All posts by Sam

Spice Mix

Sazón (Puerto Rican Spice Mix)

November 23, 2019 Sam

Print Recipe

Sazón

Puerto Rican spice mix

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Course: Ingredient

Cuisine: Puerto Rican

Keyword: Spice Mix

Servings: servings

Calories: 43kcal

Ingredients

1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp ground annatto or ½ turmeric, ½ sweet paprika
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

Mix the spices together. Store.

Nutrition

Dairy-Free, Favorites, Side

Puerto Rican White Rice

November 23, 2019 Sam

Arroz blanco maybe? Not sure what it is called traditionally, but the oil here makes this special.

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Puerto Rican White Rice

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Puerto Rican

Servings: servings

Calories: 241kcal

Ingredients

1 cup Calrose rice
1.5 cups water
2 tbsp oil maybe a bit less
½ tsp salt

Instructions

Rinse the 1 cup rice. Bring a bit less than 2 tbsp oil, 1.5 cups water, and ½ tsp salt to a boil over high heat. Add the rice, allow to just gently boil, and cook until the water has just about cooked out (it will not be cooked). Stir, reduce heat to medium-low and cover and cook, checking and stirring every 4-5 minutes, until it is cooked (15-25 minutes).

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Puerto Rican White Rice

Amount Per Serving

Calories 241 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Trans Fat 1g

Sodium 296mg13%

Potassium 38mg1%

Carbohydrates 40g13%

Fiber 1g4%

Protein 3g6%

Calcium 4mg0%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Quick, Weeknight Dinner

Grilled Caprese Flatbread

November 23, 2019 Sam

This is a great meal for Naan Week (especially in summer) because it is typically going to be different than other naan-centered planned for that same week.

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Grilled Caprese Flatbread and Salad

Naan serves as an excellent flatbread to support a fresh summer dinner

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Total Time45

Servings: servings

Calories: 707kcal

Ingredients

2 pieces naan
1 tbsp olive oil for brushing
4 oz fresh mozzarella sliced
8 oz tomatoes cored and thinly sliced
1 tsp salt
2 oz basil pesto

Salad and Dressing

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large lemon zested and juiced
3 oz arugula

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients and lay it all out. Preheat a broiler on high.
In a large bowl, whisk together 1 tbsp lemon juice and 2 tbsp oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
1 large lemon, 2 tbsp olive oil
Brush both sides of the naan with oil. Place on a sheet pan under the broiler for about 3 minutes until the top is developing good color. Remove from the oven.
2 pieces naan, 1 tbsp olive oil
Flip the naan so the bottom is the crispy side. Divide the sliced mozzarella among the naan, then top with tomato slices to cover (some can be for the salad). Season with with some of the salt and fresh pepper. Sprinkle with half of the Parmesan.
4 oz fresh mozzarella, 8 oz tomatoes, 1 tsp salt
Return flatbreads to the oven and broil until the cheese looks softer or melted, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat if everything is browning too quickly. Transfer to a cutting board to cool briefly.
Finish the salad. To the large bowl with the oil and lemon juice, mix in remaining tomatoes, arugula, walnuts and parmesan.
3 oz arugula
Sprinkle some of the lemon zest and the 2 oz pesto over the top of the flatbreads, then cut into wedges.
2 oz basil pesto

Notes

Serves 2

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Grilled Caprese Flatbread and Salad

Amount Per Serving

Calories 707 Calories from Fat 441

% Daily Value*

Fat 49g75%

Saturated Fat 13g81%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 3g

Monounsaturated Fat 19g

Cholesterol 50mg17%

Sodium 2238mg97%

Potassium 629mg18%

Carbohydrates 48g16%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 9g10%

Protein 23g46%

Vitamin A 2959IU59%

Vitamin C 52mg63%

Calcium 483mg48%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Basics, Sauces

Sofrito (Puerto Rican Cooking Base)

November 23, 2019 Sam

Delicious start to Puerto Rican meals.

