Rhubarb-Marionberry Jam

There they were, a bag of last summer’s marionberries tucked in the way back of my freezer. A happy discovery! I had been wandering aimlessly, wondering what to create with the slender stalks of crimson rhubarb on the kitchen counter, and those berries were just the spark of inspiration I needed – jam! 

And I’ve decided this will be my summer to start canning! ‘Til I begin that adventure, quick fridge jams will keep me contented. 

Imagining my new favorite jam, I eagerly mixed the rhubarb with my stash of marionberries. I first macerated some diced rhubarb in a mix of coconut sugar, honey, lemon juice and zest.  After that I simply plunked in the frozen berries and let it all simmer into a syrupy, luscious mass of jammy goodness. 

The contrasting flavors of tart rhubarb and sweet marionberries make for a brisk, vibrant jam with a vivid, jewel-toned color. A few spoonfuls swirled into thick yogurt elevated my breakfast staple into a luscious, rather pretty affair.  

If you have any frozen berries hiding out, this is a simple, pleasing jam to make with the season’s rhubarb. Or you can freeze (and hide) some rhubarb for jam-making later, when more fresh berries are available. Blue-barb jam anyone?

Rhubarb-Marionberry Jam

Makes just over 2 cups

1 pound rhubarb, cut into 1 inch dice 

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1/4 cup honey

Zest and juice of 1 large lemon

1 pound marionberries or blackberries (fresh or frozen, no need to defrost)

In a mixing bowl, combine the rhubarb, coconut sugar, honey, lemon juice and zest and let sit for about half an hour.  Scrape the mixture into a medium sized sauce pan and add the marionberries. Stir and bring it to a boil over medium high heat, then lower the heat a bit and let it cook while actively bubbling for 15 minutes. Stir a few times to make sure it isn’t sticking or scorching and lower the heat more if needed.  Test to see if it’s thickening by running a wooden spoon through the mixture. If it leaves a trail, it’s finished. Remove from the heat and let cool. Store the jam in a covered jar in the fridge. It will thicken more as it chills. It will keep for a couple of weeks. 

Shavuot Feta-Herb Dip

Dairy and I are very good friends. I have a not-so-secret desire to keep a cow, and while I don’t know if dairy farming is in my future – I like to keep my options open – cooking with dairy always makes me happy.

Dairy dishes are traditionally eaten during Shavuot, the Jewish holiday commemorating the day Moses received the Torah at Mount Sinai. One explanation of this custom (my favorite) is that Shavuot falls in spring when sheep, goats and cows produce an abundance of milk as they give birth and graze on new grass.

Dairy it is! While we like (love) blintzes and cheesecake, I decided to make a savory dairy treat for this Shavuot. I especially love cheese and yogurt. Creamy feta cheese and lusciously thick yogurt seemed a natural pairing, so with a dip in mind I stirred them together.

Over this past sunny weekend (now gone and turned to a thunderstorm!), I also spent time planting my fragrant new bounty of herbs from my sons’ marvelous school orchestra fundraiser. I could not resist chopping a large handful of dill, mint, parsley and chives to include in this dip. Fresh herbs sing of spring and you can use any combination you may have on hand. Quick to stir together, with lemony zip and tangy richness, this dip is bursting with green freshness. It’s wonderful to scoop up with crunchy veggies to celebrate Shavuot this week or any time!

Shavuot Feta-Herb Dip
Makes 1 1/2 cups

8 ounces feta cheese
1/2 cup thick, plain, whole milk yogurt
Zest and juice of 1/2 large lemon
1 packed cup fresh herbs, finely chopped (I used mint, parsley, dill and chives)
A few grinds of black pepper
Flaky sea salt (optional, depending upon how salty your feta cheese is)
Cut up veggies to dip

In a medium sized bowl, mash the feta cheese lightly and stir in the yogurt, lemon zest and juice.  Gently mix in the herbs and black pepper. Taste for seasoning – since my feta was salty I didn’t add any salt, but if your feta is not very salty add a little flaky sea salt.

