Smitten, indeed.

Deb of Smitten Kitchen is a prodigiously talented cook, baker and photographer. She makes everything look delicious, and the jam tart she posted last week is no exception. She rightly points out that local fruit is not yet in bloom (despite our wealth of onions and eggs), and what better substitute is there than jam?

The tart is a modified version of a recipe that appears in David Lebovitz's new cookbook, Ready for Dessert. It's as easy as can be, with a dough made in the food processor and pressed into the tart pan - no rolling involved! The polenta (or corn meal) and eggs make the crust hearty and fuss-free, and the whole thing keeps wonderfully for several days (I made mine on Tuesday and was still eating it on Saturday.).

Choose any jam you like; I used a combination of blackberry and strawberry, which turned out to be delicious. The slightly sour blackberries tempered the sweet strawberries, and the whole thing was incredibly addictive. The one major change I made was swapping in vanilla extract for almond (I don't particularly care for almond extract.). Feel free to swap it back if that's your thing.

I may make a peach one tonight. I mean, how else can you have peaches in April?

Easy Jam Tart
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup stone-ground cornmeal or polenta
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
9 tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, whole
1 egg, separated
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups jam or marmalade
1 tbs. coarse-crystal or granulated sugar

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. In a food processor, pulse the butter and 1/2 cup sugar together until smooth. Add the egg and egg yolk along with the vanilla and pulse until combined. With the processor on, gradually add the flour mixture through the feed tube and mix until the dough just comes together.

Transfer about one-third of the dough to a lightly floured counter and shape it into a log about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it until needed. If the shelves in your fridge are wire, place the log on a plate before putting in the fridge.

Transfer the remaining dough to a buttered 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Using your hands or the flat bottom of a measuring cup, press the dough evenly into the bottom. Press the dough up the sides to the rim of the pan and set the tart pan on a baking sheet. Refrigerate the dough-lined pan until firm, at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spread the jam or marmalade evenly over the dough in the pan. Cut the chilled dough into very thin discs with a sharp paring knife. Arrange them slightly overlapped in concentric circles over the jam to form a top crust. (I used a square tart pan, so I did mine in rows, and let the jam peek out a bit.) Using a fork, beat the remaining egg white with a teaspoon of water until frothy; brush evenly over the tart lid and then sprinkle with1 tbs. of coarse sugar. Bake until the top crust is golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.

Keeps very well, wrapped tightly, at room temperature.

Serves 6-8.

Rituals.

Along with ramps, pea greens are one of my favorite early-spring treats. They're a bit peppery, though not so strong as arugula, and go beautifully with mustard, honey and duck. Which is exactly how I like to celebrate their arrival. I did just that for lunch last Tuesday, before an edifying outing to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

I've shared this recipe before, but I think it bears repeating. It's easy and delicious, and makes a comfortingly simple meal out of duck legs, another of my favorite things. Yum.

Fresh Fettuccine with Pea Greens and Duck

1 duck leg, skin-side seasoned with salt and pepper
3 tsp. olive oil, separated
1 small shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, sliced
2 loosely-packed cups pea greens, separated
1 tbs. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. honey
2 tbs. dry white wine (or dry Vermouth)
1/4 cup finely chopped chives
1/4 lb. frsh fettucine, cooked according to package instructions
1/2 tbs. unsalted butter
Salt and pepper, to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. In a small skillet set over high heat, heat 1 tsp. of the olive oil for a minute or two. Place the duck leg in the skillet, skin-side down, and let sear on high heat for a minute, then reduce heat to medium and continue to cook for three to four more minutes, until the skin is dark brown and crispy. Turn the leg over and transfer the skillet to the oven. Cook for 10 minutes, then remove from oven and let sit while you prepare the pasta.

In a medium skillet set over medium-high heat, saute the shallots in two teaspoons of the olive oil until transluscent, about one minute. Add the garlic and saute for a minute more. Add the pea greens and chives and saute for two minutes, or until wilted. Add the mustard & honey to the pan and stir into the greens, shallots and garlic, until both are evenly distributed. Cook for two minutes, then add the wine.

Stir briskly, making sure you get any good brown bits from the pottom of the skillet incorporated into the sauce, then turn the heat down until the pasta is ready. Once pasta is ready, drain (Do NOT rinse!) and add to the skillet. Turn the heat to medium and cook the pasta and sauce together for a few minutes, stirring to distribute the sauce throughout the pasta. Add the butter stir once or twice to incorporate, and turn off the heat.

Line your plate with the remaining pea greens, top with the pasta, and place the duck leg on top. Sprinkle the remaining chives over everything, season to taste, and eat!

Serves one, generously.

A stopped clock.

It's that odd in-between time here in New York, when the seasons are paused mid-shift. Balmy spring dominates after noon, but in the mornings, the air still nips at you like it's winter. This past Saturday, I arrived at the Union Square Greenmarket under cool, gray skies. One of the first sights to greet me was a clear indicator of the chilly weather: hot apple cider!

Spring was on display, too, though, in the form of azaleas...

...and just-beginning-to-bloom lilacs...

...and edible flowers.

The perfect breakfast, no matter what the season? Ronnybrook's coffee-flavored milk. Remember when your parents would put just a smidge of their coffee in your milk to make you feel all grown-up? This is like that, but creamier. It's decadent, it's naughty, and I love it.

Going off-island.

Last Monday, I decided to spend the first evening of my staycation venturing out to the (relatively new) Ikea in Red Hook. Red Hook is a formerly industrial enclave in the southwestern corner of Brooklyn, and is full of cool old warehouses converted into condo and studio space. To get to Ikea, you can take the subway and a free shuttle, or you can go glam and hop on the water taxi that leaves from the Wall Street pier.

