The Perfect Pair: Strawberries and Rhubarb

There's a reason the growing season for strawberries and rhubarb coincide. They make the perfect pair for a variety of desserts.

A friend of mine, Monica Bodor of Monica's Munchies Catering in Ardmore, PA, provided me with this simple recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch. Monica says, "I got this recipe from a Mennonite Book, and added strawberries. It is really good. Everyone who has had it likes it, especially when served with a little ice cream! It is also easy to follow and pretty quick. Enjoy!"

Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch

Mix until crumbly:
1 cup flour, sifted
3/4 cup uncooked oatmeal
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Combine the following in a saucepan:
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla

Prepare 3 cups diced rhubarb and one cup quartered strawberries.
Press half of crumbs in a greased 9X13 inch baking pan.
Add diced rhubarb and strawberries.
Combine second mixture and cook on stovetop on medium heat until thick and clear.
Pour over rhubarb and strawberries.
Top with remaining crumbs.
Bake at 350 degress for 35 to 40 minutes.

For more information on rhubarb, find all you need to know and more, at The Rhubarb Compendium.

Jennifer Sanders, HTFMA

Photos from Opening Day

Ah, Spring. Among other things of beauty, it brings the return of fresh local produce along with the farmers who grow it. To my undying happiness, after a long winter of relying on the local supermarkets for produce, our local neigborhood source has returned. Crunched for time on opening day -- I was teaching a class on Loire Valley wines a few hours after the market's opening bell rang -- I was only able to make a quick run of it, snapping a few pictures and picking up a small supply of fruit, vegetables and eggs. Based on my quick visit though, all signs promise a great season to come.

In spite of blustery winds and intermittent rain showers, there was a respectable turnout out at opening time.

Peg Dearolf was back, taking her work seriously as always, with strawberries, snap peas, asparagus, lettuces and a variety of other fresh veggies from Blueberry Hill Farm.

The Linde's of Lindenhof Farm have also returned for the market's second year, replete with their farm fresh eggs and pasture-raised chickens.

Bud Wimer of Wimer's Organics is the one new producer to the market this year, providing a welcome added depth to the range of vegetables and herbs available at the OFM.

The Strawberry, by Blueberry Hill Farm.

I'll do my best to feature photos of the rest of the market's vendors in the coming weeks.

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David McDuff
McDuff's Food & Wine Trail

Asparagus: Living Without, but Learning to LOVE It (with bonus recipe and cool info)

I'm not proud to admit this, but I very rarely ate asparagus growing up (I had a bunch of brothers who would always point out what happens when you eat asparagus if you know what I mean, so I shied away from it). As I came into my own, and started dining out at respectable restaurants after my first real job, asparagus would appear in my entrees every now and again. I have never minded it, really, but it wasn't something that I'd seek out when buying produce. It was a little mysterious to me.

Fast forward more than ten years later (I now love to eat anything and cook anything) and along comes a recipe from Cook's Illustrated with a main ingredient of asparagus. In my early career as a recipe tester for them (this may seem like a great privilege and you may be wondering how I could be put in such a highly-regarded position for a reputable magazine, but sadly, most anyone can sign up on their website to become a recipe tester). Anyway, one of my first recipes to be experimented with was called "Pan-Roasted Asparagus with Mushrooms and Tarragon".

Hmmm...should I try it or just pretend that I didn't get this e-mail and wait until the next recipe comes along? Well, I happen to be a tarragon lover, so I had to try it. Anything could taste good with tarragon, right? For me, that happens to be true and Cook's Illustrated didn't disappoint me. This was the most amazing vegetable dish I had ever made. I said earlier that I was never a big consumer of asparagus, but when I made this dish, I wanted to eat the entire two pounds! Here is the recipe, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do:

Pan-Roasted Asparagus with Mushrooms and Tarragon
Serves 4

Cook's Illustrated Note: This recipe works best with asparagus that is at least 1/2 inch think near the base. If using thinner spears, reduce the covered cooking time to 3 minutes and the uncovered cooking time to 5 minutes. Do not use pencil-thin asparagus; it cannot withstand the heat and overcooks too easily.

2T plus 1 tsp. olive oil
1 medium garlic clove minced or pressed with a garlic press (about 1 tsp.)
12 ounces white mushrooms, quartered (about 4 cups)
5 tsp. chopped tarragon
1T unsalted butter
2 lbs. thick asparagus spears (see note above), ends trimmed
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving (optional)

1. Combine 1 tsp. oil and garlic in small bowl; set aside. Heat 1T oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.

