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
- 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.
- 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