Monday, November 10, 2014

Rhubarb compote

When I was a kid I would help my grandmother harvest the rhubarb and help my grandfather pick the strawberries from the strawberry patch. There were also wee strawberries that grew wild and anytime I saw one I'd snatch it up from the ground and eat it. Sadly, I can no longer get my strawberry and rhubarb fix from their property, but it's spring, which means there is strawberry and rhubarb at the farmer's market. The strawberries only lasted for two days at my house, ok, fine, a day. They were so flipping good I ate all of them. 
Strawberry and rhubarb go together like peanut butter and jelly, Sonny and Cher, Antony and Celopatra (I think you get the idea), but there are many ways you can use rhubarb on it's own. 
I like to make a rhubarb compote because you can put it on so many different things. I put a big scoop in my oatmeal, vanilla yogurt, ice cream or panna cotta
Rhubarb Compote
10-12 stalks of thin/medium sized rhubarb
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger (if you don't have ginger that's ok)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
If you have thick stalks slice them lengthwise until they are about 1/2 an inch wide and then rough chop the stalks. Put the rhubarb in a saucepan on low. Add the sugar, maple syrup, ginger and lemon juice. Put a lid on the pan and stir the rhubarb ocasionally. Once it is simmering and has started to soften (about 5-10 minutes) remove the lid and let some of the liquid cook off. Continue to cook until all the rhubarb is soft. 
Most recipes call for a pretty high amount of sugar and so I decreased the sugar and added maple syrup instead. I also like it a little tart, so if you want it to be sweeter I would suggest putting in 1/2 a cup of sugar. 
Bon Appetit!
Photo Credit Kandy M. Christensen

Originally published 6/8/14

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