Best Rhubarb Cobbler with My Oma's Topping

This is a recipe I grew up with.  We used to pick rhubarb by the pound from my best friend's mom's garden.  Now I have to wait for the farmers market.  At my house we like our rhubarb bitter and served with sweet cream or vanilla ice cream to sweeten it up, but you can add a bit more sugar if you like it sweeter.  Cobbler topping is my Oma's, and the original card she wrote it on is now almost clear from all of the butter droppings spilled on it.  It is really the best topping I have ever had, you can change it up by adding 1t cinnamon or almond extract if you're making an apple or pear cobbler.  The variations on add ins to the topping are endless so be creative, but remember to show a bit of restraint in quantity of additional ingredients or the topping will overpower the fruit.

Rhubarb Cobbler

Serves 6 

PreHeat Oven to 350

About 2 and 1/2 to 3 pounds Rhubarb

1/4-1/3 flour

1/4-1/2 cup sugar

OPTIONAL: 1 egg (this makes a cakier cobbler)

Chop off leaves and discard (they're poisonous). Chop rhubarb stalks into about 3/4 inch slices.  For wide rhubarb stalks slice stalk down the middle before chopping.  Toss rhubarb in flour and sugar.  (If using egg beat together egg and sugar and pour over flour-tossed rhubarb). Pour mixture into pie pan.  Rhubarb should heap above the pan since it will settle while baking.  Set aside.

Pie Variations:  Add 1 cup strawberries in with rhubarb for a natural sweetness and increase flour by 1/4 cup. 

OMA'S TOPPING

1 cup sugar

1 cup unsalted butter

1 and 1/2 cups flour

1/4 t salt (optional)

1 t vanilla (or other add ins)

Add butter, vanilla and sugar, just begin to beat or use food processor to bring together.  Then add flour and salt beat until mixture is consistent.  If you keep the butter colder the toping will be more fine if the butter is warmer it will begin to form a ball in the food processor.  

Pull apart topping and disperse it evenly over pie.  Try not to over handle the toping too much or the butter will begin to melt.  Once the pie is covered in topping place in preheated oven.  Bake about 30 min or until topping begins to brown and you can see the rhubarb juice consistently bubbling up on the inside of the pan.

Enjoy  with vanilla ice cream

Beer Steamed Roast Chicken with a Differance

While I would like to say that this recipe represents the arrival of summer, we live in Chicago thus the summer never comes. In trying to bring forth, that which never arrives, roast Chicken has become a household staple around these parts. You need a very specific piece: Beer can roaster. This is some type of metal holder for your beer and your chicken. This chicken is super delicious and takes about 1-2 hours depending on the weight of your chicken. 

Ingredients:

3-5 Pound roast chicken

1 12 oz. can cheap beer

2 cloves garlic, sliced

2 teaspoons old bay seasoning

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons peppercorns

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 table spoon dried thyme 

1 small read onion. 

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 (if chicken is 4 pounds or over) or 375 (if chicken is 2-4 pounds)

2) Crack open beer. Either drink or pour out half. Put Garlic and Old Bay in beer can. Place beer can in roaster. 

3) Roast peppercorns in small skillet on medium heat until fragrant. Grind Peppercorns with mortar and pestle along with thyme and salt.  

4) rinse and clean out chicken. Rub chicken down with olive oil. Then liberally apply the Roast peppercorn mix. 

5) Place chicken on roaster. The can should go up its backside. Placed peeled red onion in the neck hole to close it up. Roast for 1 - 2 hours depending on weight and oven, or until juice runs clear. 

As Always with roasting birds, it never hurts, to baste it while cooking.   

 

Wyn/Ecology: Pinotage

While I never turn up my nose at bourbon, I usually stick with wine, vodka (though the occasional scotch or aged rum is always nice).  I've gone through a number of stages in the development of my pallet.  

