Forced rhubarb is grown mostly in Yorkshire, where it’s kept in the dark in heated warehouses, to create and maintain its shocking pink colour.
This candy-coloured perennial vegetable, which comes from the same family as buckwheat, is plentiful right now, but has only a short season, until about the end of March. It’s a real treat for the seasonal eater, and a welcome break from the limited fruit and veg we grow in the UK, especially at this time of year. Rhubarb’s tartness works well in sweet desserts, but in many countries it’s also used in spicy stews and tagines.
I like to buy it in bulk when it’s good and cheap, to make the most of this unusual ingredient (the raw stalks freeze well, ready to use in a crumble, pie or tart). Preserve some of the glut with today’s quick jam, and set aside some of the cooking juices to make rhubarb bellinis, an old River Cottage Valentine’s Day favourite. Together, the jam (on toast) and bellini make a lovely and romantic brunch; the jam is great on yoghurt, too.
Roast rhubarb jam and bellini cocktail
Treat your Valentine to breakfast in bed with this easy cocktail and jam on toast.
1 big handful rhubarb, leaves removed, stalks cut into 3cm pieces
Sugar – a quarter the weight the rhubarb
Prosecco or champagne
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Weigh the rhubarb, then put on an oven tray and sprinkle over a quarter the weight of sugar. Roast for 45 minutes, stirring once only.
Once cooked, pour the excess juices from the tray into a jug and set aside for making the bellinis. Stir the roast rhubarb, then pack into sterilised jars, seal and store.
To make the cocktail, pour a dash of rhubarb syrup into a flute and top slowly with prosecco or champagne.
