Rhubarb - It's up, I'm out of ideas!

Our rhubarb is fantastic this year. Has anyone had a good dish out or know of a good recipe they'd share? If another crisp passes through this kitchen, my family may revolt! Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by clucas
Our rhubarb is fantastic this year. Has anyone had a good dish out or know of a good recipe they'd share? If another crisp passes through this kitchen, my family may revolt! Thanks

clucas,
If you homebrew, you might try making a rhubarb-flavored beer of some sort. Experienced homebrewers sometimes opt to make Belgian-style Lambics, which are fruit-flavored... usually peach, cassis, raspberry, cherry, or pear. Rikenjak's in Louisiana made one run (at least) of a fabulous Muscadine Lambic, which I managed to try one time: it made me break to sobs of joy. (If you don't homebrew, a friend who does may want to experiment with this style... it's worth a try.)
Other than that, I'll have to defer to others' opinions. Happy vegetating, folks.
Rhubarbarically, Ort. Carlton in Greyrainy 30601.

I have 4 plants... Stalks never made it to the kitchen, I've munched all but 1 them already. Aside from homewbrew, Take some rhubarb, gooseberrys, red currents and raspberries... Makes a awesome wine!

My spouse says to cut it up into useable chunks and freeze it. The results when used in cooking in the"off-season" are great.

Or chutney, but then that wouldnt be dessert :P

I vote for chutney too. It's so good with grilled lamb chops.

RHUBARB CHUTNEY

1/ 2 lb. rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1/ 2 inch pieces (2 cups)
1/ 2 medium onion, chopped
1/ 3 cup honey
1/ 4 cup water
1/ 4 cup golden raisins
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
pinch of ground cardamom and/or ginger

Mix all ingredients in medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat: reduce heat to low, cover pan and cook for 15 minutes. Uncover and cook until thick, 3 to 5 more minutes. 6 servings.

STEWED RHUBARB WITH ORANGE – 4 servings

1 lb. rhubarb, trimmed ind cut into 1 inch pieces (4 cups)
1/ 2 cup orange marmalade
1/ 4 cup sugar
1/ 8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/ 8 tsp. grated nutmeg
2 Tbs. water

Combine all ingredients in saucepan. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cover the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb is tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

quote:

Originally posted by clucas

Our rhubarb is fantastic this year. Has anyone had a good dish out or know of a good recipe they'd share? If another crisp passes through this kitchen, my family may revolt! Thanks

I'm not sure if this is too close to crisp for you, but I have to say that the best pie I ever made was a strawberry/raspberry/rhubarb. It was like a strawberry/rhubarb but with raspberry substituted for half the strawberries. If you don't think this would cause a revolt, give it a try.

-Hugh

Nothing I like better than finding a good use for underestimated produce. When I lived in the Berkshires, and the rhubarb was in, I had to convince my unconvinced partner of rhubarb's glory. This one did the trick. It ain't exactly roadfood but it's a real change of pace from crisps. It's in my bible: Deborah Madison's The Greens Cookbook

RHUBARB FOOL

1.5# rhubarb
1 c. light brown sugar or white sugar
1/4 tsp powdered cloves
1/2 vanilla bean cut lengthwise in half OR 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
juice of 1/2 orange (or 1 Meyer lemon though I fear they're out of season)
several large pieces of orange or lemon peel
1 c. heavy cream
1 tbsp sugar
Orange flower water or Grand Marnier to taste

If stalks are large & rough in spots, peel them. Cut the rhubarb into roughly 1/2" to 1" pieces. Put rhubarb in saucepan with sugar, cloves, vanilla bean (but not extract if using), and orange/lemon juice and orange/lemon peel. Cook over medium heat until the rhubarb has melted into a thick puree and most of the water has cooked away, c. 15 minutes. Stir toward the end of the cooking to make sure the fruit doesnt scorch. Once cooked, scrape out seeds of vanilla bean with the tip of the knife & stir into fruit - or add vanilla extract if using. Transfer it all to another container, cover & refrigerate. When the fruit is very cold, whip the cream with the sugar until it holds its shape and flavor it to taste with orange flower water or Grand Marnier. Fold it into the rhubarb (somewhat imperfectly, sez Ms Madison) to give it an irregular, marbled texture. Pile the rhubarb into tall glasses and serve very cold with a crisp buttery cookie (Pepperidge Farm is good - T.C.). It will hold in the fridge several hours before serving

Best recipe for rhubarb: Take one can of cheap beer and six cans of good beer, rhubarb. Put the rhubarb in a pot w/ the can of cheap beer, boil it for one hour while drinking the good beer. Throw the boiled rhubarb away.

The cooking newsgroup I lurk/post raves about this recipe. I've made it (it was my one and only experience with rhubarb so far) and liked it, it maintains a nice sweet/tartness and the custard layer is a good contrast.

