Place rhubarb in a medium saucepan, add a small amount of water (about 1/2 inch). Add sugar and bring to a boil. Sower heat and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes, or until rhubarb is tender. Spoon into blender container and blend until mixture is smooth. Add cornstarch and a few drops of red food coloring, until desired color is reached. Return rhubarb sauce mixture to saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened.

Serve over bread, pudding, cake, or ice cream.

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tbsp. salt
• 6 tbsp. cold butter
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 6 to 8 tbsp. ice water

Filling:

• 4 cups sliced strawberries
• 2 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tbsp. orange zest
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 egg

To make the pie crust, place the flour, sugar, salt, butter and shortening into the bowl of an electric mixer. Blend until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add the ice water, a tablespoon at a time. When the dough sticks together, remove it from the mixer. Divide it in half and pat each half into a pancake, wrap, and refrigerate for half an hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix the strawberries and rhubarb with the sugar, flour and orange zest in a large bowl. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the pie dough to a 1/8-inch thickness. Fold it into quarters, set it in a 9-inch pie plate, then unfold. Snip the edges evenly, allowing a slight overhang. Add the filling and dot with butter.

Roll out the remaining dough and use a pastry wheel or knife to slice it into 3/4-inch wide strips. Weave the strips over the filling and flute the edges. Beat the egg in a small bowl, then brush the wash over the top of the pie. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the filling bubbles and the crust slightly browns. If the crust browns too quickly, lightly cover it with foil.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, eggs and vegetable oil. Stir in finely chopped rhubarb, apples and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together the baking powder, salt, and flour. Add the wet mixture to your flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Stir in the finely chopped nuts. Pour into greased baking pan and bake at 350 degrees, for 50 – 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean. Remove bread from pan, cool on a wire or wooden rack and wrap for storage.

Wash rhubarb and spinach well. Place rhubarb in a large saucepan together with the sugar and add enough water to cover by 2.5 cm /1 inch. Bring to the boil over a high heat then cook, uncovered, for 2 minutes only. Remove from the heat and strain the cooking liquor through a sieve into a bowl, reserving the rhubarb. Return the liquid to the pan together with the vinegar, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then continue to boil, uncovered, until the mixture is reduced to about 120 ml/4fl.oz. Meanwhile, divide the spinach leaves between 4 individual plates then arrange the rhubarb on top of the spinach. Once the liquid in the pan is reduced, remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the oil.

To serve – drizzle the warm dressing over the salads, sprinkle with a few pine nuts and serve immediately.

Pudding Batter

• 2 eggs
• 25 g / 1 oz caster sugar
• 110 g / 4 oz self-raising flour
• 125 ml milk

Wash and cut rhubarb into pieces. Place in a bowl and mix together with the chopped stem ginger and caster sugar. Leave to marinate for 5 minutes then poach in a pot.

Brush the ramekin dishes with a little softened melted butter then lightly sprinkle with a little caster sugar. Shake off any excess sugar.

Beat together the eggs and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Sieve in the self-raising flour then slowly mix in the milk and mix to form a smooth batter. Half fill the ramekin dishes with a little of the batter and cook in the preheated oven (350 degrees) for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and spoon the organic rhubarb over the batter. Pour over the remainder of the batter and spoon a little of the rhubarb over the top. Return to the oven and bake for a further 15 minutes. When cooked firm, turn out on to a plate and serve with either a strawberry syrup or cream (alternatively both).