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Bread Pudding with Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce

6/19/2018

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     In my attempt to keep up with the bounty of strawberries and rhubarb in my garden, I revisited a recipe I've had for 35 years... Did I just write 35 years?  That's almost impossible to believe.  But it's been even longer that I've been clipping, writing down, bookmarking, copying, and tearing out recipes and filing them away -- into BIG files.  And maybe that's why this recipe for bread pudding with strawberry-rhubarb sauce has gotten overlooked the past few years.  Six years, to be exact, since I last made this recipe.  But thanks to the abundance of strawberries (some days yielding 5 pounds) and my endless supply of rhubarb (good thing I like it so much), my attack plan has been to default to a super easy strawberry-rhubarb sauce.  And that reminded me of this simple bread pudding.  When served warm, or at room temperature with the chilled sauce, it is heaven.

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     I have so many strawberries, I added some to the top of the bread pudding before baking.  A sweet little addition.  
     And don't limit the strawberry-rhubarb sauce just to bread pudding... cornmeal waffles, vanilla ice cream, french toast, and yogurt all benefit from a serving of this sauce, just to name a few... 


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Country Living Magazine | 1982

• 12 to 14 slices from a French Baguette, 1/2-inch thick
• 3 to 4 tablespoons soft butter
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups whole milk, or half milk-half cream
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of sea salt
• Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce, recipe follows
1.  Heat oven to 350˚F.  Butter a 10-inch round or other shallow 2 quart baking dish.  Butter each slice of bread on one side and arrange, buttered side down, in the dish with sides of the bread touching or overlapping slightly.
2.  Beat together the eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and salt until well-blended.  Pour over the bread slices.  Allow the bread to soak up the custard for about 10 minutes.
3.  Bake on the shelf just above the center of the oven for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown and slightly puffed and crusty.  Serve hot or warm with the Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce.


STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB SAUCE

• 3 1/2 cups fresh rhubarb, 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound fresh strawberries, sliced in half (quartered if large)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated organic orange peel
1.  In a medium-sized enameled saucepan, combine all the ingredients and let stand 10 minutes.  Stir again, cover, and bring to a simmer over low heat.  Increase heat and bring to a gentle boil, uncovered, over moderate heat.  Cook until rhubarb is tender, but not mushy.


                
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Baby Shower Luncheon

6/14/2017

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     This past weekend my daughter Claire hosted a baby shower for her sister, Whitney, along with Whitney's close friend, Allison.  Yes... I'm going to be an Oma.  The event took place in my home, and my contribution for this gathering was lunch.  The plan (for months) had been a luncheon outdoors on the patio and in the garden, of course!  But the weather turned against us with 90+ degree heat and unbearable dew points that forced everyone attending inside; not ideal in our minds, but we made it work...

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     Appetizers were placed in the living room. 

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 Tomato tarts (recipe HERE) and main course salad were served in the kitchen.

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     I have been making my version of this chicken, corn and avocado salad (recipe below) since eating it at a local restaurant this spring.

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    Dessert was 3 Rhubarb and Almond Cakes and Chocolate Bouchons (recipe HERE)  Yes... I always prepare more than we need.
    Drinks consisted of Mimosas made with Prosecco, Rosé, and non-alcoholic Watermelon-Ginger Spritzers (recipe HERE), which were just the thing on a hot, sultry day.
     The baby girl is due in September... a sister for Midge the French Bulldog.



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CHICKEN, CORN, and AVOCADO SALAD
The ingredients of the salad below are approximate
Serves 4
• 1 Rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat from the bones cut into bite-size pieces
• 16-ounce can organic corn, drained
• a handful of Medjool dates, pitted and diced
• 1-2 avocados, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 5-ounce bag of Italian greens (or combine romaine, butter lettuce, and radicchio)
• 1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted
• goat cheese, as much as you like for tossing on top of salad
• apple cider vinegar
• extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper

1.  In a large bowl, gently combine the chicken, corn, dates, avocado and greens. 
2.  In a small bowl, whisk together equal amounts of apple cider vinegar and olive oil.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Poor dressing over salad and gently toss.  Add additional salt and pepper if needed.
3.  Sprinkle almonds and goat cheese over the top of the salad and serve.


