This week in Chef Chat we've been at Green talking to owner and chef, Damon Brasch. Over the last two days he talked about the process of renovating the two century-year-old buildings in downtown Phoenix, which now house the second Green location and his coffee/snack shop, Nami.
Today he comments on his fears over being a restaurant owner and shares his recipe for a Sour Cherry Tart.
"I don't know, people were always telling me for years I'd own my own my own restaurant. I always said no way....because every restaurant owner I knew was a psychopath. Like, they were just crazy people. I fear sometimes, when I look back, am I that guy now? Are they looking at me like that? You definitely have to be a little bonkers to be doing it, but when you love what you and it's really something that you're good at, it makes it easier."
Sour Cherry Tart
Ingredients: 2 lbs. pitted fresh sour cherries or frozen and thawed sour cherries 1⁄4 cup flour, plus more for pan i cup earth balance, softened, plus more for pan 1 1⁄4 cups sugar 2 TBSP agave nectar 3 tbsp. gran mariner 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2 1⁄4 cups AP flour 1 tbsp. baking powder 3⁄4 tsp. kosher salt 1 cup soy or almond milk 1 TbSP apple cider vinegar (mix with milk and let curdle 5-10 min)
Method: 1. Heat oven to 400°. Toss cherries with 1⁄4 cup flour in a bowl; set aside.
2. Grease a 13" x 18" x 1" baking sheet (sheet pan) with EB or spray oil and dust with flour; set aside. In a large bowl, beat together EB, sugar, liqueur, and vanilla with a hand mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. .
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together ap flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer running on low speed, alternately add flour mixture and milk in 3 batches to make a batter. Spoon batter onto half size sheet pan and smooth evenly. Sprinkle cherries over the top. Bake until cake is golden brown, 35-40 minutes. Let cake cool 30 minutes, then cut into 12 squares.
