A Three-Way Rhubarb Dinner
Hello Everyone,
It's still rhubarb season (thankfully), and last night friends and I had this incredible plant three ways: as a cocktail with rhubarb simple syrup; vodka; lemon juice and bubbly; as a savory side with roasted chicken; and as a poached dessert with fresh ricotta. I can't possibly choose what I liked best but offer here the recipe for the chicken dish. It is from Melissa Clark and the New York Times Cooking site, and I substituted canola oil for olive oil to make it higher in Omega-3s. I also used a plump, grass-fed chicken that I bought from a trusted farmer at our local Gosset's farm market in South Salem. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CHICKEN:
- 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- ¾ teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large garlic clove, grated or minced
- 1 (3 1/2- to 4 1/2-pound) chicken, patted dry
- 3 thyme sprigs, plus more for garnish
- 1 medium red onion, halved and sliced 1/4-inch thick
- Canola oil, for drizzling
FOR THE RHUBARB:
- Kosher salt, as needed
- ½ lemon
- 1 pound rhubarb, sliced crosswise 1/2-inch thick
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 (2-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
- 3 thyme sprigs
PREPARATION
- In a small bowl, combine salt, ground coriander, lemon zest, ginger, pepper and garlic. Rub it all over chicken, including inside the cavity and under the skin. Stuff thyme sprigs into cavity.
- Place chicken on a rimmed baking sheet, and marinate, uncovered, in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight.
- Prepare the rhubarb: Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Thinly slice the lemon into 1/8-inch rounds. Remove any seeds. Quarter lemon rounds into triangles. Blanch lemon pieces in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain.
- In a 9-by-9-inch baking dish or a pie pan, toss together blanched lemons, rhubarb, sugar, ginger, coriander seeds, a pinch of salt and thyme sprigs. Let fruit macerate at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour. (You can do this while the chicken is marinating.)
- When ready to roast, arrange an oven rack in the center of oven and another one below. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Toss onions in medium mixing bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt, and set aside.
- Generously drizzle canola oil over chicken. Roast chicken on the center rack and rhubarb below for 20 to 25 minutes, until rhubarb is glazed and syrupy.
- Remove rhubarb and lower oven temperature to 400 degrees. Brush or spoon some of the rhubarb syrup all over chicken. Scatter red onion pieces around chicken on baking sheet, then continue to roast until skin is golden and cooked through and onions are browned, about 25 to 35 minutes longer.
- Let chicken rest for 10 minutes. Carve and serve with onions, rhubarb and more thyme for garnish
Reappearance of the divine Country Rhubarb Cake
Hello Friends and Family,
It's rhubarb season again and my thoughts return to rhubarb cake.
Last year I posted the recipe for a Country Rhubarb Cake -- which is so good that I'm posting it again. It is, as I said last year, the perfect rhubarb cake. A cake that has that wonderful balance of tart; sweet; and the richness of cake -- and is not too time-consuming to make. The recipe is from the New York Times' cooking site. Julia Moskin found it in Reclaiming Ireland's Culinary Heritage, One Roast lamb or Sponge Cake at a Time. I use Omega-3 eggs to make it, of course, and grass-fed Kerry Butter (from Ireland), and I modify the recipe ever so slightly by replacing one third a cup of the flour with one third a cup of ground flax meal. I'm still searching for the right words to describe the result. Let me start by saying that I couldn't wait to have it again for breakfast. It is a perfectly cheerful dessert -- or breakfast -- for these -- or any times. Be well. Susie
Time: 1 1/2 hours (but sixty minutes of that is for baking)
Yield: 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, more for work surface
1/3 cup ground flaxseed meal
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar, more for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick (4 ounces) butter (grass-fed), cut into pieces, at cool room temperature
2 eggs, Omega-3 eggs, of course
1/2 cup buttermilk ( I make this by adding 1/2 tsp vinegar to 1/2 cup milk)
1 1/2 pounds (about 8 stalks) rhubarb, thinly sliced
Light brown sugar and softly whipped cream, for serving
PREPARATION
Heat over to 350 degrees. In a bowl sift or mix together flour, flax, salt, baking soda and 3 TBS of the sugar. With fingers, rub in the butter until the mixture is sandy. Beat one egg and add to the mixture. Add buttermilk and blend until a dough is formed. (It will be quite stiff and sticky). Turn out onto a floured surface and divide in two. Roll out each piece to fit a 10-inch baking dish. Line bottom of pan with one round allowing it to creep up the sides.
