Not just for dessert
Experience the other side of rhubarb in a colourful spring salad
Rhubarb and its first rosy stalks of spring deserve a sweet welcome. But while so many rhubarb recipes are for desserts, and involve a lot of sugar, this colourful salad treats the stems like the vegetables that they truly are. Just a little honey and five minutes in the oven make rhubarb a delicious addition to a pretty spring salad that can be tossed together in about 20 minutes.
I’ve had several versions of this recipe passed along to me by friends — a sure sign that it’s a winner. This one is adapted slightly from one by Martha Stewart.
SPRING SALAD WITH HONEYED RHUBARB AND GOAT CHEESE
Makes: 4 servings Preparation time: about 20 minutes
¾ lb (340 g) rhubarb (about 7 slender stalks), cut into
¾-inch (2-cm) pieces
¼ cup (60 mL) honey
½ cup (125 mL) walnut halves
2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
2 tbsp (30 mL) white balsamic vinegar Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 bunches arugula (about 12 cups/3 L), tough stems removed
1 small fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
½ cup (125 mL) goat cheese, crumbled
3 tbsp (45 mL) fresh snipped chives (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 450 F (230 C), with racks in upper and lower thirds. On a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil, toss rhubarb pieces with honey. Roast on upper rack until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, on another rimmed baking sheet, toast walnuts on lower rack until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
3. Let rhubarb cool on pan. Cool walnuts, then chop coarsely.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
5. Toss arugula and fennel with the vinaigrette. Top the salad with the rhubarb, walnuts, goat cheese and chives.