Rhubarb

Rhubarb

by Sheila Packa

Celebrate bitter things
after long winter
rhubarbs' red green stalks
and partial sun
shared with cutworm and fly
and ants that come—
no house can resist their arrival.
Life's too much or not enough—
savor the undernote of butter.
Smile in dandelions' faces
after the rabbits take other blossoms.
Taste from the plate I've heaped
tart rhubarb

ripe strawberries and sugar.

The rhubarb plant in the corner of my parents' garden has been there for as long as I can remember. It keeps producing, year after year, with little care to such an extent that it provides plenty of stalks for them as well as friends and family. The only concern that persists is that its wide leaves spread broadly in circumference and crowd the other vegetables.

I am convinced that rhubarb may be the easiest to plant with certainty of a harvest for the novice gardener. Soil quality is not of importance, since you can regularly amend it with compost and mulch. Rhubarb needs plenty of sun and water and a year to establish its roots. By the second year, you will reap abundant rewards. Since the leaves are poisonous and soon discarded, they elude the deer and may endure a bit of damage from the weather or pests without worry.

I planted two rhubarb plants last year that are now well established and provide a steady supply of stalks. Rhubarb freezes well when trimmed and chopped, and I have already frozen at least a half dozen two-cup portions for the winter. Still, the production of the pair persists. As such, I have been searching for exceptional rhubarb recipes which help to elevate its common status closer to its true potential as a prized ingredient. Here are two delicious dessert combinations that compliment rhubarb with ginger and lemon both from Rustic Fruit Desserts by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson.

Lemon Buttermilk Rhubarb Bundt Cake

Cake:
2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all purpose, unbleached flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon lemon oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and very thinly sliced (3 cups prepped)

Lemon Glaze:
2 cups confectioners' sugar, more as needed
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 10-cup bundt pan.
2. To make the cake, sift the 2 1/2 cups flour, the baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Using a handheld mixer with beaters or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar and lemon zest together on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition, then stir in the lemon oil. Stir in the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the buttermilk in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. The batter will be very thick.
3. Toss the rhubarb with the 2 tablespoons of flour and fold half into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining rhubarb on top.
4. Bake for 30 minutes, then rotate the pan and cook for an additional 30 minutes, or until the center springs back when lightly touched. Cool the cake in its pan on the wire rack for 30 minutes before inverting and removing the pan.
5. To make the lemon glaze, whisk the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice and butter together. The mixture should be thick. If it’s not, whisk in another tablespoon or two of the sugar. Spread the glaze over the cake as soon as you remove it from the pan.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

Rhubarb Buckle with Ginger Crumb

Topping:

1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup finely chopped candied ginger
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Cake:

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon dried ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and thinly sliced 

1.    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch round baking pan.

2.    Make the topping: Mix sugar, flour, and candied ginger together in a bowl, then stir in melted butter. Put the topping in the freezer while you mix up the cake.

3.    Make the cake: whisk flour, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Using a handheld mixer with beaters, or a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Stir in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with buttermilk in two additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients, and scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Gently fold in rhubarb.

4.    Spread the batter into the prepared pan, then sprinkle the crumb topping over the cake. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until lightly golden, and firm on top.

5.    Store wrapped in plastic, at room temperature, for 2 to 3 days.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings