Got Myself Into a Bit of a Rhubarb

[Maryn]

When my mother in law sold her parents' home after her father died at 95, there was one interesting clause in the contract. She retained the right to harvest up to half the rhubarb she and her daddy had planted when she was a little girl. As long as she lived in the area, once each spring she would phone to see how it was coming and arrange a time when she might come over without bothering anyone.

So Mr. Maryn likes rhubarb, without the adulteration of raspberries or strawberries. I made a from-scratch cobbler yesterday that came out really well even though I did modifications to make it healthier. I figured I'd share it.

Maryn's Rhubarb Cobbler

1 C. sugar (or 1/2 sugar and 1/2 bakeable sugar substitute like Splenda)
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
4 1/2 C. rhubarb, fresh or frozen, cut in 1/2"slices (about 1 - 1.25 lb)
1 1/2 C. water
few drops red food coloring
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine (substituting low-fat margarine works)

1 C. flour
6 T. sugar (or 1/2 sugar and 1/2 bakeable sugar substitute)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 C. butter or margarine (I used 3 Tbsp.)
6 T. milk or almond milk
1/3 C. chopped pecans
3/4 tsp. grated orange peel (orange zest)

Preheat oven to 400F. Measure stick butter or margarine for topping and set out to soften.

In saucepan, combine sugar and cinnamon. Add rhubarb, water and coloring. Cook and stir until mixture boils; cook 2 min. more. Stir in 2 T. butter until it melts. Pour mixture into a 1 1/2 - 2 qt. casserole or baking dish. Keep bubbling hot in oven. (Or prepare the topping first, then do this step.)

For topping, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in softened butter with pastry blender or two forks; stir in milk, pecans and orange peel. Push topping from soup spoon in dollops atop hot fruit, leaving only small gaps. (It will spread to close or nearly close them.) Bake at 400 degrees for 25 - 30 min. Serve with cream or ice cream. Or without.

It was quite tasty, and with reduced fat and sugar, not especially unhealthy.

 

[Dennis E. Taylor]

Why you torture me?

PS: Adding berries to rhubarb anything is an abomination and an admission of cowardice. Embrace the rhubarbiness!

 

[mrsmig]

I want to try this. I planted rhubarb last year as an experiment and the plant is huge and vigorous this year. I've been looking for a berry-less rhubarb recipe and this looks like it will fill the bill. Thanks!

 

[Maryn]

If you're going to make this, put together the topping first. It takes longer than boiling the rhubarb, by a pretty good margin. And it was good without any ice cream, too!

 

[ZachJPayne]

This looks absolutely yummy, Maryn. I'll add it to my list of stuff to try.

 

[Usher]

Rhubarb doesn't need stewing first - it'll cook over 30 minutes in the oven.

 

[TedTheewen]

I make a ton of rhubarb stuff.

In fact, tomorrow, I'm making rhubarb rolls and perhaps some rhubarb cookies.

ETA: This thread on rhubarb from the past is a fun read, too.

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?270834-Rhubarb-Season!

 

[oceansoul]

That sounds absolutely delicious. I have a baking-savvy partner ... hmm. *prints the list and leaves it about the house*

 

[Chris P]

All this hatin' on stuff in rhubarb . . . I feel like I've come home! It's perfect as it is, without need for strawberries!

But really, you don't need to reduce the rhubarb? I made my first rhubarb pie this past weekend, and even with boiling down the juice to a syrup it came out way too runny. Was there something else I messed up?

 

[Maryn]

I didn't reduce it at all. It was about as runny as a cherry pie, able to hold the basic shape of the cut serving but with some thick juice leaking out the edges.

Thanks for the link to the original rhubarb thread. I'd looked for it but failed to locate it earlier. Much appreciated.

Maryn, who served it on plates rather than in bowls

 

[Jack Lebowski]

Sounds like a great recipe Maryn! My family made homemade rhubarb pie when I was growing up. From rhubarb growing in our back yard. No additives either! Just rhubarb as rhubarb! Hated it most severly!

Oh well, different strokes as they say.

Still remember the Benny Hill joke about the bad chef who made a rhubarb pie. Three foot long and two inches wide.

Jack-Cooked Dandelion greens taste pretty much like any other greens to me. Including lawn clippings.

 

[Maryn]

Someone here at AW tells a story about her grandmother taking her along when she was collecting dandelion greens for a salad. Apparently treated lawns were unsafe or untasty, so they'd seek a neglected cemetery. I always wanted to use that in fiction.

