Sasha's Kitchen: Rhubarb Raspberry Crostata and Wolfgang Puck Soups Giveaway

After making my strawberry rhubarb pie a couple of times recently (has to be the BEST dessert of the Spring), I could't resist trying another rhubarb dessert recipe. I came across a recipe for a rhubarb raspberry crostata in Bon Appetit, and I couldn't resist. I love the idea of a crostata - its kind of a cross between a pizza and a pie, if that makes any sense. I made this recipe last week with a candle for my husband Brad's birthday, and it was a winner.

In addition, I wanted to share an exciting giveaway with my readers. I had the chance to try several of Wolfgang Puck's soups courtesy of the company and got the chance to do a giveaway of a whole goodie basket of his soups and stocks with my readers! The soups are organic, gluten free and delicious - perfect for those non-cooking nights that we all have. I tried hearty garden vegetable and tomato basil bisque and both were delicious. To enter the giveaway to win the gift basket below, leave a comment on this post with your e-mail address (so I can contact the winner) as well as fanning A Kitchen In Brooklyn on Facebook and/or as a blogger follower. My deadline is midnight on Monday May 30 to enter. A delicious giveaway for a lovely Memorial Day weekend!

So, enter the giveaway and have a happy spring with another delicious and fruity dessert. This raspberry rhubarb crostata is nice and tart (as one would expect), but oh so good. It's hard to just have one slice! I'm not done with those spring fruits yet either, as I have devised a new recipe for a strawberry balsamic pie that I am looking forward to trying soon.

Raspberry Rhubarb Crostata (adapted from this recipe)
Crust
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 T sugar
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (chilled and cubed)
1 large egg
1 T milk

Filling
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 cups of 1/2 inch thick slices of fresh rhubarb (from the Union Square Farmers' Market)
1 6oz container of fresh raspberries
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
sugar for dusting

To make the crust, I followed the recipe and did this in my mixer. It came out great, but really you can do this all by hand, with fabulous results as well, just like I explain in my stepwise pie crust recipe.  Don't worry if the butter is only half blended or so if you do it that way, as it will only make your crust crisper and more delicious. Below, though are the directions for doing so in a stand mixer.

Combine the flours, sugar and salt for the crust. Add butter and pulse for about two minutes. Whisk egg and milk in a separate bowl, and add to the mixer. Pulse until moist clumps form and bring dough into a ball with your hands. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill for one hour.

While the dough is chilling, make the filling for the crostata. Dissolve the cornstarch in three tablespoons of water and set aside. Combine the fruit and the sugar in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugars are dissolved and juices are released, about four minutes. The rhubarb will not yet be tender. Stir in the cornstarch and transfer to a bowl, and allow to cool for thirty minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 F and roll out the dough on a floured surface, rotating with each turn so it does not stick to the surface. Mound the filling in the center of the crust and leave a one and a half inch border. Gently fold in the edges of the dough over the filling. Brush the border with an egg glaze and sprinkle with a bit of sugar. Bake until golden brown and filling is bubbly, about 40-45 minutes. Cut into wedges (like pizza!) to serve.

Sasha's Kitchen: Rhubarb Raspberry Crostata and Wolfgang Puck Soups Giveaway

Sasha's Kitchen: Parsnip Apple Fall Soup (and an upcoming product review)

CSN Stores has offered a product for review through their site, which offers a world of great products, from cookware like Le Creuset to barstools and I look forward to reviewing a product from their store. I have been using a very old ice cream maker for many years (truly old school) and I look forward to reviewing a new, updated and automatic ice cream maker from CSN Stores.  I can't wait to try it out to make some fall pumpkin spiced ice cream.

Pumpkin soup is one of my favorite fall soups. Last year, I made two delicious pumpkin soups - a pumpkin cashew soup and a pumpkin pear soup.  Nothing is better in the fall then a delicious root vegetable soup. Although I plan to get back into the pumpkin soup groove soon, this time I decided to try making a soup with one of my favorite root vegetables - parsnips. What better combination than with fresh New York fall apples? I was inspired to create my own parsnip-apple soup by the recipe for parsnip-apple soup in Tyler Florence's new cookbook. However, my recipe is totally different. Tyler adds oysters and bacon which are totally not needed in my vegetarian rendition. I found the paprika to be a great complement as well, and I much preferred the crisp tartness of honeycrisp apples - my all time favorite apple. The result is slightly, but not overwhelmingly sweet - it is a natural sweetness from the apples, as I did not add any sugar. It also has that wonderful fall crispness. This was a real treat and a soup I will surely make again. Be sure to use farmer's market fresh apples and parsnips. This soup is all about your starting material so it is imperative to use the best local produce!

