Strawberries and Cream Oat Scones & A Simple Salmon Berry Shrub

A couple of nights ago, I looked out the window to see the sky stained twilight blue, the last of the day's glow stubbornly pushing against the coming of night. It was 10 p.m. The days of extended light are stretching out toward their midsummer peak right about now. 

For me, this means one thing: it's berry time.

When it comes to berries of any kind, I am a greedy little child. I am a crazy fool who can't stop stuffing them into her mouth. I am that person whose tongue is stained red, purple and sometimes blue, juices leaking down her chin. And I don't care.

Before I lived in Washington, berries weren't that big of a deal to me. It sounds weird to say that now. But, in Southern California, where I grew up, we had citrus - tangy and bitter kumquats that my grandmother grew, endless supplies of yellow grapefruit from the backyard tree. Oranges and lemons from next door. These were the fruits that sustained me.

Then, we moved to the Pacific Northwest. Berry country. While I still love my citrus fruits, they don't grow here and berries have taken their place front and center.

So this is how it goes around here. First there are the local strawberries at the end of May, which last for about five weeks into June. Then in July, there are the raspberries, which I could eat forever. Then sweet and easy-to-love blueberries arrive and stay on into September.

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Cultivated strawberries from Everson, WA.

Around the same time as the blueberries, the wild blackberries appear growing in unruly thickets along fence lines, trails and streets both wide and narrow.

Himalayan and evergreen blackberry varieties are considered invasive ("class C noxious weeds," according to the state of Washington, for those who insist on the facts). I know people who loathe them because no matter how you beat them back from the edge of your property, they just keep returning.

Maybe it's because I'm not from here that I have to say but wait, wait! Taste them.

There is just something about walking along, plucking the blackberries from their thorny branches. Popping them into your mouth and letting the tart floral juices pool on your tongue for a moment before they trickle down your throat. It's intoxicating.

Not only is this is the closest thing any of us get to grazing like a wild animal. For me, picking wild berries is the closest we'll ever come to knowing what it was like before Adam ate that damned apple, when humankind resided in innocence and perfection.

But wait. There is, of course, more. Between the wild blackberries and local farm-cultivated berries, we have red huckleberries, currants, thimbleberries, wild strawberries and salmon berries throughout the woods and free for the taking.

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Wild salmonberries. They look a bit like raspberries. But also a bit like salmon roe. And, they taste floral and melon-y at the same time.

I'll pick and forage enough berries during these warmer months to make different jams, jellies, vinegar shrubs and baked treats. I'll also definitely freeze some of my loot so that during the long, dark months of winter, our family will have these sweet jewels to fill the short days with light.

This year, Kingston and I started our berry celebration once again at Spring Frog Farm in Everson. After petting their big black farm cat sufficiently (per the three-year-old), we plonked our knees into the dirt and reached our hands under the low-growing plants to pick heaps and heaps of strawberries.

Once we brought them home, we cooked up a batch of Rachel Saunder's Children's Strawberry Jam (our favorite) then baked these tender scones for you.

We hope you'll enjoy every morsel.

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Strawberries and Cream Oat Scones
Because this recipe uses oats along with all-purpose flour, these scones are a bit more fragile that you might typically expect. Using the oats is worth it though because the oats bring the butter flavor even more strongly to the fore than all-purpose flour alone would. (Note: Alice Medrich mentions this in the oat flour chapter of her wonderful book, Flavor Flours.) Just let the scones cool for at least 15 minutes and they will be more willing to be picked up and handled by a hungry eater.  

Makes 8 scones.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup (180g) all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup (116 g) old-fashioned oats, divided
2 teaspoons (12 g) ground flax seeds
5 tablespoons (65 g) fine natural cane or granulated sugar
1 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
6 tablespoons (85 g) cold butter, cut into 1/2 to 3/4-inch pieces
3/4 cup strawberries, hulled 
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, plus extra for finishing
1 cold large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Demarara or turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place a piece of parchment on a baking sheet. Set aside.