At the start of my wine drinking days it was all "Yellow Tail" Merlot all the time.  I drank it because that's what my favorite philosophy professor ordered when we went out to the bar.  She saved me from a life as an employed doctor and pushed me towards a career that hasn't afforded me the luxury of more expensive bottles.   Next, there were the Chilean wines, like "Casillero del Diablo" which I was introduced to while studying in London.  They used to be super cheap, but now the ones that I used to drink for 6 dollars a bottle cost about 10. There are still a lot of good buys from Chile, but the jump in price has put me off.  Of course there have been lots of other bottles between then and now. For instance there is the "Layer Cake's" Cab, (between 20-30 dollars a bottle) that I fell in love with recently and the Ravenswood's Zin (about 9 dollars a bottle) that continues to be a staple.  However, I'd have to say that my recent "go-to" bottles have generally been Pinotages.

The 3 Best/Cheapest Pinotages: 

Recently I've been drinking tons of Pinotage and Pinotage blends.  It's a South African grape which is consistently deep plum and often smokey tasting. Since it's new world, the prices are a bit more affordable, think of it as priced comparatively to an Argentinean Mallbec. 

* Ratings are out of 6 Rams Heads

3)  ORACLE PINOTAGE  ^^^

My third favorite Pinotage under 10 dollars is "Oracle"'s bottle.  It's about 6 dollars a bottle.  It needs to breath for a few moments, but it will not disappoint and will give you a good sense of what pinotages are about before you have a more expensive bottle but with none of the subtlety.  I'm drinking it right now.

  2) SEBEKA SHIRAZ PINOTAGE "CAPE BLEND" ^^^^

 You'll find it for about 7-9 dollars and it's just fabulous. With  the deeper Pinotage and the Shiraz's sweater notes it's a really nice blend.  (NOTE: I'm not such a big fan of their Pinotage Cab blend that they do, it's just not as well balanced)

1) FAIRVALLEY PINOTAGE  ^^^^^

For about 8-9 dollars a bottle this is just the best. A bit more on the bright and spicy side.  The propaganda about the vineyard is really neat too. Ask your local store to start carrying it.  The workers owned the land, there is the blog on their social mission:  http://fairvalleyecovillage.blogspot.com/

Jessica's Gorgonzola Walnut Gnocchi

This is Jessica's favorite recipe. Not only is it easy and quick, it is also quite delicious. You should save this recipe for when your unconscientious roommates, who have been home "writing" all day, make you cook despite the fact that you came home from work at 7 p.m.. Time to prepare 10-15 minutes. It serves about 4, with an accompanying salad.

Ingredients: 

Gnocchi 

1 tablespoon butter

2 shallots

2 cloves garlic finely minced

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 - 3/4 cup of toasted walnut crumbles (depending on how much cheese you use)

1/2 - 3/4 cup of gorgonzola (depending on your love for cheese)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Melt butter in a medium pot (although I prefer a large deep skillet to spread out the sauce and cook it faster) and saute shallots on medium/high heat until they sweat. Then add garlic and cook until browned. 

2) At same temp add  wine, to defond pan and cook off some of alcohol. (2 minutes)

 

3) At same temp add whipping cream. Cook until until it boils. Turn heat down to med/low and cook until thickened (about 6-7 minutes). The cream should stick to the back of spoon. 

4) While cream is cooking place gnocchi in boiling water for 3-4 minutes, or until it floats.

5) Add toasted walnuts and gorgonzola to cream sauce and stir in. 

6) When gnocchi is done: drain, and toss with sauce in a large bowl.

Being Toward Death Cobbler

This is my mom's recipe, and to this day I cannot get it to come out right. It is a standard southern cobbler, but do not be deceived by its seeming simplicity. You need the "touch" as it were. It is more tricky than you may think. Like all good choose your adventure stories, this cobbler can go in any direction you like. You can use frozen fruit if you need to, but fresh fruit is always the best. I would suggest peaches in late July and Blackberries in the middle of august. 

Ingredients:

1 cup milk (or 1 cup soy milk)

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 stick butter (or 1 stick vegan margarine)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-1 1/2 cups of assorted fruit

Directions:

1) Melt butter and set aside. 

2) Mix milk, flour, sugar, and vanilla, until smooth. 

3) In a casserole dish put the following in this order: butter,  fruit,  batter.

4) Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. 

