One tomato, two tomato
Minneapolis is looking an awful lot like Seattle this year. We’ve had 17 days of sun since April 1st. The rest of the days have been cloudy or rainy, heavy on the rain. My rhubarb could not be happier. The leaves are gigantic, the stalks, prolific. My rhubarb is tucked into the corner of my yard, surrounded by day lilies and hostas. It looks down right prehistoric in all it’s giant-leafedness. To bad I had to hack it down in the name of preservation.
“What exactly is rhubarb?” asked my young daughter at breakfast. “It’s a vegetable with big leaves and red stalks, and it’s very sour. But only eat the stalks. You use it like fruit and cook it with sugar for dessert,” I said. She gave me that “no way I’m eating that” look. “Mom, you should call it ‘Rhubarbarian’ not rhubarb. Like a Barbarian.” Clearly this was her opinion of eating rhubarb. But the name was fantastic.
Below are two recipes, one for preserved spiced rhubarb, and the other for a libation made with the poaching syrup. The rhubarb itself is perfect for tossing in a free-form crust for a quick dessert tart. The cocktail we’ve dubbed the “Rhubarbarian”, spiked with vodka and lime. You can also make a Rhubarbarian soda, just omit the vodka. It makes a perfect summer refresher, even in the rain.
Rhubarbarian
6/15/13
A chronicle of my adventures growing, preserving, cooking and eating from my garden and everywhere.
Known to many for my incredible ability to organize, I tackle gardening and life with equal verve. Obsessive, is that a bad thing?
Preserved Spiced Rhubarb Recipe
by Tammy Kimbler
Ingredients:
1 lb rhubarb
1 grapefruit
1 lime
2" vanilla bean
2" cinnamon stick
1” ginger
2 tsp fennel seed
2 c sugar
1 c water
Instructions:
Cut the rhubarb in even sticks that fit nicely into two pint jars, and set aside. Zest the grapefruit and lime in long strips with a peeler and juice them. Discard the pith. Julianne ginger. Add zest, juice, ginger and the remaining ingredients to a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the rhubarb sticks to the hot liquid. Turn off the heat and allow to come to room temp. The rhubarb should still be slightly firm.
Pack the rhubarb sticks into two clean pint jars. Reduce the remaining liquid to two cups. Pour one cup hot syrup nto each pint jar, topping off with a little water if needed. Wipe the rims and add the lids. Store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
Rhubarbarian Cocktail Recipe
by Tammy Kimbler
Ingredients:
1 shot vodka
1 shot preserved spiced rhubarb syrup
juice of 1/2 a lime
ice
soda
rhubarb stick
Instructions:
In a shaker with ice, add vodka, rhubarb syrup and lime juice. Shake vigorously, then pour in a glass over ice. Top with soda and garnish with a stick of preserved spiced rhubarb.
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