For the last few weeks I have had a mild obsession with rhubarb! Somehow I completely missed the rhubarb season last year and have been determined not to let that happen again!
About two weeks ago while we were shopping in M&S (not an everyday occurrence!) with my eyes peeled for anything rhubarb we came across this drink…
Rhubarb and Custard! In fizzy drink form!
Now I must admit I am not a big fizz drinker at all and I wouldn’t normally pick up a drink as alarmingly pink in colour as this is (I’m afraid it was long gone before I could get a photo). However, the rhubarb was calling to me, and the packaging was calling to my graphic designer husband!
I have to tell you it was the most marvellous drink! It tastes exactly like the old fashioned rhubarb and custard sweets and surprisingly less artificial than you would perhaps think. We have since tried the Sherbet Lemon drink in this range as well but we weren’t as impressed.
Well at last, Thursdays farmers market came up with the goods and there was rhubarb stacked up in a great mound. I grabbed two bundles, handed over my cash and hurried home! I then spent the best part of 24 hours deliberating over what to make first; I have so many rhubarb recipes bookmarked it verges on the ridiculous.
I finally realised that basically anything I intended to make required the rhubarb to be stewed, yet didn’t include any real guidelines on how this was best done. After a few hours research I settled on the method that most appealed to me and I am including this for you at the end of this post.
Stewed rhubarb, for those unsure about it, is wonderful and can be used in sooo many ways – crumbles, ice cream, cupcakes, fools, stirred through greek yoghurt (my breakfast!) or in the rhubarb and almond loaf cake I shall be posting about shortly!
Do try it if you haven’t before and if you have the opportunity try a farmers market as the value for money is brilliant, I got twice the amount of rhubarb I would in Sainsbury’s for the same price (and that is it’s current special offer price!). I don’t understand why supermarkets charge so much for seasonal produce, any ideas?!
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Stewed Rhubarb
By Published: March 28, 2012
- Yield: 250g approx.
- Prep: 5 mins
- Cook: 10 mins
- Ready In: 15 mins
Perhaps more of a method than a recipe, but a lovely way to prepare rhubarb to eat as is or for use in other recipes.
Ingredients
- 4 fairly large stalks of rhubarb
- 70 grams golden caster sugar
- 20 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 50 ml water
Instructions
- Cut any leafy or green tops off the stalks and discard.
- Chop the rhubarb into 2cm pieces.
- In a saucepan combine the rhubarb, sugar, butter and water.
- Cook on a medium heat, stirring frequently, until the rhubarb softens.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool completely.
- Use in another recipe, or store covered in the fridge for up to a week.