Rhubarb

[Binky Profile]

Apart from a crumble, what else can I do with fresh rhubarb?

I am trying to avoid desserts at home (need to lose weight) but I can't think what else to do with this fruit.

[Amyw Profile]

God, I adore rhubarb. For a non calorific recipe, I'd go for a compote, with some apple added, a little cinnamon and sweetener of choice. I usually go for muscavado sugar. The compotes great stirred into thick Greek yoghurt, with granola, or nuts for a bit of crunch.
For a bit of a naughtier version, I went to a restaurant over Easter and for dessert had rhubarb fool, with ginger biscuits served on the side. Very indulgent but definitely worth it.

[strictlysalsaclare Profile]

Strawberry and rhubarb is a wonderful combination. The added bonus is if your strawberries are very sweet, you can cut the amount of sugar needed to make the rhubarb palatable. It works as a healthy compote or as a fool or Eton Mess or a cheesecake/fool hybrid, which is what we had for our pudding last night. I combined sliced strawberries with some drained tinned rhubarb (we can't seem to get fresh in our supermarket now ). I then mixed some cream cheese with a fat free Activia berry flavoured yogurt and then mixed some of the fruit into that. some of the fruit only mix got spooned into a smallis glass serving dishes and I topped it with the yogurty one. It made quite an attractive and refreshing pud.

[jeral Profile]

I've never thought of rhubarb without tons of sugar, but this salsa might suit:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/222272/tan ... arb-salsa/
Maybe served with avocado (fattening) or neutral tinned pears and chunk of "healthy" bread or in a pita pocket with "leaves" of some sort.

I can see rhubarb in a brown rice pilaff, with cashews, raisins or sultanas, coconut (in some form), orange zest or cardamom, small button mushrooms and maybe rosemary as the herb.

[Binky Profile]

These compotes, can I bake them in the oven?

I have it on now at 180degrees in order to bake a potato gratin.

It would be good to use the free heat, as it were, for the rhubarb compote....

[Amyw Profile]

Yeah I don't see why not, rhubarb bakes very well and hold it's shape well. You can always mix it up a bit after it comes out the oven.

[Suelle Profile Website]

Roasting is the best way to cook rhubarb - the pieces hold their shape well. Takes 15 - 20 minutes, depending on oven temperature. Just cook until a knife tip slips in easily.

Search for savoury recipes for rhubarb, if you don't want desserts (although minimally sweetened rhubarb with natural yogurt is delicious) - you should find chutneys and relishes, rhubarb used in middle Eastern cookery, and also in tagines.

eg: http://www.thekitchn.com/rhubarb-for-di ... hub-151491

[kavey Profile Website]

I've seen some recipes online for Persian lamb stews with rhubarb - Persian stews often feature some sour flavours, so rhubarb makes a lot of sense to provide that. A friend posted one on her blog recently and I was going to share that but I can't find it, however I googled "Persian rhubarb stew" and found loads.

[Binky Profile]

I'm going to have a go at this tonight- Rhubarb & Lentil Curry

http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipe ... rry-recipe

[jeral Profile]

Curious. If it has leeks, onion and celery as well as all the other ingredients, I wonder what the rhubarb adds other than bulk? Maybe it's the dark brown sugar that causes a sour/sweet balance and molasses effect that binds it all together (as no nuts or anything that'd break up the texture)?

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I think the rhubarb is an alternative to tamarind or pomegranate molasses to add that sour fruity edge t the flavour

[Binky Profile]

I didn't have any leeks so I did this recipe variation instead
https://www.veganrecipeclub.org.uk/reci ... ntil-curry


It was really nice. We had it with basmati rice, poppadoms and plain yogurt.

The 'sour/tart' rhubarb flavour was masked well by the spices, ginger and garlic. It's a recipe that I would happily do again.

[Minnesota Maven Profile]

My rhubarb plant is more than a meter across!!!! we told our fellow community gardeners to pluck it at will and distribute it to people in the senior citizens tower....
Rhubarb refrigerator pickles make a nice addition to salad....This cookbook is very helpful and includes both main dish and dessert recipes. https://www.amazon.com/Rhubarb-Renaissa ... 0873518519

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Rhubarb Refrigerator pickles sound interesting
Here's a recipe


http://m.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/rhubarb-refrigerator-pickles

[Amyw Profile]

Just remembered I've served some stewed, minimally sweetened rhubarb alongside mackerel before. The tartness cuts through the oiliness of the fish pretty well, as do gooseberries.
Sure I've seen rhubarb cooked with duck before, which I can see working also.

[Suelle Profile Website]

Rhubarb Refrigerator pickles sound interesting
Here's a recipe


http://m.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/rhubarb-refrigerator-pickles

I like the sound of that.

Unfortunately my rhubarb isn't doing well this year, so I haven't got enough for regular crumbles, let alone an excess to deal with.