Rhubarb Sauce – A Sign of Spring
Usually by mid to late spring in temperate gardens, green tinged red shoots poke their way out of the earth to the delight of many cooks. Rhubarb season has arrived!
A bit of history: Rhubarb has been around for centuries. Early Chinese writings tell us that it was used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. Rhubarb is thought to have found its way from China to Greece and then eventually reaching Europe in the 14th century. From there it reached North American shores in the early 19th century with the immigrants. Today, rhubarb is known to contain substances that make it an excellent natural laxative. It is also used as a dieting aid – 100 g of rhubarb only contain 21 calories and 1.1 g of sugar.
Rhubarb stalks vary in color from light green to crimson red. The red stalks have a milder, sweeter flavor than the green ones, but both are wonderful for sauces, pies, desserts, jams and pickles.
Rhubarb stalks can be eaten raw, dipped in sugar. Never eat or cook the leaves as they contain oxalic acid which is highly toxic to humans. However, most of us prefer to eat it cooked or stewed with sugar, with cinnamon or nutmeg added to taste.
We recommend 1/2 to 3/4 cup of sugar to about 6 cups of prepared rhubarb. Strawberries can also be added for color and flavor. No strawberries? Use ½ to a whole package of strawberry jelly powder to a pot of stewed rhubarb.This helps make a pink sauce with a hint of strawberry flavor.
A family favorite sauce recipe is below.
Easy Rhubarb Sauce
6 cups rhubarb cut into 1 inch pieces
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
1 package strawberry jelly powder
- Put rhubarb, sugar, water in a saucepan on medium heat. Bring to a boil and then slowly simmer until the fruit is almost tender (easily pierced with the tip of a knife).
- Add strawberry jelly powder. Let simmer another few minutes until the fruit is mostly smooth. Taste for sweetness and add more sugar if needed.
We like this sauce warm over ice cream and cold over almost anything – from vanilla pudding or tapioca pudding to slices of pound cake or angel food cake. This sauce keeps well in the refrigerator for a week in a closed container. Frozen, the sauce keeps for 6 months.
Ingredients
- 6 cups rhubarb cut into 1 inch pieces
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 package strawberry jelly powder
Instructions
- Put rhubarb, sugar, water in a saucepan on medium heat.
- Bring to a boil and then slowly simmer until the fruit is almost tender (easily pierced with the tip of a knife).
- Add strawberry jelly powder. Let simmer another few minutes until the fruit is mostly smooth.
- Taste for sweetness and add more sugar if needed.
Notes
We like this sauce warm over ice cream and cold over almost anything – from vanilla pudding or tapioca pudding to slices of pound cake or angel food cake. This sauce keeps well in the refrigerator for a week in a closed container. Frozen, the sauce keeps for 6 months.
Category: Baking Tips, Desserts
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