It’s the Season! Discover the Savory Side of Rhubarb

Eating with the seasons automatically delivers wonderful diet diversity. Case in point: Rhubarb!

Rhubarb is actually a vegetable even though it’s mostly used in desserts, probably because we yearn to pair its tart flavor with something sweet. But the tartness of rhubarb, in small amounts, actually adds a wonderfully refreshing zing to savory dishes, too.

Being a cold-weather crop, its season is fairly short so eat up now and reap rhubarb’s many nutritional benefits.(1) To name just a few:

• Vitamin K for bone health and blood clotting
• Vitamin A for healthy and youthful skin
• Antioxidants to fight cancer cells
• And Really Importantly: Fiber not only for heath health but also for natural Ozempic (i.e., GLP-1) production as explained in the previous post, “DIY Tip: Make Your Own Ozempic“

Salmon Poached in Rhubarb Sauce

Step 1: Prepare Sauce

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 cup green onions, white parts sliced 1/4″ thick, green parts sliced about 1/2″ thick
• ¾ cup rhubarb, diced to ¼” (from about 2 thin stalks)
• 1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary (or ¼ tsp. ground dried rosemary)
• Pinch chile flakes, more or less to taste
• 2 cups chicken broth

In a small skillet, warm oil over medium heat and sauté onions for just 3-4 minutes, stirring a couple times to avoid burning. Stir in rhubarb and saute another 2-3 minutes.

 

Stir in chile flakes, rosemary and broth. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 2-3 minutes, stirring a couple times.

Step 2: Poach Salmon

• 1/2 lb. wild-caught salmon fillet, fresh or frozen thawed, cut into pieces roughly 1” x 2-3”
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Season salmon pieces with salt and pepper, to taste. Lay in rhubarb sauce, skin side down. Cover and simmer on the lowest heat for 2-3 minutes, then turn pieces and cook another 2-3 minutes, just until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Remove fish to serving bowls. Raise heat to medium and cook sauce quickly until reduced by about one third. Then spoon over fish and serve, seasoning with additional salt and pepper at the table, as desired.

NOTE: Poaching

Poaching means cooking a food by simmering slowly over low heat in a small amount of liquid. It is used for foods like fish, chicken breasts and eggs that become dry and tough when cooked for too long at high heats. Gentle poaching helps them remain moist and tender.

(1) From “Health Benefits of Rhubarb” https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-rhubarb