Mother's Day Rhubarb Crisp

I went to the community market recently for local asparagus.  They had none, but the local rhubarb looked fantastic.  Such is the way of a locavore - go to the market searching for a vegetable side dish, come home with ingredients for dessert.

Some might say that rhubarb is a vegetable only a mother can love.  It requires care to grow and lots of sugar to balance the sour.  My own mother is well known for her fantastic strawberry rhubarb pie.

Having no strawberries, I remembered that my father's mother, Grandma Joyce, makes a rhubarb crisp.  I called her and she rattled off the recipe from memory:

Chop stalks of rhubarb into bite sized pieces.  Lil helped me with this.  We layered them in a quiche dish I inherited from Grandma's mother, Great Grandma Leona.

Top rhubarb with sugar.  Add as much as you think will balance the sour and then some.  I stirred in a tiny bit of vanilla too.

Cut 6 tablespoons butter into 1 cup flower and 1 cup sugar.  Grandma Joyce uses margarine but I only had butter on hand.

Stir one egg into the mix until it pulls together.  Drop the topping over the rhubarb.  Grandma says to dot the top with butter but I skipped this step.  Why, to keep it healthy??

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until the rhubarb is bubbling through the center and the topping is browned.  Grandma says the crisp also bakes well at higher or lower temps if you have something in the oven; simply adjust the time down or up respectively.

I served this crisp on plates from my step Great Grandmother Guth.  Her first name was Rebekka and somehow she ended up with these dessert plates with the letter R on them.  I'm the only one with a 'R' name in the family so I inherited them.

I am lucky to know and have known so many food loving mothers.  Happy Mother's Day!

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Rhubarb Crisp Makes: 8 servings Time: 25 minutes preparation, 50 minutes baking

4 - 8  cups fresh rhubarb, chopped (quantity depends on your desired topping to fruit ratio)

1 cup sugar (adjust according to your taste)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

6 tablespoons butter

1 large egg

1. Mix chopped rhubarb, 1 cup sugar and vanilla in a pie plate, 8x8 pan, or quiche pan.

2. Cut butter into 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar.

3. Stir in egg until well mixed.

4. Drop topping onto sugared rhubarb.

5. Bake for 50 minutes at 350 degrees.

[/print_this] Wow!  Two recipes in a week?  What is this, a food blog?!

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Curtido Recipe: Central American Cabbage Slaw

Whoa I haven't posted a recipe in forever.  I like to test a recipe a couple times to ensure directions are correct.  In this case, I made curtido and wrote this post the same night but wanted to see how it aged in the fridge before posting.  Here ya' go! Tonight (by which I mean a night a few weeks ago) we went to my parents' house for dinner.  They were serving a make-your-own burrito bar.  Fun!

I had half a red cabbage left over from making coleslaw for some barbecued pulled pork.  The now-closed La Hacienda Real used to serve a cabbage slaw with refried beans to accompany chips and I wondered if I could use up my cabbage to make that.

A quick google survey revealed their dish was probably curtido.  Curtido is a barely fermented cabbage and carrot slaw common in Salvador and Nicaragua.  It often accompanies pupusas, thick corn pancakes.

My first try was a hit, as evidenced by above inclusion on Dad's second or third taco.  Here's my recipe, based on one from Whats4Eats: [print_this]

Curtido Makes: 12 servings Time: 20 minutes preparation, 2+ hours aging

1/4 head red cabbage, shredded

1 carrot, shredded

3 onion chives, chopped (a few scallions were called for in the original recipe, but onion tops from the garden were the best substitute I had on hand)

boiling water to cover

1/4 cup Charlie's apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup water

1 dash red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

several turns of black pepper

Combine cabbage, carrots, and onions in a heat proof bowl.  Add boiling water to cover and let sit for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir together the remaining ingredients.

Strain out the water.  Press the vegetables to get out all the excess you can.

In a serving dish, combine vegetables and the vinegar mixture.  Allow to sit at room temperature for a few hours before serving.  Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

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How To Make A Mint Julep

Kentucky Derby coming up...

Forest of mint growing already in the herb bed...

A long day filled with appointments...

Bottle of Eagle Rare bourbon in the cabinet...

This afternoon, all signs pointed to a Mint Julep.  Here's how I make them:

Fill a low ball glass with a quarter cup or more fresh cleaned mint leaves.

Add a teaspoon of turbinado sugar.

Muddle well, then fill the glass with crushed ice.

Top it off with 2 - 4 ounces of high quality bourbon.

Cheers!

Great in Every Season Frittata

One of our favorite meals year round is frittata.  It makes perfect use of whatever vegetables are in season, is easily made with local ingredients, and can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  Essentially a crustless quiche, frittata is a classical dish that is dead simple to prepare.

Here's a skeleton recipe that can be adapted for whatever ingredients you have on hand.  The technique is always the same.

First, chop and sweat one half of a large onion in a drizzle of olive oil in a cast iron skillet.  Add two cloves of garlic (or more to your liking), and four cups of chopped vegetables.  In winter, try mushrooms and kale, spinach and peas are nice in the spring, tomato and beans are tasty in summer, and the fall bears chard and peppers.  Cook vegetables until slightly caramelized. 

Meanwhile, make the egg mixture.  Whisk six eggs, local preferred, with one half cup milk, one teaspoon salt, and several twists of black pepper until foamy. Add one tablespoon fresh herbs or one teaspoon dried to the egg mixture.

Assemble the frittata by pouring the egg mixture over the vegetables.  Top with one half to one cup of cheese (shredded cheddar or swiss, feta, goat cheese, or your favorite).

