Often dubbed the ‘pie plant’, rhubarb’s rose-red stalks look good enough to eat. Once the leaves have been removed and sugar added to balance the flavour, rhubarb can be baked, roasted or stewed to make the most divine pie filling, delectable jams and preserves, and to-die-for cobblers. But sweet is not the only way to experience this vegetable, it makes a delicious accompaniment to savoury dishes as well.
While it may not be the most popular choice on the vegetable stand, it’s definitely one of the tastiest. To get the best-tasting rhubarb, look for crisp, unblemished stalks and smaller leaves that look fresh. Floppy stalks mean the rhubarb was picked a long time ago and, although the leaves are removed before cooking (they are poisonous if eaten in large quantities), they are a fantastic indicator for freshness.
If you’ve satisfied your rhubarb craving and you still have a few stalks left over, never fear, simply remove any leaves from the stalks and discard, wrap the unwashed stalks tightly in plastic and refrigerate for up to seven days, or cut the stalks into one-inch lengths and package in airtight bags before storing them in the freezer for later.
Classic pairings for rhubarb include apples, strawberries, pear, yoghurt, sugar, sugar, more sugar, honey and cream. For a delicious traditional recipe, try your hand at a classic rhubarb pie or rhubarb and apple crumble, pair it with strawberries and top it with the creamiest ice cream and enjoy one of the sweetest summer treats. If you’re feeling experimental, why not try a rhubarb salad with goat’s cheese, rhubarb chutney for your Christmas turkey, or roast your rhubarb with some honey and rosemary as an accompaniment to lamb.
The best part is, rhubarb is one of the lowest calorie vegetables, high in vitamins A and C and has been claimed to have anti-cancer, cholesterol-lowering and anti-oxidant properties, so you can have your rhubarb pie and eat it too!