FLUFFY RHUBARB & QUARK CLAFOUTIS

When spring arrives, I am always very impatient and excited at the prospect of, once again, being able to eat rhubarb. This vegetable is so unique that it is impossible for me not to love it's singular flavor, luscious tanginess and beautiful color...

Rhubarb is a multifaceted delicacy and a gift of nature which is delicious when used to make exquisite desserts, but also to prepare certain savory dishes. Unfortunately, it is only available from April 'til June, so there is no time to lose!

This plant originates from China. It's name was mentioned for the very first time in a 5000 year old book about plants and medicinal herbs. In the 16th century, it was imported into Europe from Asia via Russia. Rome nourished an undeniable interest for rhubarb, but England was the very first country to actually cultivate it widely and massively. In the 19th century, it is said that a gardener from Hamburg brought some plants back from one of the trips to England and that's how it appeared on our latitudes. From this time on, rhubarb has never ceased to grace our gardens and to hold a special place in our hearts as it one of our favorite garden plants.

There are three varieties of rhubarb:

• One with green stems, green flesh and a lot of acidity.
• One with reddish pink stems, green flesh and less acidity (the favorite kind).
• One with reddish pink stems, red flesh and a sweet taste of strawberries (the most sought for).

Rhubarb is good for the health and is a precious source of potassium, calcium, phosphor, iron and many other important mineral substances. It is also rich in vitamine C, E, K and B. Rhubarb is poor in calories as it's mainly composed of water (95%). On the other side, this plant contains oxalic acid, therefore it is better to avoid eating it raw.

Apart from making tarts with rhubarb, one of the best ways to prepare it is to make clafoutis. So, today, I decided to blog about my "Fluffy Rhubarb & Quark Clafoutis" which I have invented on the spur of the moment, using what I had on stock in my fridge and cupboards.

This "free jazz creation" is very similar to a traditional clafoutis, but it is also quite close to a omelet texture-wise as it is somehow fluffy and light. It combines perfectly the sweetness of the batter together with the tartness of the rhubarb, and it is delicately spicy and fragrant thanks to the interesting combination of ginger, cinnamon and long pepper. In one word, this pseudo clafoutis is very pleasant and highly enjoyable!

I hope that you'll like that recipe as much as me and my personal tester did...

~ Fluffy Rhubarb & Quark Clafoutis ~
Recipe by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Serves 3-4.

Ingredients:
500g Rhubarb, sliced into 2.5cm (1 inch) piece/cubes
1 Cup (128g) Plain white flour (unbleached all-purpose flour)
1/4 (37g) Cup Cornmeal
1/2 Tsp Baking powder
3/4 Cup (180g) Light brown sugar
1/2 Tsp Salt
3 Large eggs (~53g)
1 Cup (250g) Quark (0% fat)
1 1/4 Cups (300g/ml) Milk
1 Tbs Butter, melted
1 Tbs Porto (Port Wine)
1 Tsp Vanilla extract
1/4 Tsp Ground long pepper
1/2 Tsp Ground ginger
3/4 Tsp Ground cinnamon
3 Tbs Light runny honey (optional)

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
2. Thouroughly butter a 25-28cm (10-11 inches) round pan or ovenproof skillet and cover the bottom of the pan with the rhubarb pieces.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar and salt.
4. In a separate small bowl or large mixing cup, combine the eggs, quark, milk, melted butter, Porto, vanilla extract and spices. Whisk well.

5. Beat until thouroughly combined, then whisk into the flour mixture, smoothing out the lumps.
6. Pour the batter over the fruit in the prepared baking pan.
7. Bake for 35 minutes, then brush the top with the runny honey and continue baking for about 10 more minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the clafoutis is puffy looking.
8. Serve.

Remarks:
You can easily replace the rhubarb by any other seasonal fruit of your choice.
I used a 0% fat Quark, but you can use a less light version or the same quantity of cream cheese.

Serving suggestions:
Eat warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with extra sugar or with some whipped cream, condensed milk, marple syrup or a ball of the ice cream of your choice (vanilla, strawberry, raspberry, orange, pecan nut, marple, etc...).

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~ Clafoutis Léger A La Rhubarbe Et Au Séré ~
Recette par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Pour 3 à 4 personnes.

Ingrédients:
500g de Rhubarbe, coupée en dés de 2.5cm
1 Tasse (128g) de Farine blanche/fleur
1/4 Tasse (37g) de Semoule de maïs fine
1/2 CC de Poudre à pâte/lever
3/4 Tasse de Sucre brun clair
1/2 CC de Sel
3 Oeufs larges (~53g)
1 Tasse (250g) de Quark/séré (0% de matières grasses)
1 1/4 de Tasses (300g/ml) de Lait
1 CS de Beurre non-salé, fondu
1 CS de Porto
1 CC d'Extrait de vanille
1/4 de CC de Poivre long moulu
1/2 CC de Gingembre en poudre
3/4 de CC de Cannelle en poudre
3 CS de Miel clair liquide (en option)

Méthode:
1. Préchauffer le four à 190°C.
2. Beurrer un moule rond de 25-28cm de diamètre ou un plat à gratin de dimension similaire et couvrir le fond de dés de rhubarbe.
3. Dans un grand bol, mélanger ensemble la farine, la semoule de maïs, la poudre à lever/pâte, le sucre et le sel.
4. Dans un bol moyen, battre/fouetter ensemble les oeufs, le quark/séré, le lait, le beurre fondu, le Porto, l'extrait de vanille et les épices.

5. Bien mélanger jusqu'à ce que la pâte soit homogène et qu'il ne reste plus de grumeaux.
6. Verser ce mélange sur la rhubarbe, dans le moule/plat à gratin.
7. Cuire pendant 35 minutes, puis sortir du four et bien répartir le miel (sur tout la surface du clafoutis) à l'aide d'un pinceau et remettre au four pour 10 minutes ou jusqu'à ce que la pointe d'un couteau insérée au milieu du clafoutis en ressorte nette de toute trace et que le clafoutis ait gonflé tel un soufflé.
8. Servir.

Remarques:
Vous pouvez tout à fait remplacer la rhubarbe par n'importe quel fruit de saison de votre choix.
J'ai utilisé du Quark/séré à 0%, mais vous pouvez très bien utiliser une version moins light ou du Cream Cheese/fromage frais.

Idées de présentation:
Mangez ce clafoutis chaud ou à température ambiante, saupoudrer de sucre ou accompagné de crème fouettée, de lait condensé non-sucré, de sirop d'érable ou de la glace de votre choix (vanille, fraise, framboise, orange, noix de pécan, sirop d'érable, etc...).