Strawberry Rhubarb Crostata

I think one of my favorite smells ever is strawberry and rhubarb together.  How come you never see that in a scented candle?  No matter, cause it filled my kitchen yesterday when I was making this incredibly easy dessert.  I have been seeing long stalks of rhubarb at the market for weeks now, it has been beguiling me with its pretty hues of light pink and green (and super cheap price tag).  I never quite know what to do with rhubarb though - this isn't something I grew up with.  In fact, I think it may have only been in the past couple of years that I had ever even tasted it.

And how weird is that?  I find food like this all the time - stuff everyone seems to know about and have grown up with (or at at least tasted!) that I barely even knew existed.   I really have no idea why that is, either.  I was not a sheltered child by any means, but clearly when it comes to food - my family didn't get out much.  Maybe thats why I love it so much now?  It all seems so new - not only the fruit itself but the very existence of a pie thats not a pie.  And really, with its adorable rustic-ness and lack of pan to clean afterward - there is something so much better about a Crostata (or Gallete....or whatever you want to call it in possibly an English word as well) than a traditional pie or tart.

Especially with this crust.  I saw this recipe in this months Bon Appetit magazine (though it was raspberry and not strawberry), and it sounded so simple and had so few ingredients that weren't already in my pantry (I only needed to buy the fruit) - I decided it would be my first Mothers Day dessert.  The thing that always deters me from making more crusted pastries is that I don't want to make the crust.  I don't want to cut the butter into cubes (freeze it for like 20 minutes and it doesn't get all melty when you are trying to cut it), I don't want to sit and mess with the dough until it becomes 'crumb' like...it just isn't that fun to me.  This one though, made entirely in the food processor, took literally only a few minutes to make.  The whole wheat flour makes the dough rich and crumbly...and it literally became my new favorite pastry crust.  The filling is tart and sweet (but not too sweet) and is the perfect combination with the nutty and flaky crust.   With how easy and delicious this is, I wish I could get my hands on rhubarb for more than a just a few weeks each spring - I'll just have to find some other seasonal options (I'm thinking this crust is destined for peaches this summer, and maybe plums this fall!). 


Strawberry Rhubarb Crostata
from Karen DeMasco in May 2011 Bon Appetit

Crust:
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (172g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk

Filling:
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 cups rhubarb, in about 1/2 inch thick slices
6 ounces strawberries, diced
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
Raw sugar

For Crust:
Combine flours, sugar, and salt in a food processor and blend for 5 seconds. Add the butter; pulse until butter is in pea-size pieces. Whisk egg and milk together in a small bowl; add to the processor and pulse until moist clumps form. Gather dough into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 1 1/2 hours. Can be made a couple days ahead (I made mine the night before) - keep in the refrigerator. 

For Filling:

Dissolve the cornstarch in 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl and set aside. Combine rhubarb, strawberries and sugar in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until sugar dissolves and juices are released - took mine about 5 minutes. 

 

Stir in the cornstarch and bring just to a boil (rhubarb will not be tender and slices will still be intact). Careful not to let the sugar burn! Transfer to a bowl and stick in the fridge or freezer to chill until its all the way cooled (but doesn't need to be cold). 

 

Preheat oven to 400 F / 204 C

Roll out dough on floured parchment paper to 12-inches round; brush with beaten egg. 

Mound filling in center of crust; gently spread out, leaving 1 1/2-inch border (I measure at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock, making a little mark in the dough so that I didn't get to close to the edges). 

Gently fold edges of dough over filling, pleating as needed. Brush border with egg; sprinkle with raw sugar. Slide parchment with crostata onto a baking sheet (I actually used my 12-inch round pizza stone - cause my oven is small and something round won't fit on baking sheets that actually fit in my oven!) and bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly, about 30-45 minutes (took mine exactly 35). Let cool on baking sheet on a rack. Cut into wedges, and serve with whipped cream or ice cream (or its really just as amazing plain!)

Spring!

