RHUBARB’S REBOUND
The ingredient in your favourite pie is making a comeback this summer,
Twenty years ago, Bill French of Lennox Farm in Shelburne, Ont., was pessimistic about the future of his rhubarb crop.
Instead of making pies at home, women started buying them at the supermarket, says French, whose family has grown the tart stalks in Ontario for nearly a century.
“Now it’s the reverse,” he says. “The younger generation is so concerned about the food they eat they’re making their own pies and preserves so they know exactly what’s in them.”
Interest in the 100-mile diet has also boosted sales, he says, with retailers requesting locally grown rhubarb and chefs celebrating it in soups, chutneys and rhubarb crème brûlée. Though French has been harvesting his 40 acres of field rhubarb since Victoria Day, the arrival of local strawberries, rhubarb’s BFF, heralds the official start to the season.
From now until the end of July, dig up your grandmother’s rhubarb pie or jam recipe or try something new, like our pretty meringues. Field notes: Rhubarb has been grown for thousands of years and may have originated in Siberia. Until the late 1700s, it was valued as a medicine and a cleansing laxative rather than for its culinary uses. Though it’s considered aperennial culinary herb, a U.S. court ruling in 1947 defined rhubarb as a fruit. Let the crumbles begin. Winter fare: From January to April, French grows rhubarb indoors, an old English tradition. He digs up roots before the ground freezes in November and places them in cold barns to rest. Just before Christmas, he turns on the heat in the first barn and by the end of January harvests his first crop of tender lipstick-pink stalks with lime green leaves. DIY: If you’re planting rhubarb for the first time, find a sunny, well-drained spot in good rich soil, French says. Expect your first good crop in two years. Cut off seed pods as they form. Buy & Store:
Look for crisp stalks. Red varieties are considered less tart than green stalks.
Though rhubarb sold with its leaves looks beautiful, it becomes limp in several days. Stalks packaged without leaves stay crisp for several weeks.
At home, remove leaves and store in the crisper up to two weeks.
Discard leaves, which can be toxic to people and pets.
To enjoy year-round, chop and freeze rhubarb in plastic bags or airtight containers. Prep:
Compote: Place chopped rhubarb in a pot, mix with sugar to taste and let sit 30 minutes to release juices, stirring occasionally. Turn on heat to low and stew 20 to 30 minutes, or until just tender. Refrigerate. It will thicken as it cools.
Roast: Cut into 1/2-inch (1-cm) pieces and toss with vanilla-infused sugar. Bake 25 minutes at 350 F (180 C) or until rhubarb is tender but holds its shape. Serve:
Bake it: Turn rhubarb into pies and crisps (with or without strawberries), muffins and cakes. Complementary flavours include ginger, vanilla, honey and custard.
Saucy: Spoon rhubarb sauce (a.k.a. compote) over yogurt, ice cream or granola, or swirl into whipped cream.
Meat mate: Enhance the flavour of roast duck, pork and chicken with a spoonful of rhubarb sauce or chutney.
Pair it: Pair rhubarb chutney with a cheese tray containing Ontario goat, brie and cheddar.
Salad: Toss local lettuce with roasted rhubarb, goat cheese, walnuts and a poppyseed vinaigrette.
Juice it: Serve pretty pink rhubarb juice instead of lemonade.
Libations: Infuse rhubarb in a simple syrup of equal parts sugar and water and use as a base for fruity cocktails.
Mini Rhubarb Pavlovas
Star Tested Dazzle guests with these mini meringues topped with local rhubarb. Adapted from Foodland Ontario. If you make meringues a few days ahead, store in airtight containers at room temperature. Fill with cream mixture a few hours ahead, if you like, but don’t top with rhubarb sauce until just before serving.
Though rhubarb sold with its leaves looks beautiful, it becomes limp in several days. Remove the leaves to retain its crispiness
Meringues:
4 large egg whites, at room temperature 3/4 cup (185 mL) granulated sugar 1 tsp (5 mL) white wine vinegar or white vinegar 1 tsp (5 mL) corn starch 1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla
Sauce:
3 cups (750 mL) chopped (1/2-inch/1-cm pieces) rhubarb 1/3 cup (75 mL) liquid honey 2 tsp (10 mL) grated orange rind 1 tbsp (15 mL) orange juice 3/4 cup (185 mL) 35 per cent whipping cream 1 tbsp (15 mL) granulated sugar
For meringues, beat egg whites on high speed in bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar; beat on high speed until stiff and shiny, about 5 minutes.
In small bowl, combine vinegar, corn starch and vanilla. On low speed, beat cornstarch mixture into egg whites just until blended.
Spoon mixture into 8 mounds, at least 2 inches (5 cm) apart, on 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets. With back of spoon, shape into nests with slight indent in centre. Place in preheated 350 F (180 C) oven and immediately reduce heat to 300 F (150 C). Bake 30 minutes, then turn off heat and leave in oven 20 minutes. Transfer gently to wire rack to cool.
For sauce, combine rhubarb, honey, orange rind and juice in medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook, stirring frequently, until thick, about 7 minutes. Let cool, then refrigerate until cold.
In mixing bowl using electric mixer, whip cream with sugar until stiff. Fold in 3/4 cup (185 mL) of rhubarb sauce. Spoon about 1/4 cup (60 mL) cream mixture into each meringue. Top with dollop of remaining rhubarb sauce and serve immediately.
Makes 8 servings. Cynthia David blogs at cynthia-david.com