Recipes for Rhubarb-Apricot Conserve and Candied Ginger #tigresscanjam

The May edition of Tigress' Can Jam called for either rhubarb or asparagus. Browsing through various rhubarb recipes, I noticed that a lot of them use candied ginger. So I decided to make my own candied ginger first, then come up with a rhubarb-ginger recipe. I was pretty pleased with both results.


PRESERVED GINGER

Preserved ginger can be added to baking or preserves, or dipped in chocolate. The syrup can be reserved in the fridge for mixing drinks, or to drizzle over desserts.

• 2 pounds of fresh ginger root (2 very large roots)


• Water for softening ginger


• 6 cups of water for syrup


• 6 cups of sugar


• ½ tsp salt


• Sugar for coating

1. Peel the ginger and slice it into rounds or thin 2-inch sticks. (Thinner slices will be more like candy; thicker slices will have more bite.)


2. In a non-reactive pot, cover the ginger with water and bring it to the boiling point, then turn the heat down and let it simmer for 10 minutes. (For fierier, chewier ginger, proceed to the next step. For sweeter, softer ginger, drain, cover, boil and simmer once or twice more.)


3. Drain the ginger and, in a non-reactive pot, combine ginger, water, sugar and salt. Stir well to let the sugar dissolve completely, and then bring to a full rolling boil.


4. Boil, stirring more or less constantly, until the mixture has reduced by half and the liquid has a frothy appearance like gently beaten egg whites. It should measure 225 degrees Fahrenheit at this point. Be careful not to let it boil over or burn.


5. Strain the ginger and toss it in sugar. Allow it to dry for a couple of days before storing in an airtight container.

RHUBARB-APRICOT CONSERVE

This sweet, very orange-flavoured conserve is gorgeous with roast pork. Makes about 4½ cups.

• 4 cups of diced rhubarb


• Zest and juice of 2 oranges


• 12 dried apricots, chopped very fine


• 3 cups of sugar


• 3 tablespoons of lemon juice


• ½ cup of walnuts, chopped


• ¼ cup of candied ginger, chopped into small cubes


• 2 tablespoons of orange liqueur

1. Sterilize jars.


2. Meanwhile, in a non-reactive pot, combine the rhubarb, orange juice and zest, apricots, sugar, lemon juice, walnuts and ginger. Stir together and allow to macerate for at least 20 minutes.


3. Bring up to a boil and cook at a rolling boil, stirring frequently, until it reaches the setting point.


4. Turn the heat off, add the orange liqueur and allow the mixture to rest for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.


5. Ladle into sterilized jars and process for 10 minutes at a rolling boil.

Many thanks to Niamh Malcolm, who took the pictures of the rhubarb conserve. The inferior ginger photos are mine.