Recipes

Rhubarb Desserts: Apple Strawberry Tarts and Ginger Sprinkles

Tart and tangy, rhubarb makes a great addition to tarts or can be served with a little sugar and ginger

By Anastasia Koutalianos /

Credit: Flickr / frangrit

Fresh rhubarb will feel simliar to crisp celery

Experiment with the tangy flavour of rhubarb with these sweet treats

Tackling rhubarb’s finicky sourness can result in some unique sweet treats, like this sour stalk and ginger sprinkle and this twist on the classic strawberry, apple and rhubarb tart.

Rhubarb and Ginger Sprinkle


Image by Anastasia Koutalianos

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup cane sugar or brown sugar
  • ½ tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • Zest of ½ to 1 lemon
  • ½ or ¾ cup Golden Olive Eleni® certified organic extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 stalk rhubarb, cut into 3 to 4 pieces and thinly julienned
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and thinly julienned
  • Mediterranean plain yogurt or ice cream of your choice
  • Peel of ½ lemon, cut in fine strips
  • Toasted almond slices (optional)
  • Fresh mint (garnish)

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, combine the sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and lemon zest. Toss well and put aside.
  2. In a saucepan, heat olive oil at medium to high heat. (Be careful it’s not too hot, as you will burn the rhubarb and ginger).
  3. Add in the julienned rhubarb and ginger. Fry until crisp and golden brown. Strain and add to the sugar mixture.
  4. Toss the rhubarb and ginger in the sugar mixture until fully coated.
  5. In a bowl, add a spoonful or two of plain Mediterranean yogurt or ice cream. Top with the rhubarb and ginger sprinkle and cover with the lemon peel strips. Add toasted almond slices, if desired. And garnish with fresh mint.

Alternative method: In a saucepan on medium heat, combine the sugar mixture with 1 tsp of butter. Stir until melted. Toss in fried rhubarb and ginger, and continue to mix until fully coated. Remove from heat and let cool. (This method will candy the rhubarb and ginger.)

Makes 4 servings

Apple, Rhubarb and Strawberry Yum Tart

Image by Anastasia Koutalianos

Ingredients

Filling:

  • 2 medium organic Ambrosia apples, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 stalks of organic rhubarb, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup organic strawberries, sliced
  • ¼ cup cane sugar
  • Cinnamon and nutmeg to taste

Pie Pastry:

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. In a saucepan, add the fruit, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Sauté on medium heat until a compote is reached (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside.
  3. To make the pastry: In a food processor, combine the olive oil, sugar, salt and cinnamon. Alternate flour and ice water until a soft dough is formed. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. (A cold dough is easier to roll out.)
  4. Dust your cutting board with flour and roll out dough until it’s a ¼ inch thick. Cut out 3-inch rounds, and place about 1 tbsp of the fruit mixture per round. Use your fingers to pinch in the pastry to form a crust.
  5. Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes.

Makes 12 to 14 tarts

Helen Koutalianos is the President and owner of Basil Olive Oil Products. Along with her husband Basil, she imports quality food products from Greece, including their award-winning Golden Olive Eleni® certified organic extra virgin olive oil. She is a director for the Fraser Valley Organic Producers Association, and co-author of the cookbook From the Olive Grove: Mediterranean Cooking with Olive Oil. Helen is also a former Greek cooking instructor and food columnist for the Maple Ridge Times.

Anastasia is the director and founder of NADATODO.COM: an online event calendar and promotions/publicity hub. She also reviews theatre and live performance; her write-ups are featured on various blogs and websites, including www.bclifestyle.ca and www.cjsf.ca. Anastasia hosts her own A&E review/music/talk radio show, @nadatodo, every other Sunday from 5-6PM on CJSF 90.1FM. Along with her mother, she co-wrote the cookbook From the Olive Grove: Mediterranean Cooking with Olive Oil. blog | twitter