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Rhubarb...


aidensnd2

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Chufi, can you post your compote recipe?  It looks delicious.  How did you cook the rhubarb so it's so pretty, and what kind of meringues, and how did you prepare the ginger, etc.

I just picked the first rhubarb from my yard and am anxious to use it.

Sorry to be late with my reply..

The compote is really easy. Just toss rhubarb with sugar and some orage zest.. How much sugar you have to use, really depends on the sweetness (age) of the rhubarb.

Put it in a baking dish, cover with foil and bake in a moderate oven for about 20 minutes, the pieces will be firm but still hold their shape.

Or, what I often do, is just cook them in a pan on the hob, thus way you get pore of a puree-style compote.

The meringues were plain eggwhite & sugar. I cooked them at slightly too high temp that's why they are a little brown.

The ginger comes in jars here, little knobs of ginger in a thick gingersyrup.

the other day I made rhubarb icecream by simply stirring that rhubarb puree into some storebought icecream.

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Edited by Chufi (log)
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Marlena Spieler just had an article in (I think) the SF Chronicle about rhubarb. Yes, she did: link

She attributes the loss of colour to overcooking.

There doesn't seem to be a lot of rhubarb in NorCal either but what has made its appearance in some farmer's markets is "Valencia rhubarb". It's green when ready to eat and so you don't have to worry about the colour loss. When stewed, it looks quite similar to applesauce.

I stewed some on Sunday afternoon and, after eating some of it in the usual way (with yogurt instead of ice cream though), I used it as the "sauce" on my luncheon smorrebrod today. Roast pork and rhubarb is apparently a flavour match made in heaven!

Who knew?

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In Denmark, stewed rhubarb is a traditional trimming for roast chicken - in the spring, with new potatoes and gravy. Had the first rhubarb of the year this way yesterday.

The whole family had leftover rhubarb on muesli/porridge for breakfast - tasty.

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The color of the stalk is varietal. In California, Cherry is a recommended red variety, and Victoria is a recommended variety that has green stalks with red shading. I think the reason you don't see much rhubarb in California, particularly Southern, is that it really prefers cooler temperatures and more moisture. I remember my grandmother's ministering to her rhubarb patch in dusty, dry Riverside, CA. I was a kid at the time, and we spent hours in her garden, but the only thing I can remember was the rhubarb; it was that important to her. How she managed to keep it going is a complete mystery to me now. Even here in upstate NY it practically dies to the ground during summer.

Originally being from SoCal and somewhat of a rhubarb newbie, I am at a bit of a loss as to what to do with the five massive rhubarb plants growing along my back fence here in NY. Unfortunately--to my mind, anyway--they're all the green-tinged-with-red variety, so they don't cook up into that pretty cherry color. Plus we don't eat a lot of desserts/sweets. I tried to make a rhubarb preserve a couple of years ago, but it turned out an off-putting rust color strewn with bits of floating strings and didn't set properly. Any ideas for preserving other than freezing? How about savory recipes? It really is an obscene amount of rhubarb and I feel guilty knowing that I'm not making proper use of it.

Julie Layne

"...a good little eater."

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Any ideas for preserving other than freezing?  How about savory recipes?  It really is an obscene amount of rhubarb and I feel guilty knowing that I'm not making proper use of it.

Some time back, I was dining at 2941, an upscale restaurant in Falls Church, VA, and they served foie gras with a rhubarb chutney. I have no idea how to make the chutney, but the effect of the tart chutney against the fatty, unctuous foie gras was just superb.

"My only regret in life is that I did not drink more Champagne." John Maynard Keynes

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Here's a link to a thread on the rhubarb brown butter almond cake recently prepared for the President of China during his visit to Seattle: click

"Under the dusty almond trees, ... stalls were set up which sold banana liquor, rolls, blood puddings, chopped fried meat, meat pies, sausage, yucca breads, crullers, buns, corn breads, puff pastes, longanizas, tripes, coconut nougats, rum toddies, along with all sorts of trifles, gewgaws, trinkets, and knickknacks, and cockfights and lottery tickets."

-- Gabriel Garcia Marquez, 1962 "Big Mama's Funeral"

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N.B. In response to Post #30: There is a thread on Savory Rhubarb in the other Cooking forum that you may wish to consult regarding chutney. I've roasted some cut stalks, coated in olive oil and studded with salt (for a different kind of recipe) and they softened quickly, yet remained nicely intact.

* * *

I tried Klary's method for making a compote in the oven and highly recommend it because the pieces retain a kind of structure that gets lost on the stovetop*. I recommend using orange juice--not too much--instead of water. My stalks were not as nubile as Klary's, so their water content may have been much, much higher. I found that I had added too much and with a lid on, they stewed a bit more than I wanted them to. Next time I will try making this without covering them, perhaps stirring them after ten minutes, if not sooner, so they are not quite at that state where they're about to melt into a dew.

*Also did this since I like to stir fresh strawberries into the puree just after taking it off the stove.

Edited by Pontormo (log)

"Viciousness in the kitchen.

The potatoes hiss." --Sylvia Plath

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I made the rhubarb financiers from last month's Saveur for work this week. I made them on two separate days. I baked them in 3'' ring molds that had been lined with parchment in a 350 F oven until they were golden brown and an inserted skewer came out 'clean'. They tasted very buttery and yummy; however, both batches were a bit soggy(for lack of a better word)in the middle. Not doughy or raw though. And instead of being straight sided and pucklike in shape they seem to shrink (from the sides of the ring) at the top and middle and remain flush with the bottom of the ring. So presentation isn't as it should be. Does any body have any insight as to why this happened and/or how I could remedy this?

