Rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb

 

There's something about rhubarb, I can't deny that the pink draws me in, but it's more than that.  It now seems very British, grown in the Yorkshire triangle, it must be native as we have so readily adopted this the strange sour vegetable...but is very much an exotic intruder, originally from China.  The history of rhubarb is twisted and peppered with adventure, drug wars and distant shores.

Unlike other fruits and vegetables that we have come to rely on and unfortunately continue to import all year round, rhubarb is still more seasonally governed, available from April-September or 'forced' rhubarb from December - March.  We love it, but only at the right time, we gorge on it for a few months but then we happily forget about it for months more.  It is such an odd shape, such an odd flavour.  I love the taste but I could never describe it to someone, it slips through words.

Rhubarb 'compote' 

400g rhubarb (washed, then cut into equal sized pieces, I like them cut on an angle about 2 inches/5cm long).

Sugar, 2 tablespoons unrefined golden caster sugar/Demerera, depending on how sweet you like it.

Place in a heavy bottomed pan, large enough for the rhubarb to be in one layer, just cover with water. This time I added a vanilla pod, two seeds of cardamom and piece of orange peel but any of the below could work:

• Vanilla pod split open
• Cardamom seed pods
• Fresh ginger
• Orange peel
• Star anise

Simmer VERY GENTLY for about 7 minutes, or until they are just soft.  Let it cool and serve with whipped cream/yogurt/mascarpone...

*If you accidentally overcook the rhubarb and it disintegrates into a mush... you can strain it and whizz up the pulp (or use a fork until combined and broken down) and using about 50/50 whipped cream to pulp make into a fool... also nice with a bit of lemon zest...

Rhubarb'ade'

A very happy accident!  I had strained and kept the delicious juice from the last lot of rhubarb compote I had made and then came back to it just over a week later and found that it had started to ferment and fizz, I made my own rhubarb-ade...

Serve with mint, orange and ice... (I recommend Vodka too...)

Tea Dance & Scones

Definitely time for tea.  Dancing and tea are a great combination...

I'll have Rooibos Earl Grey or Lapsang Souchong with a slice of lemon, in a dainty Grafton tea cup from the late 1930's. 

Scones, such a classic, actually quite hard to get right... I've adapted a recipe from the Rose Bakery Breakfast Lunch Tea book that had too much baking powder (I could taste it when they were cooked, not nice), I've also added a more wholemeal flour option and an egg...

When they're done, I like to literally slab butter on, I particularly like The Lincolnshire Poacher's salted butter, preferably some home made jam, citrus curd (The Ludlow Jam Pan, now available in Selfridges) or a fruit compote...  

 

 
Scones

Makes 16 smaller, 12 medium scones

500g plain flour, extra for dusting (Can use 250 plain, 250 wholemeal)

2 handfuls of wholemeal/wheatgerm flour (optional)

1 very heaped tablespoon baking powder

2 heaped tablespoons caster sugar

100g raisins/sultanas

1 teaspoon salt

110g unsalted butter, cut into pieces. extra for greasing

1 egg and milk to make up 300ml liquid

1 egg for eggwash & granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 200C

Sprinkle a baking tray with flour.

Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together, add the wholemeal/wheatgerm if using.  Rub in the butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs (works fine in the magimix). Now add the raisins, if using.

Place in a large bowl, make a well in the centre of the dried ingredients and pour in the 300ml liquid, combine quickly with a fork.  Finish by hand but don’t overwork the mix, bring together into a soft, but firm dough.  It should not be sticky at all, add more flour if necessary.

On a lightly floured surface, pat/roll the dough to about 3cm think and cut out with a 5cm cutter or cut into 5cm squares with a sharp knife.  Brush the tops with eggwash and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Place the rounds on the baking sheet, fairly close and bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden.  If they stick together take them apart gently when they have cooled.

(If you have the choice bake in a conventional oven on one tray, rather than in a fan, it dries them out...)