Isn’t it great how everyone is sharing recipes right now? We thought it would be fun to get our friends’ favorite recipes for a progressive menu dinner (Annie’s brilliant idea). I can’t wait to try them all. Cindy and her husband, Steve also have recommended wine pairings.
Progressive Menu Dinner
Reading the menu makes my mouth water and conjures up scents and images of a heavenly dinner party with dear friends…which we will do again! But for now, you can make these dishes for your family/housemates. The recipe links are at the end of the post.
The day I made this dessert, I walked down Lombard Street here in San Francisco. It’s usually crowded but the city is pretty empty now. See if you can figure out the relationship of the design on my dessert to Lombard Street 🙂
Lemon Tart With Shortbread Crust and Fresh Berries
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1/2 cup butter cut into chunks one stick
- 1 large egg separated
- 2 tbsp ice water
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice about 5 lemons
- 1 lemon zested or more if you like really lemony
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 1/2 pints berries for topping
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
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To make the pastry, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt together in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the dough resembles cornmeal. Add the egg yolk and 2 tablespoons ice water and pulse again until the dough pulls together. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes
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Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface. I used a rectangular tart pan or use 10-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom. Roll the dough up onto the pin and lay it inside. Press the dough into the edges of the pan and fold the excess dough inside to reinforce the rim. Cover the tart pan with plastic wrap and put it into the refrigerator for another 30 minutes to rest.
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To bake the shell, heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
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Put the tart pan on a baking sheet and prick the bottom of the dough with a fork. Cover the shell with a piece of parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dry beans. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights. Lightly beat the egg white with 1 teaspoon water and brush it onto the bottom and sides of the tart shell; set aside to cool.
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Whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, cream, zest, and salt. Add the blueberries to the cooled tart shell. Put on the oven shelf and then and pour the filling over the blueberries. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The curd should jiggle slightly when done.
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Cool to room temperature, remove from the tart ring. Garnish berries and powdered sugar if desired and serve.
And that’s our Progressive Menu Dinner.
Recipes
Gwen Moss “Charcuterie and Cheese”
Sheri Silver “White Bean Salad in Radicchio Leaves”
Rough Luxe “Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad”
Stone Gable “Asparagus in Puff Pastry With Brie“
Most Lovely Things ” Caramelized Shallot Pasta”
Classic Casual Home “Lemon Tart With Shortbread Crust And Berries”
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I came to San Francisco 2.5 years ago for my 60th birthday. My friend and I went down Lombard Street in an Uber 🙂 Your city is magical and I have thought about that trip every day since. It was my first. I cannot wait to come back.
Such a fun post and these recipes all look so delicious that I’m adding them to my recipe file. But with my extra large sweet tooth, your lemon tart is not only beautiful, but it made my mouth water! Hope you are staying safe and thank you so much for always bringing sunshine to my day with your wonderful posts.
How delicious and beautiful, Mary Ann! While I only get a tiny taste (as a matter of survival, madame), I can only imagine the zing of that lemon meeting the rich crust. What a gorgeous dinner you ladies have prepared for us – just a genius way to lift spirits and send ripples of deliciousness through the land. Cheers!
Thanks, Michele!! I lifted my spirits too!!
What a beautiful, beautiful dessert, Mary Ann! I’m pinning this and can’t wait to use it! Thanks for including me in this scrumptious progressive dinner!
We are so glad you could join us, Yvonne!!
Mary Ann! This looks amazing! I love anything lemon…add shortbread crust..OMG!!!
RASPBERRIES ARE LOMBARD STREET!
BLUEBERRIES ARE THE HYDRANGEAS!!!!!
Gorgeous! You might need at least another tart to get in all of those wicked switchback turns on the “crookedest” street in SF! I made lemon bars last week and baked in a 9 x 13 pan lined with parchment. I don’t know what I did wrong, but I couldn’t get it out of the pan!!!! My husband ended up eating the lemon curd top. With the top gone, I turned it over and peeled off the parchment. It was like two desserts in one. Custard followed by lemon flavored shortbread cookies. Why didn’t I think of baking in a tart pan? I will now! Love the rectangular size.
I love walking down Lombard Street – the crookedest street! Walking up another story. Great idea for your raspberries!
It’s fun!!
That looks so good Mary Ann and I love your artistic design! My husband just happened to be walking by when he saw it on my computer screen and said ooooh…he loves shortbread and we have an abundance of lemons on our tree. Just need the berries. I have both tart pan sizes so I might be making this very soon! :o)
Linda
I hope you make it, Linda! I had leftovers for breakfast 🙂
Mary Ann this is such a pretty dessert. I have to get one of those pans and try this. It’s really stunning. I wish we could do a progressive dinner party one day again. It may be a while and in the meantime it’s nice to have a few new dishes to try! xo
That’s what we were thinking, Kim!
This is beyond beautiful. It looks just like one of my sorry attempts at dessert. Just kidding. I do love lemon and even though I am not a big sweet fan, this looks pretty fabulous!! Your table looks gorgeous. You are the Ina Garten of San Francisco. Thanks for organizing this. What would we do without your organization skills?
Thanks for the pretty menu graphic, Cindy…and the wine pairings!
MaryAnn. I have to tell you that if I was your guest and you put this in front of me I would want to just admire how pretty it is before i even let my fork touch it. I love it. And I so appreciate your design with the berries. I have the biggest sweet tooth and I love anything with fruit and a crust, especially if it’s a home-made crust. You’ve made me want to replace my food processor (that finally give out after all these years), just so I can make this.
xo
Leslie
Ha! I love lemon too, Leslie.
This is gorgeous! I am always so reluctant to make and roll my own dough but this is tempting me to get over that fear! So happy to be joining you in this dinner! xo
It’s easy if the dough falls apart a bit as you can just press it lightly in the pan. YOU are the chef, Sheri!