Rhubarb Dessert Sauce

This dish was a new one to me when I came to PA Dutch country and found out that this has been eaten in families many years over ice cream, cakes, etc.  One of my favorite ways to eat it is mixed with applesauce and over sugar cake.This is a great way to use up extra rhubarb- freezes well to enjoy during the winter and other seasons when rhubarb is not available. Some process the rhubarb sauce by canning it, as well.

Rhubarb is an interesting food with a long-standing history of medicinal uses. Originally, the root was used for healing purposes, but now it is more popular to eat the stems. It has been studied extensively over the past few years with some very interesting findings regarding numerous health benefits. Rhubarb health benefits include probable anti-cancer properties, antioxidant, antiinflammatory and antiallergy properties among many others.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 3 oz. package gelatin, red raspberry or strawberry

Directions:

• Combine water and sugar. 
• Bring to a boil. Add rhubarb. Boil about 5 minutes, until rhubarb is soft. Remove from heat.
• Add gelatin. Stir until gelatin dissolves. 
• Chill several hours before serving.

Recipe given to me by Midge Gerlach.



Alternate recipe:

Ingredients:

• 6 cups diced rhubarb
• 6 cups water
• 1/2 cup minute tapioca
• 6 oz. package strawberry gelatin
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 quart fresh strawberries, chopped (optional)

Directions:

• Cook rhubarb with water and tapioca until rhubarb is soft and mixture has thickened. Remove from heat. 
• Stir in gelatin to dissolve. Add sugar and mix well. 
• When partly cooled, fold in strawberries, if desired. 

Serve with waffles, ice cream or cheesecake.    Makes 4 quarts of sauce.

*Recipe from Mabel Weaver & Marilyn Weaver in Lancaster County Cookbook 1993.