Rhubarb Ginger Compote

Rhubarb compote with fresh ginger and lemon

All is well in Vancouver now that rhubarb has arrived!

It was a little dire this spring, but, finally, rhubarb appeared on the grocery shelves, and all was good. This ruby red veg/fruit was seasonally late, but heck, it was worth the wait.

The colour of rhubarb reminds me of Dorothy’s shiny red shoes from the Wizard of Oz. Not only are they both brilliant red, but they sparkle and have transformative powers. Dorothy magically goes home because she is wearing her ruby red slippers, and adding rhubarb to any dish guarantees that it will magically transform into brilliance. 

It’s known as a vegetable but acts like a fruit. It’s sour as heck, but when you add a little sugar, you get a delightful blend of sweet and sour…it’s truly magical!

When it’s acting as a vegetable, it is good in compotes, chutneys, or relishes. These condiments add a dash of pizazz to many a dish!

When dressed up as a fruit, it’s a bit ‘high maintenance’ because it needs accessories, namely sugar. However, once dazzled up and ready to go, rhubarb desserts will always want you to come back for more.

I’ve got four rhubarb recipes to share with you today. The first is one I call  rhubarb delight cake here….it's like an upside-down cake, (without the upside down) with a sponge-like cake on top. 

Next is a rhubarb, apple crisp here which is always popular.  

Next is a rhubarb-current chutney recipe here h to be served with pork tenderloin. And Finally below  there’s a rhubarb ginger compote to go on ice cream or vanilla yogurt.

Rhubarb Ginger Compote

Here’s a nice rhubarb compote to jazz up a bowl of ice cream or serve on your morning yogurt, porridge  or pancakes. It’s a simple recipe that will make you look like a superstar.

1 1/4 pounds rhubarb, ends cut off and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. About 4 cups or 4 large stalks
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh gingerroot
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter

In a medium-size sauce pan add the rhubarb, lemon juice, ginger root and sugar.  Slowly bring to a boil, then lower temperature to a simmer, cook until rhubarb is tender and mushy, about 5 minutes, add butter, stir until melted, and remove from heat.

Serve warm or cold on ice cream, vanilla yogurt, pancakes or on porridge.