 

Feminist Lima Beans

So this may be one of the highest ranking recipes on an easiest vs. best recipes graph.  (I assume that high ranking means it's the best, but I don't really "do" numbers since I "do" continental philosophy.  Plus, if you admit to being able to "do" numbers people will always ask you to figure out the bill at the bar.)  It goes really well with lamb roast, baked chicken, or even just plain rice.  We always make a double recipe at my house since otherwise there are no leftovers.

This recipe comes from one of the bad-ass women I did my MA with back in the day.  I've tweaked it a little, but its delicious (feminist) essence remains the same.  

Feminist Lima Beans with Garlic and Olives

Serves 4

3 T.  Olive Oil

1 lb package frozen limas

5 medium to large cloves garlic, peeled and quartered

3/4 cup olives, pitted and sliced (I use olive tapenade if I'm feeling extra lazy or wealthy)

2-3 T. fresh rosemary 

1 T Other fresh herbs (I really like a little Sage, Thyme or Oregano)

salt and pepper to taste

 

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients in an au gratin-type baking pan and cover with foil or lid. Bake for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally to allow for even cooking.  Just a note, if you stir it 3 or 4 times while it's cooking it really makes a difference.  It will taste like you've been home all day cooking even if you weren't.   One final note, I always burn myself on the au gratin plan lid.  Don't forget those suckers hold the heat!

Exorcising the Spirits

Are you burdened by the weight of student evaluations and endless meetings? Are you tired of staring into that mirror at the bottom of the abyss, or as others may call it "writing"? Take a break and wash away those demons with some traditional medicinal remedies.

 

1) Basil-Hayden. This is one of Jim Beam's small batch bourbons. At 80 proof, it is also one of the least alcoholic of these bourbons. Nonetheless, it is an outstanding bourbon. It is spicy, oaky, and gentle up front, with sweet pepper on the back end. You can pick it up for about 30 to 40 dollars. 

It gets 22 out of 24 volumes of Freud's standard edition. 

2) Ridgemont Reserve 1792. Named after the birth date of the great state of Kentucky, this bourbon is a nice standby. More in the alcohol range of a true bourbon (93.7 proof), this also packs a nice punch. It is more floral and sweet than the Basil-Hayden, but still carries a nice woody undertone. You can pick it up for about 20-30 Dollars. 

It gets 2 out of 3 of Kant's Critiques.  

3) Wild Turkey Rye. While I am normally a bourbon person, this rye is out of control. Full bodied and distinct, this rye carries overtones of maple and carmel, with rougher undertones of oak. True to the brand, it comes in at 101 proof and has been compared in some reviews to Jessie James busting his way into a saloon. This may be true. Since you can find this for 17 to 25 dollars it should be a standard in your liquor cabinet. 

It gets 8 out of 10 books in Plato's Republic

4) Bulleit "American Frontier" Bourbon. This is another small batch Kentucky bourbon, that was a pleasant surprise. It carries smokey and peppery undertones, with a nice floral front. It comes in at 90 proof. Plus, it comes in a really neat bottle. You can find this for around 25 to 35 dollars. It is an excellent remedy for the winter sad-sads. 

It gets 7 out of 10 books in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics.

"Objet petit a" Black Beans

It takes about 4 - 4 1/2 hours to cook, but takes little to no monitoring on your part. Thus, it is easy to cook while you work. But it is also good to make it large quantities when you know you will strapped to desk for a few days trying to meet that paper/chapter deadline. You can use this as the start of a black bean soup, for the base of black bean burritos, on top of black beans and rice, or as the black beans in chili. It is extremely versatile and extremely cheap.

Ingredients: 

2-4 cups of dried black beans (depending on how much you want to make)

3 tablespoons of malt vinegar

1 dried ancho chile

1 dried chipotle chile

1 cinnamon stick

4 cloves of garlic

2 vegetable bullion 

3 tablespoons cumin seed

2 tablespoons chile powder

2 tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon ground allspice

Directions: 

1) Rinse and sort black beans

2) Quick Soak black beans with malt vinegar

•  Bring beans to a boil in covered pot. Take off heat and let sit for at least an 1 hour.

3) Toast and grind cumin seeds, set aside.

