The Secret To Guy Fieri's 'Killer Chocolate Brownies' Is This Overlooked Vegetable

Larger-than-life homegrown Food Network phenom Guy Fieri is all about creating and celebrating big flavors. So, it's no surprise that the outsize brownies from his show "Guy's Big Bite" deliver intense chocolatey flavor worthy of Flavortown. But you may be surprised to learn that it incorporates an out-of-the-box ingredient: Fresh rhubarb.

Bright reddish-pink stalks of rhubarb enjoy their peak season in springtime, but on their own are rather bracingly tart. That's why rhubarb plays so well in desserts. When paired with sugar, which reins in its acidity, you get an interplay of tart and sweet that reads zingy. Rhubarb lends freshness and interest to desserts from rhubarb pie to cobblers.

It also livens up the potentially one-note profile of Fieri's brownies. What's more, the crunch and warmth of walnuts balance that bright rhubarb, and a splash of rum adds a hint of depth. Add to that the kick of New Mexico chile powder, which lends sweetness, smoke, and more complexity than cayenne, and it's no wonder the "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" host raves about them.

Rhubarb takes a bit of coaxing to let its flavors really shine, and one way Guy Fieri achieves this is by creating a compote. All that really entails is cooking down slices of fresh rhubarb in water and sugar until it becomes soft. From there, a quick blitz in the blender produces a smooth flavor that readily mixes into the melted chocolate before combining it with the creamed butter, which then joins the rest of the dry ingredients. Semi-sweet chocolate chips and the walnuts get folded in just before baking for an extra toothsome bite.

It feels on-brand that you might not know Fieri's brownies contain rhubarb, but you will be able to taste bright and tart notes mingled with the heat of the chiles that peek out from the brownie's chocolatey background flavors. You will also enjoy the texture of the brownies, which reads fudgy and moist, thanks to the addition of the jammy rhubarb compote. You might challenge those you share them with to identify the brownies' secret ingredient game show-style. And if you're including walnuts and New Mexico chile powder as Fieri does, there may be more than one right answer.