7/20 Rhubarb, I Was So Wrong
At the Vegan Retreat I had the opportunity to cook with rhubarb for the first time. We cooked it down with mulberries and put the luscious mixture into tarts. It was SO tangy and fruity and bitter and sweet.
Photo By: S. Duquet
Ever since then I have decided that I am a lover of rhubarb. I honestly thought rhubarb was only consumed by grandmothers, but apparently it is consumed by people with great taste in food. I found some at the farmers market this past weekend. I carried it home like it was the bouquet I was presented for winning The Miss Rhubarb pageant. I decided to make a compote, because they are so easy to create and enjoy. This is what I used.
Ingredients:
5 stalks of rhubarb cut in 1/2-1 inch pieces
1 Cup of fresh blueberries
1 Cup of fresh plums pitted and chopped
1/4 C Water
3 Tbsp. Dark Brown Sugar (More or less to taste)
1 Tsp Cinnamon
Make it Happen:
When making a compote you can dump any fruit you have on hand (even frozen) in a pot, add a liquid (water, orange juice, wine) and the spices of your choice. I love cinnamon and cayenne pepper or black pepper for most fruit compotes. It accentuates the fruity-ness. I usually add some acid (lemon juice or orange juice) but the rhubarb is acidic enough without it. Cook it low and slow until the mixture thickens and becomes concentrated like a jam.
Photo By: S. Duquet
The rhubarb/blueberry/plum compote was so vibrant and fresh. It was layered with flavor because it cooked down and became a concentrated fruit bomb. We used it to top our corn cakes for brunch and then a few days later spooned it over vanilla soy ice cream for a very elegant dessert.
Photo By: S. Duquet
To me rhubarb tastes like a Sweet Tart for adults that happens to have a fair amount of Potassium and fiber. It cooks so much quicker than you would think and adds such a depth of flavor. I found a website that celebrates rhubarb as much as I now plan to. The site even lists the rhubarb festivals around the world. http://www.rhubarbinfo.com/festivals
My relationship with rhubarb is so new, I would really appreciate hearing some of your fave rhubarb tips and recipes.
Lets celebrate the addition of rhubarb to our growing list of new loves. Thank you vegan challenge for opening my eyes and exciting my palate.
Have a delicious day.
Tags: 30 day challenge, compassionate eating, compote, dairy free, going veg, rhubarb, rhubarb blueberry compote, trying vegan, trying vegetarian, vegan, vegan brunch, vegan challenge, vegan experience, vegan recipe, vegetarian brunch
July 20th, 2010 at 8:27 am
I woke up remembering a few more compote tips. If you would enjoy it more like a sauce, cook it less. If you would like it thicker, you can cook it more. It will also get a bit thicker as it cools. Enjoy.
July 21st, 2010 at 2:45 pm
You do a great job discussing the merits of rhubarb…but I don’t think I’m ready to walk through the fear. The pics are gorgoeus. Oh no a festival!!!
July 21st, 2010 at 10:51 pm
You can also get T-shirts that say,” Got Rhubarb?” I swear, I thought rhubarb was only consumed by my ex in-laws and the infirmed, but the flavor is outrageous. If you imagine that you are eating liquified Sour Patch Kids the first few times than you should be okay.
July 22nd, 2010 at 11:26 am
My daughter and I are also recent rhubarb converts. Someone at work gave her some and I saw it languishing in her frig. After asking if she had plans for it and found out not, I didn’t want to see it wasted so I made this super easy, super secret (until now) recipe.
Three steps to something even my husband loves – rhubarb crisp.
The sauce: 1 c water, 1 c sugar, 3 Tbs corn starch, 1 tsp vanilla (put into a sauce pan and cook until thick.
The rhubarb: just chop 4 cups into 1/2 pieces
The crust: 1 c rolled oats, 1 c flour, 1 c packed brown sugar, 1 stick vegan butter melted (combine all together)
Layer 1/2 crust, then the 4 c chopped rhubarb, pour the sauce over, top with the rest of the crust, and bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes.
This is something so good that if you think about it, you could feel guilty for eating rhubarb :>0
July 22nd, 2010 at 2:24 pm
You don’t even have too cook the rhubarb? That sounds amazing. We are going to the farmers market tomorrow and they have the most gorgeous rhubarb. I often think about putting it in a vase, but I use it too quickly. Thank you so much. I am going to create this over weekend. I love crisps, especially with a huge dollop of vanilla soy ice cream!