This spring has been warm and rainy. Despite the advice against planting too early, I decided to buy seedlings and plant my vegetables at the end of April and early May. They are thriving thanks to the rain. My garden is lush and green, the grass is thick, the tulip season has ended, but the lupins, sage, and irises are in full bloom. With all this greenery and moisture, it almost feels like I’m in England (or even Ireland – A).
By the second week of May, the rhubarb in my front garden was thriving, so it was time to harvest. Typically, Alex takes care of the rhubarb, but his method has never appealed to me. He pulls the rhubarb stalks, discards the leaves, cuts the stems, and then covers them with plenty of sugar and a bit of water. (Nowhere near as much sugar as I used to use – A.) and (just enough water to barely cover the bottom of the pot…and then a bit more – A.) I’ve only ever tried his rhubarb topping with ice cream. This time, however, we harvested much more from just one plant than we ever have before.
Please remember that rhubarb leaves are poisonous. When harvesting, dispose of them in yard waste or compost. The best way to pick rhubarb is to pull the stems straight from the root instead of cutting them. Just pull firmly, and they should come out easily. This technique allows the roots to regenerate for future growth. Be sure to harvest before the flower stem appears. If you can’t process them right away after harvesting, you can keep the stalks in the fridge for a while.
A few days ago, during a dry spell (did I mention it’s been a rainy spring?), Alex harvested the rhubarb from the front yard. The photo above was taken just three days after harvesting, and the new leaves have already emerged to cover the roots.
I cleaned the rhubarb stalks and ended up with over 3 kg of good stems. Alex was either too tired or busy with other household chores (working my way through the high-priority items on the honey-do list – A), so I took charge of preparing the rhubarb. Not surprising, I made my own rhubarb dishes and drinks.
I made rhubarb compote sweetened with honey (I avoid using refined sugar whenever possible). Below is the recipe. Since the only difference between compote and sauce is that compote is pureed, I opted only for compote. I froze a few containers for later and saved the rest for use over the Victoria Day weekend when we had some neighbors over for afternoon drinks and snacks themed around rhubarb.
Rhubarb Compote
For this recipe, I used 1 kg of rhubarb stalks, but you can adjust ingredients based on how much rhubarb you have.
Ingredients
– 1 kg rhubarb, sliced into approximately 1 cm pieces
– About 200 grams honey (if you prefer it less sweet or plan to use it with other sweet desserts like ice cream, 150g should suffice. Start with a smaller amount if uncertain and adjust while cooking).
– ½ cup of water or dry white wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc, but you can omit this for a thicker compote).
– 1 to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
– 3 or 4 slices of orange peel
– 1 to 3 Granny Smith apples (optional, I added them in my second batch for texture in drinks)
– 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (or you can use vanilla pods or a cinnamon stick if preferred).
Preparation
Combine all the ingredients in a large pot and let them sit for about 30 minutes. The rhubarb will release enough juice even without added water. Then, bring it to a boil and reduce the heat. Stir occasionally. In about 20 to 30 minutes, the rhubarb will break down. Since I wanted to maintain some chunkiness, I cooked it for about 20 minutes. If you cook it longer, it will turn into a puree.
After cooking, remove the mixture from heat and let it cool. Discard the orange peels and add a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Stir thoroughly, and your compote will be ready for use.
The final yield from the ingredients was about 930g of compote. Since I had over 3 kg of rhubarb, I froze most of the compote for future use. It should last for several months in the freezer.
There are plenty of ways to utilize this delicious compote. I decided to go for an easy puff pastry dessert and a refreshing jug of rhubarb sangria.
Puff Pastry with Rhubarb Compote
This recipe is incredibly simple. I started with a frozen puff pastry roll.
Leave it in the fridge overnight to thaw.
Slice the pastry into squares that will fit your muffin pan.
Carefully stretch the squares into the muffin cups, ensuring they fit snugly. Preheat the oven to 350°F (or follow the instructions on the pastry package). Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Once done, remove from the oven and use a teaspoon to gently press down the center of each puff pastry to create space for the filling, as the centers tend to puff up while baking.
Allow them to cool on a plate and then fill with the rhubarb compote.
A teaspoonful is sufficient for each pastry. Feel free to decorate before serving. Enjoy it fresh!
White Wine Rhubarb Sangria
Ingredients
– 1 cup of rhubarb compote
– Approximately 30 ml (1 fl oz) of orange liqueur (I used Grand Marnier).
– 8 large strawberries
– 8 rhubarb stalks (preferably thin; if using thick ones, slice them in half)
– 4 slices of orange
– 1 bottle of sparkling white wine
– ½ bottle of dry white wine
– Ice cubes
Preparation
On a hot and sunny Monday, after heating the kitchen baking puff pastry, I didn’t want to turn on the oven again. However, I had a few rhubarb stalks left for garnish. I thought strawberries would go nicely with the rhubarb. While I hadn’t used strawberries before, they would be perfect for a sangria mix. I needed to cook the rhubarb stems a little (ideally, I would marinate them overnight in some liqueur, if I had time).
I decided to grill them on the BBQ. I put the rhubarb and about 8 strawberries in a BBQ basket, and Alex handled the grilling. Afterward, I let them cool while I mixed the sangria. My method for making sangria mainly involves intuition and adjusting the flavors to my liking.
Now, let’s put together the sangria: pour about 1 cup of the rhubarb compote into a jug. If you prefer a clearer drink, you may strain the compote, but I find that it can be time-consuming (not to mention wasteful – A), so I skip that step.
Chop up some strawberries and rhubarb stalks and add them to the jug. Also, toss in the orange slices and lemon if desired. If you’re using it, pour in the orange liqueur along with the wine. Let it chill in the fridge for a few hours. When you’re ready to serve, add ice and carefully pour in the Cava. Finally, garnish with mint leaves and thyme (I used lemon thyme).
Serve the sangria in glasses over additional ice. Use the grilled rhubarb stems and mint to garnish each glass.
Next time, I plan to incorporate some of my compote into summertime gin and tonic refreshments.
Cheers!
Note: Grilling or barbecuing rhubarb and strawberries isn’t necessary for a delightful sangria. You can also use fresh chopped strawberries, apples (Granny Smiths pair well with rhubarb), or any other fruits for a refreshing afternoon drink.
