I love the tartness of rhubarb. I will eat it raw. The fibrous texture allows me to chew on it, kinda like a cow's cud. I make this rhubarb-vanilla bean jam at the beginning of every summer and at the end because it is pretty available from June - August in the Northwest. If I am feeling generous, I will can it and keep it for gifts during the holidays, but most often it ends up on my toast. Its super easy and quick to create and makes a PB&J very special for a toddler. It is also good as a dessert sauce or drizzled on vanilla bean ice cream.
Rhubarb-Vanilla Bean Jam
Makes approx 1 1/2 quarts
3 lbs rhubarb stalks (approx 6 large stalks), rinsed
1 lb Sugar (approx 2 1/2 cups)
1 Vanilla bean
Slice rhubarb stalks down the center, and then slice into cubes. In a thick bottomed pan, cover the rhubarb with sugar and let sit for 30 minutes at room temp. This is when I do all my snacking...
Slice the vanilla bean down the center, scrape the seeds, and stir all into the rhubarb. Turn heat to medium-low and stir occasionally for 45 minutes to one hour. Jam will be slightly chunky and runny.
Pour jam (with vanilla bean) into a clean glass jar. Let the jam cool at room temp and keep in the fridge for up to one month or until you are scraping the sides of the jar for the last taste.
I can eat this stuff by the spoonful and I do, even if someone is watching. My husband claims he will even put it on his cereal..Tzatziki fulfills my everlasting need to ingest mint all summer long. You see, I have a crush on different herbs at different times of the year. Mint is my summer crush. So instead of using the usual suspect of dill for this sauce, I use ample amounts of mint. I love to eat tzatziki on so many things like grilled burgers or chicken skewers, on homemade pizza, grilled wild salmon, lamb gyros, on salads, on top of gazpacho until I mix it all in, taco's, soup, anything potato, or just dip some delicious grilled naan into the thick Greek sauce, and you have a perfect breakfast, er, I mean snack. The uses are deliciously endless. The basic recipe I have in my head is as follows, but please feel free to use your favorite summer herb crush to experiment. Your kids may even give it a try like my 17 month old daughter!
Minted Tzatziki
1 Pint thick whole milk Greek yogurt
1 English cucumber, well rinsed, with skin on
2 Heaping tablespoons of mint, chiffonade or minced
2 oz crumbled feta cheese
2 Garlic cloves, finely minced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
juice of one lemon
1/4 tsp kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper
Preparation:
Coarsely grate the cucumber over a strainer. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp kosher salt and let it drain at room temp for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour. Squeeze excess moisture from cucumber and discard liquid. Mix cucumber, mint, feta and garlic into yogurt. Mix in olive oil and lemon juice and season with freshly cracked pepper and serve with whatever else you are eating currently.
Quite a bit of thought has gone into this blog. Will it flow? Will it be easy for me to recreate my rolling stream of consciousness about food and life into words? Will I actually be creative enough to write something that someone out there wants to read? Thing is, I love cooking, I love eating (for two currently), I love creating recipes, and teaching cooking. I love sharing food, talking about food, experimenting and thinking about food. I am also a professionally trained chef who is constantly seeking out new things to taste and experience. So my answer to the question above is YES!! I can write something that someone, somewhere would like to read. I know there are a lot of others just like me.
And, we're off! I dedicate this blog to Ryanne and 'Poppie' and any other soul who chooses me as their mom. I think I should also give a shout out to wanderlust..and the fears and joys that come to me as I step into a new territory called a food blog.
I love the tartness of rhubarb. I will eat it raw. The fibrous texture allows me to chew on it, kinda like a cow's cud. I make this rhubarb-vanilla bean jam at the beginning of every summer and at the end because it is pretty available from June - August in the Northwest. If I am feeling generous, I will can it and keep it for gifts during the holidays, but most often it ends up on my toast. Its super easy and quick to create and makes a PB&J very special for a toddler. It is also good as a dessert sauce or drizzled on vanilla bean ice cream.
