ITEMS
Parsley
Red Kale
Rhubarb
Red Beets
Feta Cheese
Dried Pasta / GF Flour Blend
PRODUCERS
Amaltheia Organic Produce - Belgrade
Harlequin Produce - Arlee
Bear Canyon Farm - Bozeman
Missoula Grain & Vegetable Co. - Stevensville
Amaltheia Organic Dairy - Belgrade
Country Pasta - Polson / Montana Gluten Free - Belgrade
Rhubarb Quick Bread
I recently made this bread (or cake, really) for a get-together and it was so simple and delicious, I couldn't wait to share it with you. The rhubarb practically melts into the bread, the yogurt makes it tender and moist, and the sugar coating develops into an irresistibly crunchy crust. Adapted from Samantha Seneviratne's recipe, NYTimes Cooking. Makes 1 loaf.
8 Tbs (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more to coat the pan
3/4 C granulated sugar, plus more for the pan and top
2 tsp freshly grated orange or lemon zest
1/3 C plain whole-milk yogurt
2 large eggs
1 3/4 C all-purpose flour (regular or GF)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 C rhubarb, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of an 8 1/2-inch-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pan, or similar. Coat the buttered pan with granulated sugar by gently tapping and rotating the pan around. (You can also do this with flour, but I highly recommend the sugar coating for a great crust.)
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, 3/4 C of sugar, zest, and yogurt until well combined. Whisk in eggs. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to butter mixture and fold until combined. Gently fold in the chopped rhubarb, then transfer the batter to the buttered pan and smooth out the top. Sprinkle top with another 1-2 Tbs sugar. Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 55-60 min.
Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for ~10 min, then run a butter knife around the edges and carefully flip the loaf out of the pan. Turn it right side up and let it cool completely before slicing. (Or, leave it in the pan!)
Beet & Rhubarb Salad
Yottam Ottolenghi's recipe, serves 4.
2 large or 3 medium beets, or more or less to your tastes
1 1/4 C rhubarb, cut at an angle into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbs granulated sugar
2 tsp sherry vinegar - sub rice vinegar, Champagne vinegar, or maybe cider vinegar
1 Tbs pomegranate molasses - pomegranate molasses is a concentrated syrup made from pomegranate juice and sugar that is both sweet and acidic. You may be able to find it in the stores, or you may need to use a substitute, like fresh pomegranate seeds or juice, or try lemon juice or balsamic vinegar with some sugar.
2 Tbs maple syrup
2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 small red onion, thinly sliced (~1/2 C)
1/4 C fresh parsley leaves, chopped
~2-3 oz feta cheese, or gorgonzola or similar blue cheese, crumbled into small chunks
salt and pepper, to taste
Scrub the beets well and remove their tops and tails (save the beet greens if you like). Wrap in foil and roast at 425 F for ~1 hour, or until they're tender all the way through. Set aside to cool. Once cool, you can peel them (I usually don't bother since I scrub them) and dice to 3/4-inch.
While the beets are roasting, toss the rhubarb with the sugar, spread out on a small baking tray (line with foil or parchment paper if you want) and bake in the same 425 F oven for ~12 min, or until rhubarb has softened somewhat without becoming mushy. Set aside to cool.
Mix the vinegar, pomegranate molasses, maple syrup, oil, and allspice in a bowl with 1/2 tsp of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Add the sliced onion and let sit for a few minutes to soften. Add the parsley and diced beets and stir well. Just before serving, add the feta cheese and the rhubarb along with its juices. Mix gently and serve immediately.
Additional Recipe Suggestions
Creamy Basil Lemon Pasta is a delightful pasta for summer. You'll need to make some substitutions to use this week's items, but it will work great. Sub wide egg noodles for linguine, feta for ricotta, kale for chard, and use a bit of parsley along with some fresh basil if you have it.
Or, try this Pasta Aglio e Olio with Kale
Beet Pesto Pizza (or use the pesto with pasta or as a bruschetta spread - it's really delicious!)
All 3 of these recipes are useful for this week's delivery, too! Lemony Pasta with Kale & Fennel, Balsamic Roasted Beet & Kale Salad, and Fennel, Beet, and Orange Salad with Cumin Vinaigrette