Spring's first garden gift of rhubarb soon to appear

With spring finally at hand, it won’t be long before tiny spears of rhubarb will peek through the still-cold ground to provide wonderful sweet-tart sauces, breads, cakes and pies for the best of all “spring tonics”. Later, the large leaves – though inedible, will serve as insurance against aphids when laid out at the bases of susceptible flowers and veggies. For now though, it’s time to gather together the best of the Country Chef’s recipes in readiness for the first crisp red spears. Enjoy!

We’ll begin with the simple sauce to use for ice cream topping or as a whipped-cream topped dessert on its own.

Rhubarb Sauce

3 cups diced rhubarb stalks

2½ Tb. cornstarch

¾ cup granulated cane sugar

½ tsp. salt

2/3 cup water

2 Tb butter

Combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and water in heavy saucepan. Mix well, add rhubarb. Heat over high heat until thickening, then lower heat to med-high and boil, stirring constantly until thick and clear. Remove from heat, stir in butter.

Frosted Rhubarb Cookies

1 cup shortening

1 ½ cups brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon EACH baking soda and salt

3 cups flour (may combine white and wheat)

1½ cups diced fresh rhubarb

¾ cup flaked coconut

Glaze:

1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened

3 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon softened butter

1 ½ cups powdered sugar

In large mixing bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar. Beat in eggs. Combine dry ingredients and add gradually to creamed mixture. Stir in rhubarb and coconut. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet (or parchment paper). Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Make glaze: In mixing bowl beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until smooth. Spread over cooled cookies. Store in refrigerator. Makes 5 dozen cookies.

You can serve these as a “cookie” or cut into larger squares to top with ice cream for a true springtime dessert.

Rhubarb Oatmeal Bars

1½ cups flour

1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup firm packed light brown sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, softened

3 cups rhubarb sauce (thickened w/cornstarch if necessary)*

¼ cup chopped walnuts

Set oven to 375. Lightly grease 13x9-inch baking pan. In medium bowl combine first five ingredients (through salt). Add softened butter and stir with fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Press half of mixture into bottom of greased pan. Spread rhubarb sauce evenly over crumb layer. Top with remaining crumbs, pressing gently to firm; sprinkle with walnuts.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until top is golden brown and rhubarb is bubbly. Cool to room temperature before cutting.

You can serve these as a “cookie” or cut into larger squares to top with ice cream for a true springtime dessert.

Classic Rhubarb Pie

4 cups rhubarb, chopped

1 cup brown sugar

12 cup granulated cane sugar

1 tsp. grated lemon rind

1/3 cup flour

1/8 tsp. salt

1 Tb. real butter

Pastry for 9-inch double-crust pie

Toss rhubarb with sugars, lemon rind, flour and salt; let stand 10 minutes. Set oven to 425F. Line pie plate with bottom pastry crust.

When fruit is ready, spoon into the pastry, dot with butter. Cover with top crust. Trim top and bottom crusts and pinch together with moistened fingertips, making sure to adhere to pie-plate.

Cut slits in top crust for steam and/or decorate with designs from leftover crust if you wish. (You may choose to make a lattice crust; just make sure ends are firmly pinched to bottom crust).

Sprinkle pie with a little coarse granulated sugar if you wish. Bake for 40 minutes or until rhubarb is tender. Let cool to room temperature before serving. I pass a bowl of crème fraiche (mix of 3/4 whipped cream and 1/4 sour cream) to dollop atop slices.

Rhubarb offers welcome tartness, while strawberries offer fragrant sweetness and they go together beautifully in this scrumptious pie.

Strawberry/Rhubarb Pie

9-inch prepared unbaked pie crusts for two-crust* pie

4 cups fresh cut rhubarb (small pieces)

3 cups sliced strawberries (small cuts)

1 1/3 cups sugar

1/3 cup plus ¼ cup flour

2 tablespoons plus 1 ½ teaspoons quick-cooking tapioca

½ teaspoon grated orange peel

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

2 tablespoons butter

Glaze: 1 egg, beaten; 1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Make pie filling: Combine rhubarb and strawberries in large bowl. Combine 1 1/3 cups sugar, flour, tapioca, orange peel, cinnamon and nutmeg in medium bowl. Stir well. Add to fruit. Toss to coat. Spoon filling into pie crust. Dot with butter. Moisten pastry edge with water. Cover with top crust and pinch edges together in pretty design. Cut slits or decorative designs in top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush top crust with beaten egg white, then sprinkle with the tablespoon of sugar for glaze. Bake 40-50 minutes or until filling in center is bubbly and crust is golden brown. Cover edge with foil if necessary to keep from overbrowning until pie is done. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. You may also cut top pastry into strips for a pretty lattice top if you wish. Be sure to pinch edges securely to bottom pastry.

Note: Some ovens are hotter than others: If your pie begins to get too brown, tent it with foil until done.

Rhubarb Cake

½ cup shortening

1 ½ cups brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup sour cream or buttermilk

2 cups flour

1 ½ cups fine-chopped rhubarb

½ cup chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ cup chopped walnuts

Combine topping ingredients and set aside.

Set oven at 350 degrees: Cream shortening and brown sugar. Add egg and blend well. Combine soda with sour cream/buttermilk and add alternately with flour. Stir in cut rhubarb, nuts and vanilla. Put in greased 9x13-inch pan. Sprinkle with topping. Bake in 350 degree oven 35 to 40 minutes. Serve with whipped cream if you wish.

Valle Novak writes the Country Chef and Weekend Gardener columns for the Daily Bee. She can be reached at bcdailybee@bonnercountydailybee.com. or by phone at 208-265-4688.