Recipe(ish): Rhubarb Sweet and Sour Sauce
May. 10th, 2010 09:53 amI was going to post the recipe for my linguini with sweet potato concasse, but the sweet potato concasse actually did not turn out all that well, so no-go, or at least not well enough for me to want to post it. If you're interested in hearing what I did and why it didn't work, though, let me know.
What did work out was the salmon with rhubarb sauce, which I will describe here!
The thought process behind it was that I wanted a sweet and sour-type sauce for the salmon, but I didn't want something with one of those really sticky-sugary sauces. A comment![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ceph had made a few months back, plus the realization that stewed rhubarb is usually both sweet and tart, led me to try this.
To give it a less dessert-y flavor, I used leeks as well as rhubarb—two small leeks (white and pale green only) to two large stalks of rhubarb. I'd say a ratio of about one part leek to two parts rhubarb.
I chopped up the leeks by splitting the stalk and then cutting it into half-moons, then rinsed thoroughly to get all the grit out. Then I heated about a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pot over medium-high heat and cooked, stirring constantly, for about five minutes. Turned down the heat and added a pinch of salt, and let sweat until the whites were translucent and soft but not starting to brown yet.
I chopped up the rhubarb into smallish pieces and threw it into the pot along with the leeks, let the whole thing sweat about five minutes more, then covered with water and added a smidge more salt and a tablespoon of sugar. Then I simmered the hell out of the whole thing for, like, an hour, stirring very occasionally and reading a book in the meantime. (It was a very low simmer, but if the pot starts to get dry, add more water.)
Once the rhubarb has softened to the point where it's pretty much falling apart in the water, give it a taste and adjust seasonings. You will probably want more sugar, although if you like things sour/astringent, you might not. You may want more salt. You may decide that a pinch (or more than a pinch) of cayenne, or a few drops (or more than a few drops) of Sriracha, will make it even better. Or a squirt of lemon juice. Or a grind of cinnamon. Or a splash of sesame oil. Or whatever sounds good!
I served it over poached salmon, but I think it would also be lovely over fried tofu, or grilled chicken breast, or anywhere else a nice, not-too-sticky sweet and sour sauce would be appropriate.
What did work out was the salmon with rhubarb sauce, which I will describe here!
The thought process behind it was that I wanted a sweet and sour-type sauce for the salmon, but I didn't want something with one of those really sticky-sugary sauces. A comment
ceph had made a few months back, plus the realization that stewed rhubarb is usually both sweet and tart, led me to try this.To give it a less dessert-y flavor, I used leeks as well as rhubarb—two small leeks (white and pale green only) to two large stalks of rhubarb. I'd say a ratio of about one part leek to two parts rhubarb.
I chopped up the leeks by splitting the stalk and then cutting it into half-moons, then rinsed thoroughly to get all the grit out. Then I heated about a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pot over medium-high heat and cooked, stirring constantly, for about five minutes. Turned down the heat and added a pinch of salt, and let sweat until the whites were translucent and soft but not starting to brown yet.
I chopped up the rhubarb into smallish pieces and threw it into the pot along with the leeks, let the whole thing sweat about five minutes more, then covered with water and added a smidge more salt and a tablespoon of sugar. Then I simmered the hell out of the whole thing for, like, an hour, stirring very occasionally and reading a book in the meantime. (It was a very low simmer, but if the pot starts to get dry, add more water.)
Once the rhubarb has softened to the point where it's pretty much falling apart in the water, give it a taste and adjust seasonings. You will probably want more sugar, although if you like things sour/astringent, you might not. You may want more salt. You may decide that a pinch (or more than a pinch) of cayenne, or a few drops (or more than a few drops) of Sriracha, will make it even better. Or a squirt of lemon juice. Or a grind of cinnamon. Or a splash of sesame oil. Or whatever sounds good!
I served it over poached salmon, but I think it would also be lovely over fried tofu, or grilled chicken breast, or anywhere else a nice, not-too-sticky sweet and sour sauce would be appropriate.
