Rhubarb has a special place in my life. My mother made it often and served it as a side dish the way most other mothers I knew served apple sauce. She used fresh rhubarb stalks when they were in season and boxes of frozen rhubarb during the rest of the year.
Everyone in my family loved it. My mother didn’t use as much sugar as most recipes said to do because we loved it tart and tangy. I make it the same way she did: mix 1-1/2 pounds of sliced rhubarb with 3/4 cup sugar and cook over medium heat, covered, for about 10 minutes. Remove the cover and cook for another 15 minutes. That’s it!
Recently I’ve also been making rhubarb chutney because its a great favorite at our house. It’s such a good accompaniment to grilled meats — chicken, beef, lamb — all of it, and I’ve also served it with salmon.
Rhubarb season is almost over so make this one while you still can!
You can serve it with whatever you may be grilling outdoors over Labor Day weekend. Or with a classic roasted chicken for Shabbat or Rosh Hashanah brisket. It will keep in the fridge for awhile too, so you can save some for Thanksgiving.
Or give some away — it’s a delicious, edible gift!
Rhubarb Chutney
1 pound rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 2-inch cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
6 whole cloves
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup golden raisins
Combine the rhubarb, sugar, cider vinegar, cinnamon stick, ginger, cloves, onion, garlic and raisins in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Mix the ingredients and cook over high heat. When the liquid in the pan starts to bubble, lower the heat to medium and cook for about 15 minutes or until the raisins are tender and the sauce is slightly thickened. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
Makes about 3 cups