Summer will not be long in showing the tip of its nose but before that, we take advantage of the seasonal fruit par excellence: rhubarb.

In pastry or with vegetables, it has something to surprise our taste buds.

To know everything about rhubarb and how to cook it well, we find the advice of Laurent Mariotte and his columnists in "La Table des bons vivant".

With its large stem, rhubarb lands on our shelves.

It announces the beautiful season and puts color in our dishes.

But where does it come from and how to taste it?

Laurent Mariotte and his columnists give us their tips on the program

La Table des bons vivant

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Originally 

"You should know that rhubarb comes to us from Asia", explains Olivier Poels.

"It was probably Marco Polo who brought her back after one of his many trips to Asia in the 16th century. At the time, it was rather attributed medicinal and curative virtues, in particular to treat venereal diseases. This is only good. later it arrives in the kitchen thanks to the English, who will use it both in sweet and savory. " 

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Not one but several rhubarbs 

Another highlight and not the least, there are several kinds of rhubarb.

"We tend to think that there is only one variety of this fruit, but in fact, there is a plethora of them, with very distinct tastes and uses", comments Laurent Mariotte.

"We note among these varieties the Mira, the Goliath or the Victoria. The only common point is that the greener the stems, the less sugar they contain and therefore the more acidic they are." 

To each variety its usefulness 

The most complicated thing about cooking rhubarb is controlling the acidity of the fruit.

To do this, one thing can help: choose the right variety according to the dish you want to prepare.

"Goliath is a variety which is interesting for making jams", explains Yves Camdeborde.

"Then you have the Mira, which is a variety that we use a lot to make a pie but also for savory dishes. Finally, the most common, the Victoria. It is a little more tangy and we use it just as well. in sweet as in savory, as well in pie as raw or in jam. " 

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How (well) to associate it?

"So me at the moment, I love to associate rhubarb with peas", says Olivier Poels.

"I simply brown the peas in butter to heat them but without overcooking them. Then I add small diced rhubarb. I find that the association of the roundness of the peas and the acidity of the fruit works. Very good together."

For Yves Camdeborde, the ideal combination is with strawberries.

"I have fun making a very simple little syrup", explains the chef.

“A liter of fresh water, 100 grams of sugar and I bring it all to a boil. I put my rhubarb on a plate and I boil it with the syrup. I cover it and I let it stand at room temperature. soften while keeping its consistency. And after that, I can make a fruit salad with it, serve it with strawberries, with raspberries. I manage to make an acid-sweet balance which is very interesting. " 

For Laurent Mariotte, "it's a garnish with a duck breast".

All you have to do is choose which recipe to choose!