Andrea Meyers» Featured

Strawberry Rhubarb Almond Crumble

Andrea — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:19:52 +0000

We planted our first rhubarb plants five years ago, though it took a couple tries and several dead plants to get the magic formula for growing them sorted out. Our first plants were lost to flooding, and we finally figured out that we needed to move them to higher ground and put them in mounds of soil. So last year was the first year that we really had rhubarb survive and thrive, and this year the plants are huge with leaves about one foot across and brilliant red stems. We’ll continue to harvest stems, being careful to leave about half the plant so it will continue to grow for the next year.

If you live in an area with cold winters, you can try growing rhubarb yourself, just remember it needs at least one year in the ground before you can start harvesting, and make sure they are on high ground with plenty of soil mounded up. For just a little work, you’ll be rewarded for years to come.

Recipe Notes

Almonds go very well with strawberries and rhubarb, and I decided to make the crumble with almond meal rather than flour. The texture is slightly different in a good way, and it works well with moist brown sugar. You can make it a day ahead and keep it refrigerated until using. I also like a touch of homemade vanilla extract with the fruit.

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STRAWBERRY RHUBARB ALMOND CRUMBLE

Makes 6 servings.

Equipment

food processor
medium mixing bowl
6 (7-ounce) ramekins, buttered
baking sheet lined with foil

Ingredients

CRUMB TOPPING
2/3 (80 g) cup almond meal
1/2 cup (55 g) light brown sugar
5 tablespoons (23 g) salted butter
1/3 cup (27 g) quick oats

FRUIT
1 pound (454 g) strawberries, cleaned, hulled, and halved
4 rhubarb stems, cleaned and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup (37 g) raw cane sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F/190° C.

2. Add the almond meal, brown sugar, and butter to the food processor. Pulse until the mixture starts to clump, about 10 times. Add the oats and pulse a couple more times.

3. In the medium bowl, toss the strawberries and rhubarb with the cane sugar and vanilla extract. Divide the fruit among the ramekins, then sprinkle the almond crumble on top.

4. Place the ramekins on the foil-lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven until the filling is bubbly and the topping is crisp, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes, then serve with ice cream.

More Rhubarb Recipes

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Pinch My Salt – Rhubarb Blueberry Turnovers

The Perfect Pantry – Rhubarb Apricot Chutney

She Wears Many Hats – Rhubarb Strawberry Smoothie

The Quinces and the Pea – Rhubarb Crepes

Strawberry Gelato

Andrea — Thu, 17 May 2012 21:37:37 +0000

There’s nothing like the first fresh strawberries of the season. That gorgeous bright red color is so inviting, promising a sweet and juicy delight. When I brought home a bucket of fresh-picked strawberries from Wegmeyer Farms, my boys could hardly keep their hands out of it, and after letting them snack on a few, I had to put the bucket away so we would have strawberries for making desserts, like this strawberry gelato.

I start my gelatos with a vanilla bean custard base because I just love the texture and flavor, and even though my gelatos are lower in fat than many ice creams, they are still rich. For the strawberry base, I puree strawberries with sugar and lemon juice and stir it in after the custard is cooked and strained, then I add chopped strawberries during the last few minutes of churning. Every bite is loaded with strawberry flavor. For best results, put the gelato mixture in the freezer for about 30 minutes before churning. This gets the mixture really cold and results in a better gelato texture.

Now I think I need to go pick more strawberries.

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STRAWBERRY GELATO

Inspired by Making Artisan Gelato, by Torrance Kopfer.

Makes about 1 quart/liter.

Equipment

jar blender
3-quart heavy bottom saucepan with lid
instant-read thermometer
whisk
2 nonreactive 3-quart bowls
4 or 5–quart bowl
immersion blender (optional, though helpful)
fine-mesh strainer
ice cream maker (review)
1 quart plastic freezer container with a lid

Ingredients

1 pound strawberries, cleaned and hulled (fresh or frozen)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup (131 g) granulated sugar, divided
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
4 egg yolks
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
2 cups fresh strawberries, cleaned, hulled, and chopped into bite-sized pieces

Preparation

1. Put 1 pound of strawberries in the blender jar and add 1/4 cup of sugar and the lemon juice. Allow to rest for 30 minutes to draw out some of the juices, then blend until you have a puree. Set aside.

2. GELATO BASE: Put the split vanilla bean and its seeds in the saucepan, then add the milk and 1/4 cup (50 g) of the sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the thermometer registers 170° F/77° C. Remove from heat, cover, and allow to steep for 30 minutes.

3. Remove the vanilla bean pod and return the pot to the burner. Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, until the thermometer registers 170° F/77° C.

4. In the other 3-quart bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar until the mixture is foamy and slightly thickened.

5. Temper the egg yolks by adding about half of the hot milk mixture one ladle at a time, whisking continuously. Whisk the tempered egg mixture into the saucepan and return to the burner. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula until the thermometer registers 185° F/85° C. Do not allow the mixture to boil or cook any longer than necessary. Remove from heat and insert the immersion blender into the hot liquid. Blend until smooth. (Note: You can also use a whisk and vigorously whip the mixture, or use a blender.)

