May 2003
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Month May 2003

Entries 3 Total

Rhubarb Crisp

May 19, ’03

This was the first dish I’ve ever cooked for the boy that impressed him. He’s a much better cook than I am and it thrilled me to watch him clean up his bowl and ask for a second serving. I was visiting him in Vermont and we stopped by his professor’s house to borrow a canoe. We harvested some ramps from the side of the lake and he gave us rhubarb from his yard. The boy cooked a nice duck dinner with the ramps while I baked the rhubarb for dessert. Top this with either vanilla or strawberry ice cream and your boyfriend will be impressed too.

Ingredients:
1 pound rhubarb, cut into pieces 3/4 inch thick
white sugar
flour
half a stick of unsalted butter
1/2 cup of plain oatmeal
1 tsp of ground cinnamon
vanilla or strawberry ice cream

1. Preheat oven to 400º.
2. Place the rhubarb in a square glass baking dish and toss with 1/2 cup sugar and 1/8 cup flour.
3. In a food processor, pulse 1/4 flour with butter until clumps are pea-size. Add 1/4 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of oatmeal and cinnamon. Pulse to combine. Sprinkle over rhubarb.
4. Bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Serve warm in a bowl and top with vanilla or strawberry ice cream.

Related post/s:
Sauteed ramps with pancetta

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Penne with Homemade Pesto

May 19, ’03

Basil was abundant in Vermont so the boy made pesto for our pasta meal. It’s amazing how easy it is to make dinner with just the right, fresh ingredient. Back in New York City, I replicated the dish. Can you guess which one is mine?

Ingredients:
half a box of penne
1/2 pound of fresh basil leaves, rinsed well and roughly chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
a handful of pine nuts
2 tsps lemon juice
salt, pepper, olive oil

1. Make the pesto. In a food processor, pulse basil, pine nuts and garlic to combine. Slowly drizzle a little bit of olive oil while pulsing. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.
2. Boil a pot of water and add penne with a little salt and olive oil for about 15 minutes. Shock cooked pasta with cold water and drain.
3. In a large bowl, combine a small amount of pesto with the penne. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if necessary or add another jig of olive oil for more moisture.

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Sauteed Ramps with Pancetta

May 8, ’03

I first heard of ramps while eating at The Tasting Room. I found out later that they are only available in the spring. Ramps belong in the leek family and they taste like onion and garlic combined. A co-worker told me she used to eat them raw as a child growing up in Virginia. We were in Vermont one spring for a canoe trip and the boy’s professor directed us to the side of the lake where they grew like weeds. We harvested them and made a really nice duck dinner with them as a side. When I stopped by the New York City farmers’ market, they had them for sale and sure enough, people were standing in line to buy them even at $2.50 a bunch.

Ingredients:
2 bunches of ramps
a thin sliver of pancetta, diced
a bowl of ice water
salt, pepper

1. Add thoroughly washed ramps in boiling water for four minutes. When they’re done, drain and shock them in ice water to stop its cooking.
2. Fry the pancetta in a skillet and drain on a paper towel.
3. Using the same skillet, add the ramps and toss them in the rendered fat with salt and pepper.

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