RHUBARB and ALMOND CAKE
adapted recipe from The Floating Kitchen
10 servings

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 pound rhubarb
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• Confectioners' sugar for serving

1.  Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a round of parchment paper.  Generously coat the parchment paper and the sides of the pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Set aside.
2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer and using the paddle attachment, beat 1 cup of the sugar and the butter together on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition.  Add the yogurt, orange zest and extracts and beat until just incorporated. 
3.  In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom and salt.  Add dry ingredients to the cake batter, adding in one-third at a time, mixing on low speed until none of the white streaks remain.  Set aside. 
4.  Trim rhubarb of leaves and if the stalks are wide, slice them in half lengthwise.  Cut the rhubarb stalks into pieces 1 1/2-inches in length.
5.  Spread about half of the cake batter evenly over the bottom of the prepared springform pan.  Layer about half of the rhubarb over the batter in a single layer, leaving a half-inch space uncovered around the edges of the pan.  Spread the remaining cake batter over the rhubarb and arrange rhubarb pieces on top.  You may not need all of the rhubarb.  Sprinkle the sliced almonds and turbinado sugar over the cake.
6.  Place the cake on the middle rack of the preheated oven.  Bake for approximately 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.  Remove cake from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool.  Once cooled, run a knife around the outer edge of the cake and release the sides of the springform pan.  Cut into slices and dust with the Confectioners' sugar.
• The cake can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.




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Sponge Cake with Rhubarb and Strawberries

5/16/2017

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     It was a beautiful day...
     I spent it in the kitchen baking and walking my French Bulldog, Bisous.  What could be better than that?  The weather has been fantastic and we dined alfresco on the patio with family and friends.  This sponge cake with rhubarb compote and fresh strawberries tucked between the layers was our dessert... always looking for ways to use my yearly bumper crop of rhubarb.


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Sponge Cake with Rhubarb and Strawberries

• recipe for sponge cake from thejoyofbaking.com

INGREDIENTS:
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup sifted cake flour (make your own... recipe
HERE)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated white sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons water
• Zest of a lemon
• 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 pound strawberries, 3 reserved and the rest of the berries hulled and sliced
• Rhubarb sauce, recipe below
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons Confectioners' sugar

EQUIPMENT:
• 1 ungreased, 2 piece, 10-inch tube pan

TO MAKE THE CAKE:
1.  Preheat the oven to 350˚F.  Place a rack in the center of the oven.
2.  Separate the cold eggs, placing yolks in one bowl and whites in another bowl.  Cover bowls with plastic wrap and bring to room temperature.  In the meantime, whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.
3.  Place the egg yolks and 2/3 cup of the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat

on high speed until thick and light colored.  When you raise the beater, the batter should fall back into the bowl in a slow ribbon.  Beat in the vanilla extract, water, and lemon zest.  Set aside.
4. In a clean bowl with the whisk attachment whip the egg whites until foamy.  Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form.  Gradually add the 1/3 cup of sugar and continue beating until the egg whites are shiny and just form stiff peaks.
5.  Sift 1/3 of the flour mixture over the beaten egg yolks and gently fold into the egg yolk batter with a rubber spatula.  Repeat with the remaining flour, then gently fold a little of the beaten egg whites into the batter to lighten it.  Add the rest of the whites, and fold just until incorporated.  Do not overmix the batter -- it will deflate.  Pour the batter into the tube pan and smooth the top.
6.  Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.  Remove from oven and invert the tube pan and suspend over the neck of a glass wine or water bottle.  Cool the cake completely (about 1 hour).  Run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan and lift up on the tube to removed the center of the pan.  Run the knife along the bottom and around the tube of the pan.  Invert the cake onto a wire rack.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
1.  At least 2 hours before serving, pour the heavy cream into a bowl and whip until starting to thicken.  Add the Confectioners' sugar and continue to whip until soft peaks form.  Set aside (or place in refrigerator if a warm day).
2. Using a serrated knife, slice the cake into 3 equal layers.  Take the bottom cake layer and place on a serving plate or cake stand.  Spoon half of the rhubarb sauce evenly over the cake layer, including just enough of the rhubarb's syrup to moisten the cake.  Take half of the sliced strawberries and scatter them evenly over the rhubarb.  Cover the rhubarb and strawberries with about 1/3 of the whipped cream.  Take the middle layer of sponge cake and place on top of the whipped cream, strawberries, and rhubarb; press sponge layer gently onto the whipped cream.  Spoon the remaining rhubarb, and some of the syrup, plus the strawberries onto the second sponge layer and top with another 1/3 of the whipped cream.  Place the last layer of sponge on the top and cover with the remaining whipped cream.  Slice the remaining 3 strawberries into fans and place on top of the cake.  I also sprinkled the top of my cake with strawberry sugar from
Zuk-Zak. 
3.  Refrigerate the cake until you are ready to serve.  The cake is best when eaten the same day it is made.

