Rhubarb could not be easier to grow. It is a perennial (which means it will come back year after year.) As far as I know, rhubarb has no pests. I guess the critters know that the leaves are poisonous.
The pink stems of the rhubarb are what you eat. Some people call it the pie plant. It is excellent in pies and cobblers. Rhubarb has a tart flavor that combines well with other fruits.
I've been picking a little rhubarb this year. We've enjoyed strawberry rhubarb pie and rhubarb coffee cake. I don't want to pick it too hard this year since it is a young plant, but I'd like to start collecting recipes for rhubarb.
Do you grow rhubarb? Do you have a favorite rhubarb recipe?
My grandpa used to grow it. I enjoyed eating rhubarb in various desserts. I had a start from his plant. It won't grow in in NC. Perhaps it's too hot and not enough freeze time during the winter. I think there was a rhubarb cream pie recipe I tried and it was well liked. I'm not sure what happened to the recipe. Lorinda
ReplyDeleteI never considered that rhubarb doesn't grow in the south!
DeleteGina
Rhubarb Meringue Squares from the Basics and More Cookbook. It was a new one for me this year...really good. Tart. But super delicous. It doesn't hold up that great for the next day or day after that. It's best eaten at one sitting. Have company!!!
ReplyDeleteI acutally froze some rhubarb and so that was what I used when I made this recipe. I let it thaw... and I can't remember if I cut the baking time some because it obviously will be a bit on the mushy side - not crisp like the fresh stuff.
I have the Basics and More cookbook - so I'll look that one up!
DeleteThanks!
Gina
My mom used to make strawberry rhubarb jam, and it was soo yummy! Sorry I dont have a recipe, but I am confident you could figure one out. :-)
ReplyDeleteStrawberry Rhubarb jam is very tasty!
ReplyDeleteWe also ate it as a pudding; cook it with water, sugar and tapioca (you can add a package of strawberry jello at the end for good flavor and color).
I don't grow rhubarb, but my dad has a large patch of it so I have the opportunity to use all would like. Here's a post where I shared four or so of our favorite rhubarb recipes: Some favorite rhubarb recipes.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy these!
My 3 favorite rhubarb recipe. I usually make rhubarb/strawberry jam as well, but due to a frost my plants didn't produce much. :(
ReplyDeleteStrawberry/Rhubarb Pie:
(makes 1 pie)
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. grated orange peel, OPT.
2 cups rhubarb, cut-up in 1/2" pieces
2 cups strawberries, sliced
2 Tbsp. butter
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare your favorite 2-crust pie pastry (I love my ancient Betty Crocker recipe). Mix sugar, flour, and orange peel (opt). Turn half of strawberries and rhubarb into pastry-lined pie pan. Sprinkle with half of sugar mixture. Repeat with remaining rhubarb, strawberries, and sugar mixture. Dot with butter. Cover with top crust that has slits cut into it (or use a pie bird) and seal edges. Sprinkle with sugar. Cover edge of crust with foil or pie ring to prevent too much browning. Bake until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust, about 40-50 minutes. Let sit until cooled before cutting. Serve with vanilla ice cream for extra-yumminess!
*I always have juice spill onto the oven floor and so I put a sheet of foil on the bottom rack to catch the drippings!
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Rhubarb Dream Bars:
(from The Amish Cook: Lovina Eicher in South Bend, IN)
Base Layer:
1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup butter
Mix the ingredients like a pie crust. Press into a 9x13 cake pan. Bake 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees (until lightly browned and still somewhat soft).
Top Layer:
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups rhubarb, chopped in small pieces
(around 1 cup strawberries, sliced, optional)
Mix all together. Pour onto crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 min. Cool and then cut into bars.
Thanks for all these yummy sounding recipes!
DeleteGina
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ReplyDeleteBig Crumb Coffeecake with Rhubarb
(from Smitten Kitchen)
For the rhubarb filling:
1/2 pound rhubarb, trimmed (I just guessed the amount of stalks)
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
For the crumbs:
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) butter, melted
1 3/4 cups cake flour (I was out and used all-purpose and it worked great. You can take out 2 Tbsp. of flour for every cup to make it more like cake flour.)
For the cake:
1/3 cup sour cream
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup cake flour (ditto on the all-purpose flour–worked just fine)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons softened butter, cut into 8 pieces.
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8-inch-square baking pan. For filling, slice rhubarb 1/2 inch thick and toss with sugar, cornstarch and ginger. Set aside.
