Calm - {Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake}

Few things beat the warmth of the sun on your back. Beside a tree and below the sun, I've contorted my arms and legs comfortably on the grass. I have my legs wound before me, one arm stretched out behind me and the other resting on my raised knee. I could be productive.Or I could just sit here.I have no objectives or goals today. Truthfully, sitting under the glow is the only thing I plan on

Remember - {Strawberry Rhubarb Pie}

I don't remember much about her, I think solemnly as I gently tousle the impressive leaves clouding my sight. My palms are buried deep in my sleeves as I search, crouched low to the ground and tossing my hair occasionally to sweep aside my growing bangs to simplify the hunt. Ruby red or bright green; thick or thin; I'm presented with a plethora of choices. But which would she pick?I remember

Rhubarb Yogurt Muffins

Ingredients:
3 cups diced rhubarb, divided use (if frozen, defrost)
2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup 0% Greek yogurt, at room temperature*
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon ground roasted ginger**
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, at room temperature


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease or line 16 wells in a muffin tin. In a blender or food processor (I used my Vita-Mix) pulse the yogurt and 1 1/2 cups rhubarb together until smooth. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the rhubarb mixture, oil, eggs and vanilla until well blended (or just pop the oil, eggs and vanilla in the blender on top of the yogurt mixture) and pulse once or twice then pour it into a bowl). Add the dry ingredients. Mix the batter thoroughly then fold in remaining rhubarb. Fill each well about 3/4 of the way. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the center muffin comes out with just a few dry crumbs. Cool on wire rack.

*A higher fat yogurt would probably work too; 0% Fage is what Costco carries so I used that.
**Made by McCormick. Find it in the spice aisle. Sub regular if need be.

Note: If your rhubarb is very red, your batter will be pink. If not, you can add a drop of food dye just for fun. The color does fade a bit during the baking process.

My thoughts:

Ever since the great rhubarb scare of '08* I hoard and freeze rhubarb in slightly insane quantities. It freezes really well and then I have the option of developing recipes in the off season and scheduling them when it is. This time, rhubarb is actually just coming into season but last night I used up the last of my frozen rhubarb to make these muffins. And what wonderful muffins they are; very light and airy (dare i say souffle-like?) but moist at the same time. The combination of the homemade rhubarb yogurt and diced rhubarb make them taste really rhubarby in every bite, not just when you bite into a chunk. The perfect rhubarb muffin.


*I was writing the first edition of Simply Seasonal, my bimonthly column about eating seasonal foods in the Chesapeake Bay area. It was for the March issue so it had to be about rhubarb as pretty much nothing else would evenly remotely be in season. I had just gotten the gig so I only had about a week create a new recipe, photograph the food and write the article. It was February so rhubarb was out of season but I had seen it sold frozen at many supermarkets in the past and checking back on my own recipe archive, I had made a tart with fresh rhubarb for Valentine's Day one year so I thought I might even be able to find fresh. However, when I went to buy it, it was no where to be found. My family, and friends and I went on a massive rhubarb hunt. My husband even called Dole's frozen diversion and they told him there had been a rhubarb blight(!) in Hawaii so they didn't have rhubarb to ship to stores. It was an exhausting, fruitless (vegetableless) week. Of course, one week after I turned my article in (with a slightly improvised picture) I found fresh rhubarb at H Mart.

Rhubarb-Ginger Pulled Pork

Ingredients:
3 lb boneless pork shoulder roast or tenderloin (trim off excess fat)
1 1/2 cup diced rhubarb (un-defrosted frozen is fine)
1/4 cup chili sauce (like Heinz)
1/4 cup spiced ginger preserves (like Mackays)
2 tablespoons thick Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons hickory liquid smoke
1 teaspoons Mexican hot chili powder
1 teaspoons hot paprika
1 teaspoon ground chipotle
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
juice and zest of one lime
1/2 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced

Directions:
Add all ingredients to a 4 quart slow cooker. Cook for 10 hours on low. When done, meat should shred easily with a fork. Remove roast from slow cooker. Shred with a fork and set aside. Mash any solid bits of the sauce with a potato masher. Return the pork to slow cooker and toss to evenly coat in sauce. Serve on rolls.

Note: If a slow cooker is not available, place the pork in a dutch oven and bake, covered for 4 1/2 hours at 375.

My thoughts:

I love rhubarb and ginger together. I was excited to pick roasted ginger and rhubarb as part of the panel deciding on McCormick's Flavor Forecast 2010 this fall. Last summer I even created a couple of recipes using the pairing for my upcoming cookbook. I've been predicting rhubarb as the "next big thing" for nearly six years now (well, the next big thing in the US anyway, in England they know their rhubarb) and over the last couple of years have finally starting to see some quality rhubarb recipes pop up. I think pork has a natural sweetness that pairs well with both tart and sweet/spice flavors making a rhubarb-ginger pulled pork the obvious next addition to my long list of pulled pork recipes. It hits that perfect note between spicy sweet and puckery. YUM!

Rhubarb Gelatin

Ingredients:
1/2 lb rhubarb, diced
1 1/3 cup water
1 cup very cold water
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon unflavored (powdered) gelatin

Directions:
In a saucepan, boil the rhubarb in 1 1/3 cup water until soft. Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin into the cold water. Stir in the sugar. Continue stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Strain through a sieve* into a heat safe measuring cup and discard the solids. Make sure the boiling water equals 1 cup. If not, add water to equal one cup and reboil. Quickly add the boiling water and stir. Pour into heat safe molds and refrigerate until solid.


Yield: about 3 cups

*Quick tip: It sounds odd but whisking the the cooked rhubarb with a wire whisk while it is in the mesh strainer is a super quick and thorough way to get all of the liquid out of the rhubarb.

My thoughts:

Oh, I love rhubarb. I never ate it growing up but once I tried it, I couldn't get enough. As soon as I see it, I stock up and freeze any leftovers so I can have it at will. I particularly like using in some what unconventional forms so when I had an idea for homemade rhubarb-flavored Jell-O (a flavor I am sure I will not encounter on the grocery shelf any time soon) it seemed perfect. I had learned from earlier experiments that boiling rhubarb is a great way to get all of the flavor without having to use the actual stalk. All I had to do was figure out the sugar and I was good to go. I really liked how it turned out: light, sweet-tart and refreshing.

Check out my other rhubarb recipes:
Rhubarb-Orange Pancakes
Baby Loves Rhubarb Cupcakes
Rhubarb Soda
Rhubarb Granita
Rhubarb Oatmeal Bread\
Raspberry-Rhubarb Tart
Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumb Cake

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumb Cake

Ingredients:
for the cake:

2 cups flour
1 cup strawberry-rhubarb compote
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk, at room temperance
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, at room temperature

for the streusel:
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375. Butter and flour or spray with cooking spray with flour a 9-inch springform pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups of flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with flour until a thick dough forms Pour batter into the prepared pan. Thoroughly spread the cake with the compote. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix together all of the streusel ingredients by hand or with a fork until a rough crumb forms. Sprinkle streusel evenly over the compote-topped raw cake. Bake 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out pretty much dry. Remove to a wire tack to cool. After about 15 minutes, release the buckle from the pan and serve.

My thoughts:

Rhubarb is finally in season and compote-ing is a great way to sweeten up some not quite in season strawberries. Combine that compote in a sweet cake and there is no stopping you. No stopping you! Take over the world, one breakfast at a time.

Rhubarb-Orange Pancakes

Ingredients:
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup diced rhubarb
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon orange extract or liqueur
1/4 teaspoon orange zest
1 egg

Directions:
Whisk together the egg, extract, zest and buttermilk in a small bowl or measuring cup. Set aside. In the medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, salt and baking soda. Slowly whisk in the egg/buttermilk mixture until a smooth batter forms. It may bubble slightly. Fold in rhubarb. Spray a frying pan or griddle with nonstick spray or melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Heat the pan so that it feels warm when you hover your hand over it. Add about 1/2 cup of the batter into the middle. Cook until bubbles begin to appear and pop. Flip. Cook for about 2 minutes. Both sides should be golden brown.

Yields about 4-5 mid-sized pancakes.

My thoughts:

I was excited to see that this month's In the Bag ingredients were rhubarb, orange and sugar. They are some of my favorite foods to cook with this time of year. I was thinking about making a dessert or a bread but then I thought pancakes might be fun. I really enjoyed them, there were bits of orange zest and tart rhubarb throughout and the pancakes were the height of fluffy perfection.

Baby Loves Rhubarb Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup diced rhubarb
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, at room temperature


fluffy rhubarb frosting
nonpareils for sprinkling


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line or grease and flour 6 wells in a cupcake pan. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla, mix thoroughly. Add flour, baking powder and salt to the butter mixture. Add the milk to the rest of the batter and beat until well combined. Fold in the rhubarb. Fill each well 2/3 of the way full. Bake 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted the center of a cupcake comes out clean or with just one or two dry crumbs. Cool briefly in the pan, then remove cupcakes to wire racks to cool completely before icing with rhubarb frosting. Ice, then sprinkle.

My thoughts:

I love rhubarb. I was so excited to find some truly beautiful, bright red rhubarb at the store this week. It's a little early for rhubarb, but it had the best flavor. I've been wanting to make rhubarb cupcakes since I missed the last weekend for rhubarb at the farmer's market last year and it was great to finally make them. I love the chunks of the rhubarb in the sweet, vanilla dough but it is the icing really sets it apart. The icing is fluffy, almost marshmallow like, has a wonderful, sublte rhubarb flavor. The combination of the two results in a cupcake that is full of rhubarb flavor but not too tart.

Fluffy Rhubarb Frosting

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 egg whites
1 stalk rhubarb, chopped*

1/2 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt

Directions:
Beat the egg whites and salt to soft peaks using an electric mixer. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring sugar, rhubarb and water to a boil, stirring occasionally. Continue to boil until it reaches soft ball stage (when a drop of the syrup forms a soft ball when dropped in cool water)while continuing to stir occasionally. Strain and discard the rhubarb. Keep the mixer running (you need a stand mixer or a friend to complete this next step) while you pour a continues stream of the molten syrup into the egg whites. Continue to beat for about 5 minutes, adding vanilla after about two minutes, or until the frosting is fluffy, glossy and cool. Frost cooled cupcakes or cake.

*If your rhubarb isn't very red, you can add a drop or two of red food coloring to color the icing if you'd like pink frosting. Very red rhubarb will yield pink frosting without dye.

Yield: enough frosting to generously frost one single layer cake or 12 cupcakes

My thoughts:

This recipe seems daunting; egg whites and a simple syrup combine to make a superbly fluffy, delicious and beautiful frosting but it is actually quite easy, especially if you have a stand mixer. The rhubarb flavor is subtle, but very much a part of the frosting. I got the idea from making rhubarb soda last year which also uses a rhubarb flavored simple syrup. I couldn't see why using flavored syrup in my favorite marshmallow-y icing recipe wouldn't work so I did some experimentation and it was fine. Just make sure to thoroughly strain out the rhubarb using a fine mesh strainer and work quickly. I bet it would work with other flavored simple syrups as well. Great on Baby Loves Rhubarb Cupcakes.

Rhubarb Soda

Directions:
4 stalks rhubarb, chopped
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

club soda

Directions:
In a small pan, bring the rhubarb, sugar and water to a boil. Lower heat and stir occasionally until the sugar has dissolved and the mixtures has reduced into a light syrup, about 10 minutes. Strain through a mesh strainer and press the rhubarb bits* (they will be pretty mushy) with the back of a spoon to release all of the juices into a bowl. Add about a tablespoon (or more to taste) of the syrup to the bottom of each cup and top with club soda. Serve immediately.



Yield: about 3/4 cup of syrup


*I sort of like to eat the leftover mashed rhubarb rather than throw it away, but you can certainly just toss it.

My thoughts:

As someone who doesn't like water and doesn't like to drink juice with meals, club soda is my fallback beverage. While the bubbles momentarily fool me into thinking that it is more than just water, it is still pretty plain and boring to drink day after day, especially in the summer when my beverage consumption triples. Enter the homemade soda. My new favorite flavor to make is rhubarb. Just barely sweet, and with a clear rhubarb taste it is the perfect beverage when you don't want plain water but when regular soda or juice is just too much.

Rhubarb Granita

Ingredients:
1 stalk rhubarb, chopped
1 1/2 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vodka

Directions:
In a small pot, bring together the rhubarb, sugar and water to a boil. Continue to boil until the sugar is dissolved and the rhubarb is soft. Strain into a large measuring cup and add cold water to equal 2 cups and stir in the vodka. Pour into a metal 9x13 pan, cover and freeze until almost solid, about 1-2 hours. "Rake" with a fork to form crystals and serve.

My thoughts:

If sorbet and Italian ice had a baby it would be granita. It is a vaguely chunky icy treat that lends itself to a multitude of variations. I was lucky enough to come across what I fear is the last of the season's rhubarb today at the farmers' market and couldn't resist picking some up. I didn't have anything in mind for it, but when faced with another 90+ day, something cold and sweet seemed to be in order. I had never made granita before but thought it was worth a shot. I was worried the rhubarb might be too subtle a flavor but it was perfect; slightly sweet and almost floral and once frozen, it turned the prettiest petal pink. I think granita is my new favorite dessert: quick, easy, fat free and vegan.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote

Ingredients:
1 cup strawberries, diced
1 stalk rhubarb, diced
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions:
Place the rhubarb, strawberries, water, lemon juice and sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook until the mixture boils and starts to thicken, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in arrowroot powder. Serve hot or cold. Allow to cool completely before refrigerating any leftovers. Great over ice cream, yogurt, pancakes or pavlovas.

My thoughts:

I love fruit compote but hardly ever remember to make it, which is a shame because it only takes a few minutes and elevates some thing like plain yogurt into a treat. I like to make it using a little arrowroot powder as a thickener instead of the usual cornstarch because it is virtually tasteless and when wet, is clear so you end up with a lump-free, translucent sauce.

Raspberry-Rhubarb Tart

Ingredients:

crust:
4 oz cold block cream cheese
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into tablespoons
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoons salt

filling:
2 cups diced rhubarb
1 cup raspberries
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 egg yolk


Directions:
For the crust:
Preheat oven to 400F. Place all of the crust ingredients in the food processor. Pulse until dough just comes together. It will be sticky. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour. Press into tart pan. Set aside.

For the filling:
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, the egg yolk, sugar, vanilla, salt and cream. Arrange the rhubarb and the raspberries on the pie crust. Pour the egg/cream mixture over the fruit.


Cover the very edge of the pan with foil all the way around and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the the custard is set. Remove to a wire rack and cool. Serve at room temperature.

My thoughts:

My very sweet husband made this for me for Valentine's Day. It was very pretty and sweet-tart. I think next time we make it with fresh berries we will beat a few into the cream mixture to make it pink throughout. I think using frozen raspberries (which tend to leech their color more readily) would have the same effect.

Rhubarb Oatmeal Bread

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups of flour
2 cups fresh rhubarb, diced
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
zest of one lime

Directions:
Preheat oven 350. Spray with baking spray (with flour) or butter one large loaf pan. Toss together 1/4 cup of the flour with the rhubarb and set aside. In a large bowl, cream together butter, lime zest and both sugars. Add baking soda, oats and salt, mix briefly. Add buttermilk and remaining flour alternately, combining well, between each addition. Gently fold in rhubarb. Pour into pan and bake about 60 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 8-10 minutes then remove from pan and continue to cool on a wire rack.

My thoughts:

I had never made anything with rhubarb before today. In fact, I think I had only had rhubarb once before, along side strawberries in a pie. When I saw rhubarb at the store I wasn't sure what do with it but it looked so fresh and pretty I couldn't resist. I have been seeing rhubarb recipes every where, including some for rhubarb bread but none that really called out to me. I decided to try my hand a creating a new bread recipe using some ingredients on hand. It came out really well. The oatmeal makes it homey but the lime zest combines with the rhubarb adds a bright fresh flavor.