Savory Spring Rhubarb Salsa

I totally blew it! I was working on this recipe last week and for some unknown reason, I chose to post the Nicoise Salad recipe on Cinco De Mayo instead. Duh! Anyhow, it’s still May and Rhubarb is just coming into season here on the West Coast and should be here for a while.  Snap a piece off, dip it in sugar and remember being a kid again!

I say snap because it should be pulled off the plant to try to avoid spots that can trap water and cause rotting.   Rhubarb should be fed yearly with some compost, well-rotted manure or a general 10-10-10 fertilizer and if they start to flower, clip the flowering stalks off so that the plants energy goes into the edible stalks.  Rhubarb is in the same family as Sorrel, another early spring growing perennial and is extremely cold hardy.  NOTE: The leaves are poisonous so only use the stalks and throw those leaves in your compost.

Who doesn’t love Rhubarb?!? In pies, muffins, crisps and crumbles, it’s pretty easy to find a sweet recipe but did you know rhubarb is a vegetable?  It is! So I wanted to use it in a savory dish because as much as we’d all like to, we can’t eat dessert all the time.  If you are buying your rhubarb at the store, 1 lb fresh equals about 3 cups chopped.  I have a few more recipe ideas I’m testing out so check back for more rhubarb recipes soon and let me know if you try this recipe 🙂

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Savory Rhubarb Salsa

A delicious, fresh and seasonal salsa that keeps well up to 3 days.  Macerating the rhubarb in sugar while preparing the other ingredients tames the tartness but keeps it crisp for a bright and refreshing spring salsa.

Course Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine PNW

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 4

Author Sabrina Currie

Ingredients

• 1 c Rhubarb Finely diced (approx 1/8" dice)
• 1.5 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Red Wine Vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/2 c Red Onion Finely chopped
• 1 Jalapeno, small to medium Very finely diced
• 1 Cilantro, Small Bunch Approx. 1/2 c chopped
• 1/2 Lime Juiced
• 1/8 tsp Ground Coriander and Cumin Each
• Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

Instructions

1. Mix together rhubarb, sugar, vinegar and salt and let sit while chopping other ingredients. Stir occasionally.
   
2. Once the jalapeno, onion and cilantro are chopped, add them and the rest of the ingredients.  Stir gently and adjust salt and pepper to taste.  
   
3. Serve with tortilla chips and margaritas or as a condiment for grilled pork or dinner sausages.