February
For January I was after Seville Oranges and other citrus fruit to preserve and put down for the kitchen Pantry.
For February I will be after forced rhubarb primarily to bottle and put down into bottles for use in puddings throughout the year.
Rhubarb you say don't like that but its a funny thing. We were not keen as children but as we got older it was one of those flavours that we yearned for, My OH is particularly fond of Rhubarb crumble but I also Rhubarb jam and chutney.
Why not freeze it instead - but I do but my main and primary focus for the freezer is meat and veg. and so if I can store stuff by another method that frees the freezer up I do do.
Although I had done some fruit bottling over the years I had never tackled rhubarb before and so did some research on the subject. I have so far made this rhubarb preserve for two years on the trot as a result of this very excellent tutorial. However one thing I would mention is that the delicate pink colour can disappear quite quickly if kept on a shelf in sunlight.(I learned that one the hard way). So really this preserve needs to be kept in the dark. A quick tip in respect of this is once the preserve is made and has cooled put a sleeve of brown paper around the outside of the jar to protect the preserve from the light. This is a tip that lady preservers have used down the years to extend the shelf life of their produce and prevent the sunlight from spoiling it.
Its worth putting this preserve down because it is lovely served with home made rice pudding and in pies and tarts especially mixed with a few strawberries like my Nan used to do.
Here is the very excellent tutorial for those of a nervous disposition - it really is simpler than you may think. Be brave and dip your toe in the water.
Catch you soon
Pattypan
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P.S, This recipe takes advantage of the forced sweet rhubarb which is available in the UK earlier in the year. However you can if you grow the rhubarb yourself in the summer months also put this down for puddings in the winter months. Here is a link for thoe of you who are interested.
http://wellpreserved.ca/stewed-rhubarb-preserved-for-the-winter-and-recipe/
Rhubarb crumble with the finely grated zest of an orange, swimming in custard is the ultimate pudding as soon as those luscious pink stems appear. Then I wait until it is ripe in the garden, I need to find a few crowns for my new garden.
ReplyDeleteDelicious - and always with custard. Love it raw as well.
DeleteTake care
Pattypan
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My Nan had about 8 rhubarb plants that were built into a very deep high bank of at least two foot high. 4 plants were forced one year and then alternated the following year and four plants left to grow naturally. They used to interplant with marrows as well. In the growing season we used to follow Nan down to the garden and would be allowed to pick a sweet pink stem liberally coated with sugar when we got back tot he pantry.. Happy days.
ReplyDeletePattypan
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We cannot get rhubarb here for a couple more months unless we buy it at the market or take it from our freezers.. I make jams that we love and they do keep their lovely red colour.. My Mom told me to always make my jam in a glass pot so that it will not lose it's colour and I find it works. Love your blog..
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