Mound the dip on a serving platter with some cup up veggies and serve. You can prepare it ahead and keep it in the fridge until ready to serve.

Chocolate Truffle Tart for Mother’s Day

Chocolate. And lots of it. This is what’s on my mind with Mother’s Day this weekend! (And avocado toast – but that’s for another time.) I tend to prefer plain chocolate, the darker the better, and keep a stash of bars on hand for easy nibbling. Sometimes, though, I want my chocolate in a more elegant form, something pretty and festive.

When I was cooking at Hillel UW, a popular dessert that I often made for the students’ Shabbat dinners was a chocolate mousse pie. This pie was quite simple to make, using melted chocolate and whipped cream for the mousse and crushed Oreos and butter for the crust. Really, what’s not to love? College kids know a good thing!

Given my new love for coconut whipped cream, though, I decided to re-create this pie using it in place of dairy whipped cream. And I love pairing walnuts with chocolate, so I took my tweaks a step further and made a chocolate walnut crust. After grinding walnuts, cocoa powder and coconut sugar together, I stirred in some coconut oil and pressed the mixture into a spring form pan to form the crust. While it baked, I melted chocolate and whipped coconut cream.

I keep a can of coconut milk in the fridge now, so it’s easy to have chilled coconut cream to whip up quickly. By turning the can over and opening the bottom, you pour off the liquid (save it for making smoothies) and then scoop out the coconut cream. After beating it, you can add vanilla or a touch of sweetness and decadently dollop away.

For this tart, I added vanilla and espresso powder to the whipped cream before folding in the melted chocolate. After pouring the filling into the cooled crust, I chilled it to firm up. The last step was showering the finished tart with golden flakes of toasted coconut.

I sighed when I took my first bite. More truffle than mousse in texture, this is an insanely rich, dense, luscious tart, perfect to celebrate Moms everywhere. Wishing all of the Mamas a beautiful Mother’s Day!

Chocolate Truffle Tart
Serves 8-10

2 cups raw walnuts
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
6 ounces dark chocolate, 70-85 % is ideal
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1 tablespoon hot water
1 15 ounce can whole, unsweetened coconut milk, chilled overnight
1 teaspoon vanilla
A pinch of sea salt
3/4 cup shaved coconut, toasted until golden

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 inch spring form pan with parchment paper. In a food processor, pulse the walnuts, cocoa powder and coconut sugar together until the nuts are ground. Add the melted coconut oil and pulse a couple of times to mix. Scoop the mixture into the prepared pan and gently pat on the bottom to form the crust. Pop it in the oven for 20 minutes. The crust will be soft but will harden a bit as it cools. Set aside while you prepare the filling.

Melt the chocolate slowly over low heat, just until it is mostly smooth. Remove from the heat and stir to finish melting. Set aside to cool just a bit. Stir the espresso powder and hot water together in a small bowl.

Remove the coconut milk from the fridge. Turn the can over and open it. Slowly pour the clear liquid out (save for a smoothie!) and scoop the coconut cream out into a bowl. You should have about 1 cup. With an electric beater, whip the cream on high speed for about 3-4 minutes, until it lightens and is creamy. Add the espresso mix, vanilla and a good pinch of sea salt. Whip the cream on high again for a minute, scraping down the sides. Pour the melted chocolate in and gently fold it into the cream. Pour the chocolate mix into the cooled crust and gently spread it evenly.

Put the pan in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours before serving. You can prepare it the night before, too. When ready to serve, run a small knife around the edge and pop open the sides. If the top has cracked a bit, don’t worry – the coconut will hide it! Place the tart on a serving dish, shower the toasted coconut flakes on top and slice. The crust may remain a bit soft, so use a pie server to gently lift out each piece. I like the tart's texture and flavor after sitting out for about 15 minutes, as it softens just a bit and tastes richer.

Sam's Gazpacho

Our April showers have happily brought us May flowers. Buds are bursting into bloom everywhere, and Bob has successfully foiled our mischievous chickens from hopping up on the coop roof, so I can once again plant flowers there.

