Outdoor rhubarb

Outdoor rhubarb has the edge on the earlier forced rhubarb for me. It lends a wonderful, intense flavour to many desserts, and works well in savoury dishes too. I’ve cooked it with pork cheeks and found it gives a lovely sweet and sour finish to the sauce; you could do the same with duck or possibly pheasant.

Rhubarb makes a delicious crumble, tart or pie, served with lashings of real custard; or for a tangy cool dessert, fold cold rhubarb purée with whipped cream and cooled custard to make a fool. An abundance of rhubarb can be turned into a splendid jam - flavoured with ginger if you like. This is particularly good spread on toasted sourdough.