Rhubarb, Blood Orange, & Cherry Compote

I'm in Beacon this weekend, cooking with Nancy, and we've just concocted a compote from the rhubarb growing in her yard. The plant had grown so much that one of its giant leaves was completely covering another plant, so we figured it was time to harvest!



1 lb. rhubarb stalks, cut into 1/2 inch chunks (not the leaves--they're poisonous!)
zest and meat of 2 blood oranges
1/4 cup pitted cherries
1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger
4 tbsp. turbinado sugar
2 tbsp. really hot pepper jelly, or a few dashes of hot sauce
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Cook on medium/low heat in a pot until rhubarb falls apart, about 20 minutes.



UPDATE: We grilled a local Hudson Valley steak that night for dinner and served the compote on the side. Yummy!

First Harvest

I say many things that receive the "whaaa???" response from my friends. The latest bit of news to receive the strange look of wonder is, "I've decided to try to grow lettuce in my window." I love homegrown lettuce (it actually tastes like something) and my window faces south, so why the heck not try? So, about a month ago I planted some seeds, and today I had my first harvest! The leaves were delicate, tender, and slightly spicy. Yummmm! Midtown lettuce--who knew?

We'll see if they survive to feed my summertime lettuce-eating needs!

Potential find o' the day

Mandy and I hopped the 7 train to Flushing, Queens, yesterday, and vowed to make it a regular adventure. Why has it been so long since I've been there? And why, after reading about Spicy & Tasty a few years ago, did I not get my arse in gear for some Sichuan flavorfulness? We wandered, finding some sites (Flushing Town Hall, the old theatre, the Friends Meeting House), a 99-cent store filled with great bargains (I scored some obscure middle-eastern soaps and a crazy light-up ball), 4 steamed pork buns for $1.25 (served by a woman who delivered the goods by flopping the bag over the windowsill), and many large grocery store options. We finally ended up at Spicy & Tasty, where we tried the dan dan noodles (very unlike others I'd had before), seaweed sautéed in garlic, and "Enhanced Pork," which was similar to double sautéed pork, but less spicy and more flavorful. While what we ate was yummy, the other tables had ordered some dishes we'd never seen before, so we decided that we need to go back some day soon with a large group of friends for some more culinary exploration!

The potential find of the day, to be reviewed at a later date, are the "Sichuan Pepper Pickles." Mandy and I each picked up a jar, so we'll let you know.

Ode to the Whoopie Pie

Mandy and I have been discussing some of the homespun foods of our respective childhood regions--hers in Rochester, NY and mine in Halifax, PA--and our desire to revisit some of these particular delicacies. One of my most-loved is my favorite Pennsyltucky baked good: The Whoopie Pie. These killer desserts (two chocolate cake cookies sandwiched together with a fluffy icing/filling) are originally a Pennsylvania Dutch phenomenon, and are now sold throughout many of the Mid-Atlantic and New England states. But for me, these treats from my childhood are soooo Pennsyltucky--I remember that whenever we went to the Friday auction in Gratz, PA (it's still there), I'd beg my parents to buy a Whoopie Pie from one of the Amish stands selling Shoo-fly Pie and the like (my mom is super health-conscious, so it was a rare treat when she agreed). They were also a regular fixture at church pot-lucks, where my dessert plate runneth over with Rice Krispy Treats, homemade ice cream, sugar cookies with sprinkles,...and of course a big, beautiful Whoopie Pie. (I'll post some other time about Pennsyltucky pot-luck main courses and creamed greens...).

I always pick up some whoopie pies when I return home for a visit, but the craving has, on occasion, been too much.... So, I've made them myself, using the Bicentennial Cookbook by the Farm Women Group #8 of Halifax, Pennsylvania (published in 1976):

Whoopie Pie Cookies
by Virginia Campbell

4 c. flour
2 c. sugar
3/4 c. Crisco
2 eggs
2 tbsp. vanilla
10 tbsp. cocoa
2 & 1/2 tsp. soda
2 c. milk
1/4 tsp. salt

Sift dry ingredients together and add liquid and beat well. Drop on cookie sheet. Bake 375 degrees -- 10 min.

