Fruit that has been forced to grow outside its natural season is, by and large, disappointing. English strawberries in spring are tasteless in comparison to an August crop. Hard, acidic hot house tomatoes are no substitute for sweet and juicy sun ripened ones. Fruit grown in this way is purely a commodity to sell; the quality of the produce has been compromised beyond recognition. There is, however, one exception: forced rhubarb.
February sees forced rhubarb at its best. Grown in hot sheds in virtual darkness the young shoots grow quickly in a desperate search for light. The shoots are delicate and must be handpicked in a very low light to avoid damage. Pinker and less acidic than the outdoor variety, forced rhubarb has the added advantage of tender stems, which don’t need peeling. With such a scarcity of fresh British fruits available this month a dessert made with this is just about your only seasonal option. This month’s recipe is for the ultimate comfort food – rhubarb crumble and custard.
Forced Rhubarb Crumble with Fresh Custard – serves 6
- For the crumble mix place 500g of plain flour in a large bowl and rub in 300g of soft butter until it becomes sandy in texture. Rub in 275g of caster sugar and refrigerate.
- Rinse and cut the leaves from 14 rhubarb stalks. Cut into bite sized pieces, sprinkle generously with sugar, drizzle with a little water, cover and cook on a tray in the oven until tender.
- Place the rhubarb in a suitably sized oven dish and sprinkle over enough crumble mix to give an inch of topping.
- Bake in the oven at 190C for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden & crunchy.
Fresh Custard
- Heat 500ml of milk with 1 vanilla pod (cut open lengthwise to let the seeds out).
- Whisk 6 egg yolks with 75g of sugar, 50g of corn flour and 50ml of cold milk.
- Pour the hot milk onto the yolks & whisk.
- Place on medium heat and cook, stirring constantly until thickened.
- Pass through a fine sieve into a serving jug.
Seasonal Ingredients
Vegetables: Leeks, Swede, Winter Kale, Beetroot, Brussel Sprouts, Savoy Cabbage, Salsify
Fish: Sea Bass, Oysters, Clams, Cockles, Halibut
Fruit & Nuts: Forced Rhubarb
Meat: Vension