Rhubarb’s tart taste is something to relish

If the thought of rhubarb makes your lips pucker, that’s understandable.

After all, it’s a tart vegetable that generally requires sweetener to make it palatable.

But that tart taste makes it a favorite in pies and desserts — its nickname is the pie plant — but rhubarb sauce and chutney are also delicious accompaniments to meats.

That tartness also adds a tang to main dishes made with everything from beef to poultry.

To offset its tartness, rhubarb is often combined with sugar. But sugar-free rhubarb dishes are easier than you might think.

When making rhubarb cakes or muffins, replace the sugar with fruit juice concentrates or mild tasting fruit, such as pears or apples.

Some of the most common rhubarb dishes combine rhubarb with strawberries.

For a summertime treat, stew some rhubarb and use it to make ice pops. Combine one cup stewed rhubarb with seven ounces plain yogurt, 1/2 cup applesauce and 1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind, then freeze in ice pop molds to make rhubarb pops with orange.

Or combine 3/4 cup stewed rhubarb with seven ounces strawberry yogurt, 1/2 cup applesauce and 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries and freeze in ice pop molds to make rhubarb pops with strawberries.

Rhubarb can also be used in drinks, everything from flavored lemonades to cordials. To make a cordial, clean and cut two pounds of rhubarb into one-inch pieces. Place the rhubarb in a clean jar, then add one cup sugar. Pour a liter of vodka into the jar and stir. Cover it and let it sit for a month, stirring it periodically. At the end of the month, strain out the rhubarb and keep the liquid. Chill and serve by itself or with a little sparkling water or wine.

Rhubarb is a perennial plant that forms large fleshy rhizomes and large leaves with long, thick stalks. While the stalks are used in meals, the leaves contain poison and should not be eaten.

The leaves can be used in an aphid spray. Chop three to five rhubarb leaves, then add them to a cup of water. Boil the mixture for 30 minutes, then strain. Add a dash of liquid non-detergent soap to the water. Fill a spray bottle with the water and use on aphids.

Because the leaves are poisonous, the spray should not be used on edible plants, only on ornamentals.

After harvesting rhubarb, the stalks can be wrapped in damp paper towels in a plastic bag and stored in the refrigerator for as long as a week.

Following are some rhubarb recipes from food52.com.

 

Rhubarb with Earl Grey Tea, Cardamom and Orange Zest

3 cups roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces rhubarb

3 cups roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces Braeburn apples

Juice of 1 small Meyer lemon

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons pure cane sugar

Seeds of one green cardamom pod, crushed well with mortar and pestle

2 bags of Earl Grey tea steeped in 3/4 cup just-boiled water for 3 minutes, then cooled

Zest of 2 Valencia oranges

Vanilla ice cream

Place chopped rhubarb and apple in a medium casserole dish or oven-safe pot. Add lemon, sugar, cardamom, steeped tea and zest of one orange. Gently toss.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes, then stir and bake another 15 minutes, until fruit is tender.

Cool five to 10 minutes. Spooned portions into a bowl, and top with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.

 

 

Rhubarb Coffee Cake With Cardamom-Ginger Crumble

For rhubarb jam:

2 cups diced rhubarb

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/4 cup water

For coffee cake and crumble:

2-1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup sour cream

2 eggs

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

For jam, combine rhubarb, sugar and cornstarch in a small pot. Stir to coat all the rhubarb with sugar and cornstarch. Add water and bring mixture to a bubble over medium-high heat. Let cook about five minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture has thickened and rhubarb breaks down. Once thickened, pour into a bowl and chill in the refrigerator at least two hours.

To make cake, whisk together 1-1/2 cups flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream softened butter and sugar. Add the sour cream and, once mixed, add eggs one at a time. Little by little, add the dry ingredients until well incorporated. Then, slowly stream in the buttermilk and vanilla extract.

Scrape batter into a nine-inch springform pan with parchment at the bottom and carefully spread into an even layer.

To make crumble, place remaining butter, remaining flour, brown sugar, flaky sea salt, ginger and cardamom in the same bowl used for the dry ingredients. Using your hands, mix together until it forms large clumps. Set aside.

Pour cooled rhubarb sauce on top of the cake batter. Spread sauce, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the sides. Pile crumble on top of the sauce. Do not pat it down.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for one hour, until the top is brown and the sides start to pull away from the edges of the pan.

Cool cake thoroughly before removing it from the pan.

 

 

Naughty Rhubarb Scones

3 stalks rhubarb

2-1/2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup vanilla sugar

2/3 to 3/4 cup heavy cream

Slice rhubarb stalks into 1/4-inch pieces. Toss with three tablespoons sugar.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt together in large bowl or bowl of food processor.

Cut butter into flour mixture by hand or by pulsing food processor until butter is the size of small peas. Blend in 1/4 cup sugar, then blend in sliced rhubarb. If using a food processor, just pulse — you want the slices left mostly intact.

Blend in cream until a soft dough forms.

Transfer dough to floured surface and divide in half. To make triangular scones, flatten into six-inch disks and cut each circle into six to eight scones. Sprinkle with remaining sugar.

