The seasonal treat is available in markets now.
If you’ve never indulged in rhubarb, this year you should: High in vitamins C and K (which plays an important role in bone health), and a good source of dietary fiber, it provides a pretty nutritious bang for your buck. Rhubarb also is one of nature’s top plant sources of bone-building calcium and is extremely low in calories (less than 30 calories per cup raw) — though you’ll probably end up using at least some sugar (and in some cases A LOT of sweetener) when cooking with it.
Rhubarb has long been known as “pie plant” for a reason. Too sour to eat out of hand, it’s typically paired with fruits such as strawberries or raspberries and lots of sugar to make sweet treats such as cakes, pies, breads, ice cream and jam. A pie can bring about the marriage of fresh-picked strawberries and rhubarb.
Tired of rhubarb pie? Try a rhubarb upside-down cake below. It’s a lush vanilla-infused cake with tangy, sunset pink rhubarb.
But rhubarb lends itself pretty deliciously to savory dishes, too, as the chicken and shrimp recipes below confirm. If you’re the kind of person who loves veggies preserved in brine, you’ll be delighted to learn rhubarb tastes great pickled.
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And don’t forget about cocktails. Tart and sweet, rhubarb makes for a good shrub or simple syrup.
Because only rhubarb stalks can be eaten (its heart-shaped leaves are poisonous), the veggie comes stripped naked of any greenery.
Look for firm, crispy-looking and well-colored stalks — the redder the rhubarb, the sweeter the flesh. Don’t worry about peeling it or having to cook it immediately. Stored in a plastic bag, rhubarb will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to three weeks; it also can be cut up and frozen for up to a year. (Freeze individual pieces separately on a tray before placing them in a bag to keep them loose.)
RHUBARB COCKTAIL
Serves 4
This sweet-tart, pretty-in-pink drink just tastes like spring. The syrup also can be used to flavor granita, to sweeten tea or lemonade or even as a glaze for chicken.
For the syrup
¾ cup sugar
2 pounds rhubarb, trimmed and chopped
For the cocktails
Ice cubes
8 ounces vodka (½ cup)
32 ounces seltzer (2 cups)
Lemon peel, pith removed, cut into strips
1. Make rhubarb syrup. Combine sugar and 2 cups water in large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add rhubarb and stir to make sure sugar dissolves. Cover pot, lower heat just a little and boil until rhubarb softens, about five minutes. Pull pan off heat and allow rhubarb to cool in covered pot. Mash rhubarb, then strain juice through a double layer of cheesecloth into a small saucepan. Bring juice to boil over medium-high heat, then reduce until juice is concentrated and syrupy and you are left with about two cups. Taste syrup and adjust sugar if necessary. Cool syrup in pan. Transfer to a container and refrigerate until well chilled.
2. Make cocktails. Pour a generous tablespoon chilled rhubarb syrup into each of four chilled glasses. Add ice, vodka and seltzer to taste. Stir, then serve with a lemon strip in each glass. Refrigerate or freeze the remaining rhubarb syrup.
— “The Bettlebung Farm Cookbook” by Chris Fischer (Little, Brown; June 2015, $35)
PINEAPPLE RHUBARB STRAWBERRY CONSERVE
Makes about seven 8-ounce jars
This easy rhubarb jam is delicious on biscuits or toast, and it can also be served with grilled chicken or pork.
20-ounce can juice-packed crushed pineapple, drained
1½ cups chopped rhubarb (¼-inch pieces, about three stalks)
1½ cups crushed strawberries (about 2 pints whole)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
2-ounce box fruit pectin
½ teaspoon unsalted butter
6½ cups sugar
½ cups chopped pecans or walnuts
1/3 cup golden raisins
1. In 8-quart stainless-steel stockpot, combine pineapple juice, rhubarb, strawberries, lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir in pectin and add butter. Bring mixture to full rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Add sugar and stir until completely dissolved, then stir in pecans and raisins. Return mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove pot from heat and skim any foam.
3. Ladle conserve into hot jars, leaving ¼-inch head space. Remove any air bubbles. Wipe jar rims and threads with a clean, damp paper towel. Apply hot lids and screw bands.
