Relishing the Rhubarb
Easy and Novel Rhubarb Recipes to Compliment Any Menu
Rhubarb is a tarty-tasting vegetable, with a deep red stalk and large green leaves. It's high in magnesium and vitamin C, as well as being an excellent source of fiber, vitamin K and calcium.
Rhubarb can be traced back as a cultivated food source almost 5,000 years to ancient China. According to Chinese folklore, the medicinal qualities of rhubarb include cleansing the body, reducing fever and acting as a mild laxative.
Today, there are several variteies of rhubarb and it is both a beautiful and healthy addition to any vegetable garden. However, it is only the stalk of the plant that is edible. The leaves are highly poisonous and thus, deadly to eat whether raw or cooked.
Enjoy these easy-to-make recipes for rhubarb and incorporate new dishes into your menu!
Rhubarb & Rice
A tasty side dish that compliments poultry or fish.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of washed and chopped diced rhubarb
- 1 cup of rice
- 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
Directions:
- Make the rice according to the package directions. To save on time, it’s fine to use the boil-in-the-bag brands, plus it requires less clean-up afterwards.
- While the rice is cooking, boil or steam the rhubarb until soft, approximately 8 minutes. To serve, top the cooked rice with the cooked rhubarb and sprinkle over with the brown sugar.
Rhubarb Bread
A delicious and hearty bread for any meal. Makes 2 small loaves.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups of bread flour plus 2 tablespoons (separate)
- ¾ cups of dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon of baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 1 small egg
- ½ cup of buttermilk
- ¼ cup of vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon of vanilla
- ½ cup of rhubarb, chopped
- Butter and cinnamon sugar for topping
Directions:
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Next, in another bowl, beat the egg then add in the buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Add the wet mixture into the dry mixture and combine very well to make a batter. Then fold in the rhubarb pieces, adding the extra 2 tablespoons of flour to the mixture. Pour the batter into 2 greased standard-sized loaf pans.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and while the oven is heating, put small dots of butter on the wet loaves, then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 45 minutes then allow to cool in the pans for 30 minutes before removing. (To see if the loaves are done, simply insert a fork tine or toothpick in the loaf; it will be thoroughly cooked when it comes out clean. If there is a little bit of mixture on the toothpick, allow to cook for a few more minutes.)
Rhubarb and Strawberry Jam
Love rhubarb and strawberry pie? Then make a jam instead, which is delicious to spread on whole grain toast, waffles or even used as a filling for donuts! Note that this recipe is for a slow cooker, but can also be made on the stove top.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups of sugar
- 2 pints of strawberries hulled*
- 3 cups of rhubarb, washed and chopped (approximately 3/4 lb)
- 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
Directions:
- Wash and hull the strawberries, then crush them in a large bowl. Use a potato masher or blender to pulse a few times, leaving some chunks as desired. Add the lemon juice and let the mixture sit for 15 minutes.
- Put the strawberries into the slow cooker, then add the rhubarb and sugar, mixing well. Cook on low for 2 1/2 hours, covered. Stir only occasionally.
- Next, turn the cooker on high and uncover. Cook for another 2 hours until the jam reaches the desired texture. Cool before storing.
Hulling: To remove the stem and top leaves from a strawberry.
Fresh strawberries and rhubarb
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