 Let me tell you, as much as I love it...cooking loses all of its fun when you are swollen up like the Michelin Man and your joints are aching at the end of pregnancy.   Its been six weeks since we brought the little bugger home, and I finally feel like I'm starting to be a human being again.  I can't wait to post some new stuff on here cause for some reason I love taking photos of the random things I cook and posting them on the internet (what?  we all need hobbies).  In the meantime though...here are few of my springtime-y favorites:

 Angel Food Cake with Lemon Whipped Cream Frosting

Lemon Curd

 Steamed Artichokes with Garlic-Lemon Butter

 Asparagus Soup

Strawberry-Lemon Cake

Angel Food Cake with Lemon Whipped Cream Frosting

I always want to make pretty cakes that inspire oohs and ahhs when you serve them.  Except that I'm really not much of a baker, and I especially am not good at making anything I cook 'pretty'.  Usually I don't mind too much, because we all know that what really matters is how it tastes right?  Half the time those gorgeous cakes are dry and flavorless anyway (see: my wedding cake.).  

But then there was Angel Food Cake.  I'm not sure there is anything prettier, fluffier, or sweeter.  I absolutely love the stuff.  I think everyone has a favorite kind of cake (no? just me?  really?)  and my favorite has always been Angel Food. 

I was a bit surprised when I moved to Germany and realized (by doing an informal poll of my international group of friends) that Angel Food cake is pretty much an American thing.   I knew I had to make some for my friends so they experience the sweet fluffy goodness , but - there being no angel food cake here and all - an angel food cake pan was impossible to find.

Luckily my mom was awesome enough to send me one for my birthday and I promptly got to separating eggs, whipping eggs whites and sifting flour and sugar.  I had made this before in the states, and I found this recipe to produce a far superior Angel Food cake to anything I had tried before. The first cake I made was a complete disaster though.  See - I forgot the very important step of inverting the cake to cool and the cake lovingly became known as "crater cake."    Sure it tasted good...but it wasn't pretty.

Luckily eggs aren't too expensive (even organic, free range ones 'round here) and I didn't give up.  And in the meantime I found myself with a very large number of egg yolks to put to good use in what has become my very favoritist frosting ever - Lemon Whipped Cream. 

Its really simple:  take 500g Whipped Cream (Schlag Sahne) and a scant amount of sugar and beat it with an electric mixer until its very stiff (careful....you go too long it will turn to butter).  Then fold in a half cup to a cup of Lemon Curd (just to taste).  I got this fantastic idea from Alice Waters in the Art of Simple Food, and this tart and not-too-sweet frosting just pairs magically with Angel Food Cake.

I had never iced an Angel Food Cake before - I had always eaten it fairly plain, maybe with some berries or fruit compote and some whipped cream at the most.   Iced, with some fresh raspberries and blueberries in the center for decoration,  it was just amazing.  The lemon and berries together with the sweet but low-fat cake seemed so summer-y - it was the ultimate dessert to enjoy after a backyard BBQ and I think would make an adorable take-along to a Fourth of July celebration. 

Angel Food Cake 
with Lemon Whipped Cream Frosting
recipe from Gourmet November 2001

• 1 1/2 cups egg whites (11 to 12 large eggs)
• 1 1/2 cups (150 g) sifted confectioners sugar (sift before measuring)
• 1 cup (100 g) sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring)(type 405 in Germany)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• Special equipment: a 10-inch tube pan (about 4 inches deep) with a removable bottom

Let egg whites stand in large wide bowl at room temperature about 1 hour before making cake. (They should be about 60°F, slightly below room temperature.) 

Set oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 350°F (180 C)

Sift together confectioners sugar, flour, and salt onto a sheet of wax paper using a fine sieve (I just sifted into a bowl). 

Beat whites in mixer until frothy. Add cream of tartar and beat at medium speed until they form soft peaks. Add granulated sugar gradually, beating, and continue beating just until whites are thickened and form soft, droopy peaks. Beat in vanilla. 

Sprinkle one fourth of sifted dry ingredients over whites and fold in with a rubber spatula gently but thoroughly. Fold in remaining dry ingredients, one third at a time. 

Gently pour batter evenly into ungreased tube pan and bake until top is light golden, cake retracts a bit from pan and springs back when touched lightly, and a tester comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Invert pan onto neck of an empty wine bottle or a large metal funnel and cool cake completely (mine didn't fit on either of those and I just set it inverted on a baking rack and that worked just fine).

