rhubarb

“What do you do with this?” Is the typical question that I have been getting recently when purchasing these slender wildly crimson stalks.

The answer: pies, tarts or crumbles, but rhubarb is a great candidate for jam as well. It can be cooked as a compote and served over custard or ice cream, even layered in a trifle would be delicious. Quite often it is paired with other fruits such as strawberries, raspberries or apples to tame down the lively tartness.

I recently stumbled upon a recipe for rhubarb ice cream and just had to make it! I Began by making a simple vanilla custard or crème anglaise and then added the cooked rhubarb the last few minutes of churning. The result was beautiful, a soft pale pink with a subtle tartness that was hard to resist. The black flecks from the vanilla seeds dotted throughout added a lovely underpinning of flavor.  Spooned into chilled bowls and served straight from the churning vessel was the best way to appreciate its wonderful distinctive quality.

A very simple method for cooking rhubarb is to cut it up into even pieces with a sharp knife. Lay in a heavy-based pot and sprinkle with sugar (one-quarter of the weight of rhubarb in sugar). Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes to draw out the moisture, then cook gently and stir until just soft. Depending on your rhubarb you may need a little water or you could substitute orange juice, Verjuice or a sweet wine. A little vanilla bean is a lovely addition, but I think you will really be amazed that the rhubarb flavor alone is all you need.

Enjoy!
Shannon


Rhubarb Ice Cream
inspired by Skye Gyngell

Ice cream base
crème anglaise  (vanilla custard)

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthways
6 egg yolks, preferably organic free-range
½ cup sugar

Rhubarb

4 lbs. rhubarb
1 vanilla bean, split lengthways
½ cup sugar
½ cup to 1 cup Verjuice or water

Start by making the custard base for the ice cream following the method in the toolbox for crème anglaise. Set aside to cool.

Wash and trim the rhubarb, then cut into 1 inch chunks. Lay in a heavy-based pot and sprinkle with sugar. Scrape out the fine black seeds of the vanilla bean and put into the rhubarb mixture along with the bean itself. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes to draw out the moisture, then add the ½ cup of the Verjuice or water and cook gently and stir until just soft, about 10 minutes or so. Add more Verjuice or water if necessary. The rhubarb should be soft, but not completely falling apart.

Remove rhubarb from heat and allow to cool. The rhubarb can be added to the ice cream base as is, or can be puréed slightly for a more smooth texture.

When ready to churn, pour the custard base into your ice cream maker and churn until thickened (about 20-25 minutes). Just before the ice cream sets, pour in the cool rhubarb and churn for another 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 10

toolbox: crème anglaise

Vanilla custard or Crème Anglaise is a staple for many desserts as well as breakfast specialties. It is a light pouring custard that can be used a dessert sauce, poured over cakes or fruits. The custard can be used for French toast or pain perdu and is the base for creamy ice cream or crème brûlée. It has a mild taste but a rich and thick vanilla flavor.

The custard in itself is not difficult to make, but it does require a fair amount of vigilance and care. The cream is made by whipping egg yolks and sugar together until the yolk is almost white and the batter forms pretty ribbons or until your arm gets tired (about 2 minutes), and then slowly adding hot milk, while whisking. The sauce is then cooked over low heat (otherwise the yolks will cook, resulting in scrambled eggs) and stirred constantly with a spoon until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, and then removed from heat. If the sauce reaches to high a temperature, it will curdle. Then you are back to square one.

This sauce is easy to do and should definitely be in anyone's 'toolbox'.

Enjoy!

Shannon

Crème Anglaise (vanilla custard)
makes 3 cups

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthways
6 egg yolks, preferably organic free-range
½ cup sugar

Pour the cream and milk into a heavy bottomed pan and place over low heat. Scrape the vanilla seeds from the pod and add them to the creamy milk with the empty pod. Slowly bring to just below the boil, remove from heat and set aside to infuse for about 15 minutes.

