as the official "Glass City Gourmet".

Back on the "Calcium Diet"

I popped a pants button this week. Ugh. It used to be that my stomach muscles were so strong that the contraction of abdominal muscles that accompanies a sneeze could pop a button. Not so, anymore. One of the problems of making cooking a hobby is that the pounds can creep up on you...

I got on the scale and found out that I had gained 8 pounds since February. No wonder I popped a button! In honor of my decision to get back on a diet, I ate a half a pint of Ben & Jerry's and finished every other sweet delicacy in my home (Yup, a half a bar of Scharffen Berger 60% cacao went down nice and easy along with the remnants of a peach cobbler). It just seemed like the most worthy thing to do before the deprivation started.


If you've followed my blog, you may know that I'm a big fan of Dr. Jana Klauer's diet, "The New Calcium Diet". Basically, there is a three day jump start that involves eating a ton of dairy, protein, and veggies and then drinking gallons of water and green tea. This gets most of the water weight off before hitting the more moderate phases of the diet where carbohydrates and fruit come back into your life. It's actually an extremely healthy way for women to eat and I was able to follow it for about a year before I "fell off the wagon" and started eating too much food and too many refined carbohydrates (see the Fage yogurt entry of 04/06).


Anyway, day two of the jump start and I'm a little sluggish. Last night, I prepared my 4 oz of fish with as much flavor as I could pull together.

Broiled Fish with Fresh Herbs and Lemon Zest


5 tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 tbs. finely minced garlic
1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
grated zest of one lemon
2 tbs. lemon juice
4 firm fish fillets (halibut, sea bass, swordfish)

In a small saute pan, over low heat, warm 5 tbs. of the olive oil. Add the garlic and herbs and simmer for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice. Let cool completely.

Place the fish fillets in a shallow glass baking pan, salt & pepper the fish to taste, and pour mixture over the fillets. Cover and marinate for 2-3 hours in the refrigerator.

Preheat the broiler. Place fish on a the broiler pan or on a grill rack. Broil or grill, turning once, until opaque throughout when tested with a knife, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a warmed platter and garnish with lemon wedges. Serve at once.

“Glass City Gourmet” is a chronicle of one woman's attempt to cook, eat, diet and entertain with both flair and whimsy while based in Toledo, Ohio. I encourage you to read on as the "Glass City Gourmet" attempts grand recipes, samples locally owned restaurants, visits indigenous markets and humbly pursues her quest to be formally recognized as the official "Glass City Gourmet".

Breakfast in Bed/Le Petit Dejeuner en Lit

Have you ever put sauteed tomatoes into scrambled eggs? Conceptually, the idea of sauteed tomatoes with maybe a few chopped onions and green peppers sounds pretty tasty. However, because tomatoes are soooo juicy, the extra water can cause the texture of the eggs to get rather grainy. That's the best way I can describe it.


With this in mind, I thought it might be best to add the eggs to the tomato - rather than adding the tomato to the eggs. I whisked up some scrambled eggs with a little fresh grated Gruyere cheese (sprinkled on just as the eggs are finished cooking) and then spooned the cheesy eggs into a tomato. I had made cuts in the tomato, and cleared out the pulp and seeds to open it up enough to hold the eggs. Then I put a few fresh snipped chives from my garden on top for a little extra color. I underestimated how far the tomato would spread open with the eggs inside, so I used a couple of Soy Sausage patties to prop the sides up and make the plate prettier...oh, dear. A "near miss" for the Glass City Gourmet.

It was a hit! And a very neat and tidy way to serve breakfast in bed on a lazy Saturday. I put it on a tray with some fresh cut fruit and all the accompaniments e Voila! Le petit dejeuner en lit!

“Glass City Gourmet” is a chronicle of one woman's attempt to cook, eat, diet and entertain with both flair and whimsy while based in Toledo, Ohio. I encourage you to read on as the "Glass City Gourmet" attempts grand recipes, samples locally owned restaurants, visits indigenous markets and humbly pursues her quest to be formally recognized as the official "Glass City Gourmet".

Terrific Tofu?

It's back. Just when you thought I had enough of this wacky food stuff. I sent the BF to the grocery store with a list of necessities and he threw in a block of firm tofu. Sometimes I feel like the "Iron Chef" with the less than savory ingredients that sometimes make it into my kitchen...