RHUBARB SAUCE:
• 3 cups rhubarb, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
1.  Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and place over medium-low heat on the stove.  Cook until rhubarb has softened, making sure that the rhubarb has not broken down and you still have whole chunks of rhubarb.  Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool completely before assembling the cake.




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Rhubarb Galette... a Garden Tour... et Bisous

5/22/2016

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     It's a good thing everyone in my family loves rhubarb because lately, it seems that is all that has been coming out of my kitchen.  It might be time to change LivingTastefully to The Rhubarb Blog (?)... at least during the spring months.
     I am very happy to pass this recipe for Rhubarb Galette onto you.  For me, galettes have such a wonderful rustic appeal and they are easy to assemble.  With a galette, you avoid lining a tart tin with pastry, then lining that with foil and dried beans or rice for a pre-bake (commonly done before filling the shell with custard... or, pastry cream). With a galette, most likely just fruit, mound everything into the center, fold and pleat the edges of the dough, and bake.  Easy!  There's nothing wrong with syrupy juices bleeding from the crust while baking.  In fact, it's somewhat expected.


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     One of my favorite toppings for a fruit galette or tart is organic sour cream with some cane sugar mixed it; tangy and very similar to crème fraîche.  Again, easy and so good!

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     I also thought you might enjoy some early photos of the garden.  Most of it has been planted.  All of the tomatoes, as of today, are in; something I usually don't do until Memorial Day weekend.  But long range forecasts look warm and with rain on the way this week, it will be perfect conditions for the vegetables and herbs.  The strawberries surrounding the Adirondack chairs are going crazy!  Finally!

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     This is a photo of my west garden beds.  The east side is a mirror image.  The chives that we grow were in my mother's garden in Amana, Iowa, where I grew up.  I just passed some onto my daughter and her husband for their first garden. 
     In the front raised bed with the newly constructed tuteur, French breakfast radishes edge the outside and nasturtiums will eventually be climbing the frame. 


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     Our University of Minnesota Edelweiss Grapes, along the side of our garage.  They also run the length of the backyard fence.

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       Climbing English peas, purple beans, red onions and French lettuce in the east bed.

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     I have two large urns with rosemary in the center and alyssum alternating with either English thyme or mint around the edges.  This is the mint, or mojito urn, as I call it.

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     Our clematis are just starting to bloom.  They surround a cast iron, rectangular urn with a bronze water tap that my husband and I assembled for our fountain.  One of the best things about summer, for me at least, is hearing the water in the fountain when outdoors... or, through the window of our bedroom at night.  I really miss that once we have to close up the patio in the fall. 

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     I have a weakness for plants/blooms that lean toward black.  Does that have anything to do with the way I dress?  If I were starting from scratch, I could see an entire property in black, white (and green, of course), with a deep red-pink thrown in here or there.  Last year I had the most beautiful begonia with black leaves and just a touch of that deep red-pink.  I loved that plant and lost it when we were traveling late summer .  My fault.  And I cannot find it anywhere this year... I'll continue to look. 

