Rhubarb is good for more than pie

Spring welcomes many new foods, but a favorite would have to be rhubarb. Most people think of pie or sauce when they think about cooking with rhubarb, but the possibilities go far beyond those choices.

How many times have you made savory recipes using rhubarb as an ingredient? Today, I have a few new recipes for you to try using the early crop rhubarb. Whether you grow your own or purchase from the farmer's market or grocery store, it is fun to be adventurous and try new ingredients in new recipes. If you have never tried rhubarb before, now just may be the time.

Rhubarb Barbeque Glazed Ribs

For the ribs:

• 2 racks baby-back ribs
• Rib rub seasoning mix

For the BBQ sauce:

• 2 cups rhubarb, chopped
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup ketchup
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2-inch chunk fresh ginger, peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

For the BBQ Sauce:

Combine the rhubarb and water into a medium saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Simmer until the rhubarb is very soft, about 12 minutes. Add in the remaining ingredients and simmer for an additional 20 minutes over low heat. Remove the ginger and discard it. Blend the sauce until smooth with an immersion blender.

For the ribs:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Liberally rub the seasoning on both sides of the ribs. Enclose each rack separately in tin foil and place them on a foil lined sheet pan. Bake the ribs, meat side down, for 2 hours. Remove the ribs from the foil and discard the accumulated juices. Turn the oven temperature up to 375 degrees. Place the ribs back on the sheet pan, meat side up. Brush both sides of the ribs with the rhubarb BBQ sauce. Place the ribs back in the oven for an additional 20 minutes. Let the ribs rest for 10 minutes and then cut them into serving-size portions. Serve with the remaining sauce.

Tangy Rhubarb Salsa

Grab a bag of tortilla chips, or better yet make your own, and enjoy this tart and tangy salsa. Adjust ingredients to your liking. If you don't like jalapenos, don't use them. Mix and match peppers however you like, just be sure to use three of them.

• 2 cups thinly sliced rhubarb
• 1 small red onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 large yellow bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped -- or to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 roma (plum) tomatoes, finely diced
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 5 tablespoons Key lime juice
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 pinch garlic powder, or to taste
• ground black pepper to taste

Stir rhubarb into a large pot of boiling water and cook for 10 seconds. Quickly drain rhubarb and rinse with cold water until cool; transfer rhubarb to a large bowl.

Place red onion, green, red and yellow bell peppers, jalapeño pepper, and cilantro into a food processor and pulse 3 or 4 times to finely chop; transfer pepper mixture to bowl with rhubarb. Stir in roma tomatoes.

Dissolve brown sugar in Key lime juice in a bowl; lightly stir lime juice mixture into rhubarb mixture. Sprinkle salsa with salt, garlic powder and black pepper, and stir salsa again. Refrigerate at least 3 hours to blend flavors.

Rhubarb Jam

This is a rhubarb lover's delight! Rhubarb jam is pure and simple, with the consistency of apple butter. This jam also freezes well, but it will probably get eaten up before making it to the freezer.

• 2 1/2 pounds fresh rhubarb, chopped
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup water

In a saucepan, combine the rhubarb, sugar, orange zest, orange juice and water. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium-low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until thick. It will thicken more as it cools.

Ladle into hot sterile jars, and seal with lids and rings. Store opened jars in the refrigerator.

Rhubarb Lemonade

This is a delicious pink rhubarb-flavored lemonade. To serve, mix 1 cup of rhubarb syrup with 3 cups of water and pour over ice.

• 8 cups chopped rhubarb
• 3 cups white sugar
• 3 tablespoons grated lemon peel
• 1 1/2 cups lemon juice

Combine the rhubarb, sugar and grated lemon peel into a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the sugar has dissolved and the rhubarb releases its juice and starts to break up, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice.

Pour the rhubarb mixture through a fine sieve, pressing out as much liquid as possible.

Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake

FILLING:

• 3 cups sliced fresh or frozen rhubarb (1-inch pieces)
• 1 quart fresh strawberries, mashed
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch

CAKE:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, cut into pieces
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

TOPPING:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar

In a large saucepan, combine rhubarb, strawberries and lemon juice. Cover and cook over medium heat about 5 minutes. Combine sugar and cornstarch; stir into saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat buttermilk, eggs and vanilla; stir into crumb mixture.

Spread half of the batter evenly into a greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Carefully spread filling on top. Drop remaining batter by tablespoonfuls over filling.

For topping, melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in flour and sugar until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over batter. Lay foil on lower oven rack to catch any juice spillovers.

Place coffee cake on middle rack; bake 40-45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Cut in squares. Yield: 16-20 servings.

Strawberry/Rhubarb Crumb Pie

• 1 large egg
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 pound rhubarb rib, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, or sliced frozen rhubarb (about 3 cups)
• 1 pint fresh strawberries, halved
• 1 unbaked pie shell (9 inches)

For the topping:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

In a large bowl, beat egg. Beat in the sugar, flour and vanilla until well blended. Gently stir in rhubarb and strawberries. Pour into pastry shell.

For topping, in a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar and oats; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over fruit.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake for 35 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 8 servings.

Editor's Note: If using frozen rhubarb, measure rhubarb while still frozen, then thaw completely. Drain in a colander, but do not press liquid out.

Rhubarb Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

This is not your typical rhubarb cake. The pineapple and marshmallows add a little sweet twist to this delicious cake.

• 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained with juice reserved
• 3 cups chopped rhubarb
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

In a medium bowl, mix together the pineapple, rhubarb, white sugar, brown sugar, gelatin, and marshmallows. Pour evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan. In the same bowl, prepare the cake mix according to package directions, substituting the reserved pineapple juice for the as much water in the recipe as you can. Pour over the fruit, and spread evenly.

Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Invert the cake onto a serving platter while still warm, or cut into pieces, and turn upside-down when serving.

Have a great week and, until next time, happy cooking.