Rhubarb Beets Food

RHUBARB & BEETS

Steps:

• Toss rhubarb slices with olive oil and beets. Season with salt and pepper, and roast at 375 degrees until tender. Top with walnuts to finish.

BEET RHUBARB JAM

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the rhubarb with 1 cup of sugar.
• Mix well and let sit for about 30 minutes until some juice forms in the bottom of the bowl.
• In the meantime, cook the beets with the remaining sugar and water in a medium pot over medium high until tender, about 45 minutes; stir occasionally.
• Add rhubarb mixture including juices and stir.
• Cook, while stirring, 18 to 20 minutes until rhubarb are very soft.
• Process the beets through a potato ricer or large strainer and return to the pot.
• Taste for sweetness and add sugar, if needed; cook a few minutes to dissolve any added sugar (the jam's flavor will mellow as it cools).
• While jam is still hot, ladle into hot sterilzed canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space at the top; remove air pockets by running a long, non-metallic utensil or skewer between the jar and the jam.
• Top with new, clean lids, close tightly and let cool to room temperature.
• Once cooled, test the seal; if the lid springs up when you press your finger into the center - it is not sealed.
• Process any that have not sealed for 15 minutes in a hot water bath, then test the seal again.
• NOTE: To sterilize jars, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat until barely bubbling. Immerse three 8 ounce jars and leave there while you are cooking the jam. Place lids and rings in a small saucepan covered with hot water.

BEET, RHUBARB, AND GINGER SOUP

Steps:

• Break or cut each rhubarb stalk into 2 or 3 pieces, just so they fit in the saucepan, and set aside. Wash the beets, remove the stalks and leaves (see p.199 for what to do with them), and trim each beet, cutting away the barnacly bits; there's no need to peel. Roughly chop into ¾-inch chunks. Peel the onion and roughly chop it.
• Warm the oil in a decent-sized saucepan or Dutch oven that comes with a tightly fitting lid-I use one of 10 inches diameter-and cook the onion for about 10 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. It won't soften much in that time, but enough for now.
• Peel and roughly chop the garlic, and stir it into the pan of onions. Cook for about 2 minutes, then stir in the cumin and tumble in the rhubarb and beets. Add the water and salt, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Once it's bubbling, turn the heat down, clamp on the lid, and let it all cook at a robust simmer until the beets are utterly, utterly soft. This always takes more time than you'd think: I'd reckon on 1½ hours, though it easily could take longer.
• With a stick blender (and if yours comes with a soup-blending attachment, so much the better), blitz until you have a smooth and velvety ruby soup.
• If the skin's tough, peel the ginger with the tip of a teaspoon, then coarsely grate it onto a plate. Moving fast, get out a piece of paper towel and spoon half the grated ginger into the center, then bring together the edges of the paper and twist. Holding this little swag bag over the soup, press on it to squeeze out the intense juice. Now get another square of paper towel, and do the same with the remaining half of grated ginger. Taste for seasoning, ladle out into waiting bowls, and drizzle over each a little horseradish cream or green tahini sauce as you wish.