To remove cake from pan, run tip of a long, narrow knife between outer edge of cake and pan. Tilt cake pan on its side and gently tap bottom edge against counter. Rotate pan, tapping and turning a few more times, until cake appears free. Cover pan with a metal rack or cardboard round (or dinner plate as I did) and invert, tapping pan firmly to loosen cake. Lift pan from cake. (It should come out beautifully, like a pillow taken out of a slipcover.) 

To frost, simply gently spread the icing in large heaping spoonfuls with a rubber spatula.  Since I used a thick coating of frosting I didn't see any need to do a crumb coat and the whole bit.  Frost around the whole cake including in the center hole.  I think this cake looks cute with the frosting kind of fluffy and 'rustic looking' but feel free to make yours all smooth and pretty with a cake spreader if that is your thing.   Keep the cake in the fridge until serving.  Fill the center with fresh berries - I used raspberries and blueberries - but I can't think of  a single berry that wouldn't taste great with this.  Strawberries are especially awesome. 

Steamed Artichokes with Garlic & Lemon Butter

Artichokes are complex, withholding, and stubborn vegetables.  And yet...they are also beautiful, delicate and delectable.   One of the greatest pleasures of one of the most pleasurable seasons is enjoying a steamed whole artichoke, leaf by leaf, slowly making your way to the soft, silky heart.  Dipping each bit in a garlicky lemon butter and pairing with a glass of Provençal Rose outside on the terrace as the sun sits low in the sky, and you will have experienced the sublime.

The simple joy of a whole steamed fresh artichoke is something I had never experienced until my mid-twenties.  Growing up in a mixture of the midwestern United States and Scandinavia, they weren't exactly readily available.  My husband however, grew up in the mediterrean-like climate of California and has fond childhood memories of scraping mayonnaise-dipped artichoke flesh off spiny green leaves until unearthing the heart like a hidden treasure. 

The first time I took a few irresistible artichokes home for the market I set them on my counter and wondered what on earth I was going to do with them.  I had enjoyed artichokes hearts so many times in so many ways, but looking at this spiky green and violet cone I had no idea how to get to it.  While  it does take a slight bit of preparation - its really quite simple.  Steamed artichokes can make the ideal appetizer at a dinner party, slowly shared around a large table while the main dish finishes cooking, they are simple and can be prepared and served with relatively little fuss.  We had ours as the accompaniment to some simple grilled chicken, enjoying them on the patio with some wine while the chicken smoked on the grill.

Steamed Artichokes with Garlic & Lemon Butter
3 to 8 medium to larg-ish whole fresh artichokes
120 grams butter (like one stick in the US)
3 large cloves garlic, pressed or minced and crushed
300 ml fresh lemon juice (like one lemon)
a few sprigs fresh thyme

Prepare the artichokes:  Cut the stems about 1/2 inch from the base of the choke and slice off the top of the choke (about 1 inch).  Remove the most outer dark leaves. With a pair of kitchen shears, trim the prickly tip from each leaf.  Rub lemon on the cut edges to keep them from browning.

 To cook the artichokes:  place in a steamer basket over lightly boiling water and steam for 30 to 40 minutes.  Alternatively, you can place directly in the water.  They will bob up on the top of the water, so they will kind of half boil/half steam.  Remove the artichokes and place upside-down on a kitchen towel to drain while they cool.

While the artichokes are steaming, prepare your dipping sauce.  Place butter in a small saucepan over med-low heat.  Add the garlic and the whole thyme sprigs after its mostly melted and slowly cook the garlic.  Let cook this way for a few minutes, until the garlic and thyme become quite pungent (don't let it get to hot or the garlic will burn).  Remove the thyme and whisk in the lemon juice.  Let cook another minute or two.  Remove from heat  but keep warm until serving.  This sauce is probably enough for 4 to 6 people to share.

To eat the artichokes, pull each leaf off, dip it in the sauce then scrape/suck/bite off the tender green part of the leaf at the bottom .  As you get further in, each leaf will have a bit more of the heart on it.  When you get to the heart in the center, simply cut off the fuzzy stuff on top of it (you can remove this before cooking if you want as well) and eat the rest (remaining stem included).