Cut strawberries lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside in small bowl.

Put half of the oats into a blender or mini-processor, whizzing to fine consistency. In a large bowl, combine the ground oats, all-purpose flour, flax seeds, sugar, baking powder and sea salt. Add in the remaining (unprocessed) oats.

Toss butter into the flour mixture, so that all pieces are coated. Putting hands into an offering gesture, place some of the flour and butter into your open-palmed hands. Using your fingers and thumbs, press down on the butter, smearing it into the flour. Allow bits of the mixture to fall back through your fingertips and into the bowl. Repeat until you have worked the butter through most of the flour. You will notice that you can really start smelling the butter, which means that it is warming up and really getting worked in. Toss the strawberries in, using your hands to gently distribute the fruit throughout the mixture.

Whisk together the cream, egg and vanilla. Slowly drizzle it in a spiral motion from the outside in toward the center of your flour-butter mixture. Using a fork, quickly work the wet ingredients in. Take a bit of the dough without any strawberries and squeeze it. If it holds together, it has enough moisture. If it doesn't, add a few drops more cream. Test again by squeezing a bit of dough together. You dough will appear shaggy, but there is no need to fret.

Tip the dough mixture onto a lightly floured surface. Gather it together kneading quickly and lightly. Shape the dough into a 1--inch thick circle. Using a floured knife or pastry scraper, cut in half, then again into quarters. Cut twice more across the circle until you have 8 wedges. (Alternatively, you could use a biscuit cutter and make these into round shapes.) Place wedges on your prepared sheet.

It's best to let your scones rest for 20 minutes, or longer, if you have the time. Place them in the refrigerator or freezer to rest.

When ready, brush some cream onto the tops of the scones. Sprinkle generously with sugar.

Place scones in the middle of oven. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Keeps in a sealed container for 2-3 days. Reheat them at low heat in the oven if you wish.

Adapted from Tara O'Brady's wonderful new book, Seven Spoons. Go out and buy it already, people. It belongs on your kitchen bookshelf.

Simple Salmon Berry Shrub

Makes about 2 cups.

Ingredients
1 cup salmon berries
1 cup raw unrefined cane sugar
1 cup apple raw (unpasteurized) cider vinegar

Instructions
Give your berries a gentle rinse and drain in a colander.

Place berries in a medium non-reactive bowl. Crush berries lightly with the tines of a fork to release the juices. Pour sugar over the berries, stirring so that all the berries are coated.

Cover mixture and place in the refrigerator for at least several hours and up to a couple of days.

When you uncover the bowl, you'll see that the berries have exuded their juices and combined with the sugar to form a syrup. Scrape berries, syrup and any remaining undissolved sugar into a fine-meshed sieved over a bowl and press through the sieve.

Combine the collected syrup, juices and sugar with the vinegar and pour into a sterilized bottle or large jar with a non-metallic lid. Any remaining undissolved sugar will eventually be dissolved by the acids in the vinegar.

Use right away or allow to age slightly in the fridge. Your shrub will mellow out and the flavors will come together the longer it is allowed to sit, up to one month. Use the shrub in a cocktail or enjoy simply with some soda water and a bit of citrus.

Note: If you can't find any salmon berries, feel free to substitute another type. Raspberries will do just nicely, for example.

Kabocha, Sage and Buttermilk Scones

Many years ago, when I first went off to live on my own, I developed a recurring fantasy about living in a rambling country house where friends and family could drop in whenever they wanted and stay for as long as they wished. All I would ask was for a little help, maybe with cook prep, baking, gathering loads of fresh herbs from the kitchen garden (surely there would be one) or some other such every day task. 

My fantasy probably had something to do with the fact that I lived in a tiny attic apartment in Brooklyn, with a very nice roommate and her three active cats. I'd found my roommate, Pam, after stopping to gaze at a homemade flyer taped to a street pole from which I'd pulled off a scrap imprinted with a phone number. At the time, I was staying at a college friend's apartment and after four-plus weeks of sleeping on the living room couch, I knew my welcome was wearing thin. 

