Enjoy rhubarb in your springtime recipes

Rhubarb is a traditional spring vegetable known for its tart taste.

While that makes it a favorite in many pies and desserts, other applications are equally tasty. Rhubarb sauces and chutneys are delicious accompaniments to meats, and rhubarb wine is considered a delicacy by some.

Although some think of rhubarb as an old-fashioned ingredient, it has become more popular in recent years.

Rhubarb originated in Asia over 2,000 years ago, and it was traded as a commodity in Marco Polo’s day. It was initially cultivated for its medicinal qualities and not grown for culinary purposes until the 18th century.

Commonly mistaken to be a fruit, rhubarb is a close relative of garden sorrel and thus is a member of the vegetable family that is rich in vitamin C and dietary fiber.

Rhubarb helps the digestive tract, but should be avoided by those susceptible to kidney stones.

Because of its sour taste, rhubarb is often combined with sugar to create a delicious dish. But sugar-free rhubarb dishes are easier than you think.

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

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.

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

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

Following are recipes from www.uaf.edu.

 

Rhubarb Onion Spicy Sauce

4 cups chopped rhubarb

2 cups cider vinegar

4 cups diced onion

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon celery salt

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon cinnamon

5 cups brown sugar

Cook rhubarb and cider vinegar together for 20 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer one hour.

Pour boiling hot mixture into hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust caps. Process 15 minutes in boiling water bath.

Makes six to seven half pints.

 

 

Raw Rhubarb and Berry Relish

4 cups rhubarb

2 cups lingonberries or blueberries

Sugar to taste

Cut up and grind rhubarb and berries. The rhubarb and berries grind better if they are frozen.

Add as much sugar as pulp, about 4-1/2 cups or to taste. Store in the refrigerator for several weeks or freeze.

 

 

Glazed Rhubarb Turnabout

4 cups cut up rhubarb

1 cup sugar

Pinch salt

3/4 cup hot water

1 cup flour

1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt, optional

1/4 cup shortening

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup milk

Put rhubarb into a greased 1-1/2-quart casserole dish, Mix together sugar, salt and hot water, then pour over rhubarb. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 25 minutes.

Make a drop biscuit dough by sifting together flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening. Mix together the egg and milk and add to flour mixture. Drop batter by spoonfuls on top of rhubarb, then bake in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes.

Cool. Turn over onto platter. Serve with cream or whipped topping.

 

 

Rhubarb, Rhubarb-Strawberry or Rhubarb Raspberry Roll

1 cup water

1 cup sugar (brown and/or white)

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt, optional

1 tablespoon sugar

2-1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup shortening or very cold butter

1/2 cup water or milk

2 cups rhubarb or half rhubarb and half berries

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoon cinnamon

Boil one cup water and one cup sugar for 10 minutes.

Sift together flour, salt, one tablespoon sugar and baking powder. Work shortening into the flour with a fork or pastry cutter. Add 1/2 cup water or milk slowly, stirring lightly until the flour is moistened. Turn out onto a floured board and knead lightly for 20 strokes.

Roll into a 15-by-8-inch rectangle. Spread with the rhubarb or rhubarb-berry combination. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon  (if using strawberries, reduce sugar to 1/4 cup). Roll up like a jelly roll and cut into 10 to 12 equal pieces.

Pour syrup into a glass 6-by-10-inch baking dish. Place rolls, cut end down, in hot syrup. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve plain or with cream.

 

 

Unbeatable Rhubarb Bars

1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped rhubarb

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup flaked or shredded coconut

4 drops red food coloring, if using green rhubarb

1/2 cup sifted flour

1/2 teaspoon salt, optional

1/2 teaspoon soda

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup uncooked oatmeal

1/3 cup melted butter or margarine

For filling, combine rhubarb, 1/2 cup brown sugar, water and lemon juice in saucepan. Cook over medium heat until tender, stirring frequently. Add cornstarch and cook, stirring, until thick. Cool.

For crumb base and topping, sift together flour, salt and soda into bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup brown sugar, oatmeal and coconut. Add butter or margarine, mixing until crumbly. Press half of crumb mixture into greased 8-inch-square pan. Spread with filling. Cover with remaining crumb mixture, pressing lightly. Bake in a 350-degree oven 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool and cut into bars.

 

 

Rhubarb Crunch

1 cup sifted flour

3/4 cup uncooked oatmeal

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 cup melted butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 cups diced rhubarb

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoon cornstarch

1 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon until crumbly. Press half of the mixture into a 9-inch-square pan. Cover the crumb mixture with diced rhubarb.