Asparagus Soup

Asparagus season seems so short and fleeting that I rarely do anything with asparagus other than roast it in olive oil or grill it. Both of those are delicious, sure, but I was getting a bit bored of the same old thing. Not to mention I kinda got excited when I saw the asparagus at the store and may have bought a little too much of it.

I had intentions of making this a fancy white asparagus soup, and drizzling some fancy herb-infused olive oil over it that I brought back from Nice. The thing is, I didn't have enough white asparagus and why go buy more asparagus when I have like 3 more lbs of the green stuff sitting in the fridge? I have always wanted to make asparagus soup and I am so glad I did. It has a subtle, delicate asparagus flavor and is the prettiest shade of spring green. I wanted to eat the sauteed asparagus tips I made for the garnish like popcorn too.


Truly this soup was delicious. It tastes great with some whole grain bread and as I was eating it I couldn't help but think how tasty a scoop of brown rice or maybe even bulgur would be stirred into it as well. It freezes and refrigerates really well - in fact it might be even better the next day. Its great for lunch, a small simple dinner, or would make a lovely first course at one of those fancy sit-down dinner parties (you know, the kind I have never had).


Asparagus Soup
based loosely on Alice Waters' recipe in Chez Panisse Vegetables

500g (1 bunch or 1 lb) White Asparagus, peeled and chopped
500g Green Asparagus, chopped reserving all of the tops
1 HUGE Leek (or 2 normal ones), chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped (all told I had about 3 1/2 or 4 cups chopped leek & onion)
2 potatoes, peeled and diced (medium-ish ones will do)
a few sprigs thyme (or a tsp or two dried)
bay leaf
olive oil
5 cups vegetable or chicken stock (in actual fact I used turkey stock and that was good too)
water (as needed)
salt and pepper

In a medium saucepan heat the stock to a low simmer, add the bay leaf and thyme sprigs and chopped asparagus and simmer for 15 minutes or just until the asparagus is getting soft.

Meanwhile, in a large stockpot stew the leek, onion, and potato in a few Tbs olive oil and a bit of water until the veggies are very soft. (you know I was thinking, garlic wouldn't be bad in this either, I might try that next time)

Add the broth and asparagus and simmer all together (uncovered) for about 10 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Allow to sit (the soup thickens and flavor intensifies as it cools) for 20 minutes or so before serving.

In a small frying pan heat some olive oil over medium heat. Add the green asparagus tips and saute until they begin to turn a golden brown. Remove from heat immediately. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with the asparagus tips.

Making Pizza (and other life lessons)

Sometimes when life is at its most overwhelming and I am feeling utterly powerless against it, cooking really helps. Chopping, pounding, kneading do wonders to work out frustration - and nothing beats the sense of accomplishment at the end when you have a delicious meal to enjoy. Especially when making something new and exciting that I have always been afraid of - like pizza dough.Making things like this make me feel less afraid to tackle the other things I have been avoiding in my life due to misplaced anxiety - like taking German classes. For 22 months I have been avoiding signing up for German classes, all the while struggling along in a life where I can't read my mail or understand the customer service agent on the phone. Its lame, living a life where you don't make your own pizza or speak the language simply because you afraid of trying something new.
But I conquered the pizza. I am sure my dough will get better and better as I practice but I did it. I just topped it with what was sounding good that day and were inexpensive at my local market - fresh local asparagus, caramelized onions and goat cheese (which I haven't stopped craving since we were in France). It was actually pretty easy, and the final product was amazing. I also realized something as I was making my humble little pizza - pizza is super cheap and (depending on what you put on it) doesn't have to be too bad for you either, which makes learning how to make it all the better.

Which brings me back to the German classes. There is a school right in my neighborhood, its affordable, and you can register online. Why haven't I done this before again? Well, if I can successfully make Pizza (which for some reason I never thought I could) then I am sure with a little practice and effort I can learn German too - and starting next month I am taking classes. So here is to getting over ourselves - and enjoying life more in the process!


