Perfect Rhubarb Compote Recipe
There are rhubarb haters and rhubarb lovers. I'm a lover! I love the color of rhubarb and the gorgeous pink syrup you get when you cook it. Rhubarb, which we consider a fruit is actually a vegetable. It's high in vitamin C, potassium, fiber and the phytochemical lindleyin. While green rhubarb isn't as pretty as red rhubarb, it's just as delicious. Juicy, sweet and sour rhubarb compote is quick and easy to make and perfect for breakfast or dessert.
The challenge with rhubarb is cooking it. It goes from crunchy and hard to mushy goo in no time. I've tried cooking it many different ways--steaming it, boiling it, and roasting it and finally settled on this recipe which manages to cook it through and yet allows it to maintain it's shape and texture. I rarely use the word "perfect" in recipes, but this one really is. I got the basic recipe from my parents who got it from a friend, who got it from her mother. I put my own spin on it by adding a slivered vanilla bean. You don't need to scrape the seeds out of the bean, but you can if you want.
Once you've made rhubarb compote, you can serve it any way you like. I like it with fresh berries. I know there are lots of recipes for strawberry and rhubarb compote, but I think strawberries and raspberries taste better raw, both combine beautifully with cooked rhubarb. Serve it over Greek yogurt or ice cream for a scrumptious dessert.
Perfect Rhubarb Compote
Ingredients
1 pound rhubarb
1 pound rhubarb
1 vanilla bean
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
Fresh strawberries and raspberries, optional
Instructions
Wash and trim the ends of the rhubarb then cut it into 1/2 - 1 inch pieces. Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise into 4 slivers and cut each in half to make 8 pieces. Place the vanilla bean, sugar and water in a large saucepan and add the rhubarb. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 -3 minutes, gently stirring to make sure all pieces are bathed in syrup. Remove from the heat and allow to come to room temperature then serve or refrigerate. Serve with berries or as desired, removing any vanilla bean slivers.
Wash and trim the ends of the rhubarb then cut it into 1/2 - 1 inch pieces. Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise into 4 slivers and cut each in half to make 8 pieces. Place the vanilla bean, sugar and water in a large saucepan and add the rhubarb. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 -3 minutes, gently stirring to make sure all pieces are bathed in syrup. Remove from the heat and allow to come to room temperature then serve or refrigerate. Serve with berries or as desired, removing any vanilla bean slivers.
Enjoy!
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Krug Collection 1989 Champagne--Wine on Friday
"You've never had good Champagne." That was response I gave to someone who told me they didn't like Champagne. Because there's a big difference between low end sparkling wine and decent sparkling wine and Champagne. Sure enough, once he had a glass of lovely Nicholas Feuillatte bubbly he changed his mind. Typically I can find good Champagne and sparkling wines in the $30 - 50 range, retail. But this is not about good sparkling wines or Champagne, this is about outstanding Champagne, namely Krug.
cardamom, tea rose, freshly ground coffee, honeycomb, kumquat, oyster shell, dried apricot, chalk, truffle, brioche, spice, tropical fruit, honey, white fruits, slightly browned apples, high-toned flowers, yeast, nuttiness, pear, green apple, citrus fruit marmalade, fresh figs, mineral
I would say yes, it's all in there and somehow even more. It's extremely rich and yet still bright and vibrant and has a finish that lasts and lasts and then lingers for weeks in your mind. Like a great film, it's easy to get lost in this Champagne, each flavor like each scene, leading to the next and taking you somewhere else.
I tend to favor smaller grower producers over the big houses because the big Champagne houses strive for consistency which can eventually be a bit boring. Krug may be an important Champagne house, but it's still fairly small and it seeks to create excellent Champagne every time, not just consistently good Champagne. Much care and consideration goes into tasting from every single plot.
Personally speaking, I want a Champagne to thrill me, with the unexpected as well as the familiar. I want technicolor and 3D and surround sound, and believe me, Krug Collection 1989 delivers. At $549 a bottle, the experience was bittersweet, because I have no idea when I shall be able to experience this epic adventure in a glass again�
Disclaimer: I was a guest at a tasting and lunch hosted by Krug, I was not paid to write this or any other post.
Disclaimer: I was a guest at a tasting and lunch hosted by Krug, I was not paid to write this or any other post.