2. To make crumbs [this step now updated, see comment #150] in a large bowl, whisk sugars, spices and salt into melted butter until smooth. Then, add flour with a spatula or wooden spoon. It will look and feel like a solid dough. Leave it pressed together in the bottom of the bowl and set aside.
3. To prepare cake, in a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add butter and a spoonful of sour cream mixture and mix on medium speed until flour is moistened. Increase speed and beat for 30 seconds. Add remaining sour cream mixture in two batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition, and scraping down the sides of bowl with a spatula. Scoop out about 1/2 cup batter and set aside.
4. Scrape remaining batter into prepared pan. Spoon rhubarb over batter. Dollop set-aside batter over rhubarb; it does not have to be even.
5. Using your fingers, break topping mixture into big crumbs, about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch in size. They do not have to be uniform, but make sure most are around that size. Sprinkle over cake. Bake cake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean of batter (it might be moist from rhubarb), 45 to 55 minutes. Cool completely before serving.
My favorite is a rhubarb sauce that my mom used to make to pour over vanilla ice cream. She'd mix in some blackberries, or blueberries, or whatever other fruit we may have at the time and it stretched the amount of sauce and the tartness was really good on sweet ice cream. Since my husband does not eat any sweetener... we've not harvested much rhubarb, though we have enough growing to feed the whole neighborhood. I suggested that we sell the plants and grow something we CAN eat, but he doesn't want to move the plants because they mark the edges of the leach field. No wonder they grow so well :)
ReplyDeleteOld New Englanders would grow rhubarb out by the outhouse. Not only did it hide the outhouse somewhat, but is grew like crazy. *** hee hee ***
I do still eat some, but not what I used to as a kid. I recently made a cake that called for rhubarb and a box of strawberry jello. It was quite good. See here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/aunt-kayes-rhubarb-dump-cake/
I guess you can make "dump" cakes with all sorts of fruit.
I love the idea of a sauce for ice cream!
DeleteGina
Rhubarb is such a pretty plant. I had always wanted to try it so a few years ago I found some at the farmer's market. I made a strawberry rhubarb pie. I am not a fan of rhubarb. It was ok but do not like the texture of it. But I love the plant. And it reminds me of old farm house gardens.
ReplyDeleteHi Gina! We have two rhubarb plants - I love the sweet-tart flavor. Two things I like to make are a rhubarb-bbq sauce (tastes like reg. bbq, but with a bit of a tang) and our favorite thing to eat with pork, Rhubarb Chutney:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.anoregoncottage.com/2011/06/in-season-easy-rhubarb-barbecue-sauce.html
http://www.anoregoncottage.com/2012/06/spicy-rhubarb-chutney.html
I also had a TGP about rhubarb and I asked people to leave recipes, so there are a number in the comments (http://www.anoregoncottage.com/2012/06/rhubarb-tuesday-garden-party.html). I've tried Mindy's Rhubarb bread that she mentioned and it is yummy and also was emailed a crisp recipe that I'm going to post again once my rhubarb recovers from all the picking! :-)
How did I miss that Garden Party? I'll check it out!
DeleteAnd we love chutney!
Thanks!
Gina
Hi,
ReplyDeleteIf you have the Simply In Season cookbook they have some good recipes. I made one and it was really good. It was muffins or a coffee cake. Not sure which.
Happy Baking,
Carlene
We like rhubarb/apple crisp. I use my apple crisp recipe and substitute rhubarb for about half the apples. Very yummy!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds quite simple and easy!
DeleteThanks, Emily!
Gina
In addition to the rhubarb cobbler and strawberry-rhubarb jam, one of our favorite ways to use our rhubarb is to chop it up and boil it down into a syrup. We then add some syrup to a glass of club soda or Sprite for a refreshing summer drink!
ReplyDeleteWe love rhubarb! Our favorite is rhubarb dumplings.
ReplyDeletehttp://mrsmaryannshouse.blogspot.com/2009/05/in-season-recipe-swap-rhubarb-dumplings.html
You all are sharing so many great ideas! I would have never thought of dumplings!
DeleteGina
I tried a strawberry-rhubarb crisp the other week from Food Network .com - it was really good! I have used it for jam with strawberries, and once made a strawberry-rhubarb pie with a cheesecake type second layer on top that was AMAZING! Maybe I need to get that recipe out again ... yum!
