Rhubarb Soup

I love dessert soups. They are light, refreshing, simple and pure manifestations of the season’s best fruit. Preparation is always fairly minimal and the rewards are great.

While we’re in the midst of rhubarb season, I thought I’d present a wonderful recipe for Rhubarb Soup from Simply Sensational Desserts by François Payard. I absolutely love Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, but sometimes we are searching for lighter fare on a warm spring night and this is a nice alternative. Rhubarb soup has all of the same bright tart flavors without any other textures or fat content to mediate the purity of the fresh fruit.

This recipe is for rhubarb lovers and those who gravitate toward a nice level of tartness in their desserts. And the gorgeous color is a beautiful way to liven up your table. Take a drink of this incredible soup and you’ll discover a whole new way to enjoy rhubarb.



Bench notes:
- Payard’s recipe calls for Grenadine, which is a very sweet syrup used as a mixer in cocktails. It’s made from a base of corn syrup and, wherever possible, I try to avoid that ingredient. The term Grenadine is derived from grenade, the French word for pomegranate. It’s quite easy to replicate and has a much cleaner and fresher taste. It should be fairly sweet to offset the tartness of the rhubarb, but taste it and adjust as you go along. If you want to make extra, it’s a good addition to lemonade.
- I added just a little splash of lemon to the soup at the end to brighten the flavors. I think it makes a big difference.
- Another nice garnish would be a small scoop of orange sorbet.
- Payard serves this at room temperature, but I prefer it chilled for a really refreshing dessert.


Rhubarb Soup
adapted from Simply Sensational Desserts by François Payard
Serves 8

Grated zest of 1 orange
Grated zest of 1 lime
1 stalk of lemongrass, chopped coarsely

4 C water
2/3 C sugar
1/3 C Grenadine or pomegranate syrup (see below)
1 lb rhubarb (about 7 stalks), washed, trimmed and sliced
lemon juice, to taste

Strawberries
Mango

Make a flavor sachet by placing the citrus zests and chopped lemongrass on a piece of cheesecloth. Tie together with string.

Bring the water and sugar to a simmer and add the rhubarb. Slowly bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from heat and add the flavor sachet and pomegranate syrup. Cover and let steep for 2 hours.

Remove flavor sachet and whisk the soup to break up some of the rhubarb. Add a splash of lemon juice, to taste.

Prepare the fruit garnishes by slicing the strawberries and mango into matchsticks.

To serve, place a heaping tablespoon of sliced strawberries in serving bowls. Ladle the soup into the bowls and garnish with a bit of mango.

Pomegranate Syrup

1 C pomegranate juice
1/2 C sugar, to taste
lemon juice, to taste

Bring 1 C of pomegranate juice to a simmer and reduce by 1/2. Add 1/2 C sugar and simmer until dissolved. Taste to adjust sweetness. It should be fairly sweet to offset the rhubarb, but not super sugary. Take off the heat and add just a splash of lemon juice. Set aside to cool.

Oranges with Rosemary Sabayon

If you’re looking for a whisper-light dessert, this is the one for you. Maybe you’re serving a heavy meal or maybe it’s the last of many courses. Or maybe you’re not partial to rich desserts. Maybe you just want to be reminded of how perfect the simplest expressions of nature can be. Oranges with Rosemary Sabayon is a mere hint of a dessert that is very likely to remind you of a lovely little dinner al fresco on the shores of the Mediterranean.

I love anything with citrus. I also love the scent of rosemary. One of the greatest moments of aromatherapy in a kitchen is savoring the fragrance of rosemary while chopping its sturdy leaves. Just fantastic. So I thought I’d pair the citrus fruit with some silky sabayon that has been infused with this terrific herb. It’s an unusual combination that blossoms into a wonderful complexity using just a few very simple ingredients. Celebrate Spring with this very easy, clean, simple and soft burst of flavor.



