productivity

Things are growing...

pretty purple chives about to blossom

the tiny pea shoot has started to flower!

tender baby lettuce in complimentary hues

Mandarin honeysuckle in need of a trellis

heirloom radishes; big and small

Ostrich ferns - tall and cool, for a little hide-away

The garden is full; all planted in tidy rows, tucked away in a bed of straw. Gleefully weed-free - for the time being... Among the new transplants - 27 fragile tomato plants; and there's a chance of frost for the next 3 nights.

I'm thinking warm thoughts...

spring in full swing

Rhubarb is here, spring is in full swing, and I'm ready to start making jam. I should be outside working in the garden, but surely one of the greatest joys of having one's own garden is the time spent in the kitchen getting to know the harvest - and I still have a lot to get to know about rhubarb. I don't yet grow rhubarb in my own patch, but it is readily available at local farmer's markets and some grocery stores for a few weeks in the spring.

Since the first signs of spring I'd been dreaming of making a rhubarb jam. I'd imagined a blushing pink hue and pleasant tart-sweet flavor, maybe flecked with tiny vanilla seeds (as a friend cleverly suggested), or perhaps bits of chopped figs. I'd never tried rhubarb in jam form, but there was just something quite appealing to me in the idea.

In flipping through some inspirational books, I came across the recipe for Rhubarb Grapefruit Preserves in the Chez Panisse Fruit book. The simplicity of the recipes in the Chez Panisse books always wins me over, though I couldn't resist the addition of dried figs which I found sweetened the jam just a touch and seemed to blend rather nicely with the intensely fragrant grapefruit.

Here is my adaptation of the recipe:
Rhubarb, Fig & Grapefruit Jam
(adapted from the Alice Waters' recipe for 'Rhubarb Grapefruit Preserves' in the Chez Panisse Fruit cookbook)

yields approximately 3 1/2 pints of jam

Ingredients:

2 Lbs. rhubarb stalks, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
2 grapefruit, peeled and juiced, pith removed and the rind chopped very fine
4 cups sugar
8 oz. dried Black Mission Figs (or other dried figs of your choosing), chopped - stems removed

Method:

Place a plate or two in the freezer for testing the jam later.

Prepare canning jars and lids.

In a large stockpot with a lid, combing the chopped rhubarb, grapefruit rind, grapefruit juice (strained), and sugar. Cover and let sit overnight.

Bring the rhubarb mixture to a boil, uncovered, over high heat. Continue to cook, skimming off any foam rising to the surface, until the jam is thickened and reaches the 'gel stage' when placed on a cold plate. (This took me roughly 15 -20 minutes)
When the jam has reached the gel stage, turn the heat off, and begin ladling the hot jam into the hot, sterilized jars, being sure to leave 1/4 inch head space. Wipe the rims clean with a clean, damp towel, place the lids on and screw down the bands just until finger-tight. Process in a water bath canner with the lid on for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and process for 5 minutes more. Remove the jars from the canner and test the seals. Any jars that do not seal may be placed in the refrigerator and will be good for several weeks.

bliss!

Really, what can I say?

I'm still tickled.

Over these:

I really don't even have words to describe my enthusiasm. I'd like to just type paragraphs of exclamation points. Is that over the top? I don't care! Can you believe I came away from the market with this treasure of just-foraged morels?!?! This is the first time I can ever remember seeing wild mushrooms at a local farmer's market, and curiously I had just recently discussed this lack of fungi with a few sympathizers. Happy to be proven wrong. Thank you foragers!
Seems a bit cruel to cut up such glorious haul, but trust me. Or rather, trust Alice. This salad is divine. Coupled with a handful of herb-roasted new potatoes and a cool glass of wine - bliss. Roasted Wild Mushroom Salad with Parmesan

from Alice Water's Chez Panisse Vegetables

it's just too soon

The only thing for it.
A tall, iced-filled glass of jasmine tea.
90 degree weather in April? It's just too soon.

too much to do...

I'd love to stay and chat and talk about the lovely greens and perky French radishes my Farmer's Market provided this morning - the Russian Kale looks especially promising - but there is simply too much to do around here to linger. There are lilac, azalea, camellia, and jasmine to plant; garden fencing to mend, and a porch swing to hang!
There always seems to be time for soup, however, so before I'm off, I'll leave you with this for your bowl...
Chicken, Bacon, Barley Soup

Ingredients:

2 split chicken breasts (skin-on, bone-in)
olive oil
salt and pepper
1/4 cup lean bacon, chopped (about 4 strips)
3 large shallots, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
1 tsp. dried thyme
3/4 cup pearled barley
3/4 cup dry white wine
6-8 cups homemade chicken stock

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Place the chicken, breast-up, on an oiled broiler pan, rubbing a little oil over the breasts and seasoning them with salt and pepper. Roast the chicken on the middle rack in the oven for 30-45 minutes, or until browned and just cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside to rest.

In a large stockpot, heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat (if using a more fatty bacon, this oil may not be necessary). Add the chopped bacon, shallots and celery to the oil and cook until the bacon crisp, but not burned. Add the thyme and the barley and stir to combine and coat the barley in the oil and rendered fat - just a minute or two. Add the wine and stir until it begins to be absorbed. Add the chicken stock (6 cups for a thicker soup; 8 for a thinner version) and bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, stirring every so often, just until the barley is cooked and tender - about 30-45 minutes.

In the meantime, remove the skin from the cooled chicken, and shred the meat. Add to the soup once the barley has cooked, continuing to heat the soup until the chicken has warmed. Season the soup with salt and pepper and serve.