Schenectady Synecdoche

Rhubarb pie
Pastry for double crust pie
1-1/2 c sugar
1/3 c flour
dash salt
1/2 t vanilla
3-5 c rhubarb, cut up
2 T butter

Prepare rhubarb and cut into 1" pieces. Stir together sugar, flour, salt, vanilla. Add sugar to rhubarb pieces and toss to coat. Let mixture stand 15 min.
Fit pastry into 9" pie plate & fill w rhubarb mixture. Dot w butter. Cover w top crust or lattice top, seal and flute edges, cover edges of crust w foil.
Bake in 375° oven 25 min. Remove foil. Bake 25 min more, or till golden brown. Serve warm.

Rhubarb bread
1/2 c butter
1 c sugar
1 T grated orange peel
1 t vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 c buttermilk
2-1/2 c flour
1/4 t salt
1 t baking soda
3/4 c chopped nuts
1-1/2 c coarsely chopped rhubarb

350°. Butter bottom only of 9x5" loaf pan. Beat butter, sugar, orange peel, and vanilla till light & fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine 2-1/4 c flour, baking soda, and salt; add to cream miture alternately with buttermilk, beating at low speed till belnded. Toss rhubarb with remaining 1/4 c flour; fold into batter w/ nuts. Turn into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake till wooden pick comes out clean, about 80 min. Cool in pan 10 min. Remove from pan & cool completely on wire rack.

Poached Rhubarb and Asparagus Salad

Adapted from Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocantico Hills, N.Y.

Time: 25 minutes

Salt
 3/8 cup sugar
3 cups Moscato or other sweet white dessert wine
 1/4 cup juiced rhubarb or grenadine (for color)
2 1/2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns, lightly crushed
4 stalks rhubarb, washed, peeled (if stringy) and cut into 4-inch pieces
12 stalks asparagus, medium thickness
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
 1/2 pound mixed salad greens
 1/2 cup mixed fresh herbs (dill, parsley, chives, tarragon)
Freshly ground black pepper.

1. Place a large saucepan of heavily salted water over high heat. In another large saucepan, combine sugar with  3/8 cup water. Place over medium-low heat, and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add wine, rhubarb juice or grenadine, and peppercorns.

2. Bring to a simmer, and add rhubarb. Simmer until rhubarb is cooked through but not soft, about 5 minutes. Drain, rinse to remove peppercorns, and drain again.

3. Fill a bowl with ice water. Place asparagus in boiling salted water, and blanch until bright green and barely tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately transfer asparagus to ice water. When asparagus is chilled, drain well, and refrigerate.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice and mustard. Whisk in olive oil to make a smooth vinaigrette.

5. Place salad greens and herb mixture in a large serving bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Slice rhubarb vertically into long, thin strips, and set aside. Slice each asparagus stalk into 3-inch pieces, and set aside. To serve, arrange alternating pieces of asparagus and rhubarb to make a rectangle on each of four plates. Place mound of greens near rectangle, and drizzle a small amount of vinaigrette over asparagus and rhubarb.

Yield: 4 servings.