Rhubarb

Botanically speaking, rhubarb is a vegetable, yet we use it in recipes as a fruit. The Ancient Chinese cultivated the plant for health reasons, as they believed the rhubarb plant roots had valuable medicinal properties. Rhubarb, which looks like a pink or red stalk of celery, gained little acceptance in the United States until the 1700's. Even today, rhubarb does not have a huge following, perhaps because the rhubarb stalks are fairly tart, and usually require a fair amount of sugar to make them palatable for most folks. Rhubarb's perceived limited versatility in people's minds also hinders its potential growth in popularity. It is still often referred to as the "pie plant" as it was back in colonial times, but I know there are many other uses for rhubarb, including sauces and soufflés. Washington State is the leading rhubarb producer. California, Oregon and Michigan are also major rhubarb producers, particularly when it comes to the Hothouse varieties.

Storage & Selection
Choose rhubarb that is firm and crisp, with appropriate color for its type and no blemishes. Avoid stalks that are limp, and if the leaves are still attached, they should look fresh and crisp, without signs of decay. Rhubarb leaves must be removed before cooking, and must never be eaten, raw or cooked, as they are toxic. Rhubarb will last up to two weeks when put in a plastic bag in the coolest part of the refrigerator, but I suggest you enjoy them within a 7-10 days.

Preparation
Rhubarb is ready to prepare once the leaves are removed, the stalks washed, and the stalk ends trimmed. You can prepare it very much like celery, by cutting the rhubarb crosswise into fairly large crescents, perhaps an inch or so. Rhubarb breaks down much quicker than celery, so the larger crescents are advised. You may also want to peel off the coarse fibers typically found with field grown rhubarb during the preparation phase.

The basic way to cook rhubarb is to stew it; similar to the way you might cook fresh cranberries. It is difficult to know how much sugar to add to rhubarb since tastes vary. At the start of the stewing process, I suggest adding about Ľ cup water and Ľ cup of sugar to each pound of cut-up rhubarb. Cover and cook gently, in a non-aluminum saucepan for 5 to 10 minutes. As with cranberries, you can add a variety of seasonings to stewed rhubarb. Orange juice or orange liqueurs go nicely with rhubarb as do lemon, vanilla bean and fresh ginger. Stir until all of your favorite additions to the mixture are combined. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally. When finished, feel free to add additional sugar to taste, and cook for another 5 minutes to insure that the sugar dissolves. Spoon the rhubarb over ice cream, waffles, and pancakes.

Compotes are just a step up from stewed rhubarb and make a good low-fat dessert or breakfast dish. Add dried fruits, such as prunes, raisins, and apricots; or perhaps fresh fruit like strawberries. Strawberries are the most favored companions to rhubarb, which is why you see so many strawberry-rhubarb pies.

Baking with rhubarb is also a popular preparation method. Place the cut-up rhubarb is a glass baking dish, sprinkle a ˝ cup of sugar for each pound of rhubarb. Cover tightly, and bake at 300°F for about 30 minutes, or until tender. Taste your baked rhubarb, and add more sugar to taste if necessary.

Tony's Tip
If you've got more rhubarb than you can handle when it's at the peak of the season, freeze it. Cut stalks into 1-inch pieces and put them on a baking sheet in the freezer. When frozen, put pieces in a freezer bay for up to nine months.

Tony's Favorite Recipe
Rhubarb Soup

Varieties
There are two main varieties of rhubarb: hothouse and field-grown.

Hothouse-grown rhubarb is also called strawberry rhubarb because of its pink stalks and yellow leaves. Grown in greenhouses, this type has typically smaller, less stringy, and less coarse stalks than field rhubarb. It is also milder and sweeter than field rhubarb.

Outdoor-grown field rhubarb, also known as Cherry rhubarb, has a more pronounced tart rhubarb flavor. The stalks are a considerably darker red color with green leaves.

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