Don’t get snobbish about freezer-friendly rhubarb

Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, March 9, 2004

OK, so rhubarb isn’t as chic as sapote or as artsy as an artichoke. Before you turn on your food-snobbish heels and flee, consider the fact that this humble stalk didn’t get the nickname pie plant because it tastes good in soup.

It was awarded that monicer because of its affinity for pastry, sugar and grandmas, three things I’m far too crazy about to knock.

If those aren’t reasons enough to consider taking advantage of this seasonal specialty, throw in ease of preparation. There’s no peeling, pitting, coring or stemming involved with turning rhubarb into any number of simple, tasty desserts. If you can wield a knife and boil water, then you’re 10 minutes away from rhubarb pudding and rhubarb sauce.

You spend more time than that picking through the basil in preparation for your special pesto concoction.

However, by investing in just a little more time, this spring-into-summer crop can be preserved for winter pleasures.

Freezing is the simplest method, because rhubarb — like blueberries, cranberries, currants, figs and gooseberries — can be preserved without sugar, syrup or juice.

In fact, rhubarb will probably be only the first of many fruits and vegetables that you’ll be putting by in this manner. So start off the season by readying your freezer for the heavy summer assault. Invest in a good nonmercury (loose mercury from a broken thermometer is very toxic) thermometer that will enable you to track your freezer’s performance in the months ahead.

Wipe down the exterior and interior surfaces, the door gaskets, the condenser coils and the protective grid over the motor. About once a year, even self-defrosting freezers should be given a thorough interior scrubbing.

Throw a party to use up the tailend of last year’s efforts, then create some sort of inventory system so you know what you have, where it is and how long it’s been there.

Invest in top-quality storage materials for freezers. Packaging materials that state on the label that they’re moisture and vapor proof or moisture and vapor resistant do the job. Flimsy foil, wax paper, plastic wrap, cottage cheese cartons and milk containers don’t.

Then, while supply is high, prices are low and the stalks are tender and young, load up on a little rhubarb. There are a few pies out there with your name on them.

Wash firm, young, well-colored stalks. Dry each stalk well. Trim and cut into desired size pieces to fit your packaging material, then proceed as follows.

Dry pack method (no sugar): Pack the raw, dry pieces tightly into freezer bags or cartons, leaving a half-inch headroom to allow for expansion during freezing; seal and freeze.

Wet pack method (syrup): Pack the raw, dry pieces into freezer bags or cartons, then cover with a cold syrup (see below), leaving a half-inch of headroom to allow for expansion during freezing; seal and freeze.

Syrup: Dissolve 3 cups of sugar thoroughly in 4 cups of hot or cold water. If hot, chill the mixture well before packing. Syrup can be made the day before and refrigerated. Yields 5 1/2 cups.

Figure on 1/2 to 2/3 cup of syrup for each pint container of fruit.

Rhubarb tarts <

in walnut pastry

Walnut pastry (recipe follows)

2/3cup water

1/2cup (or more) sugar

2cups chopped fresh rhubarb

1/4cup water

1 1/2teaspoons arrowroot

4-6tablespoons red currant jelly

Sour cream

Prepare pastry, then wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate until well chilled.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough out on lightly floured surface to thickness of 1/8-inch. Cut out four 4 1/2-inch circles. Fit into four 3 1/2-inch round tart pans. Trim edges of dough even with edge of pan. Prick bottom with fork. Bake until crisp and lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Let cool.

For filling, combine the water and the sugar in medium saucepan over low heat. Add rhubarb, cover and bring to simmer, stirring gently once or twice. Cook just until rhubarb is tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid. Taste and adjust sweetness of rhubarb, adding more sugar if desired. Return liquid to pan.

Mix 2 tablespoons water with arrowroot. Blend into rhubarb cooking liquid, place over low heat and stir gently until thickened and clear, about 5 minutes. Add rhubarb and let cool.

Spoon filling into the tart shells. Melt jelly over very low heat. Spoon or brush evenly over filling. Refrigerate tarts until ready to serve. Top each with a dollop of sour cream.

Walnut pastry: Combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup ground walnuts and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl. Cut in 1/2 cup well chilled unsalted butter that has been cut into several small pieces. Mix until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Blend in about 2 tablespoons of ice water — just enough for the dough to hold together.

Yields 4 tarts.

An unusually sophisticated way to use rhubarb. This sweet-tart condiment is heavenly alongside grilled lamb, curries and even omelettes. Wonderful hostes gift.

Gingery rhubarb chutney

7 cups red-skinned rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 2 pounds of trimmed rhubarb)

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onions

1 1/2 cups golden raisins

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup water

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon pickling or other fine noniodized salt

2 teaspoons mustard seed

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (or to taste)

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 cups cider vinegar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

Wash 7 half-pint jars (or 3 pint jars and 1 half-pint). Keep hot until needed. Prepare lids as manufacturer directs.

Combine all of the ingredients except the vinegar and corn syrup in a large pot; mix well. Bring to a boil over medium heat, lower the temperature, and simmer the mixture, stirring it occasionally, until the onion pieces are translucent, about 30 minutes.

Add the vinegar and corn syrup and cook uncovered over medium-high heat (the mixture will appear to be very soupy at first, don’t worry) until the chutney is thick and the consistency of catsup (with lumps!) about 45 minutes. You will need to stir almost constantly the last 20 minutes or so to keep the chutney from scorching.

Ladle the hot chutney into 1 hot jar at a time, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe jar rim with a clean, damp cloth. Attach lid. Fill and close remaining jars. Process pints and half-pints in a boiling-water bath for 10 minutes

Store the jars for 3 weeks before opening.

Yields 6 to 7 half-pints.

Adapted from "Fancy Pantry," by Helen Witty

Frozen rhubarb <

puree

1pound fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3/4cup granulated sugar

1/4cup water

In a stainless steel or enameled saucepan, combine the rhubarb, sugar and water. Let the mixture stand for about 10 minutes to begin drawing out the rhubarb juices. Bring the mixture to a boil over moderate heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until it becomes a thick puree, about 30 minutes. Let the puree cool to room temperature and then pack into freezer storage bags or cartons and freeze. To use the puree, simply thaw. Yields about 2 cups of puree.

Note: Instead of freezing, rhubarb puree may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Use the puree to fill tart shells or as a delicious ice cream topping.

Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis, Ore., food writer, cookbook author and artist. Readers can contract her by e-mail at janrd@proaxis.com.