Cooking with Rhubarb
Most Americans are familiar with rhubarb as an ingredient in pies and jams. In fact, one nickname for this vegetable is “pie plant.” However, rhubarb can also be added to savory dishes and is a healthy source of fiber and vitamin C. Rhubarb is easy to grow and an attractive addition to the kitchen garden. It’s also decidedly easy to prepare and cook.
Purchasing
Rhubarb is typically sold in bunches of 2 to 3 lbs. from late spring through late summer. When buying rhubarb, choose stalks that are crisp and firm. Depending upon the variety of rhubarb, the stalks may vary from deep pink or pale green, but pink stalks are generally sweeter. Rhubarb with stringy fibers are older and more tough.
Storing
Store rhubarb stalks in the refrigerator and use within a week. To freeze rhubarb, remove the leaves, cut the stalks into smaller pieces, and freeze for up to 6 months. To retain their color, before freezing, blanche the vegetable by dumping it in boiling water for about a minute, then plunging it into a bowl of ice.
Preparing
Fresh rhubarb can be revived before cooking by allowing it to sit in cold water for about an hour.
Before cooking rhubarb, wash it and remove all the leaves – they are highly poisonous. Also cut off the root end of the stalks and peel away any stringy fibers. It’s not necessary to entirely peel the vegetable. For most recipes, the stalks should then be cut into pieces measuring about 2 inches long.
Cooking
Pies, dessert sauces, and jams are the most familiar ways to use rhubarb. The tart vegetable is always sweetened in these dishes, either with sugar alone or with the addition of sweet fruits, like strawberries.
For savory dishes, pair rhubarb with pork, duck, or fish. Rhubarb may also be used to replace cranberries in savory dishes.
You may also bake rhubarb in a 350 degree F oven. Place the chopped vegetable in a baking dish and mix about a pound of rhubarb with ½ cup of sugar. Bake until tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Nice go-withs for rhubarb include honey, orange zest, fennel seeds, mint, lemon balm, lemon, vanilla, and ginger.
Check out Gourmandia’s rhubarb recipes on video for more ideas.
