Sweet 'n' sour - rhubarb juice

Rhubarb tastes of nostalgia, of childhood gardens and doting grandparents. 

Living abroad makes me love the flavours that I know from growing up even more. When I was young we had a big bush of rhubarb in our backyard and sometimes we were allowed to pick a stalk and eat it raw while dipping it into a bowl of sugar.

Rhubarb is in season now and yesterday I spotted an easy recipe for rhubarb juice. To my surprise the recipe didn’t mention what to do with the sieved rhubarb pulp. In two extra minutes I had a delicious rhubarb jam sweetend with raw cane sugar – and in a few moments I also made pancakes to go with it. Easier than pie!

Rhubarb juice – and jam

Yields about a litre of juice and jar of rhubarb sauce

500 g chopped rhubarb, the reddest you find
1.5 litres water
about 100-150ml brown raw cane sugar (Fairtrade) - start with less, add if needed
1/2 lemon (about 2 tbsp lemon juice)

Rinse the rhubarb stalks well. Don’t peel them, just chop to small pieces. Measure the water into a pot, bring to a boil, then toss in the rhubarb and let simmer for 30 minutes. Sieve the juice and pour it back in the pot.

Move the sieved rhubarb pulp into a bowl or a jar – add sugar and purée if it's chunky – and voilá; home made rhubarb sauce that can be used as such or as filling for a rhubarb pie. You might want to double the amout of rhubarb if you're aimig for pie.

Add sugar to the rhubarb juice and let it dissolve before lifting the pot to the side. Squeeze in some lemon juice and let the concoction cool. Add water or sparkling water if you feel the flavour is too strong. Chill and serve!