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     And that brings me to Bisous... he's been growing into a big, healthy, and dare I say, handsome, young man... which hasn't been easy!  He has a penchant for eating anything and everything that can be harmful to a dog.  And he does so with a lightening speed determination. 
     We take him on many, many walks during the day.  He would prefer being out running in the garden with me, rather than watching from inside. But the times he has been loose out back, it resulted in a (costly) call to poison control after he ate entire marigold plants.  After that, gazanias.  Throw in the occasional stone, or whirly-birds from the maple tree that showers our yard, patio and deck, and it's constant monitoring of what Bisous will try to devour next.  I remember a somewhat similar challenge with Pipi, our previous Frenchie, but any dangerous behavior by her now seems almost nonexistent compared to Mr. B.

     Bisous is now over 6 months and over 19 pounds.  A big boy!  And of course, still growing.  He's a sweetie and VERY, VERY active.

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• adapted from Bon Appetit | April 2010
CRUST:
• 1  1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 7 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons (or more) ice water
TOPPING:
• 1 pound trimmed rhubarb, cut into 2-inch-long, 1/4-inch-thick matchstick-size strips
• 1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 to 2 tablespoons turbinado (raw) sugar
• 8-ounce container organic, full-fat sour cream
•  2 tablespoons sugar
1.  Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in food processor to blend.  Add butter and pulse until it resembles large crumbs.  Add 2 tablespoons ice water and pulse until dough clumps together, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry.  Gather dough into a ball; flatten into a disk and wrap in plastic; chill at least 2 hours.
2.  Meanwhile, combine rhubarb and 1/4 cup sugar in medium bowl; let stand at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour.  Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350˚F.  Place a large sheet of parchment on work surface; sprinkle parchment with flour.  Roll out dough on parchment to a 12-inch round.  Transfer dough on parchment to a large, rimmed baking sheet.  Drain the rhubarb and mound onto the center of the pastry, leaving a 2-inch border at edge.  Gently fold dough border up over outer edge of rhubarb topping.  folding and crimping dough to create pleats.  Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over rhubarb; dot with butter.  Brush dough edges with beaten egg yolk.  Sprinkle edges with 1 to 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar. 
3.  Bake the galette until rhubarb is tender and juices are bubbling, about 1 hour.  Cool galette at least 30 minutes.
4.  Mix the sour cream and 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl.  Serve the galette warm or at room temperature with the sweetened sour cream. ENJOY!




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Grilled Salmon with Rhubarb and Red Cabbage

5/18/2016

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     I finally got around to making this colorful dish of Salmon with Rhubarb and Red Cabbage.  I have had this recipe squirreled away for years, always running across it when rhubarb season was over and all of my red cabbage had been used up or given to friends.  But this time my (rather unorganized) recipe files (found on all three levels of my house) didn't get the better of me.  I ran across the recipe at the most opportune time -- when I was again wondering what I should do with all of my rhubarb.  Of course, it is far too early to be eating red cabbage from my garden; the plants only went in two weeks ago.  But this dish will certainly be on my menu again this summer. 
     I made some slight changes to the original recipe.  Instead of roasting the salmon in the oven, it was grilled outdoors on a cedar plank.  And assorted garden lettuces were tucked under the tender red cabbage that was simmered in a syrup of orange and spices.  I can also see this rhubarb and cabbage served with an herb encrusted pork tenderloin, seared and finished in the oven.  So many possibilities.


+ Grilled Salmon with Rhubarb and Red Cabbage +

• adapted from a recipe in Bon Appetit | April 2010
• 4 teaspoons black or yellow mustard seeds
• 1 1/4 cups fresh orange juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons finely grated orange peel
• 4 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 3 cups 2-inch-long, 1/4-inch-thick matchstick-size strips of rhubarb (from 12 ounces trimmed rhubarb)
• 8 cups thinly sliced red cabbage (from about 1/2 medium head)
• 1/2 cup Sherry wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 6  6-ounce salmon fillets with skin
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups assorted lettuces
• 3/4 cup plain Greek-style yogurt

