strawberry pickin

So, as I mentioned in my last post, I found some rhubarb at the farmer's market.  The second I saw it, I knew that I had to make strawberry rhubarb pie.  Which means....  that's right.... strawberry picking!  I called my friend with two little girls, and we all went out into the fields.....

They ate, and chased, and ate some more, and otherwise had a ball.  I really can't believe I was able to pick as many as I did.....

So I knew that I would be making the aforementioned pie, but I also had some strawberry basil jam in mind.  I stumbled across the recipe, and since we have an abundance of basil in the garden, it really struck a cord. 

Not to mention that both of my kids eat basil off of the plants as if it was candy.  Basil, spinach, thyme, even rosemary!  The other ones I get, but the rosemary baffles me...  Raw rosemary just reminds me of floor cleaner.... 

I really love making jam.  It is so easy and so satisfying.  I don't know much about canning, or sterilizing, or jarring, so I like to make just enough.  This recipe gave me two jars.  I had fully planned on giving the other jar to my mother in law, but... well....  as you can see, our jar is quickly disappearing.  

This lemon was my jam enemy.  

My jamenemy.  

My jameny.  

I like to condense words.  It saves time.

strawberry basil jam

Adapted from Alaska from Scratch

4 c strawberries

1 1/4 c sugar

zest and juice of one lemon, and if you're like me, the top skin of your knuckle as well

1/2 tsp vanilla

handful of basil leaves

Wash, hull, and chop strawberries.  Place them in a Dutch oven, followed by the sugar, zest, juice, knuckle, vanilla, and basil.  Over medium heat, stir the fruit until the sugar dissolves.  With an immersion blender or a potato masher, blend/mash strawberries to desired consistency.  Raise the heat to high, and stirring often, let the mixture come to a rolling boil.  Keep stirring and cooking until a candy thermometer reaches 220ºF.  I kept the boil going for several minutes after it came to temp, stirring constantly, until the spoon was coated.  Pour into jars, put the lids on, and put them in the fridge to cool.

strawberry rhubarb pie

A few weeks ago, I found some rhubarb at the farmer's market.  I don't often eat rhubarb, actually I haven't eaten it since I was a kid.  It used to grow kind of wild in the rather unkempt play area/courtyard.  Or maybe it didn't actually grow wild, maybe the garden just looked wild.  My memory isn't that specific..  

In my state of farmer's market euphoria, I saw the rhubarb and instantly thought: 

Strawberry rhubarb pie.

I have never made strawberry rhubarb pie before.  I used to make a pretty mean strawberry lemon curd tart, but the pie?  Nope.  And aside from eating strawberry rhubarb pie as a kid (and when I say kid, I mean 6), I really haven't had rhubarb as an older kid, teenager, or adult.  

But for some reason, I simply had to have it.

And I am so glad I did!

It was a little bit oozy, but no one seemed to mind.....

strawberry rhubarb pie

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1 double crust pie dough (recipe to follow)

3 1/2 c. rhubarb, cut into 1/2" thick slices

3 1/2 c. strawberries, hulled and cut into quarters

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1/4 c. light brown sugar

1 tbs lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 c. quick-cooking tapioca

2 tbs Earth Balance dairy free butter, cut into small pieces

1 large egg yolk and 1 tsp water beaten together for glaze

Preheat oven to 400˚F.  

On a floured work surface, roll out half of the pie dough into a 12" circle, and carefully transfer to a pie dish, keeping the crust hanging over the dish.

Combine rhubarb, strawberries, sugars, lemon juice, salt, and tapioca in a large bowl.  Dump the whole thing onto the pie dough and smooth into the dish.  Dot with bits of butter.  Roll out the other dough patty into a circle and carefully lay it on top of the pie filling.  Trim off the excess and tuck neatly around the filling.  Fold the hanging crust over onto itself and pinch however you like to make the crust.  I like to keep mine a bit more rustic...  Cut slits into the top of the pie.  Place the pie onto a baking sheet and brush egg mixture on top of dough.  You will want to put the pie on a baking sheet, as the juices WILL bubble over.  Cleaning that off of the bottom of the oven is no fun at all.  Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350, and bake for another 25-30 minutes or until the pie is golden and bubbly.  

Transfer pie to a wire rack to cool completely.

pie crust for double crust pie

2 1/2 c. flour

1 tbs sugar

1 tsp salt

2 sticks Earth Balance butter, cubed and very cold (I will cube my butter first and put it in a bowl and into the freezer while I get my other ingredients together)

6-8 tbs ice cold water

I like to use a food processor for my dough because it really is so easy and fast.

Put flour, sugar, and salt into a food processor.  Pulse a couple of times to blend dry ingredients together.  Add butter all at once and give it about 5 pulses.  I don't like to pulse it for too long here, because there is more pulsing to come and at the end, I want my butter in bigger chunks.  Add the water, a couple of tablespoons at a time.  Pulse 2 or 3 times after each addition, just to mix it in.  The pulses should be very quick.  The butter chunks should be the size of large breadcrumbs or small peas.  Whatever the size, you want to be able to see it in the dough.  That is what makes it light and flaky.

Once the dough has come together, turn it out and gather it into a flat ball.  Cut it into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other.  Wrap each patty in plastic wrap and put them in the fridge for at least an hour to let the dough rest.