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Kitchen Accomplice Rhubarb By John Kirkendall |
I was meandering through the grocery aisles the other
day and happened upon a pile of rhubarb beckoning to me. I have not
eaten rhubarb for a very long time and have fond memories of it as
a child. My grandmother on my father’s side grew it in abundance – I
loved the way its tartness made your mouth become alive — fresh
raw rhubarb dipped gingerly in salt was pure elixir of the gods to
me.
I always thought of rhubarb as a spring fruit. And while we often think
of rhubarb in the spring, fact is, it is not restricted to spring — and
it is not a fruit. If one cares for rhubarb plants all season long – that
means careful watering – and depending on the variety one grows,
it may be harvested through the tail end of summer. The nice thing
about that is you can have a taste of spring all summer long.
Michigan is one of the top producers of Rhubarb in the United States — the
country’s third largest. This is due to the ideal climate
here in Michigan, with an average winter temperature below 40° F
and an average summer temperature below 75° F.
When selecting rhubarb at the store you should look for firm, full
stalks, but be careful they aren’t too tough, as that is a sure
sign of over-ripeness. Also, the ends shouldn’t be split,
which is an indication that the rhubarb hasn’t been stored properly. The
color of the rhubarb may vary from variety to variety; therefore, redness
isn’t a good indication of ripeness. (As a cautionary note,
the leaves of rhubarb are poisonous to humans and should not be consumed.)
I have two recipes for you. They are truly simple to make, and even
simpler if you opt not to make your own pie crust. You can “cheat” by
buying the Pillsbury brand and placing it in your own pie tins or plates
for preparation. You will look like a star baker! But if you have the
time, there is satisfaction to be gained by doing a pie crust from
scratch – and I have a great recipe for you.
Rhubarb Custard Pie
Ingredients:
2 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whipping cream
Procedure:
Combine rhubarb, eggs, sugar, flour, and salt. Pour into an unbaked
10-inch pie shell. Pour whipping cream over the top. Bake at 375 degrees
for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 50 minutes.
For the Orange Pie Pastry
2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour, more for rolling out the dough
1 teaspoon salt
grated zest from 2 oranges
10 tablespoons (1 stick + 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, diced and
chilled
juice from 1 orange, about 5 tablespoons, more if needed
2 tablespoons milk
Rhubarb Crisp
Ingredients:
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup quick cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 cups sliced rhubarb
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preparation:
In mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, oats, butter and cinnamon;
mix together until crumbly. Press half of the brown sugar and oats
mixture into a buttered 8-inch square baking dish. Top with the sliced
rhubarb.
In a saucepan combine 1 cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, and the 1
cup of water and vanilla. Cook together until clear, then pour over
rhubarb. Top rhubarb with remaining crumb mixture and bake at 350° for
45 to 55 minutes.
If you serve this warm with ice cream, you will establish a reputation
for your culinary skill, I promise. It is that good.
Judge Kirkendall is a retired Probate Judge. He presently serves on the Elder Law Advisory Board of the Stetson University College of Law. He has taught cooking classes for more than 25 years at various cooking schools in the Ann Arbor area and has himself attended classes at Cordon Bleu and La Varenne in Paris, as well as schools in New York, New Orleans and San Francisco. I am (thankfully) past president of the National College of Probate Judges. He can be reached at Judgejnk@yahoo.com