1.  Stir mustard seeds in small dry skillet over medium heat until beginning to pop, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to small bowl; reserve.
2.  Bring orange juice, sugar, 1/3 cup water, and orange peel to a boil in a large skillet, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Reduce heat to medium; add reserved mustard seeds, coriander seeds, caraway seeds, and ginger.  Simmer until syrupy, 10 minutes.  Add rhubarb; reduce heat to medium-low.  Cover and simmer until rhubarb is tender but intact, 2 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer rhubarb to microwave-safe bowl; reserve. 
3.  Bring syrup in skillet to a simmer.  Add cabbage, vinegar, and wine; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium, partially cover, and simmer until cabbage is soft and most of the liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently, about 45 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat.
4.  Place salmon pieces on a pre-soaked cedar plank.  Brush salmon with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Grill salmon over medium-low heat until it is just opague in center.  Rewarm reserved rhubarb in microwave just until warm.
5.  Divide lettuces among 6 plates or shallow bowls.  Scoop cabbage onto the lettuce.  Lift the skins off of the salmon fillets and place a fillet atop the cabbage.  Spoon a dollop of Greek yogurt onto the salmon; arrange strips of rhubarb on the yogurt.





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Rustic Rhubarb and Almond Cake

6/19/2015

3 Comments

 
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    I told you I'd be back with more rhubarb recipes... I am being very aggressive this year cutting and using the stalks of our eight enormous rhubarb plants.  They become so large that the leaves shade and kill surrounding grass.  Unfortunately, those conditions also provide the perfect habitat for slugs.  So I'm using up the rhubarb as fast as I can.  Yesterday I made a quadruple batch of Rhubarb Syrup (recipe HERE).  This evening friends of ours, who just returned from Italy, will join us for an al fresco dinner that will begin with glasses of Rhubarb Syrup and Prosecco.            
    Tomorrow I will make Rhubarb Chutney (recipe HERE) in an attempt to use up even more rhubarb.  And when I run out of any desire to eat another rhubarb dessert, bread/muffin or condiment, I will dice it and freeze it.


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     This rustic Rhubarb and Almond Cake is my kind of dessert.  It's full of ground almonds and tart rhubarb; a dense cake that bakes for close to 80 minutes.  I made it late last night, and when I walked into my kitchen this morning, the intense almond scent made me feel as though I had just walked into a French patisserie.  Not a bad way to start the day!

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    I have sampled (as my husband has also) a few small bites (I had to be sure it tasted as good as it smells).  The cake will finish our dinner tonight outdoors (most likely with a little whipped cream that has been sweetened with rhubarb syrup). 
   Yes... this is definitely my favorite time of the year!

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+  adapted recipe | Alison Roman | Bon Appétit, April 2015

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, plus more for pan
• 1 pound rhubarb stalks, trimmed
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup blanched almonds (I substituted just slightly less almond flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:  One 11x8-inch tart pan or one 9-inch diameter tart pan, both with removable bottoms.

1.   Preheat oven to 350°. Butter tart pan and sprinkle with sugar, tapping out excess. Slice rhubarb in half lengthwise (quarter if very large). Set 8 of the prettiest pieces aside for the top of the cake; chop remaining rhubarb into 1/2" pieces. Pulse flour, almonds, baking powder, and salt in a food processor until almonds are finely ground (texture should be sandy).
2.  Place 1 cup butter and 3/4 cup sugar in a large bowl. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; reserve pod for another use. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to blend first egg before adding second. Beat until mixture is pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
3.  Reduce speed to low and gradually add dry ingredients, followed by yogurt. Beat, scraping down the sides of bowl as needed, just to combine (batter will be thick). Fold in chopped rhubarb and scrape batter into prepared pan. Smooth batter and arrange reserved rhubarb over top; sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons sugar.
4.  Place tart pan on a large rimmed baking sheet (to catch any rogue juices) and bake, rotating once, until cake is golden brown and rhubarb on top is soft and beginning to brown, 70–80 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cake cool before removing from pan.
DO AHEAD:  Cake can be baked 3 days ahead. Keep tightly wrapped at room temperature.





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Rhubarb... finally!