May also brings us a little closer to Sam’s high school graduation. As I was digging through a box in the closet the other day, I came upon a cookbook that his second grade class had made featuring their favorite soups. I stopped what I was doing and plopped down on the floor to page through it, memories of helping him choose a soup for this project rushing back. Second grade. How have the past ten years gone by so quickly?

Sam’s contribution to this collection was gazpacho and it remains a favorite of his. With graduation and birthday celebrations on the horizon, I have been thinking about festive meals to make and gazpacho will be a terrific addition to one of these celebratory menus.

Gazpacho is a refreshingly chilled soup that is full of flavor and texture. With the hot summer days to come, it’s also a wonderful choice as the only cooking involves roasting some red peppers, which can easily be done on the barbecue while you’re hanging out in the backyard. I like little flecks of charred pepper in my soup, so after roasting them I remove the seeds but leave much of the blackened skin on. The peppers are pureed and then chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions and parsley are added for a chunky texture. I’ve added some pickled jalapenos for a spicy kick, too, along with lemon and lime juice for a bright finish.

Over this past gloriously sunny weekend, Sam finished off the gazpacho and it's still his favorite soup. Where has all the time gone?

Sam's Gazpacho
Serves 6

4 red bell peppers
2 pounds tomatoes (roughly 6 medium)
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1 cup parsley, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 large cucumber, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tablespoon pickled jalapenos (or more to taste), diced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Sliced avocado to garnish (optional)

Preheat your broiler or barbecue on high. If using the broiler, place the peppers on a baking sheet and pop them under. If using the barbecue, place the peppers on the grill, lower the heat a bit and close the cover. Check on the peppers every few minutes, and turn them so that they blacken and soften evenly. When they are quite soft, remove from the heat and let cool.

Open the peppers (careful for all the liquid that will pour out) and remove the seeds and stem. Place them in the bowl of a food processor. Roughly chop half of the tomatoes and add them to the peppers. Puree until smooth. Pour into a large mixing bowl. Add the parsley, garlic, cucumber and pickled jalapenos to the food processor and pulse a few times until chunky. Add to the bowl of puree.

Dice the remaining tomatoes and add them to the soup. Stir in the lemon and lime juices, salt and pepper and taste for seasoning. Cover and chill the soup for at least 2 hours or for up to one day. Taste again for seasoning before serving with sliced avocado, if desired.

Orange-Scented Couscous Pudding and Jerusalem’s Burnt Eggplant Soup

Couscous, a staple in Middle Eastern and North African cooking, is Tasting Jerusalem’s ingredient for April. These cute little pearls of durum wheat semolina are commonly served with meat dishes, in soups, in salads or as a side dish.

A recipe I’ve been eyeing in Jerusalem is the Burnt Eggplant and Mograbieh Soup. When this past weekend turned chilly and rainy, I decided it was an ideal time to make soup. Charred eggplant is incredibly appealing to me and it’s amazing in this tomato-based soup. Mograbieh is Lebanese couscous, a larger-sized version than the tiny spheres typically seen. It’s similar to Israeli or giant couscous, which is readily available in Western markets.

Since I just pulled our barbecue out for spring it seemed the perfect place to roast the eggplants. Sue, from Couscous & Conscientiousness, made the same soup and also used a barbecue. Less messy than the oven! Plus, you can’t beat the flavor that a barbecue imparts. I tweaked the recipe just a bit, using white wine in place of broth and increasing the tomatoes because we like things really tomato-ey around here. And before cooking the couscous, I toasted the pearls in melted butter until they turned golden and fragrant. When serving the soup, I kept the couscous on the side so everyone could scoop in the amount they desired.  With its deeply satisfying, smoky flavor and bright pop of dill, this is a soup I’ll be happy to eat quite often!

Beth and Sarene are also hosting a couscous recipe contest this month for Tasting Jerusalem. I decided to move in a sweeter direction with couscous and make a pudding for my boys. A lonely bottle of orange blossom water has been sitting in my cabinet for a while, and pairing this with honey and orange zest seemed a marvelous way to flavor the pudding. Orange blossom water has a truly lovely fragrance, and I’ve discovered it’s quite good in tea, too, so I think I’ll be keeping it within easier reach.

