Loving care or deliberate inattention — rhubarb plants usually thrive no matter how they are treated in the family garden.
The fruit that is really a vegetable will survive in almost any condition and will be one of the first harvests from the spring garden.
This week’s recipes give three suggestions for how to enjoy those first stalks of the year.
• • •
Rhubarb Soup
4 cups diced, fresh rhubarb
1 cup plus 2 tbsps. water, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1-2 inch cinnamon stick
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup white grape juice
In a large saucepan, combine rhubarb, 1 cup water, sugar and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 15-20 minutes until rhubarb is tender.
Combine starch and remaining water until smooth. Stir into rhubarb. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Remove from heat and discard cinnamon stick. Stir in grape juice.
Serve warm or cover and refrigerate overnight and serve chilled. Makes 4 servings.
• • •
Rhubarb Delight
Crust:
1 cup flour
2 tsps. sugar
1/3 cup butter
Centre:
2 1/2 cups rhubarb cubes
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 beaten egg yolks
1/3 cup milk
3 tbsps. flour
Topping:
3 egg whites
2 tbsps. cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar
To make the crust, mix all ingredients until coarsely fine then press in a 9x9 inch greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
Next wash and cut rhubarb into small piece. Place in large pot with milk. Beat the egg yolks and add to rhubarb and mix well. Add milk and then flour and stir. Cook on moderate heat until mixture is thick. Spoon onto crust and smooth evenly.
To make meringue topping, beat egg whites until foamy. Carefully add cornstarch and sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Spread over rhubarb layer and bake at 350 degrees F until golden. Remove from oven and cool before slicing with a hot knife.
• • •
Rhubarb Cake
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sour cream
3 cups diced rhubarb
Topping:
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup soft butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
ground cinnamon for dusting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking dish.
In a large bowl stir together 1 1/4 cups sugar, baking soda, salt and 2 cups of flour. Stir in eggs and sour cream and mix until smooth.
Fold in rhubarb then pour into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
To make the topping, in a small bowl stir together 1 cup sugar and the butter until smooth. Stir in 1/4 cup flour and mix until mixture is crumbly. Spread mixture evenly on top of the rhubarb mixture. Lightly dust with cinnamon.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool, or serve warm with ice cream.
Joyce Walter may be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