4)  After quick soak, change out water, and add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil and then simmer in a covered pot for about three hours, or until the beans are tender. You will need to check the water level about every hour. Make sure water is about 1-2 inches above the beans at all time. 

Top Five Cookbooks

In light of avoiding  my dissertation, I thought It might be fun to rank my favorite cookbooks. These are the books that have served me through fire and flame in commercial kitchens and now they are my most common references when it is my night to cook.

1) The Professional Chef, The Culinary Institute of America. While, it is a pricey investment, it has absolutely everything you ever wanted to know about cooking in it. It takes you from how to hold a knife to how to make complicated classic recipes. 

2) The Voluptuous Vegan, Kornfeld, Minot, et al. I am not vegan--not even close. Yet, this is my go to book for dinner parties etc. It is quite simply, vegan or not, one of the best cookbooks I have ever come across. Note: do not try these recipes solo unless you want your timing to be impossibly off and spend 4-5 hours cooking. 

3) Craig Claiborne's Southern Cooking, Craig Claiborne. While this book is focused on the area around southern Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, it is a wonderfully authentic southern cookbook. It does not shy from putting hamhock and fatback in everything, nor the full stick of straight up butter. 

4) The Complete Book of Caribbean Cooking, Elizabeth Lambert Ortiz. Chock full of post-colonial goodness, this was my go to book in the french restaurant I worked in during college. I loved perverting and deconstructing the traditional french cuisine with these recipes. Plus, watch out for the Paw-Paw chutney, perhaps the most awesome chutney ever. 

5) The Joy of Cooking, Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker. This just speaks for itself. 

A Prolegomena

Dear All,

What kind of philosophers would we be if we didn't have a Telos for this blog?  We thought we'd take a second to explain our aims and since I'm currently avoiding a stack of grading and a conference paper, I thought I'd suffer through the introductions.  

This is intended to be a blog where "C.G." and I, and the occasional guest contributer, take up the tasks of cooking, baking, bbqing, eating, drinking, and thinking about food and all things food related.  We want to report on our favorite wines, spirits, recipes, cookbooks and food products and glorious kitchen disasters.  Oh, and to occasionally vent about whose turn it is to buy coffee and how we live our lives as so very poor and not so very hungry graduate students.

We hope that you enjoy it, try our recipes, respond to our surveys and take us with a pinch of salt.  We're just nerdy academics out to have a good time.

Happy Tuesday,

RoRo

Food for Grading: Mac and Cheese

So I wish I had a picture for this recipe. But since I didn't, I'll just have to make it again and remember to take a picture next time. I made this recipe last night, and it was just incredible. This is not good paper-writing food because it will make you a bit sleepy, but it's definitely excellent grading food. The roommates concur. It's an adaptation of a Martha Stewart recipe. I made it slightly healthier and slightly more distinct from other recipes. The original is from:
Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The Original Classics

I'll definitely be making it again.

GOURMET MAC AND CHEESE
Serves 6 small, 4 family size.

4.5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for casserole
3 slices white bread include crusts, cut into 1/4- to l/2-inch pieces
4 cups 2% milk (Whole is best but skim sucks)
3 Vidalia onions
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 + cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Gruyère or other cheese
1/2 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup parsley
A bag fresh pre-washed spinach
12 oz elbow macaroni

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a casserole dish or 9 by 9 Pyrex; set aside. Place the bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1.5 tablespoons butter. Pour the melted butter into the bowl with the bread, and toss. Set the breadcrumbs aside.

2. Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat add onions as butter starts to melt. When the butter bubbles and onion begins to become translucent, add the flour. Cook, stirring, 2 minute.

3. While whisking, slowly pour in the hot (but not scalded) milk a little at a time to keep mixture smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick, about 8 minutes.

4. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 2 cups cheddar cheese, and Gruyère and 1/4 cup Romano then parsley; set the cheese sauce aside.

5. Cover a large pot of salted water, and bring to a boil. Cook the macaroni until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir the macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce and add spinach.

6. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese, and Pecorino Romano, and the breadcrumbs over the top. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer the dish to a wire rack for 5 minutes; serve on top of the rest of the raw spinach, it will wilt a little underneath the Mac and Cheese and turn a beautiful green.