Don't sugarcoat this one!

August 5, 2010 9:52 AM

Low-carb rhubarb recipes: have any?

I have an insane amount of rhubarb. I want to find ways of eating it. I'm trying to keep the amount of sugar I ingest low. Can anyone suggest some tasty rhubarb recipes that don't call for obscene amounts of sugar?

posted by Kurichina to Food & Drink (10 answers total)

Best answer: I can't say I've tried it, but here is a recipe for savoury black pepper rhubarb with a poached duck egg.

I'm not sure you're going to have much luck finding low sugar recipes considering rhubarb's particularly sour qualities, but I suppose searching for 'savoury rhubarb recipes' will be your best bet other than personal recommendation.
posted by knapah at 10:06 AM on August 5, 2010

So, I detest rhubarb. But I came in to say something about the sugar part-- have you considered stevia? It's pretty mainstream at this point; Superstore has a President's Choice version available in packets in the sugar aisle. I don't like aspartame and I think that Splenda is evil (screws up my digestive system and paradoxically causes me to have intense sugar cravings), but a little stevia goes a long way. Just a thought!
posted by mireille at 10:29 AM on August 5, 2010

Best answer: Pickled rhubab? It still contains sugar, but you wouldn't need to eat it all at once!

Rhubarb compote (Simmer rhubarb, apples and just a pinch of sugar, maybe some lemon rind, ginger, till everything has collapsed. I eat mine on oatmeal)

Rhubarb vinegar

Rhubarb chipotle sauce (again, some sugar, but not too much)
posted by unlaced at 10:50 AM on August 5, 2010

Response by poster: have you considered stevia?

I'm not sure how the drops would correspond to sugar in terms of volume in the recipe. I cup of sugar is a lot of volume, but it really only corresponds to a tbsp of stevia extract. (I've heard of powdered stevia, but never seen it for purchase 'round these parts and it may be more concentrated as well.)

Also, I don't like really sweet foods most of the time, so I guess I'm looking primarily for savoury recipes.
posted by Kurichina at 12:16 PM on August 5, 2010

Best answer: I once made a rhubarb and prawn salad that was sort of inspired by Thai salads with green papaya. Went down quite well in this household:

- 2/3 stalks of rhubarb, cut into matchsticks
- 2 red endives (or chicory - not sure which you'd know it as - the cone shaped things), leaves separated
- salad leaves
- prawns

Dressing:

- grated garlic clove
- juice of a lime
- sunflower oil
- 1 chopped bird's eye chilli

Grill the prawns, toss with the salad and the dressing.
posted by calico at 12:23 PM on August 5, 2010

Stew it and then add it to a savoury pancake mix. Yum.
posted by jzed at 2:25 PM on August 5, 2010

We're more or less on low-carb at the moment and that meant that we let the rhubarb go this time around. I believe you've reached the outer edge of the low-carb-possible: rhubarb is tricky even if you add a completely silly amount of sugar, honey, nuts, butter and whatnots. Without - not likely any good, at least not good for getting rid of the amounts that a few plants typically produce. (and yes, I have tried using it in an oven-chicken dish with butter and other yum. It was okay, but would have been muuch better with tomatoes and lemon juice, so.)
posted by Namlit at 4:25 PM on August 5, 2010

Best answer: Throw some rhubarb and strawberries into a food processor for a whirl until they are chopped and mixed. Throw the mixture in the fridge for a day. Next day throw some walnuts, coconut oil/butter, and a dash of honey/stevia and process until coarse. Top the rhubarb/strawberry mixture with this mixture. Bake if you want, but it's good raw too.
posted by melissam at 5:44 PM on August 5, 2010

When I was a kid, I used to sit in my babysitter's rhubarb patch with a salt shaker, and eat it fresh. It tastes like a really sour apple, and makes a really good raw snack.
posted by lexicakes at 9:35 PM on August 5, 2010

Best answer: Mark Bittman published this in the NYTimes. It was pretty tasty:

Lentil and Rhubarb Stew With Indian Spices

Yield 4 servings

Time 40 minutes

Mark Bittman
Summary

Any lentils, including the tiny dark green de Puy lentils from France, will work here, but I prefer orange ones because they are incredibly quick-cooking and nicely colored. Also, I'd stay away from adding other full-flavored vegetables -- I tried both beets and turnips while developing this dish -- because they overcomplicate the nearly perfect marriage of flavors.
Ingredients

* 3 or 4 stalks rhubarb, strings removed, chopped
* 1 cup orange lentils, well washed
* 2 tablespoons minced ginger
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 4 cardamom pods
* 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
* 2 cloves
* 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
* 1 dried ancho or other mild chili, optional
* Salt
* Chopped cilantro leaves for garnish

Method

* Combine all ingredients except salt and cilantro in a saucepan and add water to cover by about 1 inch. Cook at a steady simmer until lentils and rhubarb are quite soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove cloves and, if you like, cardamom pods. Add salt, then taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
posted by Jasper Fnorde at 7:04 AM on August 6, 2010