Once again, I reached for Nina Simonds' James Beard Award winning cookbook, A Spoonful of Ginger:Irresistible, Health-Giving Recipes From Asian Kitchens. After comparing a few recipes to the contents of my pantry and fridge, I decided on "Braised Cinnamon Tofu". I didn't have any anise seed so I substituted fennel seed and it worked well. I also realized that this would end up being a soup, so I decided to make brown rice to create a more hearty meal.


The broth has a wonderful scent that will fill your kitchen. It is an interesting combination of flavors and braising the tofu for a full hour infuses the tofu with flavor. The best part about braising tofu is that you don't have to do that whole bit with the towels and the cast iron skillet to drain the water out of the tofu. You can eliminate that step because of the way this is cooked.



Braised Cinnamon Tofu with Brown Rice
Serves 4.

1 tsp. safflower or corn oil

Seasonings
6 whole scallions, ends trimmed, smashed lightly with the flat side of a knife and cut into 1 1/2 in. sections
6 garlic cloves, smashed lightly with the flat side of a knife and sliced thinly
4 slices fresh ginger, about the size of a quarter, smashed lightly with the flat side of a knife
1 tsp. hot Chile paste
2 sticks cinnamon
1 tsp anise seed (fennel seed works just fine)


1/2 c. soy sauce (I prefer the reduced sodium kind)
6 cups water
2 lbs firm tofu, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 lb. spinach, stems trimmed, rinsed, and drained

3 tbs. minced scallion greens


1 cup brown rice (rinsed)
2 1/4 c. chicken stock


Heat a large pot or casserole over medium-high heat, add the oil, heat until hot, about 30 seconds, and add the Seasonings. Stir fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds, then add the soy sauce and water. Heat until boiling, add the tofu, and boil again.


Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, skimming the surface to remove impurities and fat. Cook for 1 hour, until the tofu is drenched and with the flavors of the braising mixture. Remove the ginger slices and cinnamon sticks and discard.


While the tofu was simmering, I brought 2 1/4 cups of chicken stock to boil in another saucepan and added a cup of long grain brown rice. I put a lid on the rice and turned the heat down to low to simmer the rice while the tofu cooked.


Add the spinach, clump by clump to the tofu and heat until boiling. Put a half cup of brown rice in the bottom of a soup bowl. Ladle the tofu mixture over the rice, and sprinkle scallion greens on top to serve.


“Glass City Gourmet” is a chronicle of one woman's attempt to cook, eat, diet and entertain with both flair and whimsy while based in Toledo, Ohio. I encourage you to read on as the "Glass City Gourmet" attempts grand recipes, samples locally owned restaurants, visits indigenous markets and humbly pursues her quest to be formally recognized as the official "Glass City Gourmet".

Fisherman's Etiquette

I believe there is an unwritten rule for sportsmen...bring me something I can cook. My Wasband was a serious sportsman and always made sure to hand me a bag of fillets, a packet of freshly butchered and labeled elk meat, a plucked and cleaned bird, or any other "ready to cook" version of whatever happened to be the catch or kill of the day.

Last Saturday night, I was invited to come over to someone's house to prepare fresh rainbow trout. Imagine my surprise to find 10 whole fish looking at me from inside of a plastic bag.
Well, not entirely whole. The fish had been gutted. Definitely dead. But heads, tails, skin and eyeballs were all intact. Ugh. Couple that with a package of brand new knives and a drawer full of very old dull ones, and I was less than excited.

Fortunately, the person who invited me to this little fish fricassee is fast on his feet. He was smart enough to grab a camera and insist that this was a challenge for the Glass City Gourmet. Ok. He got me. My ego loves a challenge...it also loves a "food stylist" (check out the final frame, careful plating compliments of my loving photographer).

While I sorted through the various knives in search of the perfect blade, his mother called a chef at a local country club to confirm the process. Hold the tail firmly with one hand, and using a slanted knife, use the other hand to slice from the tail to the head in a sweeping motion to remove the fillet.

I can do this. I had actually watched my Wasband do this a number of times. He always worked outdoors on piles of newsprint. I had a cutting board, a knife and a sink nearby.

