Rhubarb is a relative of buckwheat and has an earthy, sour flavour. Rhubarb thrives in cold climates and originated in Western China, Tibet, Mongolia, Siberia and neighbouring areas. The traditional role was medicinal - the dried root was a popular remedy for a wide range of illnesses.
Botanically speaking, rhubarb is considered a vegetable, but it is most often treated as a fruit, although it's rarely eaten raw. Just like fresh cranberries, rhubarb is almost unbearably tart on its own and needs the sweetness of sugar, honey or fruit juice added to it to balance out the acidity.
The rhubarb we use at this time of year is locally forced from 'Ten Mile Bank' grown in the Fens in black Fenland soil.
Forced means it is grown on the floors of special sheds in complete darkness at a temperature of 26 degrees centigrade. Warmth makes them grow, dark makes them produce shoots which are more tender and pale than rhubarb produced outdoors later in the year. Harvesting takes place in minimal light, provided by candles. Careless harvesting encourages botrytis which rots the crowns, so the sticks are pulled by hand to ensure they part cleanly from the plant.
I have heard that if you stand in one of these sheds you can actually hear the rhubarb creaking as it grows.
We are making the most of this lovely ingredient by offering you Poached Rhubarb, Stem Ginger and Vanilla on our current menu.
eat RHUBARB
ReplyDeleteThe outlandishly coloured vegetable that thinks it's a fruit. Rhubarb makes deliciously comforting puddings but its sharpness works extremely well with meat and oily fish dishes (the duck recipe below is a resounding success).
Forced rhubarb (grown in the dark) has yellowish leaves and usually appears in January. The field-grown variety replaces it around April and is less tender but often more flavourful.
HISTORY
Rhubarb was used as a medicine in ancient China. It was brought to Europe by Marco Polo and has been eaten as a food since the eighteenth century.
BIOLOGY
Rhubarb is a member of the family Polygonaceae and is related to sorrel. It grows best in cool climates and the effect of forcing was discovered by accident at the Chelsea Physic Garden early in the 19th century.
NUTRITION
Rhubarb is a good source of fibre and contains moderate levels of vitamin C and calcium. Studies have linked the fibre from rhubarb in the diet with reduced cholesterol levels.
TIPS
BUYING
Choose crisp, firm, plump stalks with good colour.
STORING
Kept in the fridge, fresh rhubarb will stay in reasonable condition for 1-2 weeks. Raw and cooked rhubarb freeze well.
PREPARING
Wash and trim both ends of the stalks, and discard the poisonous leaves. Rhubarb, in particular the later field-grown variety, is very tart and requires considerable sweetening. As with other relatively acidic foods it is recommended that it is not cooked using aluminium pots.
OTHER STUFF
The variety Irish Giant grows stems up to 1.5m long and several inches in diameter.