Rhubarb adds some tartness to spring treats

 

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 it with strawberries for sweetness.

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. 

Try a rhubarb shrub, a vinegary substance used in cocktails. To make it, mix three cups chopped rhubarb, one cup white vinegar and one cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rhubarb is broken down into a jam-like consistency. Pour this through a fine-mesh strainer, but don’t press on the solids — you can use them as a flavoring in yogurt or ice cream or a rough jam for toast. Store the shrub into a jar and store refrigerated.

Rhubarb can also be used in drinks, everything from flavored lemonades to cordials. 

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 www.stephaniesdish.com.

 

 

Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler

For fruit filling:

10 cups rhubarb and strawberries, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces 

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

Fresh juice from one lemon

4 tablespoons butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

For biscuit topping:

2-1/2 cups flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup cold butter, diced into 1/4-inch cubes

1 large egg

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup heavy cream

Toss sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt and lemon juice.

Place strawberries and rhubarb in a 9-by-13-inch oven-safe dish and top with four tablespoons butter cubes. Roast in a 450-degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and toss

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add one cup butter, working it into the flour with a fork until butter is pea-sized.

Whisk egg, buttermilk and cream in a separate small bowl until smooth. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and stir until a sticky dough forms. If you need to add more heavy cream to get the mixture to come together, use one tablespoon at a time.

Using an ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup measure, top fruit mixture with 10 biscuits.

Sprinkle each biscuit with a bit of sugar, then bake for 22 to 28 minutes, until biscuits are puffy and golden brown.

Serve fruit in a bowl with a biscuit on top and ice cream or whipped cream alongside.

 

 

Blueberry Rhubarb Coffeecake

For cake:

2 cups flour

1-1/4 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt

3 cups diced rhubarb

1 cup blueberries

For streusal:

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup softened butter

1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup slivered almonds

Stir together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Stir in eggs and Greek yogurt until smooth, then fold in rhubarb and blueberries. Pour into a greased and floured 9-by-13-inch pan and spread evenly.

To make streusal, stir sugar and butter in a medium bowl until smooth. Stir in flour until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle mixture on top of the cake, then dust lightly with cinnamon. Sprinkle almonds on top.

Bake in a 350-degree oven about 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

 

 

Rhubarb Nectarine Crisp

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 cups rhubarb

3 nectarines, chopped into 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch salt

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup prepared granola

Toss rhubarb and nectarines with sugar and lemon juice and zest. Spread in a greased eight or nine-inch square baking dish or cast iron skillet.

Cut butter into half-inch chunks and place in a bowl with the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, oats and granola. Mix with your hands to break butter up.

Crumble topping over rhubarb and nectarine mixture and bake in a 375-degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until golden and beginning to brown.

 

 

Rhubarb Cookies

1-1/2 cups brown sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs, room temperature

1-3/4 cups flour

1-3/4 cup quick cooking oats

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1-1/2 cups rhubarb, diced into 1/4-inch cubes

In a large bowl, mix brown sugar, butter, vanilla and egg. Add flour, oats, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and baking powder and beat until dough forms. Add rhubarb and stir by hand to mix.

Scoop balls of dough and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. These cookies will spread.

Bake in a 375-degree oven for 14 minutes, until baked through.

 

 

Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup cream

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup strawberries, cut into 1/4-inch chunks

1/2 cup rhubarb rough jam from making rhubarb syrup or shrubs

In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In another bowl, whisk together yogurt, butter, cream, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add yogurt mixture to flour mixture and stir just until evenly moistened. The batter will be slightly lumpy.

Gently fold in strawberries and rhubarb.

Fill each of 12 paper lined muffin cups about one-third full with batter. Drop a heaping one teaspoon jam into the center of each muffin cup, then cover with batter until level with the rim of the cup. Run a bread knife or toothpick through the batter, swirling and distributing the jam throughout the batter.

