It's "Pie Plant" Season: Rhubarb

Picture:BROOKLYN EDIBLE SOCIAL CLUB

 Hello again folks!

It's a vegetable? It's a fruit? who really cares!? We say it's toothsome and a bargain. These green-to-ruby red stalks were officially declared a fruit by a New York court in 1946 to reduce taxes. As everybody we believe they make the perfect filling for pies, but they also work well pickled, in a chutney, in a jam, or simply raw in a salad. Rhubarb's tart and refreshing flavor make an ideal pairing with sweet strawberries, also in season.

We think rhubarb is an awesome ingredient here at Brooklyn Edible Social Club. Check our spring menus and you will find it in every one. Here is a recipe from us:


BKESC Rhubarb Jam

Ingredients: 

- 2 1/4 pounds Rhubarb

Wilklow Orchards - Highland, NY

- 4 1/2 cups Raw Cane Sugar

- 2 tsp Pectin 

- 7 tbsp Apricot Stomp

Red Jacket Orchards - Geneva, NY

How to make it:

Mix together the sugar and the pectin then clean and trim the rhubarb. Cut into 1 inch chunks. Pour a layer of the sugar mixture into the bottom of a preserving pan, then add a layer of rhubarb. Repeat, continuing until all the sugar and rhubarb is used, finishing with a layer of sugar. Pour the apricot stomp over the top. Cover and let stand overnight. This step draws the juices from the rhubarb, and the resulting syrup helps keep the rhubarb chunks whole when boiled.

Gently bring the mixture to a boil, stirring carefully without crushing the rhubarb pieces. Boil rapidly for 5 to 6 minutes, then simmer until reaching 220 degrees F.

Remove from the heat and let rest for 5 minutes...done. Toast time!

Look at the Greenmarket for thin, red, crisp stalks from the folks at Wilklow Orchards from Highland, NY, Bradley Farm from New Paltz, NY or Phillips Farms from Milford, NJ. For Apricot Stomp check with our buddies of Red Jacket Orchards from Geneva, NY .

Good Morning: Our Homemade Granola

Picture:BROOKLYN EDIBLE SOCIAL CLUB

Hey Folks,

We've been giving away our home-baked granola to guests at the end of our suppers so they can savor a little extra bite of Brooklyn Edible Social Club the next morning with their breakfast. 

We love the salty and herbal tones from the olive oil and sel gris balancing the smoky sweetness from the maple syrup and tart hints from the sun-dried blueberries. Simple flavors that combine perfectly to create a more complex but easy complement for fresh Ronnybrook's yogurt.

We're proud to showcase ingredients from awesome New York state's small farms like Cayuga pure organics, Van Glad Brothers & Dancing Ewe in this granola. You guys should try them in your next visit to the Greenmarket.

Now, here is the recipe for our granola. Hope you enjoy a good morning, early birds!

Ingredients:

- 7 cups Rolled Grain Cereal (Oats, Rye, Barley, Wheat) Or Just Rolled Oats

Cayuga Pure Organics Farm, Brooktondale, NY

- 1 cup Wood Homestead Maple Syrup "Grade A - Dark Amber"

Van Glad Brothers Farm, Stamford, NY

- 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Dancing Ewe Farm, Granville, NY

- 1 1/2 tsp Sel Gris Or Other Coarse Sea Salt

- 2 cups Unsalted Sliced Almonds

- 1 1/2 cups Sun-Dried Wild Blueberries

How to make it:

Preheat your oven to 325 F degrees, meanwhile in a large bowl mix well with your hands the cereal, salt, olive oil and maple syrup.  Put the mix in a baking pan.

Bake until golden, then gently turn and bake again for about 5 more minutes. Remove from the oven and add the blueberries and almonds, mix again. Let cool down...easy like that!