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10 Ways to cook Rhubarb - Dairy free





RHUBARB

We all have our weakness, one of mine is gardening.  I am a totally useless gardener, however I do have one plant successfully growing in my garden - Rhubarb.  

Rhubarb is technically a vegetable that's used as a fruit. Where as a tomato is a fruit that's used as a vegetable.. So does it really matter, they both taste great which is the most important thing.

I harvested my second batch last weekend, it's a lot quicker than going to the shops.




1. Stewed Rhubarb

Stewing rhubarb is probably the most common way of cooking it.  You can cook them in a covered casserole dish in your oven, or in a saucepan on your stove top.  

Either way it's simple, just don't forget the sugar.   Rhubarb has a sharp sour taste that needs mellowed

In winter stewed rhubarb is one of my go to staples for topping my porridge.  Especially if it's topped with a little dairy free yogurt mmm

Stewed Rhubarb with porridge (taste.com.au)

Or try it on it's own with just the yogurt for a morning snack.

Stewed Rhubarb and vanilla yogurt (Jamie Oliver.com)

Use an egg substitute to make this pancake recipe vegan.  

Dairy free Pancakes with rhubarb (Channel 4.com/food)  

2. Baked Rhubarb

For more breakfast ideas try these baked rhubarb recipes.

Add 1 Cup of fresh rhubarb - diced, along with 1/3 Cup Sugar to make some
Rhubarb Soda bread.  



Base Soda Bread
8 oz Plain Flour
1 tsp Caster Sugar
1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
200 ml milk or 1/2 milk & 1/2 water
1 tsp Lemon juice

- Pre-heat oven too 230 Celsius/200 fan assisted.

- Then oil a loaf tin or a baking tray if you want a free form loaf

- Measure out milk and add lemon juice, leave for 5 Min's.

- Weight out the dry ingredients into a bowl and stir with a whisk to combine, make a well in the centre.

- Add liquid into the middle of your dry ingredients and use a knife to bring together. Your looking for a wet sticky dough, finally use your hands to bring the dough together.

- Either turn the dough into your loaf tin or form into a ball on your baking sheet. Place into the hot oven for 15 Min's before turning down the temp to 200 Celsius or 180 for fan assisted. Bake for another 15 Min's.

-Like scones, tap the base of the bread. If it sounds hollow the bread is baked, if not put back into your oven for 5 more Min's.


For variations add the spices or herbs in with the flour.
 I prefer to add Zest in with the liquid. 

You can also pat out the dough and cut into small soda scones. 





Or swap the Berries for diced fresh rhubarb in my Any berry Muffin recipe, for a portable breakfast on the go.  Rhubarb goes great with Banana as well, try adding 1 cup to your favourite Banana Muffin Recipe.  


3. Steamed Rhubarb

Another one of my cooking Experiments, I decided to steam some rhubarb to see what would happen.  It really works...

I diced the rhubarb into 1 inch pieces then, placed it into my stove top steamer.  It only took 10 minutes to cook.  

I transferred it to a bowl and stirred in enough sugar to suit my own tastes.  Waited till it got to room temp, then stored it in my fridge.  You could always serve it warm with some dairy free yogurt instead.

DON'T THROW AWAY THE STEAMING WATER



4. Rhubarb Drinks




An unexpected benefit to steaming rhubarb is the juices filter down to the water below, making a lovely  tea. Pour it into a cup and add a little sugar for a lovely warming drink.

Rhubarb Vodka  (BBC Food)  Flavouring your own alcohol and bottling it, makes a great homemade present for friends and family.

I personally don't drink any as alcohol is one of my IBS triggers.  If you get a wobbly stomach after a night on the town, it might not just be a hangover.  

If you want to be more ambitious try making your own...

Rhubarb Wine (Guardian.co.uk)



5. Afternoon tea - Rhubarb cakes and bakes

Who could resist a cup of tea and a slice of cake.  

Rhubarb Snack Cake (Smitten Kitchen)

Rhubarb Cake (Ce la Vegan.com)

Heat in the oven or in the microwave for a 30 seconds and spread with dairy free butter.  Nothing lovelier for afternoon tea than a warm pancake

Strawberry and rhubarb pancakes (Vegan Baking.net)


6. Condiments

If your garden produces a glut of Rhubarb try preserving them, so you can enjoy it all year round.  

Mrs Beetons Rhubarb & Orange jam (bbc food)  No idea where you would get loaf sugar!!!  Use jam sugar instead to make this simple recipe

Rhubarb Marmalade (allotment.org.uk)

Rhubarb Chutney (British food.about.com)

I made rhubarb chutney a few years ago, when a friend generously gave me some of their own homegrown.  A great alternative to making jam.  


7. Savoury Rhubarb 

Since Rhubarb is technically a vegetable it can be used to make savoury dishes as well.  

Rhubarb Curry (Scotland.love food hate waste)

Baked tofu with Rhubarb sauce (Cooking my way through CSA)

Rhubarb Salsa (Naturally Ella)

Rhubarb Vinaigrette  (Dinner with julie) To make this Vegan subb the honey for agave nectar or sugar. 



8. Desserts

Dessert does not just need to be served at the end of a meal.  After my jaw surgery I didn't have much of an appetite and couldn't eat a lot anyway.  So my mum advised me to ignore convention and eat what I wanted.  

Somes times that meant dessert for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Not all on the same day though!!!!   that would be too much even for a dessert lover like me.  

Top this Dairy free cheesecake with some stewed rhubarb for a lovely dessert.



Vegan Cheesecake recipe (Vegan Baking.net)

I love Rhubarb pie and dairy free custard mmmmm. For a summer dessert top with dairy free cream instead

Strawberry and rhubarb Crumble (The Sweetest Vegan)

Rhubarb Strawberry pie (What would Cath eat)

Or combine the 2 together and bake a....

Strawberry rhubarb crumble pie (PPK.com)

To make a Rhubarb Eves pudding, mix some chopped rhubarb with sugar and cinnamon in a oven dish.  Then top with a dairy free sponge cake mix.  



9. Sci-fi Rhubarb

I don't know if Iv mentioned before how big a Science fiction fan I used to be.  When I found the recipe below I couldn't resist adding it to the list.  

Aaktay - Translation Klingon steamed bread

To make dairy free swap the buttermilk and powdered milk for your usually dairy free version.  To make vegan, swap the honey for syrup.  



10. Rhubarb on the web

For more weird and wonderful recipes have a look at the following Internet sites.  

Rhubarb Info

Rhubarb Central

Rhubarb Recipes 

Savour the Rhubarb










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