Rhubarb Sorbet

The edible part of rhubarb is the stalk of the plant - turns out the leaves themselves are quite toxic! Rhubarb is so frequently used for desserts that it has been given the nickname "pie plant."

The method to making this sorbet surprised me, since I've never worked with rhubarb, before. You begin by boiling slices of rhubarb in water to infuse the water with the rhubarb taste - and a pretty pink colour of course! - then straining through a sieve and discarding the rhubarb itself, which doesn't therefore end up in the final product.

What I wasn't prepared for was the way the rhubarb broke down almost into a pulp during the boiling, so don't be surprised when this happens to you! I also advise using a large saucepan, since mine would have boiled over onto the stove if I hadn't glanced over at the exact right moment.

So to clarify, here's what you do: combine 4 cups (1 quart) water and 5 cups sliced rhubarb (about 3 stalks) in a saucepan; bring to a boil, then continue cooking for 10 minutes.

Strain into a bowl over a sieve, and press on the rhubarb pulp to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the rhubarb. You'll be left with that nice pretty pink liquid.

Stir 1/2 cup raw sugar, 1/2 cup organic brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice into the remaining liquid, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Cover and let cool - I recommend letting it chill for at least 8 hours, to ensure that your ice cream maker works properly, or even up to overnight.

Freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions of your ice cream maker - it's going to become wonderfully fluffy and light pink - then transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm (about one hour).

If you need to, let the sorbet stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before scooping. 1/2 a cup is 110 calories.

Cost:
rhubarb $4.23