Asparagus tends to get the spotlight in early to late spring because it’s one of the first fresh vegetables to make an appearance after the doldrums of winter.
But now that it’s May, another long green stalk is ready for its closeup. This one, however, isn’t as tender as asparagus, and you probably don’t want to eat it out of hand raw unless you love food that causes your face to pucker.
Now is the time when long, vibrant stalks of rhubarb arrive in local markets (it can grow up to 3 feet tall), thrilling cooks and bakers with its unique, tart flavor and endless possibilities.
I grew up eating rhubarb in an oatmeal-based crisp sweetened with strawberries, as my mom was pretty old-school when it came to desserts. A couple years ago, I even got a plant of my own from my green-thumbed oldest sister, Kathy, who was manager of ground services at the University of Pittsburgh before retiring. It sits in a giant planter next to my tomato garden, a harbinger of all the good things to come this growing season.
Because rhubarb is often tossed with sugar, honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar to tame its naturally tart flavor, the “pie plant”—a member of the buckwheat family—most often finds its way into sweet desserts such as pie, crumbles and crisps, ice cream, and jam. Often, it’s paired with sweet and juicy fruits such as strawberries or raspberries.
But this veggie lends itself pretty wonderfully to any number of savory dishes, too. For instance, you can slow-roast it with a pinch of salt, stir it into a curry, or cook it into a chutney to serve with pork or chicken.
If you love anything and everything pickled, you'll be delighted to learn that rhubarb also can be preserved in a tart brine with garlic and ginger. And it can add a tart zing to a smoothie or cocktail.
While it’s botanically classified as a vegetable, rhubarb is often thought of as a fruit by cooks because it’s used so often in sweet desserts. But really, all that matters is that you’re eating something colorful that’s good for you.
Rhubarb is high in vitamins C and K (important for bone health), and it’s a good source of dietary fiber. Low in calories (less than 30 calories per raw cup, so long as you’re not adding sugar), the plant also provides bone-building calcium.
While rhubarb is famous for its crimson-red stalks, it actually can also be pink or green; color indicates the variety, and doesn’t affect flavor or indicate ripeness. Whatever hue, it typically arrives at the farmers market, grocery, or in your community-supported agriculture box stripped of any greenery because only the stalks are edible (its heart-shaped leaves are toxic).
When choosing rhubarb, look for well-colored stalks that are firm and crisp-looking. Don’t worry about peeling it or having to cook it as soon as you bring it home; stored in a plastic bag, rhubarb will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
Raw, blanched, or cooked, the vegetable also can be cut up and frozen for up to a year. Just remember to freeze the individual pieces separately on a tray before placing them in a bag to keep them loose.
Rhubarb Cocktail
PG tested
Serves 4This sweet-tart, pretty-in-pink drink just tastes like spring. The syrup also can be used to flavor granita, to sweeten tea or lemonade, or even as a glaze for chicken.
For the syrup
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 pounds rhubarb, trimmed and chopped
- For the cocktails
- Ice cubes
- 8 ounces vodka (1 cup)
- 32 ounces seltzer (4 cups)
- Lemon peel, pith removed, cut into strips
Make rhubarb syrup: Combine sugar and 2 cups water in a large pot, and bring to a boil over high heat.
Add rhubarb and stir to make sure sugar dissolves. Cover pot, lower heat just a little and boil until rhubarb softens, about 5 minutes.
Pull pan off heat and allow rhubarb to cool in covered pot. Mash rhubarb, then strain juice through a double layer of cheesecloth into a small saucepan.
Bring juice to boil over medium-high heat, then reduce until juice is concentrated and syrupy and you are left with about 2 cups. Taste syrup and adjust sugar if necessary. Cool syrup in pan. Transfer to a container and refrigerate until well chilled.
Make cocktails: Pour a generous tablespoon of chilled rhubarb syrup into each of 4 chilled glasses.
Add ice, vodka and seltzer to taste. Stir, then serve with a lemon strip in each glass. Refrigerate or freeze the remaining rhubarb syrup.