4. Process 4-ounce, 8-ounce and pint jars in a water bath canner for 10 minutes. Remove from water bath canner and let cool for 12 to 24 hours. Check seals and remove screw bands. Store jars in a cool, dry dark place for up to 1 year.
— “Blue Ribbon Canning” by Linda J. Amendt (Taunton, April 2015, $21.95)
PICKLED RHUBARB
Makes 4 cups
Tart and tangy, this peppery concoction is great with cheese or charcuterie or anything to which you’re looking to add color and punch.
2 cups water
1 cup apple-cider vinegar
2/3 cup white-wine vinegar
6 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound rhubarb, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
8 ounces celery, sliced 1/8-inch thick
8 ounces strawberries, thinly sliced
Mix water, vinegars, sugar, salt and pepper in a medium sauce pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. In large bowl, toss rhubarb, celery and strawberries. Pour simmering liquid over vegetables and mix well. Let cool to room temperature and then refrigerate, uncovered, overnight to let flavors meld before serving. The rhubarb will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days.
— “Made in America: A Modern Collection of Classic Recipes” by Colby and Megan Garrelts (Andrews McMeel, April 2015, $21.99)
ROASTED RHUBARB SALAD
Serves 6
Roasting rhubarb preserves its brilliant red color while retaining its shape. It also mellows its tangy bite, which is a good thing for those who might be scared off by the super-tart veggie. “It’s an outstanding alternative to more conventional pears or apples in a crisp salad,” writes Brian Nicholson and Sarah Huck in “Fruitful.” They suggest drizzling any extra syrup over ice cream, Greek yogurt or waffles.
8 ounces cut into ½-inch pieces
3 tablespoons maple syrup, or to taste
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1½ tablespoons sherry vinegar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoon thinly sliced shallot
2 teaspoons minced tarragon
1 pound watercress, tough stems removed
¼ cup toasted chopped walnut
3 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled (about ¾ cup)
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toss together the rhubarb, syrup and 1 teaspoon of oil. Spread mixture on prepared baking sheet and roast until rhubarb is tender, seven to 10 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven and set aside to cool.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, salt, shallot and tarragon. Whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons of oil.
3. In large bowl, combine watercress, walnuts and rhubarb. Gently toss in goat cheese and dressing.
— “Fruitful: Four Seasons of Fresh Fruit Recipes” by Brian Nicholson and Sarah Huck (Running Press, 2014, $27.50)
SKILLET CHICKEN WITH RHUBARB
Serves 4
Don’t let the greenish tint of this savory chicken dish dissuade you from trying it — it is so, so good. Good enough, in fact, to serve to company.
5½-pound whole chicken, cut into eight pieces
1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
1 teaspoon black pepper, more as needed
5 sprigs thyme, preferably lemon thyme
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch spring onions or scallions, white and light-green stalks thinly sliced (slice and reserve greens for garnish)
2 stalks green garlic, thinly sliced, or 2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup dry white wine
¾ pound fresh rhubarb, cut into ½-inch dice (three cups)
1 tablespoon honey, or to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1. Pat chicken dry and season with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Place in a bowl with the thyme sprigs and cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove thyme from bowl with chicken, reserving thyme. Add chicken pieces to skillet and sear, turning occasionally, until golden brown all over, about 10 minutes. Transfer pieces to a platter.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in onion (white and light-green parts) and cook until softened, about five minutes. Add garlic and reserved thyme; cook one minute more. Stir in wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits in the bottom of pan. Add rhubarb, honey, ½ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper.
4. Return chicken pieces to pot in a single layer. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes for breasts and 20 to 25 minutes for legs and thighs, transferring chicken pieces to a platter as they finish cooking.
5. Whisk butter into rhubarb sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Spoon sauce over chicken and garnish with sliced scallions.
— Melissa Clark, The New York Times
RHUBARB-GLAZED SHRIMP
Serves 6
“Don’t stop with shrimp” in this recipe, advise the editors of Sunset. “This sweet-and-sour barbecue sauce promises to be a summer staple, since it’s great on grilled pork chops and chicken, too.”
