SPRING RHUBARB

New Zealand Listener, Volume 17, Issue 435, 24 October 1947, Page 22

SPRING RHUBARB

OW different the lovely pink spring rhubarb is from the ordinary useful "pie plant" which we have used through the winter. Here are some recipes for using it-and any fresh ones from Links in the Daisy Chain would be appreciated by us all. Don’t forget that baked rhubarb is the very nicest baked very slowly in a COVERED casserole or dish, with water not quite to cover, and some pieces of fresh lemon (or orange) peel; and a little sugar. Remove the peel before serving with cream (?) or custard. Rhubarb Bundles This was sent to me by my "opposite number" at Station WEEI Boston, Mass. We haven’t the corn-syrup in which she boiled her "pink rhubarb"-but we could use either honey or golden syrup, each thinned with a little water and lemonjuice, and so get fairly near the flavour. Cut up 2 lbs. of rhubarb into 4-inch pieces, and simmer them in a mixture of Y cup sugar and ¥2 cup corn-syrup for about 3 minutes. Cool. Meantime, make a shortcake-pastry with 1 cup flour; 142 teaspoons baking powder; 1-8 teaspoen salt; 2 tablespoons sugar; and 4% cup shortening; mixed with 1 egg and 3 tablespoons milk or water. Roll out to % inch thick and cut im 24% inch by 5 inch rectangles. On each of these lay three or four pieces of rhubarb, which have been lying in the syrup. Roll up, with the ends of the rhubarb showing. Place in shallow greased baking dish and bake in a moderate oven (375 deg.). After the first 10 minutes pour over them the syrup, and then return to oven till done-about 15 minutes. Walnut Rose One pound rhubarb; 1 packet of strawberry jelly; some sugar; desiccated coco"nut; 1 pint of custard; a few walnuts. Stew rhubarb with a little water, and sugar to taste, until tender. Drain off syrup and divide fruit into individual glasses or dishes. Make up the syrup to a pint with water and dissolve the jelly in this. Leave till cool and just setting, then whip up to a froth. Pile on top of ‘thubarb in each serving. Make a pint -of custard and pour a little round each jelly. Decorate with a sprinkling of coconut and a walnut on top. Rhubarb Puff Balls Half a pound of rhubarb; 2 level teaspoons of baking powder; 6 ozs. flour; 1 cup milk; pinch of salt; 2 ozs. castor sugar; 1 egg. Wash and cut up the rhubarb into tiny pieces. Make a batter with the flour, salt, baking powder, egg and milk. Grease six teacups or tiny pudding basins, pour in a tablespoon of batter, half fill with rhubarb, then ‘sprinkle on some sugar, add a few drops of lemon juice. Cover with more batter. Steam for 1 hour, then turn out and serve, Rhubarb and Raisin Delight One cup raisins; 1 cup sugar; 1 cup cold water; 2 cups cut-up rhubarb; 1 packet orange jelly; % pint of hot water. Add raisins to cold water and

cook until tender, Remove raisins from pan and add rhubarb and sugar to raisin water. Cook until rhubarb is tender. In a mould, arrange in alternate layers, the raisins and the rhubarb, Dissolve the orange jelly in the hot water and pour over the raisins and the-rhubarb. Allow to set; then turn out, and serve with whipped cream. Always rinse a mould with cold water before putting in jelly. #. Spiced Rhubarb Three pounds rhubarb; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1%2' teaspoon ground cloves; 14 teaspoon nutmeg; 42 teaspoon allspice. Tie spices in a -bag, simmer with % cup vinegar, 4% cup water and

2 Ibs. sugar for 20 minutes. Remove spice bag, add rhubarb cut into inch lengths. Add 1 Ib. seeded raisins. Simmer till quite thick, put in jars, seal when cool. Serve with hot or cold roast lamb. ‘ Rhubarb Sweet Stew 1 Ib. rhubarb with water to a pulp, sweeten, and add grated rind of 1 lemon and yolks of 3 eggs well beaten, 1 cup breadcrumbs, 1 oz. butter. Grease and line pie-dish with pastry, pour mixture in, and bake in hot oven. Whisk whites of eggs to stiff froth with a tablespoon of sugar. Spread on top of pie and return to oven to set. Rhubarb Wine Five pounds rhubarb, 4 Ibs, sugar, 1 lemon (juice and thinly pared rind), Y% oz. isinglass, 1 gallon of cold water. Cut rhubarb into small pieces, put’ into crock and crush thoroughly. Pour water over. Leave to stand 6 to 8 days, stirring and crushing every day. Strain, add sugar, lemon juice and rind, stir till sugar dissolves. Add isinglass dissolved in a little hat water. Leave till fermentation ceases. Strain; and bottle, Be sure working is finished before corking tightly. Ready for use in 8 weeks, better if kept longer-say 6 months, The isinglass is to clear the wine; butif unobtainable the wine will clear itself, gradually over the months.