The first few incisions were sloppy. I missed the bulk of the meat. Damn. After about four fish, I hit my stride. I was filleting like a real fish monger. I had thrown all of the leftover parts into a plastic bag when the lady of the house started asking about fish stock. In all honesty, I've never used it in a recipe. Not that I don't enjoy these challenges...but I thought I had already tempted the kitchen g-ds once tonight with the filleting adventure. So I flashed back to life with the sportsman and remembered him using fish parts to fertilize his rose bushes. BINGO! No more fish stock.

Once I had a nice stack of fish fillets, I contemplated cooking them. With a roll of aluminum foil and an assortment of savory vegetables and white wine, I was ready to make these fillets sing!

Fresh Trout Grilled in Foil

6 fresh fish fillets
1 cup chopped fresh tomato
1 cup chopped artichoke hearts (packed in oil is best)
1/4 c. capers
1/2 c. chopped green olives
6 leaves of basil (chopped)
1 small onion (sliced and separated into rings)
a few sprigs of fresh oregano (washed, stems removed)
a few sprigs of fresh rosemary (washed, stems removed)
2 cloves of garlic (sliced thinly)
1 1/2 c. white wine
olive oil

Tear off one sheet of aluminum foil large enough to create a packet around each fillet. Pour a small amount of olive oil onto the foil. Place the fillet inside with the skin touching the foil. Add a little of each of the ingredients and pour a 1/4 c. of wine on the fillet. Fold the ends of the foil into triangles. Bring up the sides evenly and push the triangles within the two standing sides. Roll the edge until you have a neat, tight packet around the fish that will hold all of the liquid and ingredients within the foil. Repeat for the remaining fillets.

Preheat the grill to about 350 F. Place the fish packets on the grill for about 8-10 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets. Remove from grill. Serve immediately. You may serve the packets on plates. This allows each diner to open the packet and get the great aroma of the baked herbs and seasonings. Or remove the fish from the packets and serve.

I served these fillets with grilled corn and sauteed spinach. The dish was a hit! It could also be made with any other flakey whitefish.

“Glass City Gourmet” is a chronicle of one woman's attempt to cook, eat, diet and entertain with both flair and whimsy while based in Toledo, Ohio. I encourage you to read on as the "Glass City Gourmet" attempts grand recipes, samples locally owned restaurants, visits indigenous markets and humbly pursues her quest to be formally recognized as the official "Glass City Gourmet".

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Pasta Primavera

Sometimes, you just have to wing it with whatever ingredients you have in the house. Earlier this week, I had leftover prosciutto, frozen peas, a pint of half and half and a hunk of parmigiano reggiano. With a little garlic, olive oil, butter and most of a box of penne...I knew my best option. Pasta Primavera!

After a quick glance at a few recipes, I decided to "wing it". Here's an easy and healthier version of this authentic Italian dish.

3/4 lb. dried whole wheat penne

4 oz sliced prosciutto

4 leaves fresh basil (washed and chopped)

2 tbs. half and half (cream is ideal, though)

grated fresh parmigiano reggiano cheese

1 tbs. olive oil

2 tbs. butter

1 tsp. crushed garlic

1/2 c. frozen peas (baby peas are nice)

Bring a 2 qt. saucepan filled with water to a boil. While it is heating up, prep the basil by washing it and chopping it (see directions for creating a "chiffonade" in last entry). Use the same technique to slice up the prosciutto. Once the water is boiling, add a little kosher salt and a splash of olive oil to prevent the noodles from sticking together, the water from boiling over, and to keep the pasta from over cooking. While the noodles cook, saute the garlic with 1 tbs. olive oil. Add two tbs. butter for flavor, if desired. Once the garlic is cooked, but not brown, add the frozen peas, basil and prosciutto. Continue to saute over medium heat to warm the ingredients. Add the half and half and turn the heat to low. Once the pasta is done, strain it. Return it to the cooking pan and add the contents of the saute pain. Return to the stove with the heat at low. Once the primavera is mixed with the noodles, add the fresh parmigiano to thicken the sauce and intensify the flavor.

Serve immediately with extra cheese.

“Glass City Gourmet” is a chronicle of one woman's attempt to cook, eat, diet and entertain with both flair and whimsy while based in Toledo, Ohio. I encourage you to read on as the "Glass City Gourmet" attempts grand recipes, samples locally owned restaurants, visits indigenous markets and humbly pursues her quest to be formally recognized as the official "Glass City Gourmet".

