rhubarb

When people think of rhubarb, they probably conjure images of pies, tarts, or other desserts. (When I think of rhubarb, I recall a conversation with a younger coworker who said "rhubarb is for old people." But I digress.) The uses for this spring vegetable (it's not a fruit, despite its usual treatment as a dessert) extend beyond the pie plate, as The Washington Post explains.

They scoured their database for recipes that didn't douse rhubarb in sugar. The results ranged from a barbecue sauce to a cold soup to a pasta salad to strawberry-rhubarb glazed chicken thighs - diverse and unexpected uses for the plant, which should be popping up soon in northern farmers' markets.

Scouring the EYB database turned up almost 450 savory rhubarb recipes. For good measure, I've also included a few sweet ones, because a good rhubarb pie is hard to beat. Do you agree with my coworker that rhubarb is, shall we say, an acquired taste? What's your favorite rhubarb recipe?

The savoury assemblage: Rhubarb on rye with watercress, radishes and goat's curd
         from The Guardian Cook supplement by Claire Thomson
 Spring fling cocktail from Zen and Tonic by Jules Aron
         (one day left to enter our contest for your chance to win a copy - US & Canada only)
 Shaved celery salad with rhubarb vinaigrette from Vegetarian Times Magazine
Grilled hanger steak with spring vegetables and hazelnuts from Food & Wine Magazine
Potato salad with a rhubarb & balsamic dressing from Tinned Tomatoes by Jacqueline Meldrum
Individual rhubarb and berry crumbles from The Free Range Cook by Annabel Langbein
Rhubarb (pie plant) pie from United States of Pie by Adrienne Kane
Rhubarb cake from Pure Simple Cooking by Diana Henry
Strawberry-rhubarb sorbet from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz