Known as the vegetable that’s also a fruit, rhubarb is loved for its tart and sweet flavour profile. And let’s not forget its impressive green and shocking pink colours. Botanically speaking, rhubarb is a vegetable: it doesn’t have any seeds and does not come from the flowering part of the plant. However, once it leaves the garden and enters the kitchen, it is most often prepared like a fruit.
It’s easy to find in supermarkets during its season, from April to September, and anyone with rhubarb in the garden should be picking it around now. The crisp stems are high in carbohydrates and fibre, and have some potassium and vitamin C – perfect for adding to breakfasts, snacks or dessert. Culinary experts at Good Food have revealed the simplest way to cook “vibrant” rhubarb.
The distinctive flavour profile of rhubarb means it is incredibly versatile. It’s delicious with other fruits like strawberries, raspberries, and apples.
Custard, ginger, compotes, jams, crumbles, and stewed fruit on top of breakfast cereal are also popular pairings. Alternatively, try it as a sauce to accompany pork, goose, or mackerel.
Good Food members who tried the recipe say it’s “lovey and simple”, and “brings out the best of lovely Yorkshire rhubarb”.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 500g rhubarb, cut into 1-inch-long pieces
- One orange, zest and juice
- 100g caster sugar
Method
The large, smooth, heart-shaped leaves are toxic, so always discard them before cooking the fruit.
To stew the rhubarb, first place the chopped segments of stems in a saucepan. Add the orange zest and juice, then follow with the sugar.
For the best results, Good Food members suggest starting with just 50g of sugar and then adding more to taste.
Add two tablespoons of water, then bring the pan to the boil and simmer for eight minutes, or until the rhubarb is cooked but still holds its shape.
Those who prefer a more solid texture should cook the rhubarb for five minutes and then check it before cooking it further. You can eat rhubarb raw, but be warned, the stems are very tart.
You can make syrup from the stew, too. Just remove the rhubarb from the liquid, turn the heat up and reduce until you get a syrupy consistency. Drizzle over ice cream or porridge.