Since I rarely make it onto the water (over or under it, surely, but not onto it), I opted for the latter option. Walking down Wall Street from Broadway reminded me of how much I love the financial district - it's dead as a doornail at night, but its streets are narrow, twisty and canyon-like in a way that no other part of the city is. It's downright gorgeous, and, during the day, full of energy.

I won't bore you with the details of my Ikea run, but I will share some photos from the ride. The taxi terminal lies just south of the Brooklyn Bridge, and the views are spectacular. I love how, even from a distance, the bridge feels so touchable. Looking at it is like touching the sun-warmed stone itself.

Above is a shot of downtown Manhattan, with the water taxi sentry standing guard. Not to be morbid, but I'm still not used to that gaping hole in the skyline, and I don't think I ever will be.

Next up, Lady Liberty! People who come to visit New York are often surprised by how large the harbor is; this is the closest shot I could grab of the Statue, even with full zoom. She technically lies on the New Jersey side of the harbor, something that has caused quite a bit of squabbling over the years.

Finally, land is sighted! This is a view of Ikea from the taxi; the ride took about 15 minutes total, and couldn't have been lovelier. I wouldn't mind a commute like this one, no sirree.

Eggs, eggs, eggs!

I seem to be on a bit of an egg kick these days, in part because I'm not in the mood for defrosting anything protein-ish from my freezer, and in part because they're the sort of thing you can't really pack for lunch. I don't get to eat them too often during the week, and so I tend to gorge on them when I'm home.

For lunch the other day, I decided I wanted rice, but also an egg. Well, easy enough. Rice and eggs are a classic combination. Eggs are scrambled into fried rice, served fried on top of bibimbap, and huevos con arroz is literally that: eggs scrambled with rice. And so, for lunch, I improvised a bit. I cooked up some basic white rice, and worked on the topping in the meantime.

Leftover steamed broccoli was sauteed with garlic, soy sauce and a touch of rice wine vinegar (White wine vinegar will do in a pinch.). An egg was fried. Chives were sprinkled, and Sriracha was squeezed. Lunch was ready in ten minutes flat, and was delicious and satisfying.

It's not bibimbap (no array of marinated veggies, no delicious crust on the rice), but it assuaged the craving and made me a happy lady, so I consider it a mission accomplished.

Queenie's Craving Relief Rice

1/2 cup white rice
2 tsp. plus one tbs. canola oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup vegetables, chopped
1 tsp. rice wine vinegar
3 tsp. soy sauce, divided
1/4 tsp. sugar
1 egg
1 tbs. chives, finely chopped
Sriracha, for serving

Cook the rice according to the package directions. Set aside, covered, and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat two teaspoons of the canola oil in a small skillet set over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant and golden, about three minutes. Add the vegetables to the skillet and saute for a few minutes until warmed or cooked through, then add the vinegar, one teaspoon of soy sauce and the sugar. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed. Transfer the vegetable mixture to a small bowl and wipe out the skillet.

Heat the remaining canola oil in the skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the egg and fry until the whites are just set. Turn off the heat. Place the rice in a bowl, top with the vegetables, and then with the egg. Drizzle the remaining soy sauce over everything, then add the chives and Sriracha to taste. Serve immediately.

Serves one.

Good morning, sunshine!

One of the best parts of any staycation is a hot, delicious breakfast. Most mornings, breakfast means some plain yogurt doctored with a dollop of jam or honey, eaten at my desk, typically while answering any emails that came in overnight.

Staycation breakfast, though, means farm eggs scrambled in butter, filled with sauteed ramps. Staycation breakfast, my friends, is awesome.

Scrambled Eggs with Ramps

2 tbs. unsalted butter, divided
5-6 ramps, cleaned, trimmed and chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 eggs, as fresh as can be
2 tbs. milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a small skillet set over medium heat, melt one tablespoon of the butter until it just begins to foam. Add the ramps and a teeny pinch of salt. Saute for a few minutes, until the ramp leaves are dark green, almost black, and the stalks are tender and beginning to brown. Season with a pinch of pepper.

Remove the ramps from the skillet and wipe out the pan with a paper towel. Return the skillet to medium heat, and melt the second tablespoon of butter, making sure it coats the bottom and sides of the skillet.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and milk together in a small bowl, using a fork. Add to the skillet and scramble gently. As the eggs begin to come together, add the ramps back into the pan and stir everything together. Continue to scramble until the eggs are just cooked (or longer, if you prefer drier eggs). Serve immediately.

Serves one.

Cooooookie!

On Saturday, after dropping off a few bridesmaid's dresses near Gramercy Park (for a good cause), I walked across Gramercy and over to Chelsea to buy some organizational aids at The Container Store. Along the way, I realized I was hungry and decided to stop into the eminently convenient and delicious City Bakery.

The last time I blogged about City Bakery, it was all about their tasty brunch and ridiculous hot chocolate (complete with homemade marshmallows, of course). Since it wasn't too chilly out and I'd already eaten an early lunch, three o'clock seemed just the time for a chocolate chip cookie.

Oh my god, the cookie. City Bakery's chocolate chip cookie is a perfect blend of the crunchy and the chewy - it alternates between the two textures, chewy where it's a bit thicker, and crunchy in the little cookie cracks and along the edges. The chocolate is melty, smooth and rich, and the whole thing is just the right size for a satisfying snack.

And does it photograph beautifully, or what? Drool.

City Bakery
3 West 18th Street (Between 5th and 6th Avenues)
212.366.1414