CHEF JEFF — ONE BYTE AT A TIME: Rhubarb Tapioca Custard

• chef jeff

chef jeff

Talk about it

More...

• CHEF JEFF — ONE BYTE AT A TIME: Mini-Angel Cakes
• CHEF JEFF — ONE BYTE AT A TIME: Penne with Chicken, Spinach and Tomatoes
• CHEF JEFF — ONE BYTE AT A TIME: Grilled Bananas

There’s nothing like a good custard using rhubarb.

Rhubarb Tapioca Custard

3½ cups fresh rhubarb diced)

1 cup sugar (about)

½ cup granulated tapioca

3 cups milk

¼ teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Whipped cream (optional)

Discard rhubarb tops. Rinse stems. Cut into ½-inch slices. Place in saucepan with water to cover. Cook until soft. Drain. Add ½ cup sugar to rhubarb, stirring until it is dissolved. Set aside. Combine tapioca, milk and salt in 1½-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until boiling. Reduce heat to lowest setting. Simmer 2 minutes. Beat eggs with ½ cup sugar. Slowly add small amount of warm tapioca mixture to beaten eggs (equalizing temperature helps avoid curdling). Add egg mixture. Continue to cook on lowest heat for 3 minutes, stirring. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Stir in rhubarb to serve warm, or chill both mixtures separately. Layer in trifle bowl with whipped cream.

Yield: Serves 8.

Grab more food tidbits at the Chef Jeff blog at GrandForksHerald.com.