Rhubarb—The Pie-plant

New Zealand Listener, Volume 29, Issue 734, 7 August 1953, Page 22

Rhubarb—The Pie-plant

HUBARB has passed through a period of, mild unpopularity, and is again to the fore, partly because people are cooking it better. Instead of just stewing it overlong, in lots of water, so that it becomes a brownish, stringylooking, mushy mass, it is now served in pinkish cubes, in a lemon-flavoured syrup, whether ‘it has a pie crust on top or not. The syrup may have a few drops of red colouring put in. Try it this way. P Casseroled Rhubarb Cut into inch-long pieces and put in deep casserole, having first wiped the stalks with a damp cloth and trimmed the ends. Discard the leaves, which are not edible. Do not peel, unless stringy. Sprinkle with sugar, add water enough to nearly cover, put in 2-3 strips of lemon-peel (without pith), and cover with fitting lid. Cook slowly in the lower part of the oven, perhaps when you are baking meat, so as to economise in fuel. Rhubarb must be cooked slowly so that the pieces remain whole. Re-. move the lemon peel when serving, either hot or cold, as a breakfast fruit or as a dessert with custard, cream, or junket; or with a pie crust on top as pie. Never put the pastry over hot fruit, and prick the crust in a few places to let the steam escape, or use a pie-funnel. Caramel Rhubarb Mix 3 tablespoons each brown sugar and butter, spread this inside a pudding basin. Now line the basin with a suet crust on top of the caramel. Half fill with cut up rhubarb, sprinkle thickly with brown sugar, add the juice of 2 lemon and about 1 tablespoon water, then pile on more rhubarb till basin is full. Cover with a top crust, and either bake in hot oven, or cover with buttered paper and boil. 1 Rhubarb Meringue Pie Stew a pound of rhubarb to a pulp, sweeten and add grated rind of a lemon. a cup of breadcrumbs, an oz. of butter and the beaten yolks of 2-3 eggs. Mix well. Pour this mixture into a baked pie shell, and bake in a hot oven. Whip the egg whites to a stiff froth with 1 tablespoon sugar and _= spread this meringue-on top of pie when cooked. Return to oven for a few minutes to set, and brown lightly. Some people prefer to use an unbaked pie shell; if this is done, see that the pastry is very thin, so that it cooks quickly. Rhubarb Wine Five pounds rhubarb, 4 lb. sugar, 1 lemon (juice and thinly pared rind), 14 oz. isinglass, 1 gallon cold water. Cut rhubarb into small pieces, put into crock and crush thoroughly. Pour water over. Leave to stand 6-8 days, stirring and crushing every day. Strain, add sugar, lemon juice and rind, stir .till sugar dissolves. Add isinglass dissolved in a little hot: water. Leave till fermentation ceases. Strain and bottle. Be sure working is finished before corking tightly. Ready for use in 6 weeks, better if kept longer. Spiced Rhubarb Serve this with either hot or cold roast lamb or mutton. Three pounds rhubarb, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, Ya teaspoon ground cloves, % teaspoon

nutmeg, 42 teaspoon allspice. Tie spices in bag, simmer with Y% cup vinegar, % cup water and 2 Ib, sugar for 20 min-

utes. Remove spice bag, add rhubarb cut into inch lengths. Add 1 Ib. seeded raisins. Simmer till quite thick, put in jars, seal when cool. Rhubarb Relish Mix 2 cups chopped rhubarb with 2 cups sliced onion, 1 cup vinegar, 2 cups brown sugar, 42 tablespoon salt, cinnamon, ginger and cayenne to taste, Put into enamel saucepan, boil 20-30 minutes, or until jam consistency. Bottle and seal. Rhubarb and Ginger Jam _. Three pounds rhubarb, 3 lb, sugar, 2 lemons (juice), 4% lb. preserved ginger cut up small. Cut up rhubarb, sprinkle with sugar and leave all night. Next day put on to boil with other ingredients. Time about %2 to % hour. Test on a _ Saucer first, Rhubarb and Pineapple Jam Three pounds sugar, 1 large tin pineapple, 4 lb. rhubarb. Cut up rhubarb and pineapple, add sugar, and leave all night. Next day put on to boil, and boil till it will set when tested. Just before bottling add pineapple juice, and stir well. Bottle in usual way. Lovely pink colour. & Rhubarb and Prune Jam Eight pounds rhubarb, 10 Ib. sugar, 4 Ib. prunes, 6 lemons.’ Cut rhubarb small, and cover with 2 lb. sugar, Leave all night. Wash prunes, soak all night in water to cover. Next day put rhubarb and juice with prunes and water and lemons cut in quarters and simmer for an. hour, Add remainder of sugar and boil fast till it will set, about 30 minutes. Remove lemons, and battle. Rhubarb and Lemon Jam ‘To 1 Ib. rhubarb allow 1 Ib. sugar. For 4-5 lb. rhubarb allow 2 = smail lemons. Cut rhubarb into small pieces and cover with sugar. Leave overnight. Next day boil after adding the grated rind and juice of*lemons. Drop in piece of butter,size of a walnut before taking off. Boil about 1 hour, or till it will set. Rhubarb jam is always fairly liquid.