Thanks,

D.

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I made the rhubarb cake I posted above, again. It was ungodly good. Just cut it in four pieces, why mess with going back and forth?

Decided rhubarb cake was the perfect Mother's Day cake and vow to make it every year. Compelling, yet sour, especially full strength.

I like to bake nice things. And then I eat them. Then I can bake some more.

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The other day, I stewed up some rhubarb w/sugar and lots of water. When done, I strained it all and then froze it to make a rhubarb granita.

It was incredible !

I finished it up yesterday and am already looking forward to going back to the store so I can make some more. The perfect thing for a warm spring / summer afternoon.

-Art

Amano Artisan Chocolate

http://www.amanochocolate.com/

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  • 2 weeks later...

Wow, Art, that sounds good!

This season, I have made a rhubard crumb, at least three rhubarb compotes and a rhubarb cake. I have almost reached the saturation point, but have about a pound in the fridge. It's hard to pass up when it's good.

So, what I think I would like to do is make rhubarb preserves or jam of some sort, to use as is on toast, but also, as part of a BBQ sauce to slather on a rack of spareribs that has already been subjected to a dry rub.

I found one recipe on epicurious.com which calls simply for rhubarb and crystalized ginger (plus sugar & water), but wanted to post this in case others have beloved recipes for rhubarb jam or suggestions of any kind.

Edited by Pontormo (log)

"Viciousness in the kitchen.

The potatoes hiss." --Sylvia Plath

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rhubarb, sugar, gran marnier.

Simmer 'til desired texture / thickness

Store frozen.

Sometimes I use a bit of vanilla to add a roundness to the flavor without really being detectably vanilla.

Serve on blintzes, pancakes.

Use as syrup in making rhubarb margaritas or daquiris (I prefer the rum flavor with this 'fruit')

Yes, I know. Its a stem therefore not a fruit. And a tomato is not a vegetable. whaddevah.:wink:

"You dont know everything in the world! You just know how to read!" -an ah-hah! moment for 6-yr old Miss O.

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I cooked a couple of stalks for the 1st time last week: 2 stalks (about .75 lb) chopped up, 1/2c sugar, one piece (quarter sized) crystallized ginger chopped up, a dash of cinnamon, a little water. Covered and simmered until soft (too soft, left it on too long and it pretty much dissolved). Anyhow, it was tasty to eat as rhubarb-sauce and I later mixed in a dash of salt and a tsp. dijon mustard into the remains and made a tasty sauce for grilled chicken!

"Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast" - Oscar Wilde

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  • 9 months later...

It's a glorious day, when the season's first rhubarb appears. Today was the day. I was at the market, and there they were, bright rosy-red stalks, right next to the muddy beets and black scorzonera. I said it out loud, like I always do, even though I'm shopping on my own, and people will think I'm crazy: YES! Rhubarb!

At 3 euro's for half a kilo, it's an expensive treat, but I can't resist. Isn't it the most photogenic of foodstuffs? I made a simple little rhubarb cake today. I see LOTS of rhubarb in the near future..

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Chufi,

Beautiful cake...did you use the recipe on the first page w/the crystallized ginger? I'd love to make your version, it's so pretty! Please share!

I put the recipe in RecipeGullet here

There's no gnger in this recipe, but i see no reason why you couldn't add it, rhubarb and ginger, mmmm :wub:

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It's a glorious day, when the season's first rhubarb appears. Today was the day. I was at the market, and there they were, bright rosy-red stalks, right next to the muddy beets and black scorzonera. I said it out loud, like I always do, even though I'm shopping on my own, and people will think I'm crazy: YES! Rhubarb!

At 3 euro's for half a kilo, it's an expensive treat, but I can't resist.

I gave in 2-3 weeks ago, long before rhubarb appears in the markets, but straight from California, in a small, slim basket at Whole Foods for around 4 euros for half a kilo. I made a wee bit of compote to swirl into yogurt. I agree, pink bliss :wub: !

"Viciousness in the kitchen.

The potatoes hiss." --Sylvia Plath

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Thanks, Chufi....are you Hungarian? I love rhubarb, and can't wait to make up this cake....thanks again!

Dutch, born & bred :biggrin:

No weekend without rhubarb, this time of year.

Rhubarb almond crumble, warm from the oven, with spoonfuls of cold homemade custard. I was hoping for leftovers for this mornings breakfast, but my guests ate it all yesterday :sad:

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I made Rhubarb Cream Delight yesterday, which 2 of us polished off in one day. It has a buttery shortbread base, tangy rhubarb cream filling and meringue top, which comes together to create something quite delicious. Recipe can be found here.

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  • 10 months later...
I love rhubarb pie, but I really like this, too:

Rhubard Cake with Candied Ginger

• 1 pound rhubarb cut into 1 inch chunks

• 1/2 cup (3 ounces) of crystallized ginger

• 1/2 to 3/4 cup maple syrup

• 1 cup flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup (4 ounces buttermilk)

• 1 egg

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350.

Put cut rhubarb in an 8 x 8 glass baking pan. Add ginger and mix together. Pour maple syrup over the mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes. Stir gently.

Blend flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. In another bowl, beat buttermilk, egg and sugar. Whisk gently into dry ingredients and stir in the butter.

Spoon this batter over the rhubarb, and bake for about 30 minutes.

Serve upside down with whipped cream and diced ginger sprinkled on top.

I just baked this and it was lovely. Thank you

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Burger buns in the background. Guess whats for dinner...

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