In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, water and vanilla and cook until thick and clear. Pour over rhubarb. Top with remaining crumbs and bake in a 350-degree oven for 45 to 60 minutes. Serves warm as is or top with whipped cream.

 

 

Rhubarb Sauce Cake

1 cup sugar (3/4 cup if rhubarb sauce is sweetened)

1/2 cup shortening or butter

1 egg

2 cups rhubarb sauce

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cup flour

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt, optional

1 cup raisins or currants

1/3 cup chopped nuts

Cream together sugar and shortening. Add egg, rhubarb sauce and vanilla.

Sift together flour, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Add to creamed mixture. Stir in raisins or currants and chopped nuts. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch pan and bake in a 325-degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes.

 

 

Thickened Rhubarb Pudding

1 quart rhubarb

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup flour or 1/4 cup cornstarch

1/3 cup sugar

Stew rhubarb and water five minutes. Strain. Mix together flour or cornstarch and sugar, then add to stewed rhubarb. Cook until thick and clear.

Pour into pudding dishes. Sprinkle with sugar to keep the surface moist and free from skin. Chill and serve with cream.

 

 

Rhubarb Leather

1 quart rhubarb

1/4 cup water

About 3 tablespoons honey

Wash and cut rhubarb into small pieces. Put water in a saucepan and add rhubarb. Cook only until rhubarb starts to soften. Let cool slightly, then put in blender and puree. It should make about 2 cups puree. Add 1-1/2 tablespoons honey per cup of puree.

Line a 12-by-17-inch cookie sheet with plastic wrap. Spread puree in  1/4 to 1/8-inch layer evenly over the plastic, but do not push it completely to the sides. Leave a bit of plastic showing for easy removal.

Puree may be dried in the sun, in a 140 to 150-degree oven or a home dehydrator. It will take six to eight hours to dry.

You can use half strawberries, half rhubarb. If you do not have fresh strawberries, use the frozen type. Because sugar is generally added to commercially frozen strawberries, no additional sweetener may be needed.

 

 

Dried Rhubarb Snacks

1 cup sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

2  cups water

1 pound rhubarb, cut into pieces

Combine sugar, corn syrup and water in a pan and bring to a boil. Add rhubarb and simmer 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and let fruit stand in hot syrup for 30 minutes. Lift fruit out of syrup with a slotted spoon, and place in a colander or a plastic mesh screen to drain. Place drained fruit on a dehydrator tray or on a rack placed on a cookie sheet for oven or sun drying.

Place in a 140-degree oven, if oven drying. Follow manufacturer’s directions if using a home dehydrator. Cover with cheesecloth and place in sun or a hot sunny spot, such as next to a car windshield, if sun drying. Drying time may range from six hours to two days or longer, depending on local temperature and humidity.

Honey may be substituted for some of the corn syrup. Try different sweetener combinations and amounts to make the product that you like best.

 

 

Rhubarb Berry Conserve

2 cups rhubarb, finely cut

1 cup seeded raisins

2 oranges, pulp and grated rind

3 cups sugar

4 cups whole strawberries, raspberries, blackberries or other berries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Combine rhubarb, raisins, orange rind and pulp and sugar. Refrigerate overnight.

Add berries and simmer until thick. Add walnuts. Pour boiling hot mixture into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust caps. Process 15 minutes in boiling water bath. 

Makes six half pints.

 

 

Apricot Rhubarb Conserve

8 ounces dried apricots, finely cut

4 cups rhubarb cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 orange, pulp and rind, cut in small pieces

1/2 lemon, pulp and rind, cut in small pieces

6 cups sugar

1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional

Soak dried apricots overnight in enough water to cover. Combine cut up rhubarb, orange and lemon. Measure, then add an equal amount of sugar. Cook about 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until thick or until mixture reaches 220 degrees. Add nuts if desired.

Pour boiling hot mixture into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust caps. Process 15 minutes in boiling water bath. Makes seven half pints.

 

 

Rhubarb Mint Punch

1 cup hot, strong tea

6 tablespoons lemon juice

3/4 cup sugar

1 small bunch mint leaves or 1 tablespoon dried mint leaves

2 cups rhubarb juice

1 stick cinnamon

1 quart cracked ice

1 orange, sliced very thin

1 quart ginger ale

1 pint carbonated water

Add lemon juice, sugar, mint leaves, rhubarb juice and cinnamon stick to strong tea. Chill, then remove the cinnamon. Add ice, orange, ginger ale and carbonated water and serve.