Bake in a 375-degree oven for 22 to 25 minutes, until muffins are golden, dry and springy to the touch.

Cool five minutes on the counter before turning out. Serve muffins warm or at room temperature.

 

 

Strawberry Spinach Salad With Goat Cheese and Rhubarb Shrub Vinaigrette

For salad:

4 cups baby spinach

8 medium-sized strawberries, tops removed and quartered

3 ounces honey goat cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup chopped nuts

For rhubarb vinaigrette:

1/4 cup rhubarb shrub

1/3 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Place spinach in a large salad bowl. Top with strawberries, goat cheese and nuts.

In a small mason jar, combine vinaigrette ingredients. Cover jar and shake to combine, then drizzle lightly over salad.

 

 

No-Churn Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream

For ice cream flavoring:

3 cups strawberries, stems removed, chopped into bite-size pieces

3 cups rhubarb, diced

1/2 cup sugar

For ice cream:

2 cups heavy cream

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

Place strawberries, rhubarb and sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat about 20 minutes, stirring often, until mixture is thick and jammy. Refrigerate until chilled.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, beat heavy cream with sugar, vanilla extract, salt and lemon zest until medium-stiff peaks form. Using a spatula, fold sweetened condensed milk into heavy cream until combined, being careful not to overmix and deflate the custard.

Pour half the mixture into a loaf pan. Dot with half the fruit mixture. Swirl with a knife. Add remaining custard, then swirl remaining fruit mixture into the custard. Cover and freeze overnight.

 

 

Rhubarb Spritz

For syrup:

2 cups chopped rhubarb

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup water

For cocktail:

2 ounces rhubarb syrup

3 ounces prosecco

1 ounce club soda

Orange slice for garnish

Combine rhubarb, sugar and water in a pan. Bring to a boil, then simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes, until rhubarb breaks down and is soft and jammy. 

Pour rhubarb mixture through a strainer until the liquid is in the bowl. Press solids with the back of a spoon or spatula to extract more syrup.

Pour syrup into a bottle. Refrigerate.

To make cocktail, fill a large glass with ice, then add 2 ounces rhubarb syrup. Top with 3 ounces prosecco and stir to combine.

Top with sparkling water and garnish with an orange slice.

 

 

Rhubarb Vodka Lemonade

1.5 ounces vodka

1.5 ounces rhubarb shrub

3 ounces lemonade

2 ounces soda water

Combine ingredients, then pour over ice in a Collins or 8-ounce rocks glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge or peel or a sprig of mint

 

 

Rhubarb Cinnamon Coffeecake

2 cups flour

1-1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 cup full-fat sour cream

4 cups rhubarb, chopped into half-inch pieces

For cinnamon topping:

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk together vanilla, eggs, buttermilk and sour cream until incorporated. It may look lumpy.

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in rhubarb.

Place topping ingredients in a bowl, then use a pastry cutter or fork to cut the butter into the mixture until a sand-like consistency forms.

Turn batter out into a nine-inch square parchment-lined baking dish and spread evenly. Spread cinnamon topping evenly over the batter.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

 

 

Rhubarb Honey Cake

4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, cooled

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup flour 

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1-1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons orange juice

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon orange zest

6 to 7 stalks rhubarb, halved lengthwise if thick

Whisk baking powder, salt and one cup flour in a medium bowl.

Whisk eggs, egg yolk, 1-1/4 cups sugar, honey, orange juice and Greek yogurt in a large bowl about one minute, until thick. Whisk melted butter, orange and lemon zest into egg mixture just to combine. Add dry ingredients and fold until batter is smooth. Scrape batter into a buttered and floured springform pan.

Arrange rhubarb over the batter in a pattern. Sprinkle with one tablespoon sugar, then bake in a 350-degree oven for 45 to 55 minutes, until cake is golden on top and browned around the sides. 

Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Slide a knife around the sides to loosen and unmold from the springform pan. Let cool two hours before serving