Every month we choose an exceptional ingredient and showcase just how special it is with supplier stories and unique recipes designed to get the best out of these star products – this month it’s rhubarb
April is here, which is the perfect time to make the most of one of our best-loved British vegetables. With its distinctive green tinge and sturdy blush pink stalks, it’s easy to distinguish summer’s outdoor-grown rhubarb from the slender forced variety grown in winter. You might need to cook it for longer, but this new crop has a more intense flavour and a delicious tartness that enhances savoury as well as sweet dishes.
Our rhubarb comes from two dedicated farmers – fourth-generation fruit grower John Myatt in Kent and Yorkshire-based grower Tim Chambers. They hand-harvest their crops and transport the finest specimens to store within 48 hours, so that it’s as fresh as possible. And, best of all, this versatile veg can be matched with a diverse array of flavours, from spicy ginger to sweet strawberry. Discover how deliciously different rhubarb can be with our tasty recipes below.
Ready in 40 minutes
Serves 2
2 pork chops
2 tsp olive oil
For the chutney:
200g British outdoor-grown rhubarb, cut into small chunks
5 tbsp cider vinegar
50g caster sugar
1-2cm piece ginger, crushed
½ red chilli, deseeded and diced
½ orange, juiced
Calories: 524 kCal
Fat: 41.7g (saturated 14.7g)
Carbohydrates: 3.4g
Sugar: 3.4g
Fibre: 1.9g
Protein: 34g
Salt: 0.24g
Ready in 40 minutes, plus cooling
Serves 2
½ small white baguette, thinly sliced
3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
½ fennel bulb, very finely sliced lengthways
1 baby gem lettuce, leaves torn
80g Welsh goat’s cheese, crumbled
For the pickled rhubarb:
150ml cider vinegar
150g caster sugar
2-3cm piece ginger, very finely grated
1 star anise
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
150g British outdoor-grown rhubarb, sliced into rounds
Calories:722 kCal
Fat: 34.6g (saturated 10.7g)
Carbohydrates: 82.2g
Sugar: 22.2g
Fibre: 7g
Protein: 19.6g
Salt: 1.93g