A vibrantly coloured, easy and versatile stewed rhubarb recipe that can be enjoyed with yogurt, custard or ice cream. Or try it as a topping on porridge or muesli.
Stewed rhubarb brings back childhood memories of harvesting produce from our veggie garden and orchard. Then preparing stewed, bottled and baked fruits.
I remember coming home from school to a dining table piled high with apples for coring. And then enjoying the resultant crumbles for afternoon tea.
Rhubarb was a way to zest up the apples and give a different flavour profile—one I love and still do!
A reacquaintance with rhubarb
Since moving to New Zealand, I’ve been reacquainted with rhubarb. I’ve seen it growing in home gardens and even available in the supermarket produce department.
I am no expert on growing rhubarb, not by a long shot. However, if you’d like to grow it for yourself, I can recommend the informative article How To Grow Rhubarb.
Thing is, it’s not necessary to grow rhubarb yourself if you don’t have the space or inclination to get gardening. Furthermore, rhubarb requires a cold winter, which is why I’ve been reacquainted with it since moving to New Zealand. Sorry, Brisbane friends!
But no matter where you live, you are likely to find rhubarb. You will find rhubarb in either the produce or frozen fruit section in the supermarket. So, let’s get stewing.
A taste for rhubarb
Rhubarb has a lip-puckering tartness that is not to everyone’s liking.
Generally, when preparing rhubarb for desserts, we sweeten it with honey or sugar. It won’t lose its sour, tangy taste, but that is part of the joy of eating rhubarb!
With my renewed inspiration to cook with rhubarb, I wanted to give it a modern twist. So, I added raspberries, which give a vibrancy in colour and taste. Both rhubarb and raspberries are tart so I wasn’t sure how the flavours would go.
However, the rhubarb and raspberries meld together with the orange juice, zest and sugar to create a delectable combination that is delicious on its own or superb with yogurt, custard or ice cream. And, of course, as a base for crumble.
You could add a little additional sugar if the recipe is too tart for you. Or only include the red portions of the rhubarb stalks.
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Stewed Rhubarb and Raspberries
Ingredients
- 4 cups (500 g) rhubarb, cut into inch long pieces
- 2 cups (280 g) raspberries
- 1 orange, juiced
- ½ orange, zest
- 4 tablespoons (80 g) raw sugar
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a saucepan.
- Bring the boil and then simmer for 8-10 minutes until the rhubarb is cooked but still holds its shape. Taste test and adjust sugar if necessary.
- Enjoy alongside your favourite accompaniments.
- Allow to cool before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Other tastes for rhubarb
Rhubarb pairs well with flavours such as ginger, vanilla, cinnamon and caramel or with fruits such as apples, oranges, lemons, plums, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries. Mellow flavours such as vanilla ice cream or custard complement the tartness exceptionally well. Rhubarb and mascarpone, anyone?
However, you can also enjoy rhubarb raw and use it to complement savour dishes. Surprisingly, rhubarb pairs well with meats such as pork, lamb chops and other fatty meats. You can also add it to sauces, salsas and relishes.
Have you tried this recipe for stewed rhubarb?
I’d love to hear whether you’ve tried this recipe or what other ways you enjoy preparing or serving rhubarb. Share in the comments below.
2 comments
I tried the rhubarb and raspberry combination just now, loved it, and found your version via google. I cooked the rhubarb in a microwave, then added uncooked raspberries on top.
Yum! Great to hear variations on preparation.