Pam was prompt about returning my call and we set up a time to meet. The interview with her seemed unremarkable enough, a quiet conversation peppered with ordinary questions about each of our backgrounds and the logistics of life in a very small space.

Less than an hour later, just as I was stepping through the doorway of my friend's place nearby, Pam was leaving a message on the answering machine saying that I was the only normal person she'd met all day and would I please move in and save her from having to deal with any more weirdos. 

So, I did.

My room was just large enough to fit a twin size mattress, with a two-foot-strip of walking-around space along the edges of it. I quickly learned that if I didn't keep my bedroom door firmly shut, the cats would wreak havoc. That is, the fuzzy nocturnal creatures would shock me from my deepest slumber by crash-landing on my head, where their claws would immediately become entangled in my hair before sinking into my scalp. 

It was hard to invite any out-of or even in-town guests with so little space and the cat shenanigans going on, that was for sure. So I had to settle for my house-in-the-country fantasy while I flung myself out of the apartment and crammed myself into  the D-train each day to get to my editorial assistant job in mid-town.

My life looks a lot different now here in the Pacific Northwest. Back in the NYC days, I lived thousands of miles away from my family and my fantasy was probably a simple wish for the people I loved and cared about most to come stay for a while.

While I don't live in a big country house where anyone can just stop by unannounced for a weekend or a few weeks, my fantasy lives on. My family still lives scattered in different locations, and I would still love for them to visit. And when they can, they do.

I have to admit, I like taking care of guests. Maybe I've become a certain kind of weirdo after all. The kind who doesn't mind washing sheets and making beds, cleaning up the extra bathroom, or restocking the pantry shelves. The kind who gets excited about filling the fridge with my guests' favorite foods and beverages so we can meet again in comfort. 

In my mind, one of the most welcoming food gifts to offer a guest is a sweet and tender triangle of butter, flour and buttermilk. I am indeed referring to none other than the scone. 

People love a good scone. It is like a warm and loving hug. This is a tasty one that will linger in the heart. It has crispy edges and a delicate middle that is just sweet enough. A hint of savory is provided by two teaspoons of chopped fresh sage. The dense, orange flesh of the kabocha squash lends this scone a festive golden hue.

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Orange-golden flesh filling winter kitchens with light.

This is the scone I make throughout the Fall and Winter. I always keep some in the freezer should any unexpected or last minute guests arrive. Once made and ready to go, it is the perfect last-minute treat to toss in the oven, filling your home with an inviting fragrance. 

Press these generously onto your guests and they'll surely be back for yet another visit.

Kabocha, Sage and Buttermilk Scones

Makes 8.

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
6 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/2 cup kabocha squash puree (see below for how-to)
1/3 cup buttermilk, plus 2 T. for brushing on before baking
1 large egg

Eight small sage leaves
Turbinado or demarara sugar 

Instructions
For the kabocha puree:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Oil a large rimmed baking sheet. Cut one kabocha squash in half. Remove seeds with a spoon and discard seeds and pulp. Place on baking sheet and into oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes until squash is beginning to collapse and can be easily pierced with a knife. Remove from oven and allow to cool until it can be easily handled. 

When cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh and discard skin. Mash squash with a large fork, or a potato masher will also work nicely. Set aside 1/2 cup for this recipe. Use the remainder to make soup, or just make more scones by doubling this recipe. Depending on the size of your squash, you will have plenty. Squash can also be frozen for future use.

For the scones:
In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and sage. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, work butter into dry ingredients until butter is in small, flour-coated pieces pieces. Some pieces may be the size of petite peas, others will be smaller. 

In a separate bowl, combine squash puree, buttermilk and egg. 

Form a well in the flour/butter mixture and pour in the liquid mixture. Using a large fork fold the wet into the dry. Turn the bowl gradually as you go, continuing to fold rather than stir, until mixture comes together in a shaggy dough.

