A Feast of Forced Rhubarb - Part TWO: Three rhubarb crispbreads

Three simple starters, illustrations of rhubarb combinations, and why rhubarb equals cut-through.

In this, the second part of my three week mini-series, a starter in which rhubarb is the hero.

In fact, potentially, three starters. My aim, to recap in case you missed Part One last week, is to create a three course feast using rhubarb at every turn. Here’s the menu:

A trio of rhubarb crispbreads (this week)

Braised duck leg with pickled rhubarb, squash and lentils (next week and it will be free to read)

Rhubarb, panettone and ginger trifle (last week)

I call these starters, but really they are illustrations of rhubarb combinations…

… a study of contrasts more than anything else. Because contrast is what rhubarb does best in savoury dishes. Rhubarb equals cut through. Its simultaneously sweet and sour flavour makes an excellent contrast to salty, fatty tastes, magically bringing everything to life in your mouth. In texture too, the crunch of raw rhubarb stands in opposition to the velvety, fatty fish or creamy cheese.

The result is flavour and texture contrasts that are far more complex than the dishes are to assemble. And it really is more assembly than cooking.

These three mini-recipes can be served together as a starter, in smaller versions as nibbles with drinks, or solo for a decadent lunch (which is exactly what I did after I shot these).

From the left: rhubarb with lemony whipped feta; sour rhubarb sauce with mackerel; shaved rhubarb with salmon and toasted oats

Rhubarb with lemony whipped feta

This combination would also work spread across a platter and served with crusty bread.

• 1 small stem forced rhubarb