Filling:
2 c. Crisco
2 c. confectioners sugar
1 & 1/2 pint marshmallow creme
2 tbsp. vanilla

Beat all ingredients together and spread between baked cookies.

Porkalicious Preview

Just a quick preview of Tony's pork confit, which browned beautifully in his oven after our visit to the 9th Avenue International Food Festival (some photos of which are below). Tony will post his photos of the process soon (I hope!), but in the meantime, we must wait two weeks while the jars of puréed pork mature in his fridge...*sigh*...

Ramping Up

Tony & I went to the Union Square farmer's market on Wednesday, and we each bought a bunch of ramps, or "wild leeks." I've been hearing about them for a few seasons now--in that kind of hipster annoying way--but I thought I'd give them a try anyway... As I walked home, their smell reminded me of the little garlicky plants kids would bring to school when we were little (I'm really not sure why, but they'd chew them, stink up the room, and eventually get in trouble). With that memory, I decided ramps were OK by me.

I did a little research and decided to attempt a version of Tony's potato pancakes that he's been dishing up lately. I grabbed my cast iron skillet and warmed up some olive oil. I tossed in the thinly sliced bulbs and red stalks of six ramps and sautéed them for about 30 seconds. I added two julienned Idaho potatoes and the sliced ramp greens, some salt, and freshly ground black pepper. I tossed everything together, formed a giant potato pancake, and then cooked until one side began to brown. Alas...my pancake flip to side two didn't work...so I ended up with chunks of nicely browned potatoes...oops!

The result was tasty nonetheless--flavorful with a hint of garlicky aroma (but without the bite). Ramps have now received the official VendrediFriday seal of approval.

Protein Recharge

So, I've been extremely delinquent in posting to VendrediFriday, and as spring has really, truly spring, I'm determined to make this a regular habit again. I eat every day, so...

I jump in again with a random, quick, non-recipe post listing my 3 favorite meats. I tried to be a vegetarian for a little while in college, but since that was really the result of me not liking the taste of American meat upon my return from some time living in the UK (yay Mad Cow!), it wasn't true vegetarianism... After moving to NYC relaunched my love of flesh, there's been no stopping me.

The other night, I was talking with some friends about their top choices, and here are mine:

3. Lamb. So wonderfully tasty--especially RARE (to the horror of some of my burned-meat friends, but to the joy of most of the meat-eating planet). I love beef, but lamb is generally better, more flavorful, and happy-making.

2. Duck. Because it's fatty. Need I say more?

1. Pig. Pork. Oinker fleish. Pig is perfect. It's so incredibly flexible. You can use it simply like "the other white meat" ads suggest, but you can make it intense (like a pork molé), cook it forever so it's like butter, have it in a homespun fashion (pulled pork), or so much more. Then there are the fatty bits...bacon, lardons, and their friends. And it's so beautiful on a spit.


Sadly, I'm eating chicken tonight.

Oh well!

Paris under pressure

I just returned from a lengthier visit to Paris (thanks to some very generous friends), and oh, what a time! This experience was more of an eye-opener than a vacation, as I timed my visit perfectly to the massive rail transport strike, civil servant strike, student protests, and a few riots in the outskirts of the city. A cloud seems to hang over one of the world's most beautiful cities--one that seems to appear, historically, quite often.

Is it possible for a nation to be bipolar? I'm not as up on French history as British, but France's political pendulum seems to swing pretty wildly for a country that coined the term "joie de vivre." It's a very serious country, and apparently now is a very serious time. It's interesting to realize that the French people's fiery feelings tend to gut the country from time to time, so I hope that the nation is past its "off with their heads!" period ("Off with their heads! No, off with THEIR heads! No, off with THEIR heads!" back and forth and so on), because it feels a bit like it's heading in that direction once again. The French are known for being passionate people, and I hope that, rather than being politically passionate against each other, they can get back to amour...

It's unfortunate that the shadow over the city darkened my vacation as well, but I was able to escape my own life for a while, which was wonderful. Paris is still a wonderful city with many wonderful people and places, and I'm sure she'll survive whatever's headed her way--she always has, albeit not always in such innocent ways.

Coney Island

Godzilla vs. Pooh

The ultimate battle between good and evil has finally happened... Sadly, it looks like Godzilla wins again--Pooh's Hunny Blaster just didn't cut it.