Schav and Blintzes
Ten Apple Farm Schav garnished with baby radish and chive flower
We didn’t have quite enough sorrel to make a classic schav borscht, so I improvised with what we had at hand: radish greens! Though they’re a little spiny when raw, the leaves are tender and flavorful when cooked. The soup was surprisingly good, and was a great use for greens that would otherwise have gone to the goats!
Ten Apple Farm Schav
Serves 6 2 cups loosely packed sorrel leaves 2 cups loosely packed radish greens 1/2 cup coarsely chopped chives 1 large potato, peeled and cut into cubes 6 cups water 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (or more to taste) 2 egg yolks * sour cream chopped chives, chive flowers, and radishes * In cold water, thoroughly rinse sorrel and radish greens (both can be gritty, so use at least 3 changes of water). Coarsely chop the leaves. In a small soup pot or large saucepan, combine sorrel, radish greens, chives, and potatoes. Add water and salt. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low so that the soup stays at a simmer. When potatoes are tender, after about 30 minutes, remove the soup from heat. Working in small batches (1 cup at a time), purée the soup in a blender or food processor. Return the puréed soup to the pot and stir in lemon juice. In a separate small bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the hot soup, then add the egg mixture to the main pot, stirring continually. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, continuing to stir. Serve hot or cold, topped with a dollop of sour cream and chives, chive flowers, or tiny radishes for garnish.—
I came up with this blintz recipe a couple of years ago for the Shavuot issue of (the now defunct) Jewish Living magazine. Since then, it’s become a farm favorite. The tang of lemon rind and chévre is mellowed a little by the cream cheese in the filling, and the addition of lemon juice to the wrapper brightens up all the flavors. Later in the season, we replace the rhubarb with strawberry, blueberry, or even just a drizzle of honey.
Blintzes with Chévre
Makes approximately 10 blintzes *Blintz wrappers:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice *
Filling:
8 ounces fresh goat cheese (chevre)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon lemon rind
2 tablespoons local honey 1/4 cup unsalted butter, for frying
Sour cream and rhubarb sauce for serving *
To make the blintz wrappers: Over a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and confectioners’ sugar. In a smaller bowl, lightly beat the eggs, gradually adding the milk, vanilla and grated lemon rind. Make an indentation in the dry ingredients, pour in the liquid, and using a wooden spoon, combine quickly, stirring until smooth. Heat a skillet or griddle and lightly grease with butter or oil. Ladle a small amount of batter onto the hot surface and cook until golden. Using a spatula, flip it over and cook until the other side is just golden. Remove to a plate and set aside. To make the filling: Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together all ingredients until smooth. Preheat oven to 350.
Spoon a tablespoon of filling into the center of each blintz wrapper, roll the edges from each side, and tuck the ends underneath. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet and fry each blintz until slightly browned. Generously butter a baking dish, and arrange fried blintzes in the dish. Dot the tops of the blintzes with the remaining butter, and bake for 5-10 minutes, until butter melts and blintzes are fragrant.
Rhubarb Sauce
2 cups rhubarb, strings removed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (approximately 6 stalks) 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup water * In a small saucepan, combine all rhubarb, sugar and water. Cook over low heat until rhubarb is tender, about 10 minutes. If it’s heating unevenly, give the pan a gentle shake. Try not to stir, or the stalks will become mushy. Spoon sauce warm over blintzes. *
Ten Apple Farm goat cheese blintzes with sour cream and rhubarb sauce