½ cup chopped rhubarb (preferably red rather than green)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp (36 to 42 per pound)
1 scallion, thinly sliced diagonally
1. Heat a grill to high (450 to 550 degrees). In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook rhubarb, ginger, garlic, hoisin, sugar, and ¼ cup water. When rhubarb starts to break apart, about three minutes, whisk in soy sauce and transfer half the glaze to a small bowl.
2. Thread shrimp onto four metal skewers. Brush both sides of shrimp with glaze from pan. Grill shrimp, turning and basting generously as you go, until they’re opaque and grill marks appear, about eight minutes total.
3. Transfer to a serving plate and brush with glaze from bowl. Sprinkle with onion. Serve with remaining glaze from bowl on the side.
— Sunset magazine
RECIPE: STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB PIE
Makes 8 servings
Crust
2½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) very cold unsalted butter, diced
½ cup very cold vegetable shortening, diced
¼ cup ice water
¼ cup vodka
Filling
1½ pounds rhubarb, cut into ¾-inch-long pieces (about five to six cups)
2 cups sliced strawberries
1½ cups sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, plus 1 tablespoon orange juice
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash
Sugar for sprinkling, optional
1. To make the crust: In the bowl of a food processor, place the flour, sugar and salt; pulse to combine. Add the butter and shortening pieces. Process just until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of water and 2 tablespoons vodka, and pulse to combine. Continue adding vodka and water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together and is slightly tacky but sticks together. Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into a 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to two days.
2. To make the filling: Mix together rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, orange zest and juice and ¼ teaspoon salt.
3. To finish the pie: On a floured surface, roll out one dough disk so it’s 1/8-inch thick and will fit in a nine-inch pie plate. Place the dough in the pan, pour in the filling; dot top with butter. Refrigerate while making top crust.
4. Roll remaining disk to 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into at least 10-inch-wide strips using a fluted pastry cutter.
5. Lay five strips across pie. Fold back every other strip, and lay a horizontal strip across the center of the pie. Unfold folded strips, then fold back remaining strips. Lay another horizontal strip across pie. Repeat folding and unfolding strips to weave a lattice pattern. Repeat on remaining side.
6. Trim bottom and top crusts to a 1-inch overhang using kitchen shears and press together to seal edges. Fold edges under, and crimp as desired. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
8. Remove the pie from the refrigerator. Brush crust with egg wash, and sprinkle generously with sugar. Place a foil-lined baking sheet on the bottom rack to catch juices, and bake pie on middle rack for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, reduce the temperature to 375 degrees and continue baking until filling is vigorously bubbling in center and bottom crust is golden, about one hour. (Tent loosely with foil after one hour if crust is browning too quickly.) Transfer pie to a wire rack, and let cool for at least two hours before serving.
— Adapted by The Seattle Times from Martha Stewart Living, June 2011.
RHUBARB UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
Makes 8 servings
2½ sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, more to grease pans
1½ pounds rhubarb, rinsed and sliced into ½-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1½ cups sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
2 cups cake flour
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Zest of 1 lemon, grated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1/3 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice.
1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Butter the paper and sides of the pan. Wrap two layers of foil under the pan, and place it on a buttered baking sheet.
2. In a medium bowl, mix rhubarb, cornstarch and ½ cup sugar.
3. Mix the brown sugar and ½ stick butter in a pan over medium heat. Whisk until smooth and bubbling, about two minutes. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Whip 2 sticks butter in a mixer with a paddle attachment for two minutes. With your fingers, blend the remaining 1 cup sugar with lemon zest until the mixture is uniform in color. Cream together with the butter at medium-high speed until it is light and fluffy, about four minutes, stopping to scrape down the bowl halfway through. Add the vanilla and mix well. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the sour cream, then the lemon juice. (It’s OK if the mixture looks curdled.) With the mixer set to low speed, add the flour mixture, ¼ cup at a time, until well combined. Scrape down the mixer bowl in between the additions.
5. Pour the brown-sugar mixture into the cake pan, then spoon in the rhubarb and its juices. Spoon in the batter so it covers all of the rhubarb. Smooth out the top.
6. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the top of the cake is firm to touch and a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out without any large, moist crumbs.
7. Place the pan on a wire rack, and cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the cake, place a plate on top of the pan and turn it upside-down. Release the cake from the pan while still warm or else it will stick.
— Melissa Clark, The New York Times