Roasted Asparagus, Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Pizza
5 to 10 thin green asparagus stalks, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 very large onion, thinly sliced
1 log goat cheese, sliced into thin rounds (like a cup or so)(come on, pizza toppings don't need to be exact)
2 or 3 Tbs Simple Marinara sauce
1/2 recipe of pizza dough (see below)
olive oil
butter

Pizza Dough
adapted from Alice Waters' Art of Simple Food
2 tsp dry yeast
100 ml lukewarm water
1/2 cup (50g) whole wheat flour
3 1/4 cup (325g) unbleached plain white flour (type 550 in Germany)
3 tsp salt
175 ml cold water
50 ml olive oil

Stir together the dry yeast and warm water. Add the 1/2 cup whole wheat flour. Allow to sit until it gets bubbly - around 30 minutes.

Add to that the white flour, salt, cold water and olive oil. Mix throughly by hand. I just kneaded it right inside the bowl I was using since it was nice and big, but you could turn it all out onto a floured surface also. Knead for around 5 minutes.

Cover the dough inside a large bowl and let rise in a warm-ish place until it doubles in size (around 2 hours). You can also let it rise slowly overnight in the fridge, remove 2 hours before shaping.

Divide the dough into 2 balls. You can stick one in the freezer. Take the other one, cover it loosely in plastic wrap and let sit on the counter for an hour or so. Flatten into a disc, flour lightly then let sit another 15 minutes.

While the dough is rising the first time, start preparing your toppings. In a large skillet heat a couple tbs each of olive oil and butter. Add the sliced onions and saute over low heat for 20 minutes or so until carmelized and brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

Toss the chopped asparagus in olive oil and coarse sea salt and roast at 220 C (425 F) until its just starting to brown and soften (it will cook just a bit more on the pizza so you don't want to over do it). Remove from oven and set aside.

Place a pizza stone on the lowest rack in the oven (if you have it) and preheat the oven to its highest setting.

When you dough is ready, (its in a flat disc and has been sitting for 15 min or so), gently stretch it into a roundish shape (its really hard to get it perfect!) over a large piece of parchment paper (this will help you transfer it to the oven so you can cook it right on the pizza stone. If you don't have a pizza stone, shape it on an inverted baking sheet or pizza pan).

Spread the marinara over the dough, leaving an inch or two crust around the outside. Evenly distribute the toppings on the pizza. Transfer the pizza to the oven and cook for around 10 minutes - until the crust is browned and the cheese is bubbly.

Provence & Côte d'Azur

I have mentioned a few times on this blog that I have had a preoccupation with Provence lately. I have been drawn to it in a way I cannot fight against - like some inevitable cosmic force was drawing me to it. I know I am not the first to be romantically swept away by this region, but I certainly never thought I would actually find myself on vacation there any time soon.

And yet that is exactly where I found myself last week. I somehow found myself in hotel room in Nice overlooking the aquamarine water of the Baie des Anglais charting out all the places we had to eat over the next few days. It was...amazing.

It was Olive Tapinade, Rosé Wine (be still my heart), fresh Goat Cheese (that may have actually brought tears to my eyes), and absolutely perfectly cooked Scallops with shaved truffles that there is no pictorial evidence of because I could not wait one second to devour them (nor will I ever forget the way they absolutely melted in my mouth. Melted I tell you).

I always say I am new to this whole "foodie" thing - and so the idea of Provence as food mecca is pretty new to me as well. I knew it was the land of truffles and lavender, but I had no idea it was also the land of fresh seafood, perfectly light and fruity olive oil, and candied fruits.

We ate everywhere from street stands (Socca & Rotisserie Chicken) to Michelin-rated fancy restaurants (Chateau Eza) to hip new joints across the street from the Cannes' Palais des Festivals (Mocca), to cute little bakeries with deliciously simple breakfasts.


I think the highlight of my whole trip was wandering through the market at Cours Saleya in Nice. I have never seen such exquisite fruits and veggies in my life. Next time I visit there, I will have to rent someplace with a kitchen so I can enjoy all those gorgeous fresh fruits and vegetables.

I have been very tired of cooking lately (as you can see by the lack of posts for an entire month)- and this trip gave me just the jolt of inspiration that I needed. It reminded me why food (and cooking it) can be so amazing and what drew me to it in the first place.

I cannot wait to go back and explore more - St.Tropez! Marseilles! - not to mention the beautiful countryside and majestic mountains....sigh...why do I have to return to reality?