Maryn, story stealer

 

[Chris P]

Interesting about the rhubarb.

Dandelion roots can be roasted, ground, and made into coffee. Which had a popcorny taste, actually.

 

[Maryn]

I've had chicory "coffee" before--I wonder what part of the plant it's from? It's not like there was this gigantic and capable means of looking things up at my fingertips...

 

[WriterDude]

Haven't had rhubarb in years. My grandad grew the stuff as I recall and it was a treat to eat it raw with a sugar dip.

I don't think the boys have tried it yet.

 

[RKarina]

Someone here at AW tells a story about her grandmother taking her along when she was collecting dandelion greens for a salad. Apparently treated lawns were unsafe or untasty, so they'd seek a neglected cemetery. I always wanted to use that in fiction.

Maryn, story stealer

Too funny!
And yeah, a perfect bit in a story.

 

[shakeysix]

Wotta Rhubarb! Liked the cat--hate the plant. Grandma used to cook it down and slather it on home made bread with butter and sugar. Sorry folks, maybe it was the soggy bread, but I hate the stuff even in pie. --s6

 

[Maryn]

Look who's necro-ing a post! I saw rhubarb in the store this morning and bought a package.

I've just made the rhubarb cobbler in the 2015 post. It's cooling now. I went with full sugar and soft low-fat margarine because waiting for stick butter to soften always takes longer than I think it should.

A few years back Mr. Maryn and I were not far from the house where his mom grew up (and planted rhubarb with her father), so we drove by it. It's clearly got new owners who've made visible changes to the landscaping. We think the rhubarb is gone.

Maryn, who won't need ice cream

 

[Jlombardi]

Why you torture me?

PS: Adding berries to rhubarb anything is an abomination and an admission of cowardice. Embrace the rhubarbiness!

I always thought the rhubarb was there to improve the berries.

Edit: Why did I think this was a newer post? Its old.

 

[Jlombardi]

Look who's necro-ing a post! I saw rhubarb in the store this morning and bought a package.

I've just made the rhubarb cobbler in the 2015 post. It's cooling now. I went with full sugar and soft low-fat margarine because waiting for stick butter to soften always takes longer than I think it should.

A few years back Mr. Maryn and I were not far from the house where his mom grew up (and planted rhubarb with her father), so we drove by it. It's clearly got new owners who've made visible changes to the landscaping. We think the rhubarb is gone.

Maryn, who won't need ice cream

I love rhubarb!
I have a bunch in my garden right now. I should make cobbler...
or a tart...
or rhubarb vanilla bean liqueur
or rhubarb pork tenderloin!

 

[Brigid Barry]

Look who's necro-ing a post! I saw rhubarb in the store this morning and bought a package.

I've just made the rhubarb cobbler in the 2015 post. It's cooling now. I went with full sugar and soft low-fat margarine because waiting for stick butter to soften always takes longer than I think it should.

A few years back Mr. Maryn and I were not far from the house where his mom grew up (and planted rhubarb with her father), so we drove by it. It's clearly got new owners who've made visible changes to the landscaping. We think the rhubarb is gone.

Maryn, who won't need ice cream

This looks amazing and I will be searching for recipes when our rhubarb comes out

 

[Unimportant]

I grow it and never get round to using it

 

[betsie]

I had never eaten, seen, or heard of rhubarb before one classmate invited everyone to her house. It was her bachelorette party. Needless to say, when I tasted it, it was great! It was so great that I ate several slices. I regretted that indulgence the following day, as I spent it on the porcelain throne!! Never ate rhubarb again.

 

[benbenberi]

I picked up about 10 stalks of beautiful rhubarb at the local farm today, when I went in for strawberries (2 quarts! I'm rich!). I don't want to combine the rhubarb with strawberries this time, however. In the next few hours I will have to choose between rhubarb crumble and rhubarb custard. Or possibly rhubarb custard with a crumble top, if I spot a recipe like that. At least half the strawberries are going to become refrigerator jam, so I may end up eating some alongside the rhubarb Thing after all.

 

[Chris P]

I saw rhubarb at the farmer's market this morning. I almost bought some, but I'm on my own for a couple weeks and I can't be trusted to control myself around a cobbler.

If you gotta mix rhubarb with another fruit, forget the strawberries. Cherry-rhubarb is where it's at!