Green Rhubarb Puree with Grapefruit

From Vegetable Literacy by Deborah Madison
Makes 2-3 Cups

2 ½ lbs. green rhubarb* (about 10 c. chopped)
1 C organic cane sugar plus more, to taste
2 tsp Meyer lemon or grapefruit zest
⅓ C juice from the zested citrus, above
Pinch of salt

Trim the ragged ends of the rhubarb. If the large stalks look tough or fibrous, peel and chop them into chunks about an inch long, then put them in a 3-quart saucepan with the sugar, zest, juice and salt. Cook over medium heat until the rhubarb has broken down into a rough puree, about 20 minutes. Don’t use the food processor—the look of the textured threads of rhubarb is appealing just as it is. Chill well. Serve cold with cream poured over, turn into a rhubarb fool by folding into whipped cream or use it to fill a pre-baked tart shell.

* This recipe calls for green rhubarb, which is a variety that we don't often see around the Ohio River Valley – it is fine to substitute red rhubarb as we did. Our test kitchen made the puree and folded it into whipped cream, the result was amazing. This could easily become a classic spring dessert.