Strawberry Rhubarb Pie (England)

      Although Christmas will always be my favorite holiday, Easter definetly places an extremely close second.  Coloring and painting eggs; watching my younger family members fill their baskets with hidden treasures; great food that has been made with wonderful spring ingrediants; and an over indulgence of chocolate after weeks of religious probation. 
      So in the celebration of this holiday I ask any of you readers out there to send in the recipes that your family always makes to celebrate Easter.  I will be blogging up until Easter Sunday with the recipes that my family members and I use to celebrate this holiday starting with one of my favorites... Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.
      I don't know why, but no matter how zanny the weather is acting baking this pie just makes me know that spring has sprung.  The dish itself is made with the tart vegetable rhubarb which actually orginally from China; and strawberries the sweet fruit and one of America's first exports.  The two didn't become a irresitable dessert until the two met up in England.
      When I make this pie, I try to use the freshest of ingredients. Unlike some of the other recipes you will find on this blog there is no secret ingrediant that makes this pie delicious, just a fruit a vegetable and a couple cups of sugar. 

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

2 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced

1/ 4cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

3 teaspoons lemon zest.

2 tablespoons butter, divided

2 teaspoons whipping cream

1 batch Amish Pie Crust (See Note)

In a large bowl combine the rhubarb, strawberries, flour, sugar, and lemon zest.  Let this stand for 15 minutes to thicken. 

Roll out each of the dough balls on a floured surface till it reaches about a ten inch circle.  Place the first dough round onto a greased 9-inch pie plate, trim off the excess.  Place the filling into the pie plate, dot with butter, and top with the second dough round.  Crimp the edge of the pie to seal, and cut vents into the top of the pie.  Using an egg and some additional cream create an egg wash and brush over the top of the pie.

Place the pie into a 425* for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperture to 350* and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is tender.  If the crust begins to brown to much then cover with aluminum foil and continue baking.  Serve immediatley with a garnish of whipped cream. 

Serves 8

Eggplant Parmigiana (Italy)

      Like it's cousin the tomato, the Eggplant is not a native to Italian soils.  The Eggplant was an import brought into the country from India after the many eastern trade routes were opened by the explorations of adventurers such as Marco Pollo.  Unfortunately it took many years of cultivation and crossbreeding before the vegetable had been made less bitter and to the liking of the men of the west.  Once this was accomplished, it only took a matter of days before Italians breaded and fried the first Eggplant making what they called Melanzane alla Parmigiana.
      Eggplant Parmigiana you should always follow a few simple rules.  Number one, use fresh breadcrumbs, even if you have to make your own (don't worry a recipe follows at the bottom).  Number two, always bake your eggplant, as this will soften both the skin and the flesh.  Thirdly, bake the sauce with the eggplant, moisture in the oven always helps.

Eggplant Parmigiana Stacks

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, finely minced

3 pounds ripe tomatoes, pealed and finely chopped

1 red pepper, peeled and finely chopped

2 cups fresh basil, chopped and divided.

2 eggplants (about 3 pounds each), cut into 1 inch slices.

2 packages fresh mozzarella, sliced 1/4 inch thin

3 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 batch fresh bread crumbs (recipe follows)

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Hear a medium sized skillet with the olive oil.  To the pan add the garlic and onions and saute until tender.  Add in the tomatoes and peppers and lower the heat.  Allow the sauce to cook for about 15 minutes over low heat to allow the flavors to combine, stirring every two minutes.  Add one cup of the basil and give a quick stir before returning to low heat. 

Place the eggplant slices into a colander and sprinkle with salt (this improves taste).  In a medium bowl mix the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.  In another bowl whisk the eggs and milk to a pale yellow consistency.  Place the eggplant in the egg mixture then into the bread crumbs to coat.  Place the coated egg plant onto a cookie sheet which has been lined with parchment paper. 

Place the egg plant slices into a 375* oven and bake for about 30 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and complete this next step very quickly.  On one eggplant slice place a slice of the mozzarella, onto this place another piece of eggplant, another layer of mozzarella cheese and finish with a final slice of eggplant.  Top with a tablespoon of sauce and bake for another 5 minutes.

To serve, pool a small amount of sauce onto each of the four plates.  Next place the eggplant stack onto the plate in the center of the sauce.  Pour the remaining sauce over the eggplant stack and garnish with the remaining basil.  Serve Immediately.

Serves 4

Homemade Bread Crumbs

1 loaf day old bread (either challah or a baguette)

1 tablespoon dried sage

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried rosemary

Cut the crust off of the day old bread and cut it into 1 inch cube.  Place the bread cubes into a food processor and pulse until crumbs have formed.  Add the dry herbs to the bread crumbs and give one final pulse. 

Place the bread crumb mixture onto a baking sheet and set out for 1 or 2 days until they have fully dried.  (NOTE: if you intend to do this the best way is to place the baking sheet into your gas oven as if it has a pilot light it will dry out the crumbs with a consistent humidity.)



Sofrito (Puerto Rico)

      There are many things that distinguish a Puerto Rican household from others of Latin American heritage.  One way is the volume; put two or more of us in a room and the volume goes up till you can't hear yourself think.  The other way is the smell of the kitchen.  The smell in a Puerto Rican kitchen is a scent that no other culture can mimic.  It is a mixture of frying oil, smokey seasonings, achiote oil, and the ingredient which no Puerto Rican kitchen is without... Sofrito. 
      Sofrito is one of the many vegetable cooking bases unique to the island of Puerto Rico.  It is a mixture of peppers, onions, garlic, cilantro, olives, vinegar, olive oil and achiote oil.  The mixture is purreed and then used in almost every dish enjoyed by Puerto Ricans.  Rice dishes, beef, chicken, soups, even salads use this flavor enhancer to give some extra kick; almost like a hybrid of a sauce and a marinade.
      Honestly when I have had a bad day at work, or when I need a quick cure for the blues all I need to do is to go to the market get some discounted produce and go home and whip up a batch of Sofrito.  All my cares melt away with the beautiful smell that immediately fills the kitchen. 
      If this is your first time making Sofrito you may have trouble finding Achiote Oil at your local grocer, ask if they carry any Goya products.  If they say yes, then they probably carry Sazon which is a powdered version of Achiote and works as a substitution anywhere you use Achiote oil.  In this recipe you would use about 2 small packets to substitute for the 1/4 cup achiote oil.  Another note is that this recipe does tend to make a great deal of Sofrito, which is understandable since it is such a staple in Puerto Rican cuisine, so if you do not intend to use it all at once place them in 4 seperate sets of freezer containers or bags.  Sofrito when frozen usually keeps for a 9 month period so long as it does not get frost bitten.

Sofrito

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

5 green peppers, cored and given a light dice

4 tomatoes (medium sized), chopped

4 yellow onions (medium sized), chopped

1 small jar red pimentos

4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup achiote oil

3/4 cup cilantro

3 tablespoons salt

3 tablespoons pepper

1 full head garlic, minced

In a food processor puree the olive oil, peppers, tomatoes, onions and pimentos.  Slowley add the vinegar and achiote oil.  Give the puree a few pulses before continuing.  Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor and purree for a remaining 2 minutes.  Divide the sofrito not intended for immediate use into freezer safe bags and or containers. 

Makes about 6 cups.