A few days ago, I posted a recipe for Rhubarb Sour Cream Muffins and talked a little bit about rhubarb. Rhubarb is probably the one advantage to living in a northern climate! If you are not familiar with rhubarb, it’s a cool season perennial vegetable, that’s right…it’s a vegetable!
Even though we most often treat it as a fruit in such confections as pies, crisps, squares, ice-cream, compotes and jams, crumbles, coffee cakes, sweet breads and muffins, rhubarb is actually a vegetable!
My first memory of eating rhubarb was having it stewed. Even though I grew up in the city, my grandparents owned a farm about a twenty-minute car ride away. Whenever we visited, they always loaded my parents down with whatever happened to be in season and one of the earliest crops was rhubarb.
My mom would almost always stew the rhubarb and we would eat it with toast for breakfast, on its own in a bowl for a tasty dessert and my favourite way of all to enjoy rhubarb; stewed and when still warm poured over vanilla ice-cream…the ultimate treat!
Wash the rhubarb well and cut into small pieces.
In a saucepan, combine rhubarb, sugar, and water. (You really don’t need much water, the rhubarb when combined with the sugar will make its own juices.)
You can either stew the rhubarb until soft but still a little chunky or cook a little longer and when stirred the pieces will become smoother.
I used some of this batch of Stewed Rhubarb to make easy and delicious Rhubarb Squares.
Stewed Rhubarb may be stored in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days.
- 6 cups chopped rhubarb
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- In a large saucepan, combine rhubarb, sugar, and water.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar has dissolved.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until slightly thickened and rhubarb is in soft but still a little chunky or in threads, whichever you prefer.
- Serve warm or cold, delicious either way!.
Easy to make and so good! Stewed Rhubarb is a must-have for quick desserts or with your toast in the morning.
Have you ever eaten rhubarb? If so, what is your favourite way to eat this early summer delicacy?
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