Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler On The Grill

Are you a rhubarb lover? If you've never tried it with strawberries and sugar, do yourself a favor and get some before the short season is over. The stalks of this vegetable are delicious in pies, cakes and other desserts, including this cobbler. We have been going through a couple of really early hot spells here in New Jersey, where turning on the oven was as anathema as stepping in a patch of poison ivy. So here comes the grill to the rescue. I wasn't sure it would work, but I tried it twice in the last week and I do believe dessert on the grill will be a regular summer feature around here. You can bake this in the oven if you prefer, so keep this recipe handy for cooler days too.

It starts with slicing some strawberries and rhubarb and mixing with sugar, lemon, cornstarch and a touch of cinnamon.

The cobbler topping is pretty easy too. It's traditional to use cream in the biscuit-like topping, but I opted for regular milk, and it was perfect. Don't be concerned about a few lumps. If you overmix it, it will be tough.

If you have a temperature gauge on your grill, try to get it to between 300 and 400 degrees before placing the pan on the grill. I know it's difficult to control so don't worry if it's not exact. However, if it stays too low, the cobbler part won't brown, and if it gets too hot, it might quickly dry out the liquid and burn the cobbler. Check it every 10 minutes to make sure things are going according to plan, and lower or raise the heat appropriately.

After you've placed the fruit in a cast iron skillet, and placed dollops of the biscuit dough on top, set the pan on the grill and close the lid.

I checked the pan after 15 minutes and it was cooking well, but not yet browned. After another 10 minutes, I opened the lid and it was beautifully browned and ready to remove. I also noted that the temperature had climbed to nearly 500 degrees -- any longer and it might have burned.

Remove it from the grill and let it cool for at least 20 minutes or so. Serve as is, or for a special treat, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

If you're looking for more rhubarb recipes, I've got a bunch on the blog, so just type the word "rhubarb" in the search box at top right. You'll find everything from strawberry rhubarb crisp to rhubarb relish.

Click here to connect with me on Instagram and find out what’s cooking in Ciao Chow Linda’s kitchen each day (and more)

Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler on the grill

Serves 4 people

Fruit portion

2 cups strawberries, cut in half

2 cups rhubarb, sliced about 1/4" thick

1/2 cup white sugar

juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Cobbler Topping

1/2 cup flour

2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

dash of salt

3 tablespoons cold butter

1/2 cup milk (or cream if you want to be decadent but it's not necessary)

Butter a small cast iron skillet (mine measures 7 1/2 inches across the top). Cut the fruit and mix with the sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch and cinnamon. Place into the cast iron skillet.

For the cobbler topping, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter with two forks or a pastry blender until it's a "sandy" mixture. Add the milk (or cream), stirring just enough to blend. Don't worry if it looks lumpy. It's fine. Place dollops of the topping over the fruit and place on a grill that's been heated to 400 degrees. Mine has a temperature gauge, but if yours doesn't, then just heat half the grill and place the pan on the section where you haven't lit the grill. Close the lid. Every grill is different, so check in on it after 15 minutes. Mine was started on the direct heat portion and I checked it after 15 minutes. I closed the lid and let it cook for another 10 minutes, and it was just right - browned on top and bubbling within. If yours isn't browned enough to your liking, crank up the heat and let it cook a few more minutes, checking on it every five minutes. Let it cool for 1/2 hour before cutting into it. Optional, serve with vanilla ice cream.

If you want to bake it in the oven, bake it at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

Clams On The Grill

It's summertime and that means no-fuss, no-muss cooking. These clams, cooked in a disposable pan on the grill, fit the bill perfectly. We ate them as our main course, sharing a little more than forty clams, but enough to serve as an appetizer for a larger group. I was inspired to make these after reading about how much protein we "seniors" should be eating each day. A 70-year-old woman generally needs between 1.0 and 1.2 grams of protein per day for each kilogram of body weight. That's higher than the recommended intake for younger adults and is crucial for maintaining muscle mass, bone strength, and overall health. For example, a 150-pound (68 kg) woman would need approximately 68-82 grams of protein daily. When I checked how much food I needed to eat to consume that amount of protein, I realized I needed to 

up my game. We eat mostly fish, chicken or a grain main course, like pasta, and eat red meat only once or twice a month at most. Oatmeal is our breakfast of choice, but we'll be rotating that with yogurt or eggs from now on. When I looked up the amount of protein in clams, I was astonished to learn that 12 littleneck clams contain 22-28 grams of protein, meaning that my meal last night contained half if not more of my protein requirements for the day. Yea! Clams are also rich in vitamins and minerals and low in fat and calories. Win-win! The small amount of pancetta added even more protein and added more flavor. Are you on board?  Start by drizzling a little olive oil in a disposable pan, and place the pancetta inside. Place the grill on high heat and cook the pancetta until it's crisp and the fat has been rendered.

Add the clams and the rest of the ingredients -- a little knob of butter, dry white wine, garlic, salt, and fresh herbs.

Close the lid and let it bubble away for five minutes, then open the lid and stir to move the clams around. I also added more fresh herbs each time I opened the lid of the grill.

Cook for ten to fifteen minutes, or until the clams have all opened and had a chance to cook through. Toss more fresh parsley on top and serve with grilled bread that's been moistened with olive oil and sprinkled with coarse sea salt.

Click here to connect with me on Instagram and find out what’s cooking in Ciao Chow Linda’s kitchen each day (and more)

Clams On The Grill

1 bag of littleneck clams (there were about 40 in the bag)

1 slice of pancetta 1/2" thick, cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

six cloves of minced garlic

1/4 cup dry white wine

salt

minced parsley, plus other herbs to your liking (I used sprigs of thyme and marjoram)

Place the olive oil and pancetta in the disposable pan and cook over high heat until the pancetta loses its fat and starts to crisp. Add the clams, the garlic, salt, wine, butter and herbs, leaving some minced parsley to sprinkle over the top at the end.

Cover the lid of the grill, opening the lid occasionally to stir once or twice. When the clams are all open and have cooked for a few minutes, they are done. It may take 10 to fifteen or twenty minutes.

Serve with grilled bread, smeared with olive oil and salt.