Cover the dough with the rhubarb and sprinkle the rhubarb with one cup of sugar (don't skimp). Place the second round on the top and pinch together the edges. Pinch together any holes. Beat the remaining egg w. one teaspoon water and brush it on the dough.
Place in a pan or on a baking sheet (to catch the drips) and bake until the crust is golden, about 1 hour. Immediately sprinkle w. granulated sugar and serve warm with a sprinkling of brown sugar and whipped cream. (I forgot to sprinkle the cake with sugar -- and didn't miss it -- and used cream instead of whipped cream.)
Delicious!
Orange Marmalade Steamed Pudding
Hello Friends and Happy February to you all,
I always seem to crave oranges in the winter so I ordered myself a whole box of Cara Cara oranges. What a treat!
But I then I began to wonder about all those peels going into my compost....
And next thing I was making a quick and easy marmalade, using equal parts peel and sugar.
And then, of course, I was left wondering about ways to use all that marmalade.
As you know, I've been in a steamed pudding kind of mood lately (because they're such a quick, easy, and delicious dessert -- as long as you have a pudding mold and a pressure cooker). So when I saw this recipe, I just had to try it. It's great for dessert, as well tea -- or even breakfast. Now I'm saving all my peels; and I'll let you know what else I come up with.
Be well,
Susie
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons coarse orange marmalade
1 medium orange with skin on roughly chopped
½ cup (4oz/115g) butter softened, grass-fed, of course
⅔ cup (4oz/115g) light brown sugar
2 large eggs -- Omega 3, of course
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
Instructions: Butter the base and sides of a 1.4-liter pudding mold.
Spoon the marmalade into the base.
Put the roughly chopped orange (minus the pips) in a food processor, then process until finely chopped. Place in a bowl and set aside.
In the same food processor, put the softened butter, sugar, eggs, flour, flaxseed meal, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, ginger, and salt and process until smooth and creamy, roughly 20 seconds. There is no need to wash the food processor between these steps. Lastly, add in the chopped orange and process for a second to combine.
Spoon cake mixture into the prepared basin and fasten the cover.
Put in your pressure cooker and pour in enough boiling water to reach halfway up the mold. Cover and place on high; once the pot has achieved temperature, turn the heat down and continue to cook for 25 minutes or until the pudding is cooked through. While still warm, turn the pudding onto a serving plate. Do this step while it's warm so the sticky marmalade layer stays in tack. Serve the pudding hot with Creme Anglaise or vanilla ice-cream. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Decadent Steamed Chocolate Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 cup (6oz/170g) dark brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons (2oz/57g) butter (softened) (A high Omega-3 butter, of course, such as Kerry Butter from Ireland)
- 2 large eggs (at room temperature). (High Omega-3 eggs of course!)
- ⅔ cup (4oz/115g) bittersweet chocolate (melted)
- ½ cup (4floz/115ml) whole milk (at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (5oz/142g) -- minus 3 Tablespoons -- all-purpose flour
- 3 Tablespoons ground flaxseed (In other words, I substituted 3 TBS flax meal for 3 TBS flour in this recipe)
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
-
Generously butter a 1-litre pudding bowl or round bowl and set it aside.
-
Fill a pressure cooker large enough to hold the pudding mold with 2 inches (5cm) of water and place it on your stove over medium-low heat.
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In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar and butter together, and then add the eggs and beat until fully mixed.
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Pour in the melted chocolate, milk, and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
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Sift the flour, flaxseed meal, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt over the egg mixture and fold in until thoroughly combined.
-
Pour the batter into your pudding mold and close the lid. Place in the pressure cooker and set to high.
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Once the gauge reaches the highest setting, turn the heat down to maintain temperature and steam for 23 minutes.
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Once the pudding is firm in the middle, remove from the pot and let sit for 10 minutes before unmolding onto a serving plate.
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Serve warm, drizzled with a chocolate sauce and with a side of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
-
Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or place back in the pudding mold and steam for a few minutes
Swedish Pancakes -- Made high in Omega-3s!
Dear Friends and Customers,
Even a tasty treat such as Swedish pancakes can be made wholesome and high in Omega-3s, as I've recently discovered. I adapt here a recipe from the internet that is working well for me, but I'm sure there are others. These pancakes are now a favorite of my grandsons -- and so easy to make ahead, if needed.