2. Using spatula, push mushrooms to side of skillet to make room in center; add garlic to clearing and cook, mashing mixture with spatula, until fragrant, 10 to 15 seconds. Add tarragon and stir to combine. Transfer mushroom mixture to plate. Rinse out pan with water and dry well with paper towels.

3. Return skillet to medium-high heat and add remaining T oil and butter. When butter has melted, add half of asparagus to skillet with tips pointed in one direction; add remaining spears with tips pointed in one direction. Using tongs, distribute spears in even layer (spears will not quite fit into single layer). Cover and cook until asparagus is bright green and still crisp, about 5 minutes.

4. Uncover and increase heat to high; season asparagus with salt and pepper. Cook until spears are ender and well browned along one side, 5 to 7 minutes, using tongs to occasionally move spears from center of pan to edge of pan to ensure all are browned.

5. Remove pan from heat. Add mushroom mixture and toss to combine thoroughly. Transfer asparagus to serving dish and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with lemon wedges, if desired.

In the spirit of the asparagus season, I have decided to learn more about this fine vegetable and so I am happy to share some information with you (courtesy of Wikipedia). Asparagus is very nutritious. It is high in Vitamins A and C, plus a good source of fiber and folate. If you are growing tomatoes in your home garden, asparagus is a useful companion plant for them.

Everything you could possibly want to know about asparagus can be found on the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board web site. And if you really want to see asparagus farming in action, there is a documentary called "Asparagus: The Movie" which won many independent film awards (note to self: add to Netflix queue).

Speaking of asparagus, I happened to be at the lovely Tinto on Monday night. If you ever make it there and you like asparagus, be sure to order the Verdosa (salad) with mixed greens, roasted tomato vinaigrette, shaved mahon, and of course - asparagus. In fact, the asparagus was what I loved the most. It was perfectly cooked, shaved slightly with fine herbs and delicate dressing.

Last, but certainly not least, at the Oakmont Farmers Market today I saw scores of beautiful asparagus - perfect for the tarragon recipe above or for any special recipe you hold dear to you. And the best part is that they were all grown locally! Get yours next week and tell me all about your experiences with asparagus. I'm all spears.

Jennifer Sanders, HTFMA

Opening Day is Here!

For nearly six months since the end of the 2007 Farmers Market season, my 2-year-old daughter exclaimed "The Farmers Market is closed for the season!" every time we drove past the Oakmont Parking Lot.

It gives me great pleasure to tell her, and you, that today is opening day for the 2008 season!

Please join us today between 3 and 7pm at the Oakmont Municipal Parking Lot for a variety of locally-produced food such as strawberries, asparagus, greens, fresh baked bread, bison, the list goes on and on...

Plus, as part of our Opening Day festivities, we'll have free cookies, juices and seltzer water courtesy of Great Harvest Bread Company and Whole Foods Market.

For those of you new to the Oakmont Farmers Market, it is a weekly outdoor producer-only Farmers Market in Haverford Township.

Bookmark our blog because, this season, we'll feature many great recipes for the food we offer, plus commentary on food and food-related topics. If you'd like to receive a weekly e-mail chock full of vital Market info, plus great recipes, let us know and we'll sign you up!

We hope to see you soon!
Jennifer Sanders, HTFMA

Recipes for May 21st: Strawberries!

Strawberry Angel Food Cake and Crème aux Fraises

Strawberry Angel Food Cake

Ingredients:

1 Angel food cake
2 cups Heavy whipping cream, whipped into stiff peaks
Sugar and vanilla to taste
2 or 3 pounds strawberries (washed, dried, hulled, and cut into quarters or smaller pieces)

First, dig out the center of the angel food cake to that you have a groove running all around the inside of the ring. Keep the cake bits to replace the top after you fill the cake.

Wash and cut the strawberries, and leave about 8 intact to use as a garnish.

Whip the cream until it holds a stiff peak; add vanilla and sugar to taste. Then fold the strawberry pieces into the whipped cream and fill the hole in the angel food cake ring; you can replace the cake top pieces if you wish. Then, frost the entire cake with the remainder of the cream and strawberry mixture, and garnish the top with the whole berries. Refrigerate until serving.

Crème aux Fraises
This is an elegant version of the above dessert, although without cake. It is also refrigerated until ready to serve, so it’s a very easy dinner-party dessert. Four servings.

Ingredients:
1 pound strawberries, washed, dried, and hulled
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups heavy cream, whipped into stiff peaks
2 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Put aside four strawberries for garnish, and puree the rest in a blender and sweeten with the sugar. Stir the strawberries into the whipped cream, and then carefully fold in the egg whites. Arrange in four individual dessert bowls and chill until ready to serve. Garnish with the whole strawberries and serve.