Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Ever since I was a little girl I have loved the tart fruitiness of rhubarb. My mother would make a delicious compote with rhubarb and raspberries every summer as a refreshing treat. What I never understand is why bother to use rhubarb if you are going to change its personality by adding excessive amounts of sugar? This is a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie that honors the fruit with a clean freshness and tart fruity punch. It allows the rhubarb to shine with the strawberries adding extra color and fruitiness.

What is rhubarb?

Rhubarb

Well to start with, it’s actually a vegetable – not a fruit. But then tomatoes are really fruits and not vegetables. I will leave those arguments to botanists and pedants. What is important, though, is that we only eat the stalks. The leaves contain high levels of oxalic acid which is poisonous. This perennial rhizome is easy to grow in most northern climates and its beautiful rosy stalks are wonderful in baked goods but can even be eaten raw with a bit of sugar or salt.

Why this rhubarb pie?

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

I looked at a LOT of recipes. Rhubarb pie is pretty basic and does not contain a lot of ingredients so how different can they be, right? How much sugar to use, whether to use flour, cornstarch or tapioca as a thickener, how long to bake and at what temperature and whether to add any other fruit are all things that varied from recipe to recipe. Of all the recipes I checked out, this was the only one that used lemon zest. For me, that was the deciding factor, although I do think that orange zest would also work. The point is that one change, made the pie sing and really brought out the fresh rhubarb flavor and tartness. So this Strawberry Rhubarb Pie does not taste like some generic fruity mush as so many rhubarb pies that I have tried do. I did make a few tweaks of my own to the original recipe.

Pie Crust

I love a good crust and I am more into wonderfully short, crumbly crusts than flakey crusts- perhaps because that is what I grew up with. My mother was a wonderful cook and baker and I learned early on that if the crust was too easy to manipulate then it probably wasn’t the kind of crust that I like. But this is very personal. So use whatever double crust you like here – even store-bought. If I am being honest, I tried a different crust for this and neither my husband nor I loved it. It LOOKS great, but for my next pie, I am going back to one of my tried and true.

Many rhubarb and other fruit pies use a lattice top and I think they are beautiful. But I found that it is also fun to use a cookie cutter and to place the cut-outs over the top instead. What is important here is the filling.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Let’s talk thickeners

For me, there is nothing worse than a gummy filling. But fruit pies do tend to give off a lot of juice so some thickener is needed or you will end up with soup. This recipe calls for Minute Tapioca. It leaves a very clean taste and allowed the filling to thicken without becoming gummy. Individual fruits may vary in their liquid content but generally speaking, rhubarb and strawberries contain a lot of liquid. I found that the amount of thickener used here allowed the juices to bubble up but once fully cooled, the filling held together nicely. Some people use flour or cornstarch instead of tapioca. I achieved good results with the tapioca in this recipe so I am sticking with it. If the thought of tapioca is icky or you simply don’t have it easily accessible, use an equal amount of all-purpose flour or cornstarch instead. A little of the juices will bubble over which is totally normal for a fruit pie. So unless you want to be cleaning up a mess in your oven, be sure to have a pan underneath. And you MUST use a deep-dish pie plate for this recipe! There is a lot of yummy filling and anything more shallow simply won’t work.

Toppings

Really good quality vanilla ice cream! ‘nuf said.

So this 4th of July, maybe consider making a strawberry rhubarb pie instead of blueberry. But don’t wait for a holiday to make this luscious dessert.

For other rhubarb recipes:

Rhubarb Frangipane Galette

Rhubarb Strawberry Tart with Walnut Crust

Harvest Food: Rhubarb Cake

Recipe

Yield: 8 servings or One 9-inch deep-dish pie

Ingredients

1 unbaked double pie crust

2 Tablespoons crushed bland cookies (digestive biscuit or graham cracker for example) OR almond meal

1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and sliced into about 1/2-inch thick pieces

1 pound of strawberries, hulled and sliced in half if small or quartered if large

1/25 cups granulated sugar

3 Tablespoons Minute Tapioca

Zest of one large lemon

1 egg

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Line a deep dish pie plate with pastry. Fold about 1.5 inches of the overhang under and smooth or decoratively crimp, if desired. Trim off any excess beyond that. Spread the crushed cookie crumbs over the bottom of the crust. This will help prevent sogginess.

In a large bowl combine the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, zest and tapioca. Using your hands or a spatula (Okay, or a large spoon), gently stir to combine. All of the sugar will not perfectly combine with the fruit at this point. Not a problem. And while it may look like a lot of sugar, it is exactly the right amount.

Pour the mix into the crust, mounding it slightly.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Depending on what you are doing with the top crust, either lay the lattice or dough cut-outs over the top and lightly press the edges down. If you are using a single sheet of dough over the top, then make 4 deep slits in the pie crust to allow the steam to escape. This isn’t necessary with the lattice or cookie cutter top.

Beat the egg and lightly brush over the entire crust. This will give a nice shine, but it also may cause some over-browning. More on that in a bit! Sprinkle some coarse sugar over the egg if desired. It will lend some sparkle. ANd who doesn’t need a little sparkle these days?

Place the pie plate on a baking pan with a rim. You can use a sheet of parchment on the pan to make clean-up easier.

Bake on the bottom rack for 15 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 45 minutes more or until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden. Check on the pie and lightly cover with a sheet of foil if the top seems to be browning too quickly. I should have covered mine a couple of minutes sooner. Don’t worry if some of the liquid bubbles over. That is pretty traditional in a fruit pie, but it is also why you want a pan underneath.

