Christmas in February

My stepmother came up to Massachusetts today to exchange Christmas presents. Yeah, I know, how pathetic is that? I decided to make a little something nice for lunch. As I wasn’t sure if my father would come with her – he didn’t – I wanted something that would serve four adults and not leave a ton of leftovers.

My choice was a wild mushroom and mascarpone tart , a recipe I found in a charming little book I picked up some years ago in London at one of my favorite bookshops, Books for Cooks. The tart is very easy to put together – even the fancy schmancy savory pastry is manageable – and the tart comes out looking like something you picked up at the gourmet shop.

The recipe specified an ounce of rehydrated dried porcini mushrooms – I had dried morels on hand – and I used 12-ounces of baby portabellas and oyster mushrooms to round out the "wild mushrooms." I didn’t have fresh basil – it’s not exactly fresh basil season here in the wilds of New England -- so I went with some dried thyme (from last year’s garden).

The tart was served with a green salad and a dessert of walnut cookies that I had baked last night. The cookies are almost like shortbread – rich with butter and ground nuts, and rolled in powdered sugar. Mmmmm. Recipe from the Cook’s Illustrated website.