In the meantime, beat the egg yolks and sugar together in a mixing bowl with a whisk until the mixture becomes thicker and paler. Gently reheat the creamy milk and pour on to the egg yolk mixture, stirring with the whisk as you do so.

Return the custard to the saucepan and place over the lowest possible heat. Stir gently and patiently until the custard thickens-this may take 10-15 minutes (don’t be tempted to increase the heat, or you’ll have scrambled eggs). It should be thick enough to lightly coat the back of a wooden spoon. Draw finger along the back of the spoon-it should leave a clear trace.

As soon as the custard thickens, remove from the heat, pour into a bowl and allow to cool. Don’t leave it in the saucepan, as the heat of the pan will continue to cook the custard. Once cooled, the custard is ready to use or can be stored in the refrigerator. Sauce will keep for 4 days.

finding common ground

True, persimmons are an acquired taste, often falling into the black or white categories of “I love them” or “I hate them.”

I have to admit, I have been a member of the latter.

Persimmons are native to China and have been around for a long time. There are many varieties of persimmons but the most common is the Hachiya. It is an astringent fruit, shaped like a large, pointy-bottomed tomato. The key to enjoying your persimmon is to wait until it is fully ripe (American persimmons are completely inedible until they are fully ripe) and fully ripe means waiting until it is mushy, bright orange, and jelly-like inside.

These bright orange orbs have been making regular appearances at my local farmer’s market…and I’ve been debating “should I get some?” I have tried them alone, and they didn’t do much for me. I couldn’t get past the “mushy” “gelatinous” consistency. I want to like them; I just decided I needed to figure out how to use them so that I would like them.

So the hunt began, looking at different recipes that use persimmons. You may be surprised by the number of cake, cookie, ice cream, bread, and pie recipes in which use this prized, and usually prolific fruit as a healthy and unique sugar alternative. I found that most of the recipes used them in a puréed form. Once they have turned soft, you can run them through a food mill quite easily.

Not too long ago I heard about a persimmon bread pudding at a favorite local restaurant of mine Ramos House.  I decided that it sounded so darn good it was worth some recipe testing.

The result: a yummy egg bread that was soaked in probably way too much cream, eggs and the persimmon purée, along with a splash of cognac (I couldn’t help myself) and a little lemon zest. To that add some delicious red tart cranberries that I still had in the freezer and then bake until puffed and golden. Finish it off with a little homemade whipped cream or Crème Anglaise.  Perfection!

Then again, if cooking with persimmons isn’t your thing, you can always make the bread pudding without the persimmon purée; just add a little more liquid. You could also throw in some raisins and toasted walnuts as well.

Enjoy!

Shannon

Persimmon and Cranberry Winter Bread Pudding

Serves 6 to 8

1 ½ cups cream (or whole milk)

1 1/2 cups persimmon purée from about 2 lb. very ripe Hachiya persimmons

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

6 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Splash of cognac (optional)

2 lemons, zest only

1/8 teaspoon salt

½ cup fresh or frozen whole cranberries

8 cups cubed (1-inch) challah or soft white Italian bread

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits

1 Tbsp. turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw-optional)

Accompaniment: whipped cream or Crème Anglaise

Whisk together cream or milk, persimmon purée, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, cognac, zest and salt in a large bowl, then stir in bread and let mixture stand at room temperature 15 minutes.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.

Stir cranberries into bread pudding, then spoon pudding into a buttered shallow 8-inch square (2-quart) glass or ceramic baking dish, spreading evenly. Dot with butter bits and turbinado sugar. Bake pudding until golden, puffed, and set, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool to warm in pan on a rack, about 20 minutes.

Bread pudding can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Reheat, uncovered, in a preheated 350°F oven until warm.

Note: Persimmon purée keeps, chilled, 3 days (cover surface with plastic wrap, then cover bowl with another layer of plastic wrap) or frozen 1 month in an airtight container.