By: Ashleigh Miller | August 06 2010
Posted in Cook It - In Season

Is there a more perfect combination than rhubarb and strawberries? Well, maybe peanut butter and chocolate. But nothing else even compares! When cooked together, these two “fruits” meld into a soft, comforting goo. The strawberries' sweetness cuts through the sour, acidic flavor of the rhubarb, leaving a pleasant tartness. Even more perfect, these two plants are in season at the same time, producing almost all summer long in the Western states.

Photo: Flickr

Rhubarb, also known as “pie-plant,” is actually a vegetable; the long, edible stalks have a rosy blush when ripe. Unlike most plants destined for the dessert cart, however, a rhubarb's ripeness does not equal sweetness. Its powerful pucker can put lemons to shame, so cooking with it can be a challenge.

The trick is to use lots of sweetener--sugar, honey, or agave syrup all work fine--and add in another fruit for some complexity. The popularity of strawberry-rhubarb pie is no accident; they just go together!

A little crunch also helps balance the mushy, melty texture of cooked rhubarb. The perfect flaky pie crust or a special streusel topping are good choices.

Preparing rhubarb is easy:

• Snap off a stalk at its base
• Slice off the large, poisonous leaf and the pale, c-shaped bottom portion of the stalk
• Peel

For most recipes, you'll cut the stalk into half-inch pieces. Finally, add some sweet and turn up the heat. Dessert is on the way! If you need a little inspiration for what to make with rhubarb, try a recipe for strawberry-rhubarb pie, strawberry rhubarb crisp, or a versatile rhubarb syrup.

 

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