Print Recipe

Sofrito

A delicious base for Puetro Rican meals

Prep Time15

Cook Time0

Total Time15

Course: Ingredient

Cuisine: Puerto Rican

Servings: portions

Calories: 63kcal

Equipment

Food processor

Ingredients

1 medium yellow onion large chopped
1 Anaheim pepper or cubanelle if available; stemmed, seeded and rough chopped
9 cloves garlic peeled and trimmed
½ bunch cilantro rough chopped
4 ajices dulces or a green bell pepper; stemmed, seeded and rough chopped
2 large tomatoes stemmed
1 tsp anchiote or sweet paprika
1 medium red bell pepper stemmed, seeded and rough chopped
2 tsp salt

Instructions

Prep the ingredients as above.
Place onions and cubanelle/anaheim peppers in the workbowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
With the motor running, add the remaining ingredients one at a time through the feed tube and process until smooth. Season with about 2 tsp salt. Transfer what you don’t use to the freezer, where it will keep for quite a while. You want to have about ¼-½ cup per portion used in the meal.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Sofrito

Amount Per Serving

Calories 63 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 1220mg53%

Potassium 433mg12%

Carbohydrates 14g5%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 2115IU42%

Vitamin C 81mg98%

Calcium 38mg4%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Favorites, Great Leftovers, Projects, Rotation, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner

Pan Pizza

November 20, 2019 Sam

This is an excellent pan-style pizza that I revised and improved over several iterations. The outside edge gets crispy, the inside has an even and airy crumb and the top is enhanced by a light layer of sauce and delicious cheese. Vegetarian pepperoni push this into “excellent” territory, but cheese alone is a great topping.

Print Recipe

Pan Pizza

Like Pizza Hut, but much better

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Dough Resting1 4

Total Time1 5 15

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Vegetarian

Keyword: Pizza Hut

Servings: large slices

Calories: 424kcal

Equipment

Detroit-style anondized rectangular pan (or a rectangular baking dish)

Ingredients

Dough

500 g all-purpose flour plus up to 50g more
10 g kosher salt
350 g lukewarm water
35 g olive oil
4 g active dry yeast
5 g sugar

Sauce

1 tbsp olive oil
15 oz tomato sauce
1 tbsp oregano ½ tbsp dried
½ tsp salt
2 tsp honey or agave syrup
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 shallot
1 clove garlic or about 1 tsp dried minced or ½ tsp powder

Topping

300 g low-moisture mozzarella cheese
olives optional
vegetarian pepperoni optional
fresh oregano optional
fresh basil optional
slice jalapenos optional

Instructions

One Day Before

Make the dough a day or two before you want to bake; the recipe makes enough for a large pizza. Measure out the 500g flour in a large bowl. Add about half to the stand mixer bowl. Add the salt.
In a mixing bowl or large measuring cup, combine 350g lukewarm water (100-110ºF), 4g active dry yeast and 5g sugar. Stir until dissolved. Add 35g olive oil.
Turn on the mixer to a low speed with the paddle attachment and add the liquid mixture to the flour slowly, making sure the dough is being scraped off the edges and well mixed together. Add the remaining measured flour. Mix it all together until it is a large, shaggy ball of wet dough. Remove the flat attachment and clean it carefully. Cover the mixer bowl and allow to sit for about 30 minutes.
Uncover the dough and return it to the stand mixer with the dough hook. Knead it until it is uniformly smooth and just a little sticky, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. You will almost certainly need to add flour here – maybe about ¼ cup extra. Move the dough ball into a lightly-oiled, medium-sized mixing bowl (or other container) that can accommodate about double-growth. Cover well (air-tight wrap) and allow to sit for 1 hour at room temperature. Then refrigerate for at least 20 hours, and up to three or four days.

