Food: Rhubarb season is here
What is it about rhubarb and the people who grow it? In my opinion, rhubarb people are some of the most generous folks around.
I had a bad hankering for some rhubarb the other day, and was wondering where I could get a few stalks when I did a story at The Fishing Hole on Faust Road in Rhinelander this past week. Owner Gary Mangerson generously gave me several big stalks from his patch which I ate with gusto.
Then I got to meet Bob and Sandy Miller who grow rhubarb in a big way—over 2,000 plants. (They are featured on the front page of this week’s Star Journal.) This couple is as nice and kind as anyone I have ever met and not only did I enjoy meeting them and finding out about their giant rhubarb patch, but I also feel I made some new lifelong friends.
Rhubarb for me has always been a sort of spring tonic. I can eat great amounts of the stuff particularly made as a sauce. It’s sour-sweet flavor is appealing in a very satisfying way and so whenever it comes into season I fervently seek it out.
I found a mother lode at the Miller household. Sandy is a superb cook and she let me sample a Rhubarb Coffee Cake that was out of this world and Rhubarb Custard Bars that are Bob’s favorite and now one of mine.
As rhubarb people often do Bob and Sandy also loaded me up with some fresh stalks from their bountiful crop along with eight pages of interesting rhubarb recipes, some of which I featured for this week. One particular recipe has me intrigued, the Quick Rhubarb Pickles, which I will be making this weekend.
So thanks to these generous people who so thoughtfully loaded me up with one of my favorite vegetables. Your generosity is very much appreciated.
Quick Rhubarb Pickles
2 cups cider vinegar
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ Tbs. coarse salt
½ tsp. yellow mustard seeds
10 whole cloves
10 whole black peppercorns
1 piece (1 ½-inch) fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 lemon
1 lb. fresh rhubarb, cut crosswise into ¾-inch pieces
In a nonreactive saucepan, combine the sugar, salt, mustard seeds, cloves and peppercorns. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar is just dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, then use a vegetable peeler to slice strips of zest from the lemon and add to the mixture. Let the liquid cool to room temperature about 30 minutes. Divide the rhubarb among 3 clean small glass canning jars. Ladle in the cooled brine mixture. Top with the lids and refrigerate the pickles for 2 days before eating. These pickles will keep up to a month.
Rhubarb Coffee Cake
½ cup butter
1 ½ cup sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
Pinch of salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup sour milk (add 1 Tbs. vinegar)
2 cups flour
3 cups rhubarb cut into 1-inch pieces or 2 cups rhubarb and one cup strawberries or pineapple
Topping
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
Cream butter and sugar, then add egg, vanilla and salt. Mix well. Mix baking soda with sour milk and mix into butter mixture. Add flour, and mix well. Fold in rhubarb or fruit if using. Pour into a 9×13 greased pan. Mix the topping ingredients together and sprinkle over cake. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.
Rhubarb Custard Bars
Crust
¼ cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 cup cold butter
Filling
7 Tbs. flour
2 cups sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup whipping cream
5 cups finely chopped rhubarb
Topping
2 (3 oz.) pkgs. Cream cheese
½ cup sugar
½ tsp. vanilla
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
For the crust combine flour and sugar then cut in butter until crumbly. Press into a greased 9×13 pan and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. For the filling mix the flour and sugar. Whisk in cream and eggs. Stir in rhubarb and pour over crust. Bake 40-45 minutes or until custard is set. For the topping beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth then fold in whipped cream. Cover and chill before serving.
Rhubarbeque
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 ½ tsp. papricka
1 tsp. ground pepper
3 to 4 lbs. boneless country style pork ribs
Sauce
3 cups sliced rhubarb (about 7 stalks)
2 cups fresh strawberries, halved
2 to 3 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup packed brown sugar
¾ cup ketchup
½ cup red wine
½ cup bourbon
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup honey
2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix salt, papricka and pepper and sprinkle over ribs. Cover and refrigerate while preparing sauce. In a large saucepan combine rhubarb and strawberries; add water to cover and bring to a boil. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, then drain. Mash until well mixed. In a Dutch oven add the oil and braise the ribs in batches adding more oil if needed. Remove from pan. Add onion to the Dutch oven and cook until tender. Add remaining ingredients and stir in rhubarb mixture. Return ribs to pan turning to coat. Cover and bake for 2 hours. Take cover off and bake an additional 30 to 35 minutes until the sauce thickens.
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