Ingredients:
3 Eggs (Pasture or Omega-3, of course), well beaten
3 cups whole milk (grass-fed if available)
3 TBS butter (Grass-fed such as Kerry Irish butter), melted
1 1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup ground flax
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
Preparation:
Beat eggs well then add 1/4 cup milk.
Mix together the dry ingredients and add some (about 1/4 cup) to the egg and milk mixture.
Mix well.
Add melted butter and more milk and mix..
Add the rest of the milk and dry ingredients and mix well.
Wipe your griddle or crepe pan with butter when it is hot.
Pour a thin layer on the pan and flip when just cooked. Roll when just brown and keep warm in a 200 degree oven. Continue until all the pancakes are cooked.
Serve with lingonberry jam or lemon curd (or the topping of your choice) -- and enjoy. Once made, the pancakes can be covered and refrigerated for a couple of days. Heat them in a microwave or oven before serving. Enjoy!
Sled Dogs need Omega-3s too!
Dear Friends,
While Cross Country Skiing with my intrepid older sister in Colorado recently, I came across a dog sled operation with a total of 21 dogs. All were lean as could be -- and so energetic and healthy -- that I had to ask the owner what he fed his hard-working hounds.
"Oil and a high-protein kibble," he replied.
But what oil, I persisted?
"Canola."
Of course! It had to be canola -- with its high Omega-3 content and healthy balance of Omega-3s and Omega-6s! Canola oil has such a bad rap out there (for so many misguided reasons, as I often point out), but it is the only seed oil that can correct our national Omega-3 deficiency.
Fortunately, sled dogs are not able to read all the misinformation about canola that there is on the web. And so they can just experience its benefits. Their lean bodies and healthy coats are the living proof.
If you were to do one thing to improve your diet this year, it would be to switch to a high-quality canola oil* for most of your cooking needs, saving your fragrant olive oil just for drizzling on foods and salads. You won't be able to taste the change, but your body will know it!
A Healthy and Happy New Year to you,
Susie and Michele
* I recommend an expeller-pressed canola such as the one we use in our Breakfast Cookies. Do not switch to "High-Heat" canola oil since this is made from seeds with reduced Omega-3s.
Give your friends and family the gift of Good Health!
Hello dear Customers and Friends,
Here we are again, looking forward to another Covid Christmas. I hope you and your families are finding much to keep the holidays bright and hopeful -- and are staying well!.
One way to stay healthy and well nourished during these times is with our high Omega-3 Breakfast Cookies.
So why not send your loved one a box of Susie's Smart Breakfast Cookies to celebrate the holidays.
Satisfying and delicious, Susie's Smart Breakfast Cookies are a great breakfast to go -- or anytime snack. They have the added benefit of boosting one's Omega-3s.
Please use the Discount Code Holidays2021 to take 20% off our Assorted Box of Breakfast Cookies -- with three of each of our four delicious flavors: Orange, Cranberry, Nut; Gingered Apple; Banana Coconut and Cocoa.
Act quickly since our sale ends 12/14 (in order to guarantee delivery before Christmas). Shipping, as always, is free. Merry Christmas to all of you from Susie's Smart Cookie; please stay well!
Susie and Michele
https://www.susiesmartcookie.com/discount/Holidays2021?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fmixed-box-try-all-4-flavors-at-1-low-price
Seared salmon with a Delicious Pistachio Crust
Dear Customers and Readers,
Now that Thanksgiving is over, my thoughts return to salmon, one of my favorite go-to dinners. Topping salmon with a pistachio crust is a delicious variation that is sure to become a family favorite. I don't usually use pistachios since they are high in Omega-6s, but these are balanced out in this recipe by the Omega-3s in the canola oil; flaxseed -- and, of course, the salmon. Hope you have a chance to give it a try.
Happy Post Thanksgiving,
I am so thankful for customers like you.
Susie
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons (minus 1 teaspoon) panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon ground flaxmeal
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted Grass-fed butter, of course
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 4 lemon wedges
Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
Mix together well the crushed pistachios; bread crumbs; flaxmeal; butter; and parmesan.
Lightly season the salmon filets with salt and pepper.
Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over moderate heat.
Sear the fillets, flesh side down for 2-3 minutes.
Turn the heat off and flip the salmon pieces so the skin side is down.
