Ingredient Title Chef Category

Rhubarb stalks the garden

My mother was many good things but none of them pertained to gardening. Not that she didn't try but she was born with brown thumbs up to her elbows. The only plant that ever took pity on her was rhubarb. Rhubarb is such a striver and survivor. Once rhubarb determines that you have a real need to have something edible growing in your yard, it will volunteer every single spring until you bodily dig it up and throw it into the compost pit. At which time, it will probably feel that was a good move, now it can volunteer in more gardens, whether they know they need rhubarb or not.

I highly recommend rhubarb in the garden and rhubarb in the kitchen. The sour fruit just loves sugar and when the two are together in any dish you have a winner. Donna LeGrand of Reydon, Okla., wrote to me many years regarding a rhubarb salad recipe that was published in the 1990's. I never did find the recipe she had lost but in her nice letter she said, "have you tried cooking 1 package frozen rhubarb (about 4 cups), then stirring in 1 box of strawberry or raspberry sugar-free Jello? This makes a yummy spread on hot buttered bread and is so good with ice cream. It never lasts long around here."

Rhubarb Strawberry Tart with Orange Shortbread Crust

The crust can hold any number of good fillings. It is easy; you simply press it into any tart pan with a removable bottom.

4 cups strawberries

3 cups of 1/2-inch pieces rhubarb

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur, optional

Rinse and hull berries. Drain until dry on absorbent towels; cut berries in half. Set aside 1 cup berries for garnish. Over medium heat, combine remaining berries, rhubarb, sugar and peel. Cover and stir occasionally until rhubarb is soft when pierced, about 5 minutes. Blend 2 tablespoons water with cornstarch; stir into rhubarb mixture, then stir over high heat until mixture reaches a rolling boil. Mix liqueur with rhubarb mixture, then spread into baked tart shell. Chill until filling is cool and set, at least 1 hour. If made ahead, cover and chill up until next day. Top with reserved strawberries. Makes 8 or 9 servings.

Orange Shortbread Crust

Press this evenly over bottom and up sides of an 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom.

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, cup in small pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 large egg yolk

Preheat oven to 325 F. In food processor or with fingers, whirl or rub together flour, sugar and butter. With a fork stir in orange peel and then egg yolk. Process or stir with a fork until dough holds together. Press evenly over bottom and up sides of 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Bake until golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on rack. Makes a single crust.

Pork Chop Rhubarb Casserole

The tangy rhubarb brings out the best in pork.

4 pork chops
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 1/2 cups bread crumbs
3 cups chopped rhubarb
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a skillet, brown pork chops in oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix 1/4 cup pan drippings with bread crumbs. Reserve 1/2 cup, and spread remaining crumbs into 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Combine rhubarb, sugar, flour and cinnamon. Spoon half over the bread crumbs. Arrange pork chops on top. Spoon remaining rhubarb mixture over chops. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with reserved 1/2 cup crumbs. Bake 15 minutes longer. Makes 4 servings.

Easy Rhubab Compote

Cooking rhubarb in the oven or microwave is less work and takes less energy (if you use the oven for other dishes at the same time) than cooking on the range top. It also preserves the brilliant pinkish red color better. Spoon the compote over ice cream, serve chilled with cookies or use it in rhubarb-lemon cream pie. It keeps up to a week.

2 pounds rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 orange, zest
1/4 teaspoon vanilla, optional

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix rhubarb, sugar, zest and vanilla in a 9- by 13-inch baking dish and spread level. Cover dish tightly and cook until rhubarb is very soft when pierced but still holds its shape, about 45 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Makes 2 + cups.

Rhubarb Fool

Could not possibly be easier. Turns something very simple into something very special.

Rhubarb compote (above recipe)
Fresh strawberries, sliced
Whipped cream, not sweetened

Combine the 3 ingredients in any proportion you wish. Spoon into bowls and chill 2 hours. Garnish with a fresh strawberry complete with stem.

Rhubarb-Orange Parfaits

Another simple to make elegant dessert based on rhubarb compote. Pretty when made in tall glasses and eaten with iced tea spoons

Rhubarb compote (recipe above)
Orange zest
Oranges
Vanilla ice cream or orange sherbet

Remove zest from unpeeled oranges. Cut away the pith and cut orange into bite-size pieces. Remove seeds. Layer compote with orange pieces and vanilla ice cream. Top with shreds of orange zest (shreds of peel).

Rhubarb Sandwich Cake

Bake or buy a sponge cake for a quick and easy dessert. A hint of cinnamon in the rhubarb compote is a nice touch; or a bit of orange zest.

Sponge cake
Rhubarb compote (recipe above)
Confectioners sugar
Whipped cream, lightly sweetened
Berries for garnish, optional

Slice the sponge cake horizontally and spoon compote between the layers. Using a flour sifter, sift confectioners sugar lightly over the top. Pass the whipped cream.

Rhubarb the king of spring!

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