Pairing Rhubarb with Prairie Ingredients

Chickpea, Rhubarb and Spring Onion Salad with Honey-Herb Vinaigrette

Ingredients

Dressing

• 3 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Salad

• 1 540 mL can chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry
• 1 cup finely diced rhubarb about 1–2 stalks
• 3 spring onions, thinly sliced on the bias
• 1 long english cucumber, quarter and approximately ¼” sliced
• ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup toasted sunflower seeds
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese, for serving

Directions

Whisk together the dressing ingredients (canola oil, honey, apple cider vinegar, and herbs) in a small bowl until combined. Season to tate with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine the salad components (canned chickpeas, rhubarb, spring onions, cucumber, red onion and sunflower seeds). Pour the dressing over the chickpea mixture and toss thoroughly.

Let the salad sit in the fridge (or room temperature is A-OK too) for approximately 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Just before serving, top with the crumbled feta.

Garlicky Rhubarb Sauce and Grilled Turkey

Garlicky Rhubarb Sauce Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups thinly sliced rhubarb
• ⅔ cup dry cider
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp good quality soy sauce
• 2 tsp worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp chili flakes
• 2 Tbsp honey mustard

Directions

Heat oil in a medium pot on medium heat and cook garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook until it darkens slightly, about 1 ½ minutes.

Next, add rhubarb, cider, honey, soy sauce, worcestershire and chili flakes to the pot. Stirring occasionally, cook until rhubarb has completely broken down and the contents of the pot has a thin, sauce-like consistency, approximately 12-14 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the honey mustard. Set aside until ready to use.

Rhubarb-Marinated Turkey Breasts Ingredients

• 2 split, bone-in turkey breasts
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 ½ cups garlicky rhubarb sauce

Directions

Season the bone-in turkey breasts liberally with salt and let them sit for one hour in the fridge, uncovered, before marinating.

Place the salted turkey in a large resealable bag or shallow dish and coat thoroughly with rhubarb sauce. Refrigerate and marinate for at least 4 hours, but overnight is best for maximum flavour! (We want!)

Remove turkey breasts from the marinade and pat with a paper towel to remove excess sauce. Reserve liquid in a bag or dish to brush on breasts while grilling.

Preheat your BBQ for indirect grilling. If using gas, turn off one side of the burners; if using charcoal, push the coals to one side. Aim for a steady medium-high heat around 190°C/ 375°F.

Place the turkey breasts skin-side up on the cool side of the grill. Close the lid and roast for about 45–60 minutes. (The indirect heat prevents the rhubarb sugars and honey from scorching, and we’re not doin’ accidental blackened turkey here!)

Once the internal temperature reaches 65°C (150°F), about 35 minutes or so, begin brushing the reserved ½ cup of sauce onto the skin. Do this 2 or 3 times over the final 15-ish minutes of cooking.

Remove the turkey from the grill once the thickest part of the breast reaches an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F).

Transfer to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 10–15 minutes before carving to allow the juices to stay within the meat.

Serve with rhubarb aioli for dipping! (See below)

Garlicky Rhubarb Aioli Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp Garlicky Rhubarb Sauce
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp honey mustard, optional

Directions

Whisk together in a small bowl, adding additional honey mustard if desired, and serve alongside grilled turkey.

Whipped Cottage Cheese Tarts with Rhubarb Preserve and Saskatoons

Ingredients

Thyme Syrup-Soaked Saskatoon Berries

• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup water
• ½ tsp good quality vanilla extract
• 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 cup Saskatoon berries, fresh or frozen

Whipped Cottage Cheese Tarts

• 12 pre-baked mini tart shells, pre-baked
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp honey
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tonka bean, finely grated (plus more for final garnish)
• ½ to ⅔ cup rhubarb preserve
• Fresh thyme leaves, for garnish

Directions

To make the thyme syrup, combine the sugar, water, vanilla extract and thyme sprigs in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer until the sugar is fully dissolved, then remove from the heat and let the thyme steep as the syrup cools.

Once room temperate, strain the syrup over the Saskatoon berries and let them sit for at least 30 minutes.

To make the whipped cottage cheese tarts, place the cottage cheese, honey, vanilla, and grated tonka bean into a high-speed blender or food processor. Blitz until the mixture is completely smooth and aerated, losing all its graininess.

Transfer the whipped cheese to a piping bag (or a ziploc with one corner of the bag sliced off. I am a low-brow dessert maker so this is how I do it!) and pipe it into the pre-baked mini tart shells, filling them about three-quarters of the way to the top.

Spoon a thin, even layer of the rhubarb preserve over the whipped cheese.

For the final layer, spoon some macerated Saskatoon berries out of the thyme syrup and nestle them into the rhubarb layer. A slotted spoon would be helpful to get rid of excess simple syrup.

Chill in the fridge before serving.

(Pro tip: Finish each tart with a tiny, fresh thyme leaf or two or a very light grating of extra tonka bean. The best!)

Rhubarb Saskatoon Berry Spritz

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp Saskatoon berries, fresh or frozen
• 1 tsp cane sugar
• 2-3 fresh basil leaves, hand-torn or roughly chopped
• ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp rhubarb preserve
• Soda water, enough to top
• 1 thin strip or peeling* of fresh rhubarb, for garnish

Directions

Place the Saskatoon berries, cane sugar, torn basil, and apple cider vinegar into a cocktail shaker and muddle for 5 seconds or so.

Add the rhubarb preserves to the mixture and stir briefly with a bar spoon to help incorporate.

Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously for about 15 seconds or so (shaker should become a little frosty).

Strain (or if possible: double-strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve) into a Collins glass filled with fresh ice to ensure a smooth, non-pulpy texture and look.

Top with soda water and stir gently with a bar spoon to fully combine fruit base with carbonated water.

*use a vegetable peeler on a stalk or rhubarb to get thin, slightly curled strips. They look real nice on a summer drink!