Mother’s Day is around the corner. Have you planned something special for your mom? I think all moms love brunch — so whether you are making one — or someone else is making you one — check out this recipe for Strawberry-Rhubarb compote.
If you’ve never had rhubarb, you really must try it. It’s actually a vegetable — it kind of looks like red celery. It is frequently paired with strawberries because they sweeten up the naturally tart rhubarb. You can make strawberry rhubarb pie, or strawberry rhubarb crisp, but I thought a compote would be delicious and versatile and perfect for Mother’s Day brunch!
So, what is a compote? In this case, it’s a mixture of cooked down fruit, usually in a flavored sugar/water reduction. It can be eaten on it’s own — both hot or cold. You can also use it to top pancakes and waffles, ice cream and pound cake. However, today, I’m going to layer it between Greek yogurt for a delicious parfait.
The Strawberry-Rhubarb compote recipe is super simple. All you need is strawberries, rhubarb, maple syrup (yes, I’ve replaced the white sugar with grade B maple syrup to lighten it up), lemon zest and vanilla extract — let it cook down on the stove and voila – compote! For this recipe, let it cool down before serving.
So, here’s my recipe. I’m hoping it introduces some of you to rhubarb — which is a wonderful vegetable — and I hope you love it. I think the parfait would be lovely for Mother’s Day brunch, don’t you?
Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote
Yield approximately 4 cups
4 cups of rhubarb (sliced, 1/2 inch thick)
1, 16 ounce container of strawberries, quartered
1/2 cup of grade B maple syrup
2 tablespoons water
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a saucepan over medium low heat, add the rhubarb, maple syrup, and water. Let the mixture simmer until the rhubarb just starts to soften. Then, add the strawberries and cook until they are soft — total cooking time is approximately 10-12 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest at the very end. Please note that the rhubarb cooks down — it will not be whole, but you will notice strawberry pieces throughout.
If you are going to make the parfait in the photos — just add a few tablespoons of Greek yogurt to a cup, then a tablespoon or two of the compote, then repeat until you reach the top of your glass. You could even top yours with granola or chopped walnuts.
Helpful Hint: Rhubarb is a seasonal spring find! You can find it in your local grocery store — in the fresh produce section or in the freezer case. If you purchase it fresh, you will find it in long stalk form. You generally won’t find any with green leaves in tact, but if you do, remove them — you only use the red stalk!