Be careful if you're using those Baker's Secret/Ecko nonstick baking pans, the acidity can strip the nonstick finish right off. Ask me how I know this.


Rhubarb Custard Cake
By Barb S. on rec.food.cooking

2-layer boxed yellow or white cake mix (I like yellow; the kind that
requires the addition of butter, too.)
4 cups cut rhubarb (1/2" pieces, maybe?)
1 cup sugar
1 pint (2 cups) whipping cream

Make cake batter according to package directions and pour into greased
and floured 9x13" cake pan. Dump the prepared rhubarb on top, evenly.
Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the rhubarb. Pour the whipping cream
over all of it. Bake at 350 deg F for about 45-55 minutes, until cake
portion tests done. What happens is the fruit, sugar, and whipping
cream sink to the bottom of the batter and make this yummy creamy
custardly layer. To die for. When you cut and serve it, flip it over
and serve custard side up.

Any other diabetics out there that can help me with ANY low carb/low sugar recipe for my rhubarb? Even crisps!!! I'd like this to be the year, I don't give mine away to grateful co-workers.

quote:

Originally posted by MilwFoodlovers

Any other diabetics out there that can help me with ANY low carb/low sugar recipe for my rhubarb? Even crisps!!! I'd like this to be the year, I don't give mine away to grateful co-workers.

Here are some recipes I found that you might be able to use;

7 diabetic friendly rhubarb recipes from Fabulous Foods:
http://www.fabulousfoods.com/features/diabetic/rhubarb.html

A Spring Rhubarb Cake recipe from the American Diabetic Association:
http://diabetes.waterfrontmedia.com/ManagingArchive/Recipes.asp?IsID=6425

A diabetic Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie recipe from the Rhubarb Compendium:
http://www.rhubarbinfo.com/recipe-pie.html#index_pie_5

quote:

Originally posted by MilwFoodlovers

Any other diabetics out there that can help me with ANY low carb/low sugar recipe for my rhubarb? Even crisps!!! I'd like this to be the year, I don't give mine away to grateful co-workers.



Here are some recipes I found that you might be able to use;

7 diabetic friendly rhubarb recipes from Fabulous Foods:
http://www.fabulousfoods.com/features/diabetic/rhubarb.html

A Spring Rhubarb Cake recipe from the American Diabetic Association:
http://diabetes.waterfrontmedia.com/ManagingArchive/Recipes.asp?IsID=6425

A diabetic Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie recipe from the Rhubarb Compendium:
http://www.rhubarbinfo.com/recipe-pie.html#index_pie_5

I think tomorrow will be a good day to harvest my rhubarb-Thanks so much!

Hey folks. Here is another idea from the New York Times. This is not a dessert, needless to say! But if you are really truly out of ideas for rhubarb, it might be worth trying. I'm going to make it tonight & will let people know if it is any good or not.

The Minimalist
Rhubarb, the Vegetable, Unmasked
By MARK BITTMAN
Published: June 8, 2005

WE associate rhubarb so closely with desserts that we forget that it's actually a vegetable. The classics are the sweet-tart combination of strawberry and rhubarb, usually in a pie, and relishes that combine rhubarb with dates or other intensely sweet ingredients.

But there are cultures that use rhubarb in savory cooking and not only in conjunction with sweet ingredients.

This shouldn't surprise anyone: most good cooks add sour flavors, usually in the form of citrus juices or vinegar, to at least one dish per meal. When you include rhubarb in a preparation, the need for these souring agents is eliminated.

I love this combination of rhubarb with orange lentils because the vegetable's sharpness really offsets the muddiness of the legume. With a mix of Indian spices and a mild chili, it becomes a stunningly flavorful vegetarian main course or a great side dish for a meal centered around strong-tasting meats.

Any lentils, including the tiny dark green de Puy lentils from France, will work here, but I prefer orange ones because they are incredibly quick-cooking and nicely colored.

An interesting aspect of rhubarb is that it virtually dissolves when cooked, melting into the stew and leaving only its flavor behind. So if you want some chew, you might consider adding another element: a handful of rice (which will cook in about the same amount of time as the lentils), a few small potatoes (or a larger one, diced) or some little pasta, like orzo. In each case, you'll need a little more water, which you can always add during the cooking.

I'd stay away from adding other full-flavored vegetables - I tried both beets and turnips while developing this dish - because their effect is to overcomplicate the nearly perfect marriage of flavors.

When buying and preparing rhubarb, it helps to think of celery. Like celery, the stalks should be firm and crisp, not limp. And, like celery, rhubarb is best when its stringy surface fibers are removed. You can use a vegetable peeler or, even faster and easier, grab one end between a paring knife and your thumb and pull straight down; you'll quickly get the hang of it.

