Rhubarb!
I just received the newest copy of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food. While glancing through it, I noticed they highlighted on of my favorite foods....Rhubarb!I remember growing up constantly knawing on this tart vegetable...yes that's right veggie.
Facts about this misunderstood plant:
Rhubarb is a vegetable with a unique taste that makes it a favorite in many pies and desserts. It originated in Asia over 2,000 years ago. It was initially cultivated for its medicinal qualities, it was not until the 18th century that rhubarb was grown for culinary purposes in Britain and America.
Rhubarb is often commonly mistaken to be a fruit but rhubarb is actually a close relative of garden sorrel, and is therefore a member of the vegetable family. Rhubarb is rich in vitamin C and dietary fiber The stems or stalks of the rhubarb are to be eaten, the leaves are actually poisonous and should not be consumed.
But oh...all the good things with rhubarb you can make!
Rhubarb Strawberry Pie
frozen-butter pastry dough
1 1/2 pounds trimmed rhubarb
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups raspberries
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
Accompaniment: vanilla ice cream
Divide dough into 2 pieces (1 piece should be slightly smaller than the other). Chill larger dough piece, wrapped in plastic wrap. On a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin roll out smaller piece of dough into a 10-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick).
Transfer round to a large baking sheet and chill, covered. Roll out remaining dough into an 11-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) and stack it on top of first round. Chill pastry rounds, loosely covered with plastic wrap, at least 1 hour, or until firm. Cut enough rhubarb crosswise into 1/2-inch slices to measure 4 cups. In a 3-quart kettle stir together 3 cups rhubarb, 1 cup sugar, and cinnamon and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is melted, about 6 minutes. In a small bowl stir together cornstarch and lemon juice. Add cornstarch mixture to rhubarb mixture and boil, stirring constantly, until rhubarb is thickened, about 5 minutes, and transfer mixture to a bowl. Cool mixture to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
Fold raspberries and remaining cup rhubarb into mixture until just combined. Chill rhubarb filling, covered, at least 30 minutes, or until cold.
Preheat oven to 425°F.
In a small bowl whisk together egg and milk to make an egg wash. Fit 11-inch round of dough into a 9-inch (1-quart) glass pie plate and trim with scissors, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Spoon rhubarb filling into shell, smoothing top, and brush edge of crust with egg wash. Drape remaining pastry round over filling and trim, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Crimp edge decoratively. With a sharp small knife score a decorative pattern on crust and brush crust evenly with some egg wash. Sprinkle crust with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
Bake pie on a baking sheet in middle of oven 35 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and cooked through. (If pastry gets too brown too quickly, tent pie with foil.) Transfer pie to a rack. Cool pie at least 1 hour to set filling.
Serve pie with ice cream.Serves 8.
Gourmet - April 1999
Rhubarb is such a great fruit. we have been using it from our garden in scotland for the last 3 weeks and the kitchen can do so much with it. pies, tarts, fools, mousses, jams, chutneys the list is endless. I have however given them the Strawberry and Rhubarb Pie Recipe.
Posted by
Anonymous |
Fri Apr 29, 10:30:00 AM
When I first began working in Colorado, one of my co-workers had a rhubarb patch and kept me supplied. She complained that the only recipe she had was for a rhubarb cobbler. I searched the Internet and made her a 29 page rhubarb cookbook. One of the oddest recipes was for Rhubarb and Black Pudding. I could never make that - not because of the ingredients, but because as much as I like rhubarb, I like black pudding even more. It just doesn't last long enough in the house to cook it with rhubarb. A recipe is at http://www.rhubarbinfo.com/recipe-pudding.html
Posted by
Anonymous |
Fri Apr 29, 11:44:00 AM