Bench notes:
- I’ve written about Sabayon in a previous post. It’s an amazingly easy and lovely dessert sauce.
- I used a Nobilo 2007 Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, which was perfect. It has lots of citrus notes to bridge the rosemary, so I recommend you try to find a similar style.
- I tossed in a couple of grapefruit sections for color. Not as perfect a match as the orange, but still good. I also garnished with a tiny bit of minced pistachio.
- The Rosemary Sabayon would also be great with blackberries or figs. Yes, perfect with figs!
- Although you only need 3 T of Rosemary Syrup, the recipe makes over a cup. You can reduce the recipe if you don’t think you’ll use it, but it’s great in oatmeal, as a flavoring for whipped cream or perhaps in a margarita or other cocktail.


Oranges with Rosemary Sabayon
Serves 4

4 navel oranges
4 egg yolks
1/4 C sugar
1/2 C Sauvignon Blanc
3 T rosemary syrup (recipe below)
minced pistachio for garnish (optional)

Slice the peel off of the oranges, being careful to remove all of the bitter white pith. Section out the orange slices and set aside on a paper towel to drain.

Whisk egg yolks, sugar, wine and rosemary syrup in a stainless steel bowl. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure that the bowl is not touching the water. Check periodically to see that the water is not boiling. Whisk constantly for 4 to 5 minutes, including the bottom and sides of the bowl. Cook until the mixture is thickened and expanded in volume. If you have a thermometer, you’re shooting for about 160 degrees. Remove from heat and continue whisking for a bit. Set aside to cool.

Plate some orange sections and top with a luscious dollop of the Sabayon. Garnish with just a bit of pistachio if you choose. Serve immediately.

Rosemary Syrup

1 C water
1 C sugar
3 – 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary

Bring water and sugar to a boil. Turn down the heat and add rosemary sprigs. Simmer about a minute or so. Cover and remove from heat and let steep. Taste it periodically to decide on the strength you prefer. I let mine sit for the afternoon.

Strain and store in the refrigerator in a clean, airtight container.

Strawberry Balsamic Sherbet

I spied the season’s first strawberries yesterday and grabbed them. Bright red, plump and calling out to me for immediate purchase, my initial inclination was to make a sorbet. But then I remembered a delicious sherbet I’d had at a friend’s house a few years ago. It was a fresh and bright compilation of fresh strawberries with a splash of really good balsamic vinegar. Very simple and very much in tune with the best of spring’s bounty.

This recipe comes together really fast - no muss, no fuss. The mixture is blended and chilled and then spun in your ice cream maker. Presto! Glace à la fraise, the essence of strawberries.


Bench notes:
- Sherbet is a fruit puree to which a bit of dairy has been added. This is what differentiates it from sorbet, which is basically fruit puree and simple syrup.
- If you happen to have a high quality balsamic vinegar, now is the time to use it.


Strawberry Balsamic Sherbet

1 pound of fresh and fabulous strawberries
3/4 C sugar
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/2 C heavy cream

Combine fruit and sugar in a food processor or blender. Add balsamic and blend into a puree. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Strain the mixture if seeds bother you. Add cream and freeze in your ice cream maker. Voila!

Pecan Praline Cookies

One of the first things we learned in pastry school was how to make praline powder. The praliné of my early lesson is quite different from the very sweet southern candies called pralines. Praline powder is a classical pastry element that is made by caramelizing nuts and grinding them in a food processor. It is used to flavor various creams, fillings and finishings.

I’m using praline powder today to add additional crunch and flavor to a pecan butter cookie made with brown sugar. The caramel builds on the brown sugar taste and the toasted almonds add another source of texture. If you’re in the market for a buttery, nutty, crunchy cookie with a hint of caramel, this is the one.


Bench notes:
- Praline can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several weeks. You can use it to flavor hot oatmeal or fold into homemade ice cream.
- To toast pecans, place on a baking sheet and toast in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Be careful not to overdo it or they will taste bitter. They will not look much different but will give off a lovely toasty fragrance.
- Be sure that cookie dough is well chilled before baking so that the cookies hold their shape. You can also roll this into a log and slice and bake.
- Yes, you can dip in chocolate if you must!


Almond Praline

1 C sugar
water to cover
1 C whole almonds

Place sugar in a saucepan and add just enough water to cover it. Bring to a boil and cook without stirring until the caramel reaches the color of light honey. If it begins to only darken in spots, swirl the pan gently to distribute the color.

