the frankies

we've had a busy few weeks and weekends shooting and styling for great clients like food network magazine, fine cooking, gilt taste, and prevention and we can't wait to share everything with you. in the meantime, we have to share a great recipe we recently discovered. this not too sweet, delicious loaf is perfect on its own with coffee in the morning or tea in the afternoon but serving it with roasted rhubarb makes it a wonderful dessert that highlights the last of the rhubarb at the farmer's markets right now. the olive oil cake comes from the frankies sputino cookbook which is a wonderful manual from one of our favorite eateries. it can be baked as a 10-inch cake or six mini bundt cakes but for this recipe we decided to make it a loaf. be sure to use a high quality olive oil in the cake since it's the key ingredient and all the flavors of the oil you choose will definitely come through. the frankies have their own olive oils which are a great choice too!

Olive Oil Cake with Roasted Rhubarb

(adapted from The Frankies Sputino Kitchen Companion & Cooking Manual)

yields 1 loaf

5 eggs

zest of 1 1/2 oranges

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 cups extra virgin olive oil

2 cups cake flour, sifted

1 tsp salt

1 1/8 tsp baking powder

4 cups sliced rhubarb

4 tbs sugar

juice of 1 orange

1 tbs olive oil

preheat oven to 325 degrees F. in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine eggs, orange zest and sugar and beat on medium speed for a minute until mixed. reduce to low speed and slowly add the olive oil in a steady thin stream. in a medium bowl, stir together cake flour, salt and baking powder. add to egg mixture in three additions, whisking on low until the batter is smooth.

pour into a greased loaf pan and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until browned and done in the center. the cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out dry. cool in pan for 20 minutes, remove and cool completely on a wire rack.

preheat oven to 400 degrees F. toss rhubarb, sugar, orange juice and olive oil together on a sheet pan until evenly coated. roast for 12 to 15 minutes or until rhubarb is tender but still holds its shape. spoon roasted rhubarb over slices of olive oil cake to serve. enjoy!

crisps & crumbles

rhubarb is a such a wonderful summer ingredient - i love the tart tangy flavor it adds to fruit and it makes a perfect pair with vanilla ice cream. i got one of these in the mail recently and it's a whole new taste of rhubarb! i tend to prefer crisps to cobblers or pies. well, i'd definitely eat and enjoy any of them but making a crisp couldn't be simpler - just combine fruit and sugar, sprinkle a crumbly mixture on top and pop it in the oven! the combinations of fruit are endless and you can use this recipe all year long with whatever fruit is in season - apple & currant, nectarine & blueberry, cherry & blackberry. but you have to top it off with this great haagen-dazs flavor i just discovered and help save the bees while you're at it!

Rhubarb Raspberry Crisp

serves 2

1 pint raspberries

2 cups rhubarb, chopped

1/4 tsp lemon zest

1 tbs lemon juice

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 cup old fashioned oats

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbs unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

preheat oven to 375 degrees F. in a small bowl, combine raspberries, rhubarb, zest, juice and granulated sugar. toss together and put in a greased 1-quart baking dish. in another bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, oats, cardamom and salt. add butter and cut in with a fork or use your fingers to combine until mixture resembles a coarse meal. sprinkle evenly over fruit. bake 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and lightly brown on top. enjoy!