Rhubarb Bellinis, To Love and To Cherish

April 9, 2014 by Laura Haugen 19 Comments

My husband and I got married during rhubarb season, and as our anniversary approaches, rhubarb seems a fitting ingredient to celebrate our marriage. The rhubarb plant is a hardy one, but requires space, patience, and a cooler climate to flourish. Awaiting harvest season can seem like an eternity, but given time to grow roots throughout the colder months and extend its reach under ample direct sunshine, the harvest is often abundant. The subtle sweetness and tenderness of rhubarb reveals itself over time and effort, through slow cooking to melt the fibrous stalks into a soft and delectable richness. Combine rhubarb with extra doses of sweetness, and it achieves an even more delightful balance of flavor. Get a little bubbly with it, and it sparkles. Here’s a toast to our marriage, which gets sweeter and richer and more tender over time.

Rhubarb Bellinis

Adapted from Marcus Samuelsson’s recipe. I wanted to keep the bright red color and fresh texture of the strawberries, so I didn’t stew them with the rhubarb, and I doubled the overall rhubarb-strawberry syrup.

•  one bottle of Prosecco
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 cup chopped rhubarb (about 1/4-inch-thick pieces)
• 1 cup strawberries, cut into bite-size pieces, plus more whole strawberries for garnish

Directions:

1. Chill the Prosecco in the fridge; transfer to the freezer a half-hour before opening for extra cold and crisp bellinis.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water and heat over low heat to dissolve the sugar. Add the chopped rhubarb and simmer slowly until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly.
3. Transfer rhubarb mixture to a blender and add the chopped fresh strawberries; blitz until smooth.
4. Chill the syrup, and when ready to serve, spoon 2 Tbs. of it into each champagne flute and top with Prosecco. Garnish with extra fresh strawberries.
5. Cheers!

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