Sauce

The sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator or freezer, or you can make it on the pizza day; it makes enough for 2-3 pizzas, so save leftovers in the fridge or freezer.
Peel and mince the 1 clove garlic and 1 small shallot, if using either or both. Place a small saucepan over medium heat and add to it 1 tbsp olive oil. When the oil is just shimmering, turn down the heat a bit below medium and add the minced garlic and shallot (if using) and cook, stirring, until they are aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the oregano and red pepper flakes and stir briefly. Then add the tomato sauce, allow it to heat fully to the point where it just starts to bubble, then lower heat and add the 2 tsp honey or agave and stir well. Add salt to taste. Allow to simmer for a bit (5 min or so), stirring occasionally.

Warm Dough

About four hours before baking, remove the dough from the fridge and remove from the bowl. Fold and shape into a flat square and place in an oiled, coated-aluminum baking pan (like a Detroit-pizza style pan). Cover well.
After about an hour, press and stretch the dough into the edges of the pan. If it’s stretching back too much to fill the pan, return every 15 minutes or so until you can get it to stretch to the edge. Keep it covered.

Finish pizza

Heat oven to 450ºF with a baking stone, pizza stone or cast-iron pan in the bottom rack of the oven and a rack positioned over this, as close to the center of the oven as you can get.
Once pre-heated for at least 20 minutes, prepare the pizza. Use a spoon, ladle or curved spatula to very gently place a thin layer of sauce on the dough. Sprinkle the shredded cheese onto the pizza and add other toppings, such as veggie pepperoni, olives, fresh oregano, basil, jalapenos, etc. You can also dash a few sprinkles of salt on top.
Place the pizzas onto the middle rack of the oven. Turn the oven down to 425ºF once you’ve placed it in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when you can see nice burned sides and the cheese is bubbling and even starting to brown a little (not all cheeses will do this consistently, so the fully darkened sides are a better indicator).
Remove from the oven and use an offset spatula to separate the pizza from the sides as soon as you remove the pan from the oven. You want to very gently lift it and separate, but then leave it in the pan for another 10-20 minutes while it cools.
After the cooling period, you can remove the pizza to a cutting board and cut into slices, likely using a knife given the rise of the dough.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Pan Pizza

Amount Per Serving

Calories 424 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Cholesterol 20mg7%

Sodium 1156mg50%

Potassium 305mg9%

Carbohydrates 56g19%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 17g34%

Vitamin A 486IU10%

Vitamin C 4mg5%

Calcium 303mg30%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Basics, Spice Mix

Pique (Puerto Rican Vinegar Sauce)

November 20, 2019 Sam

This sauce is perfect for Puerto Rican dishes.

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Pique

Puerto Rican vinegar sauce

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Pre-soaking2

Total Time2 30

Course: Ingredient

Cuisine: Puerto Rican

Keyword: Sauces

Servings: cups

Calories: 45kcal

Equipment

Food processor
Fine-mesh strainer

Ingredients

3 jalapeños
2 cups white vinegar
20 dried chile de arbol peppers
3 cloves garlic
1 medium shallot 2 tbsp chopped
1 large carrot ¼ cup sliced
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
3 serrano chiles

Instructions

Remove the stems from the jalapeño peppers and cut halfway through the peppers (as in, not all the way through), leaving them whole. Place the 2 cups white vinegar in a large bowl (that can be tightly sealed) and add the scored peppers. Let them soak, covered, for 48 hours. Then discard the peppers.
Peel the 3 cloves garlic. Chop the shallot until you have about 2 tbsp. Chop the carrot until you have about ¼ cup.
In a small pot, combine the 20 dried chiles, garlic cloves, onion, and carrot. Add about 2 cups water until the vegetables are just covered. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes, until the carrots have softened. Pour the vegetables through a fine-mesh strainer, reserving the cooking liquid.
Transfer the vegetables to a blender, then add the 2 cups vinegar from the jalapeños, the 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 cup of the vegetable cooking liquid, the 2 tbsp salt, and 1 tsp ground pepper. Process until completely smooth and blended. Taste, and add vinegar or more cooking water if needed to reach the desired acidity.
Pour the pique sauce into bottles or mason jars for storage and add one whole serrano chile to each bottle to soak. The sauce can be used immediately, but the flavor improves after a few days of rest.

