you scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream

In most kitchens, there is a graveyard. A dusty cupboard of appliances, items with grand promises of health and ease, convenience and culinary assistance. What are they really? A waste of space. A panini press? You can do it with two frying pans and a brick. A waffle maker? Just make pancakes. A slap chop? Learn how to use a knife.

However, I'll admit it. A trivial, luxurious, non-essential appliance has won my heart. It's frosty and cold, and it's a workhorse. It churns out the best gelato, frozen yogurt, sherbet and ice cream I can dream of, flavoured with dark chocolate, just-picked berries, or coconut milk. I bought an ice cream maker, and I just can't stop using it. I'm an addict.

This blog post should really be labelled 'how to make friends with ice cream.' Here's the first few weeks of ice cream adventures:

#1: Inaugural use, full of excitement. Picked a frozen yogurt recipe from Green Kitchen Stories: Strawberry Rhubarb Fro-Yo. Result? Amazing healthy dessert, made with all-local ingredients (full fat yogurt, honey, organic strawberries and home-picked rhubarb).

#2: Decided to be less health conscious, so I turned to an expert for a Chocolate Sorbet. David Lebovitz has a cookbook entitled The Perfect Scoop, which has every ice cream recipe you could possibly imagine. I melted two dark chocolate bars and waited eagerly. I was not disappointed.

#3 Cashew Ice Cream with Roasted Strawberries. A vegan creation with a cashew base. Interesting, but needs some work. Those roasted strawberries though - unbelievable.

#4: Roasted Banana and Coconut Ice Cream. Becoming more confident, and I decide to make my own recipe. One can of coconut milk, two oven-roasted bananas, three spoonfuls of sugar. Genius!

#5: Out in the country, picking wild berries, so Wild Black Raspberry Sherbet was a no-brainer. My friend Katy's property is covered with wild berries right now. Countless mosquito bites and thorn scratches are a small price to pay for a bucket of berries. This recipe is based on a David Lebovitz recipe for raspberry sherbet, but go crazy with any berry!

Wild Black Raspberry Sherbet
You can find black raspberries at the market right now, but if you can't get them (or you don't have a property covered in wild raspberry bushes), substitute raspberries, strawberries or cherries!

1 lb black raspberries
1 cup sugar
juice from 1 lemon
2 cups soy milk, almond milk or cow's milk

Puree all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Push through a fine mesh sieve, and discard seeds (or skins or pips, depending on which berry you're using). Finish in your ice cream maker.

The final word? This appliance was worth every penny. You're welcome, Kitchen Aid. I may have just sold a few more ice cream makers for you.

rhubarb here, rhubarb there, rhubarb chutney everywhere

I've been going a little rhubarb nuts lately. Rhubarb syrup for lemonades and cocktails, rhubarb upside down cakes made in the cast iron skillet, strawberry-rhubarb frozen yogurt in my new ice cream maker. Fun fact about rhubarb: yes, the leaves are poisonous, but you'd have to eat five kilograms of leaves to reach a lethal dosage of oxalic acid.

For my first canning project of the year, I chose a rhubarb chutney, from the awesome Food in Jars, via Food 52. Chutneys are a South Asian condiment that usually contain fruit or vegetable mixed with spices - there's hundreds of varieties. North American chutney is usually fruit based, cooked down with vinegar and sugar, and a mixture of spices. The problem I've had with chutney in the past is what the heck do you do with all that chutney? Many cookbooks are quick to suggest serving it with meat, but vegetarian ideas? Here's a list I've come up with:

1. Obviously, a cheese plate! Chutney goes great on a crostini with brie or camembert. 

2. Grilled Cheese! Spread a spoonful of chutney on an aged cheddar grilled cheese.

3. With greens! Hearty sautéed greens, like kale or swiss chard taste great finished off with a spoonful of chutney. 

4. In a glaze! Use it as a sauce to glaze roasted or grilled vegetables. 

5. At a BBQ! Chutney is an awesome condiment for all manner of veggie burgers (and meat burgers.)

Now that I've convinced you, go make some chutney! As a note, I've also made Food in Jars Apple-Pear Chutney from her cookbook, which is also amazing.

Rhubarb Chutney
This recipe makes only 3 half-pints, so if I've convinced you that you're going to love chutney, and you've got room on your shelves, you should double it. 

4 cups sliced rhubarb (around 1 pound)
1 cup minced onion
3/4 cup raisins
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp red chili flakes

Combine everything in a wide pot, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to simmer. Cook until the rhubarb breaks down, and the chutney is thickened, stirring regularly. It should take 20 to 30 minutes.

If you want to can this recipe, process for 10 minutes in a water bath. Otherwise, it will keep in the fridge for a few weeks, or the freezer for 6 months.

The last word? You can never have too much rhubarb.

boozy concoctions part II: strawberry-rhubarb gin

The summer drink extravaganza continues! If you start it right now, it'll be ready in time for the next long weekend. What are you waiting for?

strawberry-rhubarb gin

If you want to be fancy, call this a cordial, since it does have added sugar. But if you're going to call if a cordial, you must drink it in an old fashioned crystal glass, while sitting in the shade with a fan. 

