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16
Jan 2021
Stray Foodie: Rhubarb! Rhubarb!
Stray Foodie Lockdown Recipes are written by Michelin-starred chef, Frances Atkins. In 1997, Frances opened the Yorke Arms near Pateley Bridge, where she was the owner for 20 years. During her ownership, she held her Michelin-star status for 16 of those years.
"I’ll be bringing you some of my favourite recipes each week. I’d love to see how you make the recipes your own – let me know by using #StrayFoodie or tagging @thestrayferret in your social media posts."
January is rhubarb time in Yorkshire. The Tomlinson family have been growing forced rhubarb in Pudsey, West Yorkshire for four generations. It is known as the Yorkshire Rhubarb Triangle with excellent growing conditions. The plant is initially grown outside and subject to a specified number of frosts. Each winter acres of Rhubarb plants are transferred into long nursery sheds to be forced. Harvested in the dark by candle light according to an age-long tradition. The stalks are almost fibreless and bright pink in colour and has the most amazing flavour, unlike the rhubarb we get later in the year which can often be green and tough – this is not! It is one of the colourful joys of January.
My Grandmother had a larder and as a child it sticks in my memory and was a source of inspiration. It was full of colour with bottled fruits of every variety, preserved in the summer to be enjoyed in the winter.
Japanese cuisine that is so fashionable contains a lot of preservation of varying sorts. Pickling, fermenting, smoking and drying, all to achieve the wonderful fifth taste, as has other culinary cultures, which brings to mind the preservation of this great January ingredient Yorkshire Rhubarb.
Here is a recipe for a rhubarb dessert and a pickled rhubarb. Sweet and Sour, you have your choice.
For the pickling liquor:
Ingredients
100g Sugar
100g White wine Vinegar
The zest of 1 Orange, 1 Lemon and 1 Grapefruit
10g Ginger Root
Method
Place all ingredients into a pan and bring to the boil to make a pickling liquor.
Bring to the boil and add a couple of sticks of chopped Rhubarb, take off the heat and cover with cling film until cool. When cool, remove the rhubarb from the pickling liquor and serve with cold meats, pates, cheese etc.
For the Rhubarb Semi Fredo:
A semi iced mousse, which is extremely useful as you can use it to embellish other puddings.
Ingredients
175g Rhubarb Puree – for this you will need 7 sticks of rhubarb and 250g sugar. Add the sugar and the rhubarb to a pan, cover with cling film and cook slowly until it falls and drain of the liquid and reduce to thick consistency. Put through a food processor until smooth.
20g White Wine
40g Sugar
2 Egg Yolks
170g Whipped Cream
Method
In a bowl over a pan of hot water, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and wine to a thick mousse like consistency over a gentle heat. Fold in the rhubarb puree and whipped cream. Pipe or spoon into finger moulds and place in the freezer.
As you will see from the image, decorate your Rhubarb Semi Fredo fingers with whipped cream, poached rhubarb, donuts, jam, tuille biscuits, and a little chilli should you feel adventurous!
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