Rhubarb is quite the culinary enigma. I was never quite sure what to do with what, frankly, looks like pink celery. That was until a couple of years ago, when I was preparing for MasterChef. I managed to acquire a large amount of rhubarb at a great price. I made practically everything from it and learned quickly that it’s as delicious as it is versatile. My confusion as to whether it was sweet or savoury wasn’t incorrect but, rather, too pessimistic.

As long as you know how to cook it, you can turn this exceptional vegetable into a wide variety of dishes.

Rhubarb strikes a balance between sweet and sour that makes the cook’s work naturally lighter. At Paris Butter rhubarb is on the menu at the moment, placed as the hero of the crossover course – the perfect bridge between savoury and sweet, which makes complete sense.

I’m excited about this recipe for oven-braised rhubarb for many reasons: this cooking method means you can use it in a variety of dishes, it extends the yield of the rhubarb and there is an incredibly low amount of prep involved. In the oven it goes, as you potter about. While I’ve become infamous at work and at home for burning the bottom of pots and pans (I work on pastry, not pans’ section after all), in this case, you still get the braised rhubarb without the risk factor.

I’ve tried to keep the sugar down low so it can be used in a sweet and savoury context, and for every kind of meal. One of the most delicious aspects of rhubarb is its acidity which, in my opinion, is too often masked by the addition of far too much sugar.

1. A rhubarb caramel benefits from balancing the sweetness with the tartness of this acidic vegetable. Blend the braised rhubarb to make a compote. Next, make a caramel with 300g sugar and a splash of water heated over medium to medium high, without stirring, until golden amber. Remove from heat, slowly whisk in 300ml cream. Cool to room temperature. Add salt to taste and finish by adding the blended rhubarb compote. Use on top of cakes or with ice cream.
2. Make a no-churn ice cream infused with the beautiful rhubarb compote. Remove the spices from the braised rhubarb and blend until super smooth (or a bit chunky if you like). Cool. Whip together 400ml cream and a 395g can of sweetened condensed milk until thick. Add the cooled compote and fold until marbled. Retain some compote to spoon over the ice cream at the end. Pour into a container and put in the freezer to set.
3. Use the liquid from the braised rhubarb in a martini – a delightful winter alternative to gin and tonic. Strain the cooled liquid through a sieve and add 30ml to your favourite martini. If you want to make the rhubarb juice extra strong and syrup- like, you can reduce it but I like the fresh light acidity of the juice.
4. Make a vinaigrette dressing for a winter salad using the strained juice and ⅓ weight in vinegar (I like white wine vinegar). Team fresh rhubarb pieces in a salad with endive, poached rhubarb, blue cheese and walnut. Also works in a simple couscous salad with mint, braised rhubarb, pumpkin seeds, finely chopped kale and orange zest. With some cumin spiced lamb, it’s an absolute winner.■

Alice Taylor is a former contestant on MasterChef New Zealand. She has previously worked at Amisfield and is currently pastry chef at Paris Butter.