T
he month of March creates a sense of rejuvenation. The days are longer, bird song fills the air, and flowers and green leaves reappear. Everything literally ‘springs’ into action after the long, cold and dormant months of winter. We also see the first of the home-grown produce hit the shops and our dinner tables Two of the first vegetables to make an appearance are rhubarb and purple sprouting.
Now I must admit, rhubarb is something I have little culinary knowledge of. It always evokes a sense of nostalgia, having gathered it from my grandmother’s garden to stew and serve up with custard. Other than that, it has rarely made an appearance in our household. So I was keen to find out more about this typically English fruit. Well, that is where I made my first
incorrect assumption. It is, in fact, of ancient Chinese origin and was only brought to the UK and used as a food in the 1770s, before which it was just used in medicine. Second, although officially classed as a vegetable, it has increasingly become treated as a fruit, thanks in part to a 1947 US court ruling which labelled it as a fruit for tax reasons. Confusion aside, I discovered there is much more to rhubarb than a sloppy, pink dessert. Yorkshire has its very own ‘Rhubarb Triangle’, an area dotted with sheds producing ‘forced’ rhubarb. This is a practice in which the first crop is grown inside buildings where all light is excluded and harvested at the beginning
of the year. This method produces a sweeter, more tender stalk. However, the rest of the country is not to be outdone, with outdoor-grown rhubarb widely available throughout the West Country. So if, like me, you have
limited appreciation for this ‘crimson stalk’, it’s time to head to your local greengrocer for a supply so you can try out some of our unusual seasonal recipes.
RHUBARB, CHAMPAGNE, CREAM
Quick ideas:
Rhubarb Chutney – this is a perfect way of preserving rhubarb and having a tasty alternative to standard pickle. Quick and easy to prepare, mix it with apples or sultanas and serve with cheese, oily fish or pork.
Roasted Rhubarb – next time you roast your meat, throw in some chunks of rhubarb around the sides and add some ginger to spice it up. It goes particularly well with pork or duck and makes for unusual change to the norm.
Rhubarb drinks – rhubarb lends itself to an array of soft and alcoholic drinks too! Use the juice to make smoothies, wine or cook and distil for something more potent!
Rhubarb Crumble – the old classic, but no less tasty. Try spicing it up by adding ginger or varying it with other seasonal fruits. Top it off, half the butter and flour crumb mixture and replace with a mix of dried oats, nuts, muesli or crushed biscuits and serve with ice cream, custard or cream. Delicious.
This lovely pud takes jelly and cream to a whole new level. Made with rhubarb and Champagne, it is full of bubbles and fizzes on the tongue. Topped with a swirl of vanilla- infused cream, it is decadent and exciting – perfect for a party.
Serves 6–8
500g trimmed rhubarb 175g caster sugar 1 vanilla pod (optional) 500ml Champagne or sparkling white wine, well chilled
Enough sheets of leaf gelatine to set 850ml liquid (as advised on the packet) 150ml double cream
FOODLOVERMAGAZINE.COM | 39
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