Many people don’t appreciate the chef’s workmanship .
We are often too busy to slow down and really enjoy a culinary masterpiece, letting the flavors of the food sing to our taste buds.
When I serve someone who enjoys the song of the flavors, it’s truly gratifying.
It is music to my ears to hear their “mmms” and “yums,” and I’m inspired to continue growing so I can please more people with my symphony of flavors.
The kitchen is magic. For instance, rhubarb, by itself, is bitter.
Add ginger, a bit of sugar, orange peel and cranberries and you have created a beautiful pie.
I hope the flavors of this recipe sing to your taste buds.
Yield: One nine-inch pie
Rhubarb Filling:
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 5 cups fresh rhubarb
- 1 tablespoon crystallized ginger, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger, ground
- 1 teaspoon orange peel, finely shredded
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
- 2 tablespoons half and half
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
In large mixing bowl, combine sugar and flour.
Add fresh rhubarb, gingers, and orange peel.
Toss until rhubarb is coated. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, add enough water to cover cranberries.
Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.
Drain and add to rhubarb mixture.
Add half and half and orange juice to mixture.
Put mixture into a saucepan and cook on medium heat until thick and bubbly.
Remove from heat.
Add butter and set aside.
Flaky Pie Crust:
- 9 ounces unsalted butter, cold
- 15 ounces pastry flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 5.2 ounces ice water
- 3 teaspoons cider vinegar
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut butter into small pieces and set aside. Mix flour, salt and baking powder in medium bowl.
Using a pastry cutter, cut butter into flour until it’s about pea-size.
Make a well and add vinegar.
Mix by hand or with a wooden spoon.
Slowly add ice water until mixture forms a ball (you may not use all the water).
Cut dough in half and wrap with plastic. Let dough rest about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Roll half the dough, forming a 12-inch circle and place into pie pan.
Cut off excess, leaving an inch to tuck under. Dock the pie dough by poking with a fork.
Egg wash top.
* Freeze for at least one hour. *
Remove from freezer and cover crust with parchment or baking wax paper and place pie weights or pennies on top.
Bake in the oven until slightly brown and the parchment paper come off clean.
While crust is baking, roll remaining dough into a 12-inch circle and cut into ½ inch-wide strips for the lattice.
Place strips on parchment paper, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Pour rhubarb filling into prepared pie crust. Make lattice with dough strips by weaving the strips and ‘gluing’ the ends to the crust with egg wash.
Egg wash top.
Cover edge of crust with foil to prevent overbrowning.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Remove foil and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool on a wire rack.
Robin is a student of The Culinary Institute of Montana at Flathead Valley Community College.
For more information about the program, visit www.culinaryinstituteofmt.com.