Mignonette Sauce

So, the Fourth of July came around and Mrs. St.P decided to throw the bash. As you already may have already figured out, we are absolutely debaucherous when it comes to these things and had to order up a few dozen oysters to go with the lobsters. Thing is, it looks like I might have been the only one who knew how to wield a shucking knife.... Luckily, I managed to keep myself out of the ER and did my share of slurping down these lovelies with the mignonette I put together care of the Contessa.

Mignonette Sauce

From: Barefoot in Paris

2 shallots, minced

3/4 cup white wine vinegar (or champagne vinegar)

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon fresh green herbs such as dill, parsley, and/ or chives

Place the shallots, vinegar, and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

Cook uncovered for 1 minute.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Add the pepper and herbs and serve with raw oysters.

Rhubarb Crumb Bars

Hey All! Mr. Smith and I have been having some serious technical difficulty with our computer so I haven't been here in a bit. That mixed with some VERY bad recipes have not made for good postings. But never fear, baby sis and her trusty laptop have me back up and running with recipes that actually did work out. So without further delay, I present you with rhubarb crumb bars. I never quite knew what to do with these unappealing stalks at the farmers market, but I came across this recipe and figured I would give it a try. I now realize that the trick to making them pink, beautiful, and tasty is sugar, lots of it, which take the stalks from hard, green, couldn't possibly be good... to me eating a whole batch.

Rhubarb Crumb Bars
From: Everyday Food, May 2009

For the streusel:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus room temperature butter for pan

1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan

1/2 cup packed light- brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

For the cake:

1/2 pound rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 tablespoon light- brown sugar

1 cup all- purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Butter an 8" square baking pan. Line with parchment paper, leaving a 2" overhang on two sides. Butter and flour parchment and pan, tapping out excess flour.

Make streusel: whisk together butter, brown sugar, and salt. Add flour and mix with a fork until large crumbs form. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Make cake: in a medium bowl, combine rhubarb, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup flour. In another medium bowl, whisk 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy: beat in eggs, one at a time. With mixer on low, beat in vanilla, then flour mixture. Spread batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle with rhubarb and top with streusel.

Bake cake until golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 45- 50 minutes. Let cool completely in pan. Using paper overhang, lift cake from pan and cut into bars.