Rhubarb and Ginger Jam with some homemade Nut and Seed Spelt Bread

Faced with a large bag of home grown rhubarb from a friend I have ploughed through my (somewhat limited) rhubarb recipes making fools, compotes and cheesecake. This still left me with 1kg of the stuff but luckily I found a rhubarb jam recipe from the Leon cookbook which tastes fab, is easy to make and the 4 jars it yielded are great for presents. I also made some ‘Breast-feeding bread’ said cookbook which, if you ignore the off-putting name (!) – is deliciously nutty and has a lovely aroma from the caraway and fennel seeds. According to the book these seeds help new mums produce milk, so there we go. Perhaps I’ll start feeding it to my working cocker spaniel who is on the cusp of having puppies! 

'James’s Rhubarb and Ginger Jam' from the Leon cookbook

• In a preserving pan layer 1kg Rhubarb, cut into 5cm pieces with the same weight of Sugar (or about 650g fructose/fruit sugar) and the juice of 2 Lemons. Leave overnight.
• The next day tie 25g chopped Root Ginger in a muslin bag and slot into the pan with the rhubarb mixture. The place on the hob and heat gently, stirring until the mixture has come to the boil.
• Boil strongly for 15 minutes.
• Add 100g chopped Preserved Ginger (plus any syrup) and boil again for 15 minutes or until the setting point is reached.
• Pour into jars (3-6 jars depending on size).

Nut and Seed Spelt Bread (or 'George’s Breast-feeding Bread') from Leon cookbook

Makes a 1kg loaf

• Smear a 1kg loaf tin with butter.
• In a large bowl put: 330g Strong Wholemeal Spelt Flour, 170g Strong White Flour, 5g fast-action easy-blend dried Yeast, 2 Tsp crushed Sea Salt, 1 tsp Aniseeds, 1 tsp Caraway Seeds, 1 tsp Fennel Seeds, 1 tsp Fenugreek (ground), 40g Pumpkin Seeds and 40g Sunflower Seeds.
• Add 2 ½ tbsp extra virgin Olive Oil and 330ml Warm Water and stir until the mixture comes together.
• Knead for a few minutes then shape and put in the tin. Slash deeply 3 or 4 times and fill the slashes with 15g Sunflower and Pumpkin Seeds and 40g Pine Nuts. Cover and leave for about 2 hours until doubled in size.
• Cook at 230˚C for 20 minutes and then 200˚C for 20 minutes.