FIZZY RHUBARB SHRUB

I don't know about you, but I take immense pleasure in a good drink. Coffee is a daily necessity for me. I try to be diligent about my water intake. But really I find nothing more refreshing than a fruity, homemade beverage.

I'm guessing most of you are hip to the shrub thang, but if shrubs are new to you, you're in for a treat. If you're solidly in the ultra sweet soda-y camp, you might find the vinegar hit of a shrub to be odd, but if you're like me and dig a drink that's sweet, tart, and bubbly all at the same time, shrubs will treat you right.

Rhubarb - always a good player in the tangy-sweet world - seems a perfect springtime star for a homemade shrub.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound rhubarb, sliced into into 1/4 inch semicircles
• 2 cups light agave nectar
• 1/2 cup good quality apple cider vinegar 
• sparking water
• optional for serving: sprigs of fresh thyme, kumquat slices, or an orange twist would be nice here

In a medium mixing bowl, combine sliced rhubarb and agave. Cover and let sit at room temp for 48-72 hours. Strain, reserving syrup. Add good apple cider vinegar to the liquid and you’ve got your shrub. (Feel free to add more vinegar if that suits you, adjusting the tang to your liking.) Transfer syrup to a lidded container - and keep in the refrigerator.

( You can discard the rhubarb slices, or I save them in a separate lidded container and add them to my morning bowl of granola and Greek yogurt.)

I'd suggest combining 3-4 portions sparkling water to 1 portion of shrub, but feel free to make a more concentrated or diluted shrub depending on your taste. Serve over ice. Add a little citrus or fresh thyme if you please. You can also add a splash of rhubarb shrub to your cocktails.

QUINOA ORZO WITH ASPARAGUS + PRESERVED LEMON DRESSING

Purchasing my first bundle of asparagus each year marks a tectonic shift in our kitchen. I feel ready to let go of heartier soups and starchy roots as I start to dream of the vibrant greens that only early spring can bring. Peas, wild nettles, bright salads, freshness...

Today I wanted to share a super easy dish that lets asparagus bask in its natural glory. Speaking of natural glory... have you tried storing your asparagus in water? It's a great way to keep the spears firm and fresh. I like the notion of treating asparagus like any other spring bloom... maybe I'm just a produce nerd, but I'd be quite happy to get a bouquet of asparagus in lieu of flowers.

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 cups uncooked quinoa orzo* (any orzo will do here, or you could substitute a few cups of cooked wild rice for this recipe)
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and sliced
• 1 large or 2 small preserved lemons (if you don't have access to preserved lemons - I think using additional fresh lemon juice and fresh lemon zest would make a nice substitution). For details on making your own preserved lemons, here's a recipe for you.
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice + more to taste
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan + shaved Parm for serving
• freshly ground black pepper and sea salt
• for serving: arugula or chopped parsley; another squirt of fresh lemon juice; shaved Parm or crumbled goat cheese

*A local company named Edison Grainery has been doing all sort of interesting things with grains, specifically organic quinoa. We're addicted to their quinoa crispies and I really like their quinoa orzo.

Fill and large stock pot with tap water and salt very generously. Set pot over high heat and bring water to a boil.

In a large mixing bowl, set up an ice bath for the asparagus.

When the water comes to a rolling boil, blanch asparagus slices until vibrant green and just tender, depending on the thickness of your stalks, this could take 1-3 minutes. Don't pour out the cooking water, simply scoop out tender asparagus with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge the veg into an ice bath. Keep your salty cooking water on the stove and use it for your orzo.

Cook orzo until it reaches your desired texture. (For those of you using the Edison quinoa orzo, I've found that the cooking time is much longer than that suggested on the package.)

While the orzo is cooking, go ahead and make your dressing. A note on preserved lemons: when using preserved lemons, you want to discard the flesh and use only the peel. Rinse the pieces of preserved lemon peel and place them in a blender or food processor. Add olive oil, lemon juice, grated Parm, plenty of ground black pepper and salt to taste. Blitz all ingredients. Taste for seasoning and add a little more lemon juice and/or salt as desired.

When the orzo has finished cooking, drain and transfer it to a serving dish. Pull asparagus from the ice bath, pat dry and add to the orzo. Generously dress the dish, adding additional salt or lemon juice to your liking.

Serve warm or room temp with ample freshly ground black pepper, shaved Parm or creamy goat cheese, scattered arugula leaves or chopped herbs. Although not necessary, I like to give the dish one last squeeze of fresh lemon juice just to bring out the springy brightness.

Enjoy!

serves 4-6

BTW, did you guys read the new piece by Mark Bittman about cooking and eating in Berkeley? I'm happy to see Mark so enjoying California produce and our beloved Monterey Market, but I have to say... I'm scared that the already-insane parking lot situation is about to get much much worse!

PHYLLIS'S RAW ASPARAGUS + FENNEL SALAD

I'm sure those of you who regularly read food blogs are well aware of Phyllis Grant and her bad ass blog, Dash and Bella. Phyllis's writing is funny, raw, heartbreaking, kinetic, passionate... her words can make you belly-laugh and cry all in one sitting. And her food is good, really good.

