Strawberry Rhubarb Ice-cream

The weather warmed up in New York and, following hard on the heels of the first warm days, I was told, in no uncertain terms, that it was time to start making ice cream.  I’m a total sucker for any request for food – I get so excited that someone likes my cooking enough to want more of it that I’m almost always certain to make whatever is asked of me.  In this case the askee was even more likely to get her request than usual, since she was the one who so generously gave me my ice cream maker a few years ago as a birthday present.   Taking my duties to heart I decided I needed to adequately prepare so I bought myself a copy of David Lebovitz’s The Perfect Scoop (for those of you not paying attention, the previous sentence is pure and pathetic rationalization for a book purchase that I clearly do not need given the overflowing state of my bookshelves – but its a lovely volume that I’m glad to own!)

David has a recipe for strawberry rhubarb sorbet that sounded delicious, but I decided I needed something creamy for my first batch of the season, so, I made a strawberry rhubarb puree and used that in place of raspberry puree in David’s raspberry ice-cream recipe… It turned out delicious and I’m delighted to have a very full tub of it in the freezer.

On a side note — while shooting the photos of these luscious scoops Noerah and I quickly discovered just why professional food stylists use mashed potatoes to simulate ice-cream – but don’t worry, this is the real stuff this time, dripping authentically on the table!

Strawberry Rhubarb  Ice-Cream

adapted from David Lebovitz’s ‘The Perfect Scoop’

• 6 stalks rhubarb
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 pint strawberries
• 1½ cups of half-and-half
• 1½ cups heavy cream
• 4 large egg yolks

1. Cut off the leaves, ends, etc of the rhubarb and cut into 1/2″ pieces, put in a medium saucepan, add the water and 1/2 cup of sugar, simmer for about 5 minutes until tender, then drain.
2. Place the hulled and washed strawberries in a small bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of sugar, mash slightly w/ fork and leave at room temperature for about 1 hour
3. Puree the rhubarb and strawberry together in blender
4. Warm the half-and-half  a medium saucepan. Pour the cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer over the top.
5. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm half-and-half into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
6. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Mix in the fruit puree, stirring until cool over an ice bath.
7. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator and churn according to your ice-cream maker’s directions.