Rhubarb Syrup
Rhubarb, those big deep pink stocks with huge parasol leaves have grown in the garden of every house I’ve ever lived in. There are now two areas in my garden where it grows and one of those plants originated from a plant in the family garden nearly 30 years ago so in my garden it’s a real prized plant.
An early rhubarb memory for me is a stick of rhubarb and a bag of sugar, ironic given that I’ve called this blog ” A Wee Pinch of Sugar.” What I have discovered over many years of cooking is that there is so much more to rhubarb than a bag of sugar or a crumble. And, there is nothing more satisfying than cooking with produce that has been grown in your own garden.
This year I’m determined to make better use of the rhubarb from the garden, unlike some previous years where my freezer has been overflowing with sufficient quantities that kept the family in crumbles and pies throughout the winter months.
Rhubarb syrup, a recipe I found in the wonderful book “Prepped” by Vanessa Kimbell was my first attempt at doing something completely different and I’m delighted with the result. Vanessa describes it as a multipurpose staple and there are various recipes in her book including the syrup, sorbets, pâté and pasta, all of which sound absolutely delicious. The finished syrup has a wonderful sweetness and as well as including in the various “Prepped” recipes I’ll be experimenting with my own recipes.
Rhubarb Syrup
Makes 700ml – 1 litre
Prep time 10 minutes
Cooking time 45 minutes
1 kg fresh or frozen rhubarb, chopped
180ml water
450g caster sugar
Put the rhubarb in a heavy based saucepan.Add the water, cover and cook on a low heat until the rhubarb has liquified.This can take up to 30 minutes depending on the age and thickness of the rhubarb.
Strain off the liquid and pour it back into the saucepan, return the pan to the heat and stir in the sugar .
Bring the mixture to the boil and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and decant into a sterilised 1 litre jar or bottle, making sure it is well sealed.
Keep for up to about 6-8 weeks in the fridge.
My grateful thanks to Author Vanesa Kimbell for allowing me reproduce this recipe from her book “Prepped.”
I’ve also added this post to A Green and Rosie Life blog link up