Photo by Jennifer Causey, Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Long stalks of pale red rhubarb begin to appear at farmers markets and grocery store shelves as the weather warms up in early spring. This tart vegetable – yes, rhubarb is indeed a vegetable – is commonly cooked with sugar to tone down its sourness and soften its celery-like texture. Here is our comprehensive guide to cooking with this brief seasonal ingredient.
When purchasing rhubarb, opt for firm and crisp stalks without any brown or soft spots. If the stalks come with leaves, ensure that the leaves appear fresh and not wilted. While rhubarb can come in various colors such as red, pink, or light green, the color generally does not impact the flavor. You can find fresh rhubarb at farmers markets, grocery stores, or online at melissas.com.
Typically available from the end of March through early June, fresh rhubarb can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. To freeze rhubarb, cut the stalks into one to two-inch pieces, freeze on a baking sheet, and then store in a ziplock bag in the freezer for up to two months.
When preparing rhubarb for cooking, trim the ends, discard any leaves, and cut as needed for your recipe. Since rhubarb is quite crisp and tart, most recipes call for tossing the pieces with sugar to soften and mellow the flavor. Some popular recipes to try include Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam, Rhubarb Coffee Cake, Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp, Strawberry-Rhubarb Chaat, Baked Ricotta with Spice-Poached Rhubarb, and Rhubarb Gin Sour.
Enjoy cooking with this seasonal ingredient and experimenting with its unique flavor profile.
Recipe by Emily Nabors Hall / Styling by Claire Spollen
This twist on a Gin Sour by Food & Wine editor Lucy Simon features rhubarb syrup for a tangy, slightly sweet cocktail with a pink hue and frothy top. A playful garnish of rhubarb peel curls adds a fun touch.
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Strawberry-Vanilla-Rhubarb Jam
Photo by Greg Dupree / Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Styling by Claire Spollen
This vibrant jam by Food & Wine recipe developer Jasmine Smith blends rhubarb with strawberries, providing juicy sweetness and natural pectin to thicken the jam. For a boost of vanilla flavor, let the split vanilla bean infuse the jam overnight before removing.
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Aperol Spritz Cake with Prosecco-Poached Rhubarb
Photo by Victor Protasio / Styling by Torie Cox / Styling by Thom Driver
Incorporating Prosecco in the batter gives this cake a light and airy texture, perfect for soaking up the sweet and sticky poached rhubarb syrup drizzled over the top. Cookbook author Andrea Slonecker enhances the poaching liquid with Aperol for a hint of bitter citrus.
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Strawberry-Rhubarb Cornmeal Skillet Cake
Photo by Victor Protasio / Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Styling by Christine Keely
A combination of cornmeal and goat cheese lends a dense, pound cake-like texture to this straightforward skillet cake by cookbook author Jocelyn Delk Adams. The fragrant rosemary whipped cream, lightly sweetened, complements the fruit-filled cake.
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Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake with Orange Zest
Photo by Jennifer Causey / Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Styling by Christina Daley
Baked in a cast-iron skillet, this tender upside-down vanilla cake by Food & Wine recipe developer Anna Theoktisto showcases juicy, lightly caramelized rhubarb stalks. A subtle orange essence infuses the cake from rubbing granulated sugar and orange zest together to release aromatic citrus oils.
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Braised Lamb Shanks with Peas, Mint & Rhubarb
© Christina Holmes
Chef Michael Solomonov prepares braised lamb shanks with tender rhubarb and sweet green peas for an impressive springtime meal. Date syrup combined with water creates a simple, slightly sweet braising liquid.
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Rhubarb and Candied Ginger Crostata
Eva Kolenko
A burst of spicy brightness from candied ginger enhances the jammy rhubarb filling in this flaky crostata by chef Sarah Grueneberg. Sprinkle turbinado sugar on the crust just before baking for a sparkly, lightly crunchy finish.
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Petite Leg of Lamb with Pickled Rhubarb Salsa
Con Poulos
Food &
Whisked until fluffy and sweetened with sugar and lemon juice, this mixture is then chilled and gently combined with mascarpone whipped cream to create the perfect topping for a pavlova. View the Recipe in the original article featured on Food & Wine.
