Delicious Rhubarb Recipes

Rhubarb was imported from China as a medicinal plant. Since then, people have disagreed on what rhubarb should be classified as. Botanically it is a vegetable, but people use it as a fruit. In fact, New York state legally declared it a fruit. Many call it the “pie plant.” Whatever it is considered - it is a popular spring dish enhancer, and it is delicious!

Rhubarb and Strawberry Coffee Cake

Prep: 50 min. 

Bake: 50 min. + cooling

Servings: 12

1-1/2 tsp. cornstarch

3 T. sugar

3/4 C. chopped fresh strawberries

3/4 C. chopped fresh rhubarb

1 T. water

filling:

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1/4 C. sugar

1 lg. egg, lightly beaten

cake:

2 C. all-purpose flour

3/4 C. sugar

1/2 C. cold butter, cubed

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 lg. egg, room temperature, lightly beaten

3/4 C. fat-free sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan with parchment; grease parchment. In a small saucepan, mix cornstarch and sugar; stir in strawberries, rhubarb and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until thickened, 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. For filling, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg.

In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Reserve 3/4 C. for topping. Stir baking powder, baking soda and salt into remaining flour mixture. In a small bowl, whisk egg, sour cream and vanilla until blended; gently stir into flour mixture (do not overmix).

Spread batter onto bottom and 1/2 in. up sides of prepared pan. Spread filling over crust, leaving a 1/2-in. border around edge of pan. Spoon strawberry mixture over top; sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.

Bake until edges are golden brown, 50-60 minutes. Cool on a wire rack 20 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife. Cool completely. Remove rim from pan. Refrigerate leftovers.

Nut-Topped Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins

Prep Time: 25 min. 

Bake Time: 20 min.

Yield: 1-1/2 dozen

2-3/4 C. all-purpose flour

1-1/3 C. packed brown sugar

2-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1 lg. egg, room temperature

1 C. buttermilk

1/2 C. canola oil

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 C. chopped fresh strawberries

3/4 C. diced fresh rhubarb

topping:

1/2 C. chopped pecans

1/3 C. packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 T. cold butter

In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the egg, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in strawberries and rhubarb. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full.

In a small bowl, combine the pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over batter.

Bake at 400° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Serve warm.

Rhubarb and Honey Chicken

Prep: 30 min. 

Bake: 35 min.

Servings: 6

1-1/4 C. all-purpose flour

1 T. poultry seasoning

1 lg. egg

1 C. 2% milk

1 broiler/fryer chicken (3 to 4 lbs.), cut up

1/4 C. canola oil

honey-rhubarb sauce:

1/4 C. cornstarch

1-3/4 C. cold water, divided 

1/2 C. packed brown sugar

1/2 C. honey

3 T. soy sauce

1-1/2 C. chopped fresh rhubarb

2 T. chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, peeled

Preheat oven to 400°. Combine flour and poultry seasoning. In another bowl, whisk egg and milk. Dip chicken, 1 piece at a time, into flour mixture, then into egg mixture; coat again with flour mixture. 

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on both sides. Place in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish.

For sauce, combine cornstarch and 1-1/2 C. cold water in a large saucepan until smooth; stir in brown sugar, honey and soy sauce. Pulse rhubarb, onion, garlic and remaining water in a food processor until blended. Stir into cornstarch mixture. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Pour over chicken.

Bake, uncovered, until a thermometer inserted into a thigh reads 170°, 35-40 minutes.

Grilled Vegetable Platter

Prep: 20 min. + marinating Grill: 10 min.

Servings: 6

1/4 C. olive oil

2 T. honey

4 tsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. pepper

Dash salt

1 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed

3 sm. carrots, cut in half lengthwise

1 lg. sweet red pepper, cut into 1-inch strips

1 med. yellow summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch slices

1 med. red onion, cut into wedges

In a small bowl, whisk the first 7 ingredients. Place 3 T. marinade in a large bowl. Add vegetables; turn to coat. Cover; marinate 1-1/2 hours at room temperature.

Transfer vegetables to a grilling grid (If you do not have a grilling grid, use a disposable foil pan. Poke holes in the bottom of the pan with a meat fork to allow liquid to drain); place grid on grill rack. Grill vegetables, covered, over medium heat until crisp-tender, 8-12 minutes, turning occasionally.

Place vegetables on a large serving plate. Drizzle with remaining marinade.

Rhubarb-Filled Cookies

Prep: 25 min. 

Bake: 10 min.

Makes about 4-1/2 dozen

1 C. butter, softened

1 C. sugar

1 C. packed brown sugar

4 lg. eggs, room temperature

4-1/2 C. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

filling:

3-1/2 C. chopped fresh rhubarb

1-1/2 C. sugar

6 T. water, divided

1/4 C. cornstarch

1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. (Dough will be sticky.)

For filling, combine the rhubarb, sugar and 2 T. water in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until thickened, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Combine cornstarch and remaining water until smooth; stir into rhubarb mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla.

Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center of each cookie; fill with a rounded teaspoon of filling. Top with 1/2 tsp. dough, allowing some filling to show. Bake at 375° until lightly browned, 8-10 minutes.

Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

3 T. unsalted butter

1/2 C. granulated sugar

1 lb. rhubarb (5-6 (6-inch) stalks)

1 yellow cake mix

3 lg. eggs

1/2 C. vegetable oil

1 C. water

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray, then line the bottom with a parchment paper round.

Place 3 T. unsalted butter in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high power until melted, about 30 seconds. (Alternatively, melt on the stove.) Pour the melted butter into the bottom of the prepared baking pan and sprinkle with 1/2 C. granulated sugar. Nestle 1 lb. rhubarb, rounded-side down, into the sugar in an even layer without overlapping, trimming the rhubarb as needed to fit.

Place 1 box cake mix, 3 lg. eggs, 1/2 C. vegetable oil, and 1 C. water in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour over the rhubarb and smooth out the top.

Bake until the cake is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Remove the warm cake from the pan by running a knife around the edge and gently inverting it onto a serving plate. Discard the parchment paper before slicing.

Rhubarb Notes

To pick rhubarb, hold the stalk firmly, pull and twist.  Do not use a knife to cut the stalks from the plant. The knife can carry diseases from plant to plant and the remaining stalk can be a point of entry for other pests.

Immediately upon harvesting, use a knife to trim the leaves from the stalks and discard. They are toxic and leaving them on can speed wilting of the stalks.

The harvest season for rhubarb lasts until the end of June. Until then, pick as many stalks as you wish. After harvest, allow the plant to keep all of its leaves, to build its reserves of energy for the next year.

A common myth is that the entire plant becomes toxic later in the summer. This is not true. If you pull a few stalks on one occasion later in the summer to prepare a special dish, you will not harm plant health. Just note: the stalks may be tougher than in spring.

Quote of the Week:

“No synonym for God is so perfect as Beauty. Whether as seen carving the lines of the mountains with glaciers, or gathering matter into stars, or planning the movements of water, or gardening - still all is Beauty!” 

~ John Muir