Turn the heat down to low and add the almonds. Cook for a few minutes, gently stirring with a wooden spoon to be sure the almonds are coated and the mixture is cooking evenly. Be careful not to stir too much or it may crystallize.

When the nuts are toasted and the caramel is a darker honey color, pour out onto a baking sheet pan that is lightly oiled or lined with a silpat. Let it sit for about 30 minutes to cool and harden. Break into pieces and grind to a coarse powder.


Pecan Praline Cookies
Makes 3 dozen cookies

1 C toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
8 oz (2 sticks) butter @ room temp
2/3 C light brown sugar
1/2 t vanilla
1 T rum or brandy
2 C flour
1/4 t salt
1/2 C almond praline powder

Beat butter and sugar until well blended. Add vanilla and rum or brandy.

Combine flour and salt and add to the butter and sugar mixture until it's just beginning to blend. Add pecans and praline powder and mix for a minute. Work the dough with your hands to finish the mixing.

Divide the cookie dough into two pieces and place each on a piece of plastic wrap. Top with another piece of plastic wrap and roll the dough out to 1/4” thickness. Chill until firm or overnight.

Cut out cookies with a 2” cookie cutter. Place on a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet and bake @ 350 degrees for 13 minutes.

Cool cookies completely before removing from the pan. They will keep in an airtight container for several days. As if.

Gâteau de Riz

Today I'm thinking about the romance of rice. So many cuisines in every corner of the globe have rice as a key element of their daily diet. It has a central place on tables throughout Asia, Africa, North America, Latin America and Europe. And since there are so many different types of rice and ways to prepare each type, it never loses its allure.

Since rice forms such a nice canvas for so many additional flavors, it’s easy to imagine many different and delicious versions of a simple rice pudding. Escoffier made rice pudding fancy by adding gelatin, folding in whipped cream and glacéed fruit and molding it into a dessert called Riz a L'Impératrice.

Gâteau de Riz is another French style of rice pudding that is poured into a caramel lined dish or pan and baked. If you enjoy rice and you like crème brulee, I think you’ll also savor Gâteau de Riz. It’s creamy, a bit rich and the citrus strikes just the right note. The French do have their ways.



- Be super-super careful when swirling the caramel in your dish or pan. The caramel is going to be very hot and will make the pan hot as well very quickly. Use an oven mitt if you have one. This will also help avoid accidentally spilling any on your hands. Caramel burns are very painful so exercise an abundance of caution.
- The darker the caramel the less sweet it will taste. You can smell when it’s ready and just about to smoke. Don’t forget it continues to cook and darken very rapidly even after you take it off the heat, so you want to catch it right before it looks perfect.
- I baked mine in a 9" cake pan, but this dessert can be a bit tricky to unmold, so you can use a casserole dish and simply spoon it out if you don't want to risk it.
- Some versions of this dessert add raisins soaked in rum. If you have a vanilla bean, you can use half of the bean in place of the extract for a stronger vanilla flavor. There are many possible variations. I prefer this simple version, but let your imagination run if you’re in the mood to experiment. Also, you can certainly try this with Arborio rice or other favorites.
- Any remaining portion of the Gâteau will keep tightly covered in the refrigerator for a couple of days.



Gâteau de Riz
serves 10 to 12

2/3 C rice
1/2 C sugar
1/4 t salt
3 1/2 C milk
1 C heavy cream
zest of 1/2 orange
zest of 1/2 lemon
2 eggs
1/2 t vanilla

3/4 C sugar
3 T water

Caramelize 3/4 C of sugar with the 3 T of water until deep caramel in color. Remove from the heat and pour into the bottom of a 9” cake pan, 1 1/2-quart terrine, casserole, or Pyrex baking dish. Swirl very carefully and gently to coat half-way up the sides.

Bring the milk, cream, sugar and salt to a slight boil. Add the rice and citrus zest. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 40 to 45 minutes.

Preheat oven at 425 degrees.

Whisk the eggs together. After rice has simmered, take off the heat and whisk eggs into the rice. Add vanilla extract.

Pour the rice pudding into the caramel dish, place it in the center of the oven and bake until the caramel begins to bubble up the sides, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Cool and serve. Luxuriate in the romance of rice.