—“The Beetlebung Farm Cookbook” by Chris Fischer
Rhubarb Slaw
PG tested
Serves 4This brightly colored slaw will add a rainbow of color and texture to your spring dinner table. It’s great on top of sandwiches or a burger, can be stuffed into tacos, or can be served on its own as a side.
- 1/2 pound rhubarb, sliced
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- Salt and pepper
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup peeled, sliced fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 1/2 small green cabbage, thinly sliced, or shredded (about 2 cups)
- 1 large carrot, peeled, and julienned
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Place rhubarb in a large heatproof jar; set aside.
Add vinegar, 1 tablespoon each salt and pepper, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, and mustard seeds to a small pot.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then pour over rhubarb and let cool. Refrigerate overnight.
Drain rhubarb, reserving 1/2 cup of the brine.
In bowl, toss rhubarb with cabbage, carrot, reserved brine, and olive oil, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until cabbage softens.
—adapted from Countryliving.com
Rhubarb-Lemon Bundt Cake
PG tested
Combined with lots of sugar, rhubarb makes a great filling for pie. But the tart and crunchy vegetable also can add a wonderful flavor to cake.
Martha Stewart’s dairy-free “dump and whisk” batter means this Bundt is extra easy to make. The olive oil and whipped egg whites give it a light, fluffy texture that’s reminiscent of a cake donut, and there’s also the citrusy tang of lemon.
What makes it even more of a knock-out dessert is the coat of sanding sugar in the Bundt pan, which bakes into a sparkly shell (and also helps release the cake in one piece).
- 1 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for pan
- Sanding or sparkling sugar, for pan
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup fine yellow cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla paste or extract
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, plus 1/4 cup fresh juice (from 1 to 2 lemons)
- 8 ounces rhubarb, cut into a 1/2 -inch dice (2 cups)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a 10‐to‐15‐cup Bundt pan with oil; generously sprinkle with sanding sugar to fully coat (do not tap out excess).
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together oil, egg yolks, 1 cup granulated sugar, vanilla and lemon zest, and juice. In a third bowl, beat egg whites on low until foamy.
Increase speed to medium‐high and gradually add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.
Stir oil mixture into flour mixture just to combine. Stir 1/3 of egg‐white mixture into batter, then gently fold in remaining egg‐white mixture just until no streaks remain. (Do not overmix.)
Toss rhubarb with remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar to evenly coat. Fold rhubarb mixture into batter, then transfer to pan; smooth top with a spatula.
Bake until cake is golden brown on top and a wooden skewer inserted into center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes (if top is browning too quickly, tent with foil).
Let cool in pan on a wire rack 20 minutes, then invert onto a plate or stand and let cool completely before slicing and serving.
Cake is best served the day it’s baked, but can also be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.
Ruth’s Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp
PG tested
My mom was known for her chocolate chip cookies, but she also could make a pretty mean fruit crisp. This recipe, which pairs BFFs rhubarb and strawberries, releases a lot of sugary liquid as it cooks, so you'll want to eat it right away so it stays crunchy. You can add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to dress it up, but honestly, it’s great right out of the pan. And leftovers make a wonderful breakfast.
For crisp topping
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- For strawberry-rhubarb filling
- 2 pints strawberries, hulled, and halved
- 3 cups sliced rhubarb pieces
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
For crisp topping: Mix sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a large bowl and blend thoroughly. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in oats. Set aside.
For filling: Mix strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, and cornstarch in a large bowl, blending thoroughly. Pour into a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Cover evenly with crisp topping.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until filling is bubbly and topping is browned. Serve warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or fresh-made whipped cream.
—Ruth Trent
Rhubarb Chutney
PG tested
This flavorful condiment is easy to make, with a wonderful balance of sweet, savory, and warm spice flavors. Serve on roasted meats, with goat cheese or brie, or on crackers.
- 1 tart apple, seeded, and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 medium shallot, sliced thin (about 1/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup tart dried cherries
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1 serrano chile, seeded, and chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups chopped fresh rhubarb
In a large saucepan, combine apple, shallot, cherries, raisins, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vinegar, chopped chile, ginger, and salt. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in rhubarb. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 6-8 minutes, or until rhubarb softens and chutney thickens.
Pour into a bowl; refrigerate until cold. Serve with grilled chicken or pork.
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