I simmered Israeli couscous with cream and honey, whisked in egg yolks and coconut milk, then added a splash of orange blossom water and a bit of orange zest to finish the pudding. Warm, rich and creamy, with a hint of honey and the delicate scent of orange, this pudding is indulgent for breakfast or dessert. Needless to say, my sons devoured it quickly!

Orange-Scented Couscous Pudding
Serves 4

1/2 cup Israeli (giant) couscous
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons honey, plus extra for serving
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1-14 ounce can whole, unsweetened coconut milk
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon orange blossom water (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon orange zest
Orange slices for serving (optional)

In a medium sized sauce pan, bring the cream, couscous, honey and salt to almost a boil, lower the heat and let simmer for about 7-8 minutes, until couscous is al dente. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and coconut milk until smooth. Slowly pour the coconut-egg mixture into the cream and couscous and stir. Continue cooking, stirring a few times, until the pudding thickens, about 6-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the orange blossom water and orange zest.

Let the pudding cool slightly (it will thicken as it cools). It’s best served warm or room temperature with orange slices a drizzle of honey. If you chill the pudding, it will thicken quite a bit so warm it and add a little cream or coconut milk to loosen it.

Burnt Eggplant and Mograbieh Soup
Adapted slightly from Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi
Serves 4

2 large eggplants (about 2 pounds total)
Olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 tablespoon cumin
1-6 ounce can tomato paste
1 pound Roma tomatoes, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups white wine
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, plus lemon slices to serve
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/3 cup Israeli (giant) couscous or mograbieh
Fresh dill for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat your barbecue on high, then lower to medium. Slice one of the eggplants in half lengthwise and set aside one of the halves. Pierce the whole and remaining half eggplant a few times and place on the barbecue. Close the cover and let cook for about 10 – 15 minutes. When blackened, turn them and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Dice the raw half of eggplant into a small dice. In a large sauce pan or soup pot, drizzle a little olive oil and fry the eggplant over medium heat. Stir a couple of times, so most of the sides brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

Add another drizzle of olive oil and the onions and cook over medium heat the onions are soft. Add the cumin, tomato paste, tomatoes and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the wine, water and lemon juice, bring to a simmer and then lower heat. Let cook for about 15 minutes.

In a small sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat and add the couscous. Stir and toast it until it browns. Watch closely, as it will turn dark and burn quickly. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch, a sprinkle of kosher salt and bring to a boil. Cook until just softened, about 8 minutes (depending upon your brand). Drain and set aside.

Remove the cook eggplant flesh and add to the tomato base. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until mostly smooth. Reheat gently and add salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish with some fried eggplant, dill and a slice of lemon. Serve the couscous in a bowl alongside, allowing everyone to scoop out what they’d like.

Rhubarb Cranachan

Yes, I have yet another fruit and cream dessert that I’m crazy for, and I’ve fallen rather hard.  It’s one of those “please take it away so I don’t eat the entire thing myself” types of desserts. In reading British cookbooks over the years, I often came across a rustic sounding sweet called cranachan. Cranachan is a classic Scottish dessert and a quick look at the ingredients assured me I would love it. In the spirit of Eton Mess, Pavlova and strawberry shortcake, this is a cream-and-fruit inspired treat. Rather than including meringue or biscuits, though, this one features toasted oats. And whisky.

A traditional cranachan is made with raspberries, but as we won’t have fresh raspberries for a while I decided to break with tradition and use rhubarb. I’m itching to cook with rhubarb since the slender crimson stalks are appearing everywhere now. Growing up, we had a small patch and I remember my mom heading out many mornings with a kitchen knife to cut some for her pies. I’ve always had a fondness for rhubarb with its tart, bright flavor, and I thought it would make a lovely understudy for raspberries in my cranachan.