Arrange on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in a 425-degree oven about 20 minutes, until reddish-brown on top.

 

 

Sparkling Rhubarb Lemonade

3-1/2 cups water

5 cups chopped rhubarb, fresh or frozen

3/4 cup sugar

2 3-inch strips lemon zest

3 sprigs fresh mint

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 cups lemon-lime soda or sparkling water

In a saucepan, stir together water, rhubarb pieces, sugar, lemon zest and mint. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Let the rhubarb mixture cool, then strain through a wire-mesh strainer set over a large pitcher. Press on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids.

Stir in the lemon juice and soda. Serve over ice garnished with a sprig of mint.

 

 

Rhubarb Curd Shortbread

For curd:

3/4 pound rhubarb

4 tablespoons water

1/4 cup sugar

4 egg yolks

1/3 cup plus 1/8 cup sugar

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 teaspoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons butter, cut into chunks

For shortbread:

12 tablespoons butter, cut into chunks

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon powdered galangal or ginger

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 pinch cloves

Wash rhubarb and trim as little off the ends as possible. Cut rhubarb into one-inch chunks.

In a small saucepan, cook rhubarb, sugar and water over medium heat until rhubarb falls apart and there are no whole pieces left, adding water by the tablespoon if rhubarb sticks to the bottom of the pan.

Then use an immersion blender to puree the mixture or push the mixture through a strainer.

Blend shortbread ingredients in a stand mixer or food processor until combined. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate about one hour. Then, roll into an eight-inch square and place into an eight-inch square baking pan or dump dough into pan and use fingertips to press evenly into pan. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes, until golden. Let cool on a rack.

Place a couple inches of water in the pot of a double boiler and set over medium heat.

Place egg yolks, butter, remaining sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice in the top pot of the double boiler and whisk to combine. When sugar has dissolved completely, add rhubarb puree by the spoonful to temper the eggs. When all the rhubarb has been added, set bowl over pot with simmering water. Continue stirring rhubarb mixture until warm and slightly thickened.

Remove from heat and press through a strainer.

Use an offset spatula to spread curd evenly over shortbread. Bake another 10 minutes, then cool on a rack. Refrigerate about 20 minutes, then cut into 16 bars. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

 

 

Rhubarb and Gin Dessert With Rose Cream

For rhubarb and gin sorbet:

8 ounces water

7 ounces sugar

1 pound rhubarb, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 tablespoons gin, plus a little more for serving

For rose cream:

4 ounces heavy cream

4 drops rose water, more to taste

2 teaspoons sugar

For sorbet, combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan and heat over medium high, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Add rhubarb and simmer about 10 minutes, until rhubarb is very tender and beginning to fall apart.

Carefully transfer mixture to a blender  and blend until smooth, or use an immersion blender. Add the lime juice and corn syrup. Chill thoroughly.

Just before churning, stir in gin. Freeze and churn mixture in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Store in the freezer in an airtight container.

For the rose cream, whip cream to soft peaks, then add the sugar, followed by the rose water, one drop at a time, until desired flavor is reached.

Top scoops of sorbet with a few drops of chilled gin and a spoonful of rose cream.

 

 

Pork Belly With Gingery Rhubarb Compote

For pork belly:

3 pounds pork belly, skin removed, fat intact

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 medium onion, sliced into 1/2-inch rings

1 cup dry white wine

For compote:

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

1 tablespoon drained capers

1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

1 pound rhubarb, trimmed, sliced 1/2-inch thick

Using a sharp knife, score pork belly fat in a crosshatch pattern at about 3/4-inch intervals, taking care not to cut into meat.

Mix thyme, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub thyme mixture on both sides of pork. Place pork in a large resealable plastic bag, seal and chill eight to 24 hours.

Arrange onion in bottom of a large heavy pot with a lid. Rinse pork and place, fat side up, on top of the onions. Add wine.

Cover pot and bake in a 250-degree oven 2-1/2 to three hours, basting occasionally, until fork-tender. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees, uncover pot and cook one hour, until meat is very tender and fat is crisp and golden brown. If onions start to get dark before the pork, add a bit more wine.

For compote, combine brown sugar, raisins, vinegar, ginger, capers, red pepper flakes and black pepper in a medium skillet. Cook over medium heat five minutes, stirring often, until liquid is reduced by half.

Add rhubarb and stir to coat. Cook 15 minutes, swirling pan occasionally, until rhubarb is tender and liquid is syrupy. Compote can be made five days ahead and stored, covered, in refrigerator. Reheat before using.

Slice pork and serve with warm compote.

 

 

Roasted Rhubarb and Strawberries

3 cups coarsely chopped rhubarb

2 cups hulled strawberries, cut in half

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup sweet vermouth

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon sea salt

In a large bowl, mix rhubarb and strawberries.

In a small bowl, whisk maple syrup, vermouth, vinegar and salt. Pour over the rhubarb and strawberries, gently tossing to coat.

Spread fruit in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle juices over the fruit. Roast in a 350-degree oven about 40 minutes, until juices are thickened and rhubarb is tender to the touch. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve warm.

Fruit can be roasted one week ahead. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.