5/8/2015

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     I am in my element.  I have been spending a good amount of time outdoors preparing and planting my vegetable garden.  Peas, radishes, lettuces, haricot verts and pole beans are well on their way.  I have been cutting asparagus which were made into a cream soup.  Strawberry plants and blueberry bushes are dripping with blossoms.  And as you can see, rhubarb has been baked into a galette.  It's the time of year I absolutely treasure.  It doesn't get any better than this... eating meals from my own garden. 
 
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     This free-form tart (galette in France, crostata in Italy) included raspberries.  I often combine strawberries with my rhubarb, but very rarely raspberries.  I loved it!

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     I believe the most important step in making a galette is brushing egg wash in between the pleats of crust surrounding the edge of the tart.  It works like glue to hold the shape of the galette.  Otherwise, the overlapping pleats will tend to slide apart during baking. 
     Serve the just-baked Rhubarb and Raspberry Galette with whipped cream, as we did the day of baking, or plain, the way we ate it the following morning along with our espresso.

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+ recipe by Karen DeMasco | Locana Verde, NYC

CRUST:
• 1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup chilled unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
FILLING:
•  1/4 cup cornstarch
• 4 cups 1/2-inch-thick slices rhubarb
• 1 6-ounch container fresh raspberries
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• Turbinado sugar
•  Sweeten whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)


1.  Combine flours, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse once or twice to combine.  Add the chilled cubed butter and pulse until the size of tiny peas.  Whisk together the egg and milk and slowly pour into the flour mixture while pulsing.  When dough just begins to come together, stop and transfer to a sheet of plastic wrap.  Press into a disk and wrap completely.  Place in refrigerator and chill for at least 1 1/2 hours.
2.  For the filling:  Dissolve cornstarch in 3 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl.  Set aside.  Combine the rhubarb, raspberries, and sugar in a heavy saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, using a rubber spatula to gently stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves and juices release, about 4 minutes.  Stir in the cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil (rhubarb will not be tender and slices should still be intact).  Transfer to a bowl.  Chill until cool.  Forty-five minutes in refrigerator is ideal. 
3.  Preheat oven to 400˚F.  Remove dough from refrigerator.  On a lightly-floured sheet of parchment paper, roll the dough into a 12-inch round.  Brush the round with beaten egg.  Mound the cooled filling onto the center of the crust and gently spread the filling, leaving a 2-inch border.  Gently and carefully fold the unfilled border over the filling, pleating the dough as you go around.  When finished, brush the edge and in between the pleats with the remaining beaten egg.  Slide the parchment and filled crust onto a baking sheet and transfer to the middle rack of oven.
4.  Bake the galette for approximately 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.  You might want to place a sheet of foil below baking sheet to catch any juices that may accumulate.  Cool the galette on baking sheet on a rack.  Cut into wedges and serve with whipped cream or ice cream if desired (but not necessary).






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Strawberry Gelato with a Gingered Compote and Pistachio Cookie

7/10/2014

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     Too many strawberries?  It's a dilemma I don't mind having.  Every summer when my family goes up north for the 4th of July, we head to a local strawberry patch to pick berries.  On this trip, a huge containerful made it back to St. Paul with me and I started imagining a dessert that would use up a hefty share of the extremely ripe berries.
     First, I made the Gingered Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote.  In addition to the strawberries, I also have more rhubarb than I know what to do with in my vegetable garden.  The eight plants not only supply my kitchen, but anyone else who happens to stop by and can be coerced into taking a bagful home.  The addition of candied ginger and lime zest was a nice balance to the sweetness of the sauce.

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     Next came the Strawberry Gelato; simple enough to make with sugar, milk & cream, fresh strawberries, and lemon juice.   And from the beginning, I knew I wanted my Strawberry Gelato to set upon a buttery, nicely-browned shortbread cookie.  Several of the meals I ordered on my recent trip to Provence included a thin, rectangular shortbread cookie with something sweet or savory piped on top. 

