In my garden

In my garden this week, everything seems to have sprung up overnight. My asparagus patch is producing twice as much as last year, my chives and thyme are looking real fine. The garlic is two feet tall now and the fava beans are coming along. It’s been too cold to plant the tomatoes, but they are going in this week. My rhubarb is spectacular and there is so much of it, way more than I can use, I have been cutting it down and giving it away. I was inspired to make this rhubarb pickle and bring it in to work to serve on my charcuterie board. It is delicious and quite different from any other pickle I’ve made. The rhubarb holds its shape, but remains very tender and is quite tart despite all the sugar in the recipe. You can easily halve or quarter the recipe if you want to try making a smaller amount.

Pickled rhubarb
8 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 teaspoons kosher salt

4 cups white pickling vinegar

2 cups water

2 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons whole yellow mustard seeds

4-6 sprigs fresh tarragon

In a large bowl, toss the rhubarb with the salt so the rhubarb is coated evenly. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes, and then drain well. In a large pot, combine vinegar, water, sugar, mustard seeds and tarragon. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer gently for 1 minute. Turn off heat and immediately add rhubarb to pot. Stir rhubarb well and let cool completely, stirring occasionally. Put in container and cover tightly and refrigerate. Wait a few days before serving.