Market Fresh: Rhubarb

The Flavour
It’s no wonder this vegetable is treated like a fruit - its slightly sweet, tangy taste suits desserts so well. Its unique flavour also adds interesting contrast and depth to savoury dishes.

Rhubarb Goes Well With...
Strawberry (its classic partner); raspberry; apple; orange; ginger; nuts; lamb; pork; smoked meats.

Buying & Storing Tips
Available spring to early summer. Choose rhubarb with sturdy, slim pink stems. Keeps for just over a week in the fridge’s crisper. Purée and freeze to enjoy later.

Preparing & Using Rhubarb

• Always remove leaves (they’re toxic!) and trim ends.
• Wash well and peel tough skin, if necessary.
• Cut into thin or chunky slices before cooking.
• Cook with sugar (or honey) and use in sweet dishes like compotes, jams, fools, cobblers, crumbles or pies. A simple dish of stewed rhubarb (hot or cold) is delicious topped with custard, cream or ice cream.
• Roast and purée for tasty, savoury sauces and chutneys, or dice and add to a spicy lamb stew or tagine.

Nutrition Info
Contains vitamin C, calcium, folate, magnesium, potassium and fibre.

Market Gear
Hit the market with a reusable, fashionable foodie tote big enough to hold even the tallest veggies. I love the “Jonny” bag ($40), designed by Jonathan Sabine for Vancouver-based Bring Your Own Bag. It’s part of BYOB’s Artists Series collection – a portion of the proceeds is donated to the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Check it and other bags out bringyourownbag.ca.

Next week in Market to Table: Strawberries

Market to Table is a weekly column reporting on all things fresh in stores and farmers' markets now. Check in with us every Monday to find out what fresh and local produce you should be grocery shopping for each week.