If you grow rhubarb you will know it grows really quickly at this time of the year and it can be a challenge to come up with new ways to use it all up. One of the things I do is rhubarb cordial and I promise you, it tastes amazing and will make your house smell gorgeous. If you’ve never tried this, you are in for a real treat.

(As with all recipes, this is a guide. Feel free to juggle the quantities to suit your own tastes.)

RHUBARB & STAR ANISE CORDIAL:

approx 400g rhubarb (around 3 large stalks should do) – roughly chopped

270g sugar

half a vanilla pod

2 star anise

275ml water

Put all the ingredients into a pan and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved.

Simmer until the rhubarb has softened (10-15 minutes usually).

Set aside to cool completely.

Strain through a sieve into a jug – don’t push the fruit too much although you will be tempted to but that will just make your cordial cloudy.

Pour into a sterilised bottle and chill – keeps for up to a month in the fridge but you can put it into ice cube trays to add to water whenever you want!

Another great thing about this is once your cordial is ready you can use the rhubarb to make a lovely little crumble! (take the vanilla pod and star anise out first!) If you want more for crumble just double the ingredients – more cordial and more pudding. That’s a win-win in my book. Hope you try it and I hope you love it!