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All about Strawberries
Nothing tastes better than a freshly picked strawberry, sweet and bursting with juice, still warm from the sun. Strawberries are easy to love--they are gorgeous to look at, delicious to eat and very healthy. But growing strawberries is no piece of cake. Their roots can be susceptible to rot and fungus, pests attack them and unpredictable weather patterns can make growing them a risky proposition. The California Strawberry Commission invited me to visit some farms and meet with growers. Here is some of what I learned about strawberries on my trip to the Central Coast.
California is the leader in growing strawberries, over 80% of all fresh and frozen strawberries in the US come from California and the majority come from the Central Coast. Why the Central Coast? The weather conditions with fairly warm sunny days and cool foggy nights are very good for growing strawberries, and the breezes coming off the ocean help keep the pests away. Strawberries are harvested for 9 months of the year on the Central Coast, that's more than just about anywhere else in the world! The peak season is April through June.
Conventional crops are sprayed up to twice a month to manage pests, but significant research is being done by the California Strawberry Commission and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation to reduce fumigants. Growers use bug vacuums and integrated pest management to remove pests safely from plants without chemicals on both organic and conventional crops.
Plastic strips are embedded in the ground to allow for irrigation and any chemical applications which is easier on the fruit, the environment and the farm workers. Conditions are improving for workers, especially since harmful pesticides like methyl bromide and methyl iodide are no longer being used. The workers who pick strawberries are paid by the hour and by the amount they pick. At one farm, I was told workers make up to $17 per hour.
After strawberries are picked they are transferred within an hour to a chilling facility where they are labeled indicating where, when and who picked them. Strawberries are chilled down to 34 degrees, every hour they remain at ambient temperatures translates to a day less of shelf life.
Nutritionist Mitzi Dulan recommends eating strawberries because they are low in calories, high in Vitamin C and also contain many other antioxidants and phytonutrients such as manganese, folate, iodine and magnesium. A one cup serving has only 45 calories but 3 grams of fiber (perhaps because each berry has 275 seeds?) and 220 grams of potassium.
To best preserve freshness, don't wash strawberries until you are ready to eat them. One other tip? Despite what you may have heard, a redder strawberry is NOT necessarily a sweeter strawberry. Strawberries come in a myriad range of pink, orange red and even white.
Strawberries are a perfect topping for shortcake or cereal, in spinach salads or whipped up in smoothies. I also like them served with a bowl of Greek yogurt sprinkled with brown sugar.
Here are some more unusual ways to use strawberries:
* Make salsa with strawberries, onions, cilantro and chiles
* Cut strawberries in half and top with a dollop of ricotta or goat cheese
* Puree strawberries and add them to marinara sauce and serve over spaghetti
* Use strawberries in a savory risotto
* Toss strawberries with balsamic vinegar, sugar and a pinch or black pepper, gently roast or serve them raw
* Make a shrub by combining strawberries, vinegar and sugar
* Wrap strawberries in prosciutto or serrano ham, secure with a toothpick and serve them as is, or grill and serve
* Layer mozzarella and strawberry slices with basil leaves to make a strawberry Caprese salad
* Top toasted baguette slices with chopped strawberries and chives mixed with olive oil and lemon juice
* Use strawberries with cheese and greens as a topping for flatbread
More...
Additional strawberry recipes and a free strawberry recipe phone app (for iPhone & Android)
Meet the other food bloggers on this trip:
Additional strawberry recipes and a free strawberry recipe phone app (for iPhone & Android)
Jodi of Garlic Girl, Mitzi of Nutrition Expert, Jill of The Veggie Queen, Kristianne of My San Francisco Kitchen, Jennifer of Playful Pantry, Laura of Superglue Mom, Jess of Sodium Girl, Ivette of Muy Bueno Cooking, Kankana of Playful Cooking, Jennifer of Savory Simple, Nicole of Pinch My Salt, Claudya of Unknown Mami
Disclaimer: I was a guest of the California Strawberry Commission, I was not paid to write this or any other posts.
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Un Diet Cookbooks
When is a diet book, not a diet book? Diets are often considered temporary, just until you lose weight, or get a medical condition under control. But if you are celiac, then gluten free is more than just a diet, but a a way of life. Some dietary changes are necessary, others might be considered optional. Several books have caught my attention recently, because on first glance you might think they are diet books, but they could really be seen as "lifestyle" books, because they represent changes for the long term, not the short term.