2 cups hulled and sliced strawberries
1 cup sliced rhubarb
1 750ml. bottle gin
1 cup sugar


Combine everything in a clean quart jar (you might not need all the gin - congrats, make a cocktail to celebrate). Leave in a cool, dark place for a month or two, shaking every week or two to help dissolve the sugar. Strain out and discard solids, and store in a clean jar at room temperature. Use as you would gin, in any kind of cocktail or martini, but remember there's added sugar, so cut back on other sweet ingredients. 

roasted rhubarb with vanilla

Guess what's popping up at farmer's markets and fruit markets? It's red and green, tart and tasty, and pairs deliciously with apples, strawberries, vanilla and orange zest. It's .... Rhubarb! Right now, forced rhubarb is available (long stalks, tiny leaves, sweeter than regular rhubarb), and soon you'll find regular, outdoor rhubarb at the market.

It's more than a pie ingredient: think savoury rhubarb chutney with meat or cheese, rhubarb jam laced with orange or vanilla, rhubarb compote on top of ice cream, frangipane tarts, yogurt or custard. Some of my favourite things to make with rhubarb: apple rhubarb crumble, rhubarb applesauce, rhubarb-ade, and rhubarb compote.

This recipe from the River Cafe, via The Wednesday Chef, keeps the rhubarb intact - pretty little pieces, perfect for spooning over creme anglaise, yogurt or ice cream. Or eating straight from the pan.

roasted rhubarb with vanilla 

14 oz. rhubarb, cut into 2 inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1 orange or lemon
3 or 4 tbsp sugar
1 vanilla bean

Place rhubarb pieces in a shallow baking dish. Toss with juice and zest of orange (or lemon), sugar and scraped seeds from the vanilla bean. Bake at 300 for 20 minutes. Don't stir! You want to keep the rhubarb intact - stirring will break up the pieces and make a pile of mush (delicious mush, but not the effect you're going for). Serve on top of ice cream, yogurt, custard, waffles or pancakes with a drizzle of that vanilla bean-flecked syrup created by the rhubarb.


In other news, spring means I'm a year older (I share my first-day-of-spring birthday with my favourite classical composer, Bach), and it means beautiful Easter music, finding pussy willows on runs in the park, seedlings growing strong in the greenhouse, and tulips, lots of tulips. I missed you, springtime!

apple rhubarb crumble with raspberry frozen yogurt

Meet my favourite dessert of all time - the simple crumble. Can you tell? There's already two recipes on here: a strawberry rhubarb, and a raspberry pear. If I had to pick my last meal on earth, it would be a huge bowl of apple crumble with a big scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream and a large mug of hot chocolate. So, why the crumble?

1. It takes less than 10 minutes of prep time.
2. Baking fruit makes the house smell lovely.
3. You can make it with or without butter - both versions are delicious.
4. Any kind of fruit works, whatever's in season or in the fridge.
5. The topping is forgiving and versatile.
6. It's impossible to make screw up.
7. It's DELICIOUS - nutty, sweet, warm!

Have I convinced you yet? Make this tasty version with winter storage apples and greenhouse rhubarb, and serve with vanilla ice cream for a treat. Or, feeling virtuous? Try a lighter accompaniment - a fast raspberry frozen yogurt.



apple rhubarb crumble
(adapted from Moosewood Kitchen's Cooking for Health. Makes 6 servings.)


2 cups chopped rhubarb
4 apples, cored and chopped
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon


Preheat oven to 375. Put all ingredients in a shallow baking dish, and toss to combine. Bake for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, assemble the crumble:

1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup almonds
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup grape seed oil
pinch salt
1 tsp cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse to combine, until nuts are chopped into a coarse grind. When fruit is done, remove from oven and spread crumble evenly over top. Return to oven for another 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

raspberry frozen yogurt
(adapted from Jamie Oliver's Meals in Minutes. Makes two servings - double or triple recipe for more.)

1 cup raspberries
1/4 cup yogurt
1 tbsp liquid honey


Combine ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until the berries are pureed, and the mixture is a smooth consistency. Serve immediately.

the return of rhubarb

You know those sad looking trays of produce, sitting forlornly on the reduce sale rack? This is the best place to start a recipe. Often fruit and vegetables that are almost overripe are the perfect, most flavorful start to a meal.

For example, the other day, I bought a tray of apples: a few Galas, a handful of Macintosh and a Honey Crisp: for 79 cents! This was the makings of a delicious applesauce, which, by the way, is always tastiest when you use a combination of apple varieties. And a few bruises don't really matter.

My second find at Fiesta Farms: rhubarb. It may seem strange in the middle of February, but the are a number of farms around Toronto that grow greenhouse rhubarb.

The bruised apples and the winter rhubarb ran into some honey, cinnamon and vanilla, and turned into this pink, sweet-sour applesauce. Here it is.

rhubarb applesauce with vanilla and honey
8 apples, peeled, cored and diced
4 large rhubarb stalks, chopped
1/2 cup water
1/4 to 1/2 cup of honey (depending on how much you love sour rhubarb flavour)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla paste

Combine all ingredients in a pot. Bring to a boil, then turn down to low and simmer for an hour. If you like your applesauce very smooth, you can puree it at this point.