Brush the tops with the mustard and top with the pistachio mixture, pressing it down onto the fish.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until flaky and just done. Serve with the lemon wedges -- and enjoy.
Artichoke and Mugwort casserole (I also call it a crustless Quiche)
Hello Everyone and Happy Fall,
It's not to late to gather mugwort to freeze for the winter or to use immediately in this tasty breakfast casserole, or crustless quiche. Whatever you call it it is a very simply-made and outrageously delicious concoction inspired by an observation of my daughter Cecil.
I had always thought that mugwort leaves taste like a cross between sage and rosemary. But she nailed their taste after I gave her a cup of mugwort tea. They taste like artichoke much more than sage or rosemary (though they can be substituted for those two herbs in many recipes). Without recognizing the similarity, I had been using mugwort with artichoke in recipes, but now I went to work in earnest. I came up with this "breakfast casserole" -- though I love it as a simple lunch or dinner.
Please know that at the same time that you are enjoying this unusual combination of flavors and the strange gustatorial sisterhood of mugwort and artichoke, you are diminishing, by some small amount, this highly invasive plant (Artemis vulgaris) from Asia. Serves 8
Ingredients:
8 Omega-3 eggs
16 oz. Half and half (grass fed)
7 oz feta
2 heaping TBS mayo (Hellman's canola mayo if you have it)
2 cups diced parboiled potatoes (I used unpeeled, red potatoes)
1 sautéed leek (white part only in canola oil) or shallot
1 14 oz can of artichoke hearts in water, drained and sliced (I particularly like the Roland brand)
1 head spinach (steamed and chopped with the water squeezed out)
3 heaping TBS chopped Mugwort leaves (Use the tenderest growing tips)
2 scant tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper, or to taste
Directions:
Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add and mix well the half and half and crumbled feta. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Pour into a buttered 9" by 11" baking dish and bake until thoroughly set and lightly browned, at least 60 min. Let rest and serve warm or at room temperature with a salad.
Enjoy.
This is no ordinary Back to School -- and no ordinary Back-to-School Sale. Take 25% off before September 16th.
It's September 2021 and kids are riding the buses again -- in masks and vaccinated if they're old enough. It's a great feeling for kids, their parents -- and their grandparents and other loved ones. Let's do our part to keep our precious youngsters in school.
I'm in such a celebratory mood -- after the trials of the last school year -- that we're offering a 25% sale on all of our Susie's Smart Breakfast Cookies and Bites. Stock up now and send your kids back to school with a nourishing snack that is rich in whole grains; fiber; and brain-healthy Omega-3s.
The sale ends September 16th and the discount code -- backtoschool2021 -- is good for one use per customer. If you do indeed stock up on cookies and bites using this coupon, be sure to freeze whatever you don't plan on eating in the next few weeks. Take them out of the freezer the night before you need them and serve at room temperature or microwave or toast for an added treat.
Be well; be healthy; and please share with me this celebratory moment,
Susie
https://www.susiesmartcookie.com/discount/Backtoschool2021
Calling all dieters who have used the Breakfast Cookie Diet
Hello dear customers and friends,
A woman was placing an order over the phone not too long ago and told us that she had lost 21 pounds -- in a matter of months -- using the Breakfast Cookies. Turns out she is 81 years old! Congratulations Wanda!
This good news prompted an email exchange with the editor of Woman's World. And she would like to run another article on the Breakfast Cookie Diet. Would anyone like to share their stories/experiences; you might be included in the article? It would mean lots of free cookies, of course. And endless gratitude from your baker-in-chief: Susie. The editor is looking for women over fifty who have had success with the diet.
Please let us know and please enjoy the rest of the summer,
Susie and Michele
Israeli Vegetable Salad
This Israel Vegetable Salad is the perfect way to provide a nourishing snack for hungry, wet kids (and adults) and is so easy to assemble and serve -- especially if you use canned beans. It comes via Ina Garten BUT I have made one major modification that makes it balanced in Omega-3s and Omega-6s: I left out the Tahini.
Tahini, or sesame paste, is delicious, but it is so high in Omega-6s, there is no way you can balance those out in a recipe. (Well, maybe, but only by adding lots of flax meal or flax seed oil). A simpler way to make a high Omega-3 hummus is to leave the Tahini out. I don't think you're going to miss it one little bit, especially in this spectacular summer salad.
Enjoy and happy summer.
Susie
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