Savory Steak Salad

I'm not sure where the trend originated. Someone came up with the idea of combining dried fruit, nuts, bleu cheese and red onions with varieties of lettuce to create a more interesting salad . The farthest back I can go in my own cookbook colletion is to a salad with blue cheese, pear, and a walnut vinaigrette from the Silver Palate Cookbook published in 1989. I do know that once this combination hit mass production at national chain restaurants and got drowned in sweet raspberry vinaigrette dressing, it lost it's zing.


Last night, I had a few people over for a light summer dinner. I served this hearty salad, an assortment of cheeses and crackers, along with some fresh cut fruit and a glass of wine. Starting with a few ingredients I already had in my apartment, I did my best to update the unique combination of strong cheese, sweet dried fruit, and earthy nuts. I hope this leaves the McDonald's version in the dust...



Savory Steak Salad

(Serves 4)



1 - 1lb. sirloin steak (grilled or broiled to preference, and sliced into 1/2" strips
1 1/2 bags of European lettuce mix, rinsed and dried (yup, I'm a cheater!)
3/4 lb. asparagus spears (lightly cooked, and plunged in an ice bath to cool and keep the crunch)
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. crumbled bleu cheese
1/3 c. toasted pine nuts
1/4 red onion (sliced thinly into rings)
3-4 leaves of fresh basil
balsamic vinaigrette to taste
crushed black pepper

Pepper the steak on both sides, to taste, and then Broil or grill the steak to preference. While it cools for a few minutes, wash the asparagus spears. Clip off the tough ends. Bring water in a large saute pan to boil. Add asparagus spears. Turn off heat and let sit for 2-3 minutes or just until asparagus is "tender crisp". Plunge into a bath of ice water to cool and retain bright green color. Cut asparagus into 1 inch length pieces and chill. Return to the steak, and slice it against the grain into 1/2 inch thick strips. You may refrigerate until just before serving.

Toast pine nuts. I prefer to use a small saute pan over a medium flame, or spread the nuts on aluminum foil and put into a toaster oven on 325 F until the nuts get lightly browned. Remove and put in a glass cup or bowl to cool to room temperature.

Crumble bleu cheese into another small container and refrigerate. Slice the onion and store in a Ziploc plastic bag until ready to serve. Wash and dry basil leaves. Stack them on top of each other and roll it up legthwise, like a jelly roll (could also look like a green cigarette). Using a sharp pairing knife, hold the roll steady and slice every 1/8 inch starting at the tip of the leaf and ending with a slice to cut off the stem). This is easier done than typed. It is known as creating a "chiffonade" of basil. Set the basil aside. It may be refrigerated in a closed container or plastic bag until ready to serve.

When ready to serve: Rinse and dry the lettuce leaves. Place them in a large salad bowl. Add all of the other ingredients and spread evenly across the top of the lettuce pile. I started with the beef, then the asparagus, the onions, then the cherries, then the nuts, the basil, and finally the cheese. I prefer a light amount of dressing, so I tossed mine with a quarter of a cup of salad dressing and left additional dressing on the table for people to add as needed.

Salad ingredients may be prepared, and chilled, for up to 6 hours in advance of serving.


“Glass City Gourmet” is a chronicle of one woman's attempt to cook, eat, diet and entertain with both flair and whimsy while based in Toledo, Ohio. I encourage you to read on as the "Glass City Gourmet" attempts grand recipes, samples locally owned restaurants, visits indigenous markets and humbly pursues her quest to be formally recognized as the official "Glass City Gourmet".

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Brunch with "The Girls"

This weekend my boyfriend treated me to a trip to Virginia Beach to meet his kids. This might seem like a low key event, but after six months of dating it seemed a little scary. Anyway, day one we were driving through his old neighborhood and I thought it would be fun to see the house in which he lived. As we were driving around the cul de sac, we could see his two boys shooting baskets and his former spouse standing on the driveway....yikes! Worlds collide! Actually, it went surprisingly well. His former spouse was perky and pleasant.

