Midweek Meals: Rhubarb season is coming - five ways to serve a Spring staple

Rhubarb comes into season from April to September, one of the earliest crops of the year - here's how to use this unlikely kitchen hero as it starts appearing on shelves

Pic: iStock

Mary Jo McMillin's Rhubarb & Lamb Koresh

recipe by:Darina Allen

I was intrigued by this delicious version with the addition of new season’s rhubarb – Mary Jo used lamb neck, a succulent and inexpensive cut of meat but you could substitute pork or beef.

Servings

3

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 2 hours 20 mins

Total Time

 2 hours 35 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 450g lamb shoulder or lean neck slices

• (pork shoulder or beef chuck may be

• substituted for the lamb)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 225g onion, diced

• 2-3 cloves garlic, sliced

• a few slices red chilli or a pinch

• of chilli flakes

• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger (or ½ tsp

• powdered ginger)

• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

• ¼ tsp ground allspice

• ¼ tsp turmeric

• 1 tbsp chopped preserved lemon

• handful of chopped mint (or parsley)

• 225ml water

• salt and pepper to taste

• 225g rhubarb stalks, cut into 1cm dice

• 1-2 tsp brown sugar (optional)

• To Serve

• steamed basmati rice

• natural yoghurt

• chopped mint

Method

1. Trim the lamb of excess fat and cut into 2.5cm chunks (or cook on the bone andremove the bone when the meat is tender).

2. Heat the olive oil or rendered lamb fat in a heavy enamelled cast-iron braising pot and brown the lamb evenly.

3. Remove, pour out any browned fat, add another 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sweat the onion to soften.

4. Add the garlic, chili and ginger. Cook briefly and add the cinnamon, allspice,turmeric, preserved lemon and mint.

5. Return the lamb to the aromatic base, add about 225ml of water, season with salt and pepper.

6. Cover and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours or until the meat is tender. Remove any bones or chunks of fat.

7. Add the rhubarb and continue to cook until the rhubarb pulps into the sauce. Taste and add a little brown sugar if the sauce seems too tart.

8. Simmer to combine the flavours, 15-20 minutes about.

9. Serve with steamed basmati rice, a dollop of plain yoghurt and some chopped fresh mint.

Rhubarb & Custard Tart with Pistachios

recipe by:Darina Allen

We love to arrange the rhubarb in a chevron pattern but of course one can just scatter it on the base, not so pretty but equally delicious.

Servings

10

Preparation Time

 2 hours 10 mins

Cooking Time

 45 mins

Total Time

 2 hours 55 mins

Course

 Dessert

Ingredients

• Rich Shortcrust Pastry

• 225g (8oz) plain white flour

• 175g (6oz) cold butter

• pinch of salt

• 1 dessertspoon icing sugar

• a little beaten egg or egg yolk and water to bind (save a little egg wash for the pastry shell)

• Filling:

• 600g (1 1/4lb) or a little more rhubarb, cut into small pieces

• 2-4 tbsp caster sugar depending on how tart the rhubarb is

• Custard

• 2 large or 3 small eggs

• 3 tbsp caster sugar

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 300ml (10fl oz) cream

• For the garnish:

• 40g (1 1/2oz) coarsely chopped pistachio nuts

• 1 x 30.5cm (12 inch) tart tin or 2 x 18cm (7 inch) tart tins

Method

1. Make the shortcrust pastry.

2. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Cut the butter into cubes, toss in the flour and then rub in with your fingertips.

3. Keep everything as cool as possible; if the fat is allowed to melt, the finished pastry may be tough. When the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs, stop. Add the icing sugar.

4. Whisk the egg or egg yolk and add some water. Using a fork to stir, add just enough liquid to bring the pastry together, then discard the fork and collect it into a ball with your hands, this way you can judge more accurately if you need a few more drops of liquid. Although rather damp pastry is easier to handle and roll out, the resulting crust can be tough and may well shrink out of shape as the water evaporates in the oven. The drier and more difficult-to-handle pastry will give a crisper, shorter crust.

5. Wrap in parchment paper and leave to relax in the fridge for at least 1 hour before using. It will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge and also freezes well.

6. Line the tart tin (or tins), with a removable base and chill for 10 minutes.

7. Line the pastry shell with parchment paper and fill with dried beans.

8. Bake blind in a moderate oven 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 for 15-20 minutes.

9. Remove the paper and beans (save for another use). Paint the tart base with a little egg wash and return to the oven for 3 or 4 minutes.

10. Arrange the cut rhubarb close together in a pattern on the base of the tart shell (could be in lines, chevron or in circles). Sprinkle with 2-4 tbsp caster sugar depending on how tart the rhubarb is. Forced rhubarb is sweeter than garden rhubarb.

11. Whisk the eggs well, with the 3 tbsp caster sugar, vanilla extract and add the cream. Strain this mixture through a sieve, pour carefully into the tart shell around and over the rhubarb. Cook in the preheated oven for 35 minutes until the custard is set and the rhubarb is fully cooked. Cool on a wire rack.

12. Sprinkle a 2.5cm (1 inch) rim of coarsely chopped pistachios around the edge of the tart. Serve warm with a bowl of whipped cream.

13. Good to know: A little reduced rhubarb syrup or redcurrant jelly painted over the top enhances both flavour and appearance