Gâteau Basque

Primavera! Spring is here! And although I am thrilled to welcome this gorgeous season, the bounty of lovely spring fruit that brings us such pleasure has not yet arrived. So I turned to my pantry to retrieve a jar of cherries from last season, put away for just such a moment: a taste of spring, even if we’re not quite there yet.

One of the things I love to do with cherries is to bake a Gâteau Basque. There are several different variations based on region, family history and personal taste preferences, but the basic concept is nearly always the same. A thin pastry filled with some preserved fruit and more than likely some crème patisserie or pastry cream. Gâteau Basque is an absolutely delicious salute to the gorgeously gastronomical Basque region of Spain.

Gâteau Basque originated in the 17th century in the Cambo province of Labourd. At that time, the pastry was made from corn flour and lard and was baked in the shape of a little pig. The Gâteau transformed over time to include the addition of local jams and toward the end of the 19th century, the addition of custard. It was common in old times to fill the pastry with jam made from black cherries from the little village of Itxassou near Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, where they celebrate with a cherry festival in June.

This rendition is a fairly classic one. A thin pastry crust is filled with sour cherry preserves and pastry cream. It is the first kind I ever tasted and I thought it was superb. I’ve also made François Payard’s version, which is actually a cake batter filled with cherries and pastry cream. And there is another version from David Lebovitz, filled only with a prune compote. We’ll get to them eventually so you’ll have the pleasure of sampling them all. They are each in their own way really excellent pastries and all in keeping with the robust Basque tradition.


Bench notes:
- I take the crust recipe from Food and Wine. I recommend that you use the best sour cherry preserves you can find because that is the dominant flavor of the pastry. I used a combination of some cherries I had preserved along with some fresh cherry jam. Italian Amarena cherries are also wonderful in this, although they are quite expensive. When fresh cherries are available, I make a fresh cherry compote and use that. Soon!
- I used a flan ring but you can use a tart pan or, in a pinch, use a pie dish.
- The pastry dough can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
- This pastry is best eaten fresh, but will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a couple of days.



Gâteau Basque
Serves 8 to 10

1/2 C sugar
4 oz (1 stick) butter @ room temperature
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/8 t salt
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 C plus 2 T flour
1 t baking powder

Crème Patisserie (Pastry Cream)

1/4 C sugar
3 egg yolks
1 T flour
1 T cornstarch
1 C milk
1 oz (2 T) butter
1/2 t vanilla
1/4 t almond extract or 1/2 t rum

preserved whole cherries and/or high quality cherry jam/preserves
egg wash: 1 yolk and 1 T milk

For the pastry dough, place the sugar, butter, lemon zest and salt in a food processor and pulse until it is blended. Add the egg and egg yolk and pulse until mixed. Whisk together the flour and the baking powder and add to the processor and pulse until a dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and divide it into 2 pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Pat the dough into disks and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes.

For the pastry cream, whisk the sugar with the egg yolks until pale. Add the flour and cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Heat the milk just until it starts to show signs of coming to a boil. Gradually add 1/2 of the hot milk to the sugar-yolk mixture, whisking vigorously to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Pour this mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils. Take off the heat and stir in the butter. Add the vanilla extract and almond extract or rum. Pour into a bowl and cool slightly. Press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface and refrigerate until chilled and firm.

To assemble, remove the dough and let it sit for a few minutes to take the chill off. Butter a 9-by-1-inch flan ring and set it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Working between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or parchment and a bit of flour, roll out the larger piece of dough to about an 11” round. Ease the dough into the flan ring, pressing it into the bottom and leaving a slight overhang. Spread a layer of cherry preserves evenly over the bottom of the tart shell. Layer the pastry cream over the preserves and spread carefully. Roll out the second piece of dough to a 10” round and lay it over the pastry cream. Pinch the edges of the top and bottom crusts together to seal the crusts and trim the overhang. Using a bench scraper, knife or the tines of a fork, score the top crust in a decorative crosshatch pattern. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325°. Brush the Gâteau with an egg wash made by combining the egg yolk and 1 T milk. Bake in the center of the oven for 45 - 55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Let the tart cool completely on a wire rack.

Unmold and enjoy a bite of the great flavors of Labourd co-mingled with a bit of influence from the French Pyrenees. Ah, spring!