Rhubarb is magic. The leaves are poisonous, the stalks are tart and sweet when cooked down in sugar and this magical vegetable/fruit makes me feel all tingly inside. Then, after a brief moment of delight and confusion, it disappears. Poof, like magic.
The biggest question I hear about rhubarb is: what do I do with it besides put it in pie? My answer is make a simple rhubarb compote and serve a dollop over ice cream, swirl it in yogurt, ladel it on top of pancakes, sandwich it between sugar cookies, blend it into lemonade, add it as a condiment to your cheese plate… the list goes on!
And to avoid brown rhubarb compote, I’d suggest adding a chunk of raw beet, a few strawberries or blackberries to the pot, to get a more pink/purple color. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?
So do yourself a favor before the season comes to an end and make some rhubarb magic.
Easiest Rhubarb Compote
1 lb of rhubarb, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1/2 of an organic lemon, peel only
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
4-6 strawberries, chopped in quarters, for color
Peel half of a lemon with a vegetable peeler, with as little pith (the white part) as possible. Add rhubarb, lemon peel, sugar, water, and strawberries into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Simmer for 30 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally. Don’t stir too much because you do want some texture.
Let cool. Keeps in fridge for 5-7 days
