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

     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.

     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!

     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!

     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. 

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

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

     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. 

     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. 

     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.

• 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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