Rhubarb-Pineapple-Coconut Conserve

Rhubarb is one of those foods that cause me to ask: Who or when did someone pick this out of the ground and say, "Hey, I think we should eat this red and green stalk"? I'm so glad they did.

Rhubarb-Pineapple-Coconut Conserve

Rhubarb has been used for about 5000 years, and in my reading I found credit given to the Asian world, India and then the English for bringing it over to American soil. Here's the part that raises that same question, though. The LEAVES are toxic. So, who found that out (poor soul), and who decided to keep trying it even after that? Also, rhubarb has been used for purifying, cleaning cookware, adding color to hair and even as an insecticide. But hold on...it's also used to raise metabolism and help in weight loss. You'll never use Formula 401 for that (hopefully). I've tried rhubarb in the raw form and when it's fresh and crisp the taste is tart and sparkly like citrus crossed with a crunchy celery stick. It makes a nice appetizer with a creamy yogurt dip.

When it's cooked, it becomes a wonderfully acidic marinade for fish, or balance to the sweetness of corn and potatoes. I think it's at its best when added to other flavors: strawberries, bananas, etc. This conserve-like-spread took me back to a visit in Hawaii, and the rhubarb was the perfect balance to the sweet flaky coconut and the tangy pineapple. It's a quick one to make and very addictive. Hope you'll try it. Mahalo!

Rhubarb is one of the ingredients for May's TigressCanJam round-up. Take a look (here) at the varied ways to prepare the versatile and seasonal Rhubarb plant.
Recipe: Rhubarb-Coconut-Pineapple Conserve
*1lb. rhubarb (cut into 1/2 inch chunks)
*12 oz. sugar 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (Combine these in a stainless steel pan overnight)
*Add to the pan: 1 (15oz) can Pineapple, drained
*Cook on med. til sugars are dissolved.
*Increase heat to full rolling boil and a temp. of 222F (check for jam)
*Remove from heat and add: 1/2 cup flaked or shredded coconut.
*Stir to combine.
*Pour, carefully, into sterilized jars, seal and water bath process for 10".

Red Onion & Pineapple Relish - I can, you can, we all can!

I was never one to relish Relish. However, it's the little things that can make an ordinary dish something amazing and a little bit of this spicy/sweet/tangy relish does exactly that. Imagine a spoon of this beside your scrambled eggs, or dabbed beside a chicken breast. Saute a simple piece of fish, then add a dollop of this and now you've got layers of flavor on flavor.

Red Onion & Pineapple Relish

The ways to use this relish are unending: on a baked potato, mixed in with cooked carrots, add zing to pork tenderloin or can you even imagine how great it would taste on a hamburger? If you don't usually "can" stuff, then just make this and put it in a cute container (or just a bowl), wrap it up and keep it in the refrigerator. It's good for a couple weeks.

This month the item for the TigressCanJam event is Alliums: onions, ramps, leeks, garlic, etc. I still have a bag of Farmer's Market onions and 2 giant stalks of fennel because I had planned on using them for my "can-can-canning" this month. Then, I came across a recipe that mixed a pungent ruby red onion with one of my favorite fruits, sweet juicy pineapple, and I was in love.

This is a fragrant couple of hours in the kitchen, folks, but when it's done you'll have a hard time not eating little spoonfuls of it all by itself (not that I did that or anything.)

Quote from ME: "This works, yeah, this definitely works. I better "can" this before there's none left."
I hope you make this, and then come back and tell me your ideas of other ways to use it, ok?
Red Onion & Pineapple Relish
(adapted from Jellies, Jams & Chutneys - Thane Prince)

1/2 Pineapple, trimmed and roughly chopped
2 Med. Red Onions, chopped
3 small red chiles, chopped fine (can be seeded, but the kick is nice)
2 garlic cloves chopped fine
1 Tbls. fresh thyme leaves
5 oz. sugar
1 cup white wine vinegar
dash of salt

Put all ingredients into a large pot (not aluminum), and bring to boil. Stir often to dissolve sugar. Simmer the relish over med. heat for about 20 minutes until it's thickened. Ladle the relish into hot sterilized jars, cover and precede to water bath canning for 10 minutes.
(Or ladle into clean bowl/containers - cover and keep in refrigerator for 2 weeks).