Rhubarb & Recipes

RHUBARB

There are two forms of rhubarb sold here in the UK - slender, pale-pink, ‘forced’ stems that are grown in sheds in the dark, and robust, red and green, outdoor-grown stems. Forced rhubarb has yellowish leaves and usually appears in January and is delicious - the stems are more tender, sweeter and don't need to be peeled. The later field-grown variety, is very tart and requires considerable sweetening.

Botanically, rhubarb is a vegetable being related to such plants like dock and sorrel, but it is treated as a fruit because of its high acidity. Rhubarb leaves are toxic and have no safe culinary use. This is due to high concentrations of oxalic acid, the leaves should never be eaten, only the rhubarb stalks are used.

Rhubarb is fantastic used for desserts - ice creams, pies, puddings, stewed sweet sauces, jams and cordials. The sharpness of rhubarb also works extremely well with meat and oily fish dishes too.

Wash and trim the rhubarb stems before use and discard the leaves. If using the outdoor-grown rhubarb, then remove any stringy outer layers. Cut the rhubarb into equal-sized pieces to ensure even cooking.

Kept in the fridge, fresh rhubarb will stay in reasonable condition for 1-2 weeks. Raw and cooked rhubarb freezes well. To Freeze - wash and dry well, trim and chop into bite sized pieces. Bag and freeze for upto six months.

As with other relatively acidic foods it is recommended that rhubarb is not cooked using aluminum pots. - The problem with aluminium is it reacts with some types of foods, especially with those with alkaline of acidic components - aluminium particles might be leached into the food.

TIP ~ SWEET CICELY - the soft leaves have a myrrh-like scent with hints of moss and aniseed. Sweet tasting cicely leaves can be used as a substitute for sugar and the leaves cooked with sour fruits like rhubarb or gooseberries, this helps in cutting back on sugar normally used for sweetening sour or bitter fruit dishes.

 

RHUBARB CRUMBLE
 Serves 4

Oven temp-180C /350F/gas 4

450g / 1lb Rhubarb
75g / 3 oz Soft brown sugar
Grated rind of 1 orange

CRUMBLE
75g / 3 oz butter
75g / 3 oz soft brown sugar
175g / 6 oz plain flour

Wash and trim the rhubarb and cut the stalks into 1in lengths. Put into a buttered 1.1/2pt (900ml) ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with sugar and the rind of orange.

To make the crumble - rub the butter into the flour and stir in the sugar. Spread the crumble mix over the rhubarb, covering the fruit completely. Pop into oven and bake for about 40 minutes, until the crumble is golden. Serve hot with home made custard or vanilla ice cream.

Delicious Homemade Custard

ROSEMARY POACHED RHUBARB
 Serves 6

650g Rhubarb, cut into 2in slanted lengths
425ml Red wine
225g Caster sugar
6 Cloves
1 Cinnamon stick
3 Sprigs Rosemary

Put the wine, rosemary, sugar, cinnamon & cloves into a pan and bring to the boil stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Boil gently for 5 minutes or until reduced by half. Set aside to infuse for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven 160C/325F/Gas3.

Place the rhubarb into a shallow ovenproof dish. Pour over the infused syrup. Cover with foil and cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the rhubarb is just tender. Serve with Vanilla ice-cream or Panna Cotta.