Mediterranean Sheet-pan Chicken

Mediterranean Sheet-pan Chicken

So Shabbat was coming. My husband was busy making challah and I was trying to decide what I could make for dinner that would feel special. And it was 90 degrees outside! So I came up with this delicious, Greek-inspired, sheet-pan chicken with only one pan to wash. And if I am really being lazy, I can use aluminum foil on the pan and have nothing to wash!

I’m sure that I’m not the only one to have come up with this idea. But mine came to me at 2:00 am when I couldn’t sleep. It’s based on decades of cooking and eating, rather than a recipe. It is an easily adaptable recipe and I have already thought of several variations for other Friday night dinners. Since it is just the two of us, I only made a relatively small batch, but this can easily be doubled or tripled.

Growing up, when chickens were delivered to our house by Irving The Chicken Man, my preference was for chicken wings and breasts. But nowadays, when so many chickens are bred with these ginormous, flavorless and often rubbery breasts, I prefer to use thighs. They have more flavor, stay juicier and more tender and are almost impossible to overcook. And they tend to be cheaper too. Need I say more?

For other delicious sheet-pan chicken recipes:

Nigella Lawson’s Sheet Pan Chicken, Leeks and Peas

Sheet-Pan Chicken with Chickpeas

Roasted Chicken with Clementines and Arak

Harissa Chicken with Leeks, Potatoes and Yogurt

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Fennel & Lemon

Recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Mediterranean Sheet-pan Chicken

Ingredients

About 2 pounds of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (You can also use drumsticks, if you prefer)

4 to 5 golden or baby Bliss (red) potatoes, quartered lengthwise

1 lemon, sliced into rounds

1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

1/4 cup pitted cured green olives (You can use olives with pits, but be sure to let people know when serving!)

1/4 cup pitted cured black olives (If you only have one kind of olive, then use 1/2 cup)

Juice of 1 lemon plus enough vinegar (I used Balsamic) if necessary to make a generous 1/3 cup

A 5 Tablespoons of EVOO

1.5 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Optional Garnish

Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, cilantro or any fresh Mediterranean herb

Directions

Make deep slits on both sides of the chicken thighs. Generously sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of chicken and place in a glass or aluminum bowl or clean resealable, heavy-duty plastic bag.

Mediterranean Sheet-pan Chicken

Add the sliced lemon, potato wedges, sliced garlic, olives and chopped rosemary.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together the remaining ingredients and pour it over the chicken mix. Refrigerate for at least one hour, but up to overnight is okay.

Mediterranean Sheet-pan Chicken

Remove from the fridge one hour before ready to cook. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Remove the solid ingredients from the bag or bowl and place, skin-side down on a rimmed sheet-pan that has been lightly oiled. Lightly sprinkle with some additional salt and paprika.

Mediterranean Sheet-pan Chicken

Place in the top third of the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Then turn the chicken to be skin-side up. Again sprinkle lightly with additional salt and paprika. You can also turn over the potato wedges. Return to the oven and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the chicken and potatoes are golden brown. Remove to a platter and garnish with the chopped parsley if you are making a presentation or just serve from the pan to be unfussy. Either way, feast and enjoy!

Crunchy “Asian” Slaw

Crunchy “Asian” Slaw

This past weekend I decided to make my Sticky Asian Ribs, corn on the cob and this Crunchy “Asian” Slaw. Dessert was my Blueberry Galette. While “Asian” wasn’t in quotes for my rib recipe, it probably should have been. Both my ribs and this delightful coleslaw are certainly Asian-inspired, but I sincerely doubt that either would qualify as an authentic Asian recipe. Crunchy “Asian” Slaw is a no-fuss, delicious side that we all will want this summer.

Anyone who reads my blog knows that when I am making food from a particular culture and cuisine, I go to great lengths to buy the right herbs and spices. And I always search for reputable sources for my recipes and try hard to honor and respect these heritages. But there are also times when it is fun to go off book and to create dishes that give you a certain flavor profile without slavishly being authentic.

I’m not a big fan of creamy, mayonnaisy coleslaw. It has its place but it’s often just a bit too much for me. So when I knew that I was making the ribs, I wanted to find a recipe that was a bit lighter and would compliment the star anise and ginger flavors in the ribs. I also wanted it to be easy. With a few minutes spent surfing the web, I came across this recipe and decided to give it a try. Now I hope that you will too.

So if you are looking for a riff on coleslaw to serve at your next barbeque or with some grilled or roasted meat or fish, give this Crunchy “Asian” Slaw a try. It will work with any kind of slaw that you like. I chose a broccoli carrot slaw, but any cabbage or crunchy vegetables will work. The prep is minimal and the slaw will keep for several days in the fridge. And with more time spent outside, isn’t it great to be able to reach in your fridge for a delicious side that’s all ready to eat. This slaw will brighten up any simple meal. Now that summer is here, who wants to spend lots of time in the kitchen cooking? Haven’t we all done plenty of that over the past year?

For another great coleslaw, try my Holiday Coleslaw.

Recipe

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

For the Coleslaw

1 pound shredded crisp veggies (cabbage, carrots, bell peppers, snow peas etc.) or packaged coleslaw mix (any kind)

3 scallions, sliced on an angle

About 1 cup chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley

For the Dressing

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1/4 cup rice vinegar (I decided to use brown rice vinegar, but any kind will work)

3 Tablespoons maple syrup, agave, or brown rice syrup

1 Tablespoon soy sauce or tamari

1 large garlic clove, crushed or grated

1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger root

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon chili flakes or chili paste (Optional)

Toppings

2 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Roasted peanuts or cashews

Directions

Toss slaw ingredients in a bowl. Add the chopped cilantro and scallions. Pour the dressing over everything and toss to combine. Garnish with the seeds and/or nuts. Now enjoy!