Phil's two delicious ways with rhubarb
It's officially rhubarb season people, but forget chucking it in a tart and covering it with crumble: Phil Vickery has two innovative way to cook with it - succulent pork fillet with peppers and rhubarb and for dessert: sweet ricotta doughnuts with rhubarb and custard.
Succulent pork fillet with peppers and rhubarb
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 red pepper, de seeded and cut into strips1 yellow pepper, de seeded and cut into strips1 medium onion, very finely slicedhalf a medium egg white1 tbsp cornflour500g pork loin fillet, no fat or silver sinew, cut into 8-10 slices across the fillet about 1cm thick. A pinch of salt4 tbsp vegetable oil2-3 tbsp rhubarb compote (see recipe)2 tsp any vinegarsalt and pepper
Method
Place the peppers and onion into a saucepan with a pinch of salt, cover with water and bring to the boil, immediately strain leave to cool
Whisk the egg white and cornflour together briefly with a pinch of salt, then add the pork and mix well
Heat a large non-stick frying pan with 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Add the chopped pork slices and fry for 1 minute on each side, and then remove from the pan
Add the last 2 tbsp of vegetable oil to the pan and sauté the cooled, drained peppers over a high heat for 3-4 minutes, or until softened and coloured
Add the pork back to the pan and add 2-3 tbsp of the rhubarb compote, vinegar and season well with salt and pepper. Cook until the pork is heated through completely.
Rhubarb compote
Serves: makes 500ml
Ingredients
1 tbsp oil50g finely chopped fresh ginger50g minced lemon grass (jarred in oil)500g rhubarb, chopped in 1cm pieces100ml water 100g caster sugar, roughly100mls water2 tsp cornflour or arrowroot2 tbsp cold water
Method
Heat the oil and add the ginger and lemongrass and soften for 5-6 minutes
Add the rhubarb, sugar and 100mls water and stew gently until you have a nice thick consistency
Add 2 tbsp water to the thickening starch and bring together
Stir into the simmering stew and it will thicken slightly
Cool and use as required
Sweet ricotta doughnuts
Serves: makes about 30 bite sized doughnut balls
Ingredients
For the doughnuts
250g ricottaVegetable oil, for deep frying1 egg, beaten, plus 1 egg yolk45g rice flour blend (see recipe)1tsp caster sugar1tsp level GF baking powder1/8th level tsp xanthan gumFinely grated zest 1 lemonA pinch of cinnamon, optional
To serve
Rhubarb compote (see recipe above)vanilla bean pastejuice of 1 lime200g crème fraicheIcing sugar, to dust
Method
Drain the ricotta, turn into a colander and leave to drain until dry, about 30 minutes or best overnight
Pour vegetable oil into a large deep pan with oil – no more than one–third full and heat to 180C
Place the egg and egg yolk into a bowl, add the rice flour blend, sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum and lemon zest, and then mix really well
Add the ricotta cheese and again mix well
Using a piping bag (with no nozzle) carefully pipe small balls, size of a large marble directly into the hot oil
Cook a small batch at a time and swirling with a spoon so you get an even colour until nice and golden – they will take about 3 minutes. Repeat until all the mix has been cooked. Drain well on kitchen paper.
Mix the rhubarb with a little vanilla paste and add a little lime juice to taste
Mix the crème fraiche with a little vanilla bean paste to taste
Serve the doughnuts on a little warmed compote then top with a spoon of vanilla crème fraiche and a dusting of icing sugar
White and brown rice flour blend
Serves: makes 500g
Ingredients
175g mixture of half white rice flour with half brown rice flour175g potato starch150g tapioca starch
Method
Sieve all the flours together very thoroughly and evenly, or put into a food processor and pulse until mixed
This mix is good for general baking such as cake and sponge cake recipes where a lighter colour and more delicate, mild flavour are needed
Make sure you use very fine milled rice flour and not a coarse grain to help avoid a gritty result