Roasted rhubarb

Roasted rhubarb is wonderfully easy to make and has a lovely sweet-tart flavor, tender texture and syrupy glaze. It's perfect to use as a topping for a whole range of things from yogurt to pancakes.

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My childhood home had rhubarb growing at the back of the garage and so it was something I enjoyed pretty much every year. Often my mum added it to crumbles, but I also loved eating the young, tender stems dipped in sugar as a snack.

While I haven't managed to grow it myself since, I do still hunt it down when it's in season. I know nostalgia plays a part for me, but it really does have such a great taste. And it's pretty versatile, too.

What is rhubarb?

Rhubarb is technically a vegetable but in large part it's used more like a fruit in the kitchen. It is a leafy vegetable but you can't actually eat the leaves - they are toxic and you should cut them off. Instead, you eat the stems. 

Rhubarb is in season in spring, though some places grow what is called forced rhubarb which comes through earlier. Forced rhubarb tends to more of a pale or bright pink since it's grown without light. The stems tend to be thinner, sweeter and more tender. Field rhubarb is more of a deep red-green mix and more tart.

Using rhubarb in cooking

Rhubarb generally is relatively tart, but can work really well in sweet dishes as it balances out other flavors - think of it a bit like how you might use cranberries. It pairs really well with berries like strawberry, raspberry and blueberry. Citrus works well with it too.

You can use it as a filling for pies, crumbles and crisps, either on it's own or with other fruits like my strawberry rhubarb crisp. Add it to muffins, or cook it down to make a sauce or syrup. It's great in jams, adding a lovely smooth texture, like my raspberry rhubarb jam. Plus it can be used for ice cream, curd and more.

Rhubarb can also work well in savory uses, too, such as made into rhubarb chutney which pairs nicely with pork. You could also make other savory sauces to pair with chicken or duck, for example.

Roasting rhubarb

While the above gives you a few other ideas, this is one of the simplest ways to use rhubarb. It's perfect if you happen to have a lot that you're not sure you will use soon enough otherwise, as you can then store the cooked rhubarb in the fridge for a few days.

Here I've kept it pretty simple, adding some sugar and a little orange zest. But even just sugar alone will work well. It might seem a lot of sugar at first, but remember rhubarb is tart. You need some sweetness to balance that out, plus the sugar helps break down the fibers.

Other flavors you could add are:

• Other citrus - while I like orange, a little lemon also works. As well as zest, you could add some orange or lemon juice to make it more saucey.
• A little ground spice like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom or cloves - all pair well with rhubarb, though a little goes a long way. You don't want to overpower the rhubarb.
• Vanilla - particularly seeds (either from a pod or using paste) pair well. Again, just a little is best.
• Some crystalized ginger - ginger is a great flavor pairing and so instead of the dry version, you can also add some little chunks of crystalized ginger.
• Other fruits - if you want it a little less distinctly rhubarb, mix in other fruit such as strawberry or raspberry.

Cut up the rhubarb, place in a baking dish and mix in the sugar and whatever flavor you choose. Then, cover with foil and roast. Being covered helps allow the rhubarb to steam a little as the juices start to ooze out.

Then, cook a little longer uncovered to help the liquids thicken a little. The end result is wonderfully tender chunks of rhubarb in a lusciously sticky syrup. The roasting brings out the flavor and makes it a lovely treat.

How to use roasted rhubarb

This is pretty versatile in how you use it, and can be enjoyed both warm or chilled. Try it as a topping for various breakfast-y things like pancakes, waffles or French toast.

Try it on top of shortcake instead of fresh berries, or make it more the star of the show with some yogurt, ice cream, or cream on the side.

While personally I think it's too soft to be used as a filling for pies or crumbles, it works in recipes where you might pre-cook the rhubarb then mix it in broken up or as a puree. Try it in my rhubarb ice cream, mixed into rhubarb fool or it could also work for sorbet or a curd.

Like i say, it's versatile, though honestly you might find yourself snacking on it just as it is, it tastes so good. Since it keeps well in the fridge, stored in a sealed container, for a few days, it'll be ready whenever you need it.

Roasted rhubarb is so easy to prepare, with a handful of ingredients, and very hands off to cook. And the result is wonderfully tender chunks of flavorful sweet-tart rhubarb in a yummy syrup that work so well as a topping or the main star.

Try these other fruit toppings and sides ideas:

• Stewed plums (another easy recipe that similarly works well as a topping, for breakfast and more)
• Caramelized apples (super easy, cooked on the stove, with a wonderful syrup glaze)
• Tropical fruit salad (a tasty mix of bright, tropical fruits in a light dressing, perfect as a side or for breakfast)
• Plus get more spring recipes in the archives.

I use my 8in baking dish (the larger from the set linked) for this which works well (affiliate link).

See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store. 

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