Being Opportunistic.
I love to buy food based on what’s on special at the time. It’s amazing what bargains you can find if you search for it. At a time like now when finding what you want often fraught with stress and anxiety, look for the specials to spark a little joy. By hunting around, you’ll find dairy, produce, meat all reduced in price. Sometimes you’ll also find shelf-stable products that are discontinued. I guess this is a hangover from the days when finances were tough and as a family we’ve had to stretch the dollar as far as we can. It means I often don’t plan meals for the week. I just go with the flow with whatever I can find during my supermarket shop. That’s how I ended up making this Rhubarb Crumble Slice.
Today I managed to pick up a bunch of rhubarb for 99c. Such a bargain! It looked a little limp but other than that, it was perfectly fine to make something with it. I think many people are far too quick to throw food out at the slightest sign of imperfection, whether a blemish or wilting leaves. It felt good to save this and turn it into something delicious. Plus I had a wonderful recipe I wanted to try.
This recipe uses rhubarb to make a wonderful vanilla-infused jam that’s sandwiched between a buttery base and a crumbly topping. It’s not too hard to make and most of the time is spent making the jam. Don’t be afraid to give rhubarb a go.
So what is rhubarb… a fruit or a vegetable?
That’s actually a good question. It seems confusion over this is really common. Technically a vegetable however legally it’s a fruit.
Although you can eat rhubarb raw, you probably won’t enjoy it. It has a sour, brutally bitter taste, so most people prefer to cook it with sugar.
Something I can’t stress enough is to only eat the pink stalks of the rhubarb plant. The leaves contain high levels of a poisonous chemical called oxalic acid. The word “poisonous” should be a very good indicator to not consume the leaves in any way!
Want another delicious recipe?
If you like this recipe, you’ll also love others available here. From pastas to risottos, cookies to desserts, and bliss balls to gluten-free options with everything in between. There is truly something here for everyone. I have developed this website to provide family-friendly recipes where I maximise both fresh produce while minimising cost.
Rhubarb Crumble Slice
Ingredients
Base
- 75 g caster sugar
- 225 g plain flour, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, sifted
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 100 g butter, melted
Rhubarb Filling
- 400 g rhubarb, trimmed & chopped
- 165 g caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Crumble Topping
- 225 g plain flour, sifted
- 75 g caster sugar
- 150 g butter, cold & chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.
- In a saucepan, combine the rhubarb, sugar and vanilla. Simmer on medium heat until consistency is like jam. Set aside.
- Place the sugar, flour, baking powder, egg and butter in a bowl and mix to combine. Press into the base of a lightly greased 20cm x 30cm tin lined with non-stick baking paper and bake for 10 minutes or until golden and firm.
- To make the topping, place the flour, sugar and butter in a bowl. Use your fingertips to mix together until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Spoon the rhubarb mixture over the cooked base so it is evenly covered and top with the crumble mixture.
- Bake for 25-30min or until golden.