Well it appears that we have had an amazing glut of rhubarb, it must clearly enjoy this wet summer we have been having, but it is now at the point of becoming a little stringy and I felt it was time to cut it all back and give any new shoots a fighting chance.
I have made so far this Summer, if you can call it a Summer, rhubarb and polenta cake, rhubarb muffins, rhubarb and vanilla jam, rhubarb crumble and now rhubarb and ginger jam, plus a few bags in the freezer for the Winter and loads given away to friends, all in all a very good harvest. I just wish everything in the garden had done so well !
Buon appetito
1kg pink rhubarb , trimmed weight
1kg jam sugar (which has added pectin)
zest and juice 1 lemon
50g stem or crystallised ginger , finely chopped
4cm piece ginger , peeled
Wash the rhubarb under cold running water and slice into 2cm pieces.
Tip into a large ceramic or plastic bowl and add the jam sugar, lemon zest and juice, and chopped stem ginger. Finely grate the peeled ginger directly over the rhubarb.
Stir the mixture thoroughly, cover loosely with cling film and leave to one side for about 2 hrs to allow the sugar to dissolve into the rhubarb juices. You may need to stir the mixture occasionally to encourage this process along.
Pop a few saucers in the freezer. Scoop the fruit and all the sugary juices into a preserving pan and set over a medium heat. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved, and bring to the boil. Continue to cook at a fairly swift pace until the rhubarb is really tender and the conserve has reached setting point - this should take about 10-15 mins.
To test for a set, drop ½ tsp of the jam onto a cold saucer, leave it for 30 secs, then gently push it with the tip of your finger. If the jam wrinkles the setting point has been reached. If not, continue to cook for a further couple of minutes and test again. (I use a jam thermometer for this, so much easier )
Remove the pan from the heat and leave to one side for 2-3 mins before pouring into sterilised jars. Seal immediately and label with the date once completely cold. (I allow mine to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before putting into jars, just makes it so much safer to handle and I always allow to cool completely before place the lids on).
