One of my dad’s favorite desserts is strawberry-rhubarb pie with vanilla ice cream. In his mind, the ice cream is so crucial, he’s been known to leave a piece of pie sitting on the table while he ran to the store for a half-gallon of French vanilla.
For years I thought the only thing you could pair rhubarb with was strawberries, and the only time you could eat rhubarb was during June when strawberries are in season.
A few years ago I planted a large rhubarb crown in my garden. I picked a spot with both southern and western exposure and sprinkled the dirt with a bit of organic fertilizer. The following year I was able to begin harvesting the stalks.
The first stalks mature in late spring and the rhubarb continues to grow new stalks into the fall. Now that the plant is fully established, by the end of the season, after many rhubarb recipes, I should still have enough to save a few bags of chopped rhubarb in the freezer (rhubarb freezes wonderfully).
I now know that rhubarb is frequently combined with many types of fruit. The long growing season means it is ripe in time for late winter citrus through berry and peach seasons in the summer and finishes up when the new crop of apples begin to appear. I have cooked rhubarb with all of these fruits with terrific results. I have even pickled some in a sweet syrup, which makes fabulous cocktails.
Even though rhubarb plays nicely with others, I like to make a few dishes with no other stars to let the sweet and tart vegetable speak for itself. That’s right, I said vegetable. Rhubarb has infiltrated the fruit world like tomatoes have with vegetables. In fact, you can cook rhubarb in savory dishes as well as sweet; it makes a bold chutney and a tangy balsamic reduction.
If you have only eaten rhubarb in a pie, it is time to take a fresh look at this versatile food. I can’t say the experience will be life-changing, but, you never know.
Rhubarb oatmeal cookies
1 1/4 cup (5 ounces) finely diced fresh rhubarb, 3-4 medium stalks
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon all spice
3/4 cup rolled oats (not quick cook)
1/3 cup (175g.) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoon fresh ginger root, grated
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
These soft dainty cookies are perfect with a cup of tea in the afternoon. Fresh ginger and lemon zest add a bright flavor without overpowering the rhubarb’s signature tang. They would make a lightly sweet addition to a spring garden party menu.
Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Toss the rhubarb pieces with 1 tablespoon of sugar and let set aside.
In a medium bowl — Sift together flour, baking soda and all spice. Whisk in the oats.
In a larger bowl — Use a fork to whip the butter and sugar until they are light and fluffy. When fluffy mix in egg* until combined then add the vanilla, ginger, and lemon zest.
Gently mix the flour into the batter until just combined. Once all dry ingredients have been blended, fold in the rhubarb pieces and any juice.
Spoon the batter onto the prepared cookie sheets using a small, leveled, cookie scoop or by the rounded teaspoonfuls. Bake the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until edges are golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool slightly on the pan before transferring to a wire wrack to cool completely.
Prep time: 20 mins; Cook time: 12 mins; Yield: 40 cookies.
Nutrition information per 1 cookie: 59 calories, 3.8g. fat, 6.4g. carbohydrate, .3g. fiber, .8g. protein, Weight Watchers Points Plus 2
Rose McAvoy blogs at Light for Life at www.heraldnet.com/lightforlife and also at halfhersize.com. Email her at rose@halfhersize.com or find her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/halfhersize.
*Recipe initially incorrectly called for the addition of milk.
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