ReplyDeleteRHUBARB SLUSH (a punch-like drink... very nice on a hot day!)
ReplyDelete12 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb, cut in ½ inch pieces
14 cups water, divided
4 cups sugar
1 can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 can frozen pink lemonade concentrate
20 cups club soda, sprite or ginger ale
· in a large saucepan, bring rhubarb and 8 cups water to a boil
· reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 5-8 minutes or until rhubarb is tender
· mash rhubarb and strain; reserve juice and discard pulp
· add sugar, concentrates and remaining water to rhubarb juice
· pour into a freezer container; cover and freeze until firm
· let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving
· place equal amounts of slush mixture and club soda / sprite / ginger ale in each serving glass or punch bowl
· serve immediately
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Another alternative to the above using dehydrated rhubarb (saves on freezer space)
1 12oz can frozen orange juice
1 12oz can frozen lemonade
1 cup sugar or 3/4 cup honey
1 qt gingerale or 7-up
Place 3 cups dehydrated rhubarb into a pan with 3 cups water. Simmer 5 minutes. Cool and puree in blender - then add remaining ingredients.
I tried emailing you several recipes but the email kept bouncing back... I was usuing the email in the 'contact' section (without the spaces) but it still didn't work. So I'll post them one by one. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteRASPBERRY RHUBARB SLAB PIE
Crust:
1 ½ cups flour
½ cup cold butter, cubed
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 ½ - 2 ½ tablespoons cold water
· lightly grease a 9x13 pan; set aside
· using a food processor (or fork), pulse together flour, butter, salt and sugar until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs
· add vinegar and water until the mixture is doughy
· press into prepared pan in an even layer
Filling:
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup corn starch
5 cups raspberries (thawed and drained if frozen)
3 cups sliced rhubarb (thawed and drained if frozen)
· in a large bowl stir together sugar and cornstarch; add raspberries and rhubarb, mixing well
· spread in an even layer over crust
Crumb topping:
1 cup flour
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup cold butter
· place all topping ingredients in a food processor and pulse to make crumbs
· spread evenly over filling layer
· bake at 375F for 50-60 minutes or until crust is a light golden brown and filling is bubbly
· allow to cool
Icing:
1 ¼ cups icing sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
5 teaspoons milk
· combine all icing ingredients
· drizzle over cooled pie
· cut into squares
Note: You could substitute strawberries for the raspberries but then I'd cut back on the filling sugar as they are much sweeter berries.
SOUR CREAM RHUBARB PIE
ReplyDelete1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 egg
3 cups chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb
1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)
TOPPING:
½ cup quick-cooking oats
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup cold butter
· in a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon
· beat in the sour cream and egg
· gently fold in the rhubarb
· pour into pastry shell
· for topping, combine the oats, flour and brown sugar
· cut in butter until crumbly
· sprinkle over the filling
· bake at 400° for 15 minutes
· reduce heat to 350°; bake 35-40 minutes longer or until topping is golden brown
· cool on a wire rack
· refrigerate leftovers
My mom-in-law makes this wonderful rhubarb custard, I've never had anything quite like it and it's delicious!
ReplyDeletehttp://dotalanecdotes.blogspot.com/2010/09/rhubarb-for-bakers.html
This recipe for rhubarb conserve is delicious, I really love to eat it when it is still hot :) http://dotalanecdotes.blogspot.com/2010/08/rhubarb-everything.html
A favorite at our house - rhubarb juice concentrate! Easy to make and can, to enjoy the taste of summer in the winter. http://dotalanecdotes.blogspot.com/2010/08/rhubarb-juice-yes-i-kid-you-not.html
And finally, my husbands' favorite is the rhubarb BBQ sauce - he insists it is the best sauce he's ever had. You can leave it chunky of course, if that is what your family prefers. http://dotalanecdotes.blogspot.com/2010/09/as-promised-more-rhubarb-recipes.html
Also, my grandma will cook up a mess of chopped rhubarb with a little sugar and serve it over ice cream! Delicious. She eats it without the ice cream, too, just a syrupy tart bowl of rhubarb :)
ReplyDeleteI just made rhubarb jam the other day! If you go to the website of Kraft foods or do a search for rhubarb jam you will find a recipe for simple jam using only rhubarb, no other fruit or jello added. (Certo or Sure Jell pectin is added)
ReplyDeleteThere was just a recipe in the Budget for rhubarb bread that I want to try sometime and our family favorite is rhubarb coffee cake.