Recently I was at a breakfast with Mark Bittman and he discussed his latest book, VB6. After being told his health was at risk, Bittman decided to adhere to a new way of eating, "vegan before 6 pm." Everyone wants to talk to him about cheating, and the first thing he did at the vegan breakfast was request dairy milk for his coffee. Let's just say he's flexible and that's probably key to his success. He's lost weight, lowered his cholesterol and blood sugar.
VB6 is not a cookbook, although it does include about 60 recipes, not all of them vegan, it's more about how to change the way you eat. Bittman also reduced processed non-whole grain foods like white bread, pasta and rice. Whether you go vegan before 6 pm or just start increasing the number of vegan meals you eat in general, the benefits seem pretty clear. And if you're worried about what options you'll have for breakfast, Bittman covers that too (think smoothies, cereal, tofu scrambles, nut butters on whole grain toast and fruit parfaits).
VB6 is not a cookbook, although it does include about 60 recipes, not all of them vegan, it's more about how to change the way you eat. Bittman also reduced processed non-whole grain foods like white bread, pasta and rice. Whether you go vegan before 6 pm or just start increasing the number of vegan meals you eat in general, the benefits seem pretty clear. And if you're worried about what options you'll have for breakfast, Bittman covers that too (think smoothies, cereal, tofu scrambles, nut butters on whole grain toast and fruit parfaits).
Some fab sounding recipes? Shrimp Avocado and Peach Salad with Chile and Lime, Braised Chicken with Fennel and Polenta, Sausage and Chard Risotto and Ginger Cherry Oatmeal Cookies.
There seem to be two camps when it comes to salt. Those who constantly advocate using it, and those who don't. While I use salt, I think over dependence on it can really be a crutch. Some people with kidney, heart problems or high blood pressure need to reduce sodium, that's just a fact. But even if you don't, aren't you curious about how you can lessen your dependence on salt to boost flavor? I'm a fan of Jess Gouldman Foung's book Sodium Girl's Limitless Low-Sodium Cookbook which includes lots of cool tricks for creating robust flavor without adding any salt or salty ingredients. She even makes her own creative versions of salty foods like pickles and kimchi.
Don't Break Your Heart written by registered dietitians, is not as extreme as Sodium Girl in terms of reducing sodium (for example recipes will use low salt soy sauce or parmesan cheese). The book is focused on reducing sodium and to some degree unhealthy fat, for heart health and weight management. The recipes like Edamame Avocado Dip, Chicken with Golden Raisins, Green Olives and Lemon and Strawberry Gazpacho are much more interesting than the boring fare sometimes offered up by dietitians.
I'm not a big believer in the Paleo diet, but if it works for some people, so be it. Elana Amsterdam of Elana's Pantry has written a little volume called Paleo Cooking from Alana's Pantry. Her recipes are gluten free, grain free and dairy free. Coconut Macadamia Tart Crust, Olive Oil Thyme Crackers made from almond flour, Cauliflower "rice" and her Flourless Brownies will probably help you look past the restrictive nature of this way of eating.Frankly her recipes are appealing and easy and bottom line, that's probably key to making any change stick.
Disclaimer: This post includes Amazon affiliate links
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Jordan 2011 Chardonnay--Wine on Friday
Recently I've been drinking more Chardonnay. I wrote an article for a magazine about it and the "anything but Chardonnay" phenomenon. Was I one of the sheep who avoided Chardonnay because of one style in particular, the butter bomb? Yes, I think I might have been.
All the sommeliers I interviewed were big fans of Chardonnay, but were very particular about the ones they liked. They told me about the regions they favored--which ranged from France to Chile and South Africa. The Russian River came up in conversation quite a bit as a preferred region. I think of Russian River and Pinot Noir, but it's also known for Chardonnay and even Zinfandel. They talked about minerality and a balance of acidity with structure. Chardonnay is the number one selling varietal in the world, it grows in lots of places and can be made in a very wide range of styles. Not just overly oaky.
It's easy to see why Jordan wines are so popular on restaurant lists, they are elegant. Jordan 2011 Chardonnay Russian River Valley has bright acidity and a long dry finish, I like the granny smith apple aromas but also the lemony flavor and slightly creamy texture. It paired well with local king salmon, cutting through the richness of the fish, but complementing it at the same time. It retails for $30, and I received it as a review sample.
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