Nutrition

Dry Beans, Great Leftovers, Projects, Rotation, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner

Greek Lentil Pie

November 20, 2019 Sam

This was so good that we ate the whole thing in one night. The best way to make this is to first cook the Lentil and Tomato Stew. Then, proceed to this recipe. All-in, it’s about 2-3 hours of work, excluding the dishes.

Even better, cook the the lentils the first night, and have them with bread, pasta or couscous, and then on the second night you make the pie with the leftovers. (It is even be better that way, since the lentils thicken nicely in the fridge.)

Print Recipe

Greek Lentil Pie

Prep Time45

Cook Time45

Total Time1 30

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Greek, Vegetarian

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 789kcal

Equipment

Nine-inch, straight-sided ceramic or metal pie pan

Ingredients

1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
2 cups lentil and tomato sauce stew or 2 cups cooked lentils, with some cooking water
½ cup dill chopped
5 oz feta crumbled
2 tbsp unsalted butter
12 sheets phyllo dough
5 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat in a heavy skillet and add the chopped onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and the 2 cloves minced garlic and stir together until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Remove from heat.
1 medium onion, 5 tbsp olive oil, 2 cloves garlic
In a medium bowl, combine the cooked onion and garlic with the 2 cups lentils, the chopped herbs and crumbled feta.
2 cups lentil and tomato sauce stew, ½ cup dill, 5 oz feta
Combine 2 tbsp butter and 4 tbsp olive oil in a heat-safe cup and melt gently in the microwave. Brush a 9-inch straight-sided ceramic or metal pie tin with butter and oil. Lay your phyllo dough out on a work surface and cover completely with a kitchen towel. Moisten another kitchen towel, and place on top of the dry towel. Remove phyllo one sheet at a time, replacing towels each time. Do the next steps quickly, to prevent the phyllo from drying or becoming damaged.
2 tbsp unsalted butter, 5 tbsp olive oil
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lay a sheet of phyllo in the pan, tucking it into the seam of the pan, with edges overhanging rim. Brush it lightly with butter and oil and turn pan slightly, then place another sheet on top, positioning it so that edges overlap another section of pan’s rim. Continue to layer in 5 more sheets of phyllo (for 7 total), brushing each one with butter and oil and staggering them so that overhang on the rim of pan is evenly distributed and covers entire pan.
12 sheets phyllo dough
Fill the lined pan with lentil filling, then fold overhanging edges in over filling, brushing each one lightly with butter/oil mixture again.
Layer remaining 5 sheets of dough over top, brushing each sheet with butter and olive oil and rotating pan slightly after each addition. Crimp edges into sides of pan. Brush top with butter and oil. Pierce top of pie in several places with a sharp knife. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until top is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Serves 4

Nutrition

Nutrition information is generalized and may not include the actual lentil stew calculation, though it likely won’t make a big difference considering the other ingredients.

Nutrition Facts

Greek Lentil Pie

Amount Per Serving

Calories 789 Calories from Fat 315

% Daily Value*

Fat 35g54%

Saturated Fat 12g75%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 47mg16%

Sodium 683mg30%

Potassium 156mg4%

Carbohydrates 85g28%

Fiber 22g92%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 34g68%

Vitamin A 784IU16%

Vitamin C 12mg15%

Calcium 264mg26%

Iron 10mg56%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Fall, Great Leftovers, Pressure Cooker, Rotation, Spring, Summer, Weeknight Dinner, Winter

Sage Pasta and Chickpeas

November 20, 2019 Sam

This meal, of unknown origin, is a great way to use chickpeas with things I typically have in the pantry, except the fresh sage. It’s delicious warm or cold. Don’t forget the capers!