6. Make an ice bath in the large bowl and set the bowl with the heavy cream mixture on top. Place a fine-mesh strainer on the rim of the bowl and carefully pour the custard through the strainer. Stir the custard about every 5 minutes until the mixture is cooled, about 30 minutes. Remove the bowl from the ice bath, dry the bottom, and stir in the pureed strawberries. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.

7. CHURN: About 30 minutes before churning, set the gelato mixture in the freezer to get the mixture as cold as possible without starting to freeze. Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s directions for processing. During the final 2 minutes of churning, drop the chopped strawberries in, 1/4 cup at a time and allow to churn for 1 more minute after the last strawberries go in.

7. Transfer the churned gelato to the plastic container. Press a layer of plastic wrap against the gelato and seal the lid on top. Freeze until fully hardened, at least 2 hours, but 4 hours or more is better. To serve, allow the gelato to soften slightly on the counter for about 2 to 3 minutes before scooping.

More Gelato Recipes

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The Culinary Chronicles – Toasted Coconut Gelato

Sass & Veracity – Chocolate Toffee Gelato

The Nesting Project – Peach Gelato

Epicurean Mom – Blueberry Lemon Gelato

Mushroom Chard Frittata

Andrea — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:53:48 +0000

When spring comes around our family looks forward to eating out of garden, and this easy frittata is a great garden recipe. We use the fresh chard, green onions, and garlic chives we pick right before cooking, and add purchased mushrooms. Frittatas are an easy meal for the kids to help with because they cook up quickly and require just a little work. Older children can help at the stove and the younger ones can crack and whisk eggs and help with cutting the vegetables.

Here’s how we make our mushroom chard frittata, demonstrated by Top Gun (7) and Monkey Boy (5).

Sauté the mushrooms in olive oil.

Add the chard and sauté.

Add the eggs.

Add the chives and green onions and press them gently into the egg mixture. Continue cooking on the stove until the eggs start to set, then broil in the oven.

How Adults Can Help the Kids

Demonstrate and assist with any tasks that might be new: measuring, stirring, pouring, chopping, sauteeing.
Assign the simpler tasks, such as mixing the marinade and sauce and washing and drying the chard, to the younger kids, and save the more challenging tasks for the older kids and adults.

Safety Tips

Make sure an adult is present at all times.
Young children should not handle sharp knives or use the stove by themselves. Make sure an adult or older child or teenager does the chopping and cooking.
The oil in the pan will be hot, so be careful when adding ingredients and watch for splatters.

MUSHROOM CHARD FRITTATA

Adapted from Cooking Light.

Serves 8.

Equipment

10-inch ovenproof skillet
medium bowl

Ingredients

2 tablespoon olive oil
1 (8-ounce) package exotic mushroom blend, rinsed and patted dry
2 large handfuls sliced chard, about 1 inch wide, rinsed and dried
4 large egg whites
4 large eggs
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat the broiler.

2. Heat the olive oil in the ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms until soft and lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Add the chard and cook until limp and still bright, about 4 minutes, then reduce heat to medium.

3. In the medium bowl, whisk together the egg whites, eggs, salt, and pepper. Pour into the pan, making sure the mixture covers the pan completely. Sprinkle the chives and green onions around the top and gently pat them into the egg mixture. Cover and cook until almost set, about 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Sprinkle the cheese all over the top, then transfer to the oven and broil 3 minutes or until the egg is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for minute, then cut into wedges and serve.

More Kids Cook Monday Recipes

More Frittata Recipes From Other Blogs

Sass & Veracity – Whole-atta Frittata: Chicken,Asparagus & Mushroom

Good Life Eats – Individual Zucchini, Pepper, and Fontina Frittata

Kalyn’s Kitchen – Frittata with Canadian Bacon, Green Onions, and Cheese

Closet Cooking – Roasted Red Pepper and Italian Sausage Frittata topped with Marinara and Mozzarella

[Disclosure: I am a member of the Cooking Light Bloggers' Connection.]

Weekend Gardening: Spring Chard, Brussels Sprouts, and Artichokes

Andrea — Mon, 14 May 2012 02:35:45 +0000

The weather has been strange this year. Winter didn’t feel like winter at all and the official start of spring passed by without much notice because I was already wearing sandals before the big day. However, having an early spring means that our garden popped a little early this year. The chard (above) is going crazy even after I whacked it back so we could add another layer of soil to the bed. The green onions are in the same bed, along with a few weeds that require daily attention and some surprise potato volunteers.

The Brussels sprouts (above) are a new experiment. I happen to like Brussels sprouts if they are cooked properly, not drowned until all the flavor is gone and the texture reduced to mush. They are delicious when roasted, and I managed to convince Michael to let me try them this year. So far the plants have almost tripled in size since I put them in the ground two weeks ago, a good sign.

Our artichoke plants wintered well and we have three chokes so far, one large and two small. Those babies are going on the grill very soon.