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   I used a Melissa Clark pistachio shortbread recipe and altered it slightly for my thinly-rolled cookies. Instead of stirring chopped pistachios into the dough and shaping it into logs, I  ground them finely in a food processor along with the flour and confectioners' sugar, giving me flecks of pistachios throughout the finished cookies. 
   The components of this dessert are all delicious on their own, but the combination of the three is a winner and a great way to take advantage of sweet, local strawberries.

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STRAWBERRY GELATO
recipe from:  Raymond D' Ottavio at Aunt Lena's Creamery in Chandler, Arizona

• 12 ounces fresh strawberries (hull removed)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1.  Combine the strawberries, sugar, and milk in a blender container.  Pureé until smooth.  Add the heavy cream and pulse very briefly, just to combine.  Stir in the lemon juice.
2.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl or pitcher and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
3.  Pour the mixture into an ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturers instructions.  Transfer to a freezer container and store in freezer for up to 1 month.


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STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB COMPOTE with GINGER and LIME

Bon Appétit | April 2003

• 2 pounds strawberries, halved if large
• 1 pound rhubarb, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons finely-minced crystallized ginger
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 3/4 teaspoon grated lime peel


1.  Combine 1 1/2 pound of the strawberries and all of the rhubarb
in a medium size pot.  Add the sugar, crystallized ginger, lime juice and peel and bring to a boil.  Stirring often, boil the mixture for about 3 minutes.  Reduce the heat and simmer the mixture until the rhubarb has softened; about another 3 minutes. 
2.  Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1/2 pound fresh strawberries.  Allow the mixture to cool and transfer to an air-tight container.  Store in the refrigerator.
3.  The compote is good on its own served with crème fraîche, or over plain yogurt, ice cream or bread pudding.

ROLLED PISTACHIO SHORTBREAD COOKIES
an adapted recipe:  Bon Appétit | August 2007


• 1 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
 1/2 cup shelled pistachios
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1.  In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, confectioners' sugar, kosher salt, and pistachios.  Process until the pistachios are finely chopped and incorporated through-out the mixture.
2.  Add the butter, egg yolk, and vanilla.  Pulse the butter-flour mixture until the dough begins to come together.  Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic, wrap, and flatten into a disk.  Place dough in refrigerator until cold, at least 2 hours. 
3.  When ready to bake, PREHEAT the OVEN to 325˚F. 
4.  Take the dough from the refrigerator and cut the disk into quarters.  Take one quarter and place on a lightly-floured work surface.  Return the remaining dough to the refrigerator.  Sprinkle the dough lightly with flour and roll to a thickness of just over 1/8-inch.  Cut out cookies with desired cookie cutter (mine was a 2 3/4-inch round) and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.  Place the baking sheet on middle rack of oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are a light, golden brown.  Remove from oven and transfer cookies to a cooling rack.  Repeat rolling/baking with remaining dough.
5.  When cookies have cooled, transfer to a tin or airtight container. 

ASSEMBLY
• Place Pistachio Shortbread Cookie on a small plate or shallow bowl.  Top with a scoop of Strawberry Gelato and spoon Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote onto the gelato.  Sprinkle with chopped pistachios if desired and serve. 



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Dinner on the Patio (finally!)

6/4/2013

7 Comments

 
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     Other than my garden looking like it's early May instead of early June, I composed an alfresco meal with produce from my vegetable garden (as best I could).  And with another bumper crop of rhubarb this spring, you probably have a very good idea of what took center stage in our meal.

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                        • Champagne with Rhubarb Syrup
                         • Salted Butter, Radishes, and Baguette
          • Dry-Rubbed Pork Tenderloins with Rhubarb Chutney
                                             • Seared Broccoli
                                        • Double Corn Muffins
            • Roasted Rhubarb with Candied Ginger Shortcake
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     The Roasted Rhubarb with Candied Ginger Shortcake is reinvented from previously-posted recipes.

