AuthorBen WatsonCategorySpringArguably the most versatile of of vegetables, I’m a big fan of all things rhubarb; from chutney to savoury compot to crumble to frangipane to bottling to my own rhubarb lemonade.
Poach your rhubarb in an equal amount of water for an hour, strain through a piece of muslin before tying up and hanging over a bucket to extract the best and last drops.
Two make five bottles (it will keep all year) juice two kilos of lemons, and boil the skins for ten minutes in 1.5 litres of water. I like a slight pithy flavour in the lemonade and you definitely get more bangs for your bucks. Strain through a sieve, allow to cool and squeeze to get as much liquid as possible.
Wash and chop rhubarb and gently poach until soft in a litre of water. Pour through a piece of muslin and hang up to drain. Combine all liquids (lemon juice and rhubarb and lemon waters) in a large saucepan and heat stirring in the required sugar. That’s obviously a matter of taste but between 1 and 1.5 kgs is about right. Have some iced water on hand so you can taste as you go. Bring to about 85degC.
Warm your bottles in the oven and fill - almost to the brim because the level will drop as it cools, and tightly lid immediately. Wear washing up gloves in case you get any splashes and make sure the nozzle on your funnel fits snuggly into the bottle.
Ingredients
Directions
Poach your rhubarb in an equal amount of water for an hour, strain through a piece of muslin before tying up and hanging over a bucket to extract the best and last drops.
Two make five bottles (it will keep all year) juice two kilos of lemons, and boil the skins for ten minutes in 1.5 litres of water. I like a slight pithy flavour in the lemonade and you definitely get more bangs for your bucks. Strain through a sieve, allow to cool and squeeze to get as much liquid as possible.
Wash and chop rhubarb and gently poach until soft in a litre of water. Pour through a piece of muslin and hang up to drain. Combine all liquids (lemon juice and rhubarb and lemon waters) in a large saucepan and heat stirring in the required sugar. That’s obviously a matter of taste but between 1 and 1.5 kgs is about right. Have some iced water on hand so you can taste as you go. Bring to about 85degC.
Warm your bottles in the oven and fill - almost to the brim because the level will drop as it cools, and tightly lid immediately. Wear washing up gloves in case you get any splashes and make sure the nozzle on your funnel fits snuggly into the bottle.