If you haven’t started eating rhubarb yet, don't worry; you still have a month more to binge on spring’s darling vegetable before the season ends. This week, I talked to Soho House Toronto’s pastry chef, Kirsten Pettit, all about rhubarb. It’s her favourite season.
Growing up, Pettit would eat her mother’s poached rhubarb over sponge cake, which had holes poked in it so the sticky, red syrup could run through. The sweet and sour soaked dessert was topped with an oatmeal and nut crumble. At Soho House, Pettit takes a page from her childhood and serves the poached rhubarb on top of a lush yet light lemon olive oil cake with a generous dollop of Chantilly cream and finely grated lemon zest.
Now, it’s time to bring Soho House Toronto to your home with Pettit’s poached rhubarb. First, chop off the leaves* and the woody ends. Then, cut the stems into uniform chunks (about an inch long) and place them in an oven-friendly dish with sugar, vanilla extract, and enough water to easily mix around the ingredients. The vegetable is quite bitter, but I like to preserve the tartness so I went light with the sugar. If you prefer it sweeter, add more sugar accordingly. Bake the mixture at 350°F for 8 to 15 minutes (Pettit likes to check them every 5 minutes). The pieces should be tender and soft to the touch, but still hold its original shape. If you want to make a compote, cut the rhubarb into smaller pieces and cook them down further.
A closer look at the rhubarb dessert by Kirsten Pettit at Soho House. (IMAGE: SAI SUMAR)
*Unlike spinach, the high concentration of oxalic acid in rhubarb’s robust green leaves makes them poisonous when consumed. But the edible rosy to crimson coloured stalks contain lots of potassium, calcium, and vitamin C.
“It has a very delicate flavour. The less you do, the better,” says Pettit. “I love just pouring the warm poached mixture over vanilla ice cream. But, it’s a very versatile ingredient.”
Instead of vanilla, add a citrus touch with orange slices. You can also spoon the cooked rhubarb on top of a cake or tart before baking. I tried swirling it with vanilla buttercream icing. It looked like candy cane clouds and sang a delicious harmony with rich chocolate cupcakes. If you’re in the mood for something savory, Pettit recommends adding pieces of the warm rhubarb to a spinach salad with toasted almonds and lemon vinaigrette. So, buy your rhubarb this week, and local spinach next week!
While both greenhouse rhubarb and its outdoor equivalent are available, focus more on the plant itself than its label when shopping. Look for thick, bright pink stems; the part closer to the leaves can be green, but it’s not ideal if the green bleeds down further. And you don't want flimsy stems. “Similar to celery, you want it to be very crisp. The stalk shouldn’t bend over when you hold it up right,” explains Pettit, who recommends buying rhubarb at farmers’ markets. Stored in a fridge, fresh rhubarb will stay for 2-3 days, or up to 5 days when cooked.
