The punchy flavours of the pickled rhubarb are having a gorgeous time with the richness of the labneh in this recipe for quick-pickled rhubarb and labneh toasts.
Easy to grow, reasonably hardy and a perennial vegetable that grows for over a decade, there’s a lot to love about rhubarb. More importantly though, it provides a healthy way to add some sweetness to many recipes.
Quick-pickled rhubarb and labneh toasts recipe
Ingredients:
- 450 g full-fat natural Greek yoghurt
- 1⁄2 tsp fine salt
- 2 rhubarb stalks
- 120 ml red-wine vinegar
- 80g light brown sugar
- 2 tsp fine salt
- 1⁄2 tsp black peppercorns
- 1⁄2 tsp yellow mustard seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 8 slices of bread
- 1 tsp sumac
- Salt and black pepper
Method:
To make the labneh, stir together the yoghurt and salt in a mixing bowl. Spoon it into a sieve or colander lined with a double layer of muslin, tying the ends together.
Sit it in the sieve over a bowl in the fridge for 6–12 hours to strain. The longer you leave it, the thicker your labneh will be. Transfer to a bowl, cover and store in the fridge until needed.
Trim the rhubarb stalks, then cut into thin slices or strips and put into a bowl. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, peppercorns, mustard seeds and cinnamon with 120 ml water. Heat gently until the sugar and salt have dissolved, pour the mixture over the rhubarb and set aside for 10 minutes.
Toast the bread. Spread each piece of toast with labneh, top with slices of quick-pickled rhubarb, sprinkle over a little sumac, salt flakes and pepper before serving.
Waste tip
Don’t throw away the labneh juices. It makes a lovely addition to salad dressings, as a marinade for meat or added into the water when boiling rice.
This is an edited extract from ‘Seasoning, How to Cook and Celebrate the Seasons’ by Angela Clutton (Murdoch Books, 2024).