Breakfast time! Here's the applesauce with some granola and yogurt in a delicious parfait.

attack of the monster rhubarb

I was out at a farm a few weeks ago, and there was some giant, overgrown rhubarb plants. Surrounded by thorny vines from a neighbouring weed, harvesting stalks was a dangerous task. But well worth it. The best recipe for vast quantities of rhubarb? A delightful, tart, bright pink beverage.

Rhubarb-ade

10 cups of rhubarb

1/2 cup water

1-4 cups of sugar

Roughly chop the rhubarb. Cook in 1/2 cup water in a large pot for 30 -45 minutes. The rhubarb will break down and turn into 'stewed fruit.' Once the rhubarb has broken down, add sugar to your liking - 1 cup will give you a very tart drink, and 4 cups a very sweet drink. Pour the stewed rhubarb in to a fine sieve, and set over a large bowl. Encourage the rhubarb to strain by pressing with a ladle or large spoon. You are going to have lots of pulp left in the strainer. Save it and add it to a crumble or pie! What you want is the rhubarb syrup that has drained into the bowl. This is the concentrate for your drink. Dilute it with water to your liking - I found 1 part syrup to 8 parts water was about right.

Possible additions? Ribbons of mint, club soda, or strawberry garnishes.

I wish I had a picture - it's the most attractive, remarkable shade of pinky-purple. You could also use the syrup in cocktails. Gin, rhubarb syrup, club soda? Mmmmmmm.

Rhubarb four ways

I have a confession: I have never bought, cooked, grown or eaten rhubarb (I'm not counting bad, store-bought strawberry rhubarb pie). But I'm trying something new. Inspired by all these posts about rhubarb (at Seasonal Ontario Food and Tea and Cookies), I spent the week cooking these four recipes:

Rhubarb Compote

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 lb rhubarb (about 10 to 12 thin, long stalks)

1 tbsp butter (or coconut oil)

Cut rhubarb into small cubes. Toss with sugar. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low. Add rhubarb. Let cook for 2 minutes without stirring, then cook for 10-12 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Possible experiments: today I stuck with plain old white sugar, but I'm going to try going all local with honey or maple syrup next time... not sure how the maple would taste with the rhubarb, but it can't be bad! I'm sure the rhubarb would overpower. I'm also going to try a vegan version using coconut oil instead of butter. And finally, I'm going to try using less sweetener. This one was delicious, but I would love it to taste even more tart.

Enjoyed on: vanilla ice cream, custard, yogurt, pancakes, potato rosti, toast and on spoon, straight from the jar.

Variation - Strawberry Rhubarb Compote
 

Exactly the same as above, just add some halved strawberries after the rhubarb has cooked for 5 minutes. You might want to add less sugar - the strawberries get mighty sweet when cooked. This compote is a lot runnier than the straight rhubarb - great for waffles, pancakes or ice cream!

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

*Note - This is a new crumble recipe for me - it's gluten free! I'm a big fan of crumbles with oats in the topping, but the almonds in this recipe make an awesome, crunchy crisp. This makes a rather tart crumble (according to my mom and boyfriend- I thought it was just right). Increase the sugar if you want a sweeter taste. Serve with delicious real, local, organic whipped cream!

1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/3 blanched almond flour (usually in the fridge in health food stores - like the big carrot)
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp cold butter (coconut oil or vegan margarine for a vegan version)
dash of salt
2 cups strawberries, hulled and halved
4 cups rhubarb, diced
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp lemon juice

Spread sliced almonds on a baking sheet (I used whole almonds and chopped them roughly). Toast in oven at 350 for 8 minutes. Throw almonds, almond flour, brown sugar and salt in food processor and grind into a fine meal. Transfer to a bowl, and cut in cold butter, making a chunky, cornmeal-like mixture. Set aside. Leave oven on at 350 for later.

Combine strawberries and rhubarb in a bowl. Toss with sugar and cornstarch. Sprinkle lemon juice over fruit.

Grease a 9 by 9 in. baking dish. Spread fruit in bottom, then sprinkle crumble topping evenly over fruit. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until fruit is thoroughly cooked and topping is browned.

Rhubarb Applesauce

*Note- use 2 or 3 types of apples if you can. This makes any applesauce taste better. Also, if you're using organic apples, leave them unpeeled (if you don't mind a few bits of skin - and if you're using some sort of red apple, it will turn the sauce a pretty red colour).

5 or 6 apples, cored and chopped
5 or 6 stalks of rhubarb, diced
2-3 tbsp maple syrup

Combine apples and rhubarb in a pot with a few splashed of water. Cook on medium/low heat, stirring and smushing occasionally, until everything is soft and mushy to your liking (anywhere from 20-40 minutes). Stir in maple syrup to taste.

Along with the rhubarb, here's my finds from the market this week: cabbage, cornbread, bok choy, a cucumber. apples and delicious kalamata olives. Mmmmm. 

In 4 months, this vine will be bursting with New England Pie pumpkins... I'm already thinking of the delicious things I'm going to bake.