Celebrate Rhubarb

Rhubarb

I have been told that rhubarb is something you either love or hate, but truly what is there to hate? This distinctive vegitable so often used with fruit is a culinary delight if you pay attention to it's unusual qualities and generous flavour. The stems are used most in cooking, however the flower buds may be used as a substitute for broccoli in au gratin ... the cheese will remove any hint of bitter taste. The leaves and roots have their uses outside the culinary.

Nutrition Facts

Amount Per 100 grams

Calories 21

                                             % Daily Value

Total Fat 0.2 g	0%
Saturated fat 0.1 g	0%
Polyunsaturated fat 0.1 g
Monounsaturated fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg	0%
Sodium 4 mg	0%
Potassium 288 mg	8%
Total Carbohydrate 4.5 g	1%
Dietary fiber 1.8 g	7%
Sugar 1.1 g
Protein 0.9 g	1%

Nutrition Facts
For 1 Cup of Diced, Raw Rhubarb:
Calories ....................26
Dietary Fibre ................2 grams
Protein ......................1 gram
Carbohydrates .................6 grams
Vitamin C ...................10 mg
Vitamin A ..................122 IU
Folic Acid .................8.7 mg
Calcium ....................105 mg
Potassium ..................351 mg
- See more at: http://www.rhubarb-central.com/rhubarb-nutrition.html#sthash.2Eqmjq5N.dpuf

Vitamin A

2%

 Vitamin C                                                 13%
 Calcium                                                      8%
 Iron                                                             1%
 Magnesium                                                 3%

 

Gingerbread Cassata

 

Ingredients

Gingerbread Cassata

• 4 x rhubarb stems
• 1/2 cup pastachio kernals, chopped
• 1/2 cup craisons, chopped
• 1/2 cup crystalised ginger, chopped
• 1 cup rapadura sugar
• 3 tspn honey
• 1 Tbls vino cotta
• 2 tspn bicarbonate of soda
• 1 cup rapadura sugar
• 250 g ricotta
• 2 x egg yolks
• 1 tspn cinnamon
• 1 tspn nutmeg, freshly ground
• 600 ml double cream
• 1 Tbls vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt

 

Method

put honey, first lot of sugar, and vino cotta into a pan and bring to a foaming boil and add the rhubarb and caramelise until tender, remove the rhubarb with a slotted spoon and place on a piece of silicon paper to set. replace the pan to the heat and bring back to the boil and add the bicarb soda and quickly stir into a frothing foam and place in a silicon paper lined pan and allow to set.
roughly chop the craisons, pastachio kernals and ginger
beat the cream until light and airy
cream the egg yolks with half the sugar until creamy, add the rest of the sugar and the ricotta, spices and vanilla and cream until well combined, fold in the beaten cream and the fruit, rhubarb and nuts and place into your icecream maker according to appliance instructions and process for half an hour.
crumble the honeycombed sugar and add to the icecream mixture and process for a further 20 minutes.
place in your freezer for half and hour to set further and enjoy in a waffle cone.

 

Rhubarb & Craisin Chutney

Part 1

Rhubarb and Craisin Chutney

2 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
6 ground pepperberries
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 dried chili
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper


Part 2
850gm rhubarb, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
2 teaspoons minced ginger

3 teaspoons minced garlic
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup craisins, roughly chopped

Perfect with cheese

Method
1 mill the cloves, chilli, pepper, pepperberries and salt to a fine powder
2 In a large heavy saucepan combine the ingredients of part 1.
3 Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve sugar.
4 Add the ingredients of part 2.
5 Bring back to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until thick, stirring often, about 1-1 1/2 hours. 6 Ladle into clean hot jars leaving 1cm head space and process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes.

Rubarb Fool

Rhubarb fool

Ingredients:
4 large stems of rhubarb
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon brandy
2 tablespoons rapadura sugar
300 ml thickened cream

 
Method:
finely slice the rhubarb and add to a saucepan with the honey, sugar and brandy and simmer gentle until the rhubarb is very soft, if it begins to stick add a little water and allow ro reduce again until the rhubarb is soft.
Allow to cool and process into a puree.
Whip the cream until quite stiff then gently fold the puree into the cream then refigerate for at leat half an hour.
Serve in a waffle cone.

Atributes and uses outside the culinary

Rhubarb stems

The leaves can get very large and are toxic and poisonous as it has oxalic, nephrotoxic, and corrosive acids in them.

 

Aphid Tea

5 cups rhubarb leaf, shredded
1 cup water
1 teaspoon soap flakes
Boil the leaves and water into a tea for 20 minutes, cool and then strain.
Add the soap flakes and dissolve and place in a childproof container.
Use in a spray bottle as an effective organic insecticide for any of the leaf eating insects such as cabbage caterpillars, aphids, peach and cherry slug etc.

Hair brightener for Blondes

3 tablespoons of rubarb root
2 cups water

Simmer for 15 minutes, set aside overnight and strain.
Test on a small strand to determin the effect then pour through hair as a rinse

Cleaner

Apply grated rhubarb stem to a burnt pot or pan and allow to stand for an hour. remove rhubarb pulp and wash as normal. The burnt areas should come up shiny once more.

 

Medicinal:

The roots have been used in traditional medicines as a strong laxative for over 5,000 years.

Recent studies indicate rhubarb has a blood lipid lowering effect and some use as an anti inflammitory for the gastro-intestinal tract.

Traditional Chinese medicine suggests rhubarb improves the memory in senile patients. 

Magickal properties:

The energies of rhubarb are related to protection, devotion, well being and fidelity