Summer

In a food processor, blend dry ingredients. Then add butter and shortening and process until the mixture looks like course meal. Mix sour cream and water together and add to the bowl and blend together until pastry starts to come together in a ball. Bring together into a ball, divide in two, flatten and wrap in plastic wrap to cool in the fridge or to freeze.

For the galette, use one half of the pastry. Roll out in a circle at a thickness of ¼ inch. Remember to leave 2 ½ inches that will fold over the strawberry-rhubarb mixture. Place the pastry on a parchment line rimless baking pan.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Galette Filling

5 cups rhubarb chopped, 2 cups strawberries quartered

¾ cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup store-bought or home-made amaretti crumbled

Sprinkle the amaretti on top of the rolled-out pastry. Mix remaining ingredients and pile in the middle of the pastry. Spread around leaving 2 ½ inch edge. Fold the pastry over the filling, pleating it to create the edge. Bruch the pastry with an egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.

The filling will look nicer if you brush the fruit with a glaze such as melted apple or rhubarb jelly.

Bake in the lower rack of a 425-degree oven for 10 minutes. Then reduce heat to 375 and bake for another 50 – 55 minutes.

Prepare ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Step 1:

4 cups chopped rhubarb

¼ cup sugar

1 TBSP lemon juice

Mix in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, for 12-15 minutes until the fruit is soft and liquid is absorbed. Cool. Puree the mixture in a food processor or blender.

Step 2:

2 lg egg yolks and 1 large egg

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla (instead of vanilla, 1 tsp grated orange rind

Whisk together eggs, sugar and milk. In a saucepan, heat the cream until it starts to bubble at the edges. Don’t boil. Temper the egg mixture by gradually adding drizzling the hot cream into the egg mixture. Blend and return to the saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until the mixture coats a spoon and appears to be custard-like. Make sure it doesn’t boil. Pour the custard through a sieve to remove any bits. Allow it to cool in a bowl covered with plastic wrap and then refrigerate until very cold. I let the custard chill for 24 hrs.

Step 3:

Mix the rhubarb puree into the custard. Pour into the frozen bowl of the ice cream maker and churn using manufacturer’s instructions. Put into freezer containers leaving at least a 1.5 inch headspace. To prevent crystallization, put a piece of parchment paper on top of the ice cream and then add the lid.

To serve, bring the ice cream out of the freezer for at least 10 minutes to soften and make it scoopable.

Set oven at 400. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

Wash zucchini. Remove seeds. Grate zucchini on a box grater.

Salt the zucchini and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then squeeze it firmly until all liquid is removed. Roll it in a paper towel to remove final liquid residue.

In a medium bowl, stir eggs, herbs and cheese. Add zucchini and breadcrumbs. Mix.

Roll into 1.5-inch balls and bake for 20 minutes until brown. Serve hot or at room temperature. Freeze leftovers once cool.

Customize the recipe: Go Greek and use feta cheese and oregano and serve with tzatziki; go French and use Gruyere cheese and serve with a tarragon-Dijon mayo; go Italian and use mozzarella and basil and serve with roasted tomato sauce; or go vegan and remove cheese all together.

Because of high moisture content zucchini and cousins summer squash don’t freeze or pressure can very well. Think mush! But they are wonderful pickled, barbecued, or used fresh in baked goods, soup or appetizers.

Choose Your Combo

Select the type of vinegar you want to work with and the herbs, spice, and fruit. Milder vinegars such as wine or champagne are best suited for tender herbs. Cider vinegar goes well with fruit. White vinegar is sharp but is suitable for stronger herbs and spices.

Sterilize & Sanitize

Sterilize canning jars by boiling them for 10 minutes. Keep them warm until you are ready to pour in vinegar that has been heated to just below boiling point. For fresh herbs, wash carefully. Then sanitize the sprigs in a solution of 1 tsp bleach and 6 cups water. Rinse thoroughly and dry. This step is important to prevent bacteria & yeast formation. Pour vinegar over herbs, spice, or fruit. Put sterilized lids on and move the jars to a cool, dark location.

Percolate & Decant

Let the infusion rest a minimum of 10 days but full flavourings will happen in about 3 weeks.  After this resting period, strain the vinegar through cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Sterilize jars for final bottling. Pour heated vinegar into jars. If desired, add a sprig of clean, sanitized herbs, fruit, or spices. Apply a tightly fitting lid. Date and label the jars.

Flavoured vinegars are best used within 3 months. Fruit vinegars can discolour after that time. Refrigeration will extend the quality to up to 8 months according to the University of Georgia.

A couple of caveats: Use only commercial vinegars for this purpose. Also note that flavoured vinegars can be safely made at home, but flavoured oils cannot. Flavoured oils pose a botulism risk so stick with flavouring vinegars for home use and for gifts.

Put cleaned mulberries in a large pan, crush them until juices are released. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Put into a dampened  jelly bag or cheesecloth lined sieve and drain off the juices. Measure 3 cups.

Add juice, sugar and lemon juice to the pot and bring to a full rolling boil (the boil cannot be beaten down). Add the full packets of liquid pectin. Bring back to a boil and boil hard for 1 minute. Pour into clean, hot jars. Clean rims of jars. Affix lids and rings to ‘finger-tip tight’.

Place jars in a boiling water bath canner or steam canner and process for 10 minutes adjusting for altitude. Let rest 5 minutes. Remove to a heat-proof surface and let stand for 24 hours. Check seals, label, and store for up to 2 years.