Flavour of the month: rhubarb

The verdict is in: rhubarb is having a moment – a big one. Is it because the world feels a bit crazy at the moment and we’re hankering after nostalgic dishes that reference simpler times? Or might it be because the humble stalk is so inherently Instagrammable, with its jewel-like colours? Who knows? The point is: rhubarb is all over the place right now, and it’s being used in innovative and exciting new ways.

We’re seeing lots of local chefs having fun with inventive dishes featuring touches of rhubarb, such as the Eat Out-nominated Fermier in Pretoria, where the current dessert of nectarine and white chocolate also features rhubarb and lemongrass. And abroad it is exceptionally beloved, especially by pastry chefs and mixologists. Do yourself a favour and have a look at what cult-favourite New York baker Sammy Rees is doing with rhubarb – we’ll be lusting after her rhubarb panna cotta slices for a long, long time.

It’s equally popular with TASTE’s food editor Abigail Donnelly. “I love rhubarb,” she enthuses. “Mostly because it’s so tart, but also because it reminds me of my grandmother, who would poach it and serve it with custard. I enjoy it in a crumble, and I like to add raspberries just at the end, to bring out the colour. I’ve used it in savoury dishes as well, with duck instead of the usual black cherries to add a little bit of tartness.”

As luck would have it, this gorgeous stalk is becoming easier to source by the day. You might have already seen it on Woolworths’ shelves, where it’s been providing a flash of scarlet since November, and the plan is to extend the season throughout the year.

But first, the facts

Before we get into ways of using this ingredient, let’s learn more.

• Rhubarb is a vegetable, and belongs to the buckwheat family. The stalks are edible, while the leaves are poisonous (due to their high oxalic acid content). Of course, in the shops you’ll find only the stalks for sale, leaves removed.
• There’s very little difference in flavour and sweetness between the red and green part of the stalk – so don’t discard the green part!
• Woolies’ rhubarb is grown on two farms in Gauteng, out in the open. (This is in contrast with the “forced” indoor growing of rhubarb in the UK, where the crop is grown in darkness to prevent photosynthesis and to promote its red colour.)
• The resulting difference between the two types of rhubarb (regular vs forced) is that regular rhubarb has a more robust and tart flavour than the forced variety, while the latter is more pink and red in colour because it’s protected from sunlight.

Ready to tart things up?

Tasmin Reed, executive chef and co-owner of Melfort restaurant at Marianne Wine Estate outside Stellenbosch, has become known for often using rhubarb. “It’s really one of my favourite ingredients,” she says. “I love it for the taste – it’s so nice and tart – but also because it’s good for you.”

 

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Tasmin has some handy tips for people who are rhubarb newbies. “Firstly, keep in mind that it is a vegetable, although many people treat it like a fruit. But most importantly, it’s very acidic, so you need to get used to the taste. If you’re using it in a dessert, it’s going to need a sweet element like sugar or a bit of honey to balance the flavour.”

“For someone using rhubarb for the first time, I would say start with something approachable like a dessert. A crumble would be great, if you combine it with apple.” And of course you could use it in a panna cotta, or a crème brûlée, because these kinds of creamy dishes work well to temper the acidity of rhubarb. If you want to use rhubarb in cocktails or cordials, juice the stalks. “Freeze the juice immediately to prevent the colour from turning.”

Tasmin would love you to push the boat out with rhubarb. “If you want to try something more refined or a bit more elevated, I’d encourage you to try it in savoury dishes.” At Melfort, Tasmin’s been having a grand time serving rhubarb all season long. “I really like it as a pickle, or a chutney, perhaps with smoked Stanford cheese, on a sourdough cracker. Currently we have it on the menu as a salad: we serve it raw, sliced super thinly, with radish, mint, raspberry vinegar and honey-thyme glazed chicken. It’s a beautiful salad.”

Bring on the tang

• For a very simple (and super comforting) dessert, you can’t go wrong with this gentle pudding of baked cream with roast rhubarb.

Rhubarb with baked cream recipe

• For a slightly more adventurous take, experiment with this apple-and-peanut butter crumble and its pretty apple-and-rhubarb compote.

Apple-and-rhubarb peanut butter crumble recipe

• For an Instagram-worthy gamechanger of a dessert, Bianca Strydom’s beautiful rhubarb and-custard tart ticks all the boxes. Gingerbread crust? Check. Silky custard filling? Check. Gorgeous poached rhubarb to top it off? Yes please.

Rhubarb-and-custard tart recipe

• If you’re keen to play on the savoury side of the tracks, this showstopper of a salad really pops on the plate thanks to the addition of shaved rhubarb curls.

Organic baby leaf salad with pickled romanesco, spelt and roasted walnuts recipe

• Also on the savoury spectrum, and because meat such as pork and duck just love being served with a sweet, tangy sauce, this recipe for spiced roasted duck with a rhubarb-and-plum pickle is really something special.

Spiced roast duck in a salt crust with a rhubarb-and-plum pickle recipe