Every Easter my grandfather made his lamb and without fail coated it with mint jelly. Needless to say, he started to really dislike mint jelly. As an adult, I thought it was time to think of something a little different than what my grandfather used, so now I use a rhubarb jelly to make what the peppermint jelly previously did.
During the rhubarb season, stalks of the plant can often be obtained for the mother who asks for them. Many homeowners who had previously planted it do not even harvest it and use it further. When I make the rhubarb jelly, I also like to add a little delicious rosemary flavor to it. Only a few rosemary plants are needed to provide a huge amount of flavor to your soups and meats. Rosemary tends to grow quickly and is generally easy to train on trellises.
The fragrance of rosemary cannot be confused anywhere. It is enough to touch it to release its aroma and for everyone to smell it. The plant willingly gives up its lovely fragrance for all to enjoy. You can use some of its branches to add a delicious flavor to pork loin or to season poultry along with garlic and other herbs.
With such flavors available, why not gracefully combine rhubarb and rosemary to create a flavorful jelly that can be used to add some excitement to a leg of lamb or chicken? Here’s a great recipe that should jumpstart just about any type of meat you throw at it.
This jelly is easy to make and only takes 45 minutes to create. It is without a doubt a delicious alternative to the traditional mint jelly from my grandfather’s time. To do so you would need:
1 pound rhubarb
1 3/4 cups of water
3 1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup white vinegar
3 tablespoons chopped rosemary
Two 1/4-ounce packages unflavored gelatin
Cut 3 cups rhubarb crosswise into ½-inch slices. Combine rhubarb, water, sugar, rosemary, and vinegar in a 4-quart saucepan. Bring to a rapid boil and simmer for a further 15 minutes. At this point you will notice the rhubarb beginning to disintegrate.
In a small glass bowl, drizzle the gelatin in ¼ cup water and let stand 1 minute. Now remove the pot from the heat and combine the gelatin mixture in the pot with the rhubarb. Stir the mixture well until the rhubarb and gelatin blend together.
For the resulting mixture in a sieve, be sure to gently press down on any of the solid pieces. Scoop off the resulting foam and ladle into sterilized hot jars. Leave a 1/8-inch headspace at the top of the jar. Clean rims and place lids tightly on jars. Cool the jars completely.
This jello gel will keep for several months if refrigerated.
Copyright @ 2009 Joseph Parish
Lamb Rhubarb Jelly
