“Some people are like ants. Give them a warm day and a piece of ground and they start digging. There the similarity ends. Ants keep on digging. Most people don’t. They establish contact with the soil, absorb so much vernal vigor that they can’t stay in one place, and desert the fork or spade to see how the rhubarb is coming and whether the asparagus is yet in sight.” Hal Borland

It’s Rhubarb Season in Maine. So what could be more fun than exploring the variety of ways Maine cooks have found to serve this tart and delicious plant, treasured for centuries for its medicinal qualities, and eagerly awaited by gardeners and cooks as one of the earliest “fruits” of the season.

Pentagoet Blueberry Rhubarb Crisp

Ingredients:
1 quart Maine Wild Blueberries, 2 Cups Maine Rhubarb, chopped very small, 3/4 Cup sugar, 2 Tbsp flour, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 Tbsp lemon zest, 3/4 Cup flour, 1 1/4 Cups old fashion rolled oats, 1 Cup darkbrown sugar, 1 stick butter, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground cloves

Preperation: Rinse berries, then mix all filling ingredients (next 5) together in a bowl. Butter a 9″ x 12″ baking pan and spread berry mix in it. Mix together rest of dry ingredients for topping, then cut in butter. Spread topping over fruit. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until bubbling. Serve warm, a la mode.
Source: Passports Pub at The Pentagoet Inn

Rhubarb Oatmeal Squares
Chelsea Sonksen, Editorial Assistant
Adapted from a Cooks.com recipe

For the crust:
¾ cup butter, melted (a stick and a half)
1½ cups white flour
¼ cup wheat flour
¾ cup oatmeal (I used quick cooking Quaker Oats)
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt

For the filling:
1 (8 ounce) package reduced fat cream cheese
¾ cup sugar
1 egg beaten
1½ cups rhubarb, cut into ¼ inch pieces
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg

Mix crust ingredients until crumbly. Press half of crust mixture in ungreased 9 inch square pan. Combine softened cream cheese with remaining filling ingredients. Beat smooth; pour over crust. Sprinkle with remaining crust mixture. Bake in 350º oven for 45 minutes. Cool and cut into squares. Store covered in refrigerator.

Makes about 16 squares.

http://blog.mainefoodandlifestyle.com/2012/05/sour-cream-rhubarb-squares.html 

Terry’s Sour Cream Rhubarb Squares
Martha Greenlaw, Recipes From a Very Small Island

Ingredients:
½ cup sugar
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1½ cups packed light brown sugar
½ cup solid vegetable shortening
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
½ pound fresh unsweetened rhubarb, cut into ½- inch cubes (about 1½ cups)

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan.
In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, nuts, butter, and cinnamon. Using a fork, pastry blender, or your fingers, work this mixture until crumbly. Reserve.
In the bowl of an electric mixer set at medium speed and fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the brown sugar, shortening, and egg for 4 to 5 minutes, or until light and smooth.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk eight to nine times to blend. With the mixture on low, add the dry ingredients to the batter, alternating with the sour cream. When smooth, remove from the mixer and stir in the rhubarb.
Transfer to the prepared pan and sprinkle evenly with the reserved topping. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the topping is browned and crisp and the rhubarb squares are cooked through.
Serve from the pan, cut into squares.
Serves 10-12.

And from our friends at the Bangor Daily News:

Rhubarb Jam  http://bangordailynews.com/recipe/rhubarb-jam/

Ingredients

5 cups of rhubarb, cut into 1 inch pieces

1, 8 ounce can crushed pineapple

3 cups of sugar

1, 3 ounce package strawberry jello

Aprox. Preparation Time: 10 minutes – Cooking Time:12 minutes

Mix together the rhubarb, pineapple and sugar in a medium saucepan.

Let stand 30 minutes.

Bring to a boil and cook for 12 minutes, stirring constantly.

Mix in the strawberry jello.

Cool, pack into containers and refrigerate. It also may be canned or frozen.

And if you’re really in the mood for a gourmet challenge, check out this recipe for a Rhubarb Galette from Ken Oringer at Earth in Kennebunkport