Print Recipe

Sage Pasta and Chickpeas

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

Total Time1 30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: California

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 566kcal

Equipment

Pressure cooker

Ingredients

Beans

1.5 cups garbanzo beans
Bean spices, including bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, oregano

Pasta

8 oz dry pasta farfalle or other small shape
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion chopped
1 tsp red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic minced
4 sprigs sage about 3 tbsp chopped
2 tsp capers minced
1 tsp salt

Instructions

Beans

Rinse then soak the garbanzos in 1% salinity water for at least 8 hours. Drain and add the beans to a pressure cooker. Cover with water by at least 1" or so. Add bean spices to the pot, in a spice bag if possible. Set timer for 10 minutes and cook on high pressure. Allow for pressure to release naturally for 25-30 minutes and then release remaining pressure. Drain beans.

Pasta

When the beans are nearly done, boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Prepare the other ingredients.
Once the beans are done, in a large, wide skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and chopped sage and fry for 20 seconds. Pour into a heat-safe bowl and set aside.
In the same skill over medium heat, fry the onion in 1 tbsp olive oil until golden, stirring frequently. Season with the salt, plenty of freshly ground pepper and the pepper flakes.
Turn heat to low. Add the drained chickpeas and mix well. Add the cooked pasta to the chickpeas and onions. Then add the capers. Stir well and turn off the heat.
Serve topped with the sage and garlic oil.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Sage Pasta and Chickpeas

Amount Per Serving

Calories 566 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Fat 13g20%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Sodium 641mg28%

Potassium 859mg25%

Carbohydrates 92g31%

Fiber 16g67%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 23g46%

Vitamin A 201IU4%

Vitamin C 7mg8%

Calcium 108mg11%

Iron 6mg33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Great Leftovers, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner

Lentil and Tomato Stew

November 20, 2019 Sam

I made this for the Greek Lentil Pie, but it makes way more than is necessary for that recipe and it saves extremely well.

A few recommended ways to eat this as a meal:

Pearl couscous
Crusty bread
Roasted vegetables
Bed of arugula, or a side salad

Print Recipe

Lentil and Tomato Stew

Excellent and simple lentil stew

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Total Time1 15

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 223kcal

Equipment

Food mill (if using fresh tomatoes)

Ingredients

1 lb black caviar lentils
1 onion peeled and halved
4 cloves garlic peeled and left whole
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs thyme
Parmesan rind optional
1 tsp salt
1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes or 2 lbs fresh tomatoes
¼ tsp sugar
4 sprigs fresh basil

Serving

3 oz Parmesan freshly grated
Bread, couscous, pasta or rice

Instructions

If you're using fresh tomatoes, first you should roughly chop and clean the 2 lbs tomatoes and place in a bowl with a bit of salt. Add two sprigs basil. Mix well and set aside.
If you're using canned tomatoes, open the can and add to a very large bowl. Crush with your hands. Add two sprigs basil and set aside.
1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes, 4 sprigs fresh basil
Rinse and pick over the lentils. To a large sauce pot, add 6 cups water and the lentils. To a spice bag, add the 2 halves onion, 2 cloves peeled garlic, bay leaf, thyme and parmesan rind (if using) and add to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Add ½ tsp salt, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-25 minutes, until the lentils are cooked through but still have some texture (they should not be mushy). Taste and adjust salt. Carefully remove spice bag. Set aside.
1 lb black caviar lentils, 1 onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 bay leaf, 2 sprigs thyme, Parmesan rind
Make the tomato sauce. Mince 2 cloves garlic. Add 1-2 tbsp olive oil to a large skillet or sauce pan. Heat over medium, add the garlic and stir until it is fragrant but not yet turning brown, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and basil and stir well. Add the ¼ tsp sugar. Turn heat to medium high so the tomatoes come to a brisk simmer. Turn the heat down to low and cook, stirring occassionally, until the tomatoes have cooked down to a thick, fragrant sauce, about 20 minutes. Remove the basil sprigs when done.
¼ tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt
While that cooks, sliver the remaining fresh basil, or enough to make 2-4 tbsp.
If you're using fresh tomatoes, once the tomatoes have cooked down, pass through a food mill. Then, add the tomato sauce to the lentils, and simmer gently for 10 minutes, until the mixture is fairly thick, more like a stew than a soup. Add pepper and salt to taste. Stir in the slivered basil.
If serving immediately, serve in wide bowls with couscous, bread, pasta or even rice. Top with freshly grated Parmesan.
3 oz Parmesan, Bread, couscous, pasta or rice