June 8, 2005
Recipe: Lentil and Rhubarb Stew With Indian Spices

Time: 40 minutes

3 or 4 stalks rhubarb, strings removed, chopped
1 cup orange lentils, well washed
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
4 cardamom pods
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
2 cloves
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 dried ancho or other mild chili, optional
Salt
Chopped cilantro leaves for garnish.

Combine all ingredients except salt and cilantro in a saucepan and add water to cover by about 1 inch. Cook at a steady simmer until lentils and rhubarb are quite soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove cloves and, if you like, cardamom pods. Add salt, then taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

As promised, a report on the New York Times recipe. I wouldn't call it a big hit, but hell if you have rhubarb to burn...!

That's a Mark Bittman recipe: note the ORANGE lentils- none other will do, I guess...It's so easy to hate the Times food section!

Cheers, John

What's the diff between orange lentils and red lentils? I'm guessing the former requires a trip to Dean and DeLuca's or something...

The Times searches long and hard for items not available to us mere peasants...

Cheers, John

quote:

Originally posted by seafarer john

The Times searches long and hard for items not available to us mere peasants...

Cheers, John

I think that you can find orange lentils in any Indian grocery store. At least I can in the area that I live in.

I must confess - I prefer the red ones. Here at Wegman's, they're right next to the regular ones.

Also, we made a lovely pork tenderloin with a rhubarb chutney. Very easy. Very yummy. Found the recipe on Epicurious. Slightly less foo-foo than the NYT!

Still buried in rhubarb,Candice

Count your blessings. I have to buy it at $2.00 a pound. I purchased some to make my strawberry-rhubarb pies and some rhubarb bread . The bread freezes beautifully and is great to have on hand. Here is the recipe that I use:

Rhubarb Bread

1 cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter, melted Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. In a small bowl, stir together milk, lemon juice and vanilla; let stand for 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, oil and egg. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda, stir into sugar mixture alternately with the milk mixture just until combined. Fold in rhubarb and nuts. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.
In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup brown sugar, cinnamon and butter. Sprinkle this mixture over the unbaked loaves.
Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a loaf comes out clean.

I often make it by using 2 cups rhubarb and omitting the nuts. It is great either way.

I'll be making some rhubarb this week....still haven't decided what yet....

the plan is for either jam/sauce, or a rhubarb strawberry dessert of some type.

the favorite for me is rhubarb custard pie, but I'm trying to watch the calories and fat.

Wrap some Bacon around the entire stalk, deep fry it after a wet dredge, enjoy.......I've never done this but hey, Bacon, need I say more?

We made a delicious blanc manger for Mother's Day dessert. The recipe is too long and complicated (actually easy to do, but many steps) to copy here. But, the basis is whipped cream, ground almonds, rhubarb, strawberries, and raspberries. You can, I think, find recipes for blanc manger on the web. 

I just looked it up on Google. It is the recipe listed as from the NYTimes - excellent!   

Cheers, John 

clucas


Our rhubarb is fantastic this year. Has anyone had a good dish out or know of a good recipe they'd share? If another crisp passes through this kitchen, my family may revolt! Thanks

splendid table (the radio show) featured rhubarb syrup awhile back. recipe is on the website. it's made with white wine and strawberries.

i love rhubarb straight up, just right off the bush. MMMMM.
No sugar to dip it in either.

Here us a drink I like, but i tend to cut down on the sugar. Keep the recipe as it is for those who do not care for tartness.

RHUBARB STRAWBERRY LEMONADE
2 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb
2/3 cup white sugar
2 cups strawberries
1 1/2 cups lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
4 cups water

In a saucepan, simmer the rhubarb, sugar, water and lemon zest. Stir until sugar is dissolved and rhubarb tender - usually 10 minutes.
Add 1 cup of strawberries and increase heat to boiling for 3 minutes.
Let cool and strain into a pitcher.
Add the lemon juice and remaining strawberries.
Refrigerate and serve with lots of ice and a lemon wedge garnish. 
I add a bit of citric acid to the pitcher..i just love tartness.
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My Troy-Blt Roto tiller will take care of your rhubarb once and for all. Why waste good garden space on the awful stuff ?

Actually I'm only kidding, but if I had a choice of starving or eating rhubarb, I'd probably consider starving first. Tongue only partialaly in cheeck !!

Wally

I make and eat strawberry/rhubarb jam.  It is great.

Strawberry, Rhubarb milkshake?????????

I would try making a BBQ sauce out of it. It would eliminate the need for vinegar. I might even add some strawberries to the mix. My father in-law makes beer and wine with it.

  On another note, the only thing sprouting my garden is radishes. The spring is just getting here in west central Alaska. We usually have to wait til after Memorial day to plant outside but it has been so warm here that I decided to risk it. I also planted carrots, dill, and strawberries. I will be planting tomatoes when it warms up a little more.

David O.