Forced rhubarb

7 WAYS WITH...

1 RHUBARB CRÈME BRÛLÉE

Preheat the oven to 140°C. Melt 15g butter in a frying pan and add 150g finely-chopped rhubarb, 3 tablespoons honey and half a vanilla pod. Cook over a high heat for 5 minutes, then divide the mixture into 4 ramekins. Heat 250ml double cream and 100ml milk in a saucepan. In a separate bowl whisk together 4 egg yolks and 50g sugar. Beat the 2 mixtures together, then strain and pour into the ramekins. Fill a baking tin with warm water to half submerge the dishes, then bake for 45 minutes. Sprinkle sugar on top then caramelise under a hot grill. Serve immediately.

2 RHUBARB GIN

Sterilize a large jar, then cut 500g of rhubarb lengthwise and chop into 2cm pieces. Put the rhubarb into the jar, add 300g caster sugar and a litre of dry gin. Close the lid, shake the mixture and leave it in a dark place for around four weeks. Then, use a sieve over a large jug to remove the rhubarb and use a funnel to pour it into a bottle to store.

3 RHUBARB CRUMBLE

Preheat the oven to 180°C Fan/160°C/ Gas 4. Place the rhubarb in an ovenproof dish and pour over 50ml of water and 100g of caster sugar. Then, sift 200g of plain flour into a bowl, and combine with 100g unsalted butter, mix with your fingers until this resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in 150g light brown sugar, and then spread the crumble mixture over the rhubarb. Bake for 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and rhubarb is bubbling through at the edges. Serve with cream or custard.

4 RHUBARB & ALMOND BIRCHER MUESLI

Put 200g rhubarb, 3 tbsps honey and 120ml orange juice into a large saucepan. Simmer for 10 minutes until the rhubarb starts to soften, then cool and drain the liquid into a jug, before adding 2 tbsps of rosewater. Combine the liquid with 120g rolled oats, 250g plain yoghurt, a pinch of cinnamon, 30g almonds and half the rhubarb. Stir and leave in the fridge overnight, letting the oats soak. Serve the muesli with the rest of the rhubarb, 3