Rhubarb Recipes

Carol Miles loves rhubarb. Her philosophy: celebrate its sourness. “If you add too much sugar, you lose the rhubarb flavor,” she says.

Here, Miles, a Washington State University horticulture professor and Extension vegetable specialist at the WSU Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center, shares some rhubarb recipes she loves, noting, “Overall, I add rhubarb to any of the berries for pies, jam, and any dessert.”

 

Strawberry-Rhubarb Cobbler

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish lightly with oil. Whisk cornstarch, ½ cup sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add strawberries, rhubarb and vanilla; stir until thoroughly coated. Spoon the mixture into the prepared dish. Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk all-purpose flour, pastry flour, baking powder, the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Add milk and melted butter; stir until well combined.

Remove the strawberry-rhubarb mixture from the oven. Drop 12 rounded spoonfuls (about 2 tablespoons each) of batter evenly over the mixture. Bake until the biscuits are golden brown and the strawberry mixture is bubbly, about 35 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes before serving.

 

Strawberry-Rhubarb-Oat Streusel Bars

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat 8-inch-square baking pan with oil. Combine oats, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Stir in melted butter. Firmly press 2 cups of the oat mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. (Reserve the rest for the topping.) Bake until fragrant and set, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack.

Combine strawberries, rhubarb, granulated sugar and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Spread the mixture evenly over the crust. Sprinkle with the reserved oat mixture. Bake until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling, about 35 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Using the overhanging parchment, carefully lift the bars out of the pan. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour. Cut into 12 bars.

 

Rhubarb Crisp

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place rhubarb in a 6-by-10-inch baking dish, and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. In a medium bowl, rub together butter and flours. Mix in remaining ingredients, to consistency of crumbs; use hands if needed. Place crumb mixture on top of rhubarb. Bake 40 minutes.

 

Almond-Rhubarb Picnic Bars

For the crust

For the filling

To finish

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Crust: Beat butter with sugar, add flour and salt, and mix until combined. Chill for 15 minutes. Transfer dough to oiled 9-by-9-inch baking pan, press evenly on the bottom and ¼ -inch up the sides. Bake for 15 minutes, until pale golden.

Filling: Grind together almonds, 6 tablespoons sugar, flour, and salt until nuts are powdery.  Place in bowl and cut in butter. Add vanilla, brandy, and egg, blending until just combined. Spread filling over mostly cooled (warm is OK) crust.

Fruit: Trim rhubarb, and cut in half horizontally, top to bottom, with the flatter part on the bottom. Create a chevron pattern. Sprinkle fruit with 1 teaspoon sugar.

Bake: For 45 to 55 minutes, until golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the almond filling underneath comes out clean.

Cool: In pan on a rack. Decorate the bars with a little powdered sugar or brush over warm some jam for a glossier finish. Cut with a serrated knife when the bars are cold.

 

Fruit Dump Cake

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Combine flours, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Make well in center, add egg, and beat. Add remaining ingredients and beat together. Place the fruit into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spoon the cake batter over the top of the fruit. Bake until the top is brown and bubbly, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

 

Rhubarb-Raspberry Crumble

For the filling:

For the topping:

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with oil.

Filling: Combine fruit, sugar, cornstarch and vanilla in a bowl, pout into the prepared baking dish.

Topping: Combine flours, sugar, baking powder and salt in the mixing bowl. Pinch butter into the flour mixture with fingers until pea-sized. Squeeze a handful of dough firmly in palm, then crumble it coarsely over the fruit mixture. Continue with the rest of the mixture until the fruit is evenly covered. Sprinkle with nuts.

Bake until the fruit is bubbling and topping is golden brown, about 50 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

 

More Recipes

Pan Seared Chicken with Rhubarb Thyme Sauce (A Year at the Table)

Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake (New York Times)

Baked Ham with Rhubarb Glaze (Spokesman-Review)