Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb is in season from January until mid-March. It is grown in the dark in heated sheds over the winter months. In the cold and dark the rhubarb grows slowly and very upright producing tender, pale pink sticks of sweet delight. Once ready, the rhubarb is harvested by candlelight so as to expose the plants to minimal light. The harsh growing conditions leave the plants exhausted and at the end of each season the forced plants are discarded.
Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb is produced by twelve growers in what is known as 'the rhubarb triangle' in west Yorkshire. In 2010 Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb was given Protected Designation of Origin status (PDO) by the European Commission (who recognised the exquisite, inimitable flavour of this wonderful British vegetable). This means that only growers in the designated area can produce and sell 'Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb' (other PDO British products include West Country Cheddar, Stilton and Cornish clotted cream).
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| Oldroyd's Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb |
I wanted recipes that would let the rhubarb speak for itself. Here's what I cooked...
Rhubarb compote
(Rhubarb compote is staggeringly delicious all on its own, or served with a spoonful of natural or greek yoghurt. It also provides the basis for the rhubarb bellinis and the rhubarb and vanilla cake below - I also drizzled it indulgently over my rhubarb ice cream - so if you're going to start anywhere, start here!)
1kg rhubarb
1kg rhubarb
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| Rhubarb Compote |
1 vanilla pod, split lengthways
Cut the rhubarb into 3cm lengths. Mix the rhubarb in a bowl with the sugar and vanilla.
Leave to macerate (become soft by soaking, in this case in sugar) for at least 1 hour, or overnight if possible.
Preheat the oven to 170C.
Lightly butter a baking dish, drain the rhubarb (make sure you keep the beautiful pink juice) and pack it into the baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for twenty minutes.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool before uncovering.
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| Rhubarb Bellinis |
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| Macerating rhubarb |
Rhubarb Bellinis
Serve the pink juice with Cava or Prosecco for a fabulous rhubarb bellini.
Rhubarb and vanilla cake
115g butter
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| Rhubarb and Vanilla Cake |
150g caster sugar
3 free range eggs
175g plain flour
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
125ml low fat natural yoghurt
2tsp vanilla extract
Rhubarb compote
Preheat the oven to 180C
Grease a 1.25 litre cake tin with butter.
Mix the butter and sugar together until they are light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking each one into the mixture with a tablespoon of the flour. Fold in the remaining flour and the bicarbonate of soda using a large metal spoon. Fold in the yoghurt and the vanilla extract until well combined.
Cover the base of your cake tin with a layer of rhubarb (just take pieces from the compote and leave the juice behind). Spoon the cake mixture over the rhubarb and spread until level. Cook for 45 minutes until the cake is well-risen and golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes. Run a knife carefully around the edge of the tin. Turn out onto a large plate (so the rhubarb is on the top - the easiest way to do this is to place a plate on top of the tin and in one bold movement turn the whole lot over).
Rhubarb and orange custard tart
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| Rhubarb and orange custard tart |
pinch of salt
30g icing sugar
90g butter
2 tablespoons orange juice, chilled
450g rhubarb
170g sugar
30g flour
1 beaten egg
Grated rind of 1 orange
2 tablespoons orange juice made up to 1/4 pint with water
Sift the flour, salt and icing sugar into a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add enough orange juice to just bring the mixture together. Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill for 20 minutes. Butter an 8 inch pie/flan dish. Roll out the pastry and line the dish. Return the dish to the fridge.
Preheat th oven to 220C. Cut the rhubarb into 2cm lengths. Mix the sugar, flour, egg and orange rind. Place the orange juice and water mixture in a pan and bring to the boil. Pour the juice onto the flour mixture and stir to combine. Return the mixture to the pan and heat gently, stirring continuously, until it reaches a custard consistency.
Preheat th oven to 220C. Cut the rhubarb into 2cm lengths. Mix the sugar, flour, egg and orange rind. Place the orange juice and water mixture in a pan and bring to the boil. Pour the juice onto the flour mixture and stir to combine. Return the mixture to the pan and heat gently, stirring continuously, until it reaches a custard consistency.
Fill the pastry case with the rhubarb pieces and pour over the custard filling. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes.
Rhubarb ice cream
600g rhubarb, cut into 2cm lengths150g caster sugar
125ml single cream
125ml double cream
Heat the rhubarb gently in a pan until the juices start to run (stirring occasionally to make sure it does not burn).
Add the sugar and cook over a gentle heat until the rhubarb forms a soft pulp. Pass the pulp through a sieve and collect the puree underneath. Leave the puree to cool.
Whisk the creams together until they form soft peaks. Fold in 1 pint of the rhubarb puree.
Pour into a tupperware and freeze as quickly as possible. When partially set, whisk with a fork and re-freeze (for best results, whisk regularly whilst the ice cream is freezing. I recommend setting an alarm and whisking every twenty minutes for the first couple of hours. It's a labour of love but I promise it will be worth it).
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| Rhubarb ice cream |
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| Rhubarb ice cream and compote |
This is all I had time for last weekend (rhubarb freezes well so if you have any leftover, cut it into pieces and freeze it for a treat later in the year). There are so many wonderful ways with rhubarb. I am desperate to share my Rhubarb and Orange Meringue pudding with you - a family favourite - but it is a big, bold, brash rhubarb recipe and therefore probably best saved for forced rhubarb's summer cousin.
My rhubarb is growing well, new leaves are gradually unfurling from its crown, but it cannot be forced and I must therefore be patient....x
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