Rhubarb is a brilliant plant – it comes up again and again every year with very little care or attention. A few years after you’ve planted your first rhubarb, you can dig out the root in the winter, divide into two and make another rhubarb plant.
If you’re using rhubarb from your own garden, always throw the leaves on your compost heap before bringing in the stalks – the leaves are poisonous.
Luckily, the stalks are delicious, colourful, and full of vitamin C.
Ingredients
5 sticks of rhubarb (use less if they are large sticks)
3 tablespoons water or orange juice
4 tablespoons caster sugar
1 teaspoon of powdered ginger (if you like a bit of spice)
1 tablespoon of sultanas (don’t use them if you don’t like them)
2oz butter (left out of the fridge to soften)
6 tablespoons white flour
4 tablespoons of Demerara sugar
1 tablespoon rolled oats
01Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
02Use an ovenproof dish or pie dish.
03Cut the rhubarb into 4cm chunks, put in the bottom of the dish.
04Sprinkle with orange juice, (ginger, if using), the caster sugar and sultanas
(make sure they are immersed in liquid or they will burn).
05Roast in the oven for 10 minutes or until soft but not mushy.
06While the rhubarb is in the oven you can make the crumble topping: put the flour into a mixing bowl with the butter. Using a table knife, chop the butter into pieces and then rub the butter into the flour (only your fingers should get floury, not your whole hand). You know you are ready to add the sugar when the contents of your bowl looks like breadcrumbs.
07Add the Demerara sugar and mix well, and add oats if you want to.
08Remove dish from the oven, remember the rhubarb dish will be hot when it comes out!
09Sprinkle this topping mixture over the rhubarb and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.
