Sweet or spicy. How to eat rhubar – seasonal spring product

Learning to eat rhubarb is one of the biggest spring culinary pleasures, and it should head a list of mandatory affairs of every home cook. Of course, other seasonal vegetables, such as leeks, fava and asparagus beans, deserve attention, but when it comes to versatility, the ruddy stems of this vegetable, like celery, are really reminiscent of themselves. Here’s how to enjoy rhubarb, from classic combinations to unique preparations.

What is rhubarb?

Originally from Siberia, China and Mongolia, rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) is a member of the Greek family. A perennial plant that thrives in cool climates. The peak of the rhubarium season comes in mid -April. Despite the fact that it is a vegetable, it is most often considered a fruit in cooking.

Rich in fiber, calcium and vitamins K and C, the root has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for millennia. However, only in the late 18th century, Europeans began to use fleshy red stems, the edible part of the plant as a source of food. Craft -containing leaves are poisonous – the rhubarb is purchased in the store usually contains only stems, but be sure to avoid leaves if you come across it.

How to eat rhubarb

Sour rhubarb stems can be eaten raw, puree or boiled in various ways.

Use it raw

Raw rhubarity is much stronger, so he needs something sweet to soften it. It is best to eat raw rhubarb in small pieces, or thin slices, or crushed. This is due to both taste and texture. Rhubarb resembles celery, but much denser and more fibrous.

Here’s how you can eat it raw:

• Clean the rhubarb stems.
• Pour sugar (and some salt).
• Let stand for a few minutes, allowing the stems to soften and sweeten.
• Connect it to the apps

For many fans, there is no better way to eat rhubarb than with strawberries, a dynamic duet in chips, cakes, cupcakes and even apple puree. In the garden they reach at the same time (Late spring and early summer), and they are both perennial – it is logical that it is a timeless combination. Strawberry is fruit and sweet, and rhubarb is tart, so their tastes are naturally compatible. This sour-sweet combination is addictive. If you cook strawberries and rhubarb together, you need to add less sugar and lemon juice as a whole.

Rhubarb can go well with other natural sweet ingredients such as tomatoes and pineapples, but even since the sweet ingredients can be lean, especially if they are not in the season, you need to work to balance the tastes.

Mix rhubarb drinks

Puree or squeezed juice adds pink strips and cocktails, and can improve lemonade. You can use rhubarb just like cranberries or grenades. Simple rhubarb syrup is another delicious addition to any drink. It is prepared by stewing sliced ​​stems and draining solids. You can use the remaining tart instead of lemon juice to prepare a classic rhubarb cocktail.

Cook and bake with it

Rhubarb is extraordinary in pies and chips, but it is only a surface.

• Frying: laid on a baking tray and sprinkled with honey or sugar, caramelized rhubarb pieces in the oven, adding complexity to compote, salads, etc.

• Stew: You can either leave it in the stems or grind it to make the end result smoother. Such rhubarb can be served with an ice cream ball.

• Canned: Canned rhubarb is very similar to stewed, except that the low -sugar pectin is condensed.

• Drying: A large rhubarb crop can also be turned into fruit chips. Try to simmer, pass through the mill and dry it during the night in the dryer.

• Cakes: As with cocktails, you can also change pomegranate and cranberry to rhubarb in simple cake recipes. Or just make a cake with olive oil, lemon and rhubarb.

• Seasonings: Since the rhubarb is acidic, the recipes that require vinegar are another natural place to use it. During the season, you can add it to the seasonings, including Mostards, Italian mustard syrup, chatty, spicy sauce and barbecue sauce.

• Meat: Marble fat pork goes well with rhubarb, complementing it.

Spring pleasure. A rhubarb cake and oatmeal

Tart rhubarb and oily oatmeal are combined for an incredibly light spring dessert.

Go to the recipe