Opening Day at the Rhubarb Patch

Rhubarb Art

Tomorrow is opening day for baseball, and I'm batting some more out of the park from my own rhubarb patch. Here are a couple of savory rhubarb recipes. Both are adapted from Joan Nathan's Jewish Cooking in America, winner of both the James Beard award and the IACP Julia Child Cookbook of the Year Award in 1994. Joan is alive and well, thanks to the brilliant chef and Heimlich maneuverer, Tom Colicchio, who saved her life at a foodie star-studded fund raiser thrown by Nathan. Colicchio happened to be nearby when Alice Waters shouted, "Does anyone know the Heimlich maneuver?" Colicchio dislodged the chunk of chicken with a good zetz.

Joan autographed my copy of Jewish Cooking in America:

"To Jane, Eat Well and Be Happy! Joan Nathan"

At her book signings, Joan now inscribes:

"Eat Well, Be Happy and Be Careful!"

Fish in Rhubarb Sauce

Pescado con Ruibarbo (Turkish recipe)

Adapted from Joan Nathan’s Jewish Cooking in America

Ingredients that are available at the Long Beach Farmer's Market (open every Wednesday on Kennedy Plaza, all day, from 10-6) have an asterisk "*" placed after them.

Ingredients:

1# rhubarb* (choose firm, thin - if available - stalks)

3 c. water

½ c. tomato sauce

2 Tbsp. sugar (more or less to taste)

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

¼ c. olive oil

2 # fish fillets or steaks*

see traif note below

Procedure:

Wash the rhubarb and cut into 1” cubes.

Place in large saucepan or sauté pan that is large enough to accommodate the fish. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat and cook, uncovered, for about 10-15 minutes, until the rhubarb is soft. (It will

become mushy.)

Add the tomato sauce (I use Del Monte), sugar, salt, pepper and olive oil. Cook over low heat for five minutes. Adjust seasoning.

Add fish and cook gently until fish is no longer raw looking. Don’t over cook the fish, or it will become tough, chewy and the reason why everyone hates fish.

Taste and adjust seasoning again, if necessary. Add water if the sauce is too thick.

Serve hot or cold!

(Traif note: Scallops, squid, shrimp and lobster would be fantastic, but Joan couldn’t have written that … traif.)

Spinach-Rhubarb Soup

(Cold ... and that ain't borscht)

adapted from Joan Nathan's Jewish Cooking in America

This is a vegetarian soup that, according to Joan Nathan, dates to early twentieth Jewish cookbooks throughout the United States. Why doesn’t that sound like it’s that long ago? Its origins are Poland, and it was adapted from the borscht that began as sorrel or sorrel-rhubarb soup. It’s refreshing. The nutrional value has to be fabulous.

You can omit the egg, if the texture seems 'wrong' ... you have to be of sound mind and body to accept the egg. It's great without it too. But be sure to serve this with the yogurt (Greek only) or sour cream. a boiled potato wouldn't hurt.

Look for the asterisked ingredients at the Long Beach Farmer's Market, open every Wednesday from 10-6 on Kennedy Plaza. The rhubarb won't be around long, so make this during the spring .. in May.

Ingredients:

¾ pound rhubarb*, washed and cut into 1-inch pieces

11 oz. spinach* or sorrel*, well rinsed,10 oz. + 1 oz. reserved for final cooking stage)

1 Tbsp. kosher salt

4 cups water

1 large egg* at room temperature

For garnish (one, any combination or all):

½ c. sour cream or Greek yogurt

2 chopped scallions*

1 peeled, seeded and diced cucumber* or 2 diced Kirby cucumbers*

4 sliced radishes*

Procedure:

Simmer the rhubarb, covered, with water, until tender. Drain.

Place 10 oz. of the spinach or sorrel, the cooked and drained rhubarb, salt and the water in a pot (not aluminum.)

Bring the water to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 5 minutes.

Add the remaining 1 oz. of spinach or sorrel and cook until just wilted and the color of this new addition remains bright green.

Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Cool for a few minutes.

Beat the egg, and fold it in.

Refrigerate several hours and serve with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt and any of the vegetables.

A good accompaniment would be Bread Alone’s* Organic Sourdough Rye with Caraway Seeds available at the Kennedy Plaza Farmer’s Market.