Back in the summer of 2009 when I started here, I didn't know anyone writing a blog (let alone a food blog) until one day at the market, Sarah an old friend and early reader of Yummy Supper, said... "Hey did you know Phyllis is writing a blog too?" Phyllis and I had gone to high-school together, had always been friendly, but had never known each other well.

Unbeknownst to either of us, Phyllis and I started our blogs within weeks of one another, each of us cooking, photographing and writing in our own kitchens on either side of Berkeley. After running into Sarah at the market, I rushed home to check out Dash and Bella and I was immediately hooked on Phyllis's stories, photos, and recipes. I reached out to Phyllis right away, and we quickly fell into what my husband calls our "blogmance." For nearly 5 years, Phyllis and I have chatted on the phone for hours at a time, talking about geeky blogging stuff that honestly none of my non-blogging friends would want to hear. Our conversations wander from recipe developing to parenting, aperture to marriage, book writing to home birth. Phyllis has become one of dearest friends and I'm grateful to have had her insights and support throughout this crazy adventure.

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I first made Phyllis' asparagus fennel salad way back in 2010 when Dash and Bella was still in its infancy and I haven't been able to forget how good it tasted. When I asked Phyllis if she minded if I shared her salad here, she said she had forgotten all about the recipe. What?! I told her, "This salad is way too good to be forgotten!"

With asparagus reining as queen of the market these days, I want to eat it every which way while the season lasts. I like that Phyllis leaves the asparagus raw in this salad, combining the slivers with shaved fennel, Parmesan and a dressing that packs a serious punch.

INGREDIENTS from Phyllis Grant's Dash and Bella
printable recipe

• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 teaspoon champagne or white wine vinegar
• juice and zest of 1/2 Meyer lemon (any lemon will do here)
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 1 anchovy, chopped fine (Vegetarian friends: leave out the anchovy. The dressing will still be packed with flavor.)
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 12 stalks of asparagus, rough ends trimmed
• a medium fennel bulb (core and stalks removed) + fronds
• flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Parmesan, Piave or Reggiano
• optional: serve on a bed of steamed quinoa

First, whip up your dressing: Combine shallot, vinegar, lemon juice and zest, capers, and anchovy. Set aside for 10 minutes. Then, add mustard and finally whisk in olive oil. Feel free to adjust seasoning with additional lemon juice or olive oil to taste. Set aside. Keep in mind that the dressing can be made (even a couple of days) in advance.

Cut asparagus at an angle into very thin slices. (Phyllis suggests peeling asparagus stalks until just before the tip. If you are using tender young asparagus, the peeling isn't necessary. ) Place asparagus slices in a serving dish. Slice fennel as thinly as possible, using a mandolin if you've got one. Toss the fennel slivers in with the asparagus.

Generously dress the asparagus and fennel. Season with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Top with a few feathery fennel fronds, plenty of shaved Parm. Serve immediately. (Any leftover salad dressing can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.)

The salad would be beautiful served with grilled fish or lamb chops for dinner, and for lunch, I like nestling the salad on top of quinoa, adding an extra splash of dressing and savoring the party of textures and flavors.

PRESERVED RHUBARB

This deliciously simple rhubarb recipe is from Diane Roupe's new book Blue Ribbon Country Canning. Diane is a preserving legend, having won numerous blue and red ribbons and the Iowa State Fair - the real deal in American canning country!

Last year, I was lucky enough to shoot all the photographs for Diane's book. Working on Blue Ribbon Country Canning was an amazing creative endeavor, and so different from my own book project - I loved the challenge of honoring another author's vision through photography. After 12 months, it feels fantastic to finally touch the pages and see all the work that went into the book become a reality.

When shooting Diane's book, I fell in love with her rhubarb and knew I had to share this recipe with all of you. Diane's rhubarb maintains a wonderful tart bite while being just sweetened enough by a bit of sugar. Imagine nestling little bits of puckery ruby-hued rhubarb onto a bowl of vanilla ice cream... yum!


INGREDIENTS adapted from Diane Roupe's Blue Ribbon Country Canning from Egg + Dart Press
{printable recipe}

• 2 1/4 pounds rhubarb
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

Trim ends from rhubarb and slice stalks into 2 inch x 1/4 inch batons. Place cut rhubarb in a large stainless stockpot or dutch oven. Toss rhubarb with sugar. Cover and let rhubarb macerate for 4 hours to release its liquid. ( I occasionally stirred the rhubarb during this maceration phase.)

After 4 hours, place pot holding the rhubarb (and all of its released liquid) onto the stove top. Turn the flame to medium-high. Stir regularly while bringing the pot to a boil. Once boiling, count to 10 and remove the pan from the heat. (If you cook the rhubarb any longer, the fibers really break down and the consistency gets soft and mushy like stewed rhubarb. The flavor and texture are still delish, just not as firm as Diane's intention.)

Using a slotting spoon, immediately place rhubarb into jars and pour liquid over the top. Seal jars. For more information on this important phase of canning, please consult Diane's book, or your favorite canning guide. Keep in mind: you can also make this recipe and store the rhubarb in clean lidded containers in the fridge. Unsealed rhubarb should be eaten within 2 weeks.

Let jars cool to room temp and rest for 12 hours.

Serve rhubarb on something sweet and creamy like vanilla ice cream...






I thought you might enjoy a peek at some shots from the book...