Name: Brae’s rhubarb and strawberry-gum spider
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: Vanilla ice-cream, to serve; Mint, to serve; Vodka, to get the party started; Rhubarb and strawberry-gum soda; 1.25 kg rhubarb (about 2 bunches), thinly sliced; 20 gm dried strawberry-gum leaves (see note); 250 gm raw honey; 250 ml whey (from yoghurt or other dairy; see note); Rhubarb and rose granita; 800 gm rhubarb, coarsely chopped and juiced (you'll need 400ml rhubarb juice); 45 gm caster sugar; 1 tbsp rosewater (optional); Strawberry syrup; 1 kg strawberries (4 punnets) puréed, then strained very well, pressing on solids (you'll need 500ml juice); 50 gm caster sugar

Brae’s rhubarb and strawberry-gum spider

A grown-up version of the ice-cream spider that's been missing from your life.

Serves 8

Prep

30M

Cook

30M

Total

“I used to love drinking spiders as a kid and have tried to embody the fun they bring with this recipe,” says Hunter. Start this recipe seven days ahead to make the soda. For a faster version, substitute the rhubarb and strawberry-gum soda with strawberry kombucha or soda water sweetened with raw honey.

Ingredients

Vanilla ice-cream, to serve

Mint, to serve

Vodka, to get the party started

Rhubarb and strawberry-gum soda

1.25 kg rhubarb (about 2 bunches), thinly sliced

20 gm dried strawberry-gum leaves (see note)

250 gm raw honey

250 ml whey (from yoghurt or other dairy; see note)

Rhubarb and rose granita

800 gm rhubarb, coarsely chopped and juiced (you'll need 400ml rhubarb juice)

45 gm caster sugar

1 tbsp rosewater (optional)

Strawberry syrup

1 kg strawberries (4 punnets) puréed, then strained very well, pressing on solids (you'll need 500ml juice)

50 gm caster sugar

Method

1.For soda, add rhubarb and 2.5 litres water to a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and gently simmer until rhubarb is very tender (20-30 minutes). Remove from heat, add strawberry gum, cover, and leave to steep for at least 2 hours. Strain, reserving cooking water. Combine cooking water, honey and whey, and stir to dissolve honey. Pour into sterilised preserving bottles with flip-top lids and leave at room temperature (no more than 23°C) to ferment until carbonated to your liking (about 1 week; the bottles are under pressure and can occasionally explode so keep them in a safe place and carefully remove the lid every second day for a brief moment to release a little pressure). Refrigerate to stop fermentation (rhubarb and strawberry-gum soda will keep refrigerated for 1-2 weeks).

2.For rhubarb and rose granita, combine ingredients with 50ml water and ½ tsp salt flakes and stir to dissolve sugar. Freeze mixture in a shallow tray, scraping with a fork every 20 minutes or so, until fluffy and frozen (6 hours or overnight). Cover granita and keep frozen until needed.

3.For strawberry syrup, combine strawberry juice and sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. Refrigerate until needed. 4 Place a scoop of ice-cream into tumblers and drizzle a little strawberry syrup over the top. Cover with a few scoops of granita, add mint, then pour over rhubarb and strawberry-gum soda. Add vodka by eye, if you’re feeling like it

Strawberry gum is available from native-produce suppliers such as outbackchef.com.au. To make whey, spoon 500gm live yoghurt into a sieve lined with muslin over a bowl. Refrigerate overnight to drain.

Wine suggestion: 2018 Jauma Peek-a-Boo grenache pet-nat from McLaren Vale.
Notes