We ended up having dinner with his boys and eighteen year old daughter at a local Italian restaurant. I let the kids know that I was fully aware that dinner with their father's girlfriend was about as appealing as eating bugs as a contestant on "Fear Factor" and that seemed to help. Somewhere between appetizers and the main course, the BF blurted out something about my cooking skills. He invited them to dinner at his place on Sunday night. His two older kids immediately announced other plans were in place already. By the end of the night, his daughter offered to have a few friends over to his place to have brunch on Sunday morning and I agreed to whip up something special. The request was for French Toast. Thank goodness for the Internet...clearly, I did not travel with my cookbook collection and I felt the need to do something a little unique after the build up on my culinary skills. So, here it is:

Grand Marnier, Cheese Stuffed French Toast

12 slices firm-textured white bread
1/4 lb. butter
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
4 tbsp. Grand Marnier or orange juice, divided
1 1/2 tsp. orange zest (rind), grated
1/2 c. pecans, chopped (optional)
8 eggs or equivalent amount of egg substitute
2 1/2 c. milk
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
Strawberry or maple syrup
Powdered sugar (optional)

Butter 1 side of each bread slice; lay 6 slices flat, buttered side down, in lightly buttered 13 x 9 x 3 inch pan. In small bowl mix cream cheese, 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier, orange zest and pecans, if desired. Spread evenly over bread in pan. Place remaining bread slices over top, buttered side up. In medium bowl, beat eggs, milk, granulated sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier until well blended. Pour over bread slices in pan. Refrigerate overnight. An hour before you are ready to serve brunch, bake bread at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Serve hot with warmed maple or strawberry syrup. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

The dish was a hit. I served it with turkey bacon, roasted potatoes, and pineapple boats with strawberries. The girls had fun and enjoyed the brunch.

“Glass City Gourmet” is a chronicle of one woman's attempt to cook, eat, diet and entertain with both flair and whimsy while based in Toledo, Ohio. I encourage you to read on as the "Glass City Gourmet" attempts grand recipes, samples locally owned restaurants, visits indigenous markets and humbly pursues her quest to be formally recognized as the official "Glass City Gourmet".

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Frozen Lemon Torte

Spring is in the air and a warm night is the perfect time to indulge in something sweet and refreshing. This frozen lemon torte takes minutes to make, but is always a crowd pleaser. I typically go to a locally owned Italian market (Sofo's) to buy the gourmet lady fingers. These should not be confused with the yellow, cake like lady fingers sold in most chain grocery stores as 'lady fingers'. They are NOT the same thing. The Italian version looks pretty with the light glaze and dusting of extra fine sugar on one side, and their crunch holds up during baking.

2 (3 oz.) packages of ladyfingers

2 (14 oz.) cans of sweetened condensed milk (OK to use 1 low fat can)

8 egg yolks

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest

8 egg whites

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

confectioner's sugar

1 thin lemon slice (twisted) or one large strawberry for garnishing the top of the finished dessert

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line the bottom of a greased 9 inch spring form pan with some of the ladyfingers, trimming the lady fingers to fit if needed. Stand the remaining lady fingers around the edge of the pan, with the pretty side facing out. You will need to cut the bottom ends so the tops of the lady fingers are EVEN with the top of the edge of the pan. This is important! I missed this little clue the first time I made this and it just looked silly to have the tops of the lady fingers towering over the lemon part.

Whisk the condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon juice and lemon zest in a large bowl. Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar in a mixing bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold into the lemon mixture. Spoon into the prepared pan. I've always found that this recipe makes more filling than you need...so maybe you can use some leftover ladyfingers and a small souffle pan to make a mini tart? Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the top of the torte is light brown.

Cool pan on a wire rack. Freeze, covered with foil, for up to three months.

To serve, remove the side of the pan and place the torte on a cake plate. Dust lightly with confectioner's sugar and arrange the lemon slices in the center of the torte. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. I like to fan a strawberry on each plate. Leftovers may be refrozen.

Gotta be honest about that picture of the torte...I don't suppose I'm fooling anyone that the photo is a half a torte! I used it as the end of a dinner party before remembering that I wanted to put this lovely dessert on the blog. Oops.

“Glass City Gourmet” is a chronicle of one woman's attempt to cook, eat, diet and entertain with both flair and whimsy while based in Toledo, Ohio. I encourage you to read on as the "Glass City Gourmet" attempts grand recipes, samples locally owned restaurants, visits indigenous markets and humbly pursues her quest to be formally recognized as the official "Glass City Gourmet".