Rhubarb is used in cooked applications, and although it may be prepared as a vegetable, it is more often featured in sweet recipes like pies, cobblers, and jams, and is commonly paired with strawberries. Slice Rhubarb as you would celery and cook down with sugar into a chutney, or toss with apples or strawberries, sugar, and spices, and bake into a pie or crisp. Cooked and sweetened Rhubarb can also be combined with orange zest and mixed into softened butter to make a spread. Rhubarb may be used in soups, stews, or other savory dishes where its naturally tart flavor counterbalances other rich or sweet ingredients. Try quick-pickling Rhubarb slices in vinegar, sugar, and salt, and pairing in a salad with goat cheese and white asparagus. Stronger-flavored meats like game, quail, and duck stand up well to the tartness of Rhubarb and may be served with a Rhubarb puree or jam.
Rhubarb should be wrapped and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week or cut and frozen for up to a year.