Origin: Northern Asia

Family: Polygonaceae

Etymology
From the Latin "rheubarbarum," barbaric root

Description
A hardy large-leafed plant whose stalks are edible once cooked - though be careful, the leaves are toxic!

Over 4,500 years ago, rhubarb was known for its curative powers in China and southern Russia, but it was not until the 18th century that it was used in cooking.

Nutritional values per 100 g
Calories: 416; Carbohydrates: 4.5 g; Fat: trace; Protein: trace;
Rich in fibre, calcium, magnesium, iron, vitamin C, B2, B3, provitamin A, with a high level of oxalic acid

Buying rhubarb
Look for firm, full stalks, without blemishes or bruises which allow the juice to escape at the wounds

Storage
Place in the refrigerator crisper for a few days, though it softens quickly
May be frozen cut in sections

Cooking tips
Cut off the two ends of the stem; peel only if it is hard and woody; wash and cut into sections Rhubarb is rarely eaten raw because it is highly acidic, except with sugar or salt;
If you use young rhubarb, you do not need to peel it.
when cooked without sugar it can replace a bitter ingredient in a recipe or accompany meat or fish; it can replace cranberries in most recipes and is wonderful combined with orange zest.

 Suggestions

• Be daring: rhubarb and strawberries are always a wise combination; you have probably also tried it with mint, but how about toasted fennel seeds?
• The acidic note of finely diced rhubarb is a perfect match for turbot roasted with new onions - finish it with a touch of cream, white wine and freshly ground black pepper

Serve it as a dessert soup - peel the rhubarb, cut into pieces; poach in sugar syrup until cooked; put through the blender; add a drizzle of lemon juice and some chopped lemon balm; garnish with a few spoonfuls of frozen yogurt

Rhubarb pound cake - cook rhubarb with 150 g sugar; separate two eggs; weigh out a weight equal to the eggs of flour, melted butter and sugar; beat the egg yolks with the sugar until pale; alternately add in the flour and butter; mix in the cooled sliced rhubarb and the egg whites, beaten stiff; bake in a moderate oven

The Worldwide Gourmet
You can flavor rhubarb with vanilla, accompany it with unwhipped crème fraîche as they do in northern countries, or flavour it with ginger, like the English and Asians

Alsace - Rhubarb tart - Bake blind a tart shell; place in it 300 g blanched sliced rhubarb; pour over top a mixture of 100 g sugar, 3 eggs, 100 g crème fraîche and 1 tbsp. flour; bake for 30 minutes

In Belgium, the pastry and rhubarb are baked for 15 minutes, then topped with Italian meringue and returned to the oven until done.