Vegalicious March 2009:

  Rhubarb Salsa

Rhubarb is such an amazing vegetable, used as a fruit. It’s so fun to go out in the garden on an early spring morning, still chilly with fog, and see the little red nubs of the rhubarb plant beginning to come above the ground. Rhubarb is one of the earliest plants to “come alive” after the cold winter’s dormancy.

It’s important to know that rhubarb leaves are poisonous, but they are very good for the compost, make a wonderful insect replant for various plants and can be used to make a liquid organic fertilizer. Not to be sprayed on edible parts of plants, but on stems and leaves which are not eaten. 

It’s the lovely red stalks that are the choicest parts of the rhubarb plant. Many people “force” their rhubarb to produce sweeter and more tender stalks earlier in the year. Forcing can be done as easily as putting a large pot over the plant so that it grows in darkness. 

Another very handy thing about rhubarb is that it freezes well. It’s still a bit early for us to be harvesting rhubarb, but we still have some in our freezer from last year. Traditionally, rhubarb is pared with strawberries to make pies and sauces. It’s most often used for sweet desserts, however it is also very nice in savory dishes.

We’re always searching for new and unusual ways of using all of our fruits and vegetables. Last weekend we really enjoyed this rhubarb salsa. It’s sweet from the raisins, sour from the rhubarb and hot from the jalepeno a perfect combination to go with tempeh, tofu, veggie burgers or even on a nice biscuit.

Yield: 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rhubarb, cut in bite sized pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup dried currents or raisins
• 1 Tbs. brown sugar
• 2 Tbs. raspberry or red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbs. jalapeno pepper, chopped
• salt
• 1 tsp. cardamon, ground
• 1 Tbs. oil

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a small sauce pan.
2. Add the chopped onions and saute until glassy.
3. Add the dried currents or raisins, the sugar and vinegar and continue tho heat.
4. Add the rhubarb and the rest of the ingredients and cook on a low heat until the rhubarb is soften and the flavors have blended.
5. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Click here for more rhubarb recipes from Vegalicious