There are some combinations in life that just feel right. Tomato and basil, potatoes and mint, strawberries and cream…rhubarb and custard.
This winning combo has been reincarnated in many forms, from the rock hard pink and yellow boiled sweets to the knobbly crunch of a rhubarb crumble accompanied but a little jug of custard by its side.
The creamy custard mellows the acid sharp bite of the rhubarb, a partnership made in heaven.
We grow rhubarb in the garden but for some reason ours finished quite early. My Dad gave me a big bundle on Sunday when they came around for dinner to top up my supply. I absolutely love the stuff, not only in sweet dishes, but also in savoury. Roasted rhubarb and Mackerel is the stuff of dreams. Just like roasting lemon with fish, roasting an oily fish such as mackerel really benefits from that hit of sharpness.
I’ve spoken before about my parents preference for the more traditional fare, and what could be more nostalgic than trifle. I was having them over for dinner and I already had the cream and an abundance of duck eggs ti make custard-the girls are laying like crazy at the moment, so with the gifted rhubarb, it seemed the obvious answer.
In my books, a good trifle always needs a boozy element, the traditional tipple of choice being sherry. As I was working with rhubarb, I wanted something a little different and when making my dash to the larder/booze cupboard I instantly grabbed what I knew would be perfect option/a ginger liquor called The Kings Ginger
We were given it by one my foodie friends-she always gives the best gifts, often jars of pickle, spices, seasoning, sauces and drinks, most which I have never tried, nor heard of. This particular liquor is gorgeous. As expected, it’s got a fiery hit of ginger that is very fresh and not at all artificial tasting. It’s sweet but not overtly so. It’s lovely as a digestif served on the rocks, a little added to some cava or prosecco, or glorious in a gin and tonic.
I roasted the rhubarb in it, as well as soaking the brioche, and it was gorgeous.
Listen to this episode with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to The Truffle Diaries to listen to this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.