Notes

Nutrition information for 8 servings; excludes the bread, couscous, pasta and rice.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Lentil and Tomato Stew

Amount Per Serving

Calories 223 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 7mg2%

Sodium 465mg20%

Potassium 41mg1%

Carbohydrates 31g10%

Fiber 12g50%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 18g36%

Vitamin A 152IU3%

Vitamin C 4mg5%

Calcium 169mg17%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dessert, Dinner Party, Favorites, Projects

Fresh Lemon Bars with Best Crust Ever

July 15, 2019 Sam

Originally made using Travis’s lemons. The crust is incredible.

Print Recipe

Fresh Lemon Bars with Best Crust Ever

Prep Time45

Cook Time30

Cooling4

Total Time1 15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, California

Keyword: Fruit, Lemon

Servings: small bars

Calories: 366kcal

Ingredients

Crust

130 g All-purpose flour about 1 cup
60 g Powdered sugar (preferably organic, as it may exclude the cornstarch) about ½ cup
¼ tsp Kosher salt
1 tbsp Freshly grated lemon zest
115 g Cold unsalted butter Cut into 1/4-inch dice, 1 stick

Custard

3 large Eggs
135 g Egg yolks about ½ cup, from about 8 eggs
270 g Granulated sugar about 1⅓ cups
1 pinch Kosher salt
1 tbsp Freshly grated lemon zest
310 g Lemon juice about 1⅓ cups, from about 8 large lemons

Instructions

Crust

Adjust oven rack to middle position, preheat oven to 350°F, and line an 8- by 8- by 2-inch anodized-aluminum baking pan with two pieces of parchment paper, each long enough to overhang the edges, but cut thin enough to fit in the pan. (The intent is to make a clean square, instead of having corner bunching. You can also use an origami-like method.)
Combine flour, powdered sugar, salt, lemon zest, and butter in the bowl of a food processor; pulse to form a dry but pebbly meal, about twelve 1-second pulses.
130 g All-purpose flour, 60 g Powdered sugar (preferably organic, as it may exclude the cornstarch), ¼ tsp Kosher salt, 1 tbsp Freshly grated lemon zest, 115 g Cold unsalted butter
Scatter into the prepared baking pan, press into an even layer, and bake until pale gold and firm, about 30 minutes. Use hot or set aside until needed, up to 48 hours at room temperature if tightly covered.

Custard

Combine whole eggs, yolks, sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a 3-quart stainless steel saucepan, then whisk in lemon juice. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly but not vigorously, until warm to the touch, about 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-low and continue cooking and stirring until thick and steaming-hot (custard should register 170°F on an instant-read thermometer), about 8 minutes.
3 large Eggs, 135 g Egg yolks, 270 g Granulated sugar, 1 pinch Kosher salt, 1 tbsp Freshly grated lemon zest, 310 g Lemon juice
Immediately strain onto the prepared crust, smooth into an even layer, and cover with aluminum foil. Bake until smooth and firm, about 10 minutes. Remove foil and cool to room temperature, then re-cover and refrigerate until cold and firm, about 1 hour.

Serve

Loosen chilled custard from sides of pan with a bench or butter knife, then carefully tug loose and lift using overhanging parchment and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 9 squares, rinsing the knife clean between each slice. Serve plain, lightly dusted with powdered sugar.

Notes

Makes 9 bars

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Fresh Lemon Bars with Best Crust Ever

Amount Per Serving

Calories 366 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 9g56%

Trans Fat 0.4g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 5g

Cholesterol 251mg84%

Sodium 102mg4%

Potassium 96mg3%

Carbohydrates 51g17%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 38g42%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 628IU13%

Vitamin C 15mg18%

Calcium 38mg4%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.