by Lynn Greene
Rooting around for new rhubarb recipes
Rhubarb is one of those fruits, vegetables, stem, weed
— whatever you choose to call it — that a person either
loves or hates. The thing is, these recipes may turn
rhubarb detesters into rhubarb afficionados; the dishes
all are tried and true.
Rhubarb sauce
You can’t get any simpler than this. Wash and cut rhubarb
into 1-inch pieces; place in nonaluminum kettle. Add
water to about 1/2-inch deep in pan, cover and simmer
the rhubarb until tender. Sweeten to taste, about 1 cup
sugar for 4 cups rhubarb. Bring to a boil, then remove
from heat. Serve warm or cooled. Keep refrigerated.
Not aluminum?
Rhubarb is acidic, so it interacts with aluminum, turning
the food dark. The same is true for foods that have tomatoes,
wine, vinegar, lemon or other acid. For this reason do
not use aluminum pans. Instead, use glass, ceramic, steel
or the new silicon pans.
Silicon (or silicone) baking pans can be found in most
kitchen departments now. It’s the flexible, brightly
colored bakeware. It’s nonstick, so even muffins pop
out easily with no paper liner. First used by commercial
and professional chefs and bakers, the new silicon bakeware
can handle temperatures from below zero to baking temperatures
of 400 F or even a bit higher. Professional chefs like
them because the pans allow the food to bake and brown
evenly, plus they cool quickly and the flexible silicon
pans make removing baked goods easy. They are safe for
the dishwasher and microwave, and can be folded for easy
storage.
No oil is needed to bake in silicon pans; a slight twist
is all it takes to remove the baked goods from the pan.
Rhubarb pie
— This is my favorite rhubarb recipe. The egg gives
the pie a nice consistency and the vanilla adds a wonderful
flavor. I prefer the ruby red variety of rhubarb for
its intense color. If you don’t have enough rhubarb to
go around, try adding an equal amount of fresh apples
— peeled and sliced — or pie cherries. Both are good
variations.
Makes two 9-inch pies
2 prepared pie crusts, bottom only
8 cups fresh rhubarb, diced
boiling water
3 cups sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 large eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp. vanilla
Streusel topping:
3/4 cup flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup butter
3/4 cup oatmeal
Dice the rhubarb and place in pan. Pour boiling water
over the rhubarb to cover. Let stand for about 1/2 hour
or until cooled. Drain well. (You can reserve the juice,
which will be high in vitamin C, to add to iced tea.)
Add sugar, flour, eggs and vanilla to the rhubarb and
mix together. Pour into the two pie shells.
For streusel topping: Mix together ingredients using
a pastry cutter or fork. It should be a bit lumpy. Distribute
this over the top of the rhubarb and pat down firmly.
Place the pies on a cookie sheet to catch any drippings
and bake in a 350 F oven for about 50 minutes or until
crust is nicely browned.
This recipe makes a deep pie — if your pie pan is more
shallow reduce the amount by a cup or so.
Rhubarb dump cake
— This recipe is believed to have come from an old copy
of the Beloit Shopping News — now the Stateline News.
The information said that Betty Walsh received it from
Dorothy LeBaron. In the clipping attached to the recipe,
both ladies noted that they had it at a recent (now long
past) luncheon and that it is very good.
Makes a 9- by 13-inch pan
3 cups fresh rhubarb
1 pkg. yellow cake mix, the size needed to make a 9-
by 13-inch pan
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 sticks butter
2 Tbsps. tapioca
1/2 cup nut meats
Cut up rhubarb and spread out in a 9- by 13-inch cake
pan. Sprinkle the sugar and tapioca over the rhubarb
evenly. Cover evenly with dry cake mix. Sprinkle on nut
meats. Melt butter and drizzle evenly over cake mix.
Bake 45 minutes in a 350°F oven. Serve with whipped cream
or ice cream.
Rhubarb cake
For cake:
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 cups finely cut rhubarb
For crumb topping:
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup coconut
For cake: Cream together butter, brown sugar, egg and
vanilla.
Sift together dry ingredients and mix in alternately
with the milk. Add the rhubarb.
Grease and flour a 9- by 13-inch glass cake pan. Pour
the batter into pan.
For crumb topping: Mix together sugar, cinnamon and
coconut and sprinkle on top of batter.
Bake for 40 minutes in a 350 F oven.
Lynn Greene is senior editor for Community Shoppers Inc., which publishes the Stateline News. Contact her at lgreene@communityshoppers.com. |