I simmered some diced rhubarb with honey, until it softened and turned into a rosy hued sauce. The oats were scattered on a griddle and heated until they browned a bit and smelled warm and fragrant. I whipped the cream and added a splash of Scotch whisky (I can’t mess with tradition here – it must be Scotch!) and the preparation was done.

This is a homey dessert, so I put the bowls of the ingredients out on the table and let everyone make their own. A layer of rhubarb, a scoop of oats, a dollop of cream and we could each stir up our cranachans. The cream balances out the tart rhubarb beautifully, with just a whiff of whisky, and the oats add toasty crunch and flavor. Simple comfort.

Rhubarb Cranachan
Serves 4

1 pound rhubarb stalks, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup honey
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup heavy cream
1-2 tablespoons Scotch whisky, depending upon your taste (I used Glenlivet)

Place the rhubarb and honey in a medium sized sauce pan over medium-high heat. Bring it to a simmer and mix. The rhubarb will start to soften and break down, releasing juices. Lower the heat and let cook for about 15 minutes, until the rhubarb is soft and rather like a sauce. Set aside to cool.

Spread the oats out on a griddle or large fry pan. Over medium heat, stir and gently toast them until they begin to turn a bit brown and are fragrant. Watch closely as they can burn easily. Set aside to cool.

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Add the Scotch whisky and gently stir. You can make it ahead and keep in the fridge.

When ready to serve, place the rhubarb, oats and cream in individual serving bowls with spoons and bring them to the table, along with small dessert dishes and spoons. Scoop from each bowl, mix and enjoy!

Artichokes with Avocado-Anchovy Dip

Back when I first moved from Boston to Los Angeles for college, I confess I mostly had the beach and sun on my mind. Little did I know, new love would be found next door, both with the boy living there (now my husband) and for the fresh artichokes to which he introduced me. Eating an entire artichoke just seemed so California....I loved it!

Prior to this, my artichoke eating experience had been limited to marinated hearts from a jar (quite good, I must say). Eating this thorny thistle leaf by leaf, though, scraping a delicate bite off each one and then digging through the choke to the tender, hidden heart was just downright fun and delicious.

Artichokes are beckoning in the market now, another welcome sign of spring. Our favorite way to enjoy artichokes is to steam them and then start dipping in little bowls of melted butter and lemon juice - simple and classic.

This last time, though, I decided to make an umami-rich dip using two ingredients that I could happily eat everyday – avocadoes and anchovies. I blended these with green onions, lemon, garlic and parsley. Bold, creamy and assertive, this is one tasty green dip! It is also quite good dolloped on scrambled eggs or mixed with some baby greens. Toss a couple of those lovely green globe artichokes in your basket, blend up a batch of dip and soon you’ll be savoring a taste of spring.

Artichokes with Avocado-Anchovy Dip
Serves 4 (makes 1 cup of dip)

4 large green globe artichokes
2 ounce tin of anchovies in olive oil
1 bunch green onions, roughly chopped
1 large, ripe avocado, sliced in half and scooped out
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (save a lemon half to rub on the artichokes)
1 clove garlic, sliced
1/4 cup Italian parsley, roughly chopped

To prepare the artichokes, first cut the stem off to create a stable base. Using scissors, clip the thorny tip off of each leaf. Lay the artichoke on its side and using a knife cut the very top off the artichoke. If preparing ahead, rub with the cut lemon to prevent browning, otherwise you can place the artichoke in a large pan and prepare the remaining ones, adding them to the pan. Food52 has a tutorial on preparing artichokes that is helpful to read, as well.

Fill the pan with about 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. After about 25 minutes of steaming (or sooner if you have smaller artichokes) start testing by pulling on a leaf. If it tugs out easily, the artichokes are done. If not, steam for another 5 minutes and test again. Remove from the heat, drain and set aside at room temperature.

In the bowl of a food processor, add the anchovies and their oil, green onions, avocado, lemon juice, garlic and parsley. Process until smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides a couple of times.  Scoop into a serving bowl, place the artichokes on a platter and start dipping. You can make both the artichokes and dip ahead. Let the artichokes sit at room temperature and keep the dip covered in the fridge.