Place the frittata in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 - 30 minutes or until top is browned.  Serve warm or cold with a simple salad and/or bread for a light meal. [print_this]

Every Season Frittata Makes: 4 entrée servings, 6 side dish servings Time: 20 minutes preparation + 20 minutes baking

two tablespoons olive oil

one half onion, chopped

two cloves garlic, minced

two cups vegetables, diced

two tablespoons fresh herbs, chopped (one teaspoon dried)

six eggs (substitute three whole eggs and four egg whites to reduce fat and cholesterol)

one half cup milk

one teaspoon salt

black pepper (and cayenne if you like things spicy)

one half to one cup cheese

Cook vegetables over medium heat until wilted in a cast iron skillet.  Add herbs.  In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.  Pour over vegetables and top with cheese.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 - 30 minutes or until cooked through and browned on top.

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Pantry Roasted Tomato Soup

Do you ever come home to an empty fridge but still want something delicious to eat?

We recently returned from the Mid Atlantic coast. Without time for a trip to the grocery store, I wanted a simple healthy meal we could make from pantry ingredients. Knowing that we had plenty of home canned tomatoes in the larder, I invented this recipe for tomato soup and served it with toasted cheese.

This tomato soup is made from only seven ingredients which are found in a well stocked pantry. The oven roasting adds depth of flavor and caramelized goodness.

Pantry Roasted Tomato Soup

Two quarts whole or pieced tomatoes One medium onion, chopped roughly Three cloves garlic, halved (or one half teaspoon garlic powder) 1/4 cup olive oil 1 ice cube block of frozen pesto (substitute a tablespoon of dried italian herbs if no pesto is on hand) 1 Parmesan rind (we keep these in a ziploc bag in the freezer per Lisa the Waitress' brilliant suggestion) 1 tsp balsamic vinegar salt and pepper

Strain tomatoes from their juice, reserving it for later. Place tomato pieces, fresh onion and garlic in a large roasting pan with a heavy pinch of salt. Drizzle olive oil over top and place in a 350 degree oven for one to two hours, stirring occasionally.

Bring tomato juice + 1 cup water (use stock if you have it for richer flavor) to a simmer.  Add the Parmesan rind, pesto block or herbs, and several twists of freshly ground black pepper.

Remove onions, garlic, and tomatoes from the oven. Blend with an immersion or standard blender until smooth. Adjust seasonings and add the balsamic vinegar.

Add to the juice mixture and simmer for a half hour.  Serve warm.

Following this recipe exactly yields a tasty basic tomato soup. There are plenty of variations on the recipe depending on what's in your pantry. For instance:

• Omit parm rind if you don't have it (you may need to increase salt)
• Stir in some cream just before serving
• Top with sour cream, shredded cheese or plain yogurt
• Substitute chili powder, cilantro and cumin for the italian herbs
• Dice onions and garlic before roasting and skip the blender for a rustic style soup

Banana Oat Bars

We whipped up a batch of these dairy free, healthy breakfast substitutes in a recent Kids Cook class.  The banana oat bars are easy to prepare and keep well for a quick meal or snack several days in a row. 1) Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl:

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cup quick cooking or old fashioned oats

2) Whisk together in a smaller bowl or measuring cup:

1/3 cup brown sugar (could probably be reduced to 1/4 cup if you want to try)

2 tbsp honey

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp flax seed meal

2 tbsp warm water

3) Mash one ripe banana into the liquid mix.

4) Stir all together.  Optionally, add 1/2 cup dried fruit or chopped nuts.

5) Spread in a oiled 8 x 8 inch pan.

6) Bake for 25 - 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  Allow to cool and cut into squares.

Black Bean Salsa and Smashed Beans

This week we cooked two black bean dishes at the Kids Cook class.  Beans of all kinds are high in fiber and protein.  The following two recipes are easy for kids to make and enjoy!

Black Bean Salsa

1 avacado, chopped into half inch pieces

1 green onion, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped into small dice

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 16 ounce can black beans, drained, or 2 cups cooked from dry beans

1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped or 1 tsp dry

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 lime, juiced

Mix all ingredients together.  Serve with corn chips or celery sticks.

Smashed Black Beans

1 16 ounce can black beans, drained, or 2 cups cooked from dry beans

2 tbsp tahini or fresh ground sesame seeds

1/2 lemon, juiced

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Mash beans and salt together with a fork or potato masher.  Stir in the rest of the ingredients until smooth.  Serve with tortilla chips, pita bread, or carrot sticks.

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Congratulations to the three winners of the Columbus Home and Garden Show tickets: Jamie, Mimi, and Kellie!

Thanks to all who entered!

The Best Beans and Rice Ever

Tuesday night I cooked the best beans and rice ever.

I'm sure it's the best because I grew the beans, picked the beans, dried the beans, and finally cooked them.  Do you know how many fresh beans it takes to make a cup of dried beans? Now I do and it's a LOT.

I didn't use a recipe (I rarely do) but here's what I can recall: [print_this]

Best Beans and Rice Makes: 6 entrée servings Time: 25 minutes preparation, 1-2 hours simmering

Cook dry beans with 3 cups water and bay leaves in pressure cooker for 25 minutes.

Cook peppers, onion, and garlic in a large pot with olive oil over medium high heat until softened.

Add rice to pot and stir to coat.  Add beans (discard bay leaves), veggie stock, 2 cups water, chilis, soy sauce, and old bay.

After 1 hour, check seasonings.  Add tomato paste.  Continue cooking until rice is tender, adding more water as necessary.  Correct seasonings again if needed and serve.

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Have you ever worked so hard in the creation of something that the final product is elevated beyond usual expectations?

I added this recipe to the Food Renegade Fight Back Friday blog carnival.