a sauce for all seasons

i am in love with rhubarb. i could eat it every day. year round. for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert. in oatmeal, in a cake, baked into a pie, atop ice cream.  on a boat or in a train. with a fox. in a box. you get the idea.


Now that you understand my love, please also understand that i am always looking for new recipes that kindly feature my favorite ingredient and maximize it's special flavor.  


here is a winner. this is a rhubarb sauce that you bake in the oven with a little white wine and a little sugar, and then serve with any and all items that your heart desires. this sauce would pair well with items such as toast, oatmeal, ice cream, cake, by itself, yogurt and others. endless possibilities.


I paired it with a sweet (but not too sweet) cornmeal cake, topped with a dollop of whipped cream. so good. so special. please make it and enjoy.  

sauce.

cake.

cake. sauce. whip cream. good. 

mariners bobble head. weird.

CORNMEAL CAKE WITH ROASTED RHUBARB SAUCE
(both recipes courtesy of Orangette)


ROASTED RHUBARB SAUCE
(4 to 6 servings)
2 lb. rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
½ cup sugar
½ cup crisp white wine (I used a pinot grigio)
1 tsp vanilla

Set a rack in the lower third of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350°F. Put the rhubarb in a Dutch oven or other deep oven-safe pot. Add the sugar, wine, and vanilla, and stir to mix. Bake (uncovered) for about 30 minutes, or until very tender, giving the pot a gentle stir about midway through to ensure that the rhubarb cooks evenly.

CORNMEAL CAKE
1 ¼ cups cake flour
6 Tbs fine yellow cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup milk, preferably whole
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbs powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9” round cake pan with butter or cooking spray, and then dust the pan lightly with flour, shaking out any excess.

In a bowl, whisk together the cake flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a measuring cup, combine the milk and vanilla extract. Set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar gradually, scraping down the bowl once or twice, until smooth and fully incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the lemon zest, and beat to incorporate. Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk mixture, beating on low speed until just combined. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.

Bake the cake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 15-20 minutes in the pan; then invert it onto a plate, and turn it topside up onto a rack. Cool the cake to room temperature.

Whip the cream. Pour the cream into a mixing bowl, and beat it on medium speed until it begins to thicken. With the beaters running, slowly sprinkle in the sugar, and continue to beat until the cream holds soft peaks.


Serve cake with a spoonful of the sauce and a plop of whipped cream.

the original souse king

Just as there are two types of people in this world: those who like Neil Diamond, and those who don't...there are two types of pasta sauces: those that you buy in a jar, and those that you make from scratch. Don't get me wrong, I love popping open a jar of ragu as much as the next guy, but if you want to make an easy, freezy sauce to have on hand AT ALL TIMES, this is the one. It will not let you down. It’s rich, it’s meaty, it's perfect for spaghetti, for lasagna or for eating by the cup full (some people are into that, for reals).

It takes about half an hour to cook all of the ingredients, but then you can just “Set it, and forget it!” (that’s right, Ron Popeil style). The longer you forget it, the more delicious it becomes. It’s pretty much magic. Or maybe it is science. Who can really tell the difference these days?

After cooking and enjoying, bolognese freezes well and thaws quickly for saucy meals on the go.

Ragu Alla Bolognese

INGREDIENTS

½ lb. hot Italian sausages

1 lb. leanest ground beef

1 chopped onion

2 chopped carrots

2 chopped celery sticks

8-10 cloves garlic, minced or put through a garlic press

1 tbsp. oregano

1 tbsp. basil

1 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. ground black pepper

2 tsp. fennel seeds

3 tsp. salt (salt monkeys, do it to taste)

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

1 bay leaf

½ cup dry white or red wine (both work well)

¼ cup tomato paste (mix with ¼ cup water)

2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes, peeled and crushed in heavy puree

Remove sausage from casings and slowly brown in a skillet along with the ground beef, a large sauce or soup pan works well. Break up the sausage as it cooks. Once meats are browned to your liking, drain the fat. Add vegetables and all spices to meat pan, sauté until onions begin to cook, and be careful not to brown the garlic. Add the tomato sauce, water and wine. Simmer for 5 minutes and add canned tomatoes. Simmer over medium-low heat, for 1-2 hours. Serve with the pasta of your choice.

More substantial noodles such as linguini, spaghetti or pappardelle, work nicely with this sauce.