Sasha's Parsnip-Apple Soup
2 1/2 lbs of parsnips
2 large honeycrisp apples (use three if the apples are small)
2 large granny smith apples
2 cups of heavy cream
2 quarts of low sodium chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
paprika to taste
parsley to garnish
4 T olive oil
1 onion, diced

First, put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pot with the peeled and chopped parsnips and the diced onion. Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes until the parsnips are softened.  Add the peeled and chopped apples and cook over medium heat for another ten minutes. You may need to add the rest of the  olive oil at this point.  Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Then add the heavy cream and cook over medium heat until the parsnips and apples are full cooked.  Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before pureeing in batches in the blender. Season with salt, pepper and paprika, and garnish with a bit of parsley.

Sasha's Kitchen: Parsnip Apple Fall Soup (and an upcoming product review)

Sasha's Kitchen: Ad Hoc's Buttermilk Fried Chicken & A Fresh Direct Promotion

As you may know by now, I am a big fan of Thomas Keller.  Even I don't have the time to explore the recipes in his French Laundry Cookbook, though. They are just too involved and complex for normal home cooking, although I am sure the result is phenomenal. But his cookbook, Ad Hoc at Home, I simply love and have really enjoyed cooking his recipes which are intended to be suited to a skilled home cook.  My husband Brad and I recently tried out his buttermilk fried chicken recipe which was simply delicious.  Ok, so fried chicken is not healthy enough to eat regularly (and it is something I rarely eat), but I did fry it in Canola Oil, and the result was an enjoyable treat.

Keller uses whole chickens in his recipe, which calls for two 2 1/2 to 3 pound chickens.  I made this recipe, but I only used one three pound chicken.  In addition, Keller gives detailed instructions for cutting the chicken into either an eight piece or ten piece cut.  While this is useful to know how to do, I used Fresh Direct and ordered one three pound chicken cut into eight pieces, which was perfect. This is what I recommend. I am writing up the full recipe below, as per Keller, but keep in mind that I cut all of the proportions in half.

Thomas Keller's Buttermilk Fried Chicken
two 2 1/2 to 3 lb chickens, cut into 8 pieces
chicken brine (cold)
6 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/4 cup onion powder
1 T plus 1 tsp paprika
1 T plus 1 tsp cayenne
1 T plus 1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 quart of buttermilk


Chicken Brine
5 lemons, halved
12 bay leaves
1 bunch parley
1 bunch thyme
1/2 cup clover honey
1 head garlic
1/4 cup black peppercorns
2 cups salt
2 gallons water

Brine the chicken as Keller recommends for 12 hours in the herb-lemon chicken brine, which seasons the meat and helps the chicken remain juicy throughout the frying process.

Prepare the flour seasoning mixture and use it to coat the pieces of chicken. Then dip in the buttermilk and re-dip in a second bowl with the other half of the flour seasoning.

To fry, I used a technique slightly different than Keller's technique but it worked beautifully. I used my hot pot/deep fryer and filled 1/3 full with canola oil.  I set the temperature to 320 degrees and fried each piece of chicken for between 10 and 15 minutes, depending on the size of the piece of chicken. When done. the chicken should be deep golden.

On the Fresh Direct promotion, use the code SUPPORTLOCAL to save 20% on Fresh Direct's local produce from local markets in the new york area, which you can read about and order on Fresh Direct. These local offerings are a great way to support local farmers and use farm-to-table produce in your kitchen. This is a limited time offer. Expires August 31, 2010. May not be combined with any other offer. All standard terms and conditions apply. Limit one use per customer/account. Residential orders only. Void where prohibited. Offer is non-transferable.

Sasha's Kitchen: Ad Hoc's Buttermilk Fried Chicken & A Fresh Direct Promotion