It seems that the growing season in my area is a little farther behind than most places, so our rhubarb is just starting to mature. Either that or the aggressive weed that has taken over my garden is smothering the growth of my precious rhu.
My first rhubarb dish of the season was tasty rhubarb squares with a shortbread bottom and a coconut top. They were delish, decadent and something my grand mother would be proud of.
Next was a rhubarb custard pie straight out of The Joy of Cooking. I have to say right off the bat: I have bad luck with pies. My filling was runny… and reminded me a little of undercooked hollandaise sauce with rhubarb mixed in. It was a little better after the re-bake (which wasn’t my first time re-baking a pie) but still was nothing to right home (or blog) about.
In my short time as a homesteader I have come to feel quite comfortable in the world of preserving. My jams, jellies and chutneys have received rave reviews from family and farmers market consumer alike. It is an area where I can feel creative, scientific and confident all in the same moment. It works for me. So, yesterday I picked up some local strawberries, pulled my rhu out of the garden (while wearing my gumboots and strawberry red pj's) and started jamming!
My first rhubarb dish of the season was tasty rhubarb squares with a shortbread bottom and a coconut top. They were delish, decadent and something my grand mother would be proud of.
Next was a rhubarb custard pie straight out of The Joy of Cooking. I have to say right off the bat: I have bad luck with pies. My filling was runny… and reminded me a little of undercooked hollandaise sauce with rhubarb mixed in. It was a little better after the re-bake (which wasn’t my first time re-baking a pie) but still was nothing to right home (or blog) about.
In my short time as a homesteader I have come to feel quite comfortable in the world of preserving. My jams, jellies and chutneys have received rave reviews from family and farmers market consumer alike. It is an area where I can feel creative, scientific and confident all in the same moment. It works for me. So, yesterday I picked up some local strawberries, pulled my rhu out of the garden (while wearing my gumboots and strawberry red pj's) and started jamming!
Finding a recipe was interesting. I googled. I know, I know. Stop laughing and with hold your comments! A rural Cape Breton next gen farmer Googling her recipes- but hey, that is how I have researched most of my projects since our area was hooked into high speed and it works. *As long as you spend time comparing and us a little common sense that is.
So, I found a great little blog that connected me to another blog that connected me to a recipe that sounded easy and didn’t use any pectin.
Here it is:
2 pounds strawberries (4 cups, mashed)
2 pounds rhubarb (8 cups, cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
6 cups sugar
Cover cut rhubarb with half of the sugar and let stand 1 to 2 hours.
So, I found a great little blog that connected me to another blog that connected me to a recipe that sounded easy and didn’t use any pectin.
Here it is:
2 pounds strawberries (4 cups, mashed)
2 pounds rhubarb (8 cups, cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
6 cups sugar
Cover cut rhubarb with half of the sugar and let stand 1 to 2 hours.
Crush berries and mix with remaining sugar and combine with rhubarb.
Place mixture over low heat until sugar is dissolved, then boil rapidly, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Cook until thick. (time varies but takes around 45 min)
The one thing I found was that it was a recipe that can’t be rushed. I kept thinking “Oh, it must be done right now… or now… or now!”
I guess you can’t rush the rhu to grow and you can’t rush the thickening process either- unless you use pectin!
In the end I made 20 jars of jam which taste like sweet summer and look pretty good too.
I guess you can’t rush the rhu to grow and you can’t rush the thickening process either- unless you use pectin!
In the end I made 20 jars of jam which taste like sweet summer and look pretty good too.
The funny thing is that I wasn’t finished. I realised that I still had a potentially tasty treat sitting in a bowl still. After I capped my jars I looked over at the bowl of foam I had skimmed off of the jam pots and decided that I couldn’t let it go to waste. So I decided that the consistency would work really well with a meringue.
Enter my crazy sweet idea: Subtle Strawberry Meringues. Good new is that I seem to have more luck with meringues (my first time making them) than I do with pies!
Here’s the recipe:
4 egg whites
¾ C icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1.5 – 2 C strawberry jam skimming foam
Pre-heat oven to 225.
Beat egg whites with mixer.
Add Vanilla.
Add sugar 1 tbsp at a time. Mix well.
Beat until soft peaks and then add strawberry foam.
Beat until hard peaks.
Drop by heaping Tbsp onto baking sheet lined with silpat or parchment paper.
Bake for 1 – 1.5 hrs or until firm and dry.
Turn off the oven and crack the door, but leave the meringue for another hour to slowly dry out and cool.
Enter my crazy sweet idea: Subtle Strawberry Meringues. Good new is that I seem to have more luck with meringues (my first time making them) than I do with pies!
Here’s the recipe:
4 egg whites
¾ C icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1.5 – 2 C strawberry jam skimming foam
Pre-heat oven to 225.
Beat egg whites with mixer.
Add Vanilla.
Add sugar 1 tbsp at a time. Mix well.
Beat until soft peaks and then add strawberry foam.
Beat until hard peaks.
Drop by heaping Tbsp onto baking sheet lined with silpat or parchment paper.
Bake for 1 – 1.5 hrs or until firm and dry.
Turn off the oven and crack the door, but leave the meringue for another hour to slowly dry out and cool.
Voila. Finito. Delish.
Oh, and the meringues go well with custards, icecream, fresh berries and whip… the list goes on!
Oh, and the meringues go well with custards, icecream, fresh berries and whip… the list goes on!
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