Hearth & Table - January 12, 2023

We're back! The Winter Break felt long, but we hope it was long in the best possible way - lots of rest, restoration, connection, and celebration.

Hearth & Table is up and running again, operating every Thursday of the academic term. Meals are served to on-site diners at 6:30pm, and available for takeaway at 6:45pm. A huge thanks to our indispensable Chef Ryan, the Christus House intentional student community, our incoming Duck Corps team, and all our fabulous student volunteers for making it possible.

Check out what we ate (and recreate it yourself) below!

Herbed chickpeas

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 15.5-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed, patted dry

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1⁄3 cup olive oil

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

21⁄2 cups chopped mixed tender herbs (such as parsley, cilantro, chives, and/or basil)

Method:

1. Place chickpeas in a large skillet or Dutch oven and add garlic and oil; season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas are crisped and some have split open (these will be the most delicious ones), 10–15 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in herbs.

Pumpkin polenta

Serves 6

Ingredients:

6 C water

1 1⁄2 C coarse-ground cornmeal (a.k.a. polenta)

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree

1 lemon, zest & juice

Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. In a large pot, bring the water to a boil. Using a whisk, slowly stir in the polenta. Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low.

2. Using a wooden spoon, stir the polenta frequently (don’t let it stick to the bottom of the pot!) for about 15-20 minutes, or until the polenta is fairly tender. Mix in the pumpkin puree, lemon zest & lemon juice, and season to taste (salt & pepper).

Glazed berry tart

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 sheet frozen puff pastry dough

1⁄2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon honey

2 cups berries, sliced if necessary

1⁄2 cup strawberry jam

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Method:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Leave the puff pastry out to thaw on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

2. When it’s thawed, flatten it and smooth down the creases (if it was folded). Mix the sour cream and honey, and spread the mixture evenly over the pastry.

3. Arrange the berries over the sour cream mixture.

4. Mix together the strawberry jam and lemon juice. Brush over the whole tart.

5. Bake until the crust is golden brown, 25-35 minutes; let cool on a wire rack, then cut into portions.