Got rhubarb? Make some marmalade, crisp

Just when I was thinking of ways to bribe the college guys next door for the rhubarb in their backyard, my mom delivered a bag of ruby red stalks to me from her in-laws.

Speaking of mom, she makes a wonderful rhubarb cake with a cinnamon-sugar topping I love. It’s what I think of first when I have rhubarb to cook. But I’ve discovered a couple of recipes in the new book, “Melissa’s Great Book of Produce: Everything You Need to Know About Fresh Fruits and Vegetables,” by Cathy Thomas.

She suggests making a simple Rhubarb Marmalade to serve on pancakes, waffles or toast.

To make it: Place 2 1/2 cups roughly chopped rhubarb and 1 1/2 cups orange marmalade in a heavy-bottomed, medium sized nonreactive saucepan. Simmer on medium-low until rhubarb softens, about 10 minutes. Mash with a potato masher. Stir in 2 cups sliced strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar; bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Boil 1 minute and remove from heat. Cool before serving.

Here’s another recipe from the book:

Rhubarb Crisp

From Melissa’s Great Book of Produce

6 cups (1/2-inch chunks), fresh trimmed rhubarb

2/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 teaspoon minced orange or tangerine zest

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the topping:

1 cup packed golden brown sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons butter, cut into 6 pieces

2/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted (see note)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large bowl, combine rhubarb, sugar, flour, melted butter, zest and cinnamon. Toss to combine and place in 9-inch square baking pan. Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes.

Prepare topping: In food processor fitted with metal blade, combine brown sugar and flour; pulse until crumbly and butter is cut into tiny pieces. Stir in nuts. Sprinkle over rhubarb mixture.

Bake until browned and bubbly, about 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature. Accompany with ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.

Note: To toast pecans, place on baking sheet and toast in 350-degree oven until lightly browned. Watch carefully because nuts burn easily.

Yield: 6 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 510 calories, 23 grams fat (9 grams saturated, 41 percent fat calories), 4 grams protein, 76 grams carbohydrate, 35 milligrams cholesterol, 4 grams dietary fiber, 20 milligrams sodium.