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  Our main dish was dry-rubbed, grilled pork tenderloins served with a rhubarb chutney loaded with fresh ginger and golden raisins.
   For dessert I oven-roasted rhubarb drenched in orange zest, fresh orange juice, and a generous splash of Grand Marnier.  I took the thick, left-over juices from both the chutney and roasted rhubarb and strained them, giving me a delicious, rosy syrup that we mixed with champagne.  We served that with European salted butter on baguette slices that were then topped with French Breakfast radishes from my garden.  All left-over syrup is now being mixed with sparkling water for a refreshing drink after working outdoors or biking.  The spicy ginger in the syrup gives it a nice little kick!


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Pipi enjoying spilled grilled pork juices >

              Bon Appetit, Pipi!

    Roasted Rhubarb with Candied Ginger Shortcakes

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Shortcakes:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 5 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/4 cup candied ginger, small dice
• Additional whipping cream for brushing scones
• Coarse sugar, for sprinkling

• Sweetened whipped heavy cream, for serving

1.  Preheat oven to 425˚F.  Line a small heavy baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.  In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt.  Pulse until blended.  Add the butter and pulse again until the butter is the size of small peas.
2.  In a large bowl gently whisk together by hand the egg, milk and 5 tablespoons heavy cream.  Add the flour-butter mixture, along with the diced candied ginger, and stir together with a fork just until combined.  Gather dough together and on a lightly-floured work surface, pat the dough into a round about 3/4 of an inch thick.  Try to work the dough as little as possible.  Using a 3-inch round biscuit cutter, cut 4 rounds and transfer to a parchment-lined heavy baking sheet.  Gather together the remaining dough and cut 2 more rounds.
3.  Brush the tops of the 6 scones with the 1 tablespoon heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake in the middle of the oven for approximately 14 minutes or until golden.  I found, the 2 times I baked these scones, that the bottoms will become quite dark.  A heavy baking sheet is recommended.  Cool the scones briefly on a wire rack before splitting and filling with the roasted rhubarb.

Roasted Rhubarb:
• 3 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest (preferably organic
• Splash of Grand Marnier

1.  Prepare rhubarb:  In a baking dish combine rhubarb, sugar, orange juice, orange zest, and splash of Grand Marnier.  Cover and bake in a preheated 350˚F oven about 20 minutes, or until rhubarb is just tender.  Keep rhubarb chunks intact; do not break up by stirring.  Remove from oven.
Assembly:
• Split the scones. Layer the roasted rhubarb along with the sweetened whipped cream.


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Rhubarb Scones

6/5/2012

8 Comments

 
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    The weather so far this June has been incredible -- allowing many relaxed mornings in my garden.  And while I wait for the majority of recently planted vegetables to start producing, I do have my rhubarb.  And, I continue to search for different ways to use it.

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    With the Diamond Jubilee celebrations surrounding Queen Elizabeth this month, and the summer Olympics in London just around the corner, it seems like tea and scones are in order.  Rhubarb Scones to be exact!


                    •  Rhubarb Scones  •
                         a recipe adapted from FOOD52

MAKES 12 SCONES
• 3 stalks of rhubarb
• 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons COLD unsalted butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup vanilla sugar
• 2/3 to 3/4 cup heavy cream, plus additional for brushing onto scones
• Coarse sugar or Turbinado sugar for sprinkling
1.  Preheat oven to 425˚F. 
2.  Slice the rhubarb stalks into 1/4-inch pieces.  Toss with 3 tablespoons of the sugar.
3.  Place flour, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse to combine. 
4.  Add the cold butter and pulse until the size of small peas; then add the remaining sugar and pulse just until incorporated into the batter.
5.  Transfer the flour mixture to a large mixing bowl.  Add the rhubarb pieces.  Stir  in the heavy cream, starting with 2/3 cup.  Add additional cream (up to 3/4 cup total), until you have a slightly sticky dough.  At this point, I knead the dough very briefly in the bowl; just until I feel that all of the dry and moist ingredients are evenly combined. 
6.  Divide the dough into two pieces.  On a parchment-lined baking sheet, pat each mound of dough into a disk about 6-inches across. Brush the tops with heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar.  Using a sharp knife, cut each disk into 6 triangular pieces, separating them enough that they will not touch when baking.
7.  Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake the scones for 20 minutes or until golden.  Remove to a cooling rack.


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