Transfer the mixture onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat together into a 6" circle. If it seems too shaggy still accomplish this, you may bring the dough together more by folding it over a couple of times with a pastry scraper and giving it a very gentle knead or two with your hands. 

Cut the circle into eighths with your pastry scraper then transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in freezer until triangles are frozen. (This is actually an optional step, but I think the scones bake up better this way, with less spreading. I usually leave them overnight and bake them first thing in the morning.) From here, scones may be baked or placed into freezer bags and stored in the freezer until needed.  

To bake scones:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place scones on baking sheet. Place one sage leaf on top of each scone. Brush tops of scones with buttermilk. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and edges are beginning to brown.

Lightly adapted from mrs.larkin.

Jennifer Lawrence's Banana Coconut Oat Chip Cookies

First things first.

Sorry, movie star-Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence. This cookie isn't named after you.

This cookie is for my dear friend and our son's godmother who just happens to have the same name.

The two Jennifers do have some things in common. Most obviously and superficially, they are both blonde, attractive and some might say, quirky.

Although I loved Actress-Jennifer as Roslyn in American Hustle last year, our Jennifer is special to us in a way that cannot be compared. If regular folks could win Oscars for being themselves, she'd have plenty of those golden statues.

I met Jennifer twelve years ago when I walked into the first class of our Master's-level clinical psychology program at Antioch University. I don't quite remember if I sat down next to her or if she sat next to me but we ended up alongside one another for the remainder of our program as our cohort moved through courses and out into the community toward clinical training, eventually completing our preparation to become therapists.

Training to be a clinician is, not to mince words, grueling. There are things you have to look at inside yourself that you might rather ignore. The coursework isn't always easy. The three-thousand hours of supervision by a licensed clinician before you can even sit for the first of the two exams you need to pass in order to become licensed can seem endless.

Most cases do not match up to those we might have read about in school. They seem more difficult, extreme or ungraspable. If you have someone you can lean on like I did with Jen, it's that much easier.

Both Jennifer and I have now been on the other side of all that for a while now. Though we've taken different paths, with her continuing on as an amazingly empathetic and attuned therapist, I've gone another route which allows me to sit here writing this now. 

Life sometimes serves up problems that can seem insurmountable, moments that taste so bitter or otherwise unpalatable that we try to spit them out as soon as we get a taste. 

If you cook, as I do, you know that it is all about balancing sweet and sour, salty and bitter (and yes, let's not forget umami), with it being not merely cooking or food, but life itself. 

Jennifer's been going through some big transitions and facing challenges that might seem more on the bitter and sour end of things. So, I wanted to make her these cookies to remind her that better, sweeter times lay just ahead. 

There is no wheat gluten in this cookie since Jennifer is gluten-sensitive. It is sweetened only by super-ripe bananas and the addition of chocolate chips. The cookie is free of eggs and is bound together by a bit of coconut flour. Oats and finely shredded, unsweetened coconut give the cookie texture, especially when the ragged edges turn golden. 

The chocolate here has a back story. Last year when my 23-year-old nephew, Matt, flew here for Thanksgiving from Antwerp, his hometown, his suitcase was empty except for chocolate. Which is to say, it was completely full, packed to bursting with chocolate of all sorts - dark and bittersweet, white and milk, milk chocolate with hazelnuts.

Then there was the bag of Callebaut dark chocolate chips in that suitcase. Forget how much it weighed. Let me just say, no wonder there was no room for any clothes. Yes, someone hauling that much chocolate to you from an ocean and continent away is what you call love.

Well, I used some of that Callebaut here. It makes this cookie extra-special, I think. Delicious, just sweet enough, and rich with the little nibbles of chocolate goodness.

Jen, I hope you like these.

Here's to sweeter times ahead. xxoo

Jennifer Lawrence's Banana Oat Chip Cookies

3 large, very ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 Tablespoons coconut oil, just warmed so it’s not solid
2 cups rolled oats*
¼ cup coconut flour
1/3 cup coconut, shredded & unsweetened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, placing racks in the top third of oven. Place parchment paper or Silpat liners on cookie sheets.

