Rhubarb
Rhubarb Pronounce it: roo-barb Botanically, rhubarb is a vegetable (it’s related to sorrel and dock) but its thick, fleshy stalks are treated as a fruit, despite their tart flavour. Rhubarb grows in two crops. The…
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Rye
Rye Pronounce it: rai The richly flavoured seed of a common and widely grown grass, rye’s robustness in difficult climates has long made it an important source of protein in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe,…
Rapeseed oil
Rapeseed oil If you want a light alternative to other cooking oils, rapeseed is a great choice and has experienced a surge in popularity since around 2008. It’s produced from the bright yellow rape plant…
Red cabbage
Red cabbage Pronounce it: red cab-idge A favourite winter vegetable served hot with roasted game birds but equally good as a colourful and gratifying addition to any hot meal. It is usually long cooked with…
Redcurrant
Redcurrant Pronounce it: red-cur-rant These shiny little berries grow low on bushes, hanging from the branches like rows of miniature gems. Their flavour is a little tart but they’re still sweet enough to be eaten…
Raspberry
Raspberry Pronounce it: ras-beh-ree A member of the rose family, raspberries have a wonderfully intense, sweet taste, and many consider them to be the finest flavoured of all the berries. Raspberries grow well in cool,…
Rice syrup
Rice syrup Pronounce it: rais sirr-up Also known as brown rice syrup, brown rice malt and rice malt, this ingredient of Chinese origin is made by enzymic action on brown rice and, after further treatment…
Rice
Rice Pronounce it: r-eye-s Rice is a grain, the seed of a type of grass, which is the most widely grown and the most important source of dietary carbohydrate on Earth. Generally grown in flooded…
Riesling
Riesling Pronounce it: ree-zling Wine writers’ favourite Ask wine writers for their favourite variety and the one many will name is Riesling. The reason is its capacity to produce great wines across the world, all…
Risotto rice
Risotto rice To create an authentic creamy Italian risotto, the use of specialist rice is imperative. It comes in various forms and is usually very pale in colour, stubby and smooth in texture. Grains range…