Recipes

Rhubarb Chutney

This recipe is especially for all the wonderful folk in Droux/France who donated so generously to our chosen charity – Cancer Research UK. Many of these kind people brought produce from their own gardens and I cooked up a variety of Panjabi dishes for the supper club. One contribution was rhubarb  which I made into a tangy and spicy chutney. It was really popular and I promised them all that I would write-up the recipe. But first I needed to make it again when I got back to England to work out  the quantities used. Normally I cook by instinct, smelling and tasting and looking for the colours I want and don’t really measure anything.

It has taken me a while to track down the rhubarb at this time of the year – where did I find it?

Thank you Wendy!

By chance in a friend’s garden in Hertfordshire. Being a ‘ lady of leisure’ now I can ‘do lunch’ mid-week! We were invited to a bar-b-q yesterday and while strolling through their garden I noticed some very large leaves with thick red stems underneath and shrieked ‘Oh my God – Rhubarb’! My friend was rather bemused at my excitement and offered me as much as I wanted. The late stems are perfect for a chutney as they are quite acidic. You could use younger, sweet stems but I would suggest adding some lemon juice and less sugar.

I hope you enjoy making the chutney, it is very easy and it will keep in the ‘fridge for up to a month. Just follow the slide show below starting with the whole rhubarb, it is in order. If you need any more information just email me.

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Saira’s Strawberry & Mint Sorbet Ingredients:500g Fresh Strawberries6 good size mint leaves

5 tablespoons Sugar

200ml water

1. Cut the strawberries in half and then into quarters. Place in a bowl big enough to fit in your fridge

2. Chop up the mint leaves and sprinkle over the strawberries

3. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of sugar over the strawberries and mint and then place the bowl in your fridge to chill (the great thing is you can leave them for an hour or all day depending on when you are going to make the sorbet)

4. To make the sugar and water mixture, bring 200ml of water to the boil in a heavy based saucepan. Once boiling, add 2 tablespoons of sugar. Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Continue to simmer for 1 minute.

5. Pour the mixture into a heat-resistant jug and place in the fridge to chill

When you are ready to make your sorbet….

Pour the strawberries and mint into the blender and add the sugar and water as you blend into a runny mixture. Don’t be put of by the strawberry pips, they are meant to stay in the mixture!

For the ice cream maker;

Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker, turn on and leave for 40-45 minutes. Do check it often though. Once your sorbet is ready, serve straight from the mixer or place in a tub and pop in the freezer until you are ready to use it.

For the freezer;

Pour you mixture into a freezer tub and place in the freezer for 1 hour 30 minutes. You will need to gently stir your mixture regularly for at least 30 minutes to achieve a smooth sorbet consistency

Serve on its own, with other sorbet or a really nice vanilla ice cream ~ perfect with a glass of Cava!

I served it with homemade Raspberry and Lemon sorbet