In a large bowl, mix together the bananas, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Set aside. In a separate bowl whisk together the oats, coconut flour, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

You will notice that this dough is a bit looser than most cookie doughs. Squeeze 1-2 teaspoons of dough at a time between your hands and place on a cookie sheet an inch apart. These cookies are best on the smaller side. Alternatively, drop dollops (1-2 teaspoons) of the doughan inch apart, onto your cookie sheets. Bake for about 14 - 18 minutes. I bake these as long as possible to have golden-brown bottoms and tops. In my oven that is about 18 minutes.

Makes about 3 dozen bite-sized cookies.

*Note: Use rolled oats labeled 'gluten-free' to ensure that they have not been processed in a plant that also processes gluten-containing products.

Recipe adapted from 101cookbooks.com.

Pineapple Upside-Down Muffins (Bolo de Ananas)

Pineapple? Definitely not local.

But neither is the World Cup, which just started today in Brazil.

Here’s why I am talking about soccer at the moment: My husband, Marc, who played it as a tiny human all the way into his adulthood thought I should dedicate a post to the World Cup.

So obvious. You know, after all, this is a food blog. I write about things like rhubarb tarts...pot stickers...soccer.

You can write about what the players eat!  Marc said. They probably have team chefs. They probably eat well. No, wait. Each player is probably bringing his own personal chef. Write about that!

I have to admit, I rolled my eyes. And, semi-banished all of that from my thoughts.

Then, while driving to pick up my son from Toddler Camp, I heard a story about Team USA’s relatively new head coach, Jurgen Klinsmann. It was actually pretty interesting.

The reporter spoke about the changes Klinsmann has made including ordering blood analysis for the players and bringing in a neuroscientist to emphasize the need for players to engage in purposeful and deep practice.

The reporter then began discussing how the players treat their bodies “like a temple.”

Well. If that's the case, I don’t believe any of Team USA's players will be eating these delicious muffins. Which means more for us regular, non-elite-athlete folk. Perhaps we can make up for not treating our bodies as temples by eating these cakes with deep and purposeful concentration.

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World Cup...Muffin In A Cup? It is worth debating the merits of both.

There is no doubt in my mind that this will certainly strengthen our ability to enjoy every morsel.

Which is totally okay with me.

The Bolo de Banana is a typical Brazilian cake made with ripe bananas and dark brown sugar. Here, I’ve used pineapple instead and a touch of rum. I've also added a generous amount of allspice. Peppery yet fruity and highly aromatic, allspice is one of my favorite flavors to pair with the brightness of pineapple.

May whatever team you are rooting for play with deep concentration and meaning.

You, on the other hand, should go and make these tender little cakes…right now.

Bolo!

Pineapple Upside-Down Muffins (Bolo de Ananas)

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray, for your muffin tin
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
Half a fresh pineapple, peeled, cut into thin slices

Muffins
½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup spelt flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon allspice, ground
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
2 large eggs at room temperature
3 Tablespoons whole milk
3 Tablespoons light or dark rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
Position a rack at the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.  Lightly spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

Place 1 teaspoon butter and 1 teaspoon brown sugar into each muffin cup. Bake until mixture is melted, about 5 minutes.  Remove pan from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Place two pieces of pineapple in bottom of muffin tin and two slices along the sides.

Make the muffins: Sift together dry ingredients. Whisk together the brown sugar, oil, eggs, milk, rum and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and then add the egg mixture. Stir until just blended. Take care not to over mix, as this may result in toughness (very sad). Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Fill them as full as possible. Tap the muffin tin a few times on your counter to help the batter reach into all the nooks and crannies between your pineapple.

Bake until the center of a muffin springs back when you press gently. This will take about 18 minutes. Loosen the muffins with a knife and immediately invert the tin, unmolding the muffins onto a wire rack. Cool briefly, then of course, devour…with purposefulness, of course.

Best eaten the day they are made. This shouldn’t pose a problem if there is anyone who has been hovering around (like a husband with a sweet tooth or a toddler) due to the delicious smells emanating from your oven. 

Adapted from Mani Niall's wonderful, Sweet!

Rhubarb Tart with Bay Leaf-Infused Cookie Crust

Yes, it may seem a little late in the year now to talk about rhubarb, but my neighbor’s mom recently gave me some after telling me she hated it and didn't know what to do with it. For a moment, as she handed me the hated stalks, I felt offended for all rhubarb-kind as I am actually a fan. But then I got over it, walked into the house and promptly stuffed all of it into our fridge’s veggie bin.

I almost forgot about it.

Then, during one of those rare moments when I do actually sit down in front of the TV, I happened to see the first episode of Derek on Netflix and realized I had to do something with that rhubarb.

Did you see that episode?

Derek is a sweet, developmentally delayed fellow who works as an aide in a small retirement home called Broad Hill. He’s played by the British comedian, Ricky Gervais. You’d think that this might be a recipe for a TV show of bad taste or ill-humor or both, but it actually has a lot of heart, starting with the character Derek himself.

That surprised me.

Anyway, back to the bit about rhubarb. During episode one, Derek gets very excited about the dessert being served at the home that day. He recalls that it’s Monday, his "absolute favorite day" because Monday means rhubarb crumble and pudding! He goes to fetch his dessert, puts it down for a moment and then promptly sits on it. (Oh no!)

It is all over his pants. And while everyone is laughing, poor Derek has lost his serving of rhubarb crumble and pudding.

Well, I think he might enjoy this dessert. The filling is custardy and tart with rhubarb and the addition of lemon juice. Lemon zest adds a floral note.

The crust is actually a coconut and oat cookie dough sweetened with Lyle’s Golden syrup and pressed into a tart tin. Bay leaves have been infused in the butter for the dough, leaving a nice bit of the herbal.

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One large tart is grand but individual tarts are cozy.

It’s a simple-to-make dessert that’s full of heart. Like Derek.

Hope you enjoy it!

Rhubarb-Lemon Tart with Bay Leaf-Infused Cookie Crust

Makes six individual tarts or one large tart.

Crust

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup (3 3/4 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 ounces (8 tablespoons/1 stick) unsalted butter, in 6 pieces

5 dried bay leaves
2 tablespoons Lyle's golden syrup
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons boiling water

Filling

8 ounces rhubarb, cut into ½-inch pieces
¾ cup water
6 large eggs
¼ cup plus 2 Tablespoons superfine (baker’s) sugar
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup lemon juice (approximately what you’ll get from one large lemon)
Zest from one lemon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust:

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, oats, coconut, sugar and salt.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Place bay leaves in the butter and cover for at least 15 minutes or longer , depending on how prominent you want the bay leaf scent and flavor to be. Reheat gently and add golden syrup stirring together.

Place the baking soda in a small bowl and stir in the boiling water. Stir the baking soda mixture into the butter mixture. Then, stir the butter mixture into the flour mixture to combine. Press dough into your tart tin(s). Make sure there are no cracks or holes or else your filling will leak later on and that's a sad thing.

Place parchment on top of the crust and add weights (dried beans are nice). Bake for 5 minutes. Set aside while you work on your filling.

For the Filling:

Place rhubarb in a small saucepan and add the water. Cover and cook on low for approximately 20 minutes, until rhubarb is very soft. Puree and press through a strainer. Set aside ½ cup of the strained puree.

Mix eggs and sugar together, beating lightly for a few seconds. No need to be overly enthusiastic, as you don’t want the mixture to become frothy. Stir in rhubarb puree, lemon juice and cream. Pour the mixture through a sieve. Stir in lemon zest. Pour filling into tart shell. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. The filling will still be a bit wobbly. Remove and allow to cool.

This tart enjoys playing dress up with a dollop or two of barely-sweetened whipped cream.

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All tarted up...

Crust lightly adapted from Bojon Gourmet, filling inspired by Nigel Slater.