Writing about rhubarb brings me back to my childhood.  I was always fascinated by the enormous rhubarb plant that grew next to the compost box in my parent’s garden.  It looked prehistoric and had a somewhat sinister air to it due to the warnings I had received about not touching the leaves because they were toxic…

 

I remember the conflicting flavours of sour and sweet, the unforgettable smell of the compote stewing on the stove, and the textures of the warm compote served over a scoop of vanilla ice cream (when I was lucky!).

 

Makes 6 servings

 

Ingredients
  • 2 cups chopped rhubarb (1 inch pieces)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon or orange rind

 

Directions
  1. In a small saucepan, combine rhubarb, sugar, water and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 20-30 minutes or until rhubarb is tender, and translucent.  Stir frequently especially when it is almost done cooking to ensure that you don’t scorch it in the pan. Transfer to a bowl; cool slightly. Serve warm or refrigerate until cold.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk yogurt and honey until blended. Spoon into serving dishes. Top with compote; sprinkle with almonds.

 

Chef’s notes

This is my mom’s method for making compote.  You may need to adjust the sugar depending on the tartness of the rhubarb.  I like swapping out the sugar for maple syrup – it gives the compote extra depth in flavour.

 

 

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Photo by Kulbir on Pexels