May 23, 2013

Rhubarb Compote

Finally, a post about spring preserves!

Rhubarb compote on the stove.


I've been watching my rhubarb grow so quickly the last few weeks, and I've even had to chop off some flowers. This long weekend I got around to harvesting some rhubarb, about one third of each plant as Ed Lawrence recommends. This gave me about 10 cups of chopped rhubarb!

With a portion of it I made une "tarte rose du printemps", as Jehane Benoit's cookbook calls strawberry-rhubarb pie. The rest of the rhubarb has already gone into making compote (aka stewed rhubarb). It's something my mom used to make and I love the combination of sweet and tart. The compote is a bit runny, almost a syrup, and I like to put it on toast, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, yogurt and granola.

The recipe is simple:
(makes approximately 5 cups)

8c chopped rhubarb
up to 2c sugar

Bring to a boil while stirring, being careful not to burn the sugar. I never add any water because there is enough juice in the rhubarb and enough sugar to make this quite liquidy. Boil until the consistency is like thick apple sauce. Cool and can!

I am storing this batch in the fridge but there are recipes out there for both water bath and pressure canned rhubarb. Next harvest, I may try this roasted rhubarb and vanilla compote. If I ate dairy this rhubarb maple lemon curd would be on the list too!



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