Blintzes for Shavuot, or Anytime! + Strawberry Rhubarb Compote

We had a pre-Erev Shavuot dinner together at 412, and Nomi even dropped a blintz by for Rilka who was just out of surgery. (During COVID.)

I hadn't made these since I made them with my mom when I was about 17 - so, fifty years ago. They aren't hard but a lot of it is defined by the size pan. Go with an 8" non-stick.

Best is a lb of farmer cheese, if you can source it. It is much drier than ricotta.

If not, you can use ricotta. Measure out the ricotta the night before and put it in a coffee filter to strain out the liquid. This method worked perfectly - a good 2 T. of liquid was there in the AM. No need to use cheesecloth.

The technique is easy to follow on this video, but I modified his recipe. Mine is below.

Makes about a dozen+ blintzes. 

For the batter:
4 large eggs
1 ⅓ c milk

⅓ c cold water (if you're short of milk, you can add more water to make up the difference)
1 ⅓ c all-purpose flour
4 t white sugar
½ tsp salt
2 T + 2 t vegetable oil
⅓ t vanilla

cinammon to taste

Mix all the  ingredients in a blender or with a hand mixer until flour is well-integrated. Scrape sides as needed. Let batter sit at room temperature about a half hour. Meanwhile, make the filling. (The advantage of a blender is you can pour batter into the skillet.)

For the filling:
1½ c ricotta cheese (drained) +
½ cup marscapone (or cream cheese) 

    or,

1 lb. farmer cheese in place of ricotta/marscapone. 
zest from one lemon
pinch salt
2 T  sugar, or more to taste
1 large egg

Heat an 8" frying pan to medium, melting some butter in it. Pour 1/4 c batter, just enough to cover the bottom. Swirl as needed. When the top dries, flip onto a clean dish towel and repeat, adding butter as needed. The crepes should not brown. That comes from frying them when they're rolled up. 

Check the first one or two to make sure they're pliable for folding. If they're not very flexible, add water to the batter, or just put less on the pan and spread thinner. Nomi had a job making crepes when she was a teen, so channel her. 

This makes about 12-14. 

Our Zwilling ceramic pan, purchased in Chestertown, is perfect and really doesn't need added butter.

You can start on the filling while you're frying the blintz discs. 

If your blintzes are browning on the bottom (which is the case with the induction at 3 or 4), fold the blintz with the browned side up.

Eventually you can choreograph it so you can fill and roll a blintz while cooking one.

Put about 2 T of filling toward the bottom of the disc and flatten a little. Fold the sides in and roll up. (If they come out as trapezoids, the batter is too thick.)

Repeat.

Fry in butter until beautifully browned. 

Shavuot is rhubarb season - I made a rhubarb/strawberry compote, Yum!!

Water - not too much, as the fruits shed water when cooked. But put the water in first or the pan burns.

Equal amounts hulled strawberries and chopped rhubarb (they are local at the same time.)

Sugar to taste

A squeeze of lemon, a little vanilla

Mint - for garnish

Bring to a boil and cook for about 25 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

If you want it thicker, add a tablespoon of cornstarch to enough water to dissolve. Add it to the boiling mixture and cook for a minute, until is thickens. Same technique as Blueberry/Peach soup.

Oh She Glows Red Lentil Kale Tomato Soup

This is lighter than most of the lentil soups I make. It comes together fast.

Spiced Red Lentil, Tomato, and Kale Soup

1 T extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 sweet onion, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 t ground cumin
2 t chili powder
1/2 t ground coriander
1/2 t smoked sweet paprika, to taste
1/8 t cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can diced tomatoes, with juices
5 to 6 c (1.25 to 1.5L) low-sodium vegetable broth, as needed
1 c uncooked red lentils, rinsed and drained
Fine grain sea salt and pepper, to taste
3 handfuls destemmed and chopped kale leaves or baby spinach (in small bunch lacinato)

In a large pot, sauté the onion and garlic in the oil for about 4 to 5 minutes over medium heat. 

Add in the celery and sauté for a few minutes more.
Stir in the bay leaf and the spices (cumin, chili powder, coriander, paprika, cayenne).
Stir in the can of tomatoes (including the juice), broth, and lentils. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and then simmer, uncovered, for about 20 to 25 minutes, until lentils are tender and fluffy.
Stir in kale or spinach and cook until just wilted. [Run the immersion blender til desired consistency]