Rhubarb Bellini

I cant believe that this is the first Rhubarb that either Debbie or I have had this year!   Usually I at least have a slice of strawberry-rhubarb pie or crisp or something!   Both of us grew up with rhubarb growing in our mothers gardens having ruharb things often.  After making this recipe and talking about rhubarb, we discovered that we both used to eat sticks of rhubarb dipped in sugar as a treat when we were kids 🙂  So yum!  I think I may have to grow some rhubarb in my garden next year.

We are reviewing another cookbook next week, “Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life”  (a gem of a cookbook I have to say) and when we were looking for recipes to try from the cookbook, we both loved the idea of this Rhubarb Bellini, so we thought we would share it with you for Cocktail Friday.

In truth, this Bellini is actually more like a Mimosa.  Slightly sweetened rhubarb puree topped with champagne.  Simple, sweet, tangy, and a little bubbly.

Just have to say here, that we know champagne is only champagne if it comes from the Champagne region of France and everything else is just sparkling wine.  However, we like the word champagne and even though we know this to be the politically correct way to use the word, you will have to forgive us cuz thats just what we call it.

Debbie and I love to have mimosas in the morning when we are camping.  We always have a coffee and baileys (Debbie has a little kahlua too if she can manage to keep it away from the boys and their Black Russians) and then we open a bottle of bubbly and have mimosas.  Maybe not what people would normally think of as a suitable camping drink lol, but its become a custom of ours.  Were classy like that…  Champagne in the woods.  lol

This Rhubarb Bellini will easily transfer over to our morning camping Bellinis.  Or a girls brunch or evening cocktails on the back patio.  You can make the rhubarb puree ahead of time and keep it in the fridge till you are ready to have your drink.  Then just spoon a little in your glass, top with champagne, give it a stir, and bobs your uncle. 🙂   Jaime Oliver said in his cookbook that he loves this drink in the summer and he puts the champagne in the freezer for a bit so that it gets a little slushy when you serve it.

We couldnt resist topping our Bellinis with a little stick of rhubarb dipped in lime and then in sugar.  Its the perfect little stir stick/snack to go along side this cocktail.  We may or may not have eaten one or two others…

Rhubarb Bellini

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Drink

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 6

Author: Jaime Oliver

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound rhubarb , trimmed and finely sliced
• 1/4 cup sugar
• a bottle of bubbly , such as Prosecco or Champagne

Instructions

• Get yourself a small pan and throw in the rhubarb, sugar an da couple of tablespoons of water.
• Put a lid on top, bring to the boil and simmer for a couple of minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally, until you get a thick compote consistency.
• Wiz up with an immersion blender or in a standard blender until you have a lovely smooth puree.
• Leave to cool, then stir again and divide the puree between six glasses. Pour over your Prosecco or Champagne, stirring as you pour with a long spoon or something similar, until the glass is three-quarters full.
• Top it up with bubbles and your done!