Pickled rhubarb new way to enjoy vegetable
In the first 1938 edition of Larousse Gastronomique, an encyclopedic tome on gastronomy, editor Prosper Montagné advised treating and cooking rhubarb’s leaves as you would spinach. While the effects may well have proved fatal (high concentrations of oxalic acid render the leaves toxic) and left me wondering, “Did they have recipe testers back then?” Montagné may have been on to something.
For many of us, it’s hard to imagine rhubarb without a generous amount of sugar to take the edge off its sharp taste. As early as the 19th century, English cookbooks have been baking it into desserts, and come each spring, the first pop of fuchsia at the market never fails to inspire a flurry of lattice pies, tarts and custards. Lauded as a pastry star alongside the best of fruit, rhubarb is rarely seen for what it truly is — a vegetable.
A quick pickle preserves the plant’s refreshing crunch while taming its bite. Bonus: It allows you to infuse rhubarb with whatever flavors you want. Slice it thin or chop it, and throw it in with leafy greens, grain salads or other shaved vegetables for a zesty pop. Or you can serve it alongside charcuterie or even as a topping for a burger, sausage or sandwich as an eyecatching accouterment.
Try playing around with other aromatics, such as ginger or garlic; whole seeds such as coriander, fennel and mustard; and warm spices such as cloves, star anise and allspice.
Pickled Rhubarb
2 small fresh tarragon
sprigs OR 1 bay leaf 4 whole black peppercorns 8 ounces rhubarb, sliced diagonally into ¼-inch pieces
½ cup white wine vinegar ¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Combine the tarragon and black peppercorns in a small bowl or a 2-cup measuring container and top with the
rhubarb.
Stir together ½ cup water, the vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove the pickling liquid from the heat and immediately pour it over the rhubarb. If the rhubarb isn’t submerged,
top with a ramekin to weigh it down.
Refrigerate until completely cool, then transfer the rhubarb, aromatics and pickling solution to a jar. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before using. The pickled rhubarb will keep in its brine, refrigerated, for up to 2 months.
Makes about 2 cups.