Under the strawberry moon

 

This year's trip Up North came with several bonuses. A giant "strawberry moon" on a clear night. A long wait for a table was rewarded with a seat at the best new table at Angry Trout. And the tablecloth I happened to grab to take along matched the rhubarb scones on the cabin's blue Fiestaware plates perfectly. Because, yes, things like that please me.

 Also pleasing: Unpacking a stuffed 40-quart cooler filled with goodies. It’s always worth making room for a few versatile spreads, sauces or dressings to enhance sandwiches, pasta or grilled meats. They're easy to tuck in around the containers of scones ready to bake from the freezer and other breakfast treats. Here are this year's food enhancers.

Artichoke-Olive Antipasto Sandwich Spread
Adapted from Meredith Deeds as published in the Star Tribune Taste section.

Ingredients
¾ cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained
¾ cup green olives with pimentos, drained
¼ cup roasted red peppers, drained
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1 tablespoon pickled jalapeños, drained
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil

Method
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until just coarsely chopped, or chop it all coarsely by hand.

Rating: Nice. It worked as a sandwich spread with leftover grilled pork tenderloin, as a pizza base topping and as a pasta sauce. I've made a similar spread before, but I thought the pickled jalapeños worked nicely here.

 

Rhubarb mostarda
From Kim Ode’s “Rhubarb Renaissance” as published in the Star Tribune Taste section.

Ingredients
1 cup rhubarb, cut into ½-inch pieces
¼ cup minced red onion
¼ cup chopped dried mission figs
¼ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

Directions
In a medium saucepan combine rhubarb, onion, figs, wine and sugar and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add mustard seeds and dry mustard and cook another few minutes until the mixture is thick and syrupy. Add vinegar and cook for 30 second. Remove from heat to cool.

Rating: Fine. It worked best as a condiment on freshly grilled pork tenderloin with the contrast of the hot with cold.

Angry Trout has added a table where the dock used to be. Can't beat the view.