Recipe: Rhubarb, Chèvre, and Toasted Hazelnut Salad

By Kristen Rasmussen, MS, RD

This month’s Well Being Challenge invites you to explore what you’ve been missing by trying a vegetable you are not familiar with one time per week, whether in a Bon Appétit Cafe or at home. To get started, try the below recipe for a salad containing rhubarb, a lovely misunderstood vegetable worth exploring. To learn more about misunderstood vegetables, visit cafebonappetit.com.

Rhubarb, Chèvre, and Toasted Hazelnut Salad

Although most commonly found in pies, rhubarb can be a flavorful component in many dishes. When shopping for rhubarb, stay away from wilted stalks, which indicates the rhubarb is not fresh.

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh rhubarb stalks, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons red wine or champagne vinegar
  • 1 pound seasonal lettuces (spinach, arugula, red leaf)
  • 6 oz chèvre (fresh goat cheese), crumbled
  • 1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted

To Prepare

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Toss rhubarb with 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil and honey. Roast on baking sheet until soft, about 5 – 7 minutes. Set aside until cool. On another baking sheet, toast hazelnuts about 5 minutes until browned.

2. Once hazelnuts have cooled, chop into small pieces.

3. Whisk remaining grapeseed oil with vinegar. Toss lettuces with rhubarb and dressing, top with toasted hazelnuts and goat cheese.