SPRING BRUNCH ~ MOREL QUICHE & RHUBARB BREAD

~ Wildflower garden

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MOREL QUICHE

~ A spring brunch recipe from Between the Lakes (A Collection of Michigan Recipes)

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4 oz. diced lean bacon

1 Tbsp. butter

1/4 cup sliced wild onions or scallions

1 Tbsp. butter

4 cups cleaned & dried morel mushrooms

1 egg white

1/2 cup diced Gruyere cheese

2 cups scalded and cooled half & half

3 eggs

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp. white pepper

freshly grated nutmeg

butter for sauteing

Pate Brisee

• Cook bacon in saute pan until almost crisp. Drain and set aside.
• Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in pan and add wild onions. Saute until translucent and set aside.
• Melt 1 Tbsp. butter. Add a batch of mushrooms and saute just until tender. Set aside.
• Repeat with remaining mushrooms, adding 1 Tbsp. butter for each batch.
• Roll Pate Brisee into a circle. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate, trimming and fluting the edge. Pierce with fork tines and brush with egg white.
• Layer bacon, onions & mushrooms in pastry. Sprinkle with cheese. Whisk half & half into eggs in a mixing bowl. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Pour over the cheese. Bake at 375-degrees for 35 minutes or until top is golden brown. Serve warm. (6-8 servings)

Pate Brisee

1/2 cup softened butter

2 cups sifted flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 - 3/4 cups water

Lightly rub butter into flour & salt in a bowl with fingers, then by hand. Make a well and add gradually add water, stirring with index finger moving to outer edge to incorporate flour. Form into ball and let rest for up to 2 hours.

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RHUBARB BREAD

~ Favorite old 1984 R.S.V.P. Bon Appetit adapted recipe from The Catnip Mouse, a tearoom in Riverton, Connecticut.

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1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

2/3 cup oil

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups diced uncooked fresh rhubarb

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp. grated orange peel

1 Tbsp. room temperature butter

• Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. Line bottom and sides with waxed paper.
• Combine brown sugar and oil in large bowl and beat well. Mix butter, milk, egg, vanilla, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Add to brown sugar mixture and blend thoroughly. Gently fold in flour, rhubarb and nuts. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.
• Combine sugar, orange peel and butter in small bowl and blend well with fork. Sprinkle over batter.
• Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in pans, then turn onto racks. Remove waxed paper before serving.

SOUP of the WEEK ~ CIVIL WAR ( MICHIGAN NAVY BEAN vs. VIDALIA ONION )

STATE OF MICHIGAN WILDLOWER ~ Dwarf Lake Iris

(Iris lacustris)

~ Magnolia blossom

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CIVIL WAR SOUP

~ two delicious flavors meet for a winning combination

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1 lb. washed and sorted Michigan navy beans

1/2 lb. chopped thick bacon (or juicy ham bone)

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

4 chopped plump Vidalia onions

1 Tbsp. crushed garlic

2 ribs chopped celery with leaves

4 quarts organic chicken stock

(or part water if using ham bone)

1 cup Michigan white wine

2 sliced carrots

2 Tbsp. parsley

1 tsp. marjoram

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. sage

1 tsp. herbs of Provence

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. Lawry's seasoned pepper

coarse salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

• Either soak navy beans overnight or bring to boil for 2 minutes and let rest for 2 hours.

• Cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 1 Tbsp. Add butter, onions, garlic, and celery, and saute until vegetables are limp, scraping bottom of pot for flavor. Add chicken broth (and ham bone, if using); bring to boil.

• Drain beans; add to stockpot with carrots. Add herb seasonings, wine, salt & pepper. Reduce heat and simmer 1 hour or until beans are tender. Taste and correct seasonings.
  

Note: Also delicious made with only vegetables (no meat)