Rhubarb Season!

It's rhubarb season, and the abundance from my garden provides and opportunity to get creative in the kitchen.  I'm sipping a refreshing Rhubarb Martini and enjoying the savory aroma of the Rhubarb BBQ Sauce simmering on the stove after a day of preparing my garden for the crops that will come after the rhubarb is a fond memory.  So, here are some recipes to help you use up the first crop of spring that don't involve rolling out pie crust.  

Rhubarb Martini

Rhubarb Simple Syrup:

Makes 2 cups

2 cups rhubarb, trimmed, washed and chopped

2 cups sugar

1 cup water

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Simmer sugar and water together until sugar is dissolved, and add the rhubarb. Simmer together for about 5 minutes until rhubarb is soft.  Strain through a fine sieve and cool. Store in a bottle in the refrigerator until ready to use.

To make the martini:  

Freeze one stalk of rhubarb for at least a few hours

Pour 2 ounces of chilled rhubarb syrup into a chilled martini glass

Add 2 ounces chilled vodka

Squeeze in the juice of 1/2 lemon

Grate the frozen rhubarb with a micro plane grater on top of the drink and garnish with a thin slice of a rhubarb stalk.

Rhubarb BBQ Sauce

Makes 6 cups

4 cups rhubarb, trimmed, washed and chopped

1 small sweet onion, minced

3 Tablespoons minced fresh ginger root

1 cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons mustard powder

 1 teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 Tablespoons Adobo sauce

½ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup molasses

Simmer all ingredients together in a heavy saucepan over low heat for about ½ hour-45 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste.  Cool and store in the refrigerator.  This is very tasty served with grilled meats and seafood.

*Photos are beautifully shot by Rod Komis of Rod Komis Photography.  Thanks, Rod!