Rose Poached Rhubarb Food

ROSE-POACHED RHUBARB

Steps:

• Using the tip of a paring knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into a medium saucepan, and add pod to pan. Add sugar, breaking up clumps of vanilla seeds with your fingertips.
• Add wine, cinnamon, and star anise. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add rhubarb, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and cover. Let stand until rhubarb is soft and mixture has cooled, about 2 hours. Discard vanilla pod, cinnamon, and star anise. Divide among dishes, and serve with yogurt or ice cream.

POACHED RHUBARB

Steps:

• Combine 1 1/4 cups water and the sugar in medium saucepan. Add vanilla seeds and pod. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stir until sugar dissolves and add rhubarb.
• Reduce heat to low and gently simmer rhubarb for 5 minutes, or until it can be easily pierced with the tip of a knife but remains intact. Do not overcook, or else rhubarb will fall apart.
• Strain rhubarb over a bowl. Store syrup and poached rhubarb separately.

ROASTED RHUBARB

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Rinse the rhubarb and shake off the excess water. Trim the ends and cut the rhubarb into little finger-sized pieces. Put the rhubarb in a shallow dish or baking sheet with sides, tip the sugar over, toss together, then shuffle the rhubarb so it's in a single layer.
• Cover with foil and roast for 15 mins. Remove the foil. The sugar should have dissolved, so give everything a little shake and roast for another 5 mins or until tender and the juices are syrupy. Test with a sharp knife; the rhubarb should feel tender, not mushy, and still have kept its shape.

WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE WITH POACHED RHUBARB

Steps:

• Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, then remove from the heat. Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks, add the sugar and briefly whisk again. Whisk the cream to soft peaks, then fold the melted chocolate into the cream. Once incorporated, mix a spoonful of the egg whites into the cream and chocolate mix, stir well, then fold the remaining egg white mix in. Work quickly, taking care not to knock out too much air. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hr.
• While the mousse is setting, poach the rhubarb. Pour the wine, sugar, vanilla pod and seeds, and 150ml water into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Drop in the rhubarb, turn down the heat and poach for 2-3 mins. Turn off the heat and leave the rhubarb to cool in the liquid.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 3. Mix the oats, flour and sugar in a bowl and pour over the melted butter. Stir well, then tip onto a non-stick baking sheet and bake for 20 mins, tossing halfway through, until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. To serve, lift the rhubarb out of the poaching liquid and spoon into serving bowls, alternating with a large scoop of the mousse and a sprinkle of the oat crumb.

POACHED RHUBARB

Steps:

• Stir together sugar and 1 1/2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Add vanilla bean and seeds, lemon zest and juice, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Add rhubarb. Reduce heat; partially cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until rhubarb is just tender and beginning to break down, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer rhubarb to a bowl. Let rhubarb and poaching liquid cool completely. Remove vanilla bean from poaching liquid and discard.