When I worked at the L.A. TImes, the test kitchen director, Donna Deane was working on a rhubarb story and asked me to develop several recipes to go with it.  Naturally desserts came to mind.  Strawberries and rhubarb come into season around the same time, so it made sense to pair a sweet and tart fruit for a delicious jam.  The jam is used as a filling for this cookie but also tastes great on your morning toast.

The thick pink or red colored rhubarb stalk resembles celery and must be cooked to tame the tart flavor.  The stalk is the only edible part of this plant.  The leaves are toxic but don't worry, stores do not sell the leaves!

Strawberry Rhubarb Stained Glass Cookies

Note:

Jam

1 cup diced rhubarb

1 cup diced strawberries

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons water

Combine the rhubarb, strawberries and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat until the fruit softens and breaks down, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Stir the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl. Add to the fruit and continue cooking on low heat, stirring often, until the fruit thickens, about 5 more minutes. Cool completely and store covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh up to a week.

Cookies

2/3 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/3 cups flour, plus more for rolling

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom

1/2 cup blanched almonds, finely ground

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon water

1 tablespoon sparkling sugar

Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the egg and vanilla; beat until smooth.

Sift the flour and salt together then stir in the cardamom. Add the flour to the butter mixture on low speed just until combined. Stir in the almonds.

Divide the dough into 4 pieces and flatten into rectangles. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees; grease 2 baking sheets. Remove 1 rectangle of dough at a time.

Roll out the dough on a very lightly floured work surface to 1/8-inch thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch fluted cookie cutter, cut out as many cookies as you can. Then, using a 1-inch fluted cookie cutter, cut a hole in the center of half of the fluted cookies (these will become the tops of the sandwich cookies). Carefully place all cookies on the baking sheets.

Make the egg wash by stirring the beaten egg with water. Brush just the top cookies (with the hole) with the egg wash. Sprinkle the sparkling sugar over the egg-washed cookies. Bake until a pale golden brown, 10 to 11 minutes. Cool on a rack.

Continue with the remaining dough until all the cookies are baked and you have an equal number of tops and bottoms.

Place 1 teaspoon of jam in the center of each of the bottom cookies, spreading to within 1/2-inch of the edge. Place a top cookie over each and press gently.