Cherry-Rhubarb Polenta Cake

Our spin on the cheery Italian-style torta di polenta cake featured in Edible Seattle magazine.

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb, chopped into ½-inch pieces
2 cups fresh or frozen cherries, pitted
1 cup turbinado sugar
1 cup baker’s or granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon flour, for coating the pan
2 cups almond flour
3 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Juice of ½ orange
Zest of 2 oranges
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon polenta
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 tablespoons almond slivers, for garnish

Method:
1. In a bowl, mix rhubarb and cherries with turbinado sugar. Set aside for about an hour at room temperature, or until all the sugar is dissolved.

2. Preheat oven to 325°. Using wrappers from the butter, grease then flour a 9-inch cake pan and cut a circular piece of parchment paper to cover the bottom. (A springform pan is ideal for this recipe, but if you don’t have one, slide two extra thin strips of parchment underneath lining, leaving excess on both sides. This will create ‘handles’ to help you pull out the cake once it is finished.)

3. Using a stand or hand-held mixer, beat the softened butter and baker’s/granulated sugar until light and fluffy (about 4 minutes at medium speed). Stir in the almond flour, then beat in the eggs one at a time, until batter is airy and soft. With a large spoon, fold in vanilla extract, orange juice and zest. Add polenta, baking powder and salt, folding in gently. Fold cardamom gently in as well.

4. Spoon the batter into prepared pan and smooth out evenly. Take one cup of the marinated rhubarb and cherries out of their syrup and drain on a paper towel. Press piece gently into the batter and scatter almonds over top. Set cake pan on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes, until the cake set in the middle and deep golden brown on top. Remove from oven and let sit 5-10 minutes. Gently remove from pan and leave on a wire rack to cool.

5. Cook the remaining rhubarb and cherries over medium-low heat until liquid has reduced and is thick and syrupy. Serve over finished cake with fresh cream, ice cream or crème fraîche.

Sun-Ripened Recipes

No matter how you pronounce it, the word ‘tomato’ practically sings of summer, as well it should as these vine-ripened beauties are now hitting their strides here as we reach late July. This week’s box pays homage to the ripe, juicy tomato with the first of the heirloom varieties and a bevy of complementary ingredients like fresh Pomodoro bread, imported macaroni pasta, chicken and quail eggs and summery basil, plus other seasonal produce like cucumbers, fennel and fava beans, plus ripe apricots. So, uncork a bottle of wine, peruse a few recipes and enjoy these bright and beautiful summer favorites to the fullest.

Here are a few recipes for the week:

How-To: Prep Fava Beans
Our quick guide to peeling and prepping fresh fava beans.

Fava Bean Dip
This simple, fresh dip enhances the inherent nutty flavor of fresh fava beans.

Deviled Quail Eggs
This wonderful picnic dish is sure to impress, made with petite, creamy quail eggs.

Grain Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes
Drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette, this crisp salad is accented by green olives and sweet onions.

Heirloom Tomato & Grilled Bread Panzanella
The beauty of this summery salad is in its simplicity: Be sure to use good-quality olive oil and season generously!

Shaved Fennel Salad with Beets, Raspberries & Grana Cheese
Tossed with a raspberry-honey vinaigrette, this showpiece salad boasts beautiful color.

Summering in France Recipes

Cool, crisp and colorful, Salade Niçoise is the hallmark of summer in France, layered with fresh produce like green beans, cherry tomatoes and fingerling potatoes, plus creamy hard-boiled eggs and accents like briny black olives and protein-rich tuna. Thus, your box this week includes both Northwest and Provençal provisions to create your own version of the famous salad, plus a Pain au Levain baguette, farm-fresh eggs, a stunning summer bouquet, and beautiful seasonal stone fruit like cherries and apricots. Cheers!

Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:

Salade Niçoise
A classic from the esteemed Julia Child, this colorful salad can be customized to your liking.

Niçoise Vinaigrette
Julia Child’s famous vinaigrette, crafted from lemon juice and Dijon mustard!

Charred Green Bean Salad
This simple, satisfying salad courtesy of chef Michael Symon always gets rave reviews!

Sautéed Broccolini
Tangy lemon zest, fresh garlic and creamy butter enhance the natural sweet flavor of broccolini in this recipe from Barefoot Contessa’s Ina Garten.

Zucchini Ribbons with Lemon & Basil
This incredibly fresh side from Alice Waters’ Art of Simple Food II is seasoned with just the right amount of fragrant basil and zesty lemon.

Cherry Clafoutis
This rustic French dessert combines fresh, juicy berries and creamy, custardy batter, all baked to golden-brown perfection.

Cherry Clafoutis

This rustic French dessert combines fresh, juicy cherries and creamy, custardy batter, all baked to golden-brown perfection.

Ingredients:
4 large eggs
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons melted butter
¾ cups all purpose flour
2 cups cherries, pitted and halved
Powdered sugar for dusting

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter and lightly flour a 9-inch round pie dish or cast iron pan. Reserve.

2. In a food processor, combine the eggs, sugar, salt, milk, lemon zest and vanilla extract. Blend just until combined. Add the flour and blend again, just until combined and smooth. Finally, add the melted butter and pulse a few times to incorporate into the batter. (You can also mix the ingredients by hand.)

3. Pour the batter into the prepared dish. Top with the cherry halves, placing them cut side up. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the custard is just set. A knife poked in the center should emerge relatively clean. Remove from the oven and let cool 20 minutes, then run a knife around pan sides to loosen clafoutis. Dust the top with powdered sugar; cut into wedges and serve.

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