Rhubarb

We used to grow rhubarb, but our plant died and as our lot is so shady, we have never replaced it. This year my mom gave me about 5 pounds of her rhubarb.

I made this Smitten Kitchen rhubarb snacking cake. It's quite good.

Rhubarb snacking cake

Rhubarb Pudding Cake

This is a classic my mom and I have been making for many years.

• 1.5 lbs rhubarb, cut into 1/2" dice, about 4 1/2 c
• 2 c flour
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 Tbsp melted butter
• 2/3 c milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg

Topping

• 1 c sugar
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/4 c boiling water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9X13" pan. Scatter rhubarb in pan. Sift flour, 1 1/2 c sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat in melted butter, milk and vanilla, scraping bowl. Beat in egg. Batter will be thick. Drop batter over rhubarb by heaping tablespoons, then gently spread evenly to edge, covering rhubarb. For the topping, combine the first 3 ingredients and sprinkle over the batter. Gently pour the boiling water over all. Bake about 50 min, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Rhubarb Pecan Oatmeal Bars

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 c. firmly packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 c. butter (1.5 sticks)
• 1/2 c. chopped pecans
• 2 c. Chunky Rhubarb Sauce (see below)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat a 13- by 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add butter and stir with fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Press two-thirds of crumb mixture into bottom of pan. Spread thickened sauce evenly over crumb layer. Top with remaining crumb mixture and pecans.
4. Bake until top is golden and rhubarb sauce bubbles -- 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on wire rack to room temperature. Cut into 16 pieces and store in airtight container for up to three days.

Chunky Rhubarb Sauce

This sauce is delicious served over ice cream or pound cake.

Yield: 3 1/2 cups

Ingredients

• 2 lb. rhubarb
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. fresh-squeezed orange juice
• 1 tsp. grated orange rind
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Directions

1. In a 4-quart saucepan, combine rhubarb, sugar, orange juice, orange rind, nutmeg, and salt. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until thickened -- about 15 minutes.
3. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To use it in the bars, thicken it: Mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water and stir into rhubarb mixture. Cook, stirring, until sauce is clear and thickened.

Rhubarb Crunch

• 1 c flour
• 3/4 c oatmeal
• 1 c packed brown sugar
• 1/2 melted butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 4 c diced rhubarb
• 1 c white sugar
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 c water
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9X9" pan. Combine flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, melted butter and cinnamon. Press half this crumb mixture into pan, top with rhubarb. In a saucepan, combine white sugar, cornstarch, water and vanilla. Cook until thick. Pour over rhubarb. Top with remaining crumbs. Bake for 1 hour. Serve with ice cream. 

Rhubarb Syrup

From the True North Cabin Cookbook by Stephanie Hansen

• 4 c chopped rhubarb
• 1 c white sugar
• 1 c water

Combine in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until rhubarb is soft, about 15 min. Strain liquid into a jar and reserve solids as a rough jam.

Rhubarb Gin & Tonic

• 2 oz gin
• 2 Tbsp rhubarb syrup
• tonic
• Fresh rosemary or thyme sprig as garnish

Rhubarb syrup and rough jam

Rhubarb Shrub

1 lb rhubarb, diced

3/4 c granulated sugar

1/2 c water

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

Directions:

Combine rhubarb, sugar and water in a small saucepan over med-high heat, stirring as rhubarb starts to break down. When mixture boils, reduce heat to low and cook until rhubarb is completely broken down into strands, about 10 min, stirring occasionally. Position a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and pout the mixture in, allowing it to strain about 30 min. Discard solids. Allow syrup to cool to room temp, add vinegar. Store in refrigerator.