Season: May to July. Made with the reddish green stalks of main-crop or field rhubarb, this relish is quick and easy, involving much less cooking than a chutney would require. It is light, very fruity, and not too sweet. Delicious with curries, oily fish, chicken, and cheese and in sandwiches, it’s a versatile addition to the larder. Rhubarb, by the way, is very easy to prepare, but do take care to always remove the leaves, as they are poisonous.
Recipe information
Yield
makes five 8-ounce jars
Ingredients
For the spice bag
Preparation
Step 1
First, make your spice bag by tying up the ginger, cinnamon sticks, and cloves in an 8-inch square of cheesecloth.
Step 2
Put the sugar, vinegar, 7 tablespoons of water, and the spice bag into a preserving pan. Heat gently to dissolve the sugar and allow the spices to release their flavors into the syrup. Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for about 20 minutes.
Step 3
Meanwhile, trim and wipe the rhubarb stalks and chop into 3/4- to 1-inch chunks.
Step 4
Add the rhubarb and raisins to the spiced syrup. Cook gently for 15 to 20 minutes, until the mixture is thick but the rhubarb is still discernible as soft chunks. Remove from the heat; pour into warm, sterilized jars; and seal with vinegar-proof lids (see pp. 21–22). Use within 1 year.
VARIATION
Step 5
Gooseberries will stand in quite readily for the rhubarb in this recipe. For the spice bag, try using a mix of traditional Indian spices: 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds and 1/2 teaspoon each of fennel, cumin, nigella, and fenugreek seeds.
P.S.
Step 6
To bruise the ginger for the spice bag, simply whack it gently with a rolling pin or similar blunt object.
