Rhubarb Recipes

Rhubarb grows best in colder climates with freezing temperatures in the winter. It thrives in areas with full sun, well-drained soil and room to grow. Although rhubarb goes through a dormancy period, it comes back year after year. You can pick up rhubarb plants at garden centers or get divisions from friends; just make sure you have two to three buds on the division. To plant rhubarb, simply dig a hole about two feet wide and as deep as the container, or deep enough to accommodate the root ball.

Rhubarb recipes have graced tables for generations. These sweet jam, sauce and dessert tart recipes are the creation of Genie Zarling, a pastry chef who has updated her grandmother's rhubarb recipes.

4 cups sliced rhubarb
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
3 cups hulled and halved strawberries
1/2 vanilla bean

Put the rhubarb in a saucepan, and add the vanilla bean, sugar and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and let it simmer for about five minutes. Add the strawberries and cook just until they soften and break down a bit. Then all you need is some ice cream--and a big appetite.

5 cups rhubarb
2 cups sugar
1 box strawberry gelatin

Toss together the sugar and the rhubarb, and let the mixture sit for about ten minutes. This will draw the juice out of the fruit so you won't have to add any extra water. Once the sugar is dissolved, put the mixture in a pan and bring it to a boil. When the rhubarb has softened, add the gelatin and stir until it's completely dissolved. Allow the jam to cool completely, and then transfer it into mason jars. The jam will keep for 30 days in the refrigerator, or longer if stored in a plastic container in the freezer.

prepared pie crust
2 tbsp. flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp. grated orange zest
2 cups chopped rhubarb
3 cups raspberries
red currant jelly
powdered sugar

Press the pie crust into a tart pan. In a bowl, toss the remaining ingredients together. The flour helps thicken it a bit, while the sugar adds some sweetness and helps draw the juices out. Pour the mixture in the pie crust and bake for about an hour at 450 degrees. Once the tart has cooled, paint on some warmed red currant jelly and sift some powdered sugar over the top.

Not only are these recipes delicious, but they're so easy to make that you won't need to spend a lot of time in the kitchen during the summer.