Serves 4
Rhubarb, the earliest spring fruit, arrives, or at least persists, into strawberry
and mulberry season, and rhubarb is notoriously excellent with berries. This
is a much simpler dessert to produce than a pie, and you'll end up with
rosy pieces of fruit that dissolve into a puree. That is if your stalks were
red. There’s also an heirloom variety that has green stalks, every bit
as delicious, but a bit dingier in color.
Serve this compote garnished with strips of candied ginger (it turns slightly
medicinal when baked), cream, and a ginger cookie. Or spoon it over ice cream.
Plan to spread any leftovers over your morning toast.
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds rhubarb
- ½- cup light brown sugar or maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon minute tapioca
- juice and long strands of zest of 1 small orange
- 1/8 teaspoon powdered cloves
- A handful to a few pints strawberries, mulberries, or blackberries
- 4 slices candied ginger, thinly cut into strips, for garnish
Procedure
- Wash the rhubarb; remove the ends of the stalks, then them slice crosswise
into ½ inch chunks. If the stalks are very thick, halve them lengthwise first.
Toss with the sugar or syrup, tapioca, orange juice, zest, and clove. Arrange
in an 8 X 10- inch gratin dish, and let stand while the oven heats to 400 F.
Cover with foil and bake until the fruit is tender when pierced with a knife,
35 to 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, if you're using strawberries, rinse them quickly, then slice
thickly. Plunge mulberries briefly into water and remove any stems. When the
rhubarb is done, remove it from the oven, scatter the berries over the top,
and let stand with a piece of foil loosely placed over the top. The heat of
the rhubarb will open the flavor of the berries, cooking them slightly. Serve
chilled or at room temperature, garnished with cream and crème fraiche
whipped together until billowy, and the candied ginger.
