What's cooking (for next year)

Since I will not want to lug the cookbooks over to Europe for next year, I better start making copies of recipes that I use.

The following two recipes I made today, both for the first time, but since rhubarb is one of the things that grows well here, I might as well copy it down so that I don't have to look around next time I will have rhubarb on hand. This rhubarb was given to me by a garden-neighbor, MK, who is heading out to Nome for the next eight weeks, yet planted a garden nevertheless.

Amish Rhubarb Pie

http://www.recipezaar.com/40865
Recipe #40865

This rhubarb pie is simple, but good. I love the crumb topping on it. For a slight change, try Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie. The crumb topping may be replaced with a full or lattice crust.

Change to: 9inch pie US Metric

PIE
1	9 inch pie shell (see Favorite Pie Crust recipe.)
4	cups rhubarb, sliced 1 inch thick
1	cup sugar
4	tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2	teaspoon lemon juice
1	teaspoon salt
CRUMB TOPPING
1	cup all-purpose flour
1	dash salt
1/2	cup sugar
1/4	cup butter, softened

1. Preheat oven to 425º F.
2. Combine the rhubarb, sugar, flour, lemon and salt.
3. Turn into unbaked pie shell.
4. Bake for 30 minutes.
5. Combine topping ingredients; mix with hands until large crumbs form sprinkle crumbs on top.
6. Bake for 15 minutes more or until crumbs are brown and pie is bubbly.
7. Cool on rack.
8. NOTE: Rhubarb is tart.
9. Depending on your taste, you might want to add more sugar.

(My comments: that's a lot of crumb topping, could even go with half that amount.)
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http://205.212.176.117/reviews/provbkreviews/npr-review.htm

Fricassee of Chicken with White Wine, Capers, and Olives
(Adapted from Patricia Wells' The Provence Cookbook)

Equipment:
A deep 12-inch skillet with a lid.
1 fresh farm chicken (4 pounds), cut into 8 serving pieces, at room temperature.
Sea salt.
Freshly ground white pepper to taste
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 onions, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
2 cups white wine
2 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 cup Picholine green olives, pitted (you can substitute pimiento-stuffed olives)
¼ cup capers in vinegar, drained

1. Season the chicken pieces on all sides with salt and pepper.
2. In the skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Add the chicken pieces and brown about five minutes. Turn the pieces and brown them on the other side, 5 minutes more. When the chicken pieces have all been browned, transfer them to a platter.
3. Reduce the heat to low and add the onions. Cook, covered over low heat until soft for 3 minutes. Add the wine, tomatoes, olives and capers. Cover and simmer over low heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 hour. Season to taste.
4. Serve with rice or pasta.

(My comments: They forgot to say to add the chicken back into the skillet in step 3.)

Sonja must have just rolled off the futon as I cut into the pie, because she came out of